Arts & Entertainment
North Druid Hills Couple Rocks Out in Their Backyard
And you're invited. Provided 40 people haven't already RSVPed before you.
Spring is here, and for North Druid Hills resident Kim Frazier Shaughnessy and her husband, Andy, that means music. Lots of music. The Shaughnessys host monthly outdoor concerts behind their home on Lavista Road throughout the spring and summer. Their first show of this year is scheduled for Sunday and features local blues band Spanky and the Love Handles.
The Shaughnessys’ community concerts certainly differ from a typical show at your neighborhood venue. Audience members are encouraged to bring their favorite dish for a pre-concert potluck and the hosts collect a suggested donation of $5 per person to pay the band.
“It’s a different atmosphere,” Kim said. “It’s very intimate and informal. Everybody eats well. (The band) can show up here, eat, hang out and actually get to know the audience.”
The Shaughnessys’ enthusiasm for live music dates back to the moment they met – a blues show at Maddy’s, a ribs and blues restaurant, on Scott Boulevard in April 2007. By April 2008 they were married, and soon after they were sharing their passion for music with the North Druid Hills community.
The Shaughnessys’ backyard jams are not exclusively geared toward the community members who make up the audience. They also provide a unique performance opportunity for local artists.
“We love playing outdoors. The people and the vibe, that’s really what we’re all about,” said Spanky and the Love Handles bassist Beth Vreeland. “For us to be able to share our creativity with any kind of crowd is what we are going to migrate toward. Especially when it’s a happy people crowd.”
Vreeland’s husband, Clark, is the guitarist and lead singer in the band, which specializes in New Orleans-style rhythm and blues. She said the Shaughnessys’ reputation played a role in motivating Spanky and the Love Handles to perform Sunday.
“We know a lot of people who love this family,” she said.
As for the Shaughnessys, they remain determined to share their love of music with the North Druid Hills community. That is, as long as the weather permits.
“When it starts getting cold we usually end it,” Kim said.
You can catch Spanky and the Love Handles this Sunday at the Shaughnessy residence from 2pm to 7pm. The Shaughnessys’ address is 2502 Lavista Rd., Decatur. There is only room for 40 people, so be sure to RSVP to Kim at kimfshaughnessy@gmail.com.