Live Music Performances

An evening of 'Impact' (03/06/10)
"Josh's Story," which generated a great deal of buzz when it appeared in the pages of the Daily Reporter, will come to life Wednesday night at DaySpring Assembly of God Church as part of "Impact" -- a night offering a message of hope to a target audience of junior high and high school students complete with live music and giveaways beginning at 6:30 p.m...

Country sensation Miranda Lambert in Spencer May 8 (03/02/10)
2009 Female Vocalist of the Year nominee, Miranda Lambert is headed to the Clay County Regional Events Center. Lambert will bring her Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars Tour to Spencer, when she performs Saturday, May 8. Rising star, Chris Young, will open the show...

Feeding the Spirit (02/13/10)
BarlowGirl will be making its second appearance at the Clay County Regional Events Center when they arrive in town Sunday, Feb. 21, on the first stage of the Love & War tour supporting the group's most recent album which hit the airwaves late in 2009...

The unbreakable bond of friends (01/04/10)
Before South Clay, there was Gillett Grove Consolidated School. Four students from the former school's class of 1939 remain steadfast comrades to this day. They've also stayed avid supporters of the northwest Iowa community they grew up in. ...

A gift of Christmas cheer (12/18/09)
Something classic, something new, something borrowed, and lots for you. That's what the Oak Ridge Boys will deliver when they roll into town on Sunday for the next to last date on their 2009 Christmas concert tour. The show will get under way at 7:30 p.m...

Elliott returns for Seasons Center 50th anniversary (11/21/09)
Iowa singer/songwriter Chad Elliott will perform live at the Clay County Regional Events Center on Saturday, Nov. 28, to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Seasons Center and Oak Haven. The Seasons Center's mission is "empowering individuals and communities for success through every season of life." The Seasons Center, located in Spencer, provides services such as crisis intervention, domestic abuse intervention, community support and much more...

Spencer High School Drama and Music Departments present "THE MUSIC MAN" (10/31/09)
A large cast comprised of young Spencer thespians and a live orchestra ensemble bring the famous story of River City, Iowa to life on the old Spencer High School Auditorium stage for two more shows, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Showtimes will be 7:30 p.m. Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee scheduled for Sunday...

Rep. King wades into Limbaugh, Rams ownership (10/30/09)
U.S. Rep. Steve King used a Capitol Hill appearance by Roger Goodell to press the NFL Commissioner about conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who was removed from a group trying to purchase the St. Louis Rams. Goodell was testifying before a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday to examine the long-term effects of head injury among NFL players...

Spencer's second religious liberty draft policy (09/10/09)
Any discussion of the place of religion in public education must be grounded in the principle of religious liberty, or freedom of conscience, particularly as embodied in this nation's First Amendment to the Constitution, which states that: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or...

Learning to live lighter (09/01/09)
It's hard to ignore, bright blue steel parked, unceremoniously, just outside my front door. That steel encloses, I've been told, 12 cubic yards of emptiness. It's up to me to help fill it, my husband explains. "It's a perfect time to clean out those closets, get rid of some of the junk," he says...

Elliott to open Mainstreet Market schedule (07/16/09)
Mainstreet Market is returning to the Clay County courthouse square July 16 for the first of five Thursday evenings of live entertainment, fresh produce, art and food. Chad Elliott will perform on the opening night. Now in its fifth year, Mainstreet Market takes place Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. On July 23, it will move downtown for Crazy Days, but the following week it will return to the courthouse square, 215 W. 4th St., Spencer...

Elliott named top writer in festival contest (07/07/09)
Iowa singer/songwriter Chad Elliott was recently named the winner of the Woody Guthrie Festival songwriting contest with his original song, "Same Old Way." "It is such an honor for me to receive this. Woody Guthrie has been very influential on me as a songwriter. The song that won first place is all about walking down the highway and facing change, something Woody knew too well," Elliott said...

Spencer breaks top 100 in KISS tour bid (05/29/09)
It's still not clear how many local votes it will take to bring arena rock band KISS to Spencer. But it is clear residents are making progress in the Internet bid to "demand" a band visit to the northwest Iowa city of 11,000. Spencer has a chance to "book" a major concert tour stop because the legendary band has put fans in charge of selecting the tour stops through Internet voting at www.Eventful.com. A link to the Eventful voting process is prominent on the www.kissonline.com Web site, too...

School board expected to ratify agreements reached (05/23/09)
A portion of the Spencer school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening will have board members contemplating approval of tentative agreements reached with the district's teachers, administrators, non-union staff members and supervisors for next school year...

Briefs 5-23-09 (05/23/09)
Farmers Market is returning with an opening date of May 23. Early season vegetables available. Located in the parking lot of the Southpark Mall. --- Come learn about Global Positioning System (GPS) and the sport of geocaching. GPS units will be used to find hidden treasure at Huston Park. Located at the nature center at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 23. The event is sponsored by the Palo Alto Soil & Water Conservation District and the Palo Alto County Conservation Board...

Graduation weekend arrives for area schools (05/16/09)
It's a weekend for punch bowls, sheet cakes and maybe a few tissues as diplomas are handed out to the Class of 2009. The Spencer School District is one of four area schools set to hold commencement Sunday. The 155 seniors in Spencer's 122nd graduating class will be recognized at the Spencer High School Fieldhouse. Doors will open one hour before the 2:30 p.m. event...

Events Center targets KISS for Spencer stop (05/12/09)
General Manager Scott Hallgren, sees all the possibilities for the Clay County Regional Events Center. He also knows its limitations. Under normal circumstances, it may be a tough sell to book mega rock band KISS in a northwest Iowa arena capable of seating 2,664...

'World's Longest Running Phantom' returns to 'World's Greatest County Fair' (05/12/09)
Franc D'Ambrosio, known for the longest-running portrayal of the Phantom from Andrew Lloyd Weber's The Phantom of the Opera, will be making a return appearance at the 2009 Clay County Fair. D'Ambrosio will perform two shows in the Events Center Grand Ballroom on Saturday, September 19, at 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., with a meet and greet from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m...

'Dewey' movie on fast track (05/08/09)
The woman who's agreed to write the script for the upcoming movie based on Dewey Readmore Books' life is a natural for the job at hand. Pamela Gray has a cat paraphernalia collecting fever. She's been visiting people and places in Spencer this week, and she's jotting her important notes worth remembering in a notebook covered with cartoon cats. She currently has 10 cats of her own. The woman even has a tiger stripe tattoo -- based on the stripes of tigers she fell in love with while serving as a volunteer zookeeper -- inked on her right shoulder. --- It's safe to say that Vicki Myron, Spencer's former librarian-turned-author, feels a bit overwhelmed at times. She's busy. Even before her and Bret Witter's "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" book became a No. 1 bestseller, Myron had been working the media channels to promote it...

THIS WEEKEND (05/02/09)
A 7:30 p.m. performance today at Spencer Community Theatre will feature the latest in its series of annual Cabaret fundraisers, "One Summer Night: More Songs From the Jukebox." Once again, directors Clark Marshall and Connie Goeken have assembled a talented group of musicians and singers for this evening of rock and roll. This is SCT's largest annual fundraiser...

Playhouse Cabaret rocks SCT (05/01/09)
A pair of 7:30 p.m. performances, Friday and Saturday, May 1-2, at Spencer Community Theatre will feature the latest in its series of annual Cabaret fundraisers, "One Summer Night: More Songs From the Jukebox." This year's Cabaret continues in the tradition of showcasing songs from the early years of rock and roll. ...

ACM award winner Adkins returning to fair (04/21/09)
The 2009 Clay County Fair will feature a night with a pair of country's hottest stars on Sunday, Sept. 20. Louisiana-native Trace Adkins, burst onto the county scene in 1996 with his debut album Dreamin' Out Loud. The album garnered his first Billboard number one hit with "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing." Other hit singles produced from that album including "Every Light in the House" and "I Left Something Turned on at Home."...

Joel Fan releases new CD (04/18/09)
On Tuesday, April 14, Joel Fan's new solo CD, West of the Sun, was released by Reference Records. The night before, Fan celebrated the release with a concert at Le Poisson Rouge, a New York City club that usually presents groups with names like Throbbing Gristle and Future Rock. ...

Iconic female rock band, Heart, to take stage at the '09 Fair (04/04/09)
Classic rock band Heart, led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, will perform at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 18 on the Clay County Fair Grandstand Stage. Formed in Seattle, Heart has often been credited as one of the first mainstream rock bands where women were in complete creative control. ...

The family that plays together... (04/01/09)
Spencer Middle School students and their parents enjoyed an evening together Tuesday at the Student/Parent Interactive Night. Dinner was served followed by games of action and skill. Pierce Jensen (above) shows off his dance moves during a Name That Tune contest, pitting the parents against the kids. Rachael Getting and Olivia Baxter share a laugh after missing the return in a game of Super Volleyball against their elders...

Wine Tasting event to benefit People for Pets (03/27/09)
People for Pets, a non-profit animal shelter in Spencer, recently announced its Second Annual Wine Tasting Party at Bogenrief Studios in Spencer. The event has been set from 4-6 p.m., Sunday, April 26. In addition to wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres, the fundraiser will feature live music performed by Lakes area vocalist, Tammy Hamlin. ...

Briefs 3-14-09 (03/14/09)
A bird house workshop will be held at 1 p.m. today at Lost Island Nature Center, north of Ruthven. To build a wren house, just bring a hammer. Call (712) 837-4866 for more information. --- A bake sale will be held today at the Southpark Mall. The groups will be: "People to People Ambassador Program" for Devan McCord Fund Raiser and DreamTeam...

Skillet concert set for Spencer (03/14/09)
The two-time Grammy nominated band Skillet has included a Spencer stop as it launches the second leg of its "Comatose" tour this spring. Joining them on the tour will be fellow rockers Disciple and Decyfer Down. The Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer will be the venue on Sunday, May 3. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m...

Patrick: The woman behind the productions (03/14/09)
Nancy Patrick is what you'd call a true artist. She's not only trained vocally, she's taken piano, organ, saxophone and dance lessons. Even so, she comes by her artistic, creative ways naturally. Patrick, the eighth of 13 children born to the late Sylvester Joseph "S.J." and NaDyne Patrick, was raised to value family, church and education. The native of Mapleton still holds those priorities near and dear today...

Clay Central-Everly students to present Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" (03/14/09)
The Everly school gymnasium promises to transform into a make-believe world filled with whimsy and romance this week when Clay Central-Everly High School students perform Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." With close to 70 CCE students involved in the production -- and many community members also stepping forward to assist with the love story featuring Belle (Jacque Ginger ) and Beast (Kasey Kunzmann) -- Director Nancy Patrick guarantees the big show will delight young and young-at-heart alike...

Briefs 3-13-09 (03/13/09)
A soup and pie fundraiser will be held from 5-8 p.m. tonight at DaySpring Assembly of God Church, 1410 W. 18th St., Spencer. Chef Dr. Darrel Forslund will be serving home-style chicken noodle soup, "27 Spice" chili, and an international selection: Mongolian hot pot soup. Many...

Briefs 3-12-09 (03/12/09)
Spencer City Councilman George Kruger will host a Ward 1 meeting at 7 p.m. tonight at the Spencer Public Library. Bob Fagen, Spencer's city manager, will be the featured guest speaker. --- Spencer Hospital will be holding classes for individuals considered to have "pre-diabetes" -- those with blood sugar levels higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be considered a diabetic. ...

Gaither Vocal Band booked for Clay County Fair (03/10/09)
The first act announced for the 2009 Clay County Fair is an award-winning one. The multi-Grammy winning Southern Gospel and contemporary Christian music group, Gaither Vocal Band, is scheduled to appear in front of the Clay County Fair Grandstand at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13...

Six teens will vie for Miss Shamrock Sunday (03/03/09)
The 2009 Miss Shamrock Pageant will be held at 7 p.m., Sunday, March 8 at Corrigan Hall in Emmetsburg. There are six contestants in the pageant. Competition in the Miss Shamrock Pageant includes an interview with the panel of judges, introduction in casual wear, talent performance, formal wear and an on-stage question...

Concert Association announces program change (02/28/09)
The next offering of the Spencer Area Concert Association, which was to have been the Canadian ensemble Beyond the Pale, has had to be cancelled because of the cancellation of their U.S. tour. However, another concert has been scheduled for the same date, time, and place. The Caf� Accordion Orchestra will perform on Friday, Mar. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Clay County Regional Events Center with guest vocalist Diane Jarvi...

Board makes final budget decision (02/27/09)
With a few tears shed, a handful of harsh words exchanged and plenty of emotional public input, Spencer school board members voted to keep nine items above the cut line for 2009-10 Thursday night. At a cost of $348,176, these included an elementary classroom teacher, a vocational agriculture instructor and FFA sponsor position, the debate program, the mock trial and boys swimming programs, a high school social studies instructor, two middle school basketball coaches' salaries, a $103,593 package tied to full-time benefits for 15 teacher and library associates, and Activities Director Roger Johnson's position.. ...

Comin' at ya (02/27/09)
When Spencer's Southpark 7 Theatre General Manager Jarrad Black said the new Jonas Brothers concert event is going to be a real "in your face" experience, he wasn't kidding. The local theatre location is one of 10 in the Fridley Theatre chain to install the new Barco Digital Projection system featuring Real D technology. Friday's release of The Jonas Brothers Concert movie will be the first in a series of 3D films to hit the market this year using Real D...

Families work to save activities (02/24/09)
Youth music programs, the local Future Farmers of America chapter, the boys swim team, debate and mock trial were identified in a list of reductions as the Spencer School District tries to shave about $700,000 from the 2009-10 budget. The district held a public hearing Saturday that drew students and their families in an effort to keep their activities off the chopping block...

Singing the praises of George Washington Carver (02/21/09)
Opera Iowa performed before for third through sixth grade students attending Spencer schools Friday morning at the old high school auditorium. The collective performers told the story: "A Dream Fulfilled - The Saga of George Washington Carver," detailing the rise, in Iowa, of one of the first men to break the color barrier. ...

Spencer band members to participate in BVU Honor Band (02/21/09)
The 28th Annual Buena Vista University Honor Band Festival will be held on Feb. 28. Both the Spencer Middle School and Spencer High School bands will be well represented on performance night. Appearing on behalf of the middle school: Rachel Dole, flute; Kelsey Morisch, oboe; Tiffany Martindale, clarinet; Amber Ellis, clarinet, Sean McCord, tuba, Sam Koppen, tuba, and Tory Soma, tuba. ...

Opera Iowa offers student, adult performances today (02/20/09)
Opera Iowa is in Spencer today, offering multiple performances for area students, during the day, then again at 7:30 p.m. tonight. The student performance of "A Dream Fulfilled" will begin at 10 a.m. The Opera Iowa participants will provide a clinic -- "What's My Aria" -- beginning at 1:40 p.m., for high school; and 1:46 p.m. and 2:29 p.m. - dealing with singers and vocal styles -- for the middle school students...

Relive the music you fell in love with (02/12/09)
Jill Barr, Barb Larson and Jean Johnson (along with, Nicole Stauffer -- not pictured) are "The Taffetas," SCT Theatre's latest production debuting at 7:30 p.m., Friday. A complete write up on the SCT musical stage performance will appear on Friday's Entertainment page. ...

Mayer to kick off Veterans Tour in Spencer (02/11/09)
Northwest Iowa's local "Nashville" star is returning to the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer on Friday, March 27. Spencer is the first stop on the Veterans Tour. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Dave Fintel will be opening for Shawn. Shawn and Dave will be available for autographs after the show...

CCE students: Have business, will sell product (02/07/09)
Clay Central/Everly students in Liz Kardell's Introduction to Business class are learning what it takes to run a business from the ground up. They're evaluating and re-evaluating every decision they make, as well as staying accountable to one another...

Vienna Boys Choir to Perform in Spencer (02/07/09)

Shelter house renvovation effort receives $12,000 boost (02/07/09)
Area musicians played to a packed house of country music fans during the "Opry at the Sami" on Jan. 24, helping in a massive fund-raising effort to restore and renovate Mini-Wakan State Park's shelter house. Held in conjunction with the University of Okoboji's Winter Games, the event took place at the recently completed Sami Bedell Center for the Performing Arts in Spirit Lake...

SCT reprises hit show 'Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story' (01/10/09)
Spencer Community Theatre has been invited to reprise the hit musical "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story," as part of the Winter Dance Party festivities celebrating the life and music of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" premiered at SCT in February 2008 to sold-out houses and an extended run. ...

'We make No Apologies!' (01/09/09)
That's the shout made by many teenagers who will be returning to the 8th Annual No Apologies events scheduled for Jan. 20 and 21. No Apologies is a program for kids that "tells the life, love, and sex." It is sponsored and organized by Cherish Center, formerly known as Shepherd's Fold, for students, parents, and teachers. ...

Lend your voice to a country church sing-along (12/13/08)
The drapes at Zion United Methodist Church will be lifted Sunday night, with lit candles glowing in the windows. The picturesque country church scene in rural Spencer, similar to one found on a Terry Redlin-inspired Christmas card, will host an annual tradition area residents have looked forward to, and others return to take part in...

Johnson celebrates holidays tonight (12/11/08)
Students from Johnson Elementary School rehearsed for tonight's winter concert Wednesday afternoon. The performance will begin at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the old Spencer Middle School Auditorium. The concert, which will feature a collection of holiday music, will conclude the K-3 elementary concerts for the winter season. The high school band and vocal winter concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday night at the Spencer Fieldhouse...

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