The Ukelele Orchestra of the Western Hemisphere (Photo – Scott Phelps)
Pasadena’s Knox Presbyterian Church hosted a live musical performance Saturday evening, and folks turned out to fill the pews.
By Scott Phelps
The concert featured The Ukelele Orchestra of the Western Hemisphere and singer Claire Holley. The talented orchestra wowed the audience with a wide variety of songs, including selections in both Spanish and English. Among the highlights was a rewritten rendition of John Denver’s Country Roads, with “Country Road” replaced by “Woodbury Road” and “West Virginia” swapped for “Altadena.” That, along with a moving mash-up of David Bowie’s Space Oddity and Radiohead’s Creep, brought tears to many in the audience.
Ukelele Orchestra member and Pasadena resident Staci Armao said “It was a concert to promote community, comfort, and connection, and we decided to donate the proceeds to Altadena Musicians.” The organization is dedicated to replacing instruments lost in the Eaton Fire. Armao said she coordinated the event in partnership with Claire Holley and Marcus Stenzel, a member of Knox.
A live musical performance at Pasadena’s Knox Presbyterian Church (Photo – Scott Phelps)
A performance to benefit Altadena musicians (Photo – Scott Phelps)
Leave a Reply