ION INDIE MAGAZINE June 2014, Volume 1 | Page 64

Photo credit: Jen Pezzo The First Annual Spring Extravaganza was held Easter Sunday, April 20th, 2014, at Akron, Ohio's Buchtel High School Auditorium. Sponsored by 2 Live Music Super Store and Smoke-N-Joes BBQ, the event assembled the Greater Cleveland/Akron area's finest Gospel Music performers, showcasing traditional and original arrangements to a pumped-up, jubilant crowd. Veterans of the Gospel scene, MARILYN RIVERS and VERNON PALMER --whom this reporter has known for years--were present with their fantastic show bands, in addition to VALERIE WOOD, MERRY WHITE, CHOSEN, LIVING CHRIST MINISTRIES, Y-KNOTT BAND SHOW and TINY BLAIR. SERENE opened the show with selections from their debut album “Sound Of Energy”, performing their single “Perfect Balance” as well as “Crusted Sun”, “Honored Tradition” and the album’s title track. Serene's INGRID WESTBERB and EMMANUEL BEY did a masterful job and Vernon Palmer's rich voice filled the auditorium and had everyone clapping and on their feet! Marilyn Rivers showed the next generation coming up how it's done! It was a real “kick” seeing Marilyn again--as she gave me my start playing onstage 24 years ago!