Before the July 3 season opener, Downtown Sounds celebrated its 30th season with a nine-concert lineup, a new second stage for emerging performers and a hometown band helping launch the expanded concert series.
The Friday night concert series, organized by the Glen Cove Downtown Business Improvement District, grew from local jazz performances at the corner of Glen and School streets in 1997 into one of the city’s signature summer attractions, drawing crowds large enough to require street closures.
Organizers said the milestone season reflected years of listening to audience feedback and adapting the series to changing musical tastes.
“In addition to enjoying the music, members of the Downtown Sounds Committee are on hand at concerts observing and listening to feedback from audience members,” Jill Nossa, executive director of the Glen Cove Downtown BID, said before the season began. “Doing so guides us as we choose the bands for our line-up each year.”
The season opened July 3 with Social Gold, a high-energy party band performing contemporary Top 40, pop, hip-hop and country hits. The lineup also included Dr. K’s Motown Revue on July 10, Decadia on July 17, Mission Prog on July 24, Pop Divas Through the Decades featuring The Chiclettes on July 31, Adrian Anthony’s Grupo Hipnosis on Aug. 7, The Incredible AM/FM Time Machine on Aug. 14, Head Over Heels on Aug. 21 and That ’70s Band on Aug. 28.
One of the biggest additions to the anniversary season was a second stage at the north end of School Street. The new performance area showcased local solo artists, duos and small bands while encouraging concertgoers to explore downtown restaurants and businesses.
The inaugural second-stage act was Brake, a four-member rock band featuring Glen Cove natives and brothers Koorosh and Brandon Leibovitz.
Brake consisted of Koorosh Leibovitz on drums, Brandon Leibovitz on lead guitar, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Jake Levine of Plainview and bassist Nick Ripe of Massapequa. Formed in 2020, the band performed music spanning several decades and genres, blending classic rock, blues, funk and modern alternative rock with original songs, including its fan-favorite single “Bacon, Egg and Cheese.”
For Koorosh Leibovitz, the opportunity to perform at Downtown Sounds carried special significance.
“Just being a Glen Cove native and performing in my hometown, also just kicking off this new second stage thing going on downtown, I think it’s a great idea,” he said before the performance. “It’s sort of a dream come true.”
Leibovitz said the addition of the second stage would help bring more activity to downtown Glen Cove while creating opportunities for local musicians.
“We’d love to see people come down, support live music in Glen Cove, because that’s really what we need,” he said. “We want to activate our downtown. We want to bring the arts downtown, supplement that with our lovely restaurants and local businesses.”
Fred Guarino, owner of Tiki Recording Studios and longtime chairman of Downtown Sounds, said before the season that the combination of established crowd favorites, first-time performers and the new second stage had the potential to make the anniversary year one of the strongest in the series’ history.
“We’ve had some great seasons, but this one is shaping up to be the best one yet,” Guarino said. “With the variety of music that will be on display on two different stages, there is sure to be something for residents of all ages and musical tastes.”
The free concert series runs every Friday from July 3 through Aug. 28 in downtown Glen Cove.
