Thursday in the Park

The Starlings

Summers bring outdoor concerts to most areas, and the experience is almost always worth any change of plans or parking hassles. In fact, you may be able to bike or walk to one near you like I did.

If you have a chance, get to at least one community concert near you this summer and donate some of your time or money to keep them going. You’ll be glad you did. Enjoy this posting about a recent one I attended.

Thursday in the Park

 The thing about the music of what happens is that it is the music of whatever happens and that does not always come from a stage or radio, carefully rehearsed and perfected. Like the squeals and giggles from three dozen children running, jumping and standing still in a continuous free form dance on a Chamber of Commerce blue sky day in a century old Olmsted Legacy park to the live, bright Americana sounds of  a local band.

That was the scene last Thursday at Hiawatha Park in West Seattle, as the Admiral Neighborhood Association presented the first of their neighborhood concerts for 2010. A couple hundred people gathered in the shade on the east side of the park’s field house. Neighbors and strangers alike spread their blankets and set up their folding chairs to enjoy a picnic and to celebrate their community and the beautiful summer day. 

The crowd was mostly young families which delightfully gave way to above described dancing. Mostly eight years old and younger, they had not yet developed any of the self-consciousness that comes with puberty and trying to impress your peers. It was interesting how some were very keen on the musicians and others seemingly more interested in just swinging each other to maximum dizziness before mom noticed they were having too much fun. To be fair, some Moms and Dads, and even some Grandmas, joined in as well.

 The performers, The Starlings, were clearly enjoying the youthful exuberance and played a fun, relaxed set that didn’t play down to the kids at all, just good solid music with a beat (more Americana groups should try a small drum set like this – it does make the music more danceable) and warm two and three part harmonies. I don’t think the drummer stopped smiling all night, setting a great example for aspiring female drummers everywhere. Their set included a tasteful selection of smart covers, from Greg Brown to John Prine, and to my delight, a couple Roger Miller numbers. Their originals were well crafted and diverse in tempo, topic and mood.

 I’m sure they were happy to be playing for a sober crowd and the children were obviously just assimilating the music without critiquing every song, either they danced or they didn’t. Mostly they did, whirling, spinning, running, leaping with the occasional ballerina or gymnast move. If a choreographer was looking for a live example of spontaneous free form dance, this would have fit the bill.  

It was a perfect way to spend a summer evening supporting local resources, sponsors and music. I didn’t see a single kid playing a hand held video device or texting the entire time. Nothing beats live, analog communication.