craigdailypress.com

If the energetic show put on Wednesday night by the Tiller's Folly is any indication of the quality of this year's Craig Concert Association venues, local season pass holders are in for a treat.

To a packed crowd of about 300, the Tiller's Folly kicked off the night with a twang of the banjo and a stomp of the boot. The Vancouver-based Celtic band of four musicians attracted a diverse audience to Moffat County High School auditorium.

Eleven-year-old Greg Blackstun was one in the crowd who enjoyed the show.

"I like the instruments," he said. "I'm having a good time."

Spinning tales with their tunes, vocalist Bruce Coughlan kept the tempo lively. Nolan Murray, who played the fiddle, mandolin and banjo, often played faster on the instruments than the eye could catch and with enough emotion to bring the audience to clapping.

Attracting the high-class entertainment to Craig is important to keep residents from traveling long distances, said Genie Voloshin, a patron member of the concert series.

"This is one of the only ways we can get culture here," she said. "I think the committee has done a fine job in attracting entertainers this year."

The Craig Concert Association offers five local shows through April. Through the Allied Concert Services, season pass holders also have the option of traveling throughout the Western Slope to attend a diverse range of concerts.

Local upcoming shows include The New York Theatre Ballet with "Alice in Wonderland Follies" in mid-October. A November show will bring Marcoux Corner, High Energy- "A Cappella Quartet" and the Prudence Johnson Trio in March. The Barbary Coast Dixieland Band will wrap up the season with an April show.

According to Voloshin, the quality and diversity of entertainment that the Craig Concert Association can attract is determined by the number of supporters.

"The more people buy tickets, the better our entertainment is," she said. "There's lots of variety this year."

Amy Hatten can be reached at 824-7031 or ahatten@craigdailypress.com.