Let There Be Music

Marcia Griffin and Bruce Todd felt something was missing among the entertainment options available to Marco Island’s residents and visitors. So, they decided to step forward and fill that void by creating the Sunset Melodies Marco Island Music Series. 

Starting in January, Sunset Melodies will present four monthly concerts featuring nationally known tribute bands that specialize in the hits of some of the top names in rock and pop. The shows will be held at Veterans Community Park. 

Kicking things off will be “Journey Unauthorized,” and Bob Seger Tribute “Mainstreet,” to be followed in February by “Fleetwood Mac Mirage” and “Rock Republic Featuring Casey Bishop,” of Estero, who finished in the top four on American Idol in 2021. March will see “Bee Gees Gold” grace the bandstand, joined by 80s rock purveyors The Pixels. “Eric Elison's Lightfoot of the Rockies” and “Robert Neary's So Good Neil Diamond Experience” will close out the series in April. 

The series is an outgrowth of a casual conversation that Griffin, a Marco resident, had with her close friends, Todd and his wife, Nancy, of Port of the Isles. 

“We were discussing business and what we've done prior to moving to the island,” said Griffin, who is Sunshine Melodies’ executive producer. “We all have a love of music and festivals, and we decided to put it together and bring it here to benefit our community and the tourists. We wanted to throw four really good parties in-season and have everybody show up and have a great time.” 

Both she and Todd, the company’s president-CFO, said enjoying the sort of top-notch tribute acts they’ve booked usually requires traveling off-island. 

“One of the things that became painfully obvious is that there's nothing like this, said Todd. “I mean, there're some small bands that play at the different restaurants and clubs and things like that. But looking at that park and that bandshell, it was obvious that Marco could use something like this.”

The concerts will offer attendees what Griffin describes as “a beautiful, elevated, sunset experience” that includes: 

• A VIP section with linen-draped tables and space for lawn chairs for general admission.
• Specialty cocktails, beers, wines, and a selection of moonshine!
• State-of-the-art sound and lighting.
• VIP meet-and-greet opportunities with performers.
• Unique themes for each concert to provide audiences with distinct experiences.
• The offerings of series food and beverage sponsor Joey's Pizza and Pasta House and the La Mesa Taqueria, including specialty cocktails, beer, wine, and moonshine.
• An “Art and Adventure Market" featuring the work of local artists and the offerings of local adventure tour providers.

Griffin brings a wealth of experience to the undertaking, with more than 30 years in the event planning and entertainment industry, handling everything from small private events to large festivals around the world. She’s served as executive producer for such events as the Lima (Peru) Rock Fest and the Honda Family Festival in Ohio and worked with such well-known clients as Huey Lewis and the News.

The music series will be Sunset Melodies’ first foray in the island’s entertainment scene. Griffin said there’s much more to come. She referred people to the company’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and its website, sunsetmelodies.com/ for updates. The website also contains in-depth information about the concerts, the artists, as well as a portal to purchase tickets, make reservations and become a sponsor. 

Griffin said Samantha Malloy, manager of the City of Marco Island’s Parks, Recreation and Culture, and Natasha Paniccia, the city’s Assistant Event Coordinator, were instrumental in enabling the series to become a reality. The goal is for the series to become an annual event.

“We want great guest experiences,” said Griffin. “We want everybody to enjoy it and say, ‘Wow, we can't wait till next year's season.’”