MoBand, another Modesto tradition, hit hard by coronavirus. July concerts up in the air
One year after celebrating its 100th anniversary, MoBand will go silent this June.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced the band, which draws huge crowds on Thursday nights each summer at Graceada Park’s Mancini Bowl, to cancel at least the bulk of its six-week season, according to Conductor George Gardner. The concerts had been scheduled to begin June 4.
MoBand’s board plans to meet in mid-June to assess whether it will be able to hold the final two concerts of the season, both in July, said Chris Murphy, board president.
“For the safety of not only you, our wonderful musicians (who would be rehearsing in a room that really prevents being able to safely distance ourselves from one another) but also for our large audiences who come faithfully to Graceada Park on Thursdays, we cannot risk large gatherings where we could potentially spread the coronavirus,” according to a post on the band’s Facebook page.
Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a shutdown of all large gatherings in California due to the pandemic.
MoBand isn’t the region’s only June casualty. The annual Juneteenth celebration in Modesto has been canceled, according to organizers, as has the Patterson Apricot Fiesta and the Merced County Fair, according to their websites. Back in April, the cancellation of this June’s American Graffiti Festival & Car Show was announced.
For many in Modesto, MoBand is a rite of summer. People show up early on Thursdays to put down blankets and reserve their spots for the outdoor concerts, which pack the lawn in front of Mancini Bowl.
“I’ll tell you, it’s the first time in over 50 years I will not be doing anything with MoBand in June,” Gardner said. “It’s one of those unfortunate consequences in this pandemic that we’re in.”
Social distancing orders are two-fold for MoBand, he said. There’s no way for the more than 100 performers to rehearse together in one space, nor would they be able to keep distance between audience members at the concerts.
Both Gardner and Murphy hope they’ll be able to go forward with the two concerts normally held in July if government guidelines have changed.
“If something miraculous happens and social distancing is no longer in effect or relaxed enough ... we will certainly give it our best shot to put on a couple of concerts in July,” Gardner said.
“I’d really like to keep the string going of 100 years,” he added.
“We’re trying to hold out some hope ... this is just what you do in the summer,” Murphy said of the concerts.
“We do look forward to the time we can get together,” Gardner said. “If it doesn’t happen this year, it will be just all that more special next year.”
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
