Santa Barbara Friday Night, Santa Barbara Film Fest 2014, Westmont Performers

I would describe Santa Barbara as a cultural city. For example the intrigue Spanish architecture we have displayed here in town and the diverse crowds of people one can see walking downtown. And that's where I was this weekend embracing the cultural environment in downtown Santa Barbara. This was the first weekend of Santa Barbara Film Festival, which attracted many people from all over, to our movie theaters, specially the Arlington (http://sbiff.org/). I was fortunate to meet Amy Adams last year, while interning with the Festival. I was also able to meet Jennifer Lawrence and Ben Affleck, they were so modest and humble.
 
This was the perfect weekend to display your talent for massive crowds of movie goers. Santa Barbara has many talented street performers, not just on these weekends, but every weekend. My friend, Alexia and my sister Jasmine, and I decided to get frozen yogurt at the popular, Yogurtland, and went for a walk this Friday. We suddenly came across a group of musicians singing a song entitled, "Rivers and Roads" by The Head and the Heart, and decided to sit down and listen to them for what we thought would be one more song. We got completely mesmerized by their enriching singing voices that intertwined so beautifully with their instruments (Guitar, drums, viola, violin, even ukulele) . They displayed an emotionally performance of many crowd requested songs including, "My Girl" by The Temptations and "A Team"  by Ed Sheeran.  I talked to them during their brief breaks and they told me they were all Westmont students and were all apart of the music department there.



(Right to Left) John-Vocals/ Percussion, Katrina- Viola, Emily- Chello/vocals, and Trey- Guitar/Vocals                       





(Right to Left) Trey, Michelle- Percussion/vocals, Martin-Violin, and Lalia-Violin   

(Video above is a song they dedicated to all the ladies in the crowd, " Love Song" by Taylor Swift) You could only imagine the crowd of people they attracted. A couple sat next to us and watched the performers for a song or two. They were a man and women, who looked like they could of been visiting for the weekend. I noticed the women had some sort of disability because she had a cane in her hand and her partner was helping her walk. Soon, I saw them slow dancing passionately and enjoying each other's company. The women started crying while holding on to her boyfriend, and I suddenly realized what her disability was. She was blind. I, myself began to hold back tears, but I felt at peace listening to these gifted musicians and witnessing such a powerful moment. Crying was essential at this performance, but I suddenly started to cry of laughter because of a new friend we met that night. He was also watching the performance and sat in place where the couple were before they left. I think we were there for an hour until it got a little late then we all expected. The performers ended with "Rivers and Roads" and we all headed our separate ways.

 

Jaz, Alexia, and I went back to my house to re-watch the Grammy's that took place last weekend. This was a great night, a night I'd like to call a Friday in the Beautiful Santa Barbara surrounded my many amazing people.

 

-KIKI REYES

P.S: My Westmont friends said they perform every other Friday near Macy's