Live Revived

Live music returns to Ellensburg

By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer

The collective thought on a warm Saturday night was “It’s about time.”

Like the final scene in “Field of Dreams,” where the streams of headlights following each other to the ballpark, they gravitated to a place where there was live music three nights a week before the COVID.

A place where the bandstand is close, the sound was good, a place where the music flowed and the vibe emerged from the endless notes that brought joy to the masses.

Book the act, and they will come.

The return of live music after 16 months of health restrictions and shutdowns was like popping the cork on the champagne and letting it explode for the capacity audience on the back patio at Cornerstone Pie

“I am over ready. This has been a dry year for live music and this is the best band to kick off the live music this summer,” Judy Thomas said, sitting at one of the tables in the courtyard.

It was an auspicious beginning for both audience and local favorites Chuck Boom, which hadn’t played since March 1, 2020.

“We’ll try and knock off some of the rust,” singer and guitar player Kyle Bain said as they got it started with Buddy Holly’s “Rave On,” and followed with the Faces “Ooh La La.”

By the time they hit the Kinks “Sunny Afternoon,” the crowd was singing right along with Bain out front in a large cowboy hat that just seemed to fit the occasion. The energy level kicked up another notch with the classic Creedence Clearwater Revival number, “Who’ Stop the Rain?”

“It’s a reunion atmosphere tonight. There’s a lot of people that haven’t seen each other in a long time,” Mike Allen said. “It’s a good move to have music again and give us a chance to get back to normal.”

It’s about time.

As the band settled into a groove and Al Kaatz’s guitar started rising to the occasion, something was still missing with the crowd seemingly responding as they sat along the rail, sat on the steps or in the chairs at the various tables in the courtyard.

Then boom, the band wrapped up the first of three sets with the Beatles classic, “I Saw Her Standing There,” and they were on their feet with some 20 dancers filling the deck, responding to the “Ooooos” of the song with hands in the air and that high-pitched response to a song that helped shape a generation, their generation.

Even the musicians who weren’t on stage were in the house. Killdeer String Band bassist Justin Gibbens was sitting inside getting his groove on. Killdeer String Band would play Ellensburg Community Radio’s Tiny Stage later that week, but on this night, he was a fan of the music enjoying the band.

The Roberts drummer Bob Lupton sat along the rail. He’d been there since sound check. Knowing Chuck Boom drummer Rob Fraser, he got there early to grab some food and a drink and watch the guys work.

“Nobody has had an experience like what we went through with the layoff. You practice every week because you want to keep on top of your show. As a musician, you’ve been doing it all your life and all of a sudden you can do it,” he said. “Our generation loves live music and we need to have events like this.

“This is a great place to see music. You’re right there, up close and personal, so this is great.”

As the night wore on, the musicians settled in, the dancers were more frequent and the songs stirred the memories and the soul. Songs like “These Boots Are Made For Walking,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and “Hunk a Burnin’ Love,” filled the night.

“One of our goals is that we don’t want to get bored,” Fraser said. “We know our audience is middle-aged to older so we try to do songs they appreciate. We did a Kinks song and a Faces song, and I looked out and the whole audience is singing along.”

They even threw in three Bain songs, “I Ain’t Got a Place That Feels Like Home,” “Growing Thin,” and “Eye of the Storm.”

Chuck Boom wrapped up a three-hour, 34-song performance with the Band’s “Ophelia.” Even as they were wrapping up with the words, “Why would anybody leave so quickly for?” the crowd was calling for more.

One more blast through with some Beatles energy and the night of live music came to an end with a buzz that said, “It’s about time.” u

Rodney Harwood / Daily Record Dancers enjoy the music of Chuck Boom at the fi rst live outdoor show earlier this summer at Cornerstone Pie.

Rodney Harwood / Daily Record Fans enjoy some of the fi rst live music in a long, long time earlier this summer at Cornerstone Pie.