Take me back, to Chicago

In the concert-scheduling business, people have their favorites, just as concert attenders do.  Although I enjoy most of the ones I help select, at the top of the list has to be the music of the band Chicago.  The music of this iconic rock/jazz fusion band has persevered over generations since the 1960s, when the band broke on the scene as the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).  It wasn’t long before they just shortened their name to Chicago … and the rest, as they say, is history.

Maybe it’s the great horn section that combines with the typical keys: bass, guitar, drums and vocals; maybe it’s the great writing, or maybe it’s the variety of musical styles Chicago offers in such a sophisticated way. But, whatever it is, Chicago’s music is as popular today as it was in my brother’s day!

This Friday night in Van Wert’s Fountain Park, the best tribute band I have ever heard of the band Chicago, will be performing.  Brass Transit comes to us from Toronto, Canada, and has enjoyed a growing success even from two years ago when the band tried to perform in Fountain Park.  We had some rain that moved their performance into the Niswonger PAC.  Those who braved the trip to the south side of Van Wert discovered what a great musical ensemble Brass Transit is.  I just feel that any group that has a hit song such as “Saturday in the Park” just needs the opportunity to perform in Fountain Park, so we are bringing them back.

I think you will really enjoy this band.  You will certainly recognize song after song as they tear through the Chicago songbook.  You may have forgotten some of them, but will certainly enjoy hearing them live!  As always, the concert begins at 7 p.m. and food will be available beginning at 5:30 p.m., this time provided by the Youth For Christ organization in Van Wert.

Thank you to all who braved the weather this past Friday to hear Tom Rigney and Flambeau.  What a fun and musical group to hear!  I told Tom, who by the way is the son of former MLB manager Bill Rigney of the California Angels; that a tribute to them was that so many enjoy his music even though they don’t really know the tunes.  The style is contagious and fun!  After a brief rain delay, they returned to play for some brave 200 or so attenders who stayed into the night.  Let’s hope for sunny skies this Friday for Brass Transit!

Kenny Rogers, Josh Turner, Hal Linden, Barbara Eden, The Temptations, Newsboys, Sinbad, and a host of 19 other performances make up our 2014-15 Niswonger season.  It is filled with original performers who deserve the big stage indoors during the colder months of the year.  If you haven’t checked out the new season just announced, I encourage you to log onto the website: NPACVW.ORG or stop by the information table at our Fountain Park concerts and take a brochure.  The full season catalog is on its way to 16,000 mailboxes all over the country within the next week.  If you are on our mailing list, check your mailbox for its arrival.  It will be filled with interesting tidbits of information on the new season.  Our current website also contains information about the artists.  And in August, we will launch our new website which will make it easy for you to watch video of nearly all the performers coming to the Niswonger beginning this fall.

Tickets to the Niswonger concerts are being released to members currently and beginning July 1 to Grand Series purchasers, followed by Select Series purchasers on July 8.  Any remaining tickets will go public approximately 90 days before each concert.

It is definitely an exciting time for the arts in Van Wert.  Many of you are enjoying the Friday night post-concert mixer at Wassenberg Art Center.  It is close to Fountain Park and provides a fun atmosphere to relax and talk about another great concert experience brought to you by The Van Wert County Foundation.

FINÉ.