Inaugural Mare Island Dock of Bay Music Festival kicks off in Vallejo
Inaugural Mare Island Doc of Bay Music Festival this Saturday
Fantastic Negrito, and Jackie Greene, formerly of the Black Crowes, are just some of the acts at the inaugural Mare Island Doc of Bay Music Festival in Vallejo this Saturday. KTVU's Debora Villalon reports the 6,000 person capacity event will have chartered ferries available.
VALLEJO, Calif. - Vallejo's Mare Island marks a first on Saturday: a music festival expected to draw more than 1,000 fans.
"Once people come out here and experience this, they're going to want to come back here, " said Kevin Frazier, one-half of the duo producing the Dock of Bay Festival.
Headliners at the event include Fantastic Negrito, Jackie Greene, Dumstaphunk, Them Vibes, and New Monsoon.
The waterfront venue, at 850 Nimitz Avenue, is behind the historic coal sheds that once supplied World War 2 warships when Mare Island was a naval shipyard.
"This island is a beautiful island but people forgot about it," said Jeff Trager, the other half of Frazier Trager Presents.
The two men are music industry veterans, who have been producing live-stream shows during the pandemic, and relish the opportunity to entertain in-person audiences again.
"All artists want to play," said Trager, "this is what they do, this is what they love, and so this is really exciting, especially because it's the first one."
The festival runs from 1 - 9 pm, and will observe Covid protocols: proof of vaccination required, or results of a negative test taken within the past 72 hours.
Masks will be needed for access to indoor areas.
There will be food trucks and artisan vendors as 15 acts perform on 3 stages.
"Real people in the audience again, it's just great," said blues musician Greg Rahn of American Canyon.
Rahn has played a few summer festivals already, but when he brings his boogie-woogie to the acoustic stage Saturday, it will be even better, so close to home.
"This location is super-cool," said Rahn, "and you can get here from the ferries, from Marin across 37 or from East Bay counties, it's so easy to get to."
A chartered Blue and Gold ferry will bring fans from Sausalito and San Francisco for $35 round trip.
The festival still has tickets available at $75 which includes parking.
Promoters have sold 1,000 tickets, but with capacity of 6,000, admit it takes time to get established.
"I think everyone thinks of Vallejo as, 'maybe I don't want to stop there,' they just drive past, so this festival is bringing them to i," said Frazier.
With any luck, the pair hope it will continue to bring them back for an annual festival.
"That's our goal, because this is a special place, it just really is," said Trager.