The Battalion - Summer concert series ends Saturday

Summer concert series ends Saturday

By: Lorelei Willett

Posted: 6/15/09

Texas country music stars lit up the stage of Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater Saturday in the last show of the 2009 Starlight Music Series. Paula Nelson, followed by the Band of Heathens, opened the concert, which featured Jason Boland and the Stragglers.

"This is my first time out here but it just shows how cool College Station is for doing something like this," said junior construction science major Josh Fluker, a transfer from Texas Tech.

The concert opened with Paula Nelson and was then turned over to the Band of Heathens. The Austin-based band played their own hits entitled "Cornbread" and "Jackson Station" among others. The main attraction for most, though, was Jason Boland and The Stragglers from Oklahoma.

"I love Jason Boland," said senior industrial science major Jason Sample, as he sang along to one of his favorite songs by the band. Jason Boland and the Stragglers opened with "Tennessee Whiskey" and kept an up-beat pace for most of the show. Jason Boland and the Stragglers dedicated a song to all military men and women and drew the crowd in by having them sing along to some songs, and even covered some tunes from Merle Haggard.

Jason Boland and the Stragglers performed some old favorites including "Pearl Snaps," "Somewhere Down in Texas" and a song that got many shocked faces and laughs, "When I'm Stoned." They also performed songs from their new album, including the title song "Comal County Blue." Toward the end they slowed it down with "Telephone Romeo," which inspired at least five couples to get up and do a slow two-step.

The Starlight Music Series is a series of free outdoor concerts that has been held in the amphitheater by the City of College Station since 2004. The series is held in the summer and generally features local artists. Attendees can either choose to sit in the blankets-only area closer to the stage or bring lawn chairs and sit higher up on the hill.

"I've never been out here before. It's a really laid-back atmosphere and a fun place to socialize. People are a lot more likely to go if it's free and it's a good place to talk and listen to good music. It's a really good family atmosphere," said Marcie Hennig, a senior interdisciplinary studies major.

There were a few things for young children to do such as face painting and an impromptu soccer game in the back. Attendees were allowed to bring coolers with no glass containers, but vendors from all around the city also came out to sell food. Sno-cones, $1 burgers and Buck's pizza were available at tables and tents all over the hill.

"That kettle corn looks really good. I might go broke from buying food here," said Jenna Gedraitis, a junior accounting major.

Concert-goers were expected to keep the park clean, but Hennig didn't mind. "I like that they gave us a trash bag for recycling in an effort to keep it clean," she said.

Sponsors and promoters gave a little extra to the crowd, with a raffle to win a four-day, four-night vacation with the Mexican Parade Cruise Line.

Another first-timer, junior biology major Sam Edwards, who heard about the concert from an ad on television, said, "It's a good place to relax. I'll come back."

With the lyrics of their closing song, "The Party's Not Over," Jason Boland and the Stragglers reminded the parting crowds that although the Starlight Music Series is over for this season, "Don't be disappointed, it'll come back around."