July is typically one of the busiest months of the year for Danny Knapp, the Southern California bassist who performs as The Melonhead — this year was no different with eleven shows across five different projects, switching genres several times every single week.
The month opened July 3 with Clare & Present Danger at Glen Eden Resort in Corona. A week later, Dance Dance Evolution kicked off its run of city summer concerts with a show in Carlsbad that set a new attendance record for the city, drawing more than 4,000 people. Maiden United followed on July 13 with a performance at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, and Groove & the Gang took the stage two days later at the Hyatt Regency Irvine.
The back half of the month kept the same pace. Groove & the Gang played a second summer-series date in Santa Fe Springs, while Danny stepped in as a hired gun for The Company Band at a show in Oxnard. Maiden United closed out its casino run with a fly-in show at Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, and Dance Dance Evolution followed with back-to-back dates in Downey and Anaheim — with one more stop still to come: the month’s final show tonight, July 31 in Pico Rivera.
Five distinct sounds and five different bands’ worth of material — a good snapshot of what a working bassist’s summer schedule actually looks like.