Listen To Bob Seger

Concert organizers gear up for 'best season' ever

What: Outdoor Concert Series
When: 7-8:40 p.m. Thursdays, July 7 through Aug. 25
Where: Civic Center Park, Five Mile and Farmington roads, Livonia
Performers: Billy Brandt and Sarana VerLin, original and traditional Celtic and Americana music, July 7; Sheila Landis, South American, July 14; the Livonia Civic Chorus, choral, July 21; Redhill, country, July 28; Jill Jack, Americana, Aug. 4; Steve King the Dittilies, classic rock, Aug. 11; Swing City Big Band, Big Band, Aug. 18; and the Livonia Symphony Orchestra, classical, Aug. 25.
Sponsors: Livonia Parks and Recreation and the Livonia Arts Commission. Admission is free.

Organizers of Livonia's outdoor summer concert series are excited about the quality and mix of musicians who will perform at Civic Center Park starting Thursday.

“I think it is the best season we've every had,” said Donna Eno, chair of the Livonia Arts Commission. “It's going to be really nice.”

Five of the eight performing artists are new to the Music from the Heart series including Jill Jack, who opened for Bob Seger in May at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Eno said a committee selected the seven groups from about 25 that applied. This year, more top-tier bands were willing to work within the committee's price range because the economy has made gigs harder to come by, she said.

The committee always looks for a variety of musical styles and includes one local nonprofit group, Eno said. This year, that group is the Livonia Civic Chorus. The series will end with the Livonia Symphony Orchestra, as is tradition.

The series starts 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday with a performance of original and traditional Celtic and Americana music by Billy Brandt and Sarana VerLin. “They're great,” she said of their music.

The Concrete Cuisine gourmet food truck will be on hand for concert goers who want to dine as they listen to music. The new business is operated by Justin Kava, a 1998 Churchill High School graduate with a culinary arts degree from Schoolcraft College. Their selection is so varied, they have something for everyone, Eno said.

Ice cream, water and T-shirts will also be available for sale as in past years, she said.

Attendees may bring lawn chairs or blankets or sit at the picnic tables available at Civic Center Park, located at Five Mile and Farmington roads in Livonia. Restrooms are provided.

There is no charge for attendance.

Throwback Thursday: Bob Seger Rocks Indianapolis Your source for ...

Bob Seger turned 66 this past Friday (May 6). The very next evening he sang that old time rock and roll for nearly two-and-a-half hours in front of 15,000 fans at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. You might be thinking that most 66-year-olds would long be in bed before Seger even took the stage that night. And while that seems like an accurate statement, I saw more 60-plus-year-olds at the concert than those individuals from my own mid 20s age group. The stadium was filled with old time rockers that came out to see Bob Seger on his first tour since 2007. They didn't just come out to sit and listen either; they came out to party and have a great time. I'm here to tell you that Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band delivered and I found myself right in the middle of it. Now I can't claim to know a whole lot about Bob Seger's history and his contributions to music over his career. I had never owned any of the albums he has released, nor have I ever seen him perform any of his songs live or via recording. But I did make sure to get his greatest hits albums beforehand so I could sing my way through most of the concert. I have always enjoyed Seger's music in passing and I have a great interest in the classic rock era which has been passed down from my father. I was really looking forward to seeing Seger perform live alongside my dad. The show itself started off very slowly. I'm used to rock groups running on to the stage after a huge intro and go straight into a high energy rock frenzy to get things started. That is what I am used to, but that is not what happened. Just before the show started, I saw the silver haired drummer in the background thoroughly stretching out every major muscle in his upper body. I thought to myself at that point that I may end up disappointed if I didn't get to see Seger's rock energy of the '70s and '80s on the stage that night. Shortly thereafter, the 15-member Silver Bullet Band came walking on to the stage while waving at the crowd in relaxed fashion. They all took their positions with instruments in hand and started playing the intro to "Roll Me Away." They were all standing stiffly statue-esque while playing and I was still concerned for the show ahead. But then Bob grabbed the mic with both hands and started delivering that classic Seger sound. The vocals were dead on and perfectly preserved like a record from the '70s and the crowd poured in behind him singing along with every word. This classic rock experience had only just begun.

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