Lost Faculties playing at library Oktoberfest

Lost Faculties, a well-known area band with an unlikely beginning, will be entertaining visitors to the Kasson Public Library’s Oktoberfest celebration on Sept. 28.
Kasson-Mantorville’s Homecoming in October 1997 turned out to be a surprise milestone for K-M High School Band instructor Nathan Davidson. The students were considering having an air band for the program but Davidson, Phil Johnson, and a couple of K-M teachers got together and played three songs. When K-M instructor Denny Yell introduced the program, the group started playing when they opened the curtain.
They really didn’t plan on having a band but they played for the K-M staff Christmas Party at the Hayfield Country Club in December 1997. The group did not have a name but since band members were K-M teachers, and they were playing rock and roll music from the 1960’s, they took the name “Lost Faculties”.
The group played on the 1998 KTTC Cancer Telethon and seemed to take off from there. In 2001 they opened for Peter Noone and Herman’s Hermits at the Sunday night Rochester Riverside Concerts in front of 12,000 people. They have also opened up for Janis Joplin’s band (Big Brother and the Holding Company) and Rare Earth. They have done a number of shows with Ringo Starr tribute artist, Mike Callahan.
The band has played at many area locations through the years and once again was at the Berne Wood Fired Pizza this summer. Most bands do not survive that long, especially for a group that had no intention of continuing when they started at the K-M gymnasium. Even though the band has changed members through the years, they have continued to entertain their audience with classic rock and roll music, which is what Nathan really enjoys doing.
Besides the “Lost Faculties,” Nathan was a member of the Polka Dots band for 40 years and continues playing with the Chatfield Brass Band, CBB Jazz Combo, the Rutabaga Brothers, and the Austin Big Band. Many people are well aware he is a huge Beatles fan and he can be seen driving his yellow VW Beetle coming to Kasson.