By Amy
A momentous event took place on Saturday, July 30th, 2011 at Barnes Park Amphitheater in Monterey Park, CA. The first ever Dreamchasers Block Party proved to be a spectacular charity benefit featuring several talented Asian American performers supporting the arts. Proceeds benefited Monterey Park’s very own Mark Keppel High School Aztec Singers.
PLAN C Group along with the City of Monterey Park contributed greatly to the success of this fantastic charity concert which attracted close to 500 attendees. “It feels really good to be able to give back to the local community through Dreamchasers.”” said Tom Ngo, Branding & Marketing Manager at PLAN C Group and MC of the night. The mastermind behind the Dreamchasers concept, Tom’s passion for the arts and the local community shined throughout the entire event.
Inspirational artists included gifted Chinese-American violinist, Jason Yang; breakout singer from American Idol Season 9, Andrew Garcia; Korean American hip hop sensation, J.Reyez; accomplished Filipino American singer and songwriter, AJ Rafael; hilarious Chinese American comedic duo direct from Monterey Park, Just Kidding Films; Korean American singing sensation, Jennifer Chung; innovative Chinese American rapper and songwriter, Toestah and uber-talented Filipino American singer and songwriter, Joseph Vincent delivered exceptional performances that kept the crowd wanting more all night.
AJ Rafael serenaded the fans with his set of original songs and even performed the single “She was Mine” off of his new album Red Roses with Joseph Vincent, which energized the crowd even more. Joseph Vincent sang for the first time with a live band and finished the string of dynamic performances with an ambitious medley of his favorite cover songs, from “Bye Bye Bye” by N’Sync to Cee-Lo’s “Forget You,” ending with his popular original single “If You Stay.”
As the event ended, the VIP ticket holders stayed behind for a private meet and greet with the night’s performers. Die-hard fans requested autographs on their phones, shirts, arms and other paraphernalia. It was a definitely a sight to be seen. After the crowds finally dispersed, the artists gathered for a final group photograph to commemorate an amazing night. Here’s to hoping for a Dreamchasers Part Deux.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I’m a PR & Media Specialist for PLAN C Agency. We specialize in targeting the Asian American market. During my free time, I volunteer as Director of OC Programs for Asian Professional Exchange | APEX, a non-profit Asian American professional organization that focuses on networking, professional development and community service.
