EPACENTER kicks off new evening concert series 

Some big names in music are coming to East Palo Alto this spring and summer. EPACENTER’s inaugural sunset concert series will run May 9 through July 25, bringing a host of acclaimed musicians to perform concerts in its 500-capacity outdoor amphitheater.

Opening the series is jazz percussionist and Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement recipient Pete Escovedo, joined by his sons Peter Michael and Juan Escovedo. On May 30, the Grammy-winning drummer, percussionist, singer and songwriter (and Pete Escovedo’s daughter) Sheila E. will play at the afterparty for EPACENTER’s annual fundraiser gala, with an open-to-the-public performance. “Vertical dance” pioneers, the Oakland-based dance group BANDALOOP, will also perform at that event. Tony Lindsay & Friends, led by former Santana lead singer Lindsay, will be featured June 6, and longtime Bay Area funk band Con Funk Shun concludes the 2026 summer series on July 25. 

EPACENTER, the nonprofit creative and educational hub that opened in 2022 as a facility for youth art classes and other training opportunities, in 2025 announced it was expanding its course programming to adults. The center has also been developing its events calendar, with the goal of bringing all sorts of high-quality arts experiences to East Palo Alto residents, including live musical performances. 

“We came up with this idea because, in part, EPACENTER was founded by youth in the community who were basically saying they did not have opportunities to make music, listen to music in a professional venue in their own community,” EPACENTER’s executive director Nadine Rambeau said. “There’s always been a desire, I think, by residents in the community and city leaders to make that even more visible and then to make it possible for residents and the community to be able to enjoy music on a more consistent basis.”

While the concerts are open to all, EPACENTER is especially dedicated to making sure they’re curated for and accessible to the East Palo Alto community in particular. Tickets for East Palo Alto residents (with ID at entry) for the Pete Escovedo, Tony Lindsay & Friends and Con Funk Shun shows are just $25, while general admission tickets are $75 ($125 for VIP). For the Sheila E. event, East Palo Alto residents can enter a raffle to win tickets, while general admission starts at $150. 

Rental chairs and for-sale food and drinks will be available at shows and attendees can bring their own blankets for lawn seating. VIP ticket holders gain access to tables, private bathrooms and a separate bar. 

When curating the series, organizers wanted to reflect the community, as well as showcase high-level artists, to inspire locals to explore their own creative talents. 

“We wanted to make sure we were bringing some of those folks who have really achieved mastery in their field because we wanted to make sure these things are accessible, right there in your community and right there in your hometown,” Rambeau said.

As EPACENTER continues to develop as a venue for performances and classes, “Our hope is to also center East Palo Alto musicians – those who are from East Palo Alto currently living in the city or part of the East Palo Alto diaspora. It’s our goal to kind of be a place where people can come back home to perform for the community, too,” she said. 

Music is the focus for now, but looking ahead, “our goal is to provide access to public programming that brings in artists from all different fields … Eventually we hope to bring other artists – whether that’s visual artists, writers, animators – to our campus so people really do get a sense of what’s available to them as a resident of East Palo Alto,” she said. 

Planning is underway for the next season of programming, which will likely start in September, and the organization continues to seek sponsors and funding for its programs. The center was given a $100,000 grant from the city last summer. Since then, EPACANTER has hosted numerous free community events, including, recently, the Black History and Black Futures Festival, a gospel concert and soul food social, a glow-in-the-dark disco party, a Latin arts and music festival, a community jam session, family movie nights and more, according to Eventbrite listings.

“I would encourage people to check us out, keep us front of mind, sign up for our social media, newsletter and just watch out for what we plan to do because this is a really important thing,” Rambeau said of the center’s plans to continue expanding public programming. “Not only for the residents of East Palo Alto, for the city of East Palo Alto to become a destination for these types of things.” 

May 9 at 5 p.m., May 30 at 7:30 p.m., June 6 at 6 p.m. and July 25 at 5 p.m.; EPACENTER, 1950 Bay Road, East Palo Alto; Tickets for East Palo Alto residents (with ID at entry) for Pete Escovedo, Tony Lindsay & Friends and Con Funk Shun are $25/ general admission tickets $75 ($125 for VIP). For the Sheila E. and BANDALOOP event, East Palo Alto residents can enter a raffle to win tickets/ general admission starts at $150. epacenter.org/sunset-concerts/. 

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