Mike Annuzzi to open with full band at Fox Theatre in Redwood City Aug 2

Annuzzi, born and raised in Redwood City, is slated to perform with his band for the first time at the historical theater Saturday, Aug. 2, for a free performance. Originally, he was to open for Haley Reinhart, but there was a scheduling issue.

Not only is it Annuzzi’s first time performing in the theater, but it will be the first time in at least eight years that a local artist will take the stage. Working with the staff at the Fox Theatre has showcased the value of venues and local artists working together, Annuzzi said.

“I want to show the venue that I’m working hard, that I can bring a crowd,” Annuzzi said. “As a local, I want them to support me, but I also can prove that I can bring that crowd.”

The pressure of performing at the Fox Theatre is not drawing a crowd — he’s played for audiences close to 10,000 people — but who fills the audience is more on Annuzzi’s mind.

“It’s a lot harder to perform in front of people you care about,” Annuzzi said, whose family will likely be front row.

Annuzzi’s forte is in guitar-forward songwriting, and although his music is influenced by multiple genres, his style of music resonates particularly in “the world of country rock,” he said.

“That’s really important to me — that my music can come across whether you like a certain genre or not, that it’s going to resonate with you or you’re going to go home with a feeling that you like that song,” Annuzzi said.

His focus when performing is paying close attention to what moves the crowd. The audience drives his shows, Annuzzi said.

“I’m thinking about what it took to get people there that night,” Annuzzi said. “I know that people have a lot going on, and sometimes people walk in the door wanting to disconnect from the rest of things. That’s a lot of responsibility too.”

As an independent artist, Annuzzi handles the booking and busy schedule of his professional life as a musician, but he has support from his band of five, all local to the Bay Area.

“We have that commitment, the desire to put on a good show for our family and friends and local community,” Annuzzi said. “That makes it more pressure to give our family and friends all we want to showcase.”

Music has long played a part in Annuzzi’s life. His father played the accordion — and showed Annuzzi playing an instrument wasn’t just something you saw in the movies. He wrote his first song at 8 years old. He’s played professionally since 2013, but there are still some nerves he’s feeling ahead of the performance.

“I hope I make Redwood City proud,” Annuzzi said.

Visit foxrwc.com to purchase tickets.