River Rhythms

Some of the best events are free and in your own back yard.

River Rhythms. A free concert in the park in the City of Albany for 28 years now on Thursday evening. It’s so popular my husband spread out our blanket and chairs by 7 am for the 7 pm show. Mind you, we don’t sit on the blanket all day, but the chair and blanket are always there waiting for us when we get off work at 5 pm.

 And it’s not just the “local people” that play for free although Quarterflash (Harden my hard) from Portland Oregon did play a few years ago. I remember a several years back the Dixie Chicks played. Yes, those Dixie Chicks. They signed the contract with the city before they “hit it big” and a year later they were playing for free in Albany in 1998. To say the park was crowded that night would be an understatement.

And in 2009 fresh off his stint of “Dancing with the Stars” Chuck Wicks put on quite a show, fun and full of energy that even I enjoyed (the non-country gal that I am.) And speaking of country, the best show of this year was Sammy Kershaw. (As a side note, more than just country folks play at this Albany event. Seriously.

Anyhow, back to Sammy Kershaw. My husband tells me he is a country star with hits back in the 90’s. Well, no one has told Sammy it’s 2011 because he played at the park like he was at a sold out stadium. He had smoke and fog on stage. Sounds like a concert, but keep in mind a FREE to the public show and oh, its daylight. The fog machine even turned up high didn’t produce the results I’m sure he desired. And it only got better.

But wait, he played a few Marti Gras related theme song (again, I have to go on my husband’s word but he tells me he’s from New Orleans) anyhow I digress; Sammy threw out Marti Gras beads during his performance. Oh boy, the ladies rushed the stage for their free beads from which I assume was purchased from Oriental Trader.

But wait, it gets better, he then played a couple of patriotic songs and shot confetti off the sides of the stage and then dropped an American Flag behind the equipment (and his backup band.) Pretty cool props, I mean special effects.

One clean stage

But wait, my most favorite part of the night was before the show started. Sammy’s manager came out and vacuumed the stage. Vacuumed. He just didn’t run the vacuum quickly over the stage like I do normally do but did such a thorough job I was hoping he’d follow me home to work on my carpets.  At this point, I rushed the stage to get a photo. Forget those Marti Gras beads. I heard about it at work the next day (only you would take photos of a guy vacuuming.)

But wait, that’s not the last show of the 28^th year. BJ Thomas of “Rain Drops Keep Falling on my Head” sang. Luckily it didn’t rain that night. Nor has it on any of the nights I've sat out there over the years.

My blanket and chairs are back in their spot in the garage waiting for next year, the 29^th.