‘Outdoor concert season’ begins at Oaks Amusement Park

Find out more about these live music, drive-in concerts being held in East Portland on Friday and Saturday evenings …

Doing a “sound check” for the first “Mix-tape Revival” concert in the series outdoor music shows underway at Oaks Amusement Park are members of the first week’s featured band, The Hair Jordans.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

The evenings of March 12 and March 13 saw the kick-off of two brand-new live music concert series being held this spring at nonprofit Oaks Amusement Park. They will run through mid-April.

“We had so much fun creating the drive-in Cinnamon Bear Show during the Holidays, and playing our Drive-in New Year’s Eve Concert, that we’ve created a series of drive-in concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings here at historic Oaks Amusement Park,” explained the concert series’ producer, Warren Dexter of Webracadabra Events.

With the new Adrenaline Peak roller coaster rising behind, as their backdrop, the first “Mix-tape Revival” show rocks out at Oaks Amusement Park.

They haven’t moved the stage they used for the Holiday performances – it’s still in front of the new and colorfully-illuminated Adrenaline Peak roller coaster – but they did raise the surface of the stage considerably, to provide better sight-lines from anywhere in the “audience” area, in which concert-goers park their vehicles for the show.

“On consecutive Friday nights, we’re presenting bands who play the best music of the 1980s and 1990s, in concerts we’re calling the ‘Mix-tape Revival’, presented by some of the best retro-rock musicians in the area,” Dexter told East Portland News.

Up front for “The Hair Jordans” are concert series’ co-producer Justin Sheehy and guest artist Ione.

The opening concert for the “Mix-tape Revival” series, Friday evening March 12, went off without a hitch. The audience showed their enjoyment of that night’s band, The Hair Jordans, and their comedic banter and spot-on musicianship, by flashing their vehicles’ headlights and honking horns between numbers – a pandemic-friendly and perhaps to some, unnerving form of applause!

Then, on Saturday evenings, in a separate series of concerts, they’re bringing in other music acts of the Pacific Northwest to perform with their bands in shows they’re calling the “Oaks Park Live! Concert Series”.

Starting off their separate Saturday evening concert series was the band “Van Lavish”.

On March 13, the “Oaks Park Live! Concert Series” featured Gabby Holt, a well-known Portland rocker who’s played with Gabby Holt & The Hedges, as well as Hivemind, and is featured artist with King Black Acid. Her opening act, Van Lavish, got the audience going with their energetic music.

Gabby Holt demonstrates why she’s considered at the top Portland’s top rock singer/ songwriter/musicians.

Then, electricity filled the air as Gabby Holt and band took the stage and played their original songs. Her performance was dazzling, with iridescent vocals – sometime hard, sometime lilting, vibrant guitar virtuosity, and command of the stage.

See a short clip of Gabby Holt performing
at the Oaks Park Live! concert:

Giant chili dogs anyone? Veronica Dexter gets food ready to serve at the concession stand.

What you need to know:

Concert goers must purchase their tickets in advance online – because there’s no “ticket office” at the gate. You’ll show your receipt at the gate to be admitted.
“Mix-tape Revival” tickets are $49 per vehicle.
“Oaks Park Live! Concert Series” tickets are $59 per vehicle.
Ushers guide drivers to the parking areas.
Guests may sit outside near their vehicle if they wish – provided they socially-distance from others.
There is an outdoor sound system at these shows, but the crystal-clear live music is “piped in” to the attendees’ vehicles via FM radio.
You can bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages; but there will be a concession stand open with hot food during the concerts – featuring delicious, inexpensive snacks for purchase.
Gates open at 6 p.m.; the shows are from 7 until 9:30 p.m.
Concerts are currently scheduled through April 17 and 18; but we’ve learned that those final two dates, featuring The Garcia Birthday Band, have already sold out! Other dates are still open for ticket purchase, however. Act fast if you want to go.

There’s no reason to stay inside this weekend; great live musical entertainment awaits you, in your car, at Oaks Amusement Park.

To buy a tickets securely online – and to read important information about the concerts – see the Oaks Amusement Park website, CLICK HERE.

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