Members of the Hot Rods Band from left, James Williams, Mike Billo, Scott Porter and Rolando Zamora perform during the Friday Night Music series at the at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.
Sure, the Thursday Street Dance, which put on its third event Thursday, was borne of a groundswell of downtown merchants rallying against the move of the 17th annual Friday Night Music Series from West Second Street, where it had always been, to the amphitheater at the Community and Cultural Center, which is located on the corner of Dunne Avenue and Monterey Road.
Still, organizers of each insist, it's not a competition. Event organizers for each are playing nice, and enjoying the atmosphere at each event.
Thursday night, it was a spread of folding chairs on West Second, with a small crowd of folks boogying in front of the live band set up at the corner of Second and Monterey Road. Patrons of this event say they like popping into a shop, restaurant or bar in the downtown core before, during and after the event.
Last Friday night, more than 400 people lined the amphitheater in rows and rows, setting up picnic blankets. Serenaded by country singer Kelly McDonald the crowd mingled and children raced across the lawn.
Aside from the street ambiance and tradition of being held on Second, the street dance has something going for it that the music series doesn't: The Morgan Hill Idol singing competition.
At the inaugural evening June 18, four teenage girls braved the crowd of about 175. During the classic rock band Fourth Street Band's break, each sang a song a capella with hopes to be chosen as the first finalist in the signature event.
Each week, a finalist is chosen from three or four competitors. The weekly finalists will go head-to-head Sept. 10 and the winner will receive eight hours in a recording studio, and four CDs with music from the session and a cover design for the CD, Carta Luna owner and event organizer Patty Curtis said.
"I was really nervous, I almost forgot the words," Gilroy resident Madison James, 13, said after her turn at the microphone. Moments later, James shrieked as she was selected by the three judges as the competition's first finalist.
James isn't the only winner, say downtown business owners.
Everyone's out to have a good time and boost business downtown, Curtis said.
And there are no hard feelings about that, said Chris Giuisiana, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, which puts on the music series. Giuisiana said she was thrilled that both events have steady, robust crowds. Almost 200 people have attended each of the first two Thursday Street Dances while more than 400 attend each of the Music Series nights at the amphitheater.
"I think it's great. I'm amazed at how many people we've gotten (at the new venue). It's great to have everyone down there on Friday night, and it's a totally different group than we were getting (on Second Street)," Giuisiana said.
Some parents attending last Friday's event say they feel safer bringing their children to the amphitheater, which is tucked away from busy Monterey Road and features a plush lawn rather than asphalt.
Scott Freeman, father of triplet girls, said he preferred the amphitheater because he didn't have to worry about keeping his kids off the street and out of the roadways. He also appreciated the acoustics at the community center location.
But still, "it's better for the businesses over there," he admitted.
Lifelong Morgan Hill resident Michele Maka, who attended June 18's dance, agreed.
"That's not walking distance to downtown," Maka said of the community center. "The heart of Morgan Hill is here. This is the downtown part that we knew as little kids. I'm glad that they fought for this."
Kevin and Lois Spencer remain diehard fans of the Friday Night Music Series, wherever it may be.
"It's safer than the street," Kevin Spencer said of the new venue.
The verdict was out on whether or not Friday Night Music Series attendees still patronize downtown businesses, though. Spencer said they stop by Jesus Restaurant on East Third Street to grab food to go before heading over to the series.
Janene Towner and Jeff Chernoff scoped out the scene at the series last Friday night out of curiosity, but said they're staying loyal to the Second Street event because businesses like The Cupcake Shop on Monterey Road between Second and Third and Poppy's Fish Poultry and More on East Third need the support that comes with a more centralized downtown event.
"We love the music, it's a great event and we've always supported everything they're doing," Towner said.
Still, Ragoots owner Colleen Isaacs and Rosy's at the Beach owner Rosy Bergin said business was a little off Friday nights. But both hesitated to pin the blame solely on the move of the series.
"We don't know if it's the series, the heat, the construction, the economy," Isaacs said. "It's hard to say. But we are concerned."
Bergin said there's not been a large drop-off in customers, but she's seen a change. Bergin pointed out that in addition to the series, other changes include two new restaurants - Fuzia's and Ricatoni's - added to the downtown mix.
She did say, though, that she's seen patrons going back and forth from her restaurant to the street dance.
The Silvas are of the opinion that if people are already downtown for the series, there's nothing to deter them from wandering further down Monterey to patronize the restaurants.
Jackie Silva said she was a little worried about the new venue at first, but now prefers it.
"In hard economic times, it's nice to have something like this," she said.
Now, Morgan Hill residents have two somethings. And they're not competing.
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