Navy Cruisers Rock MV on Sunday Night

The U.S. Navy's premier band The Navy Cruisers, led by Chief Musician and drummer Leon Alexander, took the stage just before sunset on Sunday for the most recent Picnic in the Park concert. The Cruisers played contemporary hits, as well as some old favorites for the crowd on Sunday evening.

Lead vocalists Shana Sullivan (hailing from Lufkin, TX) and Cory Parker (from Caroline Co, VA) masterly belted out tunes from Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Ceelo Green. They swung from On Broadway straight into Just Can't Get Enough by Black Eyed Peas. They got the audience clapping, and moved about the stage dancing and bopping excitedly to the tunes. They had expert presence with their comfort on the stage, but not once did we feel as if they were tired of doing what they were there to do. Favorite moments where when Cory rapped, keyboardist Justin stepped up and rocked the mic, and saxaphonist Jeremy did his best robot.

The weather was perfect for the second evening in the Picnic at the Park concert series at the South Valley Park. At this time of day, the sun is just starting to set behind the trees, so it's still plenty warm that you won't need a sweatshirt, but not so hot that anyone was uncomfortable. It's also plenty light enough at the conclusion of the concert that you can see your way out of the park without a flashlight.

The crowd may have skewed a little older this time around, but there were still several families with small children, and they were clapping and dancing with wreckless abandon just fine. Many people reported being pleasantly surprised with both tonight's performance and last week's show. There's naturally a certain expectation that comes with attending a free concert that's all-ages appropriate, but the acts so far have done a great job giving you more than you expect to hear, and we're all excited to hear what's coming up in future weeks.

Check out the full line-up of concerts on the official MVF Lawn Concert schedule, and learn more about the Navy Cruisers on their official page. Concerts are free to everyone and all ages appropriate. Come back every Sunday night at 6:00 and bring a picnic.