The Alexander City Outlook

Fireworks show, concert draws thousands to lake

More than 5,000 people headed to the Lake Martin Amphitheater Sunday for Russell Lands’ Fourth of July Blast.

In addition to the concert goers there also were thousands of boats that lined up to view the fireworks show that evening.

The concert began at 4 p.m. with Homeland and was followed by Muse and Shades of Blue. Headlining the concert was the Sweet Young ‘Uns, a Montgomery oldies band.

“We expected a large crowd. People like to come here in celebration of the Fourth,” said Blue Vardaman with Russell Lands. “It’s not only a way to enjoy the fireworks, but there’s also great entertainment. I think we’ll have 5,000-7,000, and it’s growing every year.”

This is the fourth year Russell Lands has hosted the concert and fireworks. The Sweet Young ‘Uns perform every year at the event, but this was the first year they performed on the new stage at the amphitheater.

The Fourth was the second concert with the new stage, and Vardaman hopes with its completion, they can attract even bigger names to the amphitheater.

Homeland band member Carl Jones said his band play all across the nation, and the new stage at the amphitheater is one of the finest he’s ever performed on.

“We were going to play in (Washington) D.C., but we turned down that to come here,” he said. “This has just been great.”

Homeland is a band made up of veterans. The band typically plays to veterans, and Sunday, they were able to perform for some of the area’s newest veterans.

During the concert, Alexander City’s 214th Military Police Company was honored for its recent duty in Iraq.

“How can we say thank you for freedom? We can’t,” said Ben Russell, who presented the unit with a plaque. “But tonight, that’s what we want to do. We want to say thank you for our freedom and the freedom of others. We can’t appreciate everything you guys have done enough.”

The Fourth of July Blast benefits Children’s Harbor. Ellen Phillips, executive assistant to the executive director at Children’s Harbor, said the concert is one of the biggest fund-raisers in the area for the organization.

“This concert definitely helps support the programs that Children’s Harbor offers to seriously ill children and their families,” she said. “We want to be the ones who are there for them, and this is the biggest local fund-raiser that helps us continue our services.”