TV special captures 'Saturday' fun
By Bruce R. Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, August 08, 2008
Big Sam's Funky Nation performs during Saturday in the park at Grandview Park Saturday, July 5, 2008.(Jim Lee/Sioux CIty Journal)
Did you miss this year's Saturday in the Park festival? Don't despair.
Iowa Public Television was there all day and has an hour-long special (airing at 7 p.m. Wednesday) that touches on some of the highlights.
And "touches on" are key words. Most of the acts -- including Phil Lesh and Friends, the headliner -- are only represented by one song.
The BoDeans and the Nadas get more than one, but the surprise is Janiva Magness, a real treat who managed to perform despite a bandaged ankle. She used a cane to get around the stage, but it was really her voice that moved. She has a great band and the kind of music that demands attention.
Watching the special (which gives viewers the best seat in the park), you can see things you probably didn't notice that July day - R2D2 on an amplifier, a guitarist in pajama pants, fans mouthing the words in perfect sync.
If there's a drawback -- and it's a minor one -- it's that the special doesn't put the festival in context. For those who don't know Saturday in the Park, it'd be great to have some perspective. An introduction, for example, could do wonders.
Then, too, I'd like to see some of the nuttier people who danced in the aisles. They were camera-ready. Someone just didn't capture them.
Because the food and vendors are such a big part of the day, it'd be nice to see them in the coverage as well. Again, a little perspective (perhaps one of those strolling State Fair reporters could have ventured north) might have helped.
If you were there, you probably noted how the crowd grew during the day. A time-lapse look at the grounds would have shown that.
Still, this special is focused on the music and it's got a nice overview. While some of the songs aren't the "biggies," they are good.
If you were there, you know Lesh's friend Jackie Greene stole the day. While the special doesn't reflect that, it does hint in "Ball and Chain" at the things to come.
Clearly, there's no substitute for actually being there.
But this special is a great remembrance. Watch and recall.
"Saturday in the Park" airs at 7 p.m. Wednesday on IPTV.
Iowa Public Television was there all day and has an hour-long special (airing at 7 p.m. Wednesday) that touches on some of the highlights.
And "touches on" are key words. Most of the acts -- including Phil Lesh and Friends, the headliner -- are only represented by one song.
The BoDeans and the Nadas get more than one, but the surprise is Janiva Magness, a real treat who managed to perform despite a bandaged ankle. She used a cane to get around the stage, but it was really her voice that moved. She has a great band and the kind of music that demands attention.
Watching the special (which gives viewers the best seat in the park), you can see things you probably didn't notice that July day - R2D2 on an amplifier, a guitarist in pajama pants, fans mouthing the words in perfect sync.
If there's a drawback -- and it's a minor one -- it's that the special doesn't put the festival in context. For those who don't know Saturday in the Park, it'd be great to have some perspective. An introduction, for example, could do wonders.
Then, too, I'd like to see some of the nuttier people who danced in the aisles. They were camera-ready. Someone just didn't capture them.
Because the food and vendors are such a big part of the day, it'd be nice to see them in the coverage as well. Again, a little perspective (perhaps one of those strolling State Fair reporters could have ventured north) might have helped.
If you were there, you probably noted how the crowd grew during the day. A time-lapse look at the grounds would have shown that.
Still, this special is focused on the music and it's got a nice overview. While some of the songs aren't the "biggies," they are good.
If you were there, you know Lesh's friend Jackie Greene stole the day. While the special doesn't reflect that, it does hint in "Ball and Chain" at the things to come.
Clearly, there's no substitute for actually being there.
But this special is a great remembrance. Watch and recall.
"Saturday in the Park" airs at 7 p.m. Wednesday on IPTV.
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