The unmistakable musical sounds of Friday Nights Live will continue to reverberate through the quaint Claremont Village here through Oct. 28.

On a recent Friday, scattered blasts of guitars, drums and vocals shot through The Public Plaza at 101 N. Indian Hill Blvd. and the nearby Claremont Chamber of Commerce at 205 Yale Ave.

On May 13, the blues and folk rock of Claremont Voodoo Society played at the Public Plaza off Indian Hill while the American and blues sounds of Mystic Knights Trio performed at the chamber building off Yale.

"We love the music and being outside," said Claremont resident Patty Bogle as she sat next to her husband Tim Bogle at the Public Plaza. The couple, who have been married for 20 years, said they have been coming to the music series since 2005 and hadn't missed more than five or so days.

Nearby, Pomona resident Cary Augustine agreed with the couple's positive assessment of the event.

"I'll walk around here and see the other band, too," he said.

Augustine said he came specifically for the Claremont Voodoo Society.

"I love it," he said while sitting in a chair near where the group performed during their set break. "This is my favorite band. I see them wherever I can. They're all very gifted musicians."

Different acts performing a diverse style of musical selections will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays at different locations in the downtown Claremont Village area.

The locations are the Public Plaza; Claremont Chamber of Commerce; City Hall, 225 W. Second St.; and the Packing House, 532 W. First St.

Performers tonight will be the Seth Greenburg Combo at the Public Plaza, Larry Jackson Family Band at the Claremont chamber, Ray McNamara Combo at the Packing House and Uncle Charlie's Band at City Hall.

Jerry O'Sullivan, 40, guitarist and vocalist for the Claremont Voodoo Society, described performing last week at the series as enjoyable.

"It's very different than what we're used to playing like a bar or lounge gig," O'Sullivan said during a set break after the band's cover of Tom Waits' "Jesus Gonna Be Here."

Maureen Aldridge, CEO at the Claremont Chamber of Commerce, said the series is a partnership between the chamber, the city, the Village Marketing Group and the Tolkin Group.

The event cost from May through October is about $22,000, Aldridge said.

Aldridge said specific attendance figures are not known because there is no entry fee.

"We do know the businesses say it does bring a lot of people into the Village. People sometimes like to come depending which band is playing," Aldridge said.

The event's purpose is to get people from outside the area into Claremont to spend their money inside the restaurants and other businesses, Aldridge said.

For more information on the music series, contact 909-624-1681 or www.facebook.com/pages/Friday-Nights-Live-in-The-Claremont-Village/100227206731307

wes.woods@inlandnewspapers.com 909-483-8549

"It's really exciting," said Sonja Stump, owner of Sonja Stump Photography on First Street who also helped direct people across the street. "I didn't know there were so many bike fans. I think it's wonderful for Claremont."

The tour ran from Claremont to Mt. Baldy with a stop in Glendora on Saturday morning and early afternoon.

Colin Tudor, assistant to the Claremont city manager, said there were about 10,000 people within the city limits for the race.

"Everything went really smooth," Tudor said.

The event also brought

Stage 7 of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California starts in Claremont on Saturday afternoon. The race covered 75.8 miles, ending at Mt. Baldy Ski Resort. (John Valenzuela/Staff Photographer)

Before the race, Jamis/Sutter Home Pro Cycle rider Tyler Wren, 30, of Salt Lake City, said he had been near the Claremont area before having competed in nearby San Dimas and Redlands areas.

"It's a great spot," he said of the "beautiful" areas, but admitted he had not visited Claremont because he was focused on competing.

"I have tunnel vision. I don't get to get out and enjoy the sights," he said.

Former bicycle team owner Frank Schroeder, 49, of Claremont was an amateur rider on a bicycle surrounded by his teammates before the race officially started on Saturday.

"It think it's huge. This is the third most respected race in the world," he said, adding it was behind the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia races. "This is as world class as it comes."

Chino resident Mike Hutchens, 41, watched the cyclists ride by twice at College Avenue and First Street while wearing a colorful Arrogant Bastard Ale bicycle jersey.

"It's incredible something this internationally recognized is so close to home," Hutchens said. "It's not even seven miles from my house. It will put Mt. Baldy on the map. And Claremont always does a good job in organizing things."

Families also were impressed with the easy to access nature of the event, where virtually anyone could stop to get a photo or signature from a top rider in the event.

Jordan Evans, 41, of La Crescenta took his children and his friend's children to the team buses in the Metrolink parking to get autographs from the top riders.

"We've got from people nobody knows to Chris Horner. He stopped for a picture," Evans said of the rider who finished second in Saturday's stage. His daughter, Anna , 10, said the event was "fun" and she was pleased with her autographs.

But not everyone was pleased about the bicycle race taking over Claremont.

Ernie Marcy, owner of Everetts Shoe Repair on the closed Yale Avenue for 29 years, said the event should have been held on a Sunday when affected businesses like his would be closed.

"This did not draw any money for us," Marcy said, adding by noon he had earned less than $4, much less than a typical Saturday.

"Usually we get people coming in on their days off. The colleges are out. They can do it there without blocking off the the businesses ... and what's with the Post Office being closed? It's a post office."

The owner of Aruffo's Italian Cuisine, next door to Everetts, said the bicycle race was like the Village Venture arts and crafts fair that takes over downtown in the winter and draws 20,000 people with roads being blocked off and was not concerned.

"After 1 p.m. things will start exploding," said Tom Aruffo, owner of the eatery for 26 years.

At nearby clothing store Amelie, a sales representative agreed business was slow but had a different view.

"It's slower than usual but it brings more people into Claremont. They'll enjoy the small-town feel Clarmeont has to offer" and possibly return, said sales representative Alexa Hosseini.

Arman Ariane, owner of Xerxes Forgents clothing store on Yale Avenue, said the event had taken away parking spaces for his regular spaces.

"I've had a couple of cancellations," Ariane said. "But I'm happy with our city is being displayed. My personal hope is people visit our town again."

At Mt. Baldy, Ole Ellingson, one of the owners of the Mt. Baldy Ski Lifts, described the event as positively "over the top."

"The ski lift has never seen an event like this," Ellingson said. "We were overjoyed to have Stage 7. It was a true mountaintop finish. The fans and everybody were just amazed. We, of course, we glad to be of service here and be able to get it to finish in our parking lot."

Ellingson estimated there were 3,000 to 4,000 people including the ski lift parking lot and nearby.

"This mountain top finish is likened to be the same as the Tour de France."

Ellingson said there were no incidents or arrests that he knew of, while "we've got quite a bit of exposure out of this and we'll bring more bicycling events here in the summer. The bicycling culture here is something we need to see more of," Ellingson said.

Claremont, Glendora and California Highway Patrol officials said there was no reported incidents from the race late Saturday afternoon.