I went to my first back to the Bricks FSO concert last summer and I could not believe how much fun I had! Seriously, I know what you're thinking, "She works for the FIM, of course she is going to say that," but it's the honest truth. I did not know what to expect and I had a hard time visualizing how they could orchestrate an orchestral concert in the middle of South Saginaw Street in downtown Flint, but they did it AND it was simulcast on ABC-12. The featured performers were the Motown group The Contours, featuring Sylvester Potts and they sounded great with the FSO. The crowd was a mix of die-hard Contours fans, FSO lovers and a huge group of pleasantly surprised passers-by who decided to stay for the show once they heard the music.

The vibe downtown was phenomenal. Folks were interacting with each other, clapping, dancing and singing along. I was manning the FIM information booth, which turned into the Contour's photo-op/CD sales table after the concert, so I had a chance to interact with a lot of the audience members. So many people were amazed at the turnout, the quality of the performance and the general feeling of camaraderie that the music seemed to produce. Folks from out of state who had come to show their antique cars commented on what a great place Flint is - nothing like the crime plagued, economically depressed city portrayed in the national media. They seemed taken aback by our city's cultural offerings, great restaurants and pubs along with the warm, friendly people who live here. Many said they would definitely come back this year because their experience had been so positive. The one thing they had in common was a feeling of surprise at Flint's vibrancy. This made me both happy and a little sad. It seems like our city has taken such a beating in the national media for so long, that when people come here and enjoy themselves -  they're pleasantly surprised. Our goal should be to take the 'surprise' element out of the good time, and Back to the Bricks is a perfect showcase for what a proud, fun city Flint is.

I cannot wait for the concert on Friday night, August 12 at 6:30pm with the FSO and Flash Cadillac. Neither can my husband and nine year old daughter! We plan to make the Back to the Bricks FSO concert a family tradition from now on because we had such a blast last year. It's so exhilarating to see so many people enjoying themselves in Flint again. Let's spread the word, invite your friends and family and enjoy what Flint has to offer as we celebrate our city's heritage and Flint's bright future.

Amy Trottier is the social media coordinator for the Flint Institute of Music, you can find her at the Back to the Bricks FSO concert openly tweeting and posting photos on Facebook.