Singles Events Guide

This should be fun - How can you resist a band described asArse Kicking Music from the Heartland?

Since forming in 1998, The Elders have set the American music scene on its ear, thanks to a skillful mix of amped-up roots rock, augmented with powerful vocals, blazing instrumentals and top-notch song writing.
The line up consists of a group of wicked-fine Kansas City musicians with a passion for Celtic music, and a charismatic Irishman with a love of all things American. This combination makes for cross-pollination that is high octane and progressive, yet rooted in tradition.

These six gentlemen collectively create original music that transcends & endures - music that is unaffected by fads, trends and the giant maw of mind-numbing commercialism. The songs are mystical, comical, political and cultural while covering a wide variety of topics such as poverty, civil war, family bonds, spirituality, love and friendship. They speak of generations of immigrants, and address their heritage through songs and stories of history, characters, places and events - some distant, some recent, some real and some imagined.

"The Elders are simply the best contemporary Irish band in America! Beyond that, they are simply just a GREAT band!! See them live and you?ll understand why they have such a following everywhere they?ve played."

The Wilders are completely unique among bands playing old time country music. For those who like country, and even for those who don’t know they do yet, The Wilders’ show is not to be missed.

"They just have so much energy!"

This often-heard quote accurately follows a performance by Kansas City’s unique hillbilly stringband, The Wilders. This talented group, formed in 1996, is regularly regarded as "the band to see" wherever they go. Led by singer, guitarist and country wisecracker, Ike Sheldon, the band grounds itself firmly in the early formative years of recorded country music. Featured in each performance are the hard driving old time fiddle tunes presided over by multi-award-winning fiddler, Betse Ellis. Her infectious fiddling is often the cause of spontaneous dancing by both the audience and the band!

The Wilders’ playlist is peppered with original country, bluegrass, hillbilly songs, and fiddle tunes, and also includes many of the classic country favorites heard in the early days of the Grand Ol’ Opry radio show. Songs by Hall of Famers Jimmie Rogers, Roy Acuff and the Carter Family are presented in a faithful yet original light. Anchored by the insurgent walking bass lines of Nate Gawron, the band resurrects 1940’s and 50’s honky-tonk heroes like Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell, providing each tune with all the swinging electricity found in the originals without plugging in a single instrument. The finishing touch for the band’s sound is produced by the slippery dobro, chugging clawhammer banjo and plunky mandolin of jack-of-all-trades, Phil Wade. While Sheldon and Ellis handle the bulk of the vocal chores, the whole group can sometimes be heard harmonizing on a beautiful old gospel tune.

Witnessing a performance by The Wilders is an exciting experience not soon forgotten. The members huddle around a single microphone. When the time comes for a solo, each player moves with clockwork precision — they are artists at making each instrument and vocal line mix perfectly through their posture and position in relation to the microphone. There’s plenty of unplanned humor as well. Never ones to take themselves too seriously, the band deals with the calamity of a string break or a high-humidity-detuned instrument in an often hilarious way. Because of this natural sense of humor and humility, smiling faces are a familiar sight at any Wilders show!

Inflatable play stations, games, attractions for kids

BBQ Beef & Pork, Hoagies, Ice Cream, Funnel Cakes and great food

Bingo, games, craft vendors
here’s a link to the map:

Kansas City, MO 64153 - USA

Sunday, September 14 at 12:30 PM

Attending: 19

Details: http://singles.meetup.com/1866/calendar/8372088/