Savor the Sounds concert series to return on Longboat Key

If you have vague memories of writing down a Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones concert on your calendar a couple years ago, get ready for it to finally happen. The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce is restarting its Savor the Sounds concert series, starting with the aforementioned band at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at Town Center Green.

The 2020 Savor the Sounds series was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic after the first event in February, which featured the Billy Rice Band. Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones were supposed to be the March performers. 

“We knew we were going to bring it back as we thought we were recovering from COVID, and we knew we would bring the same bands back if we could,” Chamber president Gail Loefgren said. 

The concert will be a “choose your own adventure” type of event, where guests can buy a VIP table of eight for $250, which includes two bottles of wine or single tickets for $25 in advance and $35 at the gate. Attendees bring their own plates, lighting and other table decor to spruce up the night. Even people who don’t buy VIP tickets may bring their best settings for their picnic dinner, Loefgren said. The vibe is that of an elegant picnic.  

“After the first series we did, it got to be that people who bought tables began to compete for the best table decor,” Loefgren said. “I don’t know how long it’ll take for that to start up again.” 

The first concert was a hit in early 2020 and brought out more than 100 people. The first concert of that series had been canceled due to performer illness, so only one was held in 2020. The first Savor the Sounds series, which had been held in 2016, was a hit at the time. 

Kettle of Fish is the scheduled performer on Feb. 19 and Shantel Norman and the Shantel Norman Band is planned for March 19.