DAVENPORT, Iowa — Music filled the air at Lindsay Park in Davenport Friday afternoon.
"I honestly didn't think we were going to get to this point in this year," said Davenport Central High School senior Owen Crowder.
Crowder, along with 18 others who make up the jazz band, got back to something more normal.
"We've had to come up with stuff on a whim a lot this year, whether it be performances, I mean this just came up maybe a week or so ago," said Crowder.
This performance followed the jazz band's last in-school performance on Thursday. That was their first live audience since March 2020. Friday's performance was from an invitation from the new Heights of the Era group. This was just the second live audience for the students in over a year.
"It was kinda sad we didn't get to have one at the beginning of the year but I'm glad we're finally able to be in person," said Davenport Central High School senior Olivia Hansen.
The performance was a chance for students like Hansen to try something new: an outdoor concert.
"We've never had a concert like this," Hansen said.
Band director Brian Zeglis said the pandemic forced the students to be more creative, and has taught the students a lot about improvisation.
"Just kinda reacting to the surroundings and things that happen around you, and when somebody zigs you gotta zag, and it's been a lot like jazz in that aspect," said Zeglis.
So after a year of live-streamed performances, students like Crowder and Hansen got one last chance to shine.
"Having been in this group for four years now, it's exciting I get to finish it out here in front of an audience, no matter how big or small," said Crowder.
These students didn't miss a beat.
The Heights of the Era group is organizing live music during Bix weekend in July. That group is working with Davenport Central on scheduling the students to play during that weekend, hoping to align with the students' summer break schedules.
You can see the full line up of bands scheduled to play at the Heights of the Era event website.