The often flippant and brassy comedian Chris Rock once wisely stated “You don’t pay taxes…they take taxes”. Rock’s view on the matter is as pessimistic as it is spiteful, but he brings up a fair point. After all the money picked from each individual wallet on a daily basis, the end result of governmental funding efforts can sometimes be harder to identify than it should be.

Lake Street Dive are part of a movement that combats this lack of transparency, as they were recently announced to the lineup of Prescott Park’s summer concert series. This tax-funded program formally known as “The River House Restaurant Concert Series” promotes human-wellness through free concerts (minor donations suggested) at Portsmouth, New Hampshire’s local city park. Programs like this are snowballing in popularity across small cities throughout the United States, as local governments are devoting an increased focus to well-being of the greater resident population through enjoyable and inelastic artistic programs. I certainly won’t be complaining about a virtually free concert, and I’m sure Portsmouth’s residents won’t be either. That is, if you want to consider a tax-driven concert “free”…

Lake Street Dive’s live performance is to come as an expected treat to those local residents that need only to walk a few blocks on June 18th. The Boston-based band’s Tennessean lead singer Rachael Price needs no introduction to flaunt her booming voice from one corner of a city to the other, while the rest of the band is no stranger to the winning concept overlaying lovable covers like “I Want You Back” with somber, jazzy overtones. Price spearheads this interpretation of The Jackson 5’s mega-hit just as she does with every Lake Street Dive song: with choir-like pitch that leaves the rest of the band comfortably swimming in her wake to easily develop a song that takes minimal effort to enjoy.