2025 concerts at the bandstand
in the public square
For more information: [email protected], Suzanne at 816-853-2442, and Facebook Table Rock Community Club.
These concerts are entirely funded by private donations! They are always free. Sit on our benches or bring your own chairs and sit out under the trees. Great music in a historic setting -- the Public Square Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. The bandstand was built in 1919, the "stage" in front of it was built as a dance floor in 1948, and the seating area and dance floor were added circa 2020.
These concerts are entirely funded by private donations! They are always free. Sit on our benches or bring your own chairs and sit out under the trees. Great music in a historic setting -- the Public Square Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. The bandstand was built in 1919, the "stage" in front of it was built as a dance floor in 1948, and the seating area and dance floor were added circa 2020.
2025
concert # 1
"Am fm all 80S"
JUNE 14, 2025
IIIIIIIIIII
TABLE ROCK AT NIGHT
By Sharla Sitzman
I had hoped that it would be a good night for a concert in the Square when I heard that the reclusive Roger Freeman had decided to go. The band known as “AM FM Totally 80s” would be playing hits from the era of Roger and his wife Missy. And as evening fell and the shade under the trees of the Square deepened, the rest of the audience met them on stage as they blasted out their opening song, “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis & the News. It tripped something in the heart and you wanted to hug the happy music as it rushed out to the whole of downtown Table Rock. Kim Vrtiska liked it. He had found and lined up this band, and he was a high school junior when that song came out. It brought out the high school in many others, too.
This wasn’t just a band. It was a group of six kind-hearted warm-hearted people. Learning it was the 78th birthday of sponsor Pat Stevens, and that Pat couldn’t walk as far as the bandstand, lead singer Jayden Cree Olesen said, “We can go to her.” Jayden recently finished up as a finalist on NBC’s competition “The Voice,” as Jayden Cree. And so it was that Ronnie Gilbert drove Pat downtown and parked by the water tower before the show, and the band, led by Jayden, trooped out to greet her. And to sing happy birthday. Then back to the stage, where they sang happy birthday again, to the State Bank of Table Rock, which turns 140 this year.
The band has five musicians, plus the hard-working light and sound engineer, Rick Johnson. Rick had arrived four hours early to set up the stage and his station. On stage John Lefler, Jr., sang from his perch at the drums. Jeff Chartier played a smooth driving bass guitar. Todd Seidell and Cole Moore both switched off between keyboard and guitar. And up front, Jayden, with long dark hair and a leather skirt and looking like Pam Dawber from the ABC television sitcom series Mork and Mindy, which had its last season in 1982.
As the sun set, the band played on. I had chilled backstage with them earlier and asked why they liked the 80s. “It’s happy music,” John Lefler said. “Feel good music.” Concert attendee Leona Pepper later echoed that. “It’s so refreshing and fun,” she said, and added, “And no bad words!” Well, it was, after all, the era of pop.
The band went through about 50 songs, from the light-hearted anthem, “I love rock and roll, put another song on the jukebox, baby,” to some of the silly songs of the 80s. Fabulous music but the lyrics? Oh, dang! Just silly. “Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Safety Dance.” You wanted to sing with them, though. And you wanted to dance with the frothy love songs, like, “What I Like About You!” and “Walking On Sunshine,” and, as Jayden sang, “I think we’re alone now, there doesn’t seem to be any one around.” As Leona said, refreshing.
The crowd swelled to about 300, an excellent turnout for a town that the last federal census reported had 239 residents. The band says the smallest audience they’ve had is 20. It was a private party and having so few people was “weird” to say the least. The biggest they’ve had was 4,000 when they opened a country artist Jake Owen.
Multiple generations came, including kids who hadn’t been born when these songs came out, nor had their parents. It was a wholesome, ebullient, night of music that saw those who stayed to the end streaming to the stage afterward to shake hands with the band and tell them how much they liked the music. Because, of course, that’s what you do in a small town, especially with a band thoughtful enough to march across the park to sing Happy Birthday to a car-bound fan.
TABLE ROCK AT NIGHT
By Sharla Sitzman
I had hoped that it would be a good night for a concert in the Square when I heard that the reclusive Roger Freeman had decided to go. The band known as “AM FM Totally 80s” would be playing hits from the era of Roger and his wife Missy. And as evening fell and the shade under the trees of the Square deepened, the rest of the audience met them on stage as they blasted out their opening song, “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis & the News. It tripped something in the heart and you wanted to hug the happy music as it rushed out to the whole of downtown Table Rock. Kim Vrtiska liked it. He had found and lined up this band, and he was a high school junior when that song came out. It brought out the high school in many others, too.
This wasn’t just a band. It was a group of six kind-hearted warm-hearted people. Learning it was the 78th birthday of sponsor Pat Stevens, and that Pat couldn’t walk as far as the bandstand, lead singer Jayden Cree Olesen said, “We can go to her.” Jayden recently finished up as a finalist on NBC’s competition “The Voice,” as Jayden Cree. And so it was that Ronnie Gilbert drove Pat downtown and parked by the water tower before the show, and the band, led by Jayden, trooped out to greet her. And to sing happy birthday. Then back to the stage, where they sang happy birthday again, to the State Bank of Table Rock, which turns 140 this year.
The band has five musicians, plus the hard-working light and sound engineer, Rick Johnson. Rick had arrived four hours early to set up the stage and his station. On stage John Lefler, Jr., sang from his perch at the drums. Jeff Chartier played a smooth driving bass guitar. Todd Seidell and Cole Moore both switched off between keyboard and guitar. And up front, Jayden, with long dark hair and a leather skirt and looking like Pam Dawber from the ABC television sitcom series Mork and Mindy, which had its last season in 1982.
As the sun set, the band played on. I had chilled backstage with them earlier and asked why they liked the 80s. “It’s happy music,” John Lefler said. “Feel good music.” Concert attendee Leona Pepper later echoed that. “It’s so refreshing and fun,” she said, and added, “And no bad words!” Well, it was, after all, the era of pop.
The band went through about 50 songs, from the light-hearted anthem, “I love rock and roll, put another song on the jukebox, baby,” to some of the silly songs of the 80s. Fabulous music but the lyrics? Oh, dang! Just silly. “Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Safety Dance.” You wanted to sing with them, though. And you wanted to dance with the frothy love songs, like, “What I Like About You!” and “Walking On Sunshine,” and, as Jayden sang, “I think we’re alone now, there doesn’t seem to be any one around.” As Leona said, refreshing.
The crowd swelled to about 300, an excellent turnout for a town that the last federal census reported had 239 residents. The band says the smallest audience they’ve had is 20. It was a private party and having so few people was “weird” to say the least. The biggest they’ve had was 4,000 when they opened a country artist Jake Owen.
Multiple generations came, including kids who hadn’t been born when these songs came out, nor had their parents. It was a wholesome, ebullient, night of music that saw those who stayed to the end streaming to the stage afterward to shake hands with the band and tell them how much they liked the music. Because, of course, that’s what you do in a small town, especially with a band thoughtful enough to march across the park to sing Happy Birthday to a car-bound fan.
concert #2
all star city blues band
july 26, 2025
SUMMER NIGHT BLUES IN TABLE ROCK
The humidity was so high last Saturday night that the five blues musicians set to play at the Table Rock bandstand practically swam to the stage. They didn’t care. “It’s not our first rodeo,” said front man Tim Budig. They just wanted to play. And they sure did.
It wasn’t just the humidity, it was the heat! Even after the sun set, it was running in the upper 80s, and the consequence was a smaller crowd than usual. They were a game group of music fans, though. The band had come to play hard, and they had come to listen. Disappointment did not dwell in Table Rock that night. Folks sat up and smiled. “They are GOOD!” they said. And then folks kicked back and just listened.
The band, by the way, was the All Star City Blues Band. They are not a regular band. The five musicians who came usually each play with the other bands. However, with the coordination of Shawn Cole (another crowd pleasing band leader), the five came together for this special night in Table Rock. I have to give names, because they deserve some recognition: Tim Budig, guitar and some gritty vocals. Brad Hayes played off Budig with a harmonica that Sonny Boy Williamson would be proud of, and vocals. Chris Mackie, every band needs a slick bass guitar player and he was it, also did some vocals. Next was the heart of any band, the drummer – this time it was Jom VanGelder. Finally, a revelation of virtuoso keyboard playing, with sunglasses, was Emily Bass. They styled their music as “blue collar blues” and threw in some oldies but goodies which they referred top as “Americana.”
The Zoo Bar in Lincoln has long been a hotbed of blues and these musicians play there often. Kevin Anderson of Table Rock used to play there with his band, when he had a band. Now he enjoys being on the audience side. His comment as he sat down near soon after the band began, echoed the same sentiment I’d already heard. “They. Are. Good!”
This concert was part of the Table Rock summer series at the bandstand in the public Square, put on by the Table Rock Community Club with the critical help of the Table Rock Historical Society. Last month, the band AM-FM “Totally 80” played.” Next month, the annual Battle of the Polka Bands will feature Angie Kriz and the Polkatoons versus the Barry Boyce Band. In September, Mike Semrad and the Riverhawks will end the season. The concerts are funded entirely by donation from sponsors and a good will collection from the crowd. This year sponsors at the platinum record level ($1,000 and more) were Pat Stevens, who dedicated it to her parents Arnold and Dorothy Mertes and her brother Ben; the Table Rock Historical Society; the State Bank of Table Rock; and the Table Rock ZCBJ lodge. At the gold record level ($500-999) were the Pawnee County Promotional Network, the Pawnee County Arts Council, and Joe Stehlik, who dedicated it to his parents Lawrence and Nettie Stehlik. At the silver record level ($100 - $499) were the Vrtiska family, dedicated to their parents Floyd and Doris Vriska; Susie Marfice, dedicated to her dad Bill Marfice; and the Sitzman family, dedicated to grandparents Sam and Ines Roberts. Promotional sponsors were the Pawnee County Visitors Committee, the Pawnee Republican, and the Humboldt Standard.
The humidity was so high last Saturday night that the five blues musicians set to play at the Table Rock bandstand practically swam to the stage. They didn’t care. “It’s not our first rodeo,” said front man Tim Budig. They just wanted to play. And they sure did.
It wasn’t just the humidity, it was the heat! Even after the sun set, it was running in the upper 80s, and the consequence was a smaller crowd than usual. They were a game group of music fans, though. The band had come to play hard, and they had come to listen. Disappointment did not dwell in Table Rock that night. Folks sat up and smiled. “They are GOOD!” they said. And then folks kicked back and just listened.
The band, by the way, was the All Star City Blues Band. They are not a regular band. The five musicians who came usually each play with the other bands. However, with the coordination of Shawn Cole (another crowd pleasing band leader), the five came together for this special night in Table Rock. I have to give names, because they deserve some recognition: Tim Budig, guitar and some gritty vocals. Brad Hayes played off Budig with a harmonica that Sonny Boy Williamson would be proud of, and vocals. Chris Mackie, every band needs a slick bass guitar player and he was it, also did some vocals. Next was the heart of any band, the drummer – this time it was Jom VanGelder. Finally, a revelation of virtuoso keyboard playing, with sunglasses, was Emily Bass. They styled their music as “blue collar blues” and threw in some oldies but goodies which they referred top as “Americana.”
The Zoo Bar in Lincoln has long been a hotbed of blues and these musicians play there often. Kevin Anderson of Table Rock used to play there with his band, when he had a band. Now he enjoys being on the audience side. His comment as he sat down near soon after the band began, echoed the same sentiment I’d already heard. “They. Are. Good!”
This concert was part of the Table Rock summer series at the bandstand in the public Square, put on by the Table Rock Community Club with the critical help of the Table Rock Historical Society. Last month, the band AM-FM “Totally 80” played.” Next month, the annual Battle of the Polka Bands will feature Angie Kriz and the Polkatoons versus the Barry Boyce Band. In September, Mike Semrad and the Riverhawks will end the season. The concerts are funded entirely by donation from sponsors and a good will collection from the crowd. This year sponsors at the platinum record level ($1,000 and more) were Pat Stevens, who dedicated it to her parents Arnold and Dorothy Mertes and her brother Ben; the Table Rock Historical Society; the State Bank of Table Rock; and the Table Rock ZCBJ lodge. At the gold record level ($500-999) were the Pawnee County Promotional Network, the Pawnee County Arts Council, and Joe Stehlik, who dedicated it to his parents Lawrence and Nettie Stehlik. At the silver record level ($100 - $499) were the Vrtiska family, dedicated to their parents Floyd and Doris Vriska; Susie Marfice, dedicated to her dad Bill Marfice; and the Sitzman family, dedicated to grandparents Sam and Ines Roberts. Promotional sponsors were the Pawnee County Visitors Committee, the Pawnee Republican, and the Humboldt Standard.
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