Concert heats up crowd at Central Iowa Fairgrounds
Trending
On a Saturday night with wind chills at least 20 below zero, dozens of people gathered in the Activities Building of the Central Iowa Fairgrounds to watch live music for most likely the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020.
For five hours, a growing number of people watched as three bands -- Exit185, Wenko and BAM and Grand Marshall -- performed covers ranging from 70s and 80s rock to modern country music.
The beer and seltzers were flowing from the bar at the back of the building -- buckets of beer bought and constant orders as the patrons enjoyed themselves.
Lead organizer Shannon Espenscheid said the night was a rousing success before the final act even stepped on stage.
"I think it's been a great turnout, a great crowd," Espenscheid said. "I think everyone is just enjoying themselves, it's great to have live music in town and a place where people can come and have a good time after a long year."
People brought their significant others in, met up with friend groups and sat down to enjoy the show.
One thing in short supply Saturday was mask-wearing, as the majority of the people in attendance were not wearing face coverings. In advance of the event, organizers said mask wearing and social distancing was "encouraged." The event came two weeks after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she was lifting some COVID restrictions -- a move criticized by the CDC.
Blake Roseland, the drummer and sometimes singer for Wenko and Bam and a member of Grand Marshall, performed twice during the night.
He said it was a blessing to be able to perform in front of people again after nearly a year away -- adding that it was a chance to show the hard work the groups put in behind the scenes to make its show better.
"It's awesome, we've been waiting for this moment for months," Roseland said. "We practiced a ton, both bands I'm in, we just grinded it out and got better. We gave it our all."
The crowd included a number of people who took advantage of the dancefloor space in front of the stage, from slow dances to just dancing in a circle with a group of friends.
But for some, it was more about watching the crowd than watching the music -- like Glen Wiley, who came to the event from St. Anthony to watch a work friend in Grand Marshall.
"It's nice to get out," Wiley said. "It's good to see that people are having fun. I enjoy watching the people as much as the band."
Contact Noah Rohlfing at 641-753-6611 or nrohlfing@timesrepublican.com.