By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Decatur’s monsoon week shut down on Thursday what was shaping up to be one of the best concerts of the season on the Madison St. Plaza.
Jenn Cristy, portraying the legendary Tina Turner, was delighting a few hardy souls, umbrellas in hand, who turned out on the plaza to see her perform with her band, Simply the Best.
The enthusiastic Cristy even left the stage a couple of times to step out into the rain and sing midst the umbrellas/fans.
But in the end, the rain won out, shutting down some electronic equipment and threatening others – even though everything was covered. There was simply no other choice.
Light rain at the start time eventually turned into a more substantial rain, forcing the shutdown after 40 minutes.
A week earlier, a concert had been lost to weather and that one, featuring Derek Jones, was rescheduled.
But there was no way to reschedule Simply the Best next month since the band is booked to perform throughout New York State and Connecticut in September.
The Decatur Chamber has concerts on tap the next two Thursdays, Sunglasses at Night followed by The Bulldogs.
Adams Memorial Hospital will hold its annual event, featuring the Sweetwater All-Stars, on the first Thursday in September, followed by the rescheduled Derek Jones & 50 South band.
COMING BACK: It’s likely Simply the Best – which is derived from “Simply the Best,” the first greatest hits compilation by Tina Turner – is likely to be back on the plaza next year.
Cristy and several band members expressed interest in returning in 2027 and Chamber Executive Director Craig Coshow was solidly supportive.
In her first Decatur appearance, Cristy was excellent in her portrayal of Tina Turner, with a similar voice and all the dance moves.
The Tennessee native was a swimmer at Indiana University years ago when she met Hoosier John Mellencamp. The rest, as they say, is history.
She embarked on her solo career in 2003.
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