additional info about V1's Sounds of Summer

Volume One's Magical Outdoor Community Event:
THE SOUNDS LIKE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

WHAT: Evenings of outdoor music in downtown Eau Claire
WHERE: Phoenix Park Amphitheater, near RCU headquarters & the farmers market
WHEN: Thursday evenings in June, July, August, 6:30-8:30pm
WHO: Families, friends, neighbors. All ages are welcome and it's FREE of charge.
SEASON-LONG SPONSORS: Volume One Magazine, Royal Credit Union, Hillside Dental, Downtown Eau Claire, Inc., Wisconsin Arts Board, Chippewa Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, more TBA

DOWNTOWN EAU CLAIRE -- Family, friends, and neighbors are converging on the grass and giant rocks at the Phoenix Park labyrinth/amphitheater for another year of outdoor concerts this summer starting on June 5. The Sounds Like Summer Concert Series will take place every Thursday night through the summer with the Chippewa River and evening sunset as the backdrop and with music from an array of amplified local musicians with varying styles.

Last year's concerts saw anywhere from 700-1,000 people in attendance: families, students, kids, and dogs all loving the beautiful riverside scene. (Which is great for photos and video by the way). Concert goers can also expect an ice cream cart, hot dog cart, and a number of other festival-like activity every Thursday. Plus, watch for special one-off coinciding events throughout the summer.

Conceived by Volume One magazine as a way to jumpstart programming of events in the Phoenix Park's performance area, the concert series was met with considerable community support from local sponsors and civic organizations in 2006, its first year. Mike Schatz, executive director of Downtown Eau Claire, Inc. (DECI), the organization behind much of the current positive effort in the downtown area, said he believes the entire park and especially the small amphitheater area is a great place for music, readings, plays, and other events where residents can bring a blanket or lawn chairs and find a unique local outdoor experience in a relaxing environment. "The Thursday night Volume One concert series is exactly the type of free entertainment that draws people to come out and enjoy what downtown has to offer. The music scene is one of those important areas that can help revitalize the downtown."

Participants are invited to bring a blanket or chairs, some snacks or beverages, and enjoy sounds of a variety of local musicians. The weekly line-up is as follows:

2008 CONCERT SCHEDULE

June 5 • East Hill Bluegrass Band
Combine fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro and upright bass and the result is a powerful mix of acoustic instrumentation and high lonesome harmonies ranging from old-time to newgrass.

June 12 • Yam Cannon + Max Power and the Feedback
Yam Cannon, with guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums, load psychedelic yam power into a cosmic howitzer of sound. Simple physics takes care of the rest. Max Power and the Feedback are an up and coming Eau Claire jam band.

June 19 • Irie Sol (Part of the Juneteenth Celebration)
Irie Sol is a 7+ member blend of reggae, dancehall, jazz, soul, rock, and hip-hop featuring Jamacian-style vocals backed by a horn section. Members hail from Canada, Jamacia, Korea, and all over the United States. This show is part of the Juneteenth celebration.

June 26 • Howard "Guitar" Luedtke & Blue Max
Considered one of the best blues slide guitar players in the Midwest, Howard "Guitar" Luedtke & Blue Max have opened for some of the biggest names in the blues world including Lonnie Brooks, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Jeff Healey, George Thorogood, Joe Louis Walker and Howard's guitar idol, Johnny Winter.

July 3 • The Jim Pullman Band + Myrna Loy
A powerful and experienced singer/songwriter-based guitar rock trio. Lush washes of great guitar/bass tone, tight and dynamic grooves, and strong lead vocals arranged into infectious melodies and lovable hooks. Myrna Loy is a new rock band featuring female vocals and catchy pop melodies.

July 10 • The Klenz/Walk Sextet
The Klenz/Walk Sextet are a jazz group featuring a healthy mix of UWEC Jazz I-level musicians and a dose of jazz scene veterans.

July 17 • Daredevil Christopher Wright + Laarks
DCW are a singer-songwriter based alternative indie folk trio with amazing three part harmonies and creative songcraft. Laarks are a keyboard driven art-pop four-piece.

July 24 • Michael Perry and the Long Beds + Billy Krause
Michael Perry and the Long Beds are a collection of talented musicians centered around best-selling author Mike Perry's down home country rock sensibilities. Billy Krause is a local folk staple and Eau Claire scene veteran with an original, mature sound.

July 31 • Little Willie + Ultimate Frisbee Orchestra (Go Green! Fair)
Both of tonight's bands are adventurous jam/rock bands that are not afraid to experiment and get their hands dirty from time to time, laying out solid grooves and exploratory solos. Tonight's show is part of Volume One's mini Go Green! fair. Come check it out.

August 7 • Meridene + Wars of 1812
Meridene is a young indie rock band known for excellent and catchy songwriting. The Wars of 1812 are a foursome of passionate musicians writing mature rock tunes.

August 14 • Bill and Dan's Excellent Adventure + Snifter
Both of tonight's bands are adventurous jam/rock bands that are not afraid to experiment and get their hands dirty from time to time, laying out solid grooves and exploratory solos.

August 21 • Sue Orfield Band + Quinn Elizabeth
Sue Orfield has been playing the tenor saxophone for close to 30 years and fronts her own group called The Sue Orfield Band which features much of her original material. Sue's artistry, individuality, and powerful presence make her one of the Midwest's favorite saxophone players. QuinnElizabeth is an Eau Claire band of sisters. You'll hear Jerissa playing the Irish tin whistle, maracas, rain stick, and djembe; Jerrika on djembe; Elizabeth on vocals and guitar. Together they deliver bright explosive vocals, colorful lyrics, bursting djembe beats, and rhythm acoustic guitar with a rock flair.

August 28 • Eau Claire Blues All Stars (Final night celebration!)
The Eau Claire Blues All Stars are a powerhouse collection of Eau Claire musicians playing a hard-hitting blend of blues, jazz, funk, and R&B.

ABOUT THE VENUE
Phoenix Park is downtown Eau Claire's greenspace at the confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers. Officially opened in the fall of 2005, the park is the home of the Downtown Farmers Market and features a labyrinth and performance space facing the Chippewa River and the old rail bridge. Concert goers have a grassy hill and giant boulders to sit on overlooking the water. Plenty of parking is available in the RCU lot and on the nearby streets.

ABOUT VOLUME ONE
Volume One magazine is the fast-growing culture and entertainment publication of the Chippewa Valley. They print 15,000 copies every two weeks and distribute them FREE at nearly 300 locations in Eau Claire, Menomonie, and Chippewa Falls. Publishing for over six years, Volume One has an enthusiastic and engaged readership, and has always been focused on bringing interesting local culture forward in the Chippewa Valley. Their events are outside-the-box concepts that consistently bring out hundreds of people hungry for something new.