Collision Six up next in Concert in the Park series

A Collision Six concert is a once-a-year event in Monroe.

The eight-member band was part of the city of Monroe’s Concert in the Park series last year and in 2019 and ’21. It’s coming back to the park Thursday.

“We actually don't perform anywhere else in Monroe; this is our annual trip and we love it,” Matt Rappaport, band leader, said. “Last year's concert was a blast. Everyone was singing and smiling along the entire time, and we had some dancers too. We are so grateful for people who appreciate live music and come out to the summer concerts. It's great being outside and performing for people who truly enjoy what we do."

Rappaport and the band will play at 7 p.m. July 13 at St. Mary’s Park bandshell, 111 W. Elm Ave. The concert series is sponsored by the city of Monroe’s Parks and Recreation Department. Admission to all events is free. Attendees should bring blankets or chairs. Whiskey Jacks BBQ will sell food at the park.

Collision Six plays Top 40 hits from the 1960s to today.

“That includes pop, rock and hip-hop music. We play a little bit of country too, but our main focus is on pop and rock music,” Rappaport said. “We love performing for people of all ages because we like playing music from all genres. It's fun to drop in music from the Motown era and then follow that up with something on the radio today.”

Each Collison Six concert is different.

“We don't make set lists or make too many plans in advance because we want to be able to feed off the audience that's in front of us. We work really hard to make sure each performance is unique," Rappaport said. "Of course, we plan to play a wide variety of music and get people up out of their seats and dancing, but beyond that, your guess is as good as mine."

One song, though, will likely be heard.

“We probably play ‘Don't Stop Believin'’ at most concerts,” Rappaport said.

Collision Six began in 2002 and plays throughout Michigan and in Ohio and Illinois. It frequently plays at weddings.

“We love performing at weddings,” Rappaport said.

The band’s name honors Novi.

“The ‘six’ part of the name was an homage to the city of Novi (No. VI), where we originally formed as a group,” Rappaport said. “The ‘collision’ part is a bit fuzzy. We tossed around a lot of words to go along with 'six,' and eventually, that's what stuck.”

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Most of the band members have been with Collision Six for years.

“The core lineup of our band has been the same since 2018, but I believe we'll have a few different people on stage with us this year as compared to last," Rappaport said. "We've had a few of our band members head out on national tours during the winter and some spot dates here or there, but when it comes to our band, we appreciate consistency."

For more information, visit Collison Six on Facebook or c6band.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Collision Six up next in Concert in the Park series