Tunes at Twilight continues to attract fans as 12th season begins

A sure sign of summer in Cape Girardeau returned Friday with the 12th year of Tunes at Twilight.

Rain during the day forced the concert to be moved from the Common Pleas Courthouse gazebo to Rose Theatre on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

The concert series is organized by Old Town Cape.

Marla Mills, executive director of the organization, said some things have changed since the first year of the concert series.

"The biggest change, I think, has been in the numbers and the demographics of the people who attend," Mills said.

The quality of the entertainers has improved over the years, she said, and some in the audience agreed.

"We have high-quality performers," Mills said.

Dave Hardesty of Cape Girardeau said he and his wife, Marla Hardesty, make it to about half of the 12 Tunes at Twilight concerts each year.

"I think the quality of the entertainers has gotten better," Dave Hardesty said.

"I think it's under appreciated," he said.

Asked how he felt about the concert featuring Chicago blues artist Donna Herula being moved inside, he said, "it's good and it's bad. The seating is better and the sound is better. [But], when they do it outside, you see all age groups, the children playing, people riding up on their bicycles."

Jerry Lomax, who runs the soundboard "rain or shine," said he prefers the outdoor concerts.

"I like it when it's outside," he said. "That's when you really get the variety. It's pretty cool to see the kids run free. People bring wine, have picnics, that type of thing."

Lomax said he's seen a variety of dogs accompanying their owners to Twilight.

"I haven't seen any cats yet," he said laughing.

Old Town Cape project manager Nicholle Hinkle plans the event with the help of local musician Bruce Zimmerman.

Hinkle said there's a plan if weather interferes.

"We have a pretty good system in place," she said. "We have a really good relationship with the university."

Until about four years ago, there was no set location in the case of rain.

"It was scary, because every week we had to find a location," Mills said.

Hinkle contacts Dr. Jim Dufek, a professor of mass media at Southeast, if the Rose Theatre must be used.

"He finds one of his students to help for the night," she said. Dufek also assists.

The decision to move Friday's event inside was made at about 3 p.m.

"It goes deeper than 'Is it raining at the time of the concert,'" Mills said, "because we have to set up the sound and the grass is wet."

The concert series runs for six weeks, takes a six-week hiatus, then returns for another six weeks beginning Aug. 16.

The series is sponsored by SoutheastHEALTH, Fox 23 KBSI and Cape Air.

Pertinent address:

North Pacific Street and Normal Avenue, Cape Girardeau, Mo.