Common Threads Quilt Show

The Common Threads Quilt Show
is presented by:

Photo's by © Lydia Lowe 6/23/2012

Here are just a few of the lovely quilts that were at the show.  There were so many to look at (over 500 of them) with so many techniques and patterns.  The show was somewhat overwhelming.  This is the 30th year for this quilt show.  It began in 1984 and is held on even numbered years. 

The Prairie Quilt Guild (which sponsors this show) in Wichita, KS has between 600 and 950 members and meets on the 2nd Tuesday every month in the afternoon from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., and in the evening from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Enjoy this small slice of quilts from the show:

The Clearview Band

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT
Thursday Night Concert Series

Eric Stein Stage-Oakdale Park

Salina, KS

THE CLEARVIEW BAND

Salina, KS and Surrounding Communities

© Lydia Lowe 6/21/2012

 The Clearview Band . . .as the band began to play, I noticed the bright rose pink bass guitar and wondered, where in the world you find something like this?  It truly dominated the stage.  I wondered why a guy would feel a particular fondness for a bright rose pink bass.  As fans of the band can tell by now, I was unfamiliar with who would be playing this bass.  Little did I know that this little powerhouse of a woman would be playing that bass and pounding out licks that bass never thought it could produce. 

     The band started out their set with a cover tune, "They Call Me the Breeze".  While it remained true to its overall tune and lyrics, The Clearview Band had changed up the tune.  They did this on every cover tune they played.  It was familiar but different.  Suddenly I knew this was no ordinary cover band.

     Each member of the band had a chance to sing vocals and I thought each one did a fantastic job of making the songs they sang, they're own.  I especially liked Rockin' Robin's take on "House of the Rising Sun".    Other songs that I really enjoyed were: "Sweet Home Alabama", "Maybe I", and what the band termed, a car song, "Mustang Sally".  I liked the band's take on "Stop, Hey What's That Sound" by Buffalo Springfield and they did several of this bands tunes.

     Not only did The Clearview Band sing cover tunes across all genre's: rock, country, and blues, to name a few, but they also did a variety of their own tunes.  This is not your typical cover band.  If you get the chance to see them, make sure you go check out that bright rose pink bass as well as Rockin' Robin, Kevin Bayes (drums/vocals), Ken England (guitar/vocals), and Lightning Ike (guitar/vocals). 
    

Poco

POCO

The Stiefel Theatre

Salina, KS

© Lydia Lowe 6/16/2012



Members of Poco sign autographs after the show.

POCO . . .This is a band that has been going strong since 1968.  Rusty Young, is the front man, a founding member of the group, and as Jack Sundrud, the bass player of the group remarked, when introducing him, "Rusty is the only person whose been to every sinlge Poco show".

     

     Poco took the stage last and they did not disappoint. The set started with a new song “All Fired Up” which will be on their new CD coming out in late July, early August. Then they broke into all their hits, from “Heart of the Night” and their only number one hit, “Crazy Love.” A second song from their new album “Father’s Day” included additional background vocals by Steve Weinmeister from Firefall.  Sundrud had written the song about his father who he remarked was 94 and a half years old.  What a great song for the day before Father's Day.  I overheard a fan later, in the lobby, tell how he had lost his father this year and the song brought tears to his eyes. 

     Michael Webb, who played just about every instrument imaginable, sang a song from his solo CD, “Drinkin’ “Bout You” which was absolutely hilarious. Then it was time for another song from the new CD, “Hard Country”, and if crowd reaction makes a hit, this one has number one written all over it. It brought everyone to their feet.  Sundrud wrote this one too.  It was written about the prairie where he lived in Minnesota when he was growing up.  He said Kansas had reminded him of the prairie from his childhood and he had enjoyed the ride from Kansas City to Salina because he got to gaze out at the prairie.  Webb began the song playing the accordian and transitioned to electric piano halfway through and did it effortlessly.  It was amazing to see him change instruments mid-song, keep up with the tempo and stay on key. 

     By far one of the funniest songs of the night was "Neil Young Is Not My Brother".  Rusty told the audience that people always thought that Neil Young was his brother for some reason.  It was a rumor that was rampant.  So to address the issue he wrote this song.

     I had a chance to interview Rusty Young  before the show and found out that Poco actually spawed several other country/rock bands.  Founding members Randy Meisner, left to found The Eagles, Jim Messina left to found Loggins and Messina, and Richie Furay, left to found Buffalo Springfield.   Young said he thought Poco was the only band that has accomplished this feat.

Pure Prairie League

PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE

The Stiefel Theatre

Salina, KS

© Lydia Lowe 6/16/2012

PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE . . .When you see a steel guitar on the stage, you know your in for some "real" country music, or in this case, a country/rock mixture.  This band straddles that line with a mix that can't be beat. 

     Pure Prairie League took to the stage for the second hour of The Stiefel Theatre show. The band sang “Let Me Love You Tonight”, “Amie”, “Jazzman”and “Two Lane Highway”.  The audience sang along with every song without any encouragement whatsoever.    When every song's a hit, that's easy to do.  The lyrics are so memorable that if you knew the song in the "70's, you still remember the lyrics today.  The band sang one I’d never heard before, but liked instantly, “I’ll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle”. PPL encouraged the audience to sing along on“Falling In and Out of Love”.  Then they introduced their new drummer, Scott Thompson, and he sang lead on a couple songs. 

      All to soon another hour had come to a close and after a standing ovation, the band was off to the lobby for a meet and greet, the hunt for autographs and pictures began anew. 

Firefall

FIREFALL

The Stiefel Theatre

Salina, KS

© Lydia Lowe 6/16/2012

FIREFALL . . .If you were a tween or teen in the 1970's you can't help but remember all the lyrics to all the words of all the songs that Firefall performed during that time.  Recently, Firefall was the opening act of a three band show at The Stiefel Theatre.

     Firefall started the show with “Livin’ Ain’t Livin’” and after that the hits just kept coming. “Just Remember I Love You” got a huge crowd reaction, as did “Cinderella and “Strange Way”. The crowd was encouraged to sing along with the band on “You Are The Woman”, but sitting in the audience I can say that everyone in my section was singing along with every song. We were all dancing in our seats, too. 

     The band put everyone instantly at ease and it was almost like we were all in one giant livingroom just hanging our with the band.  I think this was partly because of front man Jock Bartley, who is one of the founding members of the group and a Kansas native.  Bartley was born in Hutchinson and moved to Salina with his family as a child, eventually making his way to Boulder, Colorado as a teenager. He had an instant connection with the audience due to his Kansas roots.  He knows the area and when you can relate to the audience by knowing some of the geography of the area, such as: Kanopolis Reservoir and can name various towns in the area, it goes a long way.

     Bartley also related a story about how impressed he was with Eric Clapton's guitar playing.  He wrote a special guitar solo section in "Strange Way" to mimic an Eric Clapton rift.  The band recorded the song in one take and when they were done the sound tech asked Bartley to come into the recording booth.  Eric Clapton had happened by and sat in to listen while Bartley was playing.  He said it was a good thing that he hadn't know ahead of time, or he probably wouldn't have been able to play a note.

     No one in the audience was ready for the band's hour to end.  When it was announced that Firefall would be in the lobby signing anything you have, you could meet with the band and take pictures; it was like a feeding frenzy.  I went out to the lobby for a bit and it was chaotic.  Before I knew it, the lights were blinking for the next act taking the stage.  There just wasn't enough time.

     Needless to say, Firefall would be welcomed back anytime that they want to play.  It was a great first hour. 

The "70's Return-3 Bands/3 Hours

     I had a chance to attend The Stiefel Theatre's end of the 2011-2012 season show which featured three prominent bands from the '70's.  I did a review of the overall show, plus a three-part series on each individual band which will follow over the next several days. 

                                             

                                              

FIREFALL, PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE AND POCO

     The Stiefel Theatre, Salina, KS. played host to not one but three well-known and well-loved country/rock bands from the 70’s on Saturday night which included Firefall, Pure Prairie League, and Poco.  Each band played an hour and then the stage was re-set for the next band.  After each band played they headed to the lobby for a meet and greet, pictures and autograph session.  Merchandise was available for sale and quite a few of the fans brought their vinyl record covers for the bands to sign. 

     Firefall started the show with “Livin’ Ain’t Livin’” and after that the hits just kept coming.  “Just Remember I Love You” got a huge crowd reaction, as did “Cinderella and “Strange Way”.  The crowd was encouraged to sing along with the band on “You Are The Woman”.  Jock Bartley, the front man for the group and one of the founding members, is a Kansas native who was born in Hutchinson and moved to Salina with his family as a child, eventually making his way to Boulder, Colorado as a teenager.  He had an instant connection with the audience due to his Kansas roots.

     Pure Prairie League took to the stage next.  The band sang “Let Me Love You Tonight”, “Amie”, “Jazzman” and “Two Lane Highway”.  Also, one I’d never heard before, but liked instantly, “I’ll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle”.  The audience sang along on “Falling In and Out of Love”.  PPL introduced their new drummer, Scott Thompson, and he sang lead on a couple songs. 

     Poco took the stage last and they did not disappoint.  The set started with a new song “All Fired Up” which will be on their new CD coming out in late July, early August.  Then they broke into all their hits, from “Heart of the Night” and their only number one hit, “Crazy Love.”  A second song from their new album “Father’s Day” included additional background vocals by Steve Weinmeister from Firefall.  Michael Webb, who played just about every instrument imaginable, sang a song from his solo CD, “Drinkin’ “Bout You” which was absolutely hilarious.  Then it was time for another song from the new CD, “Hard Country”, and if crowd reaction makes a hit, this one has number one written all over it.  It brought everyone to their feet.  

     I had a chance to interview Poco for KJAG Radio before the show and found out that Rusty Young, the lead singer and only original founding member, told me that Poco actually spawed several other country/rock bands.  Founding members Randy Meisner, left to found The Eagles, Jim Messina left to found Loggins and Messina, and Richie Furay, left to found Buffalo Springfield.  Young said he thought Poco was the only band that has accomplished this feat.

     What a great night.  For a brief three hour period on a Saturday night, the 70’s ruled again.

Lori Wright

CHARACTERS

Lori Wright 

The Stiefel Theatre

Salina, KS

© Lydia Lowe 6/16/2012

Malicious Intent

Incessant Chatter

Imminent Takeover

They're Here

Stinging Sensation

Full Hand

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT
Thursday Night Concert Series

Eric Stein Stage-Oakdale Park

Salina, KS

THE SEASON BEGINS . . .

FULL HAND

Salina, KS

© Lydia Lowe 6/14/2012

FULL HAND . . .I wasn't familiar with this band before the concert in the park, although I think the park was full of their fans.  This is no ordinary cover band.  I heard from some of their fans in the park that they sing and play country and rock favorites.  Tonight it was primarily country tunes.

     Full Hand is a five person band: Becki Dewitt-White on vocals, Tifanni Saltkill on vocals & guitar, Blake Saltkill on guitar, Cori Thrower on drums, and Tim Cornelius on bass guitar.  With occasional cameo appearances by Becki's dad, Roy Dewitt, who joined in on guitar for a couple of songs and Tiffani and Blake's mom who joined in on one song on harmonica.

     Becki Dewitt-White, the lead singer for the group, did a fantastic job on everything she sang.  I especially liked the Miranda Lambert songs that she sang, "Baggage" and "White Liar".  Becki really shined when she sang these songs.  They're in the perfect key for her voice and she can really belt out the lyrics.  Becki made the songs her own and not mere imitations.  She also sang "Cheater, Cheater" and changed it up with some funny antics as a way to avoid some of the more risque lyrics in the song.  It was really funny.

     Some of the other songs that the group performed were "Mary Jane" (Tom Petty), "Where The Green Grass Grows" (Tim McGraw), "Summer of 69" (Bryan Adams) and a new one by Little Big Town entitled "Pontoon". 

     This band is one to watch.  They kept the audience entertained throughout the evening.  If you get a chance to hear them in person, especially at an event such as this, make sure to check them out, they're a great time.

    

    

Rearview by Ruth Moritz

THE SMOKY HILL RIVER FESTIVAL

An Art Installation by Ruth Moritz

© Lydia Lowe  6/09/2012

"What's behind us and what's just ahead of us in life, as we drive a vehicle".

Fabric Art Collage

Fabric Art Collage

Rebekah Meier
© Lydia Lowe 6/13/2012

     If you’ve always wanted to create with collage but prefer working with fabric and fibers rather than paper, this is the book for you.

     The book covers a wide variety of information: tools and supplies (embossing powders aren’t just for paper), painting and stamping (melted crayons on muslin and how to clean the iron afterwards), creating base materials (paper and fabric combo’s), texture (needle felting), embellishments (paper beads), fibers and embroidery (plus size inchies?), hot tools (dryer sheets as a design tool), distressing (coffee and tea spills can be a good thing), and assembling the layers. These are just a few of the more unique things that I found and is a fraction of the possibilities that are available for creating fabric art collages.

       I thought the book was a little light on project ideas. But the author did have a lot of information to cover regarding the tools and supplies that are available. For additional project ideas, I would recommend Rebekah Meier’s second book, More Fabric Art Collage. The two books go hand in hand.

Lacee Schafer

UNTITLED

  Lacee Schafer

McPherson Public Library

McPherson, KS

© Lydia Lowe  6/09/2012

When I walked into the McPherson Public Library today to view the artist of the month, I took one look at the first painting and thought, "this reminds me of Errick Ferguson".  Then I read the artist bio and realized that this was Errick Ferguson's niece, Lacee Schafer.
I really like the limited use of bright color technique that both of these artist's use.  It just reaches out and grabs the viewer.  I'd love to see more of this type of work.
But Lacee has her own style, too.  Check out these photo's.  So without further ado:

Invocation

Serenity

Paper Flowers

For Our Freedom

Koi

Irrevocably Similar

Still Life

Pride & Prejudice

Monday Night Book Discussions

"PRIDE & PREJUDICE"

(written by Jane Austen)

Salina Public Library

Salina, KS

© Lydia Lowe  6/12/2012

Pride & Prejudice . . .I read this book on my own when I was in junior high school.  I enjoyed the rhythm of the words and the way it was written.  There's a lyrical, poetic bent to the the writing.  I'm a poet so this appeals to me.  The rhythm and the way the writing falls back upon itself.  The story is appealing, too.


However, as an adult, still a poet, but more of a prose reader, I found that all of the things that I loved about it in junior high school I don't particularly care for now.  As an adult, I read more for story and character and less for the way the words fit together.  I think that's sad, but there it is. 


This is an excellent read.  But be prepared to take your time reading it.  You can't just sit down and run through it like you can with today's books.  It has to be savored and requires a lot of thought as you go along.  The story is worth it, if you can keep the rhythm and the thought processes going in a round about direction. 


Then again, maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this type of book at this time.  Sometimes you just have to be in the mood . . .

Bradley Fair Summer Jazz Concert Series

Joseph Vincelli

JOSEPH VINCELLI
Bradley Fair Summer Jazz Concert Series/Smoky Hill River Festival
© Lydia Lowe  6/7-8/2012

     On Thursday, June 7, one of my favorite performers, Joseph Vincelli kicked off the the Bradley Fair Summer Jazz Concert Series in Wichita, KS.  Then on Friday, June 8, he was off to Salina to perform at The Smoky Hill River Festival.  What a treat!  

     The first time I heard Vincelli in concert, he was 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 was excited and looking forward to playing the next few days in Salina at the river festival.  It’s become somewhat of a circuit for him and a given that he’ll do both.  That’s been going on now for about three years.

     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.

     This year, Vincelli once again 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.  This year he had planned to roam the festival only and was not scheduled to play on any stages, but a last minute cancellation opened up Stage II and he filled the time.  Unfortunately his band didn’t make the trip, but he played along with his tracks and they served as his back-up band.  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.

Art at The Metro

Leave Your Print     Reagan Tatro

Into the Lens     Reagan Tatro

The Space Between     Reagan Tatro

Chris Mayer: Solo Ritmo

CHRIS MAYER: SOLO RITMO

Metro Coffee

Hutchinson, KS

© Lydia Lowe  6/2/2012

Chris Mayer: Solo Ritmo . . .I've been hearing a lot about Chris Mayer and Solo Ritmo but never had the chance to attend one of his performances until Saturday night.  I wish I'd made it a point to have gone sooner, this was one of the best performances I have been to in a long while.

The performance reminded me so much of beat poets in the late 50's or early 60's.  I've seen them depicted on T.V. and in films but this was the first time seeing something like this in person.  Mayer did not disappoint.  Using a variety of percussion instruments, drums, cymbals, and found objects, he started his set with a lot of different pieces about time: Before the Drum, Tick-Tock-Sick (which had a Dr. Suess for adults flavor with a variety of clock sounds and finally through the spoken word all the clocks were thrown out and he decided to use a sundial to tell time), What Time Is It? and then he switched to Storm Song and How the Raven Stole the Night (this was one of my favorites, I loved the Native American story flavor to it).

There was even a chance for the audience to participate.  Cards were handed out with an instruction of what was needed, like a noun or adverb, etc. and then he put all of these words together to make up a spoken word poem on the spot.  It was amazing.  It was fun to listen for the words I'd written as he read the poem.  Everyone seemed to smile when he got to their contribution to the poem.  He even had the audience bring him objects and he used those as instruments to create new and unusual sounds.

Mayer's last piece of the night was entitled: Song.  He used a most unusual instrument, (pictured above) called a Waterphone.  Click on the link to find out more about it.  This instrument was created by Richard Waters and simulates the sound of a whale, but it also brings to the ear the sounds of something otherworldly.  It's beautiful to hear in person. You've got to check out Chris Mayer: Solo Ritmo when he comes to The Metro again.  I know I will.

Chris Mayer will return to The Metro at the end of the month, Saturday, June 30 with Five Man Trio.