Colfax First Thursday books big names

Plans for music for the Colfax First Thursday series include relocation of the stage to accommodate performers for the upcoming series. First Thursday this year received a $10,000 grant from the City of Colfax tourism fund, and that has been used to notch up the level of performance groups for the monthly series.

Val Gregory, Colfax unified executive director, said the performance area will move to the Spring Street block on the east side of Main Street with the idea of providing more distance between the performance stage and the noise generated by traffic on Main Street.

Some of the performers from the series last year recommended a change.

Among acts booked for the Thursday run will be Wylie Gustafson and the Wild West Band. They will perform in Colfax Sept. 7 in a concert which is expected to coincide with the starting day of the Palouse Empire Fair week. Gregory said Wylie, who formerly resided in Dusty, was excited to get a chance to have a performance date back in this area.

Sammie Eubanks, a blues performer who has worked in Memphis and has been booked nationally, has been signed to play here Aug. 3. Eubanks, who resides in Post Falls, has been performing recently in the Phoenix area.

Gregory noted Eubanks is married to former Colfax resident Cory Julian.

Keith Niehenke and the Hankers, who have played at Colfax for the last two years, have been booked for a concert here on June 1. Both Niehenke and his wife, band vocalist Julie Green, were raised in Colfax.

Eric E of Moscow has been booked for the July 6 First Thursday performance.

Gregory said they are also working on a plan to build a new stage for the run of performances. The aim is to build a portable stage which can be moved to other sites around town. Left over funds from the $10,000 tourism grant have been tagged to build the stage.