Concrete Concerts Travel to Newhall

Steve and I love listening to live music. During COVID offerings were slim but we found a niche place where we could listen to music in comfort (and safety). The Mary Dyer Band would play free weekly “concrete concerts” outside the home of founders Dave Blasucci and Mandy Williams.

To be honest, I can’t remember how we learned about the Mary Dyer Band; however, this classic rock/pop/country band has a following that has grown over the years. In fact, it can now be heard Thursday nights at Therapy at the Roar Room in La Crescenta (3645 Foothill Blvd.).

I call the early performances of the Mary Dyer Band concrete concerts because that’s where they played – on the driveway of their house. Folks from throughout the Crescenta Valley would come and either perch themselves on nearby sidewalks or, like us, would bring folding chairs. Over the years, a taco truck sold food for the hungry music lovers and dancers. And over the years, the crowd grew too – from about 30 to 40 people initially to between 300 and 400 by the end of the weekly get-togethers.

We’ve heard Dave play solo on the patio at New Moon in Montrose/Glendale and the band in its entirety at Bogie’s in Westlake Village. They’ve also played at the CV Fireworks.

On Saturday, Steve learned that the Mary Dyer Band was going to play an acoustic show at The Smokehouse on Main in Newhall so we grabbed a coat and made our way up the 5 and 14 freeways.

We had made reservations so a table was waiting for us inside the lounge area of The Smokehouse on Main. We’ve seen Dave around town and he graciously stopped by to say “hi” prior to the show.

Not surprisingly, the show was a hit. It was fun to see the place fill up so quickly with fans. Adjacent to the lounge was a patio where some folks were seated. It didn’t take long for them to try and get a table inside where the music was.

And the food at The Smokehouse on Main was delicious. I ordered brisket, mac n cheese and roasted corn. Holy cow – they were terrific! That (plus a glass – or two – of wine) made for a great night.

While I’ll always treasure the “concrete concerts” – and the Mary Dyer Band still occasionally plays them – I’ll be keeping my eyes open for where they’re going to be next. Who knows? Maybe Steve and I will next make our way over to Therapy at the Roar Room.

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A quick reminder to thank the contributors to the GoFundMe
(https://gofund.me/0f90b728) and who either dropped off or mailed a check to help CVW recover from our recent burglary.

The generosity of the community is truly overwhelming.