Trampled Under Foot

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT
Thursday Night Concert Series

Eric Stein Stage-Oakdale Park

Salina, KS

TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT
Kansas City
© Lydia Lowe  6/23/2011

Danielle Schnebelen, Nick Schnebelen, Kris Schnebelen, also friend, Garret.

 Check out the brand new CD:"Wrong Side of the Blues".

  My son, James, with the band.

TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT . . .what a joy to hear this band sing and play.  Watching the band perform is a pure delight.  This band is polished, professional, high energy, personable, and they also happen to be family; two brothers and their sister, which would account for the fact that there are two left-handed guitarist's in the group.  The Blues have never sounded so good.

TUF is currently in the running for "Blues Band of the Year" and the "Sean Costello Rising Star Award".  The voting closes on August 31st.  Check out the website for further details.  TUF is a featured act and popular attraction on the the Tommy Castro Legendary Rhythm and Blues Revue blues cruise.  TUF were the winners of the 2008 International Blues Challenge and Nick Schnebelen was honored as the 2008 Albert King award winning guitarist.  TUF has a new CD out: "Wrong Side of the Blues".

The night before they played Salina, they had been playing at a bar in Kansas City.  While they were inside giving their concert, someone hooked onto their trailer which contained their freshly minted new CD and their sound equipment and drove away.  This is a terrible thing especially since they are just getting their start.

Even with all this going on, their performance was spectacular.  If you get a chance to go and see them in concert, make it a point to check them out.  They are well worth the price of admission.

Mikey Wax

MIKEY WAX
© Lydia Lowe  6/17/2011

Check out Internet sensation: Mikey Wax.
Mikey was passing through town on his way from Denver, CO to Springfield, MO
and took some time out of his day, before he hit the road, to play a couple of acoustic
numbers on the plaza outside the public library.

Fortnight

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT
Thursday Night Concert Series

Eric Stein Stage-Oakdale Park

Salina, KS

THE SEASON BEGINS . . .

FORTNIGHT
Lawrence, KS
© Lydia Lowe  6/17/2011 

                       

R to L: Darrell Lea, Maria Anthony, Clarke Jamison, Brian Foster, and Sebastian Alfie

  

FORTNIGHT. . .this was probably not the right act to kick off "That's Entertainment".  This group is a cover band that plays the "B" sides of cover tunes.  I'm not sure if they think that this will grab the audience attention because it's music they've never heard before, if they think that people will think that this is their original tunes, or if they prefer the "B" sides of records (some people do like the "B" side).  Or perhaps there is some other reason that we will never know.  Whatever the reason, this band features no original music and the "B" sides that they play are not recognizable, not interesting, and boring.  I believe that the band thinks that they have found a niche that is not being addressed by other cover bands or bands in general, but they need to realize that there is a reason that no one is doing this.  It is a novelty right at first, but the novelty fades once you realize that at no time will they ever play anything that is vaguely recognizable by anyone that is well known.

As a free concert in the park, it was O-Kay.  The people who attend the concerts in the park are mainly there to socialize with their friends and family, relax, eat, drink, and kick back on a summer evening.  However, I don't think that this is a group that I would pay to go and see.  I can think of better ways to waste money.                                                       

Joseph Vincelli

JOSEPH VINCELLI
"The Invitation CD"
© Lydia Lowe  6/10-11/2011 

       The Smoky Hill River Festival was this past weekend, June 9-12, in Oakdale Park here in Salina.  The weather started out hot (99 degrees) and humid on Thursday night for The Festival Jam.  A cold front went through late in the evening and by the time the park opened at 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning the temperature was a slightly chilly 51 degrees.  This beautiful cool weather continued throughout the rest of the festival.

                                                                                 

     One of my favorite performers, Joseph Vincelli, was back again this year.  What a treat!  The first time I heard Vincelli was at an open-air concert in Wichita, KS at Bradley Fair.  I happened to mention this to him when I got a chance to talk to him, and he said that he started doing concerts at Bradley Fair twelve years ago.  He had just played there on Thursday before coming to Salina to do the river festival.

                                                                              

     Vincelli did several performances during the four-day festival.  I happened to catch two of them.  It was refreshing to see that he changed up his performance each time he played.  Adding in new songs and changing the order of the songs that he played from one performance to another.  Vincelli is noted for his saxophone but he also played the flute as well, and it was lovely.  He roams the crowd during his performances and really works the music for all it's worth.

During one of the songs that Vincelli played, an impromptu dance group formed.

                                                                                 

     This year, Vincelli  also roamed around the grounds of the festival for impromptu performances.  I was walking around and would hear that saxophone and the next thing I knew, there he was under a tree, just playing away.  It was a wonderful bonus.

                                                                                   

     Joseph Vincelli has a new CD out, "The Invitation", and it is available on his website.  Check it out and if you get a chance to hear him perform live, make sure that you do.  He is awesome to hear and see in person.

    

                                                                                  

SculptureTour Salina-2011

SculptureTour Salina

©Lydia Lowe   5/21/2011

     "Welcome to SculptureTour Salina!  The Lee District, in downtown Salina, has become the temporary home of 19 unique and inviting sculptures.  The three block walking tour features creations from artist's across the United States."  

     So begins the brochure/ballot that is available everywhere in Salina.  This tour will be available for viewing from May 21, 2011 through April 2012.  People will vote on the art, and the artwork with the most votes will be purchased by and for the city.  This process is due in part to the city art that is already available in Salina and the remarks that have been made, not always positive, regarding how the citizens of Salina feel about that city art.  In April 2012, the sculptures will be changed out and another tour will begin.  Another piece of art will be purchased from that tour . . .and on and on and on.  The SculptureTour is slated to become an annual event.

                                                            Enjoy the SculptureTour!!!

Stone's Eye Passage     Glenn Zweygardt

Untitled Jar     Conrad Snider

II Se de'Place     Jack Kindberg

Fish Tale     Gregory Johnson

Bringing on the HEAT?     Gregory Johnson

Our Canteen Lady     Sondra Jonson

Watch Dog     Louise Peterson

Trajectory     Jack Kindberg

Stone Age Remembered     Glenn Zweygardt

This fountain was in a pocket park along with some shade trees and benches.  A welcome oasis half-way through the tour.  (This wasn't part of the official tour. . .I just really enjoyed sitting nearby and listening to the water fall.)

Barbara's Portal     Jack Kindberg

Amber Eye Passthrough     Glenn Zweygardt

Ad Astra     Dr. Richard Bergen

There. . .     Susan Geissler

Rival Readers     Gregory Johnson

Quarks VII     Guy Bellaver

Pacific Giant     Adam Schuolz

This sculpture needs to be viewed from both sides.

Splintering Continuity     Beth Nybeck

Oriental     Guy Bellaver

Wheels of Commerce     Richie Bergen

                                                       I hope you enjoyed the SculptureTour.

                                                                              
                                                                                

                                                                                   

                                                                                  

  

Anthony Gomes

ANTHONY GOMES
"Back To The Blues Tour"

© Lydia Lowe  4/30/2011

     April 30th and Anthony Gomes was Live-at "The Santa Fe Saloon".  Yes, "The Blue Goat" has a new name. The bar has been re-decorated and updated inside.  The place seems more spacious and the sound booth has been moved to a better position within the bar.  The bar is lighter, brighter and has a better feel.  Even the crowd seemed more friendly.  Of course, this was kind of a homecoming of sorts, since the last few times that Anthony has been to Salina he has played other venues.  The same crowd always turns out for him.  Salina is full of die-hard Anthony Gomes fans.  (Anthony played Newton, Kansas a few years ago and the Salina fans followed him there.  In fact, nearly the entire audience was from Salina.)

     The band has changed completely and the sound reflected that change.  Anthony seemed more relaxed, more himself, or what I've gotten to know of him when he's not on stage.  The music was fresh and Anthony seemed to be re-vitalized.  It was a great show!  He played Blues, some Jazz, a little Rock-n-Roll, and even some Country tunes.  And he was just himself.  No pretense.  It was a dynamite show!  If you get to see Anthony Gomes in concert, run do not walk and purchase your ticket.