Sunday concert to be viewed from lake

BY Amanda Martilla

Makayla Phillips and The Kenny Marquez Band will take the stage facing the water Sunday in one of the most unique Canyon Lake POA concerts ever. The audience will be out in the water while the performers take the Holiday Harbor amphitheater stage.

TV vocal competition star Makayla Phillips will perform Sunday at the Rock the Boat Concert. The Kenny Marquez Band will also perform. Friday Flyer File photo by Dave dain

This “Rock the Boat” on-the-water concert, the first of its kind for the community of Canyon Lake, is free for residents to come out and enjoy.

“Rock the Boat” will take place on Sunday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Although the artists will be performing from the amphitheater, they will be facing the water. The sound is designed to project out towards the lake. The audience can enjoy the show from their boats, kayaks, paddle boards or other vessels, but the park will be closed.

At 5:00 p.m. on the evening of the concert, the speed limit will be reduced to 5 m.p.h. on the main lake. Marine Patrol will allow boats to anchor in front of the amphitheater beginning at 6:00 p.m. Then, the two-hour show will begin an hour later.

Kenny Marquez has a unique gift for outrageous banter from stage and he has performed at more than 500 venues throughout Southern California. Photo provided by Doug Schultz

Kenny Marquez, also known as the “human jukebox,” has a vast musical history including being the lead guitarist for the 1980s’ and 1990s’ multi-million-dollar-selling American rock band Renegade, Doug Schultz, the producer of the concert, said. Kenny has a unique gift for outrageous banter from stage and he has performed at more than 500 venues throughout Southern California.

This is not Kenny’s first performance within Canyon Lake. He opened for The Motels at their performance in the Lodge last year. Guests of that concert enjoyed Kenny’s renditions of “Lights” by Journey and “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi.

Makayla Phillips is a television music competition star. She was awarded the Golden Buzzer by Heidi Klum on America’s Got Talent in 2018 and was a Top 11 finalist for American Idol earlier this year. Some of her other accomplishments include winning Temecula Idol two years in a row, winning Best Youth Cover twice at the Temecula Valley Music Awards and earning a Hollywood Launch scholarship.

Currently, she is teaching voice lessons to about 20 students and is working with various producers and managers to surround herself with a strong team in the music industry.

Although Kenny Marquez and Makayla Phillips will be performing from the amphitheater at Holiday Harbor park, they will be facing the water; the sound is designed to project out towards the lake. Residents can enjoy the show from their boats, kayaks, paddle boards, or other vessels. Photo by Amanda Martilla

Makayla has performed several times in Canyon Lake when her family lived just outside the community. Her family has since moved to Temecula.

Makayla’s latest Canyon Lake performance was at the Missing Persons concert early last year. Her first Canyon Lake appearance was at the Berlin concert held at the Lodge in November 2018, where she captivated an audience that gave her a resounding standing ovation. She and fellow America’s Got Talent singer Codi Lee performed at the 2018 Canyon Lake Tree Lighting. Codi, from Lake Elsinore, won the America’s Got Talent competition.

Makayla said she is excited for this new and unique opportunity to sing for an audience during this time of COVID-19 restrictions. Her final weeks of American Idol earlier this year were all filmed remotely from her Temecula home.

Makayla Phillips

Doug Schultz is a professional concert manager and event producer who has over 38 years of experience. He worked for companies such as Sunny 98.1, ALT 949, and 103.7 KSON before retiring from full-time employment to work as the Canyon Lake POA Producer of “Concerts at the Lodge.”

This boat-in concert is designed to be viewed from the lake only. The amphitheater and surrounding area will be closed for access and use. Police and Community Patrol will be in place to enforce access control at the closed areas. Residents are asked to continue to practice all physical distancing and face covering guidelines that are in place.