To get a feel for what Friday and Saturday nights look like in downtown Midland, check out this photo story by Crystal Gwizdala captured during a concert in The Commons.
Crystal Gwizdala – On Friday and Saturday nights this summer and into fall, the Commons Live Music Series fills Main Street with energy.
Crystal Gwizdala – Stone Street Revival played Aug. 5. Their band blends guitar, keyboard, horns, flute, percussion and pitch-perfect harmony to create spot-on covers.
Crystal Gwizdala – Scott VanDell has been playing guitar since the ‘80s.
Crystal Gwizdala – Hit songs such as “Build Me Up Buttercup,” “Love Grows Where My Rosemary Grows,” and “Walking on Sunshine” inspired dancers.
Crystal Gwizdala – The Commons Live Music series draws a large crowd to the Pedestrian Plaza stage, located at the intersection of McDonald and Main Street.
Crystal Gwizdala – Ricky Nalett (L) and Kay Rinker O’Neil (R) play with intensity.
Crystal Gwizdala – Donny Brown beats the drum and sings vocals from the back. He’s been performing for nearly 40 years.
Crystal Gwizdala – SSR had dancers “Hooked on a Feeling.”
Crystal Gwizdala – Even cookies were “Dancing in the Street.”
Crystal Gwizdala – For the two hours SSR played, they maintained a lively atmosphere.
Crystal Gwizdala – The crowd oozed energy.
Crystal Gwizdala – Throughout the night, guitarist Scott VanDell switched up his instrument.
Crystal Gwizdala – Enthusiasm reverberated throughout the plaza.
Crystal Gwizdala – Jeffrey ‘Louie’ Walikangas plays bass and sings vocals. He’s been performing for 50 years.
Crystal Gwizdala – Upbeat, hit songs kept dancers animated throughout the night. A few slow songs drew couples together.
Crystal Gwizdala – Dan Smith plays saxophone. Alongside him are George Bork on trombone and John Rickert on trumpet.
Crystal Gwizdala – Stone Street Revival (SSR) has earned loyal fans. You can learn more about the band at stonestreetrevival.com.
Crystal Gwizdala – Jim Fulkerson owns Fulkerson Music Instruction on Main Street. In 2003, he started the Resonators Percussion Ensemble.
Crystal Gwizdala – Families felt free to dance to the lively tunes.
Crystal Gwizdala – Kay Rinker O’Neil plays flute and guitar and sings vocals. She’s been playing music since she was 5 years old.
Crystal Gwizdala – Beyond the stage, the night scene is abuzz. Downtown restaurants offer outdoor seating where diners can enjoy a locally-made delight.
Crystal Gwizdala – For the cool nights, warm up by one of the fires downtown.
Crystal Gwizdala – Three Bridges Distillery has a wide-open entrance for people to easily funnel in from the street.
Crystal Gwizdala – How could you resist a game of cornhole on Main Street? Children’s playscapes and additional seating line the street, too.
Crystal Gwizdala – The Commons creates a space where people are free to relax, meet up, and share a drink.
Crystal Gwizdala – By 11 p.m., dancers and families were packing up their chairs for the night.
Crystal Gwizdala – The Commons Live Music Series continues through Oct. 1.
The Commons Live Music Series happens every Friday and Saturday night in downtown Midland through Oct. 1. Most performances run from 7-9 p.m., but there are some exceptions. To see the lineup, go to https://downtownmidland.com/the-commons-live-music-schedule/.
Crystal Gwizdala is a freelance writer with a focus on health and science. As a lifelong resident of the Tri-Cities, she loves sharing how our communities are overcoming challenges. Crystal is also a serial hobbyist — her interests range from hiking or drawing to figuring out how to do a handstand. Her work can be seen in Wide Open Eats, The Xylom, Woman & Home, and The Detroit Free Press. To see what Crystal’s up to, you can follow her on Twitter @CrystalGwizdala.
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