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A laid-back crowd takes in a Paint the Town
Blue performance in Thorndale Park in the summer of 2017. The sponsoring
Pikes Peak Blues Community has decided it prefers the site to Bancroft Park,
where the summer live-music series had been held for 11 years.
Paint the Town Blue summer series returns to Thorndale; first concert June 14
The Westside Rhythm Kings, who will play in
Thorndale Park July 5 as part of this year's Paint the Town Blue live-music series,
are shown performing a few years ago when "Paint" concerts were still in the
Bancroft Park bandshell.
Westside Pioneer file photo
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A year ago, the Pikes Peak Blues Community was getting used to the idea of a new Westside venue for its free, annual Paint the Town Blue live music series.
For the 11 previous years, it had been a Bancroft Park tradition in Old Colorado City. But the bandshell fire in January 2017 ended that streak.
In response, the Colorado Springs Parks Department offered Thorndale Park (about a mile away in the 2300 block of West Uintah Street) at no charge and the PPBC agreed to give it a try.
By the end of the summer, the volunteer nonprofit decided the new locale was a keeper - even though it only has a covered pavilion and Bancroft would be available again in 2018.
Between June 14 and July 19, the PPBC has six Thursday-evening concerts planned at Thorndale. Shows are scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
According to PPBC President Jim Sesters, the neighborhood park has a “natural amphitheater” for sound. In addition, it has a playground (helpful for attendees who bring kids), “great shade trees” and “less homeless people to deal with.”
Sesters also addressed one other issue - the number of shows. Six is fewer than normal (last year nine were scheduled).
He said it's because of the cost. A single night runs $600 to $800. Even though audiences often number 400 people, donations don't come close to covering that expense, he explained.
“If we can see better donations this year, we could bring it back to nine” (in 2019), Sesters said.
Rainouts will be posted on the website, pikespeakblues.org, by 4:45 p.m., Sesters said.
Here is the schedule of bands:
· June 14 - The Movers & Shakers.
· June 21 - BJ Estares and Route 61.
· June 28 - Eef & The Blues Express.
· July 5 - West Side Rhythm Kings.
· July 12 - Eric Boa & The Constrictors.
· July 19 - Austin Young Band.
Westside Pioneer article
(Community:
Arts)
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