PUTNEY — While attending a recent concert at Next Stage, I had a flashback to the wonderful outdoor concert series events over the summer.
At one performance at the Putney Inn field on an early summer's day, I realized how much I missed live music after the long Covid winter and how being with other people was part of the experience.
It was conducive to families as well as single people, and everyone could feel the joy we shared. People danced! They stood up and danced; they danced while sitting in their chairs.
There were more than 20 events in all, and I went to most of them.
An incredible amount of work and logistics went into this series. Seating pod areas had to be mapped out with pathways around them; parking had to be monitored. Concession offerings had to be carried in, and tents were needed.
Yet staging and acoustics (which were superb) were arranged somehow. This is in addition to the usual work of producing this level of performance.
So a big thank you to Next Stage, Keith Marks, Barry Stockwell, Heather Ahrenholz, and all the board members and volunteers. It was an outstanding job, and much appreciated.