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Rockin' out: REO Speedwagon draws crowd
Published 8/31/2009 in Local News
By RACHAEL GRAY
Fans chanted "R-E-O" and the stage filled with smoke moments before legendary rock'n'roll band REO Speedwagon took the stage Saturday night in the Finney County Fairgrounds arena.
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Stephanie Farley/Telegram — Bryan Hitt plays the drums Saturday night during the REO Speedwagon concert, held at the Finney County Fairgrounds as part of Mosaic’s Run, Rock and Roll benefit. Hitt has been with the band since 1990, first appearing on REO’s 1990 album, “The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken.”
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Stephanie Farley/Telegram — REO Speedwagon fans rock out Saturday night during a performance by the Guymon, Okla.,-based band Bipolar Echo, which won the publicÕs approval at the Battle of the Bands in June to open for REO Speedwagon. The band describes its influences as Queen, Uriah Heep, Cheap Trick and Journey.
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Stephanie Farley/Telegram — Amber Hollis-Fesmire handles vocals on a song for the Guymon, Okla.,-based band Bipolar Echo on Saturday night. The band also includes Kevin Wale, Ramiro "Tiny" Rosalez, Brad Duren and Raymond Christie.
The rock veterans had the crowd on their feet and kept them there all night while they delivered classic hits such as "Take it on the Run" and "Keep Pushing."
Not only did Garden City rock fans enjoy a show from a rock staple, but the dollars they spent on the show will stay right here in Garden City.
The proceeds from the concert, a benefit for Mosaic, will help local people with disabilities in and around Garden City.
Brian Schwindt, Mosaic community relations manager, said total ticket sales and total money raised would be available at the end of the week.
Debbie Reynolds, Mosaic executive director, said this morning she was pleased with the turnout. She said total ticket sales exceeded 3,100.
"It was a wonderful night in Garden City that far exceeded my expectations. We were pleased the community came out and supported us," she said.
The concert festivites started early in the day with a Poker Run on motorcyles that raised $2,800 for Mosaic. County Commissioner Dave Jones won the poker run with the highest hand and donated his winnings back to Mosaic
At the VIP party in the Exhibition Building before the concert, Reynolds thanked the partygoers for supporting Mosaic.
"Everything raised stays right here," she said.
Casey Jance and James Phillips, Dodge City, said they were glad to be in attendance. They enjoyed Saturday's cool weather and rode their motorcycles from Dodge City. Concert-goers could purchase bike passes for $5 in addition to the price of a concert ticket to ride their bikes onto the arena floor. Jance and Phillips made an evening of the concert and joined the VIP party.
Jance said she liked the chance to ride her motorcycle from Dodge City and the VIP party was "very awesome."
The runner-up band from June's Battle of the Bands, Lady Wisdom, took the stage in the Exhibition Building at the VIP party and played for an audience that enjoyed food from Samy's Spirits and Steakhouse, and party favors such as bandanas, leather hats and lunchbags, while bartenders offered wine, beer and margaritas.
Cindy Dial, Fulton Street Band singer, said the VIP party was impressive. She attended the VIP party for last year's Styx concert.
"They definitely stepped it up," she said.
Dial, an REO fan, said she's been a fan since the band's debut on the national rock circuit in the 1970s.
"REO is just good, classic rock'n'roll. It's wonderful that popular '80s bands are still around. It's a rare opportunity to see them still playing, especially in Garden City," she said.
Battle of the Bands winner Bipolar Echo took the stage to open for REO as fans made their way into the grandstands and onto the arena floor. Bipolar Echo covered hits such as "Sweet Dreams" and drove crowd momentum until REO took the stage.
The crowd screamed its affection as REO lead singer, Kevin Cronin, expressed excitement for being in Garden City.
"Garden City's a place where we can feel at home," he said. "And we came to party."
Larry Dick, Norcatur, formerly of Dodge City, said he and his girlfriend, Shelly Dougherty, drove three-and-a-half hours for the concert. Dick said he was a deejay in the '80s at the time REO's popularity spiked. When Dick graduated high school in 1978, REO had the highest selling album of the year, "You Can Tune a Piano, But You can't Tune a Fish."
Since moving to Norcatur, a town closer to the northern Nebraska border, Dick said he attends Comstock, a rock festival in Nebraska. In 2000, Dick missed the concert and REO was one of the featured bands. In 2001, all of the bands came back except for REO, he said. He hadn't seen REO live before.
Finally, Saturday, Dick swayed with the crowd, belted out lyrics to "Can't Fight this Feeling" and "Keep on Loving You," and watched one of his all-time favorite bands live in Garden City.
It was an '80s-caliber, rocking performance, he said.
On the Web:
Mosaic: www.mosaicinfo.org
REO Speedwagon: www.speedwagon.com
Did you go to the concert? Talk about it at SWKTalk.com.
Found 2 comment(s)!
REO Speedwagon
What a BLAST and didn't have to drive to Wichita to enjoy a FANTASTIC concert!!! SUPER show REO - you didn't let us down you can still rock! AND well done Mosiac - I can't wait for the next one. Concerts like this I absolutely don't mind spending on because the money goes to a great organization and stays out HERE!!!!!! Your hard work and labor of love that was put into this is well noted - good job.
Posted by: kf on 8/31/2009
Awesome!
This was so awesome for GC. This brought in a very well behaved crowd that I could see and the voulenteer's were overwhelming to lend a hand. I'm sure Mosaic will benefit greatly from the proceeds. I just wish we could bring more of this into the community. My son Dominick and myself very much enjoyed lending a helping hand.
Posted by: Dorothy Mesa on 8/31/2009
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