Lakewood recently tapped the restorative power of music to soothe the weary soul of light-rail travelers with its first Live at Light Rail performance.
"This was Mayor Adam Paul's idea," said Bill Marino, chair of the 40 West Arts District, which is hosting the performances. "He reached out and said he wanted to do something at the Lakewood-Wadsworth Light Rail station to set it apart, and thought music would be a good fit."
The Lakewood-Wadsworth Station is the city's signature light rail stop.
Rockley Music's Youth Wind Ensemble, Big Band Theory, performed on the station's plaza area on May 25. The group played classic movie songs like the themes from "Mission Impossible" and "The Pink Panther," and jazz favorites like Miles Davis' "So What."
"I think it's really cool they're doing this," said The Action Center's Sally Reed, who stopped to listen to a performance. "It's a great way to give these kids open-air performance experience."
Ward 2 councilwoman Sharon Vincent was also on hand.
Live at Light Rail will continue from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays throughout the summer, with a variety of performers slated to appear, including local bands, choirs, ensembles and school groups.
"We want to offer unique experiences to both the community and these local groups," said Melanie Stover, director at 40 West Arts Creative, as the band played on. "I just think it's a super-cool experience for people who may not often get to see live music."
As the Big Band Theory played, family members were joined in listening by disembarked riders. The children could look up from the sheet music to see plenty of phones pointed their way, as the light rail whooshed overhead.
The plan is to grow the program this first summer, and it's possible food trucks and art vendors may join as Live at Light Rail grows.
As another group of light-rail riders descended the stairs to the performance, Stover got to the heart of the matter: "What better way to wind down after a long day than some live music?"
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Soothing-a-traveling-soul,216673
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