By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
Winner of the 2012 National Book Award, Erdrich’s novel works as a mystery, a thriller, and a psychological study.
Out in North Dakota in the ’80s, a terrible crime has been committed against the wife of a tribal judge, but she is either unable or unwilling to name her attacker. The husband and her only child are determined to obtain justice, but are blocked at every turn by arcane jurisdictional issues involving non-Indians committing crimes on tribal lands.
Unlike much of Erdrich’s earlier, postmodern works, combining anachronistic events and multiple perspectives, this follows a linear path with a single narrator. Joe is a man now, and has followed his father’s path into law; and he is looking back, telling the story as it was seen and felt by him when he was just 13. Joe is one of Erdrich’s most engaging protagonists; striking that unusual chord — the sound of a character coming to life.
The author flawlessly weaves the threads of the reservation community into her plot, as many locals provide a crucial piece of the puzzle. I chose the library’s audio version, and the excellent reader, combined with Erdrich’s prose, make for an unforgettable read. I felt like I was listening to a Shakespearean play– beautiful language, lingering images, and hilarious bawdy humor interspersed throughout, (most coming from the geriatric relatives).
The loss of innocence is a universal theme, suffered by all, and Erdrich brings a new poignancy to these wounds. Her books always involve the clash of nations, the loss of connections, the devastation of a people’s culture, and the whirlwind that follows. Against these epic traumas, Erdrich brings out her people’s love of family, their strength, and the power to endure.
Those who like Amy Tan may love Erdrich, and The Round House offers a wealth of discussion points for book clubs.
Shining a light on the outcast, the excluded, and the other, the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival (NDSF) Touring Company partners for the third year with the Krasl Art Center to present an exciting new production of Shakespeare’s classic slapstick comedy The Merchant of Venice on Friday, July 27 at 7pm.
Director Jemma Alix Levy helms this year’s Touring Company production. Levy is the Founding Artistic Director of Muse of Fire Theatre Company, which just finished its seventh season in Evanston, IL, where she spends her summers. She has directed multiple Shakespeare productions for Muse of Fire and other companies, including Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Henry V, as well for other schools and theatres including The Taming of the Shrew and The Two Gentlemen of Verona (American Shakespeare Center), and Macbeth (Quill Theatre). She is currently an Associate Professor of Theatre at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA.
Join the NDSF Touring Company in its signature ensemble style under the open sky, and explore the plight of the mistreated “other” in a time when Shakespeare’s comic and dramatic dilemmas are as relevant as ever. Director Levy’s new staging of The Merchant of Venice engages audiences through both hilarious comedy and a villain who elicits great sympathy.
Visit shakespeare.nd.edu to learn more about the Touring Company and other exciting NDSF programs.
NEW LOCATION THIS YEAR! The Krasl Art Center will be holding this year’s Shakespeare performance in the Benton Harbor Arts District at the corner of 5th Street and Territorial Road (at the shipping container) due to Sculpting Community construction taking place on the KAC’s grounds. To learn more about Sculpting Community, visit https://krasl.org/art/sculpture-map/sculpting-community/ or to make a donation, visit https://public.krasl.org/web/donate.
This performance is FREE and open to the public; bring the whole family, pack your own chairs, and experience The Merchant of Venice like never before.
Soft drinks and water for sale during the event, cash only.
The Holland Area Arts Council is excited to offer a variety of workshops and classes for adults this summer, featuring instructors who are masters in their craft. Classes offered include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign classes, a four-week Alla Prima Portrait oil painting class, a four-day watercolor painting masterclass, and two bread workshops.
Newest to our roster is a series of Adobe classes offered by Zeeland-based instructor McCoy Khamphouy. In the introductory Adobe Photoshop class, students will learn how to edit photos like the pros and more! Photoshop allows you to make photo collages, paint, and alter images to create original artwork. Khamphouy’s next course delves into Adobe Illustrator. This course is ideal for those who want to learn how to create logos and illustrations for use in print and web design. Adobe Illustrator allows users to make crisp, vector images for brand and product development. The final course in this series is an introduction to Adobe InDesign, which is perfect for those interested in creating flyers, brochures, and publication layouts. All of the Adobe classes are for ages 14 and up, and offered Tuesday evenings from 6-8 pm. Tuition is $120 ($110 for Arts Council members). Dates are as follows: Adobe Photoshop: July 24, 31, August 7. Adobe Illustrator: September 11, 18, 25. Adobe InDesign: October 9, 16, 23.
Next month, the Arts Council is happy to welcome back award-winning instructor Candice Chovanec for an Alla Prima Portrait Painting in Oil class. Alla Prima painting, or wet into wet, is a stimulating method which teaches you to be present in every brush stroke, focusing on only the essentials. This course will instruct students on painting the model from life. This class is for ages 16 an up and runs for four weeks on Saturdays, August 4-25, from 9 am- 12 pm. Tuition is $185 ($180 for members).
The Arleta Pech Watercolor Workshop Masterclass will demonstrate nationally known artist Arleta Pech’s process for creating dazzling and detailed watercolor paintings. Students will learn to artfully set up a still life with objects as well as how to use the Harmonic Armature on complicated still lifes. Arleta will then demonstrate watercolor techniques on glazing to build values and dark backgrounds that were seen in her book “Painting Fresh Florals in Watercolor” published in 1998 and sold over 35000 copies. Offered to ages 18 and up, this four-day workshop is $385 ($375 for members) from 9 am- 4 pm on Monday-Thursday, September 17-20.
In our Easy Artisan No-Knead Bread Workshops, instructor Ken Freestone will show you how to make bread at home with simple tools and ingredients, store your dough for up to two weeks, and have dough ready to bake (bread, pizza, Naan, rolls and more) in the time it takes to heat your oven! No experience is necessary, and all participants will taste samples, bake bread, make dough, and leave with a fresh loaf of bread to take home. Students ages 16 and up can choose from two dates for this workshop, August 27 or October 8. Tuition is $65 ($55 for members).
For more information regarding the above courses, or to view a complete listing of the Arts Council’s offerings, please visit hollandarts.org or call (616) 396-3278. Students can register for classes online at hollandarts.org, call to pay over the phone, or stop by to sign up in person.
The Holland Area Arts Council is a nonprofit organization working to educate, engage and challenge the community through the arts. The Arts Council is located at150 East 8th Street. Call (616) 396-3278, email helpdesk@hollandarts.org or visitwww.hollandarts.org for more information.
School may be out for the summer, but the students of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s School of Theatre Arts are still hard at work breathing new life into a literary classic and a rock n’ roll adaptation.
Join Civic Theatre as they close its 2017/18 season with performances of Little Women and School of Rock, presented by the theatre’s Summer Repertory Theatre Intensive (SRTI) from July 27 – Aug. 5. The SRTI program allows young creatives, ages 13-19, the chance to craft, produce, and perform in a main stage production, coached by theatre professionals. Students are given the opportunity to learn the art of performance through specialized dancing, singing, and acting classes. Those with an interest in the technical aspect of theatre are participating in hands on classes in set and costume design, lights and sound, and backstage crewing. Multiple weeks of work culminate in a showcase of stunning proportions, and this year’s lineup is guaranteed to delight!
Rock and roll lovers will find a kindred spirit in School of Rock’s frontman-turned-teacher Dewey Finn, as he navigates heartbreak, self-discovery, and occasional chaos on his climb back to stardom. Based on the 2003 cult comedy film, this thrilling tale reaches new heights with its musical adaptation, boasting original songs from Andrew Lloyd Weber, performed live by the multi-talented cast
Andrew Johnston is Dewy in Civic Theatre’s production of “School of Rock.”
Sharing the stage with School of Rock is Civic Theatre’s must-see production of Little Women, based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott. Journey with four larger-than-life girls, Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, through the trials of youth and womanhood, as they fight societal dangers with the undying bonds of sisterhood. It’s a story of family values that transcends generations – young and old will adore this show!
Ticket Prices for the show are $10 – $16. For information on Grand Rapids Civic Theatre or to purchase tickets, call 616-222-6650 or visit grct.org.
By Drew Damon, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
Dave Eggers offers us a very interesting new take on the Dystopia genre with his most recent novel, The Circle. The plot follows Mae Holland, a recently hired employee of the world’s most powerful internet company, The Circle (think Google and fFacebook combined), and their desire to create a more honest and just society. Mae’s experience at the company grows very complicated when the company’s innovations become more intrusive, and mantras such as “Secrets are Lies – Sharing is Caring – Privacy is Theft,” begin to be taken more seriously.
What I enjoyed most about the book, was that I had a very difficult time figuring out if the choices being made by the Circle were beneficial or detrimental to humanity. The entire book revolves around the tension between social justice and human rights, and whether constant access to anyone’s life would be worth it if everyone also had access to yours.
Unfortunately, the book felt like it was written in a bit of a rush, and I can see why some fans of Eggers are disappointed. However, the ideas and concepts he engages with still made it a very compelling read, and I for one couldn’t put it down. He also references Grand Rapids on page 411!
I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the future impact of the internet.
Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer: The Musical at DeVos Performance Hall Nov. 18.
By Hilarie Szarowicz
The “most famous reindeer of all” from the longest running and highest rated holiday television special will return live on stage with the critically acclaimed Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. Back by popular demand following three successful years of touring North America, the world’s most famous reindeer and a holly jolly cast of iconic characters including Hermey the Elf, Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snow Monster will help Santa save Christmas during two North American tours visiting more than 50 cities this holiday season. The national tour is a family favorite — a “holiday staple” (The Boston Globe) and an “utterly charming, top-notch production” (Orlando Sentinel) – and visits SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids, MI for ONE SHOWon Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 7:00 PM.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, July 20 at 10:00 AM. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. An exclusive presale will be available to DeVos Performance Hall email list subscribers. Sign up before Monday, July 16 to receive access to the presale beginning on Tuesday, July 17. If you’re not already signed up to the list, you can do so here.
Yukon Cornelius with Hermey and Ruldolph.
In 1964, the beloved stop-motion animated television classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, made its network television debut and has been delighting audiences across the country for over 50 years. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical is a wonderful new way to experience this family tradition,” says producing partner Jonathan Flom. “This show entertains and, at the same time, helps spread the important and timeless message that we should celebrate our differences.”
Projections, costumes and characters are faithfully brought to the stage against a backdrop of nostalgic set designs. The 12-foot-plus-tall Abominable Snow Monster is jaw-dropping. The cast brings high energy to classic songs and dialogue, while irresistible and loveable puppets highlight the charming “roughness” from the television show’s stop-motion effects. Flom says, “The familiar story elements from the television special are addressed with a talented cast and puppeteers who help recreate the magic on stage.” Since the special itself is a classic musical, the stage show does not feel at all like an adaptation and audiences are surprised and delighted when they see performances of songs such as “Fame and Fortune” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” that are heard but not performed in the TV special.
The story tells the tale of a young Rudolph who, because of the appearance of his bright, shining nose, is excluded from the Reindeer Games. He flees Christmastown and meets up with new friends Hermey the Elf and Yukon Cornelius. After finding The Island of Misfit Toys, Rudolph journeys home, where a snowstorm of epic proportions is threatening Christmas. Can Rudolph rescue his family and friends and help Santa save the holiday?
Rudolph’s partnership with PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center continues this year. The show offers a free toolkit to teachers that leverages the powerful messages from the Rudolph story to teach important character values. In addition, a portion of proceeds from sales of the new book, T.E.A.M. Rudolph and the Reindeer Games, will be donated to PACER.
ByLisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
A coincidence? I think not. In March, before spring begins in Michigan, I was out admiring some Hen & Chicks succulents out in the rock garden, that I’d only planted last year, delighted with their liveliness when everything else was still asleep.
Then I opened Planthropology later that day, and the book fell open to page 172, where the author discusses Sempervivum (Semper = “always”, vivum = “live”), thus in Latin, “live forever” plant. Yay! The perfect plant for me, who like the reptilian mother, loves to give birth (or plant) all kinds of trees and perennials, only to then walk away and completely forget about them.
Wherever you happen to open this gorgeous book there is something surprising and interesting to read. It’s full of natural history, design, philosophy, myth, and of course plain old growing tips. Reading about Skunk Cabbage alone involves Thoreau, physics, history. It’s one of those odd little facts that Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is able to metabolize starch to raise the interior temperature of the spathe up to 70 F., which is why you often see a little melted snow patch around them. Well, who knew? This is just a great book, whether or not you plan on taking shovel in hand this year.
And in case you are going to look up the name (as I did)– “Planthropology” is a name that the author made up to reflect a combination of “anthropology” and “plants”. Or, in the author’s own words:
Planthropology= plăn’thrə-pŏl’ə-jē, The study of the origin, the behavior, and the physical, social, and cultural development of plants.
Ken explains further:
“I invented the word Planthropology to tell the stories about the plants we appreciate and even those that people take for granted. I felt that I needed to communicate to both gardeners and non-gardeners just how remarkable plants are. Every plant has a story to tell, and they are often sensational. Stories about plants that were once worth their weight in gold; others that are potential cancer cures; some that were thought to be extinct; and a few plants that gave rise to wars.”
Electric Forest, on first glance, may be a strange place for military veterans to get their heads straight, their lives moving forward, but stories of aimless Vietnam veterans who found themselves by taking the dirt road to the first Woodstock festival in 1969 have become the stuff of generational legend and film documentary.
So it is not surprising that the Electric Forces veterans support effort at the annual West Michigan music festival has become a vital part of the rainbow fabric of the music, arts and cultural event.
And this year, under the wishful thinking of Michigan resident, veteran and longtime Forest Family member Angela — at the festival, first names are all that’s really needed — in partnership with Electric Forest’s Wish Machine, more veterans than ever before found a home in The Forest.
Invited to make the Forces program more understood and accessible to West Michigan veterans, WKTV interviewed six members: Charles, 25, a U.S. Marines veteran; Jeremy, 23, U.S. Navy; Jessica, 32, U.S. Army; Kyle, 30, Army; Greg, 28, Army; and Nate, 36, Navy.
The six come from different parts of the county — one identified himself as being a “gypsy — as well as different military and life experiences, and, when you drill-down, different reasons for plugging into the Forces. But when you listen, all six talk about the “community” they have become part of.
Kyle (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“There is a community here, I think,” said Kyle, who served until 2009 and has been at the festival five times over the years. There is “a veteran’s community, a community of people I have met. … I came to (Electric Forest) back when I got out, and that was such a big part of my healing process. Coming back to the forest has just become automatic.”
The Electric Forces program started in 2013, and it has grown in both size and scope over the years. And, while it may morph as years pass, it will likely continue.
“Electric Forest HQ is committed to continuing the Electric Forces program, collaborating with those veterans who have been with us since the beginning, and providing expanded opportunities for new veterans to join the experience,” Jeremy Stein, Electric Forest founder and director with Madison House Presents, said to WKTV.
“As we have understood from the program’s inception, Electric Forces will continue to evolve. Each year we gain a deeper understanding of what kinds of experiences and opportunities are of most value to our young veterans, both as individuals and as a community, and about how the program and the festival community as a whole can best support.”
The Electric Forces panel conversation hosted at The Brainery on the Sunday of the second weekend. (Supplied/Electric Forest)
The continuing evolution of Electric Forces
Initially, and still, veterans can apply to use their skills and willingness to learn to be part of the “build crew,” which quite literally builds the stages, temporary buildings and pathways, and whatever else needs to be built on the grounds of the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, which has hosted Electric Forest festival annually since 2011. (There was a music festival on the site for two years prior to Electric Forest.)
But the Electric Forces also includes participants who work in artist relations, visitor hospitality, and high tech and sound engineering.
And this year, the continued expansion of the Electric Forces program was also the first wish granted by Electric Forest’s “Wish Machine”, a new-in-2018 fan participation initiative which encourages the Forest Family to “spread positivity beyond the Forest and into their everyday lives,” according to supplied material.
The Wish Machine “called upon everyday heroes to be the change they wish for in the world” by asking fans to submit ideas, specifically what they were willing to do to have their wish granted.
And that means more stories like those of Nate, Greg, Jessica, Charles and Jeremy.
Charles, Jeremy and Jessica. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Every picture tells a story, don’t it?
While all of the veterans in the Forces contribute their past experiences, their personal story, to the festival, some are looking to the future as well.
Nate (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Nate, who got out of the service in 2017, is now going to school for radio production, so being at the Forest is a chance to get real-world career experience, make some connections — to become part of another “community.”
“I am working with the sound engineers on the Jubilee Stage … actually three or four of the stages … doing everything that goes into he sound,” he said. “A lot of the technical stuff we have been learning at school, this is an opportunity to get hand’s on.”
Greg (WKTV/K.D Norris)
For others, the jam/EDM/alt-eclectic musical mix at Electric Forest provide healing sounds.
“The Forest, the concerts, I think, are a real healing place,” said Greg, who has been to the Forest once befoe, in 2012, before being accepted into the Forces program. “I used to go to concerts every weekend. It would help me destress. The dancing really helped me feel less depressed and more energetic.”
Jessica (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
For some, it is a place to help veterans who are often overlooked when it comes to veterans support programs.
“Being a female veteran can be a little hard, because you sometimes get overlooked,” said Jessica, who is in her first year with the Forces but had been to the Forest previously. “There are female veterans out there, but we don’t necessarily ask for help too much because most people don’t know what we are going through. … Female veterans have issues too.”
Charles (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Others see the ethos of the festival as being not unlike that in the military, you bring something to the team; you get something from the team.
“I bring a sense of ownership to the festival. There is a good culture here where you take care of the space, you clean up after yourself, you take care of each other,” said Charles, in his second year with the Forces, “Coming from the military, that is very easy for us.”
Jeremy (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
For some, the ultimate goal is to connect with people: veterans connecting with non-veterans, and veterans with other veterans.
“I like putting our name out there, letting people know we are here and what we are about,” said Jeremy, who is new to the Forces this year. “Also, on the therapy side of Electric Forces, I would say I am kind of like a rock — that has been my role in most people’s lives. I was, like a shoulder to lean on. I don’t judge what is going on. I just let if flow naturally.
Jeremy’s pig; a conversation starter. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“Being in a group of veterans who have, pretty much, gone through what you are going through, the same thing or something very similar, even if you do not know the person … you know the person.”
That is the way it is with veterans; that is the way it is, often, at the festival.
An opportunity for veterans
For more information on Electric Forces, and to sign up to receive info on how to be considered for participation in 2019, visit here.
By Michelle Hannink, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
This New York Times bestseller is not another fad diet book. Roizen and Oz use simple language, humor and comical diagrams to help the reader understand the chemical and hormonal biology of food and fat metabolism within the human body. The authors present the “You Plan,” a diet and healthy lifestyle with recipes, and the “You Activity Plan,” an exercise regimen.
The human body has amazing and intricate systems for the processes of hunger, food consumption and satiety. The authors use a competitive sports metaphor for the eating/hunger signals as the offense and the satiety/satisfaction signals as defense. They explain the interaction of the brain, stomach, hormones, muscles, heart, genetics and daily stresses together to influence the waist and body size. The waist size has become more significant to medical practitioners than weight as an indicator of health risks associated with poor diet and lack of exercise.
A particularly interesting chapter explains the relationship of feelings and food. The authors explain the chemical relationship of emotions and stress on the brain chemistry of appetite and eating responses.
Little boxes of illustrations and facts give sideline explanations. Throughout the book, the reader will find practical tips and tidbits to help establish healthy eating habits. For example, eating a cup of soup or handful of nuts shortly before a meal will help appease the appetite and prevent overeating.
The book continues with the “You Turn” chapter, the presentation and encouragement towards a new lifestyle. It is all about gaining knowledge, changing your behaviors regarding eating and health, and gaining a permanent healthy lifestyle. The reader will continue on to the “You Activity Plan,” the 20-minute physical exercise program which does not require a gym membership or expensive equipment. The book is complete with the “You Diet,” the waist management eating plan and recipes.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced that a special evening series of programs will take place this summer at the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium. Three evenings this summer will include a special spotlighted show, along with opportunities for attendees to relax, socialize and learn more in-depth about astronomy.
Special late-night Chaffee Planetarium evenings will be held on Thursdays on July 12, Aug. 2 and Sept. 6 with each program having a specific theme. GRPM doors open at 7 p.m., with the planetarium show beginning at 7:30 p.m.
On July 12, join the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium for a special one-night-only double feature of Dark Side: The Light Show and NEW! The Queen Light Show: From Mercury with Love!
Dark Side: The Light Show is the Museum’s first original planetarium production since the new generation of planetarium technology, and is set to the music of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon album. Experience this iconic album as never before in this one-of-a-kind light show, featuring stunning 4k visuals, brilliant LED sequences and incredibly clear 5.1 surround sound.
Experience ten of Queen’s greatest hits in this brand new show, including favorites like Bohemian Rhapsody, Another One Bites the Dust and You’re My Best Friend. The Queen Light Show: From Mercury with Love is brought to the Chaffee Planetarium from Longway Planetarium in Flint, MI.
*These shows contain some adult language and dizzying effects. It is not recommended for individuals prone to motion sickness, seizures or light sensitivity.
Tickets for the July 12 light show double feature are free to Museum members, $5 for non-members and can be purchased at grpm.org.
Additional evening planetarium shows will take place August 2 and September 6.
August 2 – Do You Have What It Takes to Be an Astronaut?
Join the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium for a special evening for the full astronaut experience! Start the evening in the planetarium watching Space School, a new documentary based show, to learn the incredible story of how astronauts train underwater to live and work in space. Missions will be given to participants to see if they can complete the tasks and reach their destination!
After Space School, visitors can take command of space vehicles through video game technology in the Museum’s summer exhibition, Be The Astronaut! In a special guided-tour with an expert, visitors will chart their course to the Moon, Mars and beyond. The exhibition features detailed digital recreations of actual places in the solar system built using data from NASA space probes.
September 6 – Night Sky Trivia
Explore the night sky inside and out! Start by learning end-of-summer constellations and current astronomy events in the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium. Participate in an extended version of the Under Scorching Skies live show to delve into the current astronomical events.
Following the planetarium show, venture outside for telescopic observations with the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA). See what you can find in the night sky above the city, with a star chart and astronomy experts to guide you. Participants can plan to see Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, as well as some of the very brightest stars such as those that make up the Summer Triangle.
*Outdoor observation is weather-dependent, and alternate indoor activities will include a trivia tournament in the newly renovated Meijer Theater.
Tickets for August 2 and September 6 are $8 for Museum members, and $12 for non-members and can be purchased at grpm.org.
By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch
Lucinda and Jessie Ryder have always been close. The only two daughters of a golf tour pro, they find themselves living a life of constant upheaval. They go to new schools, conquer new stepfathers, and raise each other to become beautiful young women.
Lucinda, called Luz, finds a release from her frantic life in the form of photography and she shares her new love with her younger sister Jessie. But when Jessie’s life takes a turn after meeting a handsome law student, Luz steps up to be what their mother has not ever been: a parent.
Jessie’s fling ends with her pregnant and alone. She makes the decision to give up her child to her older sister and then flees Texas. Jessie follows her lover/professor around the world to photograph the most beautiful places on earth for sixteen years. Until a doctor’s diagnosis sidelines her hopes of a further career. She suddenly yearns to return home to see her sister Luz and the daughter they share. Lila has only ever known Jessie as her eccentric aunt who does anything she wants.
From the beginning, Jessie’s ways cause tension in her sister’s family. As Jessie meets and begins to fall in love with Luz’s neighbor, she sees that her two largest secrets could tear her family apart. One secret is not hers alone and traps her sister and brother-in-law in a veil of lies. One man only knows the other secret, her former professor, so that she can live her life on her terms rather than allow Luz to swallow her up.
There’s nothing better than being outside and hearing music in the distance. As you get closer, the music gets louder, and soon you find yourself at one of the many outdoor concerts right here in West Michigan. Performances in West Michigan range from local acts in the park to national headliners performing on some of the area’s biggest stages. No matter your taste, there’s an outdoor music event for you to check out this summer and into the fall.
Music Series Throughout the Summer
Music Series in Southern West Michigan
With a stacked music schedule throughout the summer, Vineyard 2121 in Benton Harbor has everything you need to enjoy your summer evenings. Couple this with their food and drink specials and you have the epitome of relaxation. For a full schedule of music, visit Vineyard 2121’s website.
The Dockside Bar at the Inn at Harbor Shores in St. Joseph is hosting live music on their Dockside Bar all summer long. Running through Labor Day, these three-hour concerts will be held every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
As part of their First Thursdays Market, Virtue Cider in Fennville features live local music the first Thursday of each month from now through October. In addition to these monthly performances, they’ll also have music throughout the summer. Visit Virtue Cider’s website for a full schedule of events.
The City of Hastings has partnered with the local arts council to create the free, 12-week Hastings Live! Summer Concert Series, starting Wednesday, June 6th. These Wednesday and Friday evening concerts feature the very best local and regional musical talent
Dablon Vineyards in Baroda hosts music throughout the year. While you’re sipping their world-class wine, enjoy the music that fills the air during your visit. For a schedule of performances, visit Dablon Vineyard’s website.
The Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven is hosting their summer concert series.
Each month this summer, the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven is hosting their summer concert series. These performances take place on the Michigan Maritime Museum Campus, with a beautiful Lake Michigan backdrop. For more information, including dates and who’s performing, visit the Michigan Maritime Museum’s website.
Make the most of summer at Round Barn Winery in Baroda and their concert series, Jammin’ in the Vineyard! Round Barn’s annual jamfest features 26 weekends of the best live regional music, paired with world-class wines, hand-crafted spirits, and fresh craft beers. For a full lineup, visit Round Barn’s website.
Summer music atBell’s Brewery’s Beer Garden starts in June and continues until September. Enjoy a Bell’s beer surrounded by sculptures, beautiful trees, flowers, and hops in a lush garden in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo. To see who’s performing this summer, visit Bell’s website.
Arcadia Brewing Company is hosting their Summer Music Series each month, with local music, tasty food, and frothy beers aplenty!
St. Joseph has two weekly concert series, both of which are free. Their Wednesday Brown Bag Concerts run through August 22nd while the Friday Night Concerts go through August 31st. For a full schedule, including who’s performing, visit St. Joseph Today’s website.
Downtown Coldwater is once again hosting their Entertainment Under the Star series of free outdoor concerts every Tuesday from June 19th to July 31st. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the sounds of folk, bluegrass, classic country, and rock.
Music Series in Central West Michigan
Located in Montague, the Trailway Campground is the perfect place to stay if you want to enjoy the free concerts held at the nearby Montague Bandshell each Tuesday this summer. Starting on June 19th, these live performances bring a wide range of music to the White Lake area.
Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant in Holland hosts live music every evening this summer! Enjoy the performance while you eat some of the area’s finest food on their spacious deck overlooking Lake Macatawa. To see who will be performing, visit Boatwerks’ website.
LowellArts in Lowell has concerts that promote the best of the region’s talented musicians, featuring music groups exclusively from Michigan. The concerts range from blues and world music to rock, swing, big band, and jazz. Shows are every Thursday evening starting on June 14th and running through August 23rd.
The Fox Barn Market & Winery in Shelby has live outdoor music now through Labor Day Weekend. The series is called “Fridays @ Fox’s” and brings together regional talent in a farm setting. Pair the music with a wine or their specialty food to enhance your summer evenings.
Grand Rapids Symphony heads to Cannonsburg Ski Area for the Picnic Pops.
The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is a synchronized water and light show accompanied by music of all varieties. Each 25-minute show features a variety of well-known music and plays daily at dusk through Labor Day, as well as Fridays and Saturdays in September.
Enjoy relaxing summer evenings with the Grand Rapids Pops performances by the Grand Rapids Symphony. This unique outdoor concert experience at Cannonsburg Ski Area is a sure way to create lasting memories with friends and family. For a schedule these events, visit the Grand Rapids Pops’ website.
The annual Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Frederik Meijer Gardens continue to bring the finest national and international musicians to Grand Rapids, thrilling music lovers across all genres and all generations. For tickets and information on their lineup, visit Frederik Meijer Gardens’ website.
The Mecosta area has a variety of live music during the summer months. Your choices include the Bandshell Concert Series on Wednesdays, Pocket Park Music Series on Friday afternoons, and Music on the River on Fridays. For more information on all the music in Mecosta County, visit the Mecosta County CVB’s website.
Mt. Pleasant’s wide variety of live entertainment will have you out and about all summer long. The local concert series is celebrating 10 years, bringing family fun to downtown Mt. Pleasant. Nearby Soaring Eagle Casino is also hosting outdoor shows, including Chris Young, Little Big Town, Nickelback, and more. For a full calendar of outdoor music, visit Mt. Pleasant’s website.
Music Series in Northern West Michigan
Indigo Bluffs in Empire is surrounded by outdoor music that you can enjoy this summer. One of the fan-favorites is Friday Night LIVE in Traverse City, hosted each Friday in August. The streets are closed for a fun-filled block party featuring live music.
The Village at Bay Harbor in Bay Harbor hosts live music every Thursday this summer, through August 30th. They’re also hosting a Fourth of July event on Tuesday, July 3rd, with a performance by the Petoskey Steel Drum Band. For a full schedule of events, including who’s performing this summer, visit Bay Harbor’s website.
Visit Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville to ride the Crystal Clipper chairlift and enjoy panoramic views of three counties and top-of-the-mountain attractions, including live musical entertainment, a family sandbox, snack bar, cash bar, and more. Rides are offered on select summer evenings on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
TheMackinac State Historic Parks is hosting Music in the Park on Mackinac Island every Thursday evening starting on June 21st and running through August 16th. Music in the Park takes place in Marquette Park in the heart of Mackinac Island and is free to the public.
TheTraverse Tall Ship Company in Traverse City will be featuring the folk band Song of the Lakes on their evening sails every Wednesday in July and August. The band will be playing lively jigs, chanteys, and ballads of sailing and life on the sea!
Every Thursday from June 28th to August 30th, Washington Park in Cheboygan will be filled with a wide variety of music. Each week is something different, with genres ranging from rock and blues to country and folk. This is a great summertime family tradition in northern Michigan.
Music in the Park is hosted every Wednesday at the Soo Locks Park in Sault Ste. Marie. Each week features a new performer, and best of all, these outdoor performances are completely free!
Each summer, the Music in Mackinaw Concert Series offers live entertainment in the Mackinaw area. With performances taking place at the Roth Performance Shell in Conklin Heritage Park throughout the summer, you won’t have trouble finding outdoor music to enjoy. For a schedule of all events, including outdoor music, visit their website.
Based out of Traverse City, MyNorth is dedicated to sharing stories and photos about vacations, restaurants, wineries, the outdoors and more from Traverse City to Sleeping Bear Dunes and up to Mackinac Island. They have a calendar of events, featuring music, art, and more, on their website.
Ionia Free Fair is July 12-21.
Festivals & Events
Festivals & Events in July
Located near Hotel Walloon in Walloon Lake, Village Green Park is hosting live music as part of their Independence Day celebration. Stop by on Wednesday, July 4th to enjoy all the live entertainment, before heading back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.
With nine days of family-fun entertainment, theIonia Free Fair returns to the Ionia Fairgrounds from July 12th to 21st. Enjoy the music, rodeo, rides, monster trucks, camping, and more at this fun annual event.
Idlewild Festival, held in Idlewild on July 14th and 15th, commemorates and celebrates the history of well known African-American entertainers and professionals who owned property and performed at the Historic Resort prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Known as the “Black Eden,” this location was one of the few resorts in the United States where African Americans could vacation and purchase property.
Located in Suttons Bay, the Inland Seas Education Association is hosting their two-hour music sail, Music with a Purpose, on Thursday, July 19th. Once you leave the dock, participants will have the opportunity to help raise the sails. Then, Dan Hall will entertain guests with lively sea chanties and stories.
Battle Creek’s Leilapalooza is Saturday, July 28th. This all-day music festival features over 60 acts on multiple stages. Rounding out the summer is the Michigan Metal Fest on Saturday, August 11th at the Leila Arboretum. Listen to metal music as 40 acts perform on four stages.
Kalamazoo Ribfest is Aug. 2-4.
Festivals & Events in August
AtKalamazoo Ribfest, the ribs may be the star of the show, but national entertainment and local bands will provide plenty of entertainment as you feast. Kalamazoo’s largest annual downtown festival brings plenty of ribs and even more live entertainment when it takes over Arcadia Creek Festival Place from August 2nd to 4th.
Come to Heritage Landing in Muskegon from August 8th to 11th for the biggest Christian music festival in Michigan:Unity Christian Music Festival! There’ll be three stages featuring more than 45 acts. Unity Christian Music Festival has quickly become one of the country’s premier events for live Christian music.
GRandJazzFest in Grand Rapids is West Michigan’s only free, weekend-long jazz festival! This year’s festival is August 18th and 19th, at Rosa Parks Circle, a central location in the heart of downtown. The festival brings to the stage notable jazz performers as well as up-and-coming artists for diverse audiences.
Originally started in Columbus, Ohio,Breakaway Music Festival expanded to Grand Rapids last year for a new music experience, with this year’s festival on August 24th and 25th. Featuring a well-curated musical lineup of national and local artists, local vendors and food trucks, and more, Breakaway is your release from the everyday life.
Muskegon’s Pere Marquette Beach will ignite on Saturday, August 28th, for the 4th AnnualBurning Foot Beer Festival. Serving as Michigan’s only barefoot beer festival on the sand, festival goers can enjoy some of the finest craft beer found in the Great Lakes region, revel in local art and food, groove to local and national music acts, and take in the beautiful shoreline of Lake Michigan.
The Allegan County Fair Sept. 7-15.
Festivals & Events in September
TheAllegan County Fair is home to many live entertainment events throughout its September 7th to 15th runtime, including musical and stage acts! The event includes performances by 5 Seconds of Summer, Pentatonix, Travis Tritt, the Charlie Daniels Band, and the Marshall Tucker Band. Tickets are available now for the fair’s many entertainment events.
Held from September 13th to 16th in Muskegon, theMichigan Irish Festival features live Irish entertainment daily under five large covered stages, from traditional Irish and folk music and contemporary Celtic rock to storytelling and Irish dance. The Pub will be serving traditional Irish beverages and food, adding to the cultural experience.
PRIME Music Festival returns to Lansing on September 14th and 15th. The multi-genre festival brings local and national performers together for a fantastic weekend of live music. Keep an eye out for their much-anticipated lineup coming soon!
By Karen Heeringa, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
Rob Gordon is a music lover in London who has just been dumped by his girlfriend. He’s relieved, but miserable at the same time. As his usual way to cope with anything, he and his two socially inept co-workers spend their time making ‘Top 5’ lists of movies, music and books that they love while working at a record store no one visits. Rob, of course, makes a list of his all time biggest break ups, which leaves him in the same state as when he was first dumped. He learns to look at things differently in life, while learning he can’t change the past, and ultimately things seem to work out for him.
Throughout the book, Rob discusses heartache, hardship, lost love, and even songs he wants played at his funeral. He looks back at when he used to DJ at a club (where he found Laura, the woman who just broke up with him), and where his life has led him since.
The Lakeshore Art Festival in conjunction with the Muskegon Museum of Art will host a public unveiling event on Thursday, July 5, to celebrate nine new sculptures in downtown Muskegon. The sculptures, which incorporate real kayaks, will be installed at various locations along W. Western Avenue and Clay Street, between 7th Street and Jefferson Street.
“We are very excited to bring this fun and unique public art initiative to our community,” said Lakeshore Art Festival Director Carla Flanders. “We are not aware of any other community that has featured kayaks in this way, and we know our residents and summer visitors will be impressed by the creativity of these nine artists.” The sculptures will be on display through Labor Day weekend.
The unveiling event will begin at 4 p.m. at the Olthoff Stage at the corner of W. Western Avenue and Third Street. Attendees will receive a map showing where the kayak sculptures are located and will be invited to participate in a “kayak crawl” to tour the sculptures from 4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The event will conclude with a reception at the Muskegon Museum of Art to honor kayak sculpture artists and Lakeshore Art Festival artists from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Light hors-d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available.
The 2018 kayak sculpture project is one of the ways Muskegon is recognizing Sun Dolphin’s decision to locate their corporate headquarters in Muskegon. Sun Dolphin, the world’s largest kayak manufacturer, donated kayaks for the sculptures and is the project’s Signature Sponsor. “Muskegon has been a great business partner to Sun Dolphin over the years, and very supportive of our growing company,” commented Sun Dolphin CEO Chuck Smith. “We are pleased to express our continued support of the community through this unique kayak art event.”
The Lakeshore Art Festival is Friday, July 6, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Saturday, July 7, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., in downtown Muskegon.
Born in 1947, in the vanguard of the “Boomer” generation, Barry’s journalistic work has long provided a humorous slant to that demographic lump in the American loaf. As he’s gotten older it’s worthwhile reading to see what Barry makes of how the overly self-absorbed generation has come to terms with its time on the field.
The chapter that resonated with me the most was the one where he is looking back on three generations, with a fourth one just coming onstage, and decides that his parents had more fun than he did.
“That’s not how it was supposed to be. My parents belonged to the Greatest Generation; they grew up in hard times. My mom was born in Colorado in an actual sod hut, which is the kind of structure you see in old black-and-white photographs featuring poor, gaunt, prairie-dwelling people standing in front of what is either a small house or a large cow pie…”
Dave speculates that the Greatest Generation may have triumphed by not realizing all the mistakes they were making — mistakes that the Boomers rectified by turning “parenting” into a verb, among other things. The laughter has a poignant bite to it, as Barry admits that “The harsh truth is that happiness is an elusive thing.”
But that does not slow the author down, as he travels to Brazil with his daughter for the World Cup, and goes to Russia with Ridley Pearson for a literature tour (the State Department tapped them to go). He meets David Beckham, tries Google Glass, and reveals a stunning secret confided to him by Johnny Carson about do-it-yourself home improvements. Great stuff!
Going back to a Dave Barry book was like meeting an old friend for lunch — you realize how much you’ve missed them, and wonder where the time went.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum will be opening a brand new exhibition this summer, titled: Ralph W. Hauenstein: A Life of Leadership. The exhibition will open on July 21, and run through January 2019.
A Life of Leadership will explore the extraordinary life of Grand Rapidian Ralph W. Hauenstein. COL Hauenstein was a leader in the West Michigan community, remembered for his role as a journalist, his military and intelligence service, his dedication to the Catholic faith, his entrepreneurship, and his philanthropy in Grand Rapids. Hauenstein left a lasting legacy in the United States and around the world.
The exhibition will highlight Ralph’s extraordinary life, his contributions to our nation and community, and his legacy of leadership. Interactives will allow visitors to test out writing a headline for the newspaper on an antique typewriter and try their hand at cracking a secret code. Photography from around the world bring visitors face-to-face with Ralph’s impact globally.
“The family is thrilled to share Ralph’s rich history with our West Michigan community,” said Brian Hauenstein. “We hope his proactive lifestyle will encourage all generations to consider their lasting impact on their community and the environment around them.”
“On behalf of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, it was an honor to work with the Hauenstein Family and the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University to share the important story of COL Hauenstein’s life in public service and leadership,” said Andrea Melvin, Collections Curator at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “The many artifacts and images gifted by Ralph himself to the GRPM and the Hauenstein Family will fascinate and inspire all who visit.”
Ralph W. Hauenstein: A Life of Leadership will be included with general admission to the Museum, and will be located on the Museum’s third floor.
This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of: The Hauenstein Family and The Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University. Images and objects on loan courtesy of Brian Hauenstein unless otherwise stated. The images in this exhibition were first digitized for public display by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University. Thank you also to the National Cryptologic Museum, NSA, Washington D.C.
Ralph W. Hauenstein
Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1912, Ralph’s family moved to Grand Rapids when he was 12 years old, where he graduated from Central High School in 1931. He was a public servant from his early years starting as a boy scout. Ralph was curious, inquisitive, and an exceptional storyteller, which led him to his first job as a police reporter for the Grand Rapids Press and later as a city editor with the Grand Rapids Herald.
Ralph joined the U.S. Army in 1935, serving first with the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1941 he began working as an intelligence officer in Iceland and rose to the rank of colonel. During World War II, he was promoted to Chief of Intelligence for the European Theater of Operations under General Dwight D. Eisenhower. An important part of his experience was the liberation of the German concentration camp at Dachau. His WWII experiences opened his eyes to the need for ethical, effective world leaders.
Ralph saw first-hand that many countries face food shortages. After the war he returned to Grand Rapids and became an entrepreneur in international trade and food equipment manufacturing, designing equipment to make Goldfish Crackers. His success in business allowed for substantial philanthropic contributions in Grand Rapids. He gave generously to many local causes and established the Grace Hauenstein Library at Aquinas College, Mercy Health Hauenstein Neuroscience Center and the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University.
Carillonneurs from around the U.S. will travel to Grand Valley State University this summer to fill the air around both campuses with music during the International Carillon Concert Series.
The 24th annual Cook Carillon International Concert Series will take place on Sundays at 8 p.m. on the Allendale Campus, beginning July 1.
Cook Carillon Concerts
July 1 – Student recital and open tower tours
July 8 – Lee Cobb (Cape Coral, Florida)
July 15 – Joey Brink (University of Chicago)
July 22 – Helen Hawley (Grand Rapids)
July 29 – George Gregory (San Antonio, Texas)
August 5 – Sally Harwood (Michigan State University)
August 12 — Carol Anne Taylor (Dallas, Texas)
August 19 – Dennis Curry (Birmingham, Michigan)
The Cook Carillon bells (Photo by Bernadine Carey-Tucker)
Named for major donors and longtime Grand Valley supporters Peter and Pat Cook, who died in 2010 and 2008 respectively, the Cook Carillon Tower contains 48 bronze bells created in the Netherlands. The bells range from 7.5 inches to more than 51 inches, and weigh from 14 pounds to nearly 3,000 pounds. Arranged in a chromatic series, a carillonneur plays the bells after climbing 61 steps to the playing cabin, just below the bells and clock mechanism. Cables connect the bells to a keyboard and pedal board that permit loud or soft tones through a variation of either hard or soft strikes by fists and feet. The size and weight of each bell determines the individual tones.
The 18th annual Beckering Family Carillon International Concert Series brings five concerts to the Lacks International Plaza located at the DeVos Center on Grand Valley’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus. These concerts will take place on Wednesdays at noon, beginning July 11.
Beckering Family Carillon Concerts
July 11 – Lee Cobb
July 18 – Joey Brink
July 25 – Tiffany Ng (University of Michigan)
August 1 – Duet: George Gregory and Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, Grand Valley university carillonneur
All concerts are free and open to the public, and last approximately one hour. They will take place rain or shine. For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/music, or call Grand Valley’s Music and Dance Department at (616) 331-3484.
If you enjoy going to the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market, stopping at roadside vegetable stands, and “eating local” at restaurants, this is the book for you. Written by Jaye Beeler, former food editor and restaurant reviewer for The Grand Rapids Press, who aims to eat locally shares her favorite Michigan foods with us in this mouth-watering book. The stunning photographs are by Dianne Carroll Burdick, a veteran local photographer, whose work has appeared in six books and over fifty art exhibitions.
Jaye and Dianne’s year-long journey took them all over the state, driving 2,500 miles and taking 8,000 photographs. Michigan is the second-most agriculturally diverse state in the country. Jaye and Dianne visited small family farms growing everything from asparagus to zucchini. They sought out orchards that produce peaches, cherries and antique apples. They stopped by fisheries, meat markets, bakeries and restaurants. They tasted fresh milk, goat cheese and ice cream from dairies.
Some of my personal favorites in the book are the thimbleberry jam from the Jampot in Eagle Harbor, the Raclette from Leelanau Cheese in Suttons Bay, and smoked whitefish from John Cross Fisheries in Charlevoix. There are 26 pages of delicious recipes — don’t miss Zingerman’s Roadhouse macaroni and cheese, Christmas Cove’s apple pie and Rob Burdick’s roasted squash. This book is a perfect companion for any Michigan roadtrip.
So buckle your seat belt and loosen a notch in your belt and savor our state’s fine homegrown food.
Listeners who know Kaleo know the band is much more than simply “Way Down We Go”; but others know the band mostly via the 2016 single played almost to the point of no return on alt/pop satellite and terrestrial radio stations.
Either way, the haunting, infectious tune — anchored by lead singer JJ Julius Son’s mesmerizing bluesy voice —was undeniably a hit tune that announced the presence of a new band with maybe unlimited potential.
Both casual and dedicated fans of Kaleo will get a chance to see and hear the group’s range when the band hits the stage of 20 Monroe Live Sunday, July 1.
Kaleo comes to Grand Rapids from Iceland via either Austin, Texas, or Los Angeles —depending on where you hear/read the band now makes its home — after coming to America to seek a wider audience if not rockstar fame and fortune.
“It has obviously been a big change coming from a small country of 300 thousand people in Iceland to the USA with over 300 million people,” Julius Son (actual, but probably always mispronounced, name: Jökull Júlíusson ), says on the band’s official website. “We’ve learned a lot, and we are more experienced now than when we first came. Overall it’s been a great adventure.”
That great adventure — for lead singer and guitarist Julius Son as well as drummer David Antonsson, bassist Daniel Kristjansson and lead guitarist Rubin Pollock — includes the well-received, Nashville-recorded, 2016 release A/B, which included “Way Down We Go”; the first single off the LP and clearly country influenced “All the Pretty Girls”; as well as the Grammy nominated rocker “No Good”.
The concept behind A/B comes from Julius Son’s love of the split sides of vinyl records and their ability to showcase an artist’s different sides, according to the band’s website.
“I write very different songs that many would like to label into different genres,” he says. “The idea of A/B is to show the diversity and the two sides of the band.”
The “A” side is more rock ’n’ roll and blues, with “No Good”, “Way Down We Go” and “Hot Blood”. The “B” side, in contrast, is more mellow ballads including “All the Pretty Girls”, “I Can’t Go On Without You” and proof that the band is not hiding from their Icelandic home, “Vor I Vaglaskogi” (“Spring in Vaglaskogur”, I read), and the name of a forest in the north of Iceland.
While “Vor I Vaglaskogi” is a traditional Icelandic love song, and the only one sung in the band’s native language. However, looking for too many personal connections to Julius Son’s life is probably not productive.
“I prefer to let the listener decide what each song means to them instead of me telling my own personal connection,” he said on his website. “Some of the songs are very personal for me, though — some more than others. But it seems that different people connect to songs in a different way, often based on personal experiences or things that you are going through at that time.”
A/B was primarily produced and recorded in Nashville with producer Jacquire King, who has worked with artists as varied as Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, Norah Jones, Buddy Guy, James Bay, and (fellow Icelanders) Of Monsters and Men.
20 Monroe Live is located at 11 Ottawa Avenue NW, in downtown Grand Rapids. Tickets are $49.50 and can be purchased at livenation.com .
By Sarah Bruursema, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main
Some of the most amazing books can be enjoyed by all ages. The release of director Spike Jonze’s adaptation of the beloved children’s book Where the Wild Things Are offers an opportunity to revisit why both adults and kids alike are so captivated by this classic read. No matter if it’s your first time entering Max’s world, introducing the story to a child, or reading the book for the third, twelfth, twentieth time… mischief will certainly ensue!
From the very beginning we get to know the playful, misbehaving main character Max as he is sent to his room without dinner. While sulking in his bedroom wearing his infamous wolf suit we are lead into Max’s imaginary land full of Wild Things and adventure. The brave young boy rules over his new world, displaying his recently acquired magic skills, and creating all sorts of wild rumpus. The wonderful quality this book contains is that the story can morph into something new for each reader.
The detailed illustrations make this a book that can be enjoyed by all. The carefully crafted, minimalist storyline is transformed by the images of giant, yellow eyed creatures that manage to create a scary excitement without crossing the line into real fear. You may even find that each page turned just makes them more endearing.
In the end, no matter how you experience the story the resounding call for home gets whispered into each reader’s ear. Although we may all want to crawl into an imaginary land, there’s nothing quite like coming back to a place we love.
Picture it now: a perfect early fall evening, classic American country-rock music blasting from the stage, and every audience member playing an important role in supporting the mission of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
That will be the scene Aug. 23 when Alabama takes the stage at the partially refurbished outdoor amphitheater for a special concert to benefit the Garden’s ongoing Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love capital campaign, as all net proceeds from the show will be contributed to the campaign.
“Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a non-profit and all of our land, facilities, Gardens and Sculpture are due the generosity of Fred and Lena Meijer, the extended Meijer Family and the thousands of people from the community that support us,” David S. Hooker, President and CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, said to WKTV. “The Alabama concert represents a unique way for people to support our mission and expansion and to enjoy a performance from this legendary band. We are humbled and grateful to have Alabama be part of the Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens.”
Hooker did not mention if he was a fan of the classic American country and Southern rock band, but we would not be surprised — after all, the boys in the band are as hardworking as all the working folk buzzing around Meijer Gardens this summer.
The band’s website tell Alabama’s all-American story:
“It’s been 40 years since a trio of young cousins left Fort Payne, Alabama, to spend the summer playing in a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, bar called The Bowery. It took Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook six long years of tip jars and word of mouth to earn the major label deal they’d been dreaming of, but then seemingly no time at all to change the face of country music.
“Alabama proceeded to reeled off 21 straight No. 1 singles, a record that will probably never be equaled in any genre. They brought youthful energy, sex appeal and a rocking edge that broadened country’s audience and opened the door to self-contained bands from then on, and they undertook a journey that led, 73 million albums later, to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”
A sampling of Alabama’s No. 1 singles include “Love in the First Degree”, Mountain Music”, “Dixieland Delight”, “If Your Going to Play in Texas (You Gotta have a Fiddle in the Band” and “Song of the South”.
The lasting appeal of Alabama’s music is evidenced by another story from the band’s website:
“I was in Nashville,” Teddy Gentry says, “walking by this club full of young people — I’m talking 18 or 20. The band started playing ‘Dixieland Delight’ and everybody in the place started singing and sang all the way through. I had to smile at the longevity of the songs. Maybe some of those kids didn’t even know who Alabama was, but they knew the music, and so I think that’s a tribute to the fact that we spent a career putting out good songs that stand the test of time.”
You can bet that there will be plenty of older, and younger, fans of classic country-rock — as well as simply supporters of Meijer Gardens — on the amphitheater grass that August night.
And it might just be a picture-perfect night.
Tickets to Alabama are $153 member and $155 public. For tickets to the special benefit concert, visit here. For a complete list of Summer Concert Series concerts with tickets available, visit meijergardens.org .
By Nancy Albright, South Haven Center for the Arts
The 60th annual South Haven Art Fair is a two-day juried festival held one block from the Lake Michigan shore in picturesque Stanley Johnson Park, June 30 & July 1, 2018. This year’s unique blend of talent offers fine and functional artwork in acrylic, oil, watercolor, pastel, drawing, sculpture, photography, metal, glass, wood, clay, and wearable art.
The South Haven Art League held the first South Haven Art Fair on July 18, 1958, billed as the Clothesline Exhibit. Fifty local artists exhibited over 300 pieces on clotheslines and easels throughout the park that year.
In the last 60 years, the fair has evolved to include as many as 120 local and regional artists, drawing tens of thousands of guests to enjoy a one of a kind experience and all South Haven has to offer summertime visitors.
By Jean Sanders, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main
I find myself continually drawn to fiction by Asian writers such as Julie Otsuka and Anchee Min. Their books give me the opportunity to experience life through the eyes of someone from another culture and at the same time savor the details I learn about life in Japan or China. It is for these reasons that I recommend The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa.
The book, which was first published in Japan in 2003, won a prestigious award in 2004, and was adapted to film in 2006, centers around the housekeeper, the math professor she cares for and her son “Root” who is so nicknamed by the professor because the shape of his head and hair remind the professor of the square-root sign. She is a single mother who has never been married, has always been a housekeeper and finds herself assigned to a new client who has already fired nine housekeepers. She soon learns that the professor has an unusual disability that was the result of a long ago car accident—his short-term memory only last 80 minutes.
Through the book the reader sees a friendship and relationship grow among the woman who must re-introduce herself each day (sometimes several times a day), a man who must pin notes to his suit to remind himself of the things he would otherwise forget, and the boy who shares a common love of baseball with the professor.
Nothing very dramatic happens in this story—there is little conflict. Instead we learn and come to care about these characters by observing their lives. While the housekeeper prepares meals the professor works on math puzzles in his study or shares his wonder and enthusiasm for numbers with the housekeeper. After school Root comes to the cottage and does his homework and talks about baseball with the professor. Together they work to find unique ways to adapt to the professor’s disability.
Everything about this novel is so deceptively simple but the end result is a story that is deeply touching. This is one of those books that quietly seeps into your being and leaves you with a feeling of peace and serenity.
Alison Krauss with Union Station and the Cox siblings, with Steve Delopoulos opening, June 17, at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Mi.
I will admit up front that I’m not much of a “classic country” kind of guy; nothing personal, just not much for a lot of Appalachian hymnals and broken-hearted love affairs.
Alison Krauss, with Union Station. (Supplied)
Actually, I made a Meijer Gardens concert series date with Alison Krauss on Sunday night primarily on the expectation of hearing a couple songs from her stunning, now 10-year-old, pairing with ex-Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant on the T-Bone Burnett produced Raising Sand, one of my favorite albums in recent years.
And while my expectations were met — with her offering fine versions of Raising Sand’s “Let Your Loss be Your Lesson” and “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us” as part of her 23-song, 95-minute set — Krauss’ mostly mellow mixture of country comfort and country sass was perfect for hot, steamy Michigan summer evening.
With the sterling vocal assistance of siblings Sidney and Suzanne Cox, Sidney’s excellent work on the dobro, and the tight accompaniment of the core of Krauss’ long-time band Union Station, the sell-out crowd clearly enjoyed a night of … you guessed it … Appalachian hymnals and songs of broken-hearted love affairs.
Krauss’ voice, one of the most unique in all music, not just country music, was sonically sweet, her violin work was fine in ensemble and, when she felt so inclined, very strong in the lead, as she relied mostly on songs from her 2017 release Windy City and her last release of originals with Union Station, 2011’s Paper Airplane.
My favorites of the night were unique covers of Willie Nelson’s “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”, Glen Campbell’s “Gentle on my Mind” (actually written by John Hartford), and, as part of her 3-song encore, Keith Whitley’s “When You Say Nothing at All.” Ya, I know: all classic country. But, hey, good is good.
I guess the biggest compliment I can give Krauss is that her songs from Raising Sand will simply be pleasant afterthoughts.
May I have more, please?
One of the best things about well-known performers breezing through Meijer Gardens is the sometimes unknown performers they bring as opening acts. In the case of Ms. Krauss: Steven Delopoulos — a New Jersey singer/songwriter who took the stage with only his acoustic guitar, his pleasingly sparse vocal range and often raw, occasionally nonsensical, song lyrics.
Steven Delopoulos
Almost from the moment he took the stage during an 8-song, 40-minute set, I saw Delopoulos as the physical and musical reincarnation of one of my favorite 1970s singer/songwriters, Harry Chapin. (If your old enough, remember “Taxi” and “Cats in the Cradle”?) I liked that a lot.
I loved it, however, when, either responding to a request from the crowd or pulling it out of his regular set list, Delopoulos offered up a stripped-down version of fellow New Jerseyite Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road”.
Marched right down after the set and put down some cold, hard cash for the singer’s Straight Jacket LP. I figure Jersey Steve will go perfectly with a hit of Jamison Irish whisky on a soon-to-come cool fall night.
Also, a quick glance at the ongoing Meijer Gardens concert list, and concerts with originally-priced tickets still available, finds 10 of the remaining 23 shows have not yet sold out, including Seal this week, June 20, as well as three I’m looking forward to: Joe Jackson on July 20, Lyle Lovett on Aug. 27, and +Live+ to close the season on Sept. 3.
The Beer City Brewsader Passport program recently celebrated the 10,000th Beer City Brewsader, which allows those “that have done the hard work of visiting 8+ breweries to earn the title and the t-shirt,” the group says.
For those of us for whom the t-shirt is just a bit of a show-off, the real reward of all that “hard work” is a book full of stamps and beer stains — my stamp book (not to brag; okay, to brag a little) has the original book filled, the first additional book almost filled, and the blank pages stamped with two new breweries not yet in the book(s).
Of course, there is also the new Beer City Brewsader app, and you can transfer your paper passport stamps to the app as people work toward their “Ultimate Brewsader” status. “Don’t worry, for those that love your paper passport we are still using those too! The app is an additional option,” according to supplied information.
For more information the Brewsader Passport (either new-school or old-school), visit experienceGR.com .
57 Brewpub becomes Castle Brewing (still has great outdoor music)
As reported here in December 2017, Greenville’s 57 Brewpub and Bistro changed ownership and now Castle Brewing Co. has launched their new “brand”. But don’t worry, its not some Medieval-themed place.
According Castle Brewing’s website, “About the name . . . no, our building isn’t a castle. We just wanted to pay tribute to the building that stood on the property for decades and those of us old enough to remember it.”
J.R.’s Roller Castle was once a roller rink but also a building that dates to the 1920s before being demolished in 2011.
“We’re sure we’re not the only ones who fondly reminisce about our first “hitchhike” skate at JR’s!” the website statement continues. “We know this space holds many more memories to come – we look forward to being a part of them!”
There is a little bit of new at Castle Brewing. They have an expanded list of beers on tap, both in-house and guest — I’m looking forward to trying their Red Castle red Irish ale (6.2 percent in case you keep track of such things). They still have their great outdoor seating and occasional music, but now boast a new and expanded beer garden.
Castle Brewing Co. is located at 1310 West Washington, Greenville. For more information on Castle Brewing Co., visit castlebrewingco.com .
Cedar Springs Brewing’s ‘Feelgood Tap’ helps local fight leukemia
Cedar Springs Brewing Company’s June “Feelgood Tap” is its Blood, Sweat and Tears Pale Ale, and during this month $1 from each pour goes to support Kohen Karn’s fight against leukemia.
“He is the child of our friends at Elk Brewing: Comstock Park and Elk Brewing: Grand Rapids, and part of the Beer City Brewers Guild family,” Cedar Springs Brewing explains in an email about the promotion.
Cedar Springs Brewing Company’s “Feelgood Tap” is part of a Michigan program which works with breweries to raise funds for various community causes.
Cedar Springs Brewing Company is located at 95 N Main, Cedar Springs. For more information visit csbrewing.com . For more information on Feelgood Tap visit feelgoodtap.org .
The Grand Rapids Public Museum, as part of the Museum’s Beer Explorers program, is partnering with Creston Brewery for a beer and “beer snack” tasting and discussion on Thursday, June 21. To explore “how fermentation changes flavor,” brewmaster Scott Schultz will take participants through the science of how you get those flavors, and how to pair the beer best with foods, according to supplied material.
A sampling of beers at the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Beer Explorers program — yes there are glasses of what you like available for purchase. (Supplied)
Creston Brewery will feature five beers in this month’s Beer Explorers, including two with unique names related to Grand Rapids history — Fox Deluxe and Quimby. The museum will also showcase historic beer artifacts for participants to see a glimpse at where these names came from, as well as see artifacts not normally on display.
Class begins at 6:30 p.m., and will be held on the first floor of the museum. Admission to class includes beer and snack samples, and access to the museum’s first two floors to explore. A cash bar will be available.
Tickets for the event are $10 for museum members and $20 for non-members. Participants must be 21 and older. GRPM is located at 272 Pearl Street, NW. For information and tickets to Beer Explorers, visit grpm.org .
By Amisha Harijan, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
The $12 vintage lace tablecloth was a must-have. But you questioned the bargain once you got it home and noticed discoloration along the edges. What now? Don’t panic. Jenny Wilding Cardon offers smart and fun ways to remake great finds (and the not so great) into head-turning pieces in her book ReSew: Turn Thrift-Store Finds into Fabulous Designs.
The pages are filled with detailed instructions accompanied by color pencil drawings, there are also color photos of before and after transformations give glimpses of Cardon’s inspirations. For example she re-purposes men’s and women’s shirts to create the Diner Dress, “reminiscent of those worn by diner waitresses.” There are plenty “re-tips” to get you started and keep you going.
This book is perfect for novice and experienced sewers, and those searching for fun projects to work on with children and teens. ReSew will have you rethinking what to do with an old fitted sheet, sweatshirts that your teenagers have outgrown, or a creative solution to a certain vintage lace tablecloth.
The Grand Rapids Symphony’s three maestros, Associate Conductor John Varineau, Music Director Marcelo Lehninger, and Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt, kick off the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops July 12 and 13.
In the summertime, when the weather is hot, nothing beats good food, good friends and good music in the great outdoors.
The sweet, symphonic sounds of summer in West Michigan return to Cannonsburg Ski Area with theGrand Rapids Pops’ D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops in July and August.
The 24th annual summer of picnicking at the pops will be back with orchestral blockbusters and fireworks, with the biggest hits of 1980s featuring Starship’s Mickey Thomas, and with a musical mashup of Beethoven and Coldplay.
Special events include high-voltage merengue and mambo from Tito Puente Jr., and the quirky songs of the one-and-only Ben Folds, back in Grand Rapids by popular demand.
The Grand Rapids Symphony opens the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops on July 12-13 with Classical Fireworks and The 3 Maestros featuring not one, not two, but three conductors. Music Director Marcelo Lehninger, Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt, and Associate Conductor John Varineau pass the baton and share podium for an evening of patriotic melodies and much more.
“It’s a chance to make the event something that’s ‘All in the Family’ with an Americana theme,”Bernhardt said. “I’m not sure that it’s legal to have three conductors on one program, but we’re going for it!”
The Grand Rapids Pops’ three-concert series, held on Thursdays and Fridays in July, opens with Classical Fireworks and The 3 Maestros at 8 p.m., 30 minutes later than then rest of the season’s concerts to allowfor the pyrotechnic display following Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture at the end of the show.
The D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops remembers the days of George Michael and Wham, R.E.M. and INXS with 80s Rewind! on July 19-20 at 7:30 p.m.
Ben Folds performs Aug. 3.
Hosted by Mickey Thomas, lead singer of Starship, the show includes such classic 1980s hits as theScorpions’ Rock You Like A Hurricane, Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl, and U2’s Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.
The Grand Rapids Pops pits classical music and pop/rock against each other in a mashup titled Beethoven vs. Coldplay on July 26-27 at 7:30 p.m.
Guest conductor Steve Hackman leads the Grand Rapids Symphony plus special guest singers inhighlights from Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony No. 3 juxtaposed against songs such as Paradise, 42and Every Teardrop is a Waterfall by the British rock band.
Capping off the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops are two one-night only special events in August, one with the sultry salsa rhythms of Tito Puente Jr. on Thursday, August 2, and the other with the smart- alecky songs and whiz-kid piano playing of Ben Folds on Friday, August 3.
Tito Puente Jr. performs Aug. 2.
Puente Jr. carries on the musical tradition of his father, the seven-time Grammy Award winning percussionist and band leader Tito Puente Sr.
Folds, who appeared with the Grand Rapids Symphony in DeVos Hall in October 2014, led the Ben Folds Five to a series of platinum recordings and an appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in 1998. He’ssince served as a judge on NBC’s “The Sing-Off” and currently is artistic adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
About Cannonsburg Ski Area
Gates at Cannonsburg Ski Area open at 5:45 p.m. each night for picnicking and pre-concert entertainment, including free, kid-friendly activities such as face painting, crafts, and a musicalinstrument petting zoo. Kids’ Activity Area sponsor is Dave & Linda Mehney.
Pack your own picnic baskets and coolers or purchase food from the grill at the Cannonsburg concession stand. Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the grounds, and parking is free for concertgoers. VIP Parking upgrades will be available for a small fee beginning in June.
Concert Tickets
Lawn tickets to Classical Fireworks, 80s Rewind!, Beethoven v. Coldplay, or Tito Puente Jr., are $20 for adults ($25 day of show) or $5 for ages 2-18 ($10 day of show). MySymphony360 members can attend for $15 ($20 day of show). Active duty, reserve and National Guard members of the U.S. Militarymay purchase up to two tickets for $15 each ($20 day of show). Children younger than age 2 are admitted for free.
Members of the community receiving financial assistance from the State of Michigan or U.S. Military households can receive up to four free tickets through the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Symphony Scorecard.
Other individual tickets are $30 for reserved chairs ($35 the day of the show), $51 for single table seats ($56 the day of the show), and $408 for a full table of eight ($448 day of show).
Lawn tickets to Ben Folds are $40 for adults ($45 day of show) or $5 for ages 2-18 ($10 day of show).MySymphony360 members can attend for $25 ($30 day of show). Active duty and reserve members of the U.S. Military may buy up to two tickets for $25 each ($30 day of show). Children younger than age 2 are admitted for free.
Other individual tickets are $50 for reserved chairs ($55 the day of the show), $60 for single table seats ($65 the day of the show), and $480 for a full table of eight ($520 day of show).
Tickets for the 3-Concert Series, Flexpass, and individual table and chair tickets can be purchased through the GRS box office by calling (616) 454-9451 ext. 4 weekdays or (616) 885-1241 evenings; or in person at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100; or online at GRSymphony.org.
Lawn seats only also may be purchased through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787, or at Ticketmaster outlets at select D&W Fresh Markets, Family Fare Stores and Walmart. Tickets purchased at these locations will include a Ticketmaster service fee.
Upon opening this book, I expected to find the typical chapters challenging the reader to identify personal shortcomings when it comes to diet, how to foster changes in behavior, and a slew of recipes containing specialty ingredients that are impossible to find in most grocery stores. There are a few recipes and the occasional multiple-choice test, but somehow it seemed to be less abrasive than other books I’ve read that promote this type of self-improvement.
What I actually found was a fairly practical approach to achieving balance in daily life. According to this book, like others of its kind, if you change your lifestyle good things will happen. While this is pretty much common sense, Dr. Cooper offers suggestions and explanations for changes that take the reader into consideration with his overall theme appearing to be based upon reaching a balanced state in daily life. He makes several recommendations in each chapter which are centered on research and practicality with an emphasis on improving the reader’s overall outlook and attitude toward life.
Instead of feeling like a failure before I began, High Energy Living offered me enough incentive to actually read beyond the first chapter and consider taking some of the recommendations to heart. I also had most of the ingredients for the recipes already in my cupboard… including those found in the recipe for Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Biscotti.
If you know the work of Japanese artist Masayuki Koorida exclusively from the polished, yet unfinished, stones of “Existence”, located in the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park’s Japanese Garden, you are in for a surprise.
Masayuki Koorida. (Supplied/courtesy of the artist)
WKTV had the opportunity to meet with Joseph Antenucci Becherer, vice president and chief curator, to discuss the latest exhibition at the garden’s indoor exhibitions space, Koorida’s “Beyond Existence”, which was unveiled late last month.
Becherer said that the new exhibit is really focused not only on the artist but on the audience’s interaction with the exhibit.
“What makes this exhibit unique we really tried to keep the text and information we share with the audience to a minimum,” he said. “So that the people have a greater opportunity to experience, whether the piece is in marble or granite or stainless steel or the drawings, just to take in the work, to understand the shape and understand the form.”
The idea behind this was to give the visitors a fully immersive experience; delving deep into what Koorida is truly about by first viewing the indoor exhibition then making their way outside and contemplating “existence” while viewing his permanent piece in the Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden.
Following last year’s exhibition of the works of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, and asked if it was a conscious decision to present diversity in modern Asian art and artists, Becherer said that the conscious decision on the Garden’s part was to “take the opportunity to host a sculptor who has a work in the permanent collection” and feature them with their own exhibition.
Koorida is relatively new to the American art scene; Becherer said the Gardens was first made aware of his artwork between 2010 and 2011. So it has been “a long journey” with the artist for the Gardens. Interestingly, though, he said he did not first notice Koorida’s work in his native country of Japan.
“Ironically having been born in Japan, and working in China today, we actually first saw his work in Germany,” Becherer said. “So there was a global path of what he is doing.”
His global path has now led Koorida to being prominently featured in one of his first major solo exhibitions here in the United States.
Masayuki Koorida’s “Alteration”. (Supplied/courtesy of the artist)
Although Koorida is relatively unknown to American art enthusiasts, Becherer believes that the “caliber of the work, the quality of the thought and the diversity of materials (used in his artwork) will really draw the attention of the visitors of Meijer Gardens.”
Sculptors physical requirements are much higher than most other art forms. They need a lot of space and adequate material which contributes to Koorida’s main base of operations now being in Shanghai, China, which, according to supplied material, is very close to some of that country’s stone quarries.
Becherer went on to explain the importance to sculptural artists of proximity to quarries is historic, even going so far as to mention the great Michelangelo in the same conversation and point out similar tendencies when he moved to Italy to be close to the stone quarries.
Koorida is also often inspired by nature and its simplicity. Having both his indoor exhibition and outdoor displays to witness allows guests to really contemplate both, as well as simply to contemplate “existence”.
The exhibit runs through August 19, for more information visit here. And see more of the interview with Becherer on the next WKTV Journal newscast on cable television and YouTube.
Pokey LaFarge will return his sound and songs to the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Café stage. (Supplied)
Pokey LaFarge, and the pairing of Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn, must have liked taking the stage at Royce Auditorium as both will be returning to town as part of St. Cecilia Music Center’s Folk Series of concerts. Of course, who doesn’t like that stage?
Return engagements by LaFarge and Fleck/Washburn were recently announced at part of St. Cecilia’s 2018-19 season — a season celebrating the 135-year history as the oldest arts organization in Grand Rapids and West Michigan.
LaFarge, who last appeared at St. Cecilia in early 2017, is scheduled for Oct. 4. Fleck and Washburn were on the venue’s just completed 2017-18 season schedule, appearing in February, and will return early next year, on Feb. 9, 2019. SCMC previously announced The Lone Bellow was scheduled for Nov. 29.
“Pokey LaFarge charmed our audience … (and) he’ll be returning … to begin his solo tour across the country,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director, said in supplied material. “He’s a fabulous musician and totally engaging entertainer.”
And she is just as gushing over the return of Fleck and Washburn.
Banjo royalty and husband and wife duo Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn. (Supplied)
“We are so excited to have Béla and Abigail with us again,” Holbrook said. “Their sold-out concert together this year was one of our finest ever. … We are very lucky to have them together on stage again in 2019 to celebrate our 135th year anniversary.”
St. Louis-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Pokey LaFarge will come back to St. Cecilia for a more intimate, solo performance this time. (He was with his band in 2017.) LaFarge incorporates elements of early jazz, ragtime, country blues, Western swing, with a vivid storytelling sensibility are totally his own. Two of LaFarge’s albums have been named Best Americana Album by the Independent Music Awards.
Fleck and Washburn — not unjustly called “The king and queen of the banjo” — not only entertain with their music but with the often humorous, sometimes heartfelt stories about their lives and relationship.
Fleck is a 15-time Grammy Award winner who has taken the banjo across multiple genres, and Washburn is a singer-songwriter and clawhammer banjo player who re-radicalized it by combining it with Far East culture and sounds, according to supplied material. Together, the pair perform pieces from their Grammy-winning self-titled debut as well as their newest record, Echo in the Valley, from 2017.
As previously announced, The Lone Bellow is a Brooklyn-based band, now based out of Nashville, known for their transcendent harmonies, serious musicianship and lively performances.The trio features Zach Williams (guitar/vocals), Kanene Donehey Pipkin (multi-instrumentalist), and Brian Elmquist (guitar).
St. Cecilia’s Royce Auditorium “will be the perfect venue for this great band,” Holbrook said of The Lone Bellow. “Stay tuned for even more folk concerts to be announced as the fall approaches.”
Concert tickets for the Pokey LaFarge solo concert on Oct. 4 are $30 and $35, The Lone Bellow concert on Nov. 29 are $30 and $35, and the Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn concert on Feb. 9 are $50 and $55. They can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.scmc-online.org.
By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch
Mary Boleyn, brought to court at fourteen, soon catches the eye of the lecherous Henry VIII. She begins a dashing affair with England’s king and begins to love her role as the unofficial queen. After the birth of two children, Mary begins to see her family for what they really are.
Her own uncle begins pushing Mary’s own sister Anne at the king. Soon, Mary is forced to step aside as her best friend and worst rival begins an affair with Henry. The world knows the story of Anne Boleyn—a young girl who twists a marriage out of King Henry VIII. But many do not know how she got there.
Mary is forced to find a life for herself and her illegitimate children while her uncle demands her support in bettering Anne’s position at court. She is present for all of Anne’s triumphs: Henry’s divorce from Katherine of Aragon, her marriage to the king, and the birth of Elizabeth. She is also present for the disasters: Anne’s miscarriage of a prince, her brother George’s arrest for treason and Anne’s execution.
Sibling rivalry takes on a whole new meaning between the Boleyn girls. Author Philippa Gregory takes the story and fleshes it out. She brings a morality tale to a historical event. This book is a real treat for any history buff.
The Decemberists, with Eleanor Friedberger opening, June 4, at Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, Mi.
About half way through The Decemberists 16-song set Monday night, I had the feeling I had missed the boat on this band — that I just did not get them. By the band’s final encore, the crowd-anticipated and enjoyed “The Mariner’s Revenge Song”, complete with a whale balloon swimming above the sold-out audience, I was all in and on board.
I should have signed up a little earlier, probably. I mean, if Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss (who, either her or her clone, was sitting directly behind my wife and I) had already kicked off her shoes and was sippin’ dark beer while she was rockin’ out, I had to believe I was missing something here.
The Decemberists is songwriter/lead vocalist/guitarist Colin Meloy, guitarist Chris Funk, keyboardist Jenny Conlee, bassist Nate Query, and drummer John Moen. (Supplied photo by Holly Andres)
Immersed in the often mesmerizing, but sometimes a little slow, early part of the band’s set — a situation possibly, partly explained by Decemberists front man Colin Meloy’s warning that his voice was fragile and the “special” set would include “more love songs” — the tone of the evening changed mid-way with rousing, rocky renditions of “Sucker’s Prayer” and “Starwatcher”, both off the band’s just released I’ll Be Your Girl.
Then, The Decemberists slid into a surprisingly good version of the band’s current hit, “Severed” — surprising because the studio/radio version is so high energy, so techno/synth driven, and such songs often don’t quite translate to stage.
This discussion so far is not to say that the Portland, Oregon-based band’s softer music is not good stuff. In fact, it is probably its ability to shift from rock ’n’ roll into an almost alt-folk mode is apparently part of what keeps its fans loyal.
Two of my favorite songs of the set, truth be told, were “Cutting Stone” from its latest release, and “Grace Cathedral Hill”, from the band’s 2002 debut release: Castaways And Cutouts. Both songs — as does much of the band’s catalogue — offered sly, stylish, sarcastic stories of simple lyrics but enigmatic meaning.
“Whether wild or whether won, though I travel far from home, I will always have my cutting stone.”
And The Decemberists, with their genre-blending musical spectrum, evidently will always have their local fans.
May I have more, please?
Eleanor Friedberger (Supplied)
The crowd at Meijer Garden received a hint that Meloy and his voice were a little “severed” during an opening set by Eleanor Friedberger, who mostly sang with only her own electric guitar backing but was joined by a member of The Decemberists on two songs after announcing that she had been asked to extend her set that night.
And the union with Decemberist multi-instrumentalist Jenny Conlee, on accordion and on a stripped down, exquisite version of Procol Harum’s now 50-year-old “A Whiter Shade of Pale” was, to me and with all due respect to the music from ex-Fiery Furnaces lead singer’s new Rebound release, the most memorable song of her set.
Also, a quick glance at the Meijer Gardens concert list, and concerts with originally-priced tickets still available, finds 11 shows have not yet sold out including Brandi Carlile — whose new single “The Joke” is on everybody’s song of the year short list — on June 13, Seal on June 20, Herbie Hancock on June 27 and Blondie on June 29.
This is a big, long book! But the author is so skillful and the subject so interesting that I was sad when page 754 brought Team of Rivals to an end. Author Goodwin has brought together the lives and careers of Lincoln and his three major Republican rivals William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase and Edward Bates in a highly original work, one that added a whole new dimension to my understanding and appreciation of our 16th President.
Nominated only because he was the most acceptable second choice of various party factions, Lincoln went on to win the presidential election and then took a most unusual step. He invited his former adversaries to be his advisors and brought the three Republican contenders plus three high profile Democrats into his Cabinet. Together this “Team of Rivals” would face the greatest crisis in America’s history. Every member of his administration was more well-known and more experienced in public life than the prairie lawyer from Illinois, yet Lincoln was somehow able to lead this diverse group of ambitious men to save the Union and restore the peace. How did he do it? That’s where his “political genius” came in to play.
At first, many of his rivals held Lincoln in low esteem and their comments behind his back could be scathing. When Lincoln was asked why he had surrounded himself with such a contentious group, he responded that these were the strongest men and the country needed them. The president refused to answer personal attacks and rose above personal slights and maintained a steadfastness of purpose. His skill in combining a dedication to the greater good with a suburb sense of timing enabled Lincoln to harness the talents of these strong men.
What lessons can be learned from Lincoln’s success? Be magnanimous in both victory and defeat. Take almost nothing personally. Keep your sense of humor. Be patient and kind. Put away resentment and forego revenge. Keep checking your moral compass. Speak from your heart and tell the truth.
This is a big, long book but well worth the effort. Goodwin’s research was exhaustive, her writing style engaging, her analysis insightful. Lincoln’s example can inspire us to face the crises of our generation by working together.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s (GRPM) annual Independence Day fundraiser, Front Row for the Fireworks, offers visitors an evening of entertainment, discovery and fun. Front Row for the Fireworks will take place on Saturday, July 7, to coincide with the City of Grand Rapids’ celebration.
In addition to having front row seats underneath the fireworks, the night includes patriotic music playing on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, live sky shows in the Chaffee Planetarium, rides on the 1928 Spillman Carousel, as well as a unique Museum-wide scavenger hunt for the family. For 2018, event tickets will also include admission to the GRPM’s summer exhibits Be The Astronaut and Zoo In You: Microbes!
At dusk, visitors can head outside to the enclosed lawn seating areas or stay inside the Museum in air-conditioned comfort to have an amazing view of the fireworks as they burst over the Grand River. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs for outdoor seating.
During the event, the Museum will offer affordable meal deals for $6.00, featuring a summer menu. Ice cream treats will also be available for purchase.
Tickets are on sale now! Tickets are $10 for Museum members and $15 for the general public. For more information and to purchase tickets visit grpm.org/FrontRow, call 616.929.1700 or stop by the Museum’s front desk. Proceeds from this event support exhibits and programs of the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Please note, the Museum will close at 5 p.m. on July 7 and re-open at 6:30 p.m.
By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main
While there were some chapters I could relate to more than others, overall I found this collection of short essays to be quite funny and very enjoyable. I especially liked the chapter entitled, I Hate My Purse. Nora could have been describing my purse and me and we haven’t even met! Yes, I hate my purse, too, because I can never find anything in it either. Even things I know for a fact I just used, like my chap stick. I returned it to the small zippered compartment in the front of my purse, but somehow it got sucked into a black hole in the universe somewhere between my house and my job. Fortunately, I now feel assured that I’m not alone in this experience, thanks to Nora.
I think what appealed to me the most about this book is Nora’s courage in pointing out the obvious quirks in everyday life that we tend to overlook. Aside from observations about the state of her purse and those of her friends, Nora covers other topics equally as well with humor and honesty.She’s not afraid to point out the effects of gravity on certain body parts and at the precise age to expect those changes to occur. In addition, she offers insight on hair, skin, nails, and exercise, (or the dangers of), in her chapter on maintenance.
Although this book was written specifically for women, I think men would appreciate Nora’s humor and insight as well, or at least maybe gain some understanding of the inner workings of the female mind.
By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
