Live Music Keeps Fog Fest Jumping

One of the Fog Fest’s biggest draws every year is the live music played on three separate stages. Here’s a breakdown of Saturday’s shows and surrounding events. For Sunday's acts, check out the event's website or read Pacifica Patch's .

Serramonte Ford Stage: SOUTH (located at Palmetto and Montecito)

Pacifica band Brother Buzz started the day at the Ford Stage with honky-tonk and rock-n-roll dance hits. They were followed at 12:40pm by the Chris Cobb Band, a San Francisco group who kept the crowd dancing with songs like “Turning Your Love Away,” a tune from their first album, “CC’s Blues.”

While the bands played, enthusiastic groups danced in front of the stage, stayed in their seats and swayed to the beat or cheered from the sidewalk.

Steps away from the stage, inside , artist (and San Bruno Patch contributor) Janet Barker painted a seascape scene, while enjoying the ambiance of live music. Festival-goers stopped to watch Barker paint through the glass and moseyed into the store to browse the book selection.

Outside Florey’s, the music continued at 2:20pm with San Francisco group The B Stars, a snappily-dressed, high-energy band that plays “rockin’ hillbilly bop and boogie,” including tongue-in-cheek songs like “My Baby’s Just Like Money.”

Throughout the day, many of those who gathered around the Ford Stage relaxed in a massage chair on the sidewalk outside , a couple of doors down from Florey’s Books. 

Six-piece band Bella Ciao played the final set at the Ford Stage on Saturday. The band's fun, Italian songs – both old and new – were a lively addition to the day.

Recology of the Coast Stage: CENTER (located at Palmetto and Santa Maria)

The Stan Erhart Band was the first musical act to grace the Center Stage on Saturday, playing soulful, rocking tunes.

They were followed by the edgy sounds of Day Four, a San Francisco-based duo consisting of Masoniq on vocals and Andres as musician. The fusion band has been compared to the likes of both Metallica and Third Eye Blind but they manage to create unique music that defies true comparison.

Near Center Stage, Pacifica police officer Bill Glasgo paroled Palmetto Avenue, stopping to distribute police badge stickers to admiring children. The Fog Fest hired mostly outside security for this year’s event, but a few members of Pacifica’s police force were on hand throughout the day.  

At 2:20pm, the crowd welcomed Doug Blumer & the Bohemian Highway. The band started with an uptempo version of the Beatles song “For No One.” “We’re just getting warmed up,” said Blumer, as he introduced the band. “We picked up some friends on the highway on the way here and we’re going to call it ‘the Bohemian Highway!'”

Quarter Mile Combo rounded out the day at Center Stage with pompadours and rockabilly. A couple who danced to every song won a prize – a free CD – from the band, though the pair were in hot contention with a couple of preschoolers who found Quarter Mile Combo’s rockabilly sound irresistible.

First National Bank Stage: NORTH (located at Palmetto & Shoreview)

All-girl Ramones tribute band the Hormones were Saturday’s opening act on the North Stage. The Hormones do the Ramones proud, more than keeping up with the harder-louder-faster sound of the Ramones’ music.

Next up was the Valerie Jay Band, who ended their set as strongly as they began it with “Two More Bottles of Wine,” a song originally done by country crooner Martina McBride. Valerie Jay’s incredible vocal skills more than matched McBride’s version and the crowd enthusiastically applauded the band’s finale.

“Everybody in Pacifica is here today,” said North Stage emcee Diana Raymond at the end of the Valerie Jay Band’s set. “Enjoy the sun before the fog comes back!” (The fog came and went all day, before deciding to stick around permanently in the late afternoon.)

Raymond has been a member of the Fog Fest Entertainment Committee for several years. She was thrilled with the many talented acts performing on all three stages and she explained that so many bands want to perform at the Fog Fest that two years ago, the Entertainment Committee instated a three-year rule, meaning that after playing the Fog Fest three years in a row, bands have to take a one year hiatus.

Raymond’s husband Eddie Raymond and his band, who can be found performing most Sunday mornings at 10am at the , have had to skip playing the Fog Fest for the past couple of years, though Eddie hopes to return next year.

Tia Carroll and her band took to the stage at 2:20pm. The crowd loved the combination of Carroll’s sultry voice belting out ballads and the blues.

More blues ended the day in a big way at North Stage with Big Cat and the Hipnotics. Alluding to the appropriately foggy weather, the band’s lead singer told the crowd, “I’m a Big Cat and sometimes I block out the sun!” The group played high-energy, earthy blues, including standards like “Born Under a Bad Sign.”

Be sure to catch Sunday’s musical acts. Shows are free and the music begins at 11am and ends around 5:30pm. See here for Sunday’s complete program.