The Concerts in the Park season starts on Saturday, May 25, in Clarkdale, and Cross-Eyed Possum kicks off the shows from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Clarkdale Town Park Gazebo. Formed in 2013 “just as a couple of kids in middle school messing around, no big deal stuff,” as described by guitarist/vocalist Jonah Howard, the Prescott-based band has been playing shows in bars, cafes and festivals around the Verde Valley since 2016.
At the time, “we started playing some gigs around the Prescott area a little bit more seriously and kind of solidified our genre, which is mostly was rock at this point,” he said.
Aside from playing in Cross-Eyed Possum, Jonah and his twin brother, Jason — who is the bassist and lead vocalist — also go to Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University for classical and jazz training and played with the Arizona All-State Jazz Band. However, it’s in the Verde Valley venues that they feel more at home.
“[At] bars and cafes, you kind of get to be yourself a little bit, you know,” Howard said. “At school it’s still lots of fun but … you conform to what the music is that you’re playing there, which is totally fine because it’s a great experience … [and] builds your journey as a musician.”
“But at the bars and the cafes so far, according to our experiences, you kind of get to show a combination of all your experiences and what they made you in to,” the 19-year-old continued.
He also enjoys the opportunities the band gets due to the small-town atmosphere of the area.
“I would say it’s really welcoming in Prescott; in other areas, in Phoenix and stuff, it’s kind of harder to find some shows but here — I’m assuming since it’s kind of a smaller place, it’s more welcoming because there’s people that you get to know, other musicians that you become friends with and the venues you can go and talk to the people,” Howard said. “I mean, most of the people here know each other, so it’s just kind of a friendly space where people like to talk to each other and like to set up shows.”
The Clarkdale Concerts in the Park series is another one of these opportunities for Cross-Eyed Possum and, in case you haven’t heard of them or seen the band in concert before, no worries. Their goal is to make everyone want to be part of it.
While they play mostly original tunes, concert-goers might get some covers from the likes of the Allman Brothers Band and Buffalo Springfield — in Howard’s words, “just something that feels happy.”
Other influences that listeners may recognize are the Grateful Dead and a little bit of jazz. Safe to say, there’s a little bit for everyone to enjoy.
“Our band is about creating a fun community space for not just people who know us, it’s not some like inside thing that people have to be a part of from the start. We try to create a welcoming atmosphere and play music that will kind of jive with everybody on what music should sound like,” he said. “We’re super excited to be a part of it and we can’t wait to see everybody who’s there.”
Concerts in the Park’s first show takes place May 25 and the events continue through the summer. All concerts are free to the public, and the Clarkdale Community Services Department encourages attendees to bring their own seating and reminds that alcohol and smoking are not permitted in the park.
Natasha Heinz can be reached at 282-7795 ext. 117, or email at nheinz@larsonnewspapers.com
