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It was hard to distinguish the kids from the kids at heart at the first Friday Night Concert at Downtown Plaza on May 9.
About 30 people of all ages danced to upbeat songs played by The Alternators beneath a purple twilight summer's sky.
Lured by the music, Pete Richmond wandered to the plaza from the Earth Haven meditation studio across the street, he said.
"I had to come check it out," he said. "I love this kind of music."
The Alternators played music varying from Stevie Wonder to Jimi Hendrix tunes. An impressive 10-minute version of "Play That Funky Music" got even the most unassuming people dancing.
Though the band rocked, the old plaza was more conducive to dancing, Richmond said.
"Now it's like you're not going to dance unless you're trying to show off," he said.
It's also unfortunate the new plaza doesn't have as much grass, Richmond said. But it's more accessible to kids with the new fountain and is aesthetically pleasing.
The band added to the plaza's overall appeal by playing crowd-pleasing songs.
Bassist Mick Nantell did an impressive Tom Jones impression on "What's New Pussycat?"
Everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves, but Dave Miller, 51, was letting loose on the dance floor. Known as "Dancing Dave," Miller has been dancing for 25 years, he said.
People are hesitant to be the first to go out and dance, so he leads the way, he said.
"Sometimes I'll go to clubs and get people dancing and leave and do the same thing at a different club," Miller said.
The Friday Night Concert series is a great place to dance, but a referendum saying the plaza had to be at least 80 percent grass should have been written, Miller said.
Despite the lack of grass, Miller danced with gusto in the middle of the cement dance floor.
The night was particularly meaningful to Miller because he had cancer last year that prevented him from dancing, he said.
"Now I'm cancer-free and back to life," he said.
The band appreciated Miller's enthusiasm, giving him a shout-out from the stage.
"Give it up for Dancing Dave," Nantell yelled after a song.
The best song of the night was a cover of The Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin'," Miller said. The Alternators pleased adults with nostalgic rock, but made sure to connect with the children, too.
A group of eager-looking kids leaned on the stage toward the end of the night.
"These guys have been really patient waiting for Guitar Hero music," Nantell said to the crowd.
The band promptly burst into a fine-tuned "Smoke On The Water," by Deep Purple.
As the night winded down, The Alternators played slower music, notably Edwin McCain's "I'll Be."
Both young and old slow danced to McCain's syrupy lyrics, in an appropriate G-rated manner.
The first show was a success, and the lineup looks good for the rest of the Friday night concerts, Miller said.
"I'll try and come to every concert," he said.
Hosted by the Downtown Chico Business Association, the Friday Night Concert series will be held every week at 7 p.m. through September 26, with the exception of July 4, in Downtown Plaza.
Rebecca Rosa can be reached at rrosa@theorion.com
Related links Friday Night Concert Series Web site The Alternators Web site
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