Doo-Wop Sextet, the Fondtones, Perform at August 19 Concert

Mo'Combo performed at the Andover Community Coffeehouse on July 15, held outdoors on a beautiful evening in the amphitheater at AE/MS. In this photo, Andover's Jimmy Sferes (left) sat in with the band on the lap steel guitar. Photo: Steve Colardeau — Mo’Combo performed at the Andover Community Coffeehouse on July 15, held outdoors on a beautiful evening in the amphitheater at AE/MS. In this photo, Andover’s Jimmy Sferes (left) sat in with the band on the lap steel guitar. Photo: Steve Colardeau

Continuing its offering of summer concerts at AE/MS’ outdoor amphitheater in Andover Village, the Andover Community Coffeehouse will feature the Fondtones, a New London-area sextet, as its “Third Friday” headliner on August 19. The concert will begin at 6:30 PM, and food will be available for purchase beginning at 6 PM. Attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.

The event is open to the public at no charge, although donations are gratefully accepted. There will be no open-mic segments at this concert. Uncooperative weather moves the event to the Andover Elementary/Middle School gym next to the amphitheater.

Delivering songs of the Doo Wop era (the 1950s to 1970s, for those who missed it), the sextet includes Ray Heath on drums, Tim Wildman on keyboard and horn, guitarist Charlie Freiberg, vocalists Greg Gutgsell and George West, and vocalist and guitarist John Schlosser. For samples of their work together, go to Fondtones.com, where you can hear renditions of classics like Get a Job, Book of Love, Barbara Ann, and Blue Moon.

Sponsors for the evening are Pine Hill Yoga and Kayak Country Paddlesports of Wilmot, whose contributions will help support renovation of the Highland Lake Grange Hall in East Andover, which houses Coffeehouse events for the remaining 10 months of the year. That venue is owned by the Andover Congregational Church.

Coming up: On Friday, September 16, back in the Highland Lake Grange Hall and beginning at 7 PM, enjoy a performance by the Buskers, a Lakes-Region trio of “folk impurists with a smart, distinct voice and a kitchen-sink repertoire of influences and instruments from jug band to jazz to roots rock.” For more information, visit TheBuskers.com.

As in earlier Grange Hall concerts, the September program will also feature up to a dozen open-microphone performers, whose contributions have ranged from the spoken word to a cappella, show-business, jazz, folk, bluegrass, and country-and-western tunes.

Doors to the Grange Hall will open at 6 PM for food purchases offered by the Andover Congregational Church, and for open-mic sign-ins on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Information about future dates and scheduled performers, and a photographic record of past performers, both headliners and open-mic participants, are shown on the Coffeehouse Web site at AndoverCoffeehouse.org or on the Facebook page “Andover Community Coffeehouse.” For more information, email AndoverCommunity03216@nullgmail.com.