Kingfield POPS

Road Jam: 10K Road Race and 1K “Fun Walk”
June 27, 2009, at 9:30 a.m. [“Fun Walk” Starts at 9 a.m.]

When the moon rises over the charming, historic village of Kingfield on Saturday, June 27, music will fill the air as the Kingfield POPS kicks off its seventh season. The sound of music will nestle against the peaks of Western Maine’s majestic mountains and drift down the winding Carrabassett River.

POPS 2009 features four popular musical groups, who perform a variety of great live music which includes a mixture of patriotic, classical, and show tunes. This annual family-friendly outdoor concert promises another unforgettable experience for the nearly 2,000 concert-goers who will attend.

Headlining this year’s event, the Kingfield POPS is proud to present the Casco Bay Concert Band! The band is an organization of over 70 adult musicians, aged 19-93 who are passionate about participating in great live music.

The result is a group of music ambassadors, with a mission to demonstrate that the arts, and music in particular, are a lifelong pursuit and offer an opportunity for enjoyment for themselves and their audiences.

The Metropolitan Wind Ensemble of Boston recognizes top community bands in New England and has invited Casco Bay Concert Band to perform every year at the Boston Festival of Bands at Faneuil Hall.

This band will fill the stage with their size and sound! A selection of patriotic, POPS, and classical tunes will ring through the hills. They will conclude with a resounding rendition of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Wanting to produce a more authentic sound than the kettle drums or recordings that many modern orchestras use to replicate the sound of cannon shots in the 1812, the POPS has invited the Maine Army National Guard to provide true cannon fire for a thrilling extreme percussion event!

The day begins with the popular Festival of the Arts from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. During the downtown festival, visitors can interact with over 40 artists and artisans as they exhibit photography, jewelry, stained glass, blown glass, paintings, metal works, wooden bowls, and spinning yarn. Live music and great food round out the day.

“Since it was introduced to the Kingfield POPS in 2006, the Festival of the Arts has proven to be very popular, and it complements the cultural focus of the POPS,” stated Kingfield POPS President, Donald Tranten. “The response has been tremendous, and by attracting an increasingly diverse group of artists, the Festival of the Arts helps fulfill the Kingfield POPS’ mission of strengthening our communities through music, arts, and culture.”

Following the Festival, the gates open at the Kennedy Farm for the Kingfield POPS at 4:30 p.m. Now in its seventh year, the 2009 Kingfield POPS promises to be an evening to remember as the hills once again come alive with music!

The evening kicks off with the sounds of the Western Mountain Trash Can Band, a community steel drum band that was formed in the early 90s. This band sets the tone for a fun and festive family weekend and has been an important part of the POPS for all seven years.

Next, Port City Jazz (a septet) will delight concert-goers with standards from the Great American Songbook in the Chicago/Kansas City style like no other group north of Boston. This music will lighten your burdens and gladden your heart. Port City Jazz has played throughout southern, coastal and central Maine, as well as southern New Hampshire.

Native Oak has been playing together since 1995 and specializes in songs of great harmony; songs of the 50’s to the 80’s that include rock, jazz, bluegrass, country, folk, accappella and instrumentals, as well as some original works. From the Farmington area, Native Oak members include Bill Colwell, lead singer and mandolin; Randy Gauvin, guitar and harmony; and Paul Soucie, bass guitar and harmony.

Back again this year by popular demand are the Smith Brothers! The Smith Brothers from Industry, Maine, have been performing throughout Maine for the past nine years. They have entertained audiences at the National and American Folk Festivals in Bangor, the Maine Festival at Thomas Point Beach, the Kingfield POPS, Maine Lobster Festival, Yarmouth Clam Festival, and the East Sangerville Grange, just to name a few as well as many community events and fiddle contests.

Jay, 19 years old, won his first fiddle contest at the age of eight and has been performing since he was seven years old. He is a freshman at the University of Southern Maine and performs with the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra on violin. He was selected to the All-State Orchestra all four years in high school. You can also find him playing bluegrass fiddle with Wilf Clark and the Misty Mountaineers and with
Breakin Strings.

Shane, 17 years old, plays outstanding rhythm guitar and also picks the lead on several numbers. He has accompanied his brother Jay at area fiddle contests since he was eight years old. He is a junior at Mount Blue High School and also plays the bass in the Mount Blue High School Orchestra when not playing soccer, alpine ski racing or playing baseball.They play several styles of fiddle music mostly Bluegrass and Old-Time as well as Down-East, Celtic, and some modern tunes. For more information call 778-0751.