Entertaining chapter
The Amphitheater at the Burlington County Library is a big draw, hosting outdoor concerts all summer long. And they're free.
The sedate sedans, rugged SUVs, motorcycles, and even a few bicycles stream into the parking lot of the Burlington County Library in Westampton around dusk on summer weekends.
Their occupants are not arriving to borrow or return books, although this library does attract crowds like a magnet throughout the week. It's a community gathering place with cafe, teen zone, workshops, and programs.
But on Friday and Saturday nights, the crowds at the library's Amphitheater are there to enjoy free outdoor concerts, as they have since 2003.
The Burlington County Library Amphitheater is the only entertainment center in the region connected to a library, and on any weekend evening from July through early September, it's obvious that this is an idea whose time had come.
"Until we had the Amphitheater, library programs were attracting several hundred people in a room designed for 75," explains Gail Sweet, executive director of the library. "Residents voiced a strong wish for a concert space, and the Amphitheater was created as a partnership between the Burlington County Parks Division and the Burlington County Library."
Attendance at the outdoor venue, which can seat 500, with an additional 250-plus on the grassy areas around it, has grown steadily.
"Visitors come from well beyond the borders of Burlington County," reports Jo Horton, year-round program coordinator for the library and the woman who keeps an anxious eye on weather forecasts all summer. "We don't like to have to move indoors, but when it's really wet or really dangerous because of lightning, we do take shelter in a nearby school."
But as Horton emphasizes, the joy of the venue is its outdoor location. The eight-level tiered structure, with peaked roof shell over the stage, is surrounded by shade trees and grassy fields. The Amphitheater's summer claim to fame is that there's almost always a breeze at this location where the generations gather for music, for socializing, and even to browse among the bargain books displayed near one side of the space. Hardbacks go for $1, paperbacks for 50 cents.
The Cafe on Wheels snack bar at the site serves sodas and chips, pretzels, and, for the diet-conscious, Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. Average refreshment tab: $1.
Last Saturday night, the lawn chair brigade began arriving well before the 7 p.m. start time for an evening of music by Green River, a Creedence Clearwater Revival/John Fogerty tribute band. The original band had its heyday between 1968 and 1972, and the tribute group is led by Rick Horvath.
The group's songs, like "Proud Mary" and "Who'll Stop the Rain," had audience members dancing in the aisles and eagerly accepting the invitation to clap to the music.
For Brittany Whitacre, 19, and her boyfriend, John Tereskun, 17, both of Bensalem, the trip to the Burlington County Library Amphitheater was a first. The two snuggled on a blanket and agreed that the music, the weather, and the acoustics were well worth the trip. The romance didn't hurt, either.
Friday night will bring the seven-member Fabulous Greaseband (www.greaseband.com) with its rock-and-roll from the 1950s though the 1990s. The Greaseband's members are 30-year veterans of the music scene. Leader/spokesman Harry Pasquito was unabashedly enthusiastic about their multiple appearances in Westampton.
"There's always a good crowd that likes to sing along with us, and we love the intimacy," Pasquito says. "You get a much closer feel with your audience when you're in a setting like that."
Saturday night, the featured program is a concert by the Hit Girls (www.thehitgirls.net), a group of five women musicians led by Kerri Parrott of Frankford. They've come together to pay tribute to female performers like Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, Madonna, and Lady Gaga.
"We love the idea of an outdoor concert where you can actually see your audience and play right to them," says Parrott. "It's wonderful to have that connection."
The feeling is mutual.
John and Sandy Bauer of Pemberton are regulars at the Amphitheater on weekends. "Many of the concerts feature the music I listened to in Vietnam on Air Force missions," said John, who much prefers the Westampton setting. Sandy shares her husband's love of rock-and-roll, particularly in the great outdoors.
Audiences are multigenerational, and the vibe is family-friendly.
Retired postman Jack Dugan, 87, of Eastampton won't miss an Amphitheater concert with his daughter Marion Dugan, also of Eastampton. "I live for these weekends," he says. "In winter, I count down the time until the Amphitheater season begins."
For the Green River concert last weekend, 2-week-old Khalil Kinlaw, the youngest audience member by far, sat on his mother Kellie's lap and alternately napped and looked around. Nearby, his big brother Larry, 7, and cousin Azir Curtis, 9, listened to the music, played on the grass, and occasionally dashed off with other kids.
Frank Kielb, founder of Frank Kielb Entertainment in Broomall, has worked with Horton, handling all the bookings for the current season. A veteran of the booking business, Kielb expects to see more outdoor venues like the Amphitheater in Westampton as an entertainment trend.
"This may be the future," said Kielb, taking in the bucolic scene. "The combination of music, summer, and a great setting is a win-win for everyone."
Future concerts at the Burlington County Library Amphitheater, 5 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton, all start at 7 p.m. There is no admission charge for any concert.
Event Schedule
Aug. 3 Danny V's 52nd Street Band, a Billy Joel Tribute Band. www.52ndstreetband.com
Aug. 4 Separate Ways: The Band pays tribute to Journey. www.separatewaystheband.com
Aug. 10 Ragdoll, Frankie Valli Tribute Band
Aug. 11 Alex Glover Big Band Sound. www.
alexgloverandcompany.com
Aug. 17 First Ladies of Rock
and Soul. www.
firstladiesofrockandsoul.com
Aug. 18 Real Diamond,
Neil Diamond re-creation. www.realdiamondband.com
Aug. 24 Yellow Brick Road,
Elton John Tribute. www.tributetoeltonjohn.com
Aug. 25 Simply the Best, Tina Turner Tribute
Aug. 31 Rave On! Buddy Holly Tribute. www.raveonband.com
Sept. 1 Rising Regina, folk, pop, blue grass, Celtic. www.risingregina.com