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Queens Live! concert series to close in Fort Totten Park

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Queens Live! concert in Jackson Heights performance by 123 Andrés. (Photo credit: Queens Borough President’s Office)

The Queens borough president’s office will host its final Queens Live! concert on Saturday, Oct. 30, following a successful performance series in various areas of the borough.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced the fourth and final concert was added at Fort Totten Park in Bay Terrace for Saturday at 3 p.m., with a performance by Hollis Brown, a rock band founded by Queens natives and Queen College alums Mike Montali (lead vocals/guitar) and Jonathan Bonilla (lead guitar). The concert was rescheduled from its original date of Sunday, Oct. 10.

The band has released music since 2013, with their newest release being an album titled “Ozone Park.” They have toured alongside The Zombies, Citizen Cope, Counting Crows and more, and have had their music in both films and TV series, including the popular Showtime show “Shameless.”

“Our Queens Live! concert series has been an incredible hit for our communities across Queens, and we’re excited to keep the music going into October by showcasing a Queens band on the rise,” Richards said. “Thank you to all our families who have attended our series of thrilling shows thus far.”

No registration or tickets are required to attend the free concert. Queens Live! concert series was produced in partnership with NYC Parks and the Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College.

The three original performances for the concert series were announced in August, and originally only planned three concerts for September.

However, the excitement and crowd size drew Richards to his decision to add a fourth date. The original performances, which began on Sept. 6 with “Reggae on the Boardwalk: Rockaways Edition” taking place on the Rockaway Boardwalk, with performances by DJ Jah Wise, DJ Vaughn Allstar, Mighty Redeemer, Johnny Osbourne and more local artists. It drew a crowd of approximately 500 people.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards at Queens Live! concert in Rockaway Beach, with a performance by Reggae on the Boardwalk. (Photo credit: Queens Borough President’s Office)
Queens Live! concert in Rockaway Beach, with a performance by Reggae on the Boardwalk. (Photo credit: Queens Borough President’s Office)
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards at Queens Live! concert in Rockaway Beach, with a performance by Reggae on the Boardwalk. (Photo credit: Queens Borough President’s Office)
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards at Queens Live! concert in Rockaway Beach, with a performance by Reggae on the Boardwalk. (Photo credit: Queens Borough President’s Office)

It was the band’s first concert in Queens, as their performances had centered in Brooklyn and the Bronx since it was founded in 2010 in Coney Island.

Other performances took place on Sept. 12 at Jackson Heights’ Travers Park in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month with a performance by Latin Grammy-winning duo 123 Andrés, and Sept. 19 at Baisley Pond Park. The 123 Andrés performance on Sept. 12 featured singing in both Spanish and English for the crowd of hundreds. The concert also served as Richards’ annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration.

Queens Live! concert in Jackson Heights performance by 123 Andrés. (Photo credit: Queens Borough President’s Office)

The Sept. 19 performance also had deeper meaning than just enjoying the music. It included a tribute performance for late rapper Biz Markie, best known for his hit “Just a Friend.” Among the performers was hip-hop artist Cutmaster Cool-V.

Richards previously said Queens Live! concert series was a chance to “celebrate all that makes our borough such a dynamic place to call home.”

This story was originally published on Oct. 11, and was updated with the new concert date.