The Side Project to round out summer concert season
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years AGO
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. | August 22, 2024 1:05 AM
MOSES LAKE — The Side Project will finish out Moses Lake’s Summer Concert Series with a free show Friday, according to an announcement from the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center.
The Side Project consists of the wife-and-husband team Suzie and Ben Bradford. The duo, originally from Spokane, have recorded six albums and have performed up and down the West Coast for 20 years, according to the announcement. Their music has been broadcast in Starbucks and featured on television shows “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” as well as scoring a rave review in Music Connection Magazine.
The Bradfords perform as a duo act or with as many as six backup players, according to their website.
“On stage you will discover the exceptional musicianship of the band members including keyboard, acoustic-electric guitar, standup bass and drums,” the museum wrote in the announcement. “With hundreds of cover songs and a wealth of originals, The Side Project has something for everyone in the audience.”
The Side Project’s reviews indicate that they’re in particular demand as a wedding band, and they’ve won awards from WeddingWire, Wedding Rule and Seattle Bride magazine. Their song list includes a wide repertoire of country, classic rock and pop as well as a selection of original material.
“It’ll be very upbeat, fun music,” Shelton said.
This year’s Summer Concert Series has been a project of the Moses Lake Creative District, the announcement said, supported by the Washington State Arts Commission and the city of Moses Lake. The series has been a success, Shelton said.
Previous shows in the series have featured the Wenatchee Big Band, Santa Poco, The 133rd Army National Guard Band, Dimestore Prophets and the Powell Brothers.
The show will begin at 8 p.m. Friday at the Centennial Amphitheater in McCosh Park. Admission is free.
“We just really want to see people come out and support this, and we're really, really excited that it got such a good reception this year,” Shelton said. “And we are excited to work on booking shows for next year. We definitely plan on bringing the concert series back next year.”
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Big fun on a small scale
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair opens Thursday
RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities’ Fair isn’t as big or as flashy as some of the county fairs around central Washington, but the folks who keep it going like it just the way it is. “It’s somewhere you can go and get an old-time traditional feeling, and you’re comfortable letting your kids roam the grounds and experience all that it has to offer,” said Board Member Lori Williams. “It’s more of a feeling than (one) specific thing,” The fair starts Thursday in Ritzville and runs through Sunday. Starting Friday, the 56th Ritzville Rodeo will take place alongside the fair at the rodeo grounds. This year the entertainment budget was expanded, Williams said, to be able to offer more fun that’s covered by the cost of admission. For the kids, there’s face painting, balloon art, Lego crafts, races, contests and games. Children can also ride on a little train towed around the fairgrounds behind a tractor.
