An Evening of Big Band Music and Dance with Las Pulgas Big Band!

Get ready for an unforgettable night of swing, rhythm, and fun with Las Pulgas Big Band — a full 18-piece ensemble performing classic big band favorites, joined by two phenomenal vocalists, Jim Shannon and Katie Lipka!

📅 Saturday, November 1st, 2025
📍 Historic Odd Fellows Lodge – 839 Main Street, Redwood City
🕕 Doors open at 6:30 PM
🎟️ $15 Early Bird | $20 at the Door

Evening Schedule

6:30 PM: Doors Open! Grab a drink or snack and find your seat.

7:00 - 7:30 PM: Dance Lessons: Learn fun styles like the 6-Count Swing with our guest dance instructor - no experience needed!

7:30 - 9:30 PM: Las Pulgas Big Band Performance featuring two powerhouse vocalists:

• Jim Shannon – A lifelong Bay Area performer who has sung the National Anthem for the A’s, Giants, Sharks, and Warriors, and toured alongside The Beach Boys, Michael McDonald, Huey Lewis, and more.

• Katie Lipka – A versatile vocalist with roots in opera, Broadway, and jazz. A longtime Ella Fitzgerald fan, Katie brings charm, range, and warmth to every performance.

Additional Information

• Food and Beverages available for sale
• Family & Kid Friendly - All ages welcome!
• Just a short walk from CalTrain
• Plentiful Parking Nearby

For questions, contact Hannah at [email protected].

About Las Pulgas Big Band

Welcome to Las Pulgas Big Band! Our traditional 18 piece big band, plus wonderful male and female vocalists, will entertain you with our danceable music and energetic shows, which feature favorites from the golden era of big band swing and more.

Centered in Redwood City, California, band members range in age from 20 to 88, and come from all parts of the original 1795 Rancho de Las Pulgas Land Grant. That’s why we chose the Las Pulgas Big Band name (the Fleas), to reflect our local history and geography. Plus, like fleas, our music is a jumpin’ good time!

We’ll share the joy of big band music at special events of all kinds: dances, quinceaneras, nursing homes, senior centers, fairs, and celebrations of every sort. Las Pulgas Big Band is ready to bring a smile and get your toes tapping! Our music features a mix of tunes from slow ballads to swing, shuffles, jumps, Latin, waltzes, foxtrots, tangos, polkas and even a line dance or two.

For information or to be added to our mailing list for upcoming events, please visit our website: laspulgasbigband.com

About Vocalist James "Jim" Shannon

Born in San Francisco and a Bay Area native, James “Jim” Shannon has been performing since he was 12 years old, starting with his father’s band “The Tempos”. Jim went on to play in bluegrass ,rock, R&B, and country bands, and even did 7 years of comedy with "Itchy Brother." His main instrument is bass and his passion is vocals. Jim has sung the National Anthem for the A's, Giants, Sharks and Warriors, and has performed locally and nationally from night clubs and concert stages to corporate functions, festivals, fairs, tv, and radio.
Jim has appeared on the tours of such diverse acts as: The Beach Boys, Eddie Money, Michael Mcdonald, Gregg Allman, Dave Mason, The Tubes, The Everly Brothers, America, Three Dog Night, Chris Isaak, Huey Lewis and the News, and more. Blessed with a life full of music and memories, Jim now shares his musical gift as the featured male vocalist for "The Las Pulgas Big Band".

About Vocalist Katie Lipka

Katie Lipka, female vocalist for Las Pulgas Big Band, has been singing since she can remember. Through high school for loved performing Broadway and operetta. When she moved to New York she got involved with a mixed Barbershop Quartet. As her voice matured she moved into opera arias and art songs, sang with Pocket Opera and Opera San Jose, and has sung in Masterworks Chorale for more than a decade. But back in the 80's, despite all of the amazing music that was coming out at the time, the one artist she went back to again and again was Ella Fitzgerald, especially the songbooks. Until she took the theory classes and the Small Jazz Ensembles class at College of San Mateo, she had never been able to find her way in to the jazz world. Now you can find her at jazz jams, singing standards with her Of the Moment Quartet and singing in front of the wonderful sounds of the Las Pulgas Big Band, a very happy place to be!

About Odd Fellows Bay View Lodge 109:

Bay View Lodge is the oldest fraternal (with men and woman) organization in Redwood City and as far as can be ascertained, the oldest fraternal organization duly chartered in all of San Mateo County. Starting in the early 1700s in England in order to care for those in need, Odd Fellowship came to the state of California shortly after the discovery of gold in 1849 and some of our oldest lodges are still in existence today throughout the Mother Lode country of California. Just as many Odd Fellows Lodges were off shoots of another lodge, so it was with Bay View Lodge.

The teachings of Odd Fellowship are to visit the sick, help individuals and families in need, to bury the dead and educate the orphan. The early day brothers believed fervently in these teachings. As a result of their dedication to the teachings of Odd Fellowship, the lodge prospered and within ten years had well over 100 members; which in itself was remarkable considering the population of Redwood City at that time.

Today, the Odd Fellows Bay View Lodge meets bi-weekly with goals to support the community with volunteer work, hosting and sponsoring local organizations' events, and creating a welcome environment for all visitors and members!

Host or Publisher Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Redwood City