Jamaican Jam - beautiful night
07-25-09
Jamaican Jam - beautiful night, awesome concert
By Kathy Smith, Tribune Society Editor
Photo of Shirley Helwig of Lee's Summit enjoying the concert.
Tribune Photo / Fred Poese
Well my little concert lovers could there have been a more beautiful evening for a concert in beautiful downtown Lee’s Summit on Friday evening? A graceful bird sailed high above the crowd and folks were arriving for a great evening of Reggae music. The melodic beating of the drums provided the cool vibe that has become the staple for this concert. The concert was like a magnet for families and friends. “Bring your comfy chair and kick back and enjoy the fun” seemed to be the mantra for the evening.
The Arts Council was on hand with their neat new t-shirts. Ben Martin, Arts Council member, announced a give a way of the shirts and little Rahmeir Gibbs was the lucky winner. I was watching Gibbs run and dance throughout the evening under the watchful eye of his grandmother Vanessa Gibbs. Quite frankly Vanessa really had her groove on. She is an excellent dancer and was part of a group of lovely ladies who all demonstrated their dancing skills and made the rest of us a little envious of their energy.
There was a brightly colored Hula Hoop that Jayveona Whitley made spin with the greatest of ease. A cute dog with a tennis ball held firmly in his soft mouth pranced into the concert ready for anything. It was a great evening for ponytails and Panama hats. Men in Tropical shirts dotted the street. Greg Miller and his gorgeous Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs, Zoe and Roxie, held court as lots of folks came by to give the beautiful dog a cuddle. The two dogs observed everything with the huge sad brown eyes. They seemed a little unsure of their surroundings but eventually were able to relax and take a snooze. Miller told me that he has attended 2 other Reggae concerts.
Kerrie Nichols who is the new Events Manager for the Parks and Rec did a marvelous job coordinating the event. Outback Steak House stepped up to the plate to help sponsor the event and rustled up some fine burgers. The Kiwanis sold their delicious fresh squeezed lemonade and limeade. Tropical Sno provided shaved ice and frozen lemonade. It was a blast. I can’t wait until August 7 when Blues and Jazz groups will once again take the stage in downtown Lee’s Summit.
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