Teens dance night away

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By Dawn Feddersen | Sunday, August 13, 2006 11:42 PM CDT | () comments

Teenagers danced in the street in downtown Davenport on Sunday night.

The first teen street concert, dubbed the Chastening, featured two local Christian bands, Outlaws of Tinseltown and Loss of Words, and the LP Dancers.

The idea behind the free concert that blocked off 2nd Street between Iowa and Pershing streets grew from the mind of one Davenport teenager, 17-year-old Nate Schaefer. He said he always is looking for new ways for teens to connect in a positive way.

“The Quad-Cities is spiritually messed up. It’s falling apart. I wanted to be able to show young adults a glimpse of heaven, like they’re sitting around God’s throne, by praising God through music,” Schaefer said.

Schaefer is no stranger to organizing teen events. He’s a member of the social group for Christian teens called Friday Nights, which has given Schaefer and his friends a chance to interact and take charge of the group’s activities.

Friday Nights meets from 8 to 11 p.m. every other Friday night at LP Coffee Shop and Studio on 2nd Street in downtown Davenport, where Sunday’s concert was held.

“It’s a safe place for kids to hang out, listen to music and play games,” said Rie Young, who coordinates the Friday Nights group. “We’re in the studio right next to the coffee shop, so the kids can get coffee and snacks. They basically come to have fun with kids who have values similar to theirs.”

So when Schaefer took his concert idea to the Friday Nights kids, the group was eager to help. With the help of adults and other friends, the group was able to handle every part of Sunday’s event.

They obtained sponsorship from local businesses, went before the Davenport City Council for approval to close off a block of 2nd Street, organized concert equipment and publicized the event.

Kelsey Farrell, 16, a junior at Pleasant Valley High School, said that being involved in the concert and other Friday Nights projects has helped her learn a lot of new things about herself.

“It’s taken me out of my comfort zone. There have been lots of opportunities for me to reach out and stretch what I’ve done before,” she said.

As for Schaefer, he was not just content to organize the event. He is also the singer, guitar player and sometime drummer for Loss of Words.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com.