Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Ann Arbor Civic Band Season Has Begun!

18. June 2009 • Patti Smith
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My favorite episode of the twilight zone is called A Stop at Willoughby. Those who know me know that I love horror movies, mysteries, and Twilight Zone-y type stuff in general. It should therefore come as a slight surprise that my favorite episode is about an ad man who is over-worked and over-stressed and dreams about a perfect little town called Willoughby while riding the commuter train. (Or is it a dream?? Cue Rod Serling and the TwiZo theme song).

I want to live in Willoughby, some days (except with air conditioning, equal rights and the Internet). One of the reasons that I want to live there is because they have outdoor band concerts, at the gazebo, right in the center of town. But for a few weeks in the summer I don’t have to go anywhere, because Ann Arbor is lucky enough to have its own outdoor band concerts.

The Ann Arbor Civic Band plays Wednesday evenings at the West Park Band Shell, starting at 8pm, from late June through July. Their first concert was tonight, and I was thrilled to be in attendance with my dog, who barked right on cue a few times. It is a lovely time in a lovely setting. And, it’s free (donations greatly appreciated, especially since their city funding was recently cut). The conductor said something about getting their 501c3 status soon, so I think that means donations would be tax deductible. (Right? Any IRS people or tax attorneys on board?)

These concerts are something that I look forward to every year. They are my little slice of Willoughby, right here at home in Ann Arbor. And I’ll take that over Rod Serling any day.