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22 WHARF TO WHARF SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2017 SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL b y T A R A F A T E M I W A L K E R roaD Show LoCaL BaNDS MaKE It MorE thaN JUSt a raCE A t this year's Wharf to Wharf, look for Jim Greiner and his "Hands-On! Drumming" group to occupy the very first band location on the course, near beach street and Third—where they have been for 25 years! "Jim and his drumming crew set the tempo for the runners as they head down the initial straightaway and make the first turn towards the san Lorenzo bridge," says Wharf to Wharf Entertainment Coordinator brendan Kelly. "The infectious energy and beat are a fantastic way to start the race." This is the sixth year Kelly is managing WTW entertainment, which is quite a feat with more than 50 acts set up at various spots across the six-mile course. performers on July 23 include The Lost Apostles (413 Lake Ave.), The Joint Chiefs (32401 East Cliff Dr.), and Coffee zombie Collective (4595 Opal Cliff Dr.). When WTW first started, there was no music. As the race evolved, people began to play music to cheer on participants. Nearly 20 years ago, organizers made the music portion—known as the "Roadshow"—official. The first person to run the Roadshow held the position for 13 years; he was a close friend of Kelly's. When he retired, Kelly took over. Kelly loves his role. "When we ask people what they like about WTW, the top items are usually the view and the music," says Kelly. "Having so many bands along the route helps keep runner energy high, and spectators cheering." Kelly, a previous race participant, has been a WTW board member for a little over a year. He served on the Advisory Committee for almost 5 years. There is a special milestone occurring this year. The san Jose state pep band, under director scott pierson, has played for 30 consecutive years. pierson is retiring this year. "bob simpkins, of system studies along the race route (21340 East Cliff Drive, an office building the simpkins family built in the 1980s), has been hosting them the whole time," shares Kelly. "In my talk with bob about this accomplishment, he noted it's special to him personally as his parents were instrumental in saving the band during some drastic budget cuts years ago." bob and his parents are sJsu alumni. The first song the band usually plays as the CHp motorcycle escort comes into view is the theme from Tv series CHips. "Having a 25-member brass band creates a very high-energy section of the course. We are grateful for their continuous dedication." The santa Cruz chapter of the sJsu Alumni Association also joins in to cheer. "They've been known to follow runners wearing stanford apparel—at least as fast as people carrying large brass instruments can go chasing a runner—expressing their sJsu spirit loudly," says Kelly. zelda's and Ideal bar & Grill are back as Roadshow sponsors. "both of them are wonderfully supportive. zelda's always sends out a crew of kitchen staff they call The pot and Kettle band, which is a crowd favorite," says Kelly. san Jose-based band The Good Company will perform at the open-air Capitola village bandstand, where many congregate after the race. They plays classic rock, blues and R&b "with a focus on danceable music," shares member Joseph salamon. "I have been playing at W2W for nine years. This is a fantastic event to help the community." salamon and the other four members all have full-time jobs; music is a passion and hobby for them. They enjoy playing at fundraising events like scotts valley's Relay For Life, which they did in June. "It's great when we can share our passion with others and contribute to a good cause," he adds.

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