Two-day, free music festival features outdoor stages as well as intimate performances in local businesses

By Logan Broyles | SDUN Reporter

One of the largest free music festivals in San Diego returns to Uptown for its second year, with a lineup that will include more than 180 performances by 135 bands at 25 different venues. Formerly the Roots Festival, Adams Avenue Unplugged takes place Saturday, April 27 from 12 to 10 p.m. and Sunday, April 28 from 12 to 7 p.m.

Instead of taking over the entire street, the festival will feature performances staged in participating restaurants, bars, coffeehouses and galleries along a 2.5-mile stretch of Adams Avenue, spanning from University Heights into Kensington.

“Adams Avenue Unplugged basically takes the best of our Street Fair format and embellishes it with additional venues,” said Scott Kessler, executive director of the Adams Avenue Business Association. The business group organizes the music festival.

“Instead of utilizing a block party format and closing off the street, it puts the music inside the local restaurants and bars lining the main avenue,” he said.

Many of the Unplugged performers will play multiple sets to allow attendees to catch their favorite artists while enjoying the neighborhood’s distinctive shops along the business corridor.

In addition to the multiple venues, Kessler said they will also have larger stages outside for some of the bigger shows, similar to the Association’s annual Street Fair held each September. They will not, however, block off the entire street.

“When people come to the Adams Avenue Street Fair that we also hold, we have 10 blocks closed down and vendors set up in the middle of the street,” he said. “With Adams Avenue Unplugged, this will be more like how the avenue exists on a normal day, but people will get that extra addition of free music when they walk into one of their favorite restaurants or coffee houses.”

Four outdoor community stages will be set up along Adams Avenue for the event’s headliners, including local roots band Los Alacranes with special guests; Geoff Muldaur and Jim Kweskin; Reilly & Friends featuring Oscar-nominated actor John C. Reilly; Americana band Haunted Windchimes from Colorado; and the Brooklyn-based, gospel-inspired band Spirit Family Reunion.

“Last year we didn’t have the time to procure the national talent, so we’re really proud of the five headliners that we have this year,” Kessler said. “They’re each playing two sets, which is pretty unusual.”

The outdoor stages will be at Kensington Park, Adams Avenue Park near 35th Street and at the intersection of 30th Street and Adams Avenue. The fourth stage – named after Fallbrook, Calif. resident and musician Larry Robinson, who died March 23 – will also be at Adams Avenue Park, near the United Methodist Church Sanctuary located at 4650 Mansfield St.

While the re-imagined event encourages interaction between the Association, attendees and local businesses along Adams Avenue, Kessler said the focus is the music, calling the bands the “main attraction.”

He emphasized the event being free to attendees, saying, “This is one of the largest collections of free concerts that we’re aware of. … We have 180 one-hour sets scheduled. That’s a pretty good deal for people.”

There will also be a food court and an arts and crafts area at Adams Avenue Park to further help make the two-day event a community affair.

“We hope that this event builds on the reputation that Adams Avenue has for producing significant regional events that our community residents can take pride in,” Kessler said. “It’s all about building a sense of community and encouraging people to come out and mingle with each other.”

Organizers said they are urging attendees to take alternative transportation as they anticipate large crowds. A free shuttle service will provide transportation along Adams Avenue during event hours. San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, MTS, bus routes 2 and 11 will provide regular service as well.

Information on the 135 bands playing can be found at adamsavenueunplugged.com, including links to artist bios, music clips and the complete schedule. For more information call 619-282-7329.