Local nonprofit Tosco Music Parties celebrate musicians of all ages, skill levels and genres
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Tosco Music Parties is a grassroots organization in Charlotte for musicians and music lovers alike. Photo: Courtesy of John Tosco
Tosco Music Parties founder John Tosco describes his nonprofit as "one of Charlotte's best-kept secrets." For years, the group has helped foster the growth and vibrance of the city's music scene.
Why it matters: Going on 25 years of existence, the local nonprofit hosts open mic nights and music festivals year-round in Charlotte. It also provides scholarships to musicians of all ages.
Driving the news: Tosco Music's FabFest, a Beatles tribute festival, is Oct. 4-5. The festival includes two evening events at Knight Theater and a day full of Beatles mania on Saturday, Oct. 5.
- On Friday, Oct. 4, 18 local and regional acts will perform Beatles music in a variety of musical genres at Knight Theater. Tickets start at $22.50.
- On Oct. 5, FabFest will host a daytime event from 10am-5pm at Parr Center at Central Piedmont Community College. It'll feature Beatles tribute bands, Beatles trivia, an art and exhibition sale, a marketplace, an open mic, yoga, food trucks, yard games and a memorabilia exhibit. Tickets are $15 for adults and free for kids under 5. Some events are free.
- The festival culminates in the main event at 8pm on Oct. 5 with a performance by Beatles tribute band "Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney," led by Tony Kishman, AKA "the world's best McCartney look-alike/sound-alike." Tickets start at $22.50.
To kick off FabFest, Tosco Music will host a Beatles-themed version of its monthly open mic event at The Evening Muse on Oct. 1. Musicians are encouraged to perform covers of Beatles songs.
- And, the Independent Picture House will show "A Hard Day's Night," Oct. 1-3. Beatles expert and author Bruce Spizer will give a presentation on Thursday, Oct. 3 before the film starts.
Flashback: John Tosco first started hosting jam sessions out of his house in the mid-80s, he tells Axios. The longtime musician and music teacher missed playing in a band and started inviting fellow musicians and their families to his house to jam out. The gatherings became a recurring event, and that's how Tosco's music parties began.
- The small gatherings turned into large gatherings, which eventually outgrew the living room space. They've bounced around local venues, from an apartment clubhouse in the 90s, to the bigger venues like Neighborhood Theater and the Great Aunt Stella Center.
- In 2002 Tosco Music Parties were hosted at Spirit Square at McGlohon Theater (700 seats), then the Dale F. Halton Theater in 2006 (1,000 seats) until they settled into Knight Theater in 2014, where they still host events today.
The vibe: Tosco Music Parties celebrate musicians of all skill levels and genres and have grown to be much more than jam sessions among friends.
- The shows, which happen four times a year at Knight Theater, "feature an eclectic mix of more than a dozen diverse artists ... and singalongs," Tosco tells Axios.
- The nonprofit hosts Tosco Music Open Mic on the first Tuesday of every month at The Evening Muse in the NoDa.
The big picture: Much of what Tosco Music does is connecting musicians with paid gigs.
- "People reach out to us and say 'We're having a festival and we're looking for a band,' or 'We're having a cookout and we need a bluegrass group,' or 'I'm having a private party, I need a jazz trio,'" Tosco said. They also pay musicians to go out into senior communities, nursing homes and retirement centers.
- They also award scholarships to people of all ages to foster music development, whether it's paying for a music camp or instrument repair. "Last year we awarded over $12,000 in music scholarships," Tosco said.
What's next: Tosco Music will host a free event at the Charlotte International Arts Festival on Sunday, Sept. 22 from 12-9pm.
Go deeper: 10 concerts coming to Charlotte in September, including Jason Isbell and Moon Taxi