2012
THE ENGLISH BEAT
with
Palisades High School Concert Band
and Special Guests
2011
Palisades Rocks the Fourth Concert and Fireworks
The annual Palisades Rocks the Fourth concert at Palisades Charter H.S. was bigger and better in 2011. The concert offered a wide range of the finest local amateur and professional entertainment, playing popular and patriotic songs. Rocky Dawuni and Band (Reggae); The House Band (Classic Rock); UCLA Cello Quartet (Classical); Set Theory (Jazz); and Palisades Charter H.S. Concert Band (Traditional). Although the concert ran longer than expected, it was capped in breathtaking fashion by the annual fireworks pageant, presented again by world famous Pyro Spectaculars.
Proceeds went to the Arwen Hernandez’ Palisades Charter H.S. Music Department.
2010
Palisades Rocks the Fourth Concert and Fireworks
The Third annual Palisades Rocks the Fourth concert at Palisades Charter H.S. was bigger and better than last year. The concert offered a wide range of the finest local amateur and professional entertainment, playing popular and patriotic songs. Peter Himmelman; Fourwayfree; That; Palisades High Concert Band. The concert was capped in breathtaking fashion by the annual Pacific Palisades fireworks pageant, again presented by world famous Pyro Spectaculars.
Proceeds went to the Palisades Charter H.S. Music Department.
2009
July 4, 2009, at 6:30 p.m., a family-oriented musical concert, featuring the Palisades High Concert Band, singer Mimi Vitale, and three Palisades-connected rock bands (The House Band, The Mayberry’s and the Elevaters) performed for a crowd that eventually grew to an estimated 4,000, filling the stadium grandstands and covering the football/soccer field.
‘PAPA’s first ‘Palisades Rocks the Fourth’ was a big success,’ said Rich Wilken, the volunteer fireworks show coordinator and longtime resident.
The concert was followed by a 20-minute ‘Let Freedom Ring’ fireworks display that included 385 aerial explosives and 24 multi-shot effects. During the show, patriotic tunes like ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ and the country-western song ‘I’m Proud to Be an American’ played in the background.
Proceeds went to the Palisades Charter H.S. Music Department.
Palisades July 4th 2009 from Hillary Enclade on Vimeo.
2008
The pre-fireworks concert was started in 2008. The idea of a pre-fireworks concert had been a dream of Palisades’ residents Rob Weber and Keith Turner, but that year it was possible because the logistics of the fireworks show had to changed as a result of the newly remodeled Palisades High School Stadium (“Stadium by the Sea”). Prior to 2008, the fireworks were shot from the western end-zone of the football field, which resulted in the entire field being fenced off. Spectators were limited to the bench seating. However, in 2008, the Palisades High School Stadium was re-done, including the installation of the an artificial field. Because of a concern that a firework’s shell could light the astro-turf on fire, the fireworks had to be shot for another location not so near the football/soccer field.
Finding the new location was a major undertaking. Every possible space in the Palisades, from the beach, to the park, to Temescal Canyon were studied. But none of those locations could accommodate the number of spectators that had historically attended the annual show. The only logical solution was to move the launching are to the school’s quad. However, the L.A. Fire Department denied the initial permit because it felt the firing site was too close to the school buildings. Rich Wilken worked his charm and logic to appeal that decision was able to convince the L.A. Fire Department to allow the fireworks to be shot from the school’s quad.
All of the logistics for the fireworks show were decided just a few weeks for July 4th. At the last PAPA meeting before July 4, the Board was discussing what do before the fireworks. In prior years, canned music was played through the stadium speakers before the firework’s show started at 9 p.m. Bill Bruns, the editor of the Palisadian-Post newspapers, suggested to PAPA Board member Keith Turner that his band play before the fireworks. PAPA approved the concept and Keith Turner’s band paid for the professional sound system themselves.
The 2008 show was a huge success. The PaliHi football field was filled with people swaying and dancing to the music of The House Band, a rock band made up of Palisades dads, with a special guest appearance by drummer and parade president Ron Weber.
At 9 p.m. the fireworks exploded from the new location, the high school quad, which is about 30 ft. higher in elevation than the former firing site. The night went off without a hitch, capping a perfect ending to another Palisades Fourth.
