Long Gone to concert series July 18 - Gone to 18

Long Gone to concert series July 18 Gone to 18

BY BRIAN WILSON NEWS NEWS EDITOR

Long Gone will bring its twist on rock, pop and even country favorites to area residents when the band takes to the Tombstone Pizza Bandshell in the Medford City Park on July 18.

The concert is part of the summer-long Kiwanis Concert Series. The concert series is held on Thursday evenings with the music starting at 7 p.m.

'Long Gone' is an acoustic trio featuring Ashland's Dag Bystrom on the drums and assorted exotic percussion; with Athens' Donley and Lisa Niskanen on vocals, hand percussion and 'strings.'

Lisa Niskanen takes the lead vocals on over half of the Long Gone set, covering songs from Pat Benatar to Fleetwood Mac and Dolly Parton.

She also puts her vocal flare on songs originally sung by male artists like Tom Petty and Phillip Phillips.

In addition she breaks out an array of hand percussion from shakers and sand blocks to tambourines and finger cymbals. When not making music, she is a music teacher in the Colby School District. Donley Niskanen is the ‘string section’ for Long Gone, playing a Taylor and Ibanez 6-string in alternate tunings. He sings lead on any of the songs Lisa doesn’t, anything from John Mellencamp to Johnny Cash including the Beatles and Whitesnake. Long Gone makes up for not including a bass or lead guitar by jamming between Donley’s picking and Dag & Lisa’s rhythm.

When not making music, Donley is a music teacher in the Medford School District.

Dag Bystrom is the ultimate percussionist and has the most “toys” to prove it. He can easily move from having a cajon in his lap to having several slap boxes nearby and ‘shaker braclets’ on his ankles and wrists while playing kick drum and various other hand percussion.

At home on a conventional kit, he brings a truck full of surprises to the Long Gone sound. In addition to the trio on the stage, Medford area resident Rich Wirz is the 'Long Gone' audio engineer.

The Kiwanis Music in the Park Concert Series sponsors include the City of Medford Hotel/Motel Room Tax fund and Hemer-Pickerign Funeral & Cremation Services. Those attending should bring lawn chairs.

will take to the Tombstone Pizza Bandshell in the Medford City Park on July 18 as part of the Kiwanis Concert Series.

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