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Curtain falls on annual Common Ground Music Festival

July 15, 2012
Photo by Julia Nagy | The State News

For Haley Albers and Peyton Shinall, the road to the 13th annual Common Ground Music Festival was a long one.

Albers, a Sadieville, Ky., resident, and Shinall, a Lexington, Ky., resident, both traveled from their home state hundreds of miles away to see Walk Off the Earth — one of the pair’s favorite bands — perform at the festival, which began Monday and concluded Sunday at Adado Riverfront Park, 300 N. Grand Ave., in Lansing.

The seven-day long event featured more than 40 musical acts on two stages, and this weekend’s headliners included rock groups The Wallflowers and Three Days Grace, as well as ska-punk group Sublime with Rome.

Shinall and Albers said they both fell in love with Walk Off the Earth after hearing the group cover pop musician Gotye’s hit song, “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Shinall said the lengthy trip she and her friend made was worthwhile because — since hearing that number — she has been determined to see the indie-rock group live.

“It’s like my dying wish to see them,” she said.

After Walk Off the Earth’s performance on the Pearle Vision Pavilion Stage Friday night, both Shinall and Albers were beaming with joy as they reminisced about what they just had witnessed.

They’re just so full of energy and great to watch. I love to watch them,” Shinall said.

Shinall and Albers weren’t the only attendees at Common Ground who were noticeably moved by a performance at the festival.

Lansing resident Kathy Nelson and Holt, Mich., resident Carol Poole cheered in excitement following The Wallflowers’ set on the Auto Value Main Stage Friday night.

Neither friend had seen the band, which features famous artist Bob Dylan’s son Jakob Dylan as the lead vocalist, play before and were impressed with what they saw. Nelson said she has attended Common Ground several times since it first began, and this year she came out specifically to see The Wallflowers and Soul Asylum, the alternative-rock band that opened for them.

“It was fabulous,” Nelson said. “(The Wallflowers) were great, and then we got to get up front, so that was even better.”

Sarah and Chris Van Horn also came out to Adado Riverfront Park on Friday to watch The Wallflowers.

Chris Van Horn saw the group perform more then a decade ago at the Muskegon Summer Celebration in Muskegon, Mich. The Lansing resident didn’t actually have tickets to the show, but he watched it from afar and was entertained just the same.

“It was a really great show,” he said. “I was sitting on the outside of the fence watching, so I wasn’t really a part of the show, but I enjoyed it.”

This time around, Chris Van Horn made sure to purchase tickets to see The Wallflowers play, and he was able to watch them up close with his wife by his side.

“I’m more into music (now) than I was at the time when I saw them before, and I really think it’s going to be a good show,” he said.

Group members performed a mix of older, more well-known songs and newer numbers that captivated audience members throughout their set.

“(The band is) timeless; I mean, listen to those guitar licks,” Poole said.

Friday night was the only night Poole attended the event this year, and she said she thoroughly enjoyed her time at the festival, even though it was limited.

“One night is awesome,” she said. “As long as you can come down and party and hang out, it’s worth it. I thought it was really awesome.”

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