I attended the Stars and Stripes concert on Sunday night at Riehle Plaza. Wow what a great night. The weather even cooperated; a breeze blew a lot of the humidity out of the air.
I have to admit, I've not been to the concert in several years, but I think the downtown feel worked real well. The sight lines to the stage were not as good as the Slayter Center, but the atmosphere was just as festive. I liked the variety of entertainment and the quick changes from one performing act to another. The "show" never dragged.
The fireworks presentation in the downtown setting was even better than at Purdue. The way the landscaping around Riehle Plaza has grown, allowed for better visibility of the fireworks from the same location where you watched the concert. At Slayter, if you had a good spot for the concert, you had to move to a different location in order to be able to see the fireworks.
All in all, it's a great community event. I won't let so many years go by before I attend the next concert.
