Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage photos
The Big Easy meets Lake Tahoe on Thursday for the 80th Live at Lakeview.
Shamarr Allen from the iconic New Orleans band Galactic headlines the show, which opens with some of Tahoe’s favorite musicians, a collective called The Tahoe Tribe.
“We’re honored to host Shamarr Allen’s authentic New Orleans sound on our stage for the 80th free concert at Lakeview Commons,” said Leslie Schultz, “director of vibes.”
“He’s coming through with his own band, Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs. We scored a massive talent of this level with good planning as this happened to be on the route of his current tour. The Tahoe Tribe open the show at 4:30 p.m. It’s a show not to be missed, that’s for sure!”
The Tahoe Tribe is three parts Lavish Green – bassist Rob Wheeler, saxophonist Seth Hall and drummer Danny Barnes — and is fronted by Vincenzo Thomas Amato. Expect more local heroes to sit in.
Lavish Green was undeniably one of South Shore’s most popular bands for two decades, forming in the Al Tahoe neighborhood where Lakeview Commons was built. (Thanks to a California proposition and teamwork from local government agencies.)
Original Lavish Green lead singer Rob Guistina is Schultz’s partner at On Course Events, which founded Live at Lakeview. During a show, Guistina introduced the collection of local all-star players as “The Tahoe Tribe,” and a band name was born.
“It is fun to be in a project that’s different from Lavish when we were trying to make a career out of it,” Wheeler said. “This is more of an artistic and pleasure outlet, not a business outlet. I am thrilled to jam with Seth and Danny — my guys — and whenever Joel (Gruneich, former Lavish guitarist) can make it. it means to much to me. It’s so wonderful.”
Within the last three weeks, Tahoe Tribe has played the Mountain Vibe and Mammoth Reggae festivals.
The band leader is Vincenzo Thomas Amato
“He is a little like Dave Mathews, an acoustic guitarist with a funky strumming style,” Wheeler said. “He has a gruff, smoky voice. It’s not jazz but his tone reminds me of Louis Armstrong.”
Shamarr Allen, however, is a jazzman.
He’s shared the stage with the likes of Patti LaBelle, Lenny Kravitz, Branford Marsalis. In 2011, Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs were invited to tour Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as cultural ambassadors for the United States State Department.
Allen cites one of his favorite moments as being the first trumpet player to play the National Anthem for President Barack Obama. Ultimately, he played for the president twice, the second time with multiplatinum artist Harry Connick Jr. at the White House.
— Tim Parsons
Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage
