A rockin' good time

ML Summer Concert Series kicks off with "salute to American music"

A summer tradition is alive and rockin' in Moses Lake.

The 14th annual Moses Lake Summer Concert Series opened this Sunday at the Centennial Amphitheatre with a performance by the Christopher Moyer Orchestra, special guest Elisha Mitchell, and with crowds that promised to show up for every one of the upcoming seven concerts of the 2004 series.

The series, opening on the nation's birthday, began with Mitchell singing the national anthem, two children guiding the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, a huge American flag covering the front of the stage, and with a message by two relatives of members of the 161st National Guard Infantry Unit.

"You have to understand that we have a number of family members who need your support," Michelle Ferguson, one of the relatives, said. The other relative, Annette Sanchez, agreed, saying that every one of the people the soldiers left behind "would do anything to have them home." A long ovation followed their remarks.

The show began with two musical numbers by the orchestra, before Moyer made his entrance to the tune of "I Can See Clearly Now," and "Mama Don't Dance." Slowly, starting with the crowd's youngest members, people of all ages stood up and began dancing.

The show really took off with the presence of Spokane's Mitchell, whom for the second consecutive year wowed the crowd with her vocal ability and her stage presence. Her version of songs like Aretha Franklin's "Respect" delighted the audience and engaged people of all ages in an explosion of dance and song. Mitchell would return one more time during the second set of songs by the orchestra, with similar results.

The orchestra's performance closed as the first fireworks were beginning to light up the Moses Lake night sky. Live music gave way to a recorded medley of patriotic tunes, from Ray Charles' "America The Beautiful," to Elvis Presley's "American Trilogy."

With necks craned upward and with the sky turning all sorts of colors and hues, Moses Lake closed another Fourth of July, and opened the gateways for what will be another summer of music at the Centennial Amphitheatre.

"It was a great show, it was what the Fourth of July was all about," said Spencer Grigg, director of parks and recreation of Moses Lake. "Great music, an awesome fireworks show, and the community getting together."

Grigg's excitement was compounded by the fact that series took place despite a year where city budget cuts and statewide initiatives had placed the continuity of the event in danger. Thanks to extra sponsorship, resident support, and the failure of Initiative 864 to gather enough signatures to be placed on the November ballot, the series stayed alive.

Moyer said he "loved" to perform in places like the amphitheatre, with the community taking part of the show. The crowd was equally enthusiastic with the outcome of the event.

"It was great," Ken Woodward from Moses Lake said. "We came to all the shows last year and we are coming to all of them this year. We enjoy the music that parks and rec puts on."

Julie Bullock said she enjoyed the fireworks and Mitchell's stylings, but thought that Moyer's orchestra had "drowned out" his singing.

Although other audience members did not care for the recorded tunes that accompanied the fireworks, they all agreed on one thing: the Moses Lake summer would not be the same without the concert series and the fireworks show.

The next performers will be The Mills Brothers, whose repertoire is based on pop songs from the 1940s and 1950s. The show is on July 17 at 8 p.m.