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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Get The Led Out---The Music of Led Zeppelin

GET THE LED OUT-THE MUSIC OF LED ZEPPELIN
The Stiefel Theatre,  Salina, KS
© Lydia Lowe  11/18/2011
This stage says: "Hey, this is a rock-n-roll show" with classic style.
Left to right: Andrew Lipke, Paul Hammond, Paul Sinclair 
Left to right: Diana DeSantis, Jimmy Marchiano, Andrew Lipke
Left to right: Billy Childs, Adam Ferraioli, Diana DeSantis
The band signs autographs after the show.
GET THE LED OUT-the music of Led Zeppelin . . .the curtain came up on a stage decked out with big amps, expensive instruments, guys with long hair and tight jeans, and a big sound.  This is the rock-n-roll type of show that I remember from the 1970's.  Today's rock-n-roll groups just don't have the style that groups from the 1970's had.  You know it's going to be a great show when they hand the audience earplugs as they enter the theater.

The music was amazing!  This is a tribute band like none other.  GTLO is not about re-creating the band-Led Zeppelin, but re-creating the music of this super group.  The accuracy of the music is what it's all about for GTLO.  The music was loud and the beat was pounding.  There are over 80 songs in the Led Zeppelin repertoire which gives GTLO a vast amount of music to work with and present to the audience.

This was the first time the group has been to Kansas.  The Stiefel Theatre was packed to nearly capacity.  People were dancing in the seats, the aisles, and up next to the stage.  There was clapping, yelling, and singing out loud along with the lyrics to the songs.  Even the lights on the stage were more of the vintage variety.  There were lots of blues, greens, golds, and white. 

GTLO played from 8:00 to after 11:00 p.m.  The audience really got their money's worth with this concert.  After the concert, the band came out and signed autographs for every person that stayed to meet and talk with them.  It was awesome.

Earlier in the day, during the sound check, GTLO had invited area youth to the theatre to a guitar workshop.  They also played an acoustic set that was taped for KJAG Radio and interviewed with other area radio stations, too.

During one of the songs, I noticed one of the guys, Andrew Lipke, off to the side running his hands through the air creating an unusual sound.  I asked him about it while I was in the meet and greet line.  He said it was a Theramin.  Check out this link to find out more about what a Thermin is: Theremin on Wikipedia.

This group is a class act and I can't wait for them to make a return visit.  I think they should play The Stiefel Theatre every year, make it an annual event. 

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Eye Candy

"EYE CANDY" ART EXHIBITION
John and Margie Kuhn
The Art Center,  Hutchinson, KS
© Lydia Lowe  11/12/2011

 This is just a taste of the show at the Hutchinson Art Center.
Go check it out before the show is over.
The ephemera will make you smile and the flowers will make you gasp with delight!




Sunday, November 6, 2011

Mark Bowling

MARK BOWLING
Metropolitan Coffee,  Hutchinson, KS
© Lydia Lowe  11/05/2011
MARK BOWLING . . . is a singer/songwriter that I would characterize as a folk singer which immediately brings to mind another folk singer/songwriter, John Denver.  The  parallels are amazing!  Even Mark agrees that his style is similar to that of John Denver.  He didn't set out to become the next John Denver, he just fell into it.

Mark is very unassuming and has no desire to be in the spotlight.  He enjoys writing songs and performing them in the privacy of his studio.  His hope is to have other artists perform his songs one day.  I'm not sure that other performers could do his songs justice.  Mark's songs are deeply personal and reflect pieces of his life.  Many songs are serious and introspective, as well as funny and lighthearted.  Yet, the songs have a universal appeal.

At the time that I saw Mark perform, he had just come back from Nashville, where he had presented some of his songs to music executives.  Mark and two other song writing hopefuls had presented songs.  The other two writers had been sharply criticized by the music company for all sorts of different problems with their songs.  Mark didn't receive any criticisms for the songs that he presented.

Truly Mark Bowling is a singer/songwriter to watch.  Will Mark sell his songs and propel well-known country music artists to number one slots on the music charts?  Or will he take the "John Denver" route, writing and performing his own songs as a singer/songwriter?  Only the future knows for sure.



Friday, November 4, 2011

First Thursday Art Show

 SCENES FROM THE ART SHOW
@ THE STIEFEL WATSON GALLERY
© Lydia Lowe  10/03/2011

"Olds"   John Black
"Remember, Catch and Release"     Kristie Yenkey
"Seed Pods"     Andrea Fuhrman
"Bop"     Andrea Fuhrman
"Snake Charmer"     Janda Allred
Meet The Artists
"Yarrow"     Mary Ann Tanking
"Yellow Brick Road"     Mary Blackwell
"Natarajasana Preparation 1"     Jan Wilson
"Saturation Point"     Debbie Wagner
"The Line Up"     Roberta Berg



"Understrength"     Lori Wright
"Sunflowers"     George Jerkovich
"Old Times Not Forgotten"     Brenda Strecker
"Musing 8111"     Cary Brinegar
"Rate Your Pain #2"     Lori Wright
"#951"     Randy Clark
"What's This?"     Justin Border
"Stretch"     Rick Frisbie

Thank You for viewing the First Annual Stiefel Watson Gallery Juried Art Show