Backyard show livens up Santa Rosa Junior College neighborhood

Music fans have an array of options in the coming months, with festivals such as Outside Lands, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and the Bridge School Benefit.

While those concerts may feature incredible artists singing to their heart’s content, they don’t offer much intimacy. That can’t be said for a backyard concert held Saturday night in a neighborhood near Santa Rosa Junior College.

David Moll, an entrepreneur who also does massage therapy, held a concert at his house in the 700 block of Slater Street featuring mostly local bands such as Lazyman, T Sisters, Kingsborough and Parcivillian.

The sixth annual concert was expected to attract up to 250 people, Moll said.

He charges $22 for admittance , but all of the funds go to the artists, after he finishes paying for the rented sound system. Still, some were trying to make a profit, as a taco truck was out in front of Moll’s house for people craving food.

“It’s really artist-focused,” Moll said. “Sometimes, we have to pay out of bar sales to pay musicians.”

Alex Leach, lead guitarist for Santa Rosa-based Kingsborough, said he enjoyed playing the backyard bash because of its informal, family-friendly vibe. It was a much more relaxed atmosphere compared to when the band opened for ZZ Top at the Wells Fargo Center in April.

“When we are at a bar or something, we are worried about how many people are going to come in the door. When we are here, we are just going to have a good time and have everyone that is here have a good time too,” Leach said. “We’re not like, ‘Keep drinking because that’s how we get paid.’?”

The band opened with some covers, such as Tom Petty’s “American Girl” and Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded,” and then launched into some of its originals. A few times during the performance, band members jumped into the space in front of the stage to dance with audience members.

Leach said he is grateful that Moll holds the concert because Santa Rosa lacks musical venues for local acts, compared with Sebastopol and Petaluma.

The concert didn’t need a permit from the city, Moll said, but he notified all his neighbors and invited them as a courtesy.

Even though he is nowhere near a Bill Graham level as a promoter, Moll has formed Lion Awake Productions for concerts, coffeehouse performances and themed parties. He said he would like to develop a local cafe or tavern in the future.

He has a small porch that serves as a stage for the bands with a few amplifiers and minimal lighting. To show a little flair, he has Japanese lanterns lined along his fence to give off a glow for performers at night.

And most importantly, he rents a portable toilet, given that he didn’t want a long line in front of his bathroom. He also had portable washstands.

“It serves everybody,” Moll said. “Sometimes there’s a line, but people are patient.”