A Night to Remember in Sun Valley
Our Evening at the Argyros with the Wood River Women’s Foundation
We’ve played in barns and backyards, under shade trees and farmers’ market tents… but this? This was another world entirely.
Last week, The Do Lollies had the honor of playing at the Wood River Women’s Foundation 20th Anniversary Gala at the Argyros Performing Arts Center in Sun Valley. And from the moment we walked through the doors, we felt like we’d stepped onto a movie set.
The staff greeted us like old friends. The stage crew—oh my goodness—they were phenomenal. Every single person backstage was calm, gracious, and attentive. You could tell they were used to working with big productions, but they treated us with just as much care and intention as any headliner.
Then came the sound check. One by one, they brought up each of our instruments and voices—not all at once, but like layers being painted on a canvas. Oliver’s violin filled the theater with rich sound, my keyboard sounded full and beautiful, Jim’s guitar was beautiful and clear. Then Vern’s dobro echoed through the hall, sounding rich and deep. Each voice filled the space like velvet. I’m telling you, the sound in that room was so rich and clear, it gave me chills. We’ve never heard ourselves like that before.
The theater itself was transformed into something magical. The seats had been tucked away, replaced by elegant tables and a spacious dance floor up front. Light projections danced across the walls in soft colors and cityscapes, making the whole place feel like we were inside a dream. People mingled, laughed, sipped, and danced—and we played our hearts out.
There was a moment during the vintage 1920s jazz set when I looked out and thought, this is exactly what I want to do with my life. Making people smile. Bringing joy. Holding space for connection and memory-making through old-time tunes and harmony. What a gift.
And, when we pulled out our dance step diagrams for the fox-trot, people came up and took pictures of it. It filled our hearts with joy to see people getting up and dancing vintage 1920s jazz dances like the Charleston and the foxtrot while we played.
We left with full hearts and a deep sense of gratitude—not just for the gig, but for the way we were treated and the beauty of the whole evening.
Thank you to Jenn and the entire Wood River Women’s Foundation team for including us in such a special celebration. And to the crew at the Argyros—thank you for making us sound and feel like a million bucks. We’ll never forget it.
— Amy & The Do Lollies
