The brainchild of Fingerprints record store owner Rand Foster and Justin Hectus, co-founder of Schooled in Song, Summer and Music is a series of 13 events. The shows are free and all-ages and promote local talent by literally taking them to the streets. Not only were the shows eclectic, genre-wise—spanning folk, jazz, pop, rockabilly and funk—but they also included such fun events as the Battle of the Tribute Bands, Classical Beats (which have bands performing classical string arrangements and hip-hop overdubs) and Buskerfest, in which local bands competed for wooden nickels in the hopes of winning recording time at Compound Studio in Long Beach. The talent that hits the streets of Long Beach when summer rolls around is immense, and this year, Delta Spirit, Crystal Antlers and PawnShop Kings killed it. Plus, SAM upped the ante in 2010 by going green—the concert series were held on self-contained, solar-powered stages; stage banners were made from soy-based ink and biodegradable vinyl; and bicycle valet parking and pedicab services were available.
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