One of the first post COVID concerts rang throughout Avalon
Staff report
For two hours Thursday, the twin Bierman Brothers, supported by international recording artist Gustavo Alarco, rocked the Wrigley Stage to celebrate the visit of the “Mars Generation” to Catalina Island.
Backed by standout drummer Bryce Weston and trumpet, keyboard player Kyla Foster, Sean and Chad Bierman took the stage with a medley of classic and retro rock favorites. The talented young super group entertained tourists and islanders with a set of rock and roll mainstays yet included a few of their original songs.
The entertainers were on hand to celebrate the end of summer and to welcome Alyssa Carson, a young astronaut trainee who appeared on stage briefly about half-way through the Bierman Brothers set.
Carson thanked Catalina Island and said this was her first visit to Catalina Island. “I think it won’t be my last,” she said, noting the island’s hospitality and natural beauty.
Mayor Anni Marshall officially welcomed the Bierman Brothers, Gustavo Alarco and the band to the island before introducing Carson to the crowd.
Carson also thanked the Bierman Brothers for their original song, “One Way Ticket to Mars,” the composition that inspired the entire visit to Catalina.
The Bierman Brothers brought up their special guest Gustavo Alarco, who momentarily brought the island’s main street to a halt with his rendition of “It’s a Man’s World” by James Brown.
“Performing on the Wrigley stage with The Bierman Brothers, Bryce, and Kyla was awesome,” said Alarco, an internationally renowned recording artist who performed for the first time on Catalina. “These incredibly talented and wholesome young musicians really made it all the better,” he said.
Alarco said “I got lost onstage by their talent… how fantastic and professional these artists are, and I am excited for the future of music.” “From the moment I arrived on this majestic Island I felt as if I was in a fable,” said Alarco.
“I can’t wait to come back to Catalina and do a concert in that iconic building over there,” said Alarco, while gesturing toward the Casino. “I can’t wait to perform a concert on the stage in the famous Casino,” he said, adding that “it has been the backdrop for so many great and talented performers as well as movie stars of years past.”
“Thank you, Catalina, for the love,” he said.
Marshall, who attended virtually the entire concert, thanked each of the musicians personally as she introduced them. “These are fantastic musicians,” she said, as she thanked them and their supporters for coming to the island.
Chad Bierman, one of the Bierman twins, said the concert on the Wrigley Stage was amazing, but that he also enjoyed the impromptu concert the night before at Pete’s Café.
“We walked up and the owner knew us from playing there for about eight years now (starting in 5th or 6th grade). He asked the other band to stop mid set and let us (Sean, Bryce [our drummer] and I) use their equipment. They were super generous and let us do so,” said Bierman.
He said the band, including Alarco, played an impromptu set at Pete’s the night before.
Chad said another highlight before the Wrigley stage was the tour of the interior that the Santa Catalina Island Company arranged for the group, including Carson, on Wednesday.
“Andrew [tour guide] did an amazing, spectacular job and we all had a blast! Seeing all the buffalo was unreal. We also spotted some island foxes and island squirrels as well,” he said.
“Regarding his time on the stage, it was such a great time and we can’t thank everyone enough who helped out and made the event possible, to Gustavo for singing with us, Alyssa for making her speech, Bryce and Kyla for making it out to Avalon to play with us, and especially to David Young and the team at the Catalina Islander for putting the whole event on,” he said.
The Biermans, Sean and Chad, are 18-year-old musical prodigies that have been playing rock and roll since 4th grade. Throughout the performance, they interchanged instruments with seamless precision and even took to skateboards using wireless equipment to perform as they rolled through the streets of Avalon.
“Catalina was such a blast, it was an extraordinary event and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped set it up,” said Sean Bierman. “Also, an outstanding thank you to Alyssa Carson and her dad Bert. Alyssa was extraordinary to work with and her story of becoming the youngest astronaut in training is extremely inspiring.”
“The people of the island loved it,” he said, “we rocked it and can’t wait to perform on Catalina again.”
