Downtown concert attracts a varied crowd

A cross-section of Wilson turned out Wednesday night for the Downtown Alive concert featuring the Band of Oz. I had been to last year's Downtown Alive concerts, but this was my first time at the new venue, a hillside scooped out between Tarboro and Pine streets, where the old Renfro warehouse was demolished. It turned out to be a perfect setting. The hillside provided plenty of space for chairs, blankets and mingling. The stage at the bottom of the hill, along Pine Street, directed sound up to the appreciative audience. A small dance floor in front of the stage stayed crowded most of the night. Food and drinks were available from vendors. Although my thermometer read 88 degrees when I left the house, the humidity was low, and the weather was quite pleasant, especially after the sun dipped behind some clouds. I regret not taking my camera; I would have posted a picture here. The Wilson Times had a photographer there, but I didn't see any pictures on the Web site this morning (what's with that?).

It's hard to imagine a more pleasant evening in downtown Wilson. Police, including Chief Harry Tyson (in uniform), ensured good security, and Downtown Development volunteers controlled beer sales to adults while Pizza Hut, Chick-Fil-A and other vendors sold convenient food. Downtown restaurants (there are some at last!) must have done a good business as well.

Hundreds of people — I heard estimates as high as 800, but I don't know of any accurate count — attended. Attendance exceeded the expectations of downtown officials, who scrambled to keep the cold beer coming, refilling coolers as the night progressed. The audience included young mothers with kids in strollers and retirees recalling their beach music years. At one point, a senior adult line dance broke out on the dance floor. There were even some tattooed Rastafarian-types (who knew they liked beach music?). Quite a number of attractive young women turned out in their frilly sundresses and revealing tops, looking as if they were auditioning at a singles bar. Women never dressed like that when I was in the market. My wife and I noticed that there seemed to be more eligible young women than men, prompting some enticingly dressed women to dance together as the evening wore on and no men latched onto them.

Downtown Alive concerts are scheduled to continue every other Wednesday until October. Here is the schedule. If the weather and the music are as good as they were last night, no one needs to worry about downtown Wilson attracting a crowd. I know I'm looking forward to more pleasant evenings like last night.