Two bands performing Friday at Heritage Park
Two musical groups of varying styles will perform Friday as part of the continuing Friday night concert series.
The featured band for the evening will be the Rushing Wind Band, a contemporary Christian music group from Parsons. The group has performed throughout the Midwest from Clarksville, Tenn., to Colorado Springs, Colo., as far north as South Dakota and as far south as Texas. Their blend of original music has been described as refreshing and encouraging, a press release said.
The three-member band has recorded five CD projects, two original compilations, two parody compilations, and one CD of mixed songs.
According to the press release, they "love the Lord and love God's people."
"We love to rock with the flock and jam for the Lamb," the press release said.
Closed Cockpit, a band consisting of five long-time friends who formed the group earlier this year, will open the music program with a performance at 7 p.m. Friday. The entire concert will take place at the Heritage Park Pavilion near the corner of First and Main streets.
The group's unofficial start began several months before the band formed, when its members logged countless hours together playing the popular "Rock Band" video game. Last fall, they decided to take the next step and form a real band. Each member asked for his instrument of choice for Christmas and they began practicing soon after.
Closed Cockpit plays primarily alternative music but they also perform a variety of classic rock and original songs as well. The group's lead vocalist, 16-year-old Dylan Smith, is from McCune. He was chosen for the Kansas State Choir last year. Christian Encarnacion, a 15-year-old from Parsons, is the group's lead guitarist.
Logan Dillinger, 15, is also from Parsons, and plays the rhythm and fill guitar. Dillinger also sings. The group's bass guitarist is 15-year-old Colt Nush, also from Parsons. The band's drummer is Leif (Alex) Oas, 15, Parsons.
Encarnacion is a sophomore at Labette County High School. His father, Tony Encarnacion, performs with the Rushing Wind Band. The other band members are sophomores at Parsons High School. The Friday concert will be the group's first performance in front of an adult audience, a statement from the band said.
The concert is free of charge and open to the public.