Summer concert series debuts

 The Waseca Public Library kicked off its annual Summer Concert Series Tuesday night with music from the Travel Ground Band; about 50 people were in attendance. 

The concert series will be featuring bands from different genres at 7 p.m. each Tuesday in June at Trowbridge Park.

Travel Ground is an American Roots band that provides a combination of folk, blues, soul, gospel, jazz and roots rock traditions, with original and artful covered songs. Clark Machtemes and his son Mason, the two members of Travel Ground, hailed from Waconia to play at Trowbridge. Clark started the band many years ago and now the band has been together for 35 years. Machtemes traveled around with bands such as Crystal Gayle and Juice Newton and opened for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in his youth before he decided to get his teaching license and teach social studies for 34 years. Machtemes retired in September and now travels around playing in his band with whatever members are available to play at the time. 

Although he was in Waseca for his first time, Machtemes hopes to be welcomed back at some point. During the concert, he asked audience members whether they knew the meaning of the word “Waseca.” He explained he used to teach about  Minnesota’s heritage and takes an interest in names. Fortunately, folks were able to tell him it translates to “ fertile land.”

“It was really good,” said LeAnn Dahle of the concert. “We should take advantage of stuff like this in the community.”