Impromptu concert rocks Sinkiuse Square
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years, 4 months AGO
From left: Lisa Lotter, Sheila Martinez, Ray Lotter, Julia Hodgson and Rick Liles belt out patriotic songs in Sinkiuse Square Saturday.
Joel Martin/Columbia Basin Herald
Joel Martin/Columbia Basin Herald From left: Ray Lotter, Marina Munter, Rick Liles, Lisa Lotter, Julia Hodgson, Sheila Martinez and Luke McKean sing patriotic songs in Sinkiuse Square Saturday. Hidden behind Hodgson is drummer Kevin Fitterer.
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | May 26, 2020 11:55 PM
MOSES LAKE — A sunny day, a holiday weekend and a group of musicians heartily tired of being cooped up combined Saturday evening to create an impromptu concert in Sinkiuse Square.
“Since this was the weekend that the Spring Fest is usually going strong, we all thought it would be a nice change of atmosphere to use the square for celebration and entertainment,” said Julia Hodgson, a singer with the band.
The crowd wasn’t big, fluctuating from about 20 to about 40 people, and mostly kept in small, separated groups. The event was supposed to begin at 6:30 p.m., but setup took longer than planned, and the music got underway at 7. The first half-hour or so featured the band accompanying anybody who wanted to join in the singing of a roster of patriotic songs, and several folks joined the band onstage to sing.
“Luke (McKean, band member) wanted to start out with some patriotic songs to help us remember who we are,” said Hodgson. “We are a free, self-governing people who have managed to survive and thrive for more than 230 years.”
The band consisted of McKean playing at various times trombone, fiddle and guitar; guitarists Rick Liles and Roger Copenhaver; drummer Kevin Fitterer; keyboard player Marina Munter and Hodgson on vocals. Plus, of course, the singers from the audience.
“We just came out to support the group, celebrate the Phase 2 and hope for a quick opening,” said Lisa Lotter, who joined the singing along with her husband, Ray.
“I can’t wait for things to be back to normal. I need some normalcy. I’m all quarantined out,” added Sheila Martinez
The music was occasionally a little difficult to hear over the roar of engines from the classic car cruise that had departed the Big Lots parking lot earlier and was making its way past the square down Third Avenue, but the singers were undeterred. The band and guests sang the National Anthem, “My Country ’Tis of Thee,” ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “America the Beautiful,” “Home on the Range” and “This Land is Your Land,” reading from photocopied packets. The singing was a little chaotic, but the singers made up in passion what they lacked in practice.
“We didn’t go out to try out for ‘America’s Got Talent,’” said Hodgson, “but so what? We made mistakes; oh, OK, let’s start over. We weren’t polished.”
After the last note of the patriotic music had died away, the guests left the stage and the band got down to some serious music, starting the set with a rendition of B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone.”
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