Parker is Back at the Rock House 2018

I been walkin' the fine line
Between the form and the function
Between the gall and the gumption
Between feelin' and touchin'

Parker on stage at the Rock House on Seventh Avenue September 26, 2018, a Wednesday night with a full moon. From my spot on the balcony, I can see the lights on the Gateway Arch through the window. The Saint Louis Cardinals are winding up their baseball season at Busch Stadium as the night is cool enough to feel like autumn. (It doesn’t look like our home team is going to be in the pennant race this year.)  The stage is lit and Parker and his band seem to be genuinely in agreement with Parker’s crowd pleasing declaration. “It’s great to be back in Saint Louis.” The last time Parker was on this stage it was Springtime a few days prior to baseball opening day in 2014. The band was electric and the show a treat. It is a special thing to see this band showcase their latest but also everything from Truckstop Gospel, to Heaven Sent to Hades Pleads and Other Arrangements. 

I was there for the thrill of it all. I was in the crowd when Parker Millsap played Off Broadway in the Saint Louis Lemp-Cherokee Historic District on a Friday the 13^th in May of 2016 and also when they returned to play the Pageant in the Delmar Loup in November of 2016. The performance is polished.       

I been walkin' the fine line
Between the thought and the action
Slippin' sideways and traction
As a matter of fact, hon'...

Other Arrangements, is Millsap’s latest CD and it is on sale at the door along with his previous albums and some pretty cool T-Shirts promoting Parker Millsap and this evening’s opening act, Gary Owen. Owen served admirably as the opening act for Parker Millsap and his bandmates, violinist Daniel Foulks, bassist Michael Rose and drummer Paddy Ryan.

After the show I was able catch up with Parker long enough to have another fan capture a photo above with my Apple iPhone 4. I kinda knew it was the also fourth time I was lucky enough to see Parker Millsap and his band in Saint Louis since that show in 2014. I have a fealing he'll be back.

     

Bright Lights, Big Dinner

Neon by David Hutson at Laumeier Sculpture Park - September 22, 2018

Lauren Ross is just getting her toe in the water as the new executive director at Laumeier Sculpture Park. Among Ross’ accomplishments: she served as curator of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Institute for Contemporary Art in Richmond, curator/director of arts programs at the High Line in New York City and curator at Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum of Art. Less than two months into her new job, she finds herself host to Laumeier Sculpture Park’s annual fundraiser: A Night of Neon, The Big Dinner. A tent houses tables set for hundreds of supporters of the sculpture park who are accustomed to some sort of annual outdoor fundraising/gala at this time of year. The weather is just starting to act like the beginning of autumn on a clear cool nite.

Thanks to the 2018 Kranzberg Exhibition Series, David Hutson’s exhibition Memory & Desire: A Personal Exploration of Neon Art, Past and Present serves as a focus of electricity in and around the evening. Midway toward the south lawn, a Hutson neon installation featuring a quote from Wendell Berry’s book of poems. WHEN I RISE UP, LET ME RISE UP JOYFUL LIKE A BIRD. WHEN I FALL, LET ME FALL WITHOUT REGRET LIKE A LEAF. This is an apt bit of inspiration for all of us with great ambition for this jewel in Sunset Hills.

Allison & John Ferring, Nancy & Ken Kranzberg and Carol & Michael Staenberg are sponsors along with The Aronson Foundation, Commerce Bank, PNC Arts Alive, Wells Fargo, Washington University Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts and Thompson Street Capitol Partners.  Beginning with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 6:00 p.m. and a meet & greet with the artist the event rolled smoothly into a lovely evening dinner.  

Honorary Chairs; Alison Ferring, Matt Harvey, Mary Ann Srenco and Susan Werrenmeyer; all stepped up to make everyone (including the new director) feel at home. Mary Ann Srenco is proud of her long standing involvement with this place. Her love of Laumeier dates back to visiting the park as a little girl with her active docent mother (Nancy Kranzberg).

The host committee included a list of names of some many will recognize as long time supporters of Laumeier Sculpture Park. I was happy to see a healthy representation of our docent corps present as well. There were stories of recent tours with groups as diverse as Washington University Architecture Students, inner-city youth groups, visitors from Louisville, Kentucky, high school seniors from a creative writing class and fifth graders. The evening began with scores of high schoolers posing for prom pictures. It ended with valet parking attendants scrambling to retrieve cars for our distinguished guests to exit the event. It was apparent that the future looks bright as neon at Laumeier Sculpture Park. In the days ahead, Lauren will be sorting out strategic initiatives and priorities for this regional gem dedicated to art and nature. I hope she will be joyful like a bird and rise. At the same time, I also hope she will be fearless with no regrets.

 Lauren Ross, Laumeier Sculpture Park Executive Director