Music that changed the world:

By Stevi Breshears:

At noon Sept. 2 at Memorial Park, the first of what is planned to become an annual event, Yellow City Sounds Music Festival was held. The theme for this year was “Music That Changed The World,” which coincides with the Ken Burns documentary about the Vietnam War that premiered on Sept. 17, runs through Sept. 28. Performers at the festival sang their own songs, along with some of their favorites from the ‘60s.

“I heard old songs and new songs whose lyrics hold a commonality to the many different generations and cultures that were involved that day,” Josephine Fogo, a community member and parent of an Amarillo College student, said.

There were many performers at the festival, including The Dustjackets, Maggie Burt, Insufficient Funds, hONEyhoUSe, Zac Wilkerson, The Band of Heathens, The Deltaz and a jam session in the middle of the day with various artists.

“Our relationship with FM90 and Panhandle PBS has been great. When they said they were putting on a festival, we jumped at the chance to do it,” Ted Siegel, of The Deltaz, said.

The theme for the festival encouraged artists to perform some of the songs they felt were most influential during the time of the Vietnam War.

“It’s a snapshot, music is. You listen to music from the ‘60s and it gives you a brief little picture of what things were like in the world at that point in time,” Siegel said. “It helps people to relate and cope on a really broad level.”

In addition to music, the festival also featured many local vendors and food trucks. D. Maldonado and Julie Bednorz ran a henna tattoo booth together.

“It’s been a good opportunity for us,” Bednorz said. “Everyone’s friendly. Everyone’s getting along.”

AC students who attended the festival said they were excited about the event, and the meaning behind it. “As a college student, I feel it is important to show that music can still bring us together despite events that try to divide us,” Jasmine Rendon, a sonography major, said.

The date for the second Yellow City Sounds Music Festival has been set for September 1, 2018.

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