Outdoor concert scene growing on South Shore

Outdoor music – it’s becoming the norm on the South Shore.

On the same day the South Lake Tahoe City Council entered a five-year deal with OnCourse Events to continue the Live at Lakeview concert series, Lake Tahoe Hard Rock announced it would be converting its back parking lot into a temporary outdoor concert amphitheater that will seat up to 7,500 people. The Stateline casino will host six to eight shows starting in June and conclude on Labor Day weekend. No acts have been disclosed.

The same goes for Live at Lakeview.

The free Thursday concerts at Lakeview Commons started in 2012, and have grown in popularity each year.

New this year is that instead of being considered a sponsor of the event, the city will be a partner. This is reflected in the nearly $40,000 worth of contributions – some cash, mostly in-kind – the city is providing to make this a signature event.

Rob Giustina, owner of OnCourse Events, had a difficult time answering pointed questions about finances. Still, the city opted to grant a one-year boost in cash from $2,500 to $5,000 to compensate for the late start in being able to book acts.

A point of dispute in previous years was who owned the rights to the name Live at Lakeview. It was agreed March 3 that this is the intellectual property of OnCourse Events.

OnCourse, which has operated the concert series from the get-go, was the only business to respond to the request for proposals. The 10 concerts will start June 25 and conclude Aug. 27. They run from 4:30-9pm.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report