Summer concert series returns to Old Town

Musician, singer and songwriter Kim Archer has always been a gift to Tacoma. She comes from a place of inclusion and community in her music and all that she does, and she’s bringing this same embrace to this year’s Old Town Summer Concert Series that she has produced and presented for the past 11 years.

The free series kicks off on Wednesday, July 2, at Old Town Park and returns every Wednesday through Aug. 27, 6:30-8:15 p.m. It makes for a great way to enjoy a family outing, time with friends, or even just to experience on your own because the atmosphere is inviting for all people to come as you are. 

“We created it to foster community so that the community has something free every week that they could just go and do,” Archer said. “Everything is so busy and so expensive, especially if you have a family and you want to do something that’s family time and doesn’t cost a lot of money or take a lot of planning – where you can just jump in the car and go.”

The concert series is also good for Old Town overall, giving folks an opportunity to visit Tacoma’s birthplace and the shops and businesses there that many will discover for the first time. 

As Archer said, “I’ve seen people make friends there and a couple people who met there and got married. All that is special and why we started it. It’s always cool when you create something bigger than you and that’s kind of the point – seeing the park full of people having a good time, kids running and playing, people spreading their blankets out and their picnics – forgetting about their day, their lives, or stresses for a little while to unwind and decompress.”

Featuring some of Tacoma’s best music acts, what began as a small local gathering now draws 350-plus attendees weekly, with peak nights exceeding 400. 

The Old Town Summer Concert Series kicks off on July 2 with local favorite Champaign Sunday. The unique glam-folk of husband-and-wife team Jessi and Jared Fredeen brings upbeat, roller coaster style shows, firing off gypsy-punk rock songs alongside everything from intimate tear-jerkers to anthemic foot-stompers. 

Folk rock powerhouse Amelia Day on July 9 will invite new fans to discover her carefree melodies, confessional lyricism and raw, heartfelt delivery blending folk, rock, jazz, pop, and funk.

On July 16, amped up acoustic female power-duo Megan & Heidi perform rock and blues infused classic and contemporary music. The Kim Archer Band takes the stage on July 23 with Archer; Steve Banks, drums; E Pruitt, bass; and Rene LeMesnager, electric guitar. On July 30, the Playtonics and their original and beloved jazzy soul pop-songs will tell of love, relationship and politics through this group of intergenerational players.

Going into August, Kristen Marlo and Jeff Ross on Aug. 6 come together for a do not miss performance. Marlo is a classically trained vocalist, self-taught guitarist, accomplished composer and lyricist, and Ross remains a Tacoma staple with his own alternative-folk style.

Next up on Aug. 13, Rod Cook, another local staple who has worked as a professional musician for more than 40 years, showcases his stylistic versatility and soulful, melodic playing. 

Erina McLaren performs her original music and contemporary covers on Aug. 20, and her young son Mason might be there to accompany her as well. The series wraps up on Aug. 27 with Guilded Lilly’s indie folk, blues and rock to make music that moves you.

“I’m really happy with the line-up this year – good variety, some really heavy hitters, a lot of women, mixed genres, people of color, gay people, straight people, elderly people, young people... I try to get a variety because that’s what people like to see, something different every week,” Archer said. 

While the concert series charges no admission, Archer makes sure she takes care of the performers by running through the crowd with a five-gallon bucket for donations. She produces the concert series on a very tiny budget, so she turns to the crowd to pitch in a little bit. Archer takes no cut from this or from the performers’ merchandise sales – it’s all for the players.  

“Music imprints our hearts – that’s what makes it unifying and special,” she said. “Even in the most troubling times, people can gather around a song – the first song at their wedding or a song they heard when someone they loved passed. It really marks time for us and that’s why music is lasting for us as people.”

About a year ago, Archer moved from Tacoma to Puerto Vallarta so now she splits her time between her two home bases. While she’s here through the end of August, she lined up more than 20 gigs, some at private events but most at public venues including casinos and the farmers markets for which she has a particular fondness for playing. See her schedule at kimarcherband.com.