Concert promoter KC Turner is a Bay Area musical curator who pairs quality musicians with venues that offer audiences intimate and exciting concert experiences. Sometimes, those venues are a little unusual, like when he books singer songwriters for house concerts in living rooms and backyards throughout the Bay Area. He’s also the man behind the Cookout Concert Series that returns to the HopMonk Tavern this May, and the booker for the HopMonk Stage at the Novato Festival of Art, Wine and Music.
We caught up with KC to learn a little more about his popular Sunday night shows at the HopMonk.
How long have you been booking shows in Novato?
“I joined the HopMonk team in 2010 when Dean Biersch opened the HopMonk Tavern Sonoma location. Novato opened in 2012 and I began booking the regular beer garden weekend live music slots. In 2014, Dean and I put our heads together to come up with the KC Turner Presents Cookout Concert Series, which is now entering it’s 5th year! It runs from May-October on select Sunday evenings!”
What makes the Cookout Concert Series special to you?
“The beer garden at HopMonk Novato is such a gorgeous venue. Although it’s in the middle of a busy shopping locale at Vintage Oaks, you would never know it! The way Dean had the beer garden landscaped has a real fun, outdoor Marin vibe. The stage is set under the oak trees, there’s a lawn section…It’s like a mini festival! Plus, fans can bring their kids along, so those parents out there who have felt that they can no longer attend live music events now have an option! The full lineup is online, plus we have a few more TBA soon!”
Any Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music highlights we should be looking for this year?
“I love the festival so much, and the HopMonk Stage lineup this year is extra spicy. It features Birds of Chicago, Robbie Fulks, Diego’s Umbrella, a surprise headliner on the Sunday (announced soon) and many more! You can check out the full line-up online.”
Notable Cookout Concert visitors coming to Novato for this year include John Doe of the band X, Glen Phillips of Toad The Wet Sprocket and former Green on Red guitarist Chuck Prophet, but given his devotion to booking quality acts, KC is reluctant to single out any particular artist; “honestly, all the acts are notable”. The first Cookout Concert show of 2018 is Shook Twins and Rainbow Girls at the HopMonk on on May 27th. You can buy tickets online.
