“Three words! You can sing three words to help us out: Shake, rattle, and roll!” shouted Brien Debari as he played the opening riff to “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” by Big Joe Turner.
The local Connecticut music group known as Center Line performed in the small town of Wolcott, Conn., on June 29, 2025, kicking off a series of shows consisting of nine local music artists, from soloists to bands, including Rockin Heartbeats, Lost Rebel, and Redzone.
Center Line is a local band that plays a “Hot mix of Rock-n-Roll, Country and Blues,” according to its website. Some of the songs played in the opening show were “The Weight” by The Band, “That’s All Right” by Elvis Presley.
The band consists of four members. On bass is Anthony Nero and the drummer is Tom Moran. The harmonica player, Johnny Russell, is also known for hyping up the audience despite not participating in vocals as much as the other three. Finally, taking center stage is Brien DeBari, the lead vocalist and guitarist.
The Summer Concert Series was organized by the Wolcott Recreation Department as a way to increase community engagement, not just with people from Wolcott, but also with those from all across Connecticut. People from Bristol, Prospect, and more gathered to enjoy the show as the setting sun cooled the park.
The concerts will alternate between Peterson Park and the town green, with the local food truck Salt & Pepper being assigned to the Peterson Park performances. This first show took place at Peterson Park with the band performing under the pavilion and the audience setting up blankets and lawn chairs on the lawn.
Center Line excelled in audience interactivity. In his opening chat, DeBari had separated the audience into two groups, calling the ones close to the pavilion “the skins” while calling the others who had sat up on the hill “the shirts.” Encouraging them to shout, he pitted the groups against each other throughout the show to see which could make the most noise. The band invited folks up to dance in front in the grass, and toward the end, even began handing out percussion instruments to audience members, allowing them to play along to the music.
One particular attendee danced to the old rock, clearly having the time of her life.
“To me, sitting still is unnatural,” said Laurie Parkins, who had commuted from Bristol. “I just keep moving and moving, you know?”
This was Parkins’s first time seeing Center Line perform, however, she had been to other concerts throughout Connecticut holding similar events.
The Wolcott Recreation Department has held concerts in the past, mainly at their larger events, like the annual Food Truck Fair and the Lions Fair. However, these weekly concerts are proof that Wolcott, despite its size, is stepping up to the likes of other towns holding similar events.
–July 18, 2025–
