‘Good energy’
Maiden Dixie fires up the Sounds of Summer crowd for Viva Knievel
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MARSHALL -- It was the moment everybody in front of the Sounds of Summer main stage was waiting for.
The sound from the guitars, drums and horns filled the air over the parking lot next to the aquatic center.
Suddenly, Viva Knievel singer Mark Schwandt sang "Out here in the fields. I fight for my meals. I get back into my living."
Those were the words from the song "Teenage Wasteland."
And the crowd of Southwest Minnesota State University students and other area youths started jumping with arms raised up in front of the stage.
Even folks with a little bit of gray hair stood close enough to the stage to sway with the music.
"What's up Marshall. We are Viva Knievel," Schwandt" screamed toward the crowd. "In case you didn't know we came all the way from Minneapolis Minnesota to party with you."
A good amount of credit of getting the Sounds of Summer crowed revved up for Viva Knievel belonged the band Maiden Dixie. They performed a variety of music that included country, rock 'n' roll and the blues.
"I think we're gonna wind up playing 30 tunes tonight," singer Wesley Berger told the crowd. "And if you were here last year, literally one of those tunes is the same as last year. So we're trying to the express fun for you guys," he said. "The sun is gone. We can all chill a little bit, It's our pleasure to back here in Marshall, close to home for me."
"These guys are amazing. One of my favorite bands in the area," Marshall resident Rick Sorbo said.
His wife, Sammy Jo, agreed.
The band is awesome. We've seen them multiple times in different locations. It's good energy," she said. "I wish people were up and dancing. That's the biggest thing. Something like this, you got to get people up there. You got to move. You got to get them to wiggle a little bit, and then they'll let loose a little bit more."
Letting loose was not problem for SMSU students Sydney Badergscher and Seely Stockmoe. They were among the first to start dancing in front of the stage as Maiden Dixie performed. By the end of Maiden Dixie's performance, the crowd filled up around them.
"They're so cool," Stockmoe said after the Maiden Dixie finished and waiting for Viva Knievel. "Their energy is amazing."
Marshall resident Jim Ahmann was sitting in his lawn chair a short distance from the crowd.
"Awesome. It's gonna get better," he said, referring to Viva Knievel.
"We love Marshall," Maiden Dixie singer Kaytee Amaro told the Independent after their show. "We are so fortunate to get the call to come back. This is the second year in a row that we've done this. Just so excited. And everybody was so wonderful. The energy is fantastic. Brock (Klaith) with Small Town Events, we love him. We love the Sounds of Summer committee and all the food shops and stuff here."
Klaith spearheaded the effort to find the bands for the Sounds of Summer weekend.
"This is another record crowd, I would say for sure," Klaith said before the start of the Viva Knievel show. "This (Sounds of Summer) event grows tremendously every year. Like I'm kind of at a loss for words. It's awesome."
Marshall Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold agreed with Klaith's assessment of Saturday's atmosphere.
"I've had a lot of people ask me, 'do you think this is the biggest Sounds of Summer crowd ever?' Well, it's hard to tell because it's moved a few times. This parking lot sure is pretty dang full. I would say this is like this because it seems like it's very cozy," he said while also waiting for Viva Knievel.
Brunsvold was also pleased that the fire department once again selling out at the department's burger and hot dog feed it holds every year at Sounds of Summer.
"You think about trying to make 600 burgers for people and feed this crowd in that short of time. It's pretty important to have that ready to go. We had a little struggle because there was a fire call right at the beginning. So we went and did that and took half our people away. So luckily the city's very, very supportive of us. And waited in -- the line got a little longer, but hey, here we are."
During Viva Knievel's break, others expressed their excitement for Saturday's entertainment.
"I'm impressed with he crowd. It's awesome and a great job," Minnwest Bank branch President Jeff Hoover said.
"I've actually saw them (Viva Knievel) opened up at US Bank Stadium on the first home game of the season last year," Marshall resident Chris Arndorfer said as he sat in his lawn chair a short distance from the stage. "I thought they were great because they kind of catered to everybody. Which made me want to come back today to see them."
Arndorfer said he noticed all the SMSU students in the crowd.
"I've seen a lot of people within the community that I even know. Maybe my neighbors were here too. So, it's pretty cool."