By By JAMES COLLINS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- With its new summer concert series, Riverfront Cafe continues to provide a live music venue not usually found in a city of Niles' size.
By bringing in a mix of touring acts with a variety of styles including rock, jazz, blues and folk, the venue offers a consistent line up of diverse music for Niles residents to enjoy.
The cafe features live bands every Saturday and most Fridays with occasional live performances on Wednesdays as well.
Gerri Klinck, co-owner of the Riverfront Cafe, said the goal of the concerts is to provide a fun place in Niles for people to spend an evening.
One of the summer concert events will be held tonight and features a Niles duo called Stage Fright Remedy and an up-and-coming alternative trio from Chicago called Loomis.
Stage Fright Remedy will be opening the show at 8:30 p.m. with Loomis to follow. There is an admission fee of $5 at the door.
Doug Clark, the owner of the cafe's advertising agency, Doug Clark Creative, and father of the sibling team that makes up Stage Fright Remedy, has lent a hand in bringing in some of the events.
Clark, a former musician himself, said opportunities to go out and do things on the weekend have been few and far between in our area and is pleased that the cafe is committed to providing live entertainment on a regular basis.
Stage Fright Remedy is a brother/sister duo made up of Niles High School sophomore Taylor Clark, 16, and 2003 Niles High School graduate Rachel Clark, 19.
Rachel is the lead singer and writes the band's lyrics and Taylor plays guitar, provides some additional vocals and writes the music for their songs.
Stage Fright Remedy's style is described as a blend of acoustic rock with introspective lyrics.
Rachel said she and her brother work very well together and that their sibling connection has been a creative advantage to them.
The band's name takes the concept of stage fright and applies it to life in general.
The duo is currently in the studio working on their debut album to be released on an independent label this fall. They will be performing at festivals and venues around the area including Niles, St. Joseph and South Bend, Ind. To hear the band's music, go to www.purevolume.com/stagefrightremedy.
Tonight's headliner Loomis is rising alternative band that is currently making waves in the Chicago music scene. In 2003, Garageband.com ranked Loomis the number one band of the Top 200 Chicago bands and their song "Its Too Hard" was also ranked number one out of 8,000 songs submitted.
If weather permits, all of the cafe's summer concerts will be held outside on the patio. All shows are $5 at the door and music will typically begin at 9 p.m.
Riverfront Cafe Summer Concert Series Schedule
July 3 -- Loomis with opening band Stage Fright Remedy
July 10 -- Elwood Splinters Blues Band
July 16 -- Little Frank &the Premiers
July 23 -- The Leonard Brothers
July 24 -- EZ Ed
July 30 -- Wood N Nickel
July 31 -- Rich Hardesty with Moe Z.
Aug. 6 -- Living Soul &the Pearl Divers
Aug. 14 -- The Whoodoo Band
Aug. 27 -- Pauline York Band