The Blues are back in Fort Dodge. For one night only on May 20, the newly renovated Phillips Auditorium will come alive with the sounds of the blues.
Excited, energetic and much-needed after years of living in a pandemic-driven world, the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association is breaking the blues with a performance by Texas Blues artist Hamilton Loomis.
Although Loomis has been performing in Fort Dodge for several years, his name may be familiar to many local blues fans. Their shows here in the past were always packed and never failed to provide nothing but a great experience, according to Shelly Bottorff, executive director of Fort Dodge Fine Arts.
“He came to Olde Boston’s and actually played a couple of times.” she said “People went crazy for this guy. Not only is he an amazing musician, he’s a fantastic performer. People still talk about seeing him down there.”
Show honors O’Leary
The May 20th show will be in celebration of the late Tim O’Leary, a legend of the local blues scene. O’Leary and his wife, Sara, were founding members of the Lizard Creek Blues Society and were instrumental in bringing professional blues acts to various local venues over the years, Bottorff said.
O’Leary died in January 2020, shortly before the pandemic really took hold. With the closings that had occurred that spring, large gatherings were not possible at that time.
“We couldn’t do a celebratory concert” Bottorff said. But O’Leary has not been forgotten, and the friends have now come together, headed under the umbrella of the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association, to bring a concert to Fort Dodge.
“We have the space in Phillips Auditorium and we just decided to make it happen,” Bottorff said. “Several followers of the old Lizard Creek Blue Society, have joined us. I can’t name them all yet, but we’re getting a lot of support.”
To make the evening even more festive, beer and wine, as well as soft drinks, will be available for purchase.
“This is our first concert in the space and the board is very excited to bring the blues back to Fort Dodge,” Bottorff said.
Ronley King Band opens for Loomis
The opening show on May 20th will be The Ronley King Band. Winners of the Iowa Blues Challenge, the group that includes Ronley King, Kaleb Ferry and Ethridge Netz recently represented the state at the Memphis Blues Challenge.
The group will be a fitting complement to Loomis’ reputation for powerful stage presence. Loomis is known for getting the crowd involved. The blues, as music offers, is not a singular experience, but something that draws the audience in from within.
“Passion flows from every note”, was the BillTown Blues review on just one of their albums.
Loomis is a protégé of the legendary Bo Diddley. He met Diddley when he was just 16 and the legend quickly took him under his wing as a friend and collaborator. Didley has appeared on two of Loomis’ albums.
Phillips Auditorium does
for a perfect place
The working agreement between the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association and Foutch Brothers, LLC, owners of the Phillips Luxury Apartments, is key to the project.
Bottorff credits city officials for bringing the two entities together. By keeping the auditorium intact, the Foutch Brothers were able to take advantage of historic tax credits that otherwise would not have been available, he said.
Fort Dodge Fine Arts pays no rent for use of the auditorium, but agreed to invest at least $150,000 in improvements over the next 10 years. Just a few years into the contract, the group has already invested $130,000 in improvements, including repairing and cleaning all the seats on the main floor, replacing the top of the stage, as well as some curtains and some stage improvements. plumbing and electrical. The next phase, Bottorff said, will be the ongoing improvement of lighting and sound.
“The acoustics that have just been added to this auditorium are one of the best in the area,” Bottorff said.
She is very pleased with the working agreement with Foutch Brothers and the importance of the historic auditorium to the community. Although most recently a high school, long before that it was home to decades of Fort Dodge Senior High students in the early to mid-20th century.
“The fact that the owners (Foutch Brothers) find value in our organization and in working with us is very rewarding,” Bottorff said.
Tenants of the Phillips Apartments also benefit, receiving free or discounted tickets to all performances at the auditorium.
Get your tickets
Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the door or in advance at Eventbrite.com.
The doors will open at 18.00 on May 20, with the music at 18.30.
Phillips Auditorium is located at 1015 Fifth Ave. N. at Fort Dodge
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