Rochester Summer Concert Series drums up donations for senior center

ROCHESTER — Beneath the setting sun, the South Coast-based cover band The Relics performed songs by Johnny Cash, The Beatles, Van Morrison, and more during the Rochester Summer Concert Series on Friday, July 18.

Attendees nestled into lawn chairs and picnic blankets while listening to the music and enjoying pulled pork sandwiches, apple pie and ice cream sold by the Friends of the Rochester Senior Center. 

According to Mike Cambra, the President of the Friends of the Rochester Senior Center, funds from the event go toward benefitting the senior center.

This is the second year the Rochester senior center is hosting the free summer concert series, with the event expanded further since last year because “it was just so successful,” according to Cambra.

The Friends of the Rochester Senior Center received grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Rochester Culture Council to assist with the cost of producing the concert series.

The series now features three separate concert events. South Shore-based country musician Matt York performed in June, kicking off this year’s series, and Rochester singer-songwriter Grace Morrison will perform during the final night on Friday, August 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

“If you haven’t seen or heard Grace Morrison, you have to. She’s something very special, said Ken Daggett, guitarist of The Relics, during the band’s performance.

The Relics were chosen to perform for the July show, because “everybody knows The Relics,” according to Cambra.

Composed of Daggett, drummer Gary Laboa of Carver and bassist Wayne Kilanowich of New Bedford, the trio performed a collection of blues, soft rock and country songs imbued with rich three-part harmonies and polished instrumentation. 

“[The songs] come over time. We all have a hand in what we do and we try to make it audience friendly,” said Kilanowich.

Laboa adds that that group likes to “mix it up” and “try to play to the crowd.”

With events like the summer concert series, the center is trying to reach out to younger audiences as well as the senior residents of Rochester.

“We’re trying to bring more kids in too, but it’s very tough,” said Cambra, adding that the kids are welcome to “run around while the parents are listening to the music. The center recently started hosting other kid-centered events, including a pancake breakfast.

With the success of this year and last year’s summer concerts, Cambra is hoping to host the event again in the future.

“I hope to repeat it again next year. We’ve very grateful to the cultural councils for giving us the money,” he said. “As you can see, it goes to good use — a lot of friendship and camaraderie out there.”