Photo by Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

Modern Groove Syndicate of Richmond performs during he first of a five concert series held Saturday evening at the Market Square in downtown Roanoke. Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band was the featured performer for the event.

People clutching beers and donning baseball caps squeezed out of Blues BBQ as the sounds of funk filled the Market Square on Saturday night.

The sight made a very busy Stephanie Callaway beam.

"What can be better than live music right in front of your restaurant?" said Callaway, the restaurant's director of marketing. Inside the restaurant, it was standing-room only, and waiters had been turning tables left and right all night, she said.

"It's been crazy, it's been great," Callaway said as young people danced nearby.

The free summer concert series "Downtown Rocks" kicked off Saturday night to the delight of many bars and restaurants downtown. Part of Campbell Avenue and several side streets were closed off around the Market Square for the event.

Saturday's concert aimed to attract 20-somethings with the headliner Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band. The Asheville, N.C.-based bounce band was preceded by Modern Groove Syndicate and the Big Payback.

The show was the first of a three-concert series taking place on the first Saturdays of July, August and September. The second concert will feature country music while the third will be a nostalgia show with '60s music.

The nonprofit development organization Downtown Roanoke Inc. organized the series to attract diverse people to the city's center and help with the revitalization of downtown. DRI Executive Director Bill Carder has said he expects between 6,000 and 7,000 people at each show.

Carder said all the downtown bars and restaurants get the advantage of the concert being a nonalcoholic event.

"A lot of the businesses and restaurants feel that when there's an event and they're selling beer and wine out of a truck, they take a hit," he said.

Carder used to work as the project manager at 202 Market and is eager to boost downtown business.

A few restaurants, including Wasabi's, Ernie's and Horizon Bar & Grill, were closed on Market Street for the holiday weekend. But, for those that remained opened, business seemed to benefit.

Willie Schilling, the general manager of 202 Market, said his venue did very well, attracting a crowd of 200 people, when Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band played there in early May. The band is also scheduled to appear at FloydFest on July 26.

Callaway said an added bonus of working at Blues BBQ on Saturday was the chance to hear the band. She had heard a lot about them but never actually seen them.

"I thought it would be a great opportunity to see them and work, making money and also having fun," Callaway said.

Chris Dobe, who works at both Horizon Bar & Grill and New York Subs, stood outside Blues BBQ with a Coors in hand. He said that he was spending more money because the event was downtown.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the square, Sharoni Davis, the manager of Tavern on the Market, worked busily. She talked quickly in between delivering beers, handing out checks and greeting regular customers.

She said the restaurant had a good lunch and she had been seeing a lot of unfamiliar faces.

"Anytime, you do something free and show off downtown Roanoke, it's excellent," Davis said with a smile.