Full Strength brings high energy to Hoyt Park
By Ashley Shah
The Full Strength band will bring a sizeable and energetic ensemble to Hoyt Park as it opens the 2025 Scripps Ranch Symphony in the Park summer concert season on June 8.
“This is our first time playing for the Symphony in the Park. We were supposed to be the last performance last season, but due to the heat wave, the performance was cancelled,” Full Strength co-manager Andrew Johnson said.
“Since we will be the opening performance this season, we really want to bring positive energy so that that energy can carry on for the rest of the season. We want to foster strong community vibes and connection,” co-manager Tyler Hazen added.
The concert is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and will last about an hour and a half.
“We plan to hit folks with a lot of music. Our special sauce is our mashups. We select a theme and then play the most popular songs within that category. We have mashups for certain decades, certain artists and more,” Johnson said. “People are hearing these songs in a different way, and they appreciate the creativity.”
“We play music from all kinds of genres and decades. We play the classics from the ’60s and ’70s, all the way to the latest hits. Our goal is to get people, regardless of their age, up and dancing,” Hazen said.
The band will be playing about a dozen concerts this summer at different venues.
“We love playing outdoor summer concerts in San Diego. It’s so exciting to watch the kids run around, and to see people jumping and dancing. The energy is very high, and we put that energy back into the audience as well,” Hazen said.
“We are excited to have exposure to folks who have not seen us yet,” Johnson said. “It’s really fun to watch the audience’s reaction to our music, especially to the mash-ups because they are wondering how we are putting all these songs together. The audience ends up getting really into it.”
Full Strength has been performing for more than 15 years in San Diego.
“The band was founded in 2010. The band was created to play classic ’60s and ’70s songs and soul music authentically with a horn section instead of backtracks and other ways. We wanted to bring a large authentic ensemble sound,” Hazen said.
The band currently has 12 members. They are Tyler Hazen (vocals), Pamela Gallo (vocals), Taylin Rae (vocals), George Rivera (guitar), Zoey Jones (keys), Andrew Johnson (bass/vocals), Eli Plasencia (drums), Josh Smitley (tenor sax), Jeff Crockett (alto sax), Avery Sauza (trumpet), Armando Silva (trumpet) and Nathan Fishman (trombone).
“I’m so excited to jam out with my fellow band members, and we’re all really looking forward to seeing all of the audience members up and dancing,” Johnson said.
The June 8 concert will be sponsored by San Diego Castles.
Emma Lefkowitz and the Barron Real Estate Team will provide free face-painting at the concert.
The concerts are free and held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Hoyt Park.
Members of the audience are allowed to bring their own food and beverages. Attendees may bring cloth blankets to sit on, as they do not harm the grass; and low-back chairs so that people in the back can see as well.
The Scripps Ranch Old Pros and the Scripps Ranch Woman’s Athletic Club will make scholarship presentations to local high school graduates on stage prior to the June 8 band performance.