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 The band quickly rolled into another popular song,
“Wild-Eyed Southern Boys” and after the round of applause that early
80s hit received, lead singer and guitarist Don Barnes smiled at the
crowd and said, “This looks like the place to be on a Saturday
night. Y’all ready for a good time?”
With arms waving in the air, the fans responded with enthusiasm and
Barnes guided the band into yet another hugely popular hit, “Back
Where You Belong.” This song from 1984 just makes you want to crank
up the radio and beat on the dashboard as you're cruising down
Woodlawn Road in Lincoln, Illinois.
By the way, Barnes shouted out “Lincoln, Illinois” throughout the
evening and every time, the crowd cheered. As a founding member of
38 Special in 1974, Barnes knows how to work a crowd.
And the crowd, an estimated 2,300 according to Dave Irwin, enjoyed
every minute of every song.
There were the die-hard fans packed toward the stage, all cozy and
sweaty, who can boast about watching MTV back in the day when the
music station really played music videos. And of those memories, 38
Special is among one of the earliest bands to appear on the new
channel, which incidentally premiered on August 1, 1981.
Of course, the band would go on to rule the airwaves in the 80s and
this was pretty evident by their legions of let’s say middle-aged
fans who danced like no one was watching all night long.
Meanwhile, there was another crowd of fans who brought their own
lawn chairs to the concert and that group was content just chilling
out and relaxing, while enjoying hits like “Back to Paradise,”
“Rough-Housin’,” “Teacher Teacher” and “Somebody Like You.”
A trio of songs from the band’s 1986 release “Strength in Numbers”
were also well-received. “Somebody Like You,” “Like No Other Night,”
and “Hearts on Fire” kept the crowd heated up even as the 10 p.m.
breeze rolled across the fairgrounds. Barnes even acknowledged the
warm reception from fans in the 217 as he said, “Thank you for
taking this ride with us through the years.” He was genuine in his
gratitude.
As the band played two more favorites back-to-back, “If I’d Been the
One” and “Fantasy Girl” it’s a sure bet a lot of old feelings were
stirred up among the nostalgic music lovers in the crowd.
Still pulling hits from the 80s catalogue, Barnes asked if there
were any singers in the crowd who would like to help on the next
song. As the band began “Caught Up in You” the crowd screamed and
proceeded to sing every word.
“Thank you for making us a part of your lives all these years,” said
Barnes, as the band exited the stage for a quick breather.
Returning for the encore, the band hit the stage with excitement for
“Chain Lightning,” a fan favorite from the 1982 album “Special
Forces.” This flashback left the fans wanting more and even though
the crowd did a marvelous job of singing and dancing all night long,
there was one more huge hit waiting to be unleashed and this crowd
was ready.
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From the “Wild-Eyed Southern Boys” album of 1981
(yes, these guys created and released great new music nearly every
year back in the day) the band whipped into what is perhaps one of
the greatest guitar riffs in music. “Hold On Loosely” was worth
waiting for. The smiles in the crowd said it all.
Even after performing dozens of hits, a guitar solo and a drum solo,
38 Special left room in their one hour and forty minute set for one
more classic. They ended the night by performing a cover of
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Travelin’ Band.” The crowd was
dancing wildly and the band was jamming crazily as this tune wrapped
up the walk down memory lane.
Barnes smiled at the crowd one more time and said, “You’ve been a
killer crowd! Thanks for coming out.”
With that, Barnes (who will turn 70 in December) and his band mates
waved to the crowd and exited the stage, leaving behind a satisfied
older generation and perhaps even gaining a new generation of fans
who seemed to be pretty impressed with the amazing performance.
Once again, the Logan County Fair organizers did a marvelous job
bringing fabulous entertainment to our community. Many thanks to all
those who made this wonderful evening possible. It truly was like no
other night.
In other highlights from the entertainment stage:
The Deja Voodoo Band, based in Springfield, Illinois, opened for 38
Special and they were a huge hit, bringing their own legions of fans
to Logan County. The Deja Voodoo Band sang hits from the 70s and 80s
and definitely warmed the crowd up for the headliner.
Prior to 38 Special taking the stage, there was a quick live auction
of two guitars. The first guitar was donated and autographed by
country music star Josh Turner. Turner headlined the 2021 Logan
County Fair. This guitar brought $800 to the winning bidder.
The second guitar was autographed and donated by 38 Special. This
guitar was won by the same bidder and brought $700. The lucky guitar
enthusiast going home with two prized possessions was Lincoln’s
Stacie Goodman. He didn’t originally plan to buy both guitars, but
he does intend to proudly display the guitars on his wall, he said.
Finally a side note:
The VIP Tent and VIP area next to the stage was a huge hit.
Countless VIPs were treated to a delicious pork chop dinner and all
the trimmings by Hilltop Catering. Once again, Mike Richner and his
crew knocked it out of the park with their hot off the grill pork
chops, baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad and cookies. Cold
beverages also flowed easily in the heat and without a doubt this
perk allowed the concert goers to enjoy the evening’s weather and
entertainment to the fullest. An all around great experience.
[Teena Lowery] |
