The Classics IV

The Fox Theatre

Hutchinson, KS

By Lydia Lowe (photos by Bob Hunter)

       The late 60's and early 70's I feel, was the golden age of rock music. So many different combinations of instruments and styles were brought together. Everything was fresh and new, artists pushed the envelope to see what they could create. It wasn't like today where there is little variety and nothing original stands out. The music of today is so homogenized, so much of the same. So, seeing the Classics IV on Saturday night at The Historic Fox Theatre in Downtown Hutchinson was a real treat.

     While this is not the original group, the sound was much the same. And another treat for the evening, is that the group sang other songs from the era by a few other performers, this was a night to remember.

        The evening started out immediately as the band hit the stage with People Got To Be Free by The Rascals. There was some light bantering at the end of the song and then the hits just kept coming. Everyday With You Girl, Pollyanna, and then Unchain My Heart by Joe Cocker, What Am I Crying For, and then It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones. Then a treat, a new song done in Classics IV style, Teenage Lovers. This song is part of a Route 66 musical project. We heard Cherry Hill Park, Stormy, and then it was time for another new song in Classics IV style, A New Horizon. There was the Neil Diamond song, Sweet Caroline. All in Your Mind had just a beautiful flute solo. Least I forget, there was a tremendous amount of saxophone solos throughout the evening. I just love the sound of the saxophone, it's one of my favorite instruments.Then there was a montage of songs by The Buckinghams which included Don't You Care, Mercy Mercy Mercy, and Hey Baby (There Playing Our Song). There was a tribute to the founding member of the group who is no longer with us, Dennis Yost, and we got to see him on the screen while the band sang Traces of Love.

      And then the concert drew to a close. The band handled the encore in a unique way. The final song was Lee Greenwood's Proud To Be An American. It was done as the big send off to end the concert. Then the band stayed in place on stage and Tom Garret, the lead singer and front man of the group announced that instead of walking off stage, waiting for the audience to jump to their feet and hoot and holler for an encore they were going to stay where they were as they were old and didn't want to have to walk off stage. Also, what if the crowd didn't applaud, hoot and holler? The band had one more song to sing. So everyone jumped to their feet and clapping, and the band began singing Spooky.

     Truly a magical evening and a wonderful way to end the 2014-2015 season at The Historic Fox Theatre.

Joseph Hall's Rock and Remember Elvis Tribute

The McPherson Opera House

McPherson, KS

By Lydia Lowe (photos by Bob Hunter)

      Joseph Hall brought Elvis to life on Saturday night at the McPherson Opera House. It was a fitting tribute to the King of Rock and Roll. Last year's show was amazing but this year's show topped it. And next year, Joseph Hall will be back with his full band from Branson and I can hardly wait for that show.

     On this night, the stage lights dimmed, black and white vintage film of girls waiting to welcome Elvis began playing on the screen at the back of the stage, and a giant blue vinyl record spotlight swung around the auditorium as Elvis took to the stage. 

  
     This year's show was was Elvis through the years. Each of the costume changes depicted another chapter of Elvis' musical career. The evening began with Elvis from the 70's. Some of the songs from that era that Hall performed on stage were: See See Rider, Suspicious Minds (one of my favorite Elvis songs) the version that Hall sang was faster than the original version, and Can't Help Falling In Love.

     Before each segment began, the announcer, Hall's father, Kyle Hall, gave historical context to each segment in the show which along with the costume changes, put the audience into the proper frame of mind for the performance at hand.  

     Then it was time for Elvis from the 50's and the hits just kept coming. Some of the songs in this segment were Shake, Rattle and Roll, Teddy Bear-Don't Be Cruel. Hall through teddy bears into the crowd during this song.

     Before each segment began, the video footage on the screen at the back of the stage changed to vintage footage from the era that Hall was portraying. As Hall took the stage for the GI portion of the concert, black and white footage of Elvis being drafted and prepped for service were shown on the screen.

    
      Elvis Presley served three years in the army and the next segment covered a few songs from that era. The songs that Hall sang during this portion of the show were Now Or Never which features the music of O Solo Mio with different lyrics, of course, Love Me Tender, and Blue Suede Shoes.

  
     Then we moved into the 60's and these songs I was more familiar with and they included another one of my favorite Elvis songs, Kentucky Rain which I thought was moving much to fast as Hall sang, but I know that entertainers take some poetic license with their arrangements so that might explain it. Then In The Ghetto, Yesterday, A Little Less Conversation, Rubberneckin', and Viva Las Vegas.

      The evening ended with a few gospel selections as Hall's guitarist joined him on stage to accompany him. Hall sang How Great Thou Art and it was superb!

      Hall does an amazing job of portraying Elvis in this tribute. He encourages audience participation, he interjects humor into the show and his timing is dead on when he does it. It's hard to know at times if it's Hall doing Elvis or Elvis doing Hall. That confusion leads to an amazing tribute to Elvis Presley that can't be missed. April 2016 Hall will return to the McPherson Opera House and no doubt to a sell-out show (his past two shows have sold out) and he's bringing his full band from his Branson show. Mark your calendars now because each show gets better and better. You won't want to miss next year's show.

Arrival-The Music of ABBA

 

 

Arrival-The Music of ABBA

The Fox Theatre

Hutchinson, KS

By Lydia Lowe

(photos by Bob Hunter)

 

      The lights dimmed, the spotlights began swinging around the auditorium, and the sound of a helicopter could be heard in the background. As the lights stabilized and the helicopter sounds faded into the distance, Arrival came onto the stage. 

 

 

     I'd never heard the first song that the group sang before, but from then on, it was one hit after another. Knowing Me/Knowing You, Fernando (which the group sang in Swedish and in English) that was a treat. There was an instrumental that the band played while the ladies left the stage for a costume change. It sounded very familiar although the group mentioned that they didn't think the audience would recognize it. There was SOS, Money/Money/Money, Waterloo, Mama Mia, Chiquitita, and the list goes on and on. There were so many songs that both the first set and the second set included medleys of songs, there were just o many hits.

 

 

     The group did a lot of audience participation in the both the first set and second set. In fact, when they came back for an encore, ending the night with Dancing Queen, they brought young girls up on stage to dance with them. Unfortunately on this night there was only one young lady in the audience. But even then, it was a highlight.

     All in all there were three costume changes and the costumes were authentic 70's garb that ABBA would have worn which only added to the overall effect. Singing these songs, the stage decked out with a disco ball, wearing authentic garb, with the overall look and sound down, it was hard to believe that the audience wasn't watching the "real" ABBA. All in all, a great night.

Sybarite 5

 

 

Sybarite 5 

McPherson Opera House

McPherson, KS

By Lydia Lowe

(photos by Bob Hunter)

      I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the group Sybarite 5, who entertained the crowd on Saturday night at the McPherson Opera House. I'm not a big fan of stringed instruments. A lot of the music that stringed groups play are the masters; Bach Beethoven, Mozart, etc. It's more orchestra and stuffy. None of those words describe Sybarite 5.

     This group brings a fresh perspective to the world of stringed instruments. These group met when they traveled from their homes to the Aspen Music Festival. Three are from the United States, one hails from Newfoundland and the other from Argentina. Somehow, these five individuals from different countries and different world views meshed and found common ground through music. Then together as a group they began playing on the streets of Aspen, eventually forming Sybarite 5.

 

     The audience heard a couple of selections from Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla‘s tango-inspired music,  a bluesy tune by Dan Visconti entitled Black Bend, several tunes done with a classical twist that were written by the British group Radio Head, including Paranoid Android, Weird Fishes, and No Surprises. When the group returned to do an encore they joked before playing the tune that no concert is complete without a Led Zepplin tune. The audience laughed and bassist, Louis Leavitt responded with a vague reference to another Mozart tune. Then the joke was on the audience when Sybarite 5 did indeed play a classical arrangement of Heartbreaker by Led Zepplin tune.

     Sybarite 5 consists of Sami Merdinian and Sarah Whitney, violinists; Angela Pickett, violist; Laura Metcalf, cello; and Louis Levitt, bassist. This is string music that rocks! 

Check out the video for Heartbreaker by Led Zepplin: here

David Sanborn

 

David Sanborn

The Stiefel Theatre

Salina, KS

By Lydia Lowe

(photo by Buffie Embers)

 

      I was lucky enough to win tickets to the David Sanborn concert at The Stiefel Theatre, courtesy of B98's Sunday Jazz Brunch program. Wow, what a show!

     The show started out with Sanborn playing Comin' Home Baby, then Brother Ray and by the time he got to Maputo, which was three songs in, I was completely lost in the music. There is nothing like a jazz tune played on a saxophone. Everything he played was a hit that I'd heard on the radio at one time or another. It's really to bad that B98 doesn't mainstream their jazz station like they did back in the late 90's.

 

     Sanborn was in fine form on Valentine's night. He brought his incredible back-up band with him so the audience at The Stiefel got way more than they bargained for. It was a magical night with superb jazz saxophone played by David Sanborn.

    

     

Cantus

Cantus

The Stiefel Theatre

Salina, KS

By Lydia Lowe

(all photo's by Bob Hunter)

     The lights came down and a choir of men's voices filled the inside of The Stiefel Theatre this past Sunday night. Cantus never sounded better. Tonight's show was about questions, the universal question/theme for the evening was: When we gather together, how does singing help us celebrate, help us inspire, and help us heal?

     Song and singing was explored in a variety of entertaining ways. The songs were set together in groups of three; everything from work songs (Simple Gifts-a traditional American song), to songs of prayer (Ave Maria), to songs of war and protest (Rainbow 'Round my Shoulder-a traditional African American song). The question explored with these songs was: "How can we keep from singing" in the midst of life all around us. The audience was left to ponder that question and draw their own conclusions from within themselves as a wide variety of songs were presented. These songs were not well known songs which caused the audience to really listen to the words and hear the actual notes of the song, to ponder on new ways of seeing their world through song.

      After a brief intermission other questions were raised. The audience sang Happy Birthday to one of the members of the group. And the song Row, Row, Row Your Boat was sung in a three-part round by the audience. It's amazing how songs get into our heads at early ages and never seem to leave us. They become national treasures.  

      Songs such as When We Sing seemed to ask the question of what prompts the human race as a whole to raise their voices in song? There was a variety of songs from far off places, such as: Australia (Waltzing Matilda), and Ireland (Danny Boy). Fun songs such as: Tjak!, which celebrated monkey warriors. This song was so much fun. The group began the song with their backs to the audience and then slowly turned around and were in full monkey mode, as they sang they pantomimed monkey stature and sang the song as though they were the monkey soldiers. It was hilarious!

     There was even time for some good 'ol American Barbershop music,with the traditional Barbershop song that we all know: Keep America Singing.

     Truly an evening not to be missed. This was an amazing collection of voices, gathered to gather on the stage, harmonizing in perfect pitch. A unique show and one worth the price of admission.

     

The Soapbox Troubadors and Phil Keaggy

The Soapbox Troubadors

and

Phil Keaggy

The McPherson Opera House

By Lydia Lowe
(all photo's by Bob Hunter)

     This past Saturday night at The McPherson Opera House saw a double shot of feel good Christian music when Hutchinson's own, Soapbox Troubadors opened for a sold out Phil Keaggy show.

     I'm not sure if the Troubadors sold out the house or Phil Keaggy, or a combination of the two. I was sitting in the uppermost balcony and I'll have to say that most of the crowd up on that level were there for the Troubadors. In fact, after the Troubadors played the upper balcony cleared out. That's too bad because they missed a great Phil Keaggy show.

 

     The Soapbox Troubadors played a 20 minute set of 4 of their more well known songs: everything from I Walk Alone, Train, The Road, and Home. The entire auditorium was enthusiastically clapping, hooting and hollaring after every song. Those sitting around me in the upper balcony, at intermission, immediately pulled out their phones and googled the band's website.

     At intermission, the stage was transformed and Phil Keaggy came out onto the stage to perform. The set started with Where The Morning Dawns, Strong Tower (a crowd favorite and special request), then he played Shades of Green, a beautiful instrumental with an Irish twist. 

     Keaggy also spent some time goofing on stage, telling some jokes and doing some really bad impressions of other entertainers. They were so bad they were good and he had everyone laughing. He has this unique ability to pull the audience in to him and it feels like it's just you and him hanging out while he plays and you forget, there is an entire auditorium full of people there with you.

     Keaggy sang a couple of covers full of hope, love and deep feeling: Make Me Feel Your Love by Bob Dylan and Here Comes The Sun by George Harrison. Both never sounded better than when Keaggy sang them. He also sang an original tune called The Salvation Army Band which was excellent. After that the music just kept washing over the audience. About an hour and a half into the show Keaggy stopped and asked the audience how long he'd been playing, as he realized his set was about over. No one wanted the show to end, so someone in the audience yelled out, half an hour, which got the entire auditorium laughing, including Phil Keaggy.

     What a great show. One of the best I've seen at The McPherson Opera House. Hopefully both The Soapbox Troubadors and Phill Keaggy will be back for a return engagement.