CFTC-Hutchinson

      This past Saturday saw the return of CFTC to Hutchinson's Avenue A Park.  Tonight's featured non-profit was Intern Hutch a part of the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce.  Before the festivities got under way, the Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony.  Nearly all the board members of the CFTC organization were on hand for the event.

     Jonathan Fleig opened the show with his own brand of original songs and one of his all time favorite songs originally sung by Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit.  He performed the acoustic, country version of the song.  Flieg also told the crowd about a recent project he'd been working on entitled Road to Nowhere.  Look for more information about a screening of the film featuring the music from the new CD.  This musical project was performed entirely outside in the elements.  The music has a down home feel to it and I'm sure the film project that accompanies the music will be amazing as well.

     After the performance in Avenue A Park, Jonathan Fleig gave a concert at Smedley's Tavern.  This year many of the performers will be performing at other venues after their set in the park.  So if you like what you hear in the park, the party in many cases will continue at other venues around town.  There will be an announcement at some point during the show about where you can hear more of the music you enjoy.

     Shawn Craver rounded out the night with more original tunes for the crowd.  Shawn last performed for CFTC at the opener for the McPherson CFTC edition.  He performed with The DeVeils at that show.  There's a rumor that The DeVeils may have broken up.  Craver's music is great in or out of a group setting.  There's talk that he and The DeVeils may play Third Thursday in June.  So be sure to check out Third Thursday, you just might get to hear more of Craver's music.

     This week's crowd was small and scattered around the park.  Next week, CFTC features a benefit for St Vincent DePaul with the final performance of The Brian Davis Band.  The Soapbox Troubadores will also perform.  Last year the show benefiting St Vincent DePaul was one of the biggest shows CFTC had and this year will be no different.  This organization and these bands do an amazing amount of promotion each year and it shows.  So join CFTC next Saturday for one of the biggest and the best.

CFTC-McPherson

 
     Thursday night and another CFTC show in McPherson.  Tonight's benefit was for The United Way of McPherson County.  The featured artist's this evening were Road 23 from El Dorado, KS. and The Dockers from Hutchinson.

     Early in the CFTC McPherson series we were treated to a  wonderful rendition of The National Anthem sung by Stevie Warren from Road 23.  She returned on Thursday with her family band and treated the crowd to the full Road 23 experience. As the music played, the crowd began to swell and grow as more and more people joined those already on The Plaza to hear Road 23.

     The evening wrapped up with The Dockers, formerly The Balkans, and formerly Earth To Matilda, which features Conner Eaves, Isaac Glover, and Mitchell Probst.  The band has been going through a lot of changes lately including name changes, and band member line-ups.  However, the sound, the songs, and the music remains the same.  This band has a loyal following who show up for all their events, no matter where or when. Conner and other band members write their own unique songs and perform them in there own unique way.  While the band may grow and change, the name may remain in flux, and the band members may leave and return, this band has a unique and enduring sound that never changes.

     This coming Thursday, stop by The Plaza in McPherson around 7:00 pm and check out the CFTC benefit for The Humane Society.  Kaylee Keller and Duffy Magee will perform.  As always, there will be pop and water available, hotdogs, hamburgers and other items. 

CFTC-McPherson

      The rain held off for the third week in a row and CFTC-McPherson edition went off without a hitch.  Tonight's donations were going to help The McPherson Opera House.  This week was a special night with some unusual talent on the stage.

     First up was Jonathan Fleig.  He performed an acoustic set of songs off his new CD Road to Nowhere.  The story behind this CD is an interesting one.  Jonathan performed and recorded all of the songs for the CD, outside in a natural setting all over Kansas.  He had all types of weather, insects, animals, you name it to contend with as he worked on these songs.  All that comes through on the CD and adds so very much to the overall project.  While he was performing and recording, a camera crew was following him around filming everything.  The majority of the footage became an independent film that is currently touring the country.  The film had even won a couple of awards.  I heard that The McPherson Opera House may feature Jonathan's music and his film at the venue in 2016.  So watch for that announcement.

     During his set, Fleig also featured a tribute to a song that changed the face of music some 24 or 25 years ago in May 1991.  This song was written by several people including Kurt Cobain and it was the 1st track on Nirvana's Nevermind CD.  Fleig sang a country acoustic version of the song.  It was excellent.

     Next up was Burgess Martin and Josh Keeling from the Phenomenon band.  Burgess wowed the audience with several different ways of playing the guitar.  He used a bow, he played two guitars at the same time, he used his infamous tap method.  The audience was mesmerized.  In fact, everyone, jumped to their feet when he began to play and got as close to the stage as they could get to see the action.  Who knew a guitar could sound like that, so otherworldly.  Truly an amazing talent.  Add in the bass guitar licks, provided live by Josh Keeling and sizzling drum beats, provided electronically and what a show.

     As Fleig played his acoustic set, people were drawn in and the crowd swelled.  The crowd continued to be mesmerized by the otherworldly sounds coming from Martin's talented hands, and then Martin played a tribute to the video game Zelda.  The crowd began to disperse and eventually disband altogether.  To which Martin replied, "I guess no one liked my Zelda tribute," and laughed.  Truly though, I just think everyone was just relaxed, happy and ready to head home after a wonderful night of live music on The Plaza.

CFTC-McPherson

       It was a beautiful night to party on The Plaza in McPherson this past Thursday night as CFTC hosted a  benefit for The Girl Scouts.  

     Stevie Warren from the band Road 23 out of Wichita, KS., who opened the show by singing The National Anthem.  She did a beautiful job.  Her voice has an amazing range and I don't think I've ever heard the anthem sung with such emotion.  Stevie did a fantastic job.  She brought tears to people's eyes by the time she was finished.

    
     Up next was Sean Story from the band VOS (Victims of Spotlight) out of Hutchinson, KS., who performed solo and did his acoustic show.  One of Sean's stand out songs of the evening was his version of Creep by Radiohead as sung by Kermit the Frog.  He had everyone laughing and how he does that song without laughing himself silly, I have no idea.  But every time I've seen him perform is he does it with so much emotion and a totally straight face.  I think the voice and how serious he is when he sings it just makes it all the more hilarious to the audience.

     To finish out the night was the band The Calm, from Wichita, KS.  These fellas played a variety of original songs, they joked with the crowd, and even played songs suggested by the crowd.  It was hard to sit still and listen.  So dancing broke out in pockets all around the plaza.  The crowd just couldn't sit still.

      All in all, another successful show in McPherson.  This was the second show for CFTC and it was bigger than the one before.  Who knows what this coming Thursday will bring?  Come down to The Plaza this Thursday night and check out what CFTC has in store.  The musical acts featured will be Burgess Martin along with his band Phenomenon from Hutchinson, KS.,, as well as Johnathan Fleig from Emporia, KS.

    

CFTC-School's Out Bash

       And the rain came down . . . literally all day. But first there was Friday. It was the beginning of a two day event at The Rusty Needle Sports Bar to benefit three charities. First up was Interfaith Housing with the proceeds of Friday night’s show going to benefit this organization. The evening went off without a hitch and it was a party in the tent on the parking lot. The sides were rolled up and the music rolled out. Full parking lots of people crowded into the bar and spilled out into the parking lot and out of the tent. They came to hear Joe, sing and play his original songs accompanied by his guitar. Up next to round out the evening was Chad Sullins and The Last Call Coalition.

     About 6:00 am on Saturday, Hutchinson was treated to an incredible downpour that never let up until 10:00 pm that night. The show at The Needle faced a cross road. Does the show go on with a tent floor full of water or do we cancel? The afternoon was a benefit for The Cancer Society Cancer Dinner and for the CFTC Scholarship fund in the evening. It was decided that like all good entertainers that the show must go on!

     The show began late inside the bar with Conner and Isaac and the group formerly known as Earth to Matilda who performed an acoustic set for those who had decided to brave the rain to come to the show. While this show was going on inside, outside management of the bar and the evenings performers gathered together to dry out the tent and floor, and move the stage which was no small feat. The fact that they moved the stage in one piece is simply beyond all imagining. But they did.

     And the show went on under the big tent. A variety of performers took to the stage. Hard Rock, heavy metal and a variety of other incredible musical styles spilled out from under the tent into the wet, rainy night. And at the end of it all was Hemlock. Yes, Hemlock returned to a crowd that rivaled last years. And the crowd jumped, juked, jived, and splashed through the water standing on the floor under the tent. No one seemed to care about the rain, the water, the puddles or the soaked pant legs and soggy shoes. Truly an event all its own.

     Whatever will next year bring? CFTC and The Rusty Needle can only guess. Make sure your there next year for The School’s Out Bash. It is literally different every year.

CFTC-McPherson

      What do you get when you combine a harpist, bagpipes and kilts, a group that plays rock/post punk/goth music, a barbecue grill full of food, and pop? It has to be the kick off to the first season of Concert For The Cause in McPherson, Kansas.

      Hutchinson’s own Bob Colladay, kicked off the evening by singing the Scottish National Anthem and the American National Anthem. Then as a last minute song he slipped in a song from his new CD entitled Outhouse. Of course, he had everyone laughing.

 

      As is fitting for a benefit for The McPherson Scottish Festival, it just wouldn’t be the same without one of the most popular performers from the festival. RoJean Louks started the evening off with some amazing harp music. People drifted onto the The Plaza, drawn by the music to listen a while to a little ear candy. Since we’ve been having so much rain lately, RoJean ended her set with a montage of musical selections featuring rivers and rain.

      Then The DeVeils from Wichita Kansas took to the stage. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with this group. The have a wide range of musical styles and I wasn’t exactly sure what post-punk was going to sound like. The played a variety of different styles of original music and I’ll have to say that this is a group to watch. If you get a chance to hear them don’t pass it up. The music is fresh and original. It was hard not to keep time to the music and dance. So I did just that. People were driving by on the street, rolling down their windows and just stopping in the middle of the street to listen.

     What a beautiful night for a concert, fresh grilled food, drinks, and meeting new friends. Thursday CFTC will do it again on The Plaza in McPherson with fresh, new music and a benefit for the Girl Scouts.

A Cowgirl, A Diva and A Shameless Hussy

The McPherson Opera House

McPherson, KS

By Lydia Lowe (photos by Bob Hunter)

      I wasn't sure what to expect from this show this past Saturday night at The McPherson Opera House. The advertising didn't really give me a lot to go on and I had never heard of Becky Hobbs, Benita Hill or Kacey Jones.  But after I saw the show, I realized that I did know all three of them by the songs that they had written and other performers had been singing for years.     If you were like me and this show was not high on your list of shows to attend, you missed an incredible show.  The advertising didn't do this show justice.

     Have you heard the song "I Want To Know You" sung by Conway Twitty? Becky Hobbs wrote that song and the well know song "Angels Among Us" sung by Alabama.  I sat there shocked, delighted and quite pleased to know that this little lady, The Cowgirl, was the one responsible for these songs.  Some of the other songs that I really enjoyed that Becky had written were "They Always Look Better When They're Leaving" and "A Bible and A Six-Pack". Becky has also written a musical about Nancy Ward, a Cherokee war woman, and also one of her ancestors, which I found to be quite impressive.

     How about "More Money" sung by Crystal Gayle, "Two Pina Coladas" (one of my all time favorite songs)  and "It's Your Song" both sung by Garth Brooks?  Well, Benita Hill, The Diva, wrote those songs.  What a surprise!  I was in the midst of unsung hero's who had written many of my favorite tunes.  "Old Love Letters" and "Tangerine Moon" written by Benita Hill, were two of the prettiest songs I've ever heard. Just beautiful and classy all wrapped up in one package.

     Kacey Jones, The Shameless Hussy, was the comedy portion of the group.  She lightened up the mood. She's written some of the funniest songs I think I've ever heard.  She had written a song about Donald Trump's hair and she sent him a copy but she never heard back from him, oddly enough.  There was the ever popular "Down At The Piggly Wiggly", (where she went to meet men), "I Can Always Get Skinny But You You'll Never Be Tall", "1-900-Bubba", and she ended the evening with "Waitin' For The Guy To Die".  This final song had everyone rolling in the aisles laughing.  She said her mother didn't particularly like this song but it did land her a recording contract so her mother decided that maybe the song was alright after all.

     The evening started out with the three singing their signature song, "A Cowgirl, A Diva, and A Shameless Hussy". Becky Hobbs sang the first song, then Benita Hill sang a song, and then Kacey Jones would round out the set with something hilarious which had everyone laughing. Throughout the evening the ladies gave background information about their lives and their music.  They talked of other songwriters they'd worked with and musical acts that had performed their songs.  The audience was in the midst of song writing royalty.The evening ended just as it had begun with the three singing their signature song.  There were two opportunities for meet and greets in the lobby at intermission and after the show. All in all, a fantastic evening of women and song.