A kid from Gresham brought his musical talents back to the town he grew up in for a performance in a park.
Swego was the headliner of the second Wednesday Music in the Park of the 2024 season Wednesday, July 24, at Bella Vista Park, 401 N.W. Bella Vista Dr. The afrobeat musician, fresh off an international tour across Canada, performed in front of about 100 people enjoying the tunes and park.
“I haven’t been back to this park since high school,” Swego told the crowd between songs. “This basketball court, I remember it well.”
Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that combines traditional Yoruba and Igbo music with American jazz and soul. Special for the Gresham concert, he also performed some unreleased, new stuff.
“It doesn’t matter what others say, focus on yourself, your own path, your own journey,” Swego said.
Wednesday Music in the Parks is hosted by the Center for the Arts Foundation throughout July and August. The free, family-friendly show, now in its third season, runs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. every other Wednesday. Like its cousin, Music Mondays, the performances are a great way to spend an evening with friends and loved ones.
Two more performances are planned this season:
Aug 7: Opera a la Carte (opera) at Butler Creek Park, 2808 S.W. Mawcrest Ave.Aug 21: Tequila Highway (Latin) at Vance Park, 1400 S.E. 182nd Ave.
At Bella Vista Park there were alcoholic beverages by MadCow Brewing; pizzas by Tany’s; and frozen treats by Sammy’s Ice Cream.
Gresham Ford powers the performance with a hookup to a Ford F-150 Lightning. Other sponsors include the city of Gresham, KMO Real Estate, TriMet, Clackamas County Bank, McDonald Wetle, Miller & Main LLC, USWC Taekwondo, SDF Collective, The Outlook, Brainjar Media, and Metro Regional Government.
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