The Red Pears Turn a Free Park Show Into a Night to Remember

The Red Pears Turn a Free Park Show Into a Night to RememberThe Red Pears were back at William Steinmetz Park on August 15 for another free show with LA County Parks. This was their second show at the park in the same month, and this time they brought Death Lens with them, making it feel like a real hometown show for the 626.

I actually had a choice that day. Couchdog was playing at the Troubadour, and I was debating between the two. But being a fan of both Death Lens and The Red Pears definitely swayed my decision. Then you add the fact that the show was free. What's not to like?

I made my way toward the front and was able to get some shots of both bands. But honestly, as much as I wanted to photograph the show, at some point I just wanted to enjoy it.

And the crowd gave me plenty to enjoy.

People showed up, and you could feel it. The energy kept building, people were singing along, and before long, crowd surfers were making their way over the barricade. The park staff definitely weren't expecting that kind of energy because they were constantly trying to keep the barricade from falling over.

I ended up making friends with some of the security at the front, and even they were vibing with the music. When The Red Pears came on, they were doing everything they could to keep that barricade standing.

It was one of those shows where you could tell everyone was there for the music.

There were also two moments that stood out to me during The Red Pears' set.

The first was Henry's birthday. Before the show really got going, the crowd came together to sing Happy Birthday to him. You could see how much that moment meant, and it was a pretty cool way to start the set.

The second was a little more bittersweet.

This was Patrick's last show with The Red Pears.

Patrick didn't really go into detail about why this would be his final show with the group, but you wouldn't have known it from watching him perform. He was smiling throughout the night and looked like he was enjoying every moment.

At the end of the show, the three of them came together and hugged. It was a simple moment, but knowing it was Patrick's last show made it hit a little differently.

Whatever comes next for The Red Pears, this felt like a pretty special way to close out this chapter.

What's next for the band? I'm not completely sure. But they did confirm on Instagram that they will return, so this definitely isn't the last we've seen of The Red Pears.

And what's next for Patrick? That's still unclear. He didn't specify why this was his last time playing with the group, but whatever comes next for him, I hope nothing but the best for him.

For me, this ended up being one of the best shows of the summer.

Not because it was the biggest venue or because there was some massive production. It was a free show at a park in the 626. People showed up, the bands played their hearts out, the crowd went crazy, and for a few hours, everyone was just there enjoying music together.

LA County Parks deserves some love for that too. They continue to put on free concerts throughout the summer and give people the opportunity to see local artists without having to spend money on a ticket.

So thank you to LA County Parks for putting this together, and thank you to The Red Pears and Death Lens for giving the 626 another night to remember.

I'll definitely be back when The Red Pears return.