From Mike McCurry’s “Talk of the Town” column in The Clarendon Courier, June 8, 2017
Alice Cooper’s “Schools out classic turned 45 last month. It wasn’t the first teen anthem marking the end of the school-year and the beginning of summer, but it certainly added the exclamation point. Believe it or not, even this song was a little before my time (or at least when I graduated). My summer was filled with tunes from Chicago band Styx’s “The best of Times,” Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration” and Devo’s “Whip it”. There’s something about music that marks time and brings people together – whether it’s an anthem or a song of celebration, music is such a powerful social glue.
With the schools out for summer, the pressure to keep the schedule from exploding seems to be an impossible task. I know at my house, we have plenty of conflicts during which multiple car pools could be running at the same time. So, before you fill your calendar up in red ink, keep some dates open for the best gifts our town has in store for you – especially when it comes to music.
Daisy Days kicks off Father’s Day weekend on Friday night, June 16th. Known for the family-friendly carnival rides, the Clarendon Hills Chamber of Commerce puts on a tremendous weekend filled with rides, food and music for its residence. The music that we have lined up is fantastic.
The band New Odyssey (3 guys, 30 instruments) opens on Friday at 7 pm, and the country cover band, Whiskey & Harmony plays on Saturday night at 7 pm.
The very popular Daisy Days Idol continues this year with students from first to eighth grade, performing on Saturday from 1 to 2:30 pm. All of the proceeds from the registration of Daisy Days Idol go to the District 181 Foundation.
The following Wednesday, June 21st starts the beginning of Dancin’ in the Streets, a summer concert series hosted by the Village of Clarendon Hills. From 6:30 to 9:30 pm almost every Wednesday until August, the downtown (from Starbucks to the tracks) is closed, and the village comes to life with music. Families put down blankets and chairs in the street while spending their night listening to wonderful music. There is a plethora of craft beers and wines available, and each night features a different food vendor, usually local. If you are new to the village, these are evenings not to miss, so mark the dates (in red) on your calendar.
Here is the lineup for Dancin’ in the Streets:
6/21 – Heartsfield, a veteran southern rock band with 11 albums and have toured since the 1970s.
6/28 - Scramble – a returning act, this classic rock band plays the town’s favorites (and mine)
7/12 – Frankie B – an immensely talented local singer and song writer (actually very local – she went to Walker, CHMS and graduated from Hinsdale Central!)
7/19 – Spoken Four – a versatile band playing everything from the 1950’s tunes to top 40’s hits.
7/26 – Rhythm Rockets – a Jazz and Blues Swing band influenced by 1940’s and 1950’s saxophone band.
8/2 – Libido Funk Circus – another town favorite that entertains does disco, and just about everything that is fun. They performed at the Clarendon hills Infant Welfare Society auxiliary chapter this past winter.
Let’s get together, find what we have in common, and listen to our anthems. I hope you are able to fill in the dates and come to town this summer – even if your graduation and summer begins with Justin Timberlake’s, “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
Mike is a Clarendon Hills resident; husband; Indian Princess; Indian Guide Dad; a Coach; an “old” football player and a real estate broker. Mike’s columns are usually crafted about the buzz in and around the area. It sometimes has a spin on real estate or cultural information, highlight a new business or announce school happenings. He might include a “get-to-know” about some of our interesting residents and even a little about history. Whatever it is, it is sure to be about the “Talk of the Town”.
