The Southern Thunder Cloggers roared onto the stage for the opening performance of the 2015 Hopelands Summer Concert Series with all the energy of a sudden squall.
Dressed in hot pink pants, black tops and white faux fur vests, the Young Adult Line dazzled the crowd, seated on folding chairs and blankets on the grassy bank across the pond from the stage, with their fancy, clogging footwork during the opening number, "Uptown Funk," featuring Bruno Mars. Soloists and teams of veteran, junior and beginner cloggers also danced to other contemporary pop tunes, traditional country songs and even a cappella, letting the jingling taps on their shoes make the music, on a beautiful spring evening with a breeze blowing through the tall magnolias and the sweet scent of Confederate jasmine in the air.
"We're very excited to have the Southern Thunder Cloggers here. It's going to be a great first show," said Sam Radford, a recreation program supervisor and the new supervisor for Hopelands and Rye Patch for the City of Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, who is directing her first summer concert series. "It's a traditional season. You'll see a lot of familiar faces. Some favorites might be the Marine Corps Band and the Aiken Concert Band."
One of the new faces in the series will be Chris Ndeti, who sings Southern rock and soul and will perform Aug. 3, Radford said.
"It's a good group, a diverse mix," Radford said. "It's always a fun, family event. It's free. It's something you can count on every Monday."
Vikki Crossland and Brandi Cook, Crossland's daughter and real-estate partner, of the Aiken Homes Team at Meybohm Realtors, sponsored the opening performance by the Southern Thunder Cloggers.
"We've been sponsors for three or four years," Crossland said. "I love the gardens, and I think the concert series is one of the best events in the community."
Diane Botula and Peanut, her playful Papillon, have been regulars at the summer concert series for five or six years. Peanut loves meeting the other concertgoers, Botula said.
"I love the variety of the programs, and it's an absolutely beautiful setting," she said.
Botula also brought her friend Kay Oppenheimer to the performance for her first concert in Hopelands.
"I've been to Hopelands before, and I've read about the concerts; but I've never been in Aiken this late in the season," said Oppenheimer, who spends half the year here and the other half in New Hampshire. "I'm looking forward to the performance. We are two happy women to be in Aiken."
The series will continue at 7 p.m. May 11 with a performance by the Aiken Concert Band, sponsored by Security Federal.
An Aiken native, Larry Wood is a general assignment reporter. He started at the Aiken Standard in September 2014.
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