New stage in Silver City adds to Comstock’s live music and theater venues

The “Silver Pavilion” Inaugura- Palooza concert on Aug. 20 attracted at least 150 folks from near and far in during the six-hour event.

The festival-style public event was held to celebrate the much anticipated addition of a new outdoor stage to the region’s arts and music scene. Continuing the long tradition of live music on the Comstock, the new “Silver Pavilion” in the Silver City Park will serve as a center for live music and performing arts in a beautiful high desert setting.

Evangeline Presents, Yellow Truck Productions, the Silver City Historic Preservation Society, the Silver City Arts group and many community volunteers teamed up to put on an inaugural fund raising party featuring musicians and performers living in or associated with Silver City past and present, including Red Rose, American Phlats Band, Tom Zachary, The Ukalocos, Mylo McCormick, Allander/Stornetta, Wayne Thomas, Trevor Thomas, Cindi Godwin, Craig Young, Sean Laughlin, and Robert Elston. All of the performers generously donated their time and talents for the concert that raised $1,000 for sound, lighting and production gear for the new stage.

Party goers brought blankets and lawn chairs and provided an enormous spread of potluck dishes with everything from homemade apple pie to vegetable lasagne, meatballs, fresh fruit shish kebabs, homemade bread, and roasted turkey.

The entertainment line-up included something for everyone. Comedian Sean Laughlin had the audience roaring with laughter. The crowd sang along with Susan Stornetta and Jim Allander’s rendition of Red River Valley and Mylo McCormick’s cover of the Rolling Stones Miss You. Children and dogs romped in the park, while their parents and grandparents brought their chairs close to the stage and listened to performances by Tom Zachary, The Ukalocos, Craig Young, Wayne Thomas, Trevor Thomas, and Robert Elston. A classic by the great Nina Simone, sung by Cindi Godwin, drifted over the crowd as the sun went down. Popular local bands Red Rose and the American Phlats ended the concert with lively tunes that got people on their feet and dancing. Before the concert ended, event co-producer Robert Elston thanked the many volunteers who helped make the event possible, and thanked the County staff who worked hard to complete the outdoor stage ahead of schedule. He also thanked the County Commission for final approval for construction of the stage.

About a decade ago, Robert Elston began lobbying for an outdoor stage. More recently, Patricia Allander joined the effort and spearheaded efforts that resulted in Lyon County building the outdoor stage the town has dubbed the Silver Pavilion. The popular project was successfully carried forward by Mike Workman, Director of Lyon County Public Works, and by June 2016 the project was completed. The Silver Pavilion Inaugura-Palooza was the first big event held on the new stage, with previous smaller events such as the monthly acoustic music jam hosted by the Silver City Arts group, and slide guitar lessons by Mylo McCormick and dance lessons by Jessica Sanford hosted by the Resident Artist Program in Silver City.

Father and daughter team Robert Elston (Yellow Truck Productions) and Evangeline Elston (Evangeline Presents), coproducer of the Inaugura- Palooza, both share a passion for live music and performing arts. Robert is an award winning archaeologist with a love of music. He and his wife Cashion Callaway and family have lived in Silver City for nearly fifty years. Cashion and Robert were part of the wellspring of intellectuals, musicians and artists that came to the area in the 60s and stayed to build their lives in the community of Silver City. Evangeline grew up in Silver City and is a music promoter and artist manager and agent who recently moved back to the area. She runs an agency with nationally touring artists, and also directs the Valhalla Art, Music and Theatre Festival at Lake Tahoe.

Together Bob and Evangeline plan to continue a series of music events that began at the Silver City School House Community Center in February 2016 with blues legend Ray Bonneville. That event attracted more than 100 enthusiastic music patrons and filled the hall. Both Elstons share a vision to develop a thriving live music and performing arts scene in Silver City, to round out the existing robust visual arts and poetry scene supported through the Silver City Arts group and the Resident Artist Program in Silver City.

For more information, follow the Silver Pavilion on Facebook to keep up with future public programming offered at the outdoor stage. The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/TheSilverPavilion/.