Concert in the Park Returns to Fernhill with Grupo Masato

By Cathy McCarthy | Contributing Writer

Concert in the Park is returning to Fernhill Park, and this year’s Portland Parks & Recreation Summer Free For All concert will feature Grupo Masato, a Portland-based band whose Peruvian cumbia, chicha, and Afro-Peruvian sounds are made for movement. The event will be on Thursday, August 6th, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

Grupo Masato was co-founded in Portland in 2015 by Greg Klein and Otto Gygax. The band focuses largely on Peruvian music from the late 1960s and early 1970s, when musicians began blending Andean pan flute melodies with electric guitars influenced by surf rock, then layering those sounds over cumbia rhythms from Colombia.

The result became known as chicha music — bright, rhythmic, and full of motion. Chicha features layered guitars, keyboard, percussion, and vocals coming together in a sound that is upbeat, spacious, and easy to dance to. It is music that invites people in, whether they are ready to dance near the stage, move with kids on the grass, or simply tap along from a blanket or lawn chair. Many of Grupo Masato’s songs are covers from Peru, along with a few originals, and the band often stretches shorter songs into longer arrangements so the rhythm has time to build. Neighbors who want a preview can listen to Grupo Masato at grupomasato.com.

That dance-friendly energy is part of what makes Grupo Masato such a natural fit for a summer concert at Fernhill Park. Klein said Portland park concerts tend to bring out some of the band’s most enthusiastic crowds, with audiences responding to the music together in a way that feels different from a club performance. For him, that shared experience is part of what makes live neighborhood events matter.

“Community and live music are deeply important,” Klein says. “Live music can’t be replaced.”

Before the concert, families can head to Concordia Commons at NE 30th and Killingsworth to decorate bikes, wagons, and strollers, then join a parade to Fernhill Park. At the concert, Concordia Neighborhood Association, Concordia Tree Team, and University of Oregon will be hosting community tables and there will be family-friendly activities on the lawn including crafts, temporary tattoos, and lawn games. In addition, performance artist The Traveling Typist will be creating poetry on-thespot. Don’t forget blankets and a lawn chair! Neighbors are encouraged to pack a picnic or purchase food onsite and make an evening of it.

Cathy Mc Carthy grew up in Concordia and, after years away, is glad to once again call the neighborhood home. She serves on the CNA board and leads the Social Committee. In her free time, you’ll find her out exploring the city and enjoying time outdoors.