The Current Online

Hard Bean Cafe (Danielle Fulmer/The Current)

by  Danielle Fulmer

Sounds from the one-man act filled the air and traveled all the way to the top of the loft at The Hard Bean Coffee. Eyes focused on the singer, Brady Toops, who played his guitar in front of the coffee bar. The Shop is decked out in an urban alternative motif. Perfect seating is arranged throughout the downstairs and a cozy, small lounge-like overlook is available for customers.     View slideshow     [...]

by Danielle Fulmer

Longview students Emma Jo Blakenship and Kyle Scheel heard about an anti-gay rights rally planned for Overland Park in April. As the gay community decided how to approach this attack in a positive manor, Blankenship and Scheel wondered whether they could fight for equality through music.

On April 18, their band, Emma Jo and the Poets Down Here, played for the Rock for Equality concert. Even though no one in the band is an open gay, they wanted to show their support for gay rights by helping the event with four hours of music.

“I view it more as equality and human rights than a moral thing,” said Scheel.

Scheel said he stumbled on an ad on Craig’s List looking for some musical talent to perform “as a counter-fundraiser to the anti-gay rights one being put on by the Kansas Family Policy Council at the Doubletree Hotel in Overland Park,” the ad. “Rather than a protest, we want to do a positive event in place of the other one.”

Local and national organizations came to aid the event, including nationally known groups like the Human Rights Campaign, the largest civil rights organization for the LGBT, and the Trevor Project, an LGBT suicide prevention hotline. Local supporters included the Kansas Equality Collation. The cost was free, but donations were being accepted and the proceeds went to the Human Rights Campaign.

“Our generation is so much friendlier towards [LGBT],”Blankenship said.

The concert was a hit and the band helped to bring in donations even from unlikely sources.

“There was even an older gentleman in a motorized wheelchair that gladly made a donation to the Human Rights Campaign,” said Matt Davis, a coordinator for the event.

People were able to come and be themselves with no fear of persecution. The event also spread the awareness of local groups that can help anyone who is struggling with coming out.

“There has just been a misunderstanding of who LGBT people are and what they stand for,” said Davis. “With events like this, we are slowly chipping away at the misunderstanding and people are realizing the LGBT people are a lot like themselves. I am glad that I, along with Emma Jo and the Poets Down here, could be a small part of that change.”

Hooper at Tom Fooleries (Danielle Fulmer/The Current)

by Danielle Fulmer

The sounds of guitars tuning pour into the hallways. Students sit waiting for the next song that will put their learning fingers to use. The instructor sits in the middle of his circling class, telling them note by note the new musical arrangement that creates their next assignment. This is Music 125 at MCC-Longview. The instructor is Ben Hooper, and he is no ordinary teacher.

“I enjoy helping others hone their craft of music,” Hooper said. “I plan on doing this for many years.” After the long hours of teaching not only at Longview, but at Penn Valley and private lessons as well, this talented musician slips into the band scene. Hooper performs at Tom Fooleries, playing his guitar for his band, Gov’t Cheez, on Wednesday and Thursday nights. [...]