The Elizabethans

Enjoyed tonight's Madrigal Christmas concert.

Commons

Five years ago the City of Warrenville dedicated the space between the Warrenville Public Library and City Hall to honor a longtime volunteer by naming it Bob Walters Commons. This space is now the location of weekly free concerts during the summer. The space behind the fountain is perfect allowing kids to run and play during concerts.  Most weeks there are as many people in this area (behind the "stage") as sitting on the hillside "amphitheater." I think the fountain adds a great touch.

Calypso

Tonights Concert on the Common band was Mr. Myers from Sycamore, IL. A cold front came through and the temps were in the 70's. Maybe a little cool for Caribbean music but a nice change from hot.

Guitar

Beautiful Celtic instrument.

Tunes of Glory Pipe & Drum

Tonight's outdoor concert sponsored by the Warrenville Public Library featured Tunes of Glory Pipe and Drum band. I was really intrigued by this drummer, the youngest band member. She didn't seem at all intimidated by the adults. There was only one other teen in the group.One cool thing about these drummers is the choreography of the "pompoms."

Listener

This little girl sat near the front, listening to the Aurora Legion Band playing in Warrenville.

Surround Sound

Tonight's Wheaton Municipal Band concert began with 
the brass section playing an antiphonal piece from both sides of the audience.

Before the concert began I got this close-up of the warmup.

Human Canon

Tonight's Wheaton Municipal Band concert was filled with interesting pieces. The highlight was the 1812 Overture. At the end of the piece the instructions call for live canons. However, in the middle of a residential neighborhood this is not practical so tonight the audience was asked to shout "Boom" at the appropriate time. To help with the timing lights were flashed each time a "Boom" was needed. Here's a video of the last segment of the piece to show how it went.

Here are a few of those attending, many in 4th of July garb.

Summer Evening

Waiting for the Thursday night Wheaton Municipal Band concert to begin.

Tuba

Middle school (District 200) band students were invited to perform tonight with the Wheaton Municipal Band.

This guy's Tuba was almost as big a he was.

 

Dr Bruce Moss, Conductor

Listening

Tonight's concert was by AcRock. This was just one of those in the crowd.

Summer Concert

Tonight inaugurated the 87th season of the Wheaton Municipal Band conducted by Bruce Moss in Memorial Park. A crowd of 500-600 from 2 to 85+ yrs. attended. 

Latin Rhythms

Tonight was the first of the local summer concerts. The Warrenville concert is sponsored by the library at the Bob Walter Commons and featured Jose Valdes Mambo All Stars.

Steel Pans

This afternoon I attended a concert by the Steel Band of Waubonsee Community College. The band started in 1980 and they are excellent for a student group. 

 Here's one of the songs they performed today. Dynamite.

There was also a guest performance by members of Pastiche Steel Ensemble, the nation's premier steelpan ensemble. This event was sponsored by the  Warrenville Arts Council. 

Remember Japan 3.11

Tonight I went to a "Thank You, Thailand" event put on by the Japanese community in Chiang MAi to commemorate the tsunami of 3.11.2011. One of the performances was a drumming/dance. This dancer also played the large drum above his head.

Jazz

My nephew Isaac Mercer played trumpet and flugelhorn in the North Park University (Chicago) Jazz Concert this afternoon. Here he pays a solo with the Jazz Combo.

Music

Tonight I went to the monthly Local Music Night in West Chicago. All three featured groups were good. Each played a 30 min set. At the end 3 audience members sang in the Open Mic section. Pictured below is a Roger who played two Civil War songs.

Ravinia Festival

Friday, August 5, 2011

Tonight, seven friends and I went to Ravinia to hear Yo Yo Ma play Tchaikovsky. I went by Metra train and arrived first. They got caught in construction traffic and arrived an hour after me. So, the task of saving a lawn space large enough for the whole group fell to me. They had the blankets, chairs and food. I staked out a space with shoes, a backpack, a water bottle, a program and a train schedule. The people around me helped me keep others from setting up in the space I was saving. One lady offered her poncho. Others offered chair bags. It was a group effort to keep the space open while I waited. Here's a photo of me standing in the middle of this open space while everyone was setting up all around me. Just after this photo was taken the group arrived and I was vindicated. ("My friends are coming. I promise.") Thanks concert neighbors for your help.

http://www.ravinia.org/ViewDate.aspx?date=8%2F5%2F2011


P.S. I didn't get home until after midnight so this is posted about an hour late.

Buddies

I shot this picture of two buds at the weekly summer concerts sponsored by the Warrenville Public Library.

http://www.warrenville.com/programs/concerts.htm

Concert on the Commons

Every Wednesday in June, July and August, the Warrenville Public Library sponsors a free concert. Tonight it was Steve Beno, who specializes in concerts for kids and their families. He had the kids up front dancing and singing with him. Watch a video of Steve.