Broken Spoke rolls on at Bluebird Crossing

COURTESY OF MICHAEL GOFF AND BROKEN SPOKE
Michael Goff, center, and members of his band, Broken Spoke are shown during a recent rehearsal at Bluebird Crossing, a family-friendly dance hall in Quitman where the country ensemble plays each second Saturday when not on the road. This weekend’s show begins at 7 p.m. and will feature Maryville singer McKenna Liles, The McKinneys and This Side of Normal.

Country music fans with a hankering for live performance and dancing will get a chance to strut their stuff Saturday night at a unique venue in western Nodaway County.

Now in its third year, Bluebird Crossing, a former Mennonite church on Mulberry Street in the tiny village of Quitman, is filled with the sounds of guitars, keyboards, drums, basses and other instruments several times a year.

The family-friendly dance hall was created by Burlington Junction schoolteacher and auctioneer Michael Goff, who generally performs with his band, Broken Spoke, at the old church on the second Saturday of each month.

This weekend’s show is set to get underway at 7 p.m. and will also feature Maryville vocalist McKenna Liles; The McKinneys, a duo act from Bedford, Iowa; and a second duet attraction, the Tarkio-based This Side of Normal.

Liles was this year’s “People’s Choice” award winner during the local round of the nationwide Country Showdown talent search, a competition that Goff has won twice.

After coming out on top in the Maryville Showdown in 2013, Goff put together Broken Spoke — an ensemble made up of musical friends and family members — and the group has gone on to become a popular attraction at fairs, festivals, rodeos and club dances across the region.

Goff said he established Bluebird Crossing in order to give his band a more or less permanent venue where local fans can see them on a regular basis. He said the venue also serves as a showcase for young entertainers looking for a place to play and sing.

“I really like to see the young performers getting in there and having an opportunity,” he said.

While Bluebird Crossing has yet to attract large crowds, Goff said the folks who do show up are enthusiastic and out for a good time while listening to a mix of country, oldies and even a little rock ’n’ roll.

It’s a family atmosphere, Goff said, and alcohol and smoking are prohibited. Children are welcome, and there’s a kids’ room located off the main performance space and equipped with a selection of toys and games.

Goff family members operate a concession stand on show nights that offers soft drinks, candy bars, hamburgers and hot dogs. Admission is whatever people feel like they can afford to pay.

“It’s just whatever amount they can put in the bucket, Goff said. “If people can’t afford much, we’d rather that they come anyway. It’s just a fun place for the band to play, and where fans know they can hear us on a regular basis and come and dance.”