'Tis the season for music

July 15, 2009

Music is everywhere in the summer. Free evening concerts at parks, noon concerts downtown, summer tours by big-name acts, and bands at fairs and rodeos fill the calendar.

But just as the cloudy Pacific Northwest winters enhances our appreciation of glorious sunny summer days, so-so bands help us appreciate how difficult it is to create good music.

This date, I attended a free concert at Dawson Park. The rhythm guitar player was great. The drummer and base slapped together a good groove, but the vocals and the electronics (e.g. feedback) were a bit off. There was no denying the band’s enthusiasm, and it was a pretty evening. Many people showed up for an enjoyable night out of the house and picnics on the lawn.