Category Archives: Entertainment

Gonzo’s Top 5: Butterflies, baseball, classical music, and comic-con

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Kids Activities, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez

WKTV Contributing Writer

Butterflies are back in the Top 5, and so is baseball, classical music and those who like to dress up.

Enjoy the spring-like weather on the horizon. It’s time for my weekly list of things to do, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here it is!

Chamber Orchestra of Grand Rapids performs at The Stray. (pxhere.com)

5. Classical Music at The Stray

Can’t wait for the next WKTV Voices Storyteller’s event at The Stray (7 p.m. April 15)? Well, it’s not quite a story, but another great opportunity to check out the local coffeehouse/event space. Come see members of the Chamber Orchestra of Grand Rapids perform 17th and 18th century works in smaller groups. The show is at 7 p.m. Saturday (April 9). Admission is free, but a $10 donation is suggested. More info on the event Facebook page.

Butterflies and flowers will be on display at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

4. Morning With The Butterflies Family Party

Didn’t get a chance to do something fun for Spring Break? The Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition at Meijer Gardens remains open through April 30, with extended hours until 9 p.m. through Friday (April 8). Looking for a party with snacks and activities? One is planned for members on Sunday (April 10). This is a good time to consider a membership for special perks like this. (We love ours in the Gonzalez household).

More info at meijergardens.org/calendar/butterflies-are-blooming/.

An array of gems and minerals will be on display at this year’s Gem & Mineral Show at Rogers Plaza. (WKTV)

3. 45th Annual Gem & Mineral Show

Another fun activity for the family is checking out the popular Gem & Mineral Show this weekend at Rogers Plaza. It features treasures for everyone from beginners to seasoned collectors where you will find minerals, fossils, crystals, gems, jewelry, beads, stone carvings, equipment, books, and more. Nearly 30 vendors, club dealers and artisans will be on hand. Hours are 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday (April 7-8), and from 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday (April 9). More info on the event Facebook page. Admission is free.

The Grand Rapids Valley Railroad Train Shows offer fun for kids of any age.

2. Greater Grand Rapids Train Show

It’s back for another show from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday (April 9) at the Home School Building in Wyoming. The show features more than 200 vendor tables, offering what organizers said is “everything imaginable for even the most discerning model railroader.” In addition, they will have model railroad layouts in different scales and sizes with accurately detailed engines and cars running down their tracks. There’s even a Lego play area for kids. Cost is $5 for adults and free for those 12 and younger. It is presented by the Grand River Valley Railroad Club. More info at grvrrc.org.

1. Grand Rapids Comic-Con

Another sure sign of spring is Comic-Con! Who wants to wear a coat over a Power Rangers costume? This weekend you can experience seminars, panels, vendors, comic books and more. The event runs Friday-Sunday (April 8-10) at the DeltaPlex Arena. Hours are noon-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 per day. Parking is $10 cash only. For more details on cosplay guidelines and more info, go to grcomiccon.com.

The West Michigan Whitecaps’ home opener is April 12. (WM Whitecaps)

Baseball

As for baseball, the Detroit Tigers are back in action for a new season beginning April 8 at Comerica Park against the White Sox. And our West Michigan Whitecaps open the season on April 8 in Midland, but return to LMCU Ballpark for the home opener on Tuesday, April 12. More info at whitecapsbaseball.com.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.


John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

‘Eat. Drink. Be Merry!’ wine-tasting fundraiser at St. Cecilia Music Center returning April 16

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
  • Scene from the 2019 “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)
  • Scene from the 2019 “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)
  • Scene from the 2019 “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)
  • Scene from the 2019 “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

After a two-year hiatus due to pandemic restrictions, “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!”, an annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center, will return Saturday, April 16, from 6 to 9 p.m.

St. Cecilia Music Center. (WKTV)

In past years, the fundraiser has brought more than 300 people to participate in wine-tasting, food sampling and a silent auction on three floors of the historic St. Cecilia Music Center (SCMC) building, according to an announcement from St. Cecilia.

“As an important fundraiser for SCMC, we’re grateful to Martha’s Vineyard for standing by us during these difficult times, and now bringing back this wonderful event to help fund our music and educational programs,” Cathy Holbrook, executive and artistic director, said in supplied material. “As a (non-profit) 501(C) 3 organization we depend on generous funding and donations.”

Eat. Drink. Be Merry! will include over 100 varietals of wines from around the world sold at Martha’s Vineyard. During the event, wine experts and vendors will present the wines and provide information. “Hearty hors d’oeuvres” will be served by Catering by Martha’s and Nantucket Baking Company.

Musical entertainment and a silent auction will also be a part of the festivities. The silent auction will focus on food and wine items donated by local restaurants and other businesses.

Eat. Drink. Be Merry! will be held at St. Cecilia, 24 Ransom NE, downtown Grand Rapids/ Tickets are $50 per person. Advance tickets can be purchased online at scmc-online.org, or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Get tempted this weekend with sports, spring fun and Broadway

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez

WKTV Contributing Writer

Spring Break doesn’t seem like it if you’re stuck in Grand Rapids.

If you’re like me, you’ll make the best of it, despite a few snowflakes.

In my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal, I include activities for kids, sports fans, craft beer aficionados and theater lovers. Who needs palm trees, the beach and fancy drinks by the pool?

Have a great weekend, friends.

Gonzo’s Top 5

Grand Rapids Gold wraps up its season this weekend. (Supplied)

5. Grand Rapids Sports

The Grand Rapids Griffins and the Grand Rapids Gold both have home games this weekend. The hockey team has games Friday and Saturday (April 1-2) at Van Andel Arena. Special activities include Jeff Hoggan jersey retirement, Margaritaville Night, and beach hat giveaway on Saturday. Also, the team has a home game on April 6. More info at vanandelarena.com. Also, pro basketball team the Grand Rapids Gold wraps up its season with games Friday and Saturday (April 1-2) at the DetlaPlex Arena. On Friday, fans get $2 beer, $2 hot dogs and $5 Founders Solid Gold. And it’s Real Superheroes on Saturday. One lucky fan at the game will receive a limited edition superhero jersey and an official Wilson game ball. The Children’s Foundation also presents a post-game autograph session with coaches and team members. Team posters to the first 500 fans as well. Ticket info at https://grandrapids.gleague.nba.com/


4. Grand Armory Tap Takeover at Horrocks

Whether it’s a tap takeover or not, it’s always fun to hang out at Horrocks Farm Market to do some shopping, as well as dine on soup, salad, pizza and other great food. In fact, it’s a great destination any day of the week. If you stop by Friday (April 1), craft beer fans can check out Grand Armory from 4-7 p.m. at Horrocks Market Tavern in Kentwood. Some of the beers on tap include Nerd (New England IPA), Lightly Dusted (Crop Duster Light), Blueberry Watermelon (Fruited Blonde), Grapefruit Grindage (Grapefruit IPA) and their famous Fluffer Nutter (Peanut Butter Marshmallow Stout). It’s super tasty and fun. Learn more on the Facebook Event Page.

3. Craig’s Cruisers Spring Break Wristbands

It’s back! The popular unlimited action at Craig’s Cruisers is from April 1-10 with morning (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) or afternoon (4-8 p.m.) sessions at Craig’s Cruisers Family Fun Center in Wyoming. The unlimited attractions include: Indoor & Outdoor Go-Karts, Laser Tag, Bumper Cars, Mini-Golf, Bumper Boats, Frog Hopper, Cruiser Coaster and Ninja Course. (Weather permitting on outdoor attractions.) Fans can also experience the Trampoline Park, as well as a pizza buffet. Tickets are $35 per person, plus tax. Waivers are also required. You can order tickets online as well as get more details craigscruisers.com/specials_promotions/spring-break-wristbands/.

“Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs” at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Supplied)

2. Kids activities at museums and zoo

Several of our local cultural institutions offer great activities for families.

  • Grand Rapids Children’s Museum Spring Break Bonanza includes special performances and presentations, April 1-10. Details at www.grcm.org/events.
  • The Washed Ashore Exhibit opens April 1 at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. The traveling exhibit features 16 large and colorful sculptures throughout the Zoo, all beautifully designed, giant sea life sculptures made entirely of marine debris collected from beaches. More details at jbzoo.org/washedashore.
  • Spring Break at the Public Museum, April 1-10; includes its newest exhibition, Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs. These are life-size models, casts of rare fossils while interactives bring these ancient animals to life. Also, relax and recline in the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium with shows about the incredible forces of our universe. It’s fun for the whole family. Learn more at www.grpm.org, including how Kent County residents receive reduced admission, including free general admission for Kent County children 17 and under.

“Ain’t Too Proud: The Story of the Temptations” is at the DeVos Performance Hall. (Photo by Mike Murphy)
  1. Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations

I wasn’t too sure what to expect from the national Broadway tour of “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations,” which has performances through Sunday at DeVos Performance Hall. I knew the songs would be great – because who doesn’t love those classic songs like “My Girl,” “I Can’t Next to You,” “Just My Imagination” and “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”? But the storyline has to pull it all together, and that’s exactly what it did. In fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing it again. Asked after the show for my review, I said “Ain’t Too Proud” is “a riveting and compelling behind the scenes story about one of music’s most successful acts, told through the classic songs we know and love. It’s a must-show that features stellar voices and those signature dance moves.” I think that says it all.

In my theater podcast “By All Means, Lead the Way,” I interviewed James T. Lane, who plays Paul Williams, one of the original members of the Temptations. The Philadelphia native tells his own story of how he fell in love with dance and the theater. And why he loves this show so much.

You will, too, he added.

“For 2 ½ hours you will be entertained by some of the most extraordinary artists I have ever had the pleasure to work with in all of my 20-plus years of experience,” Lane said in the interview.

“So come, be dazzled, be delighted; feel all of the emotions of the classic 5, and all of the Temptations. Come and see ‘Ain’t too Proud – Life of the Temptations.’ You will not want to miss this.”

If you want to hear the interview in its entirety, check out my podcast here:

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/49281119

Presented by Broadway Grand Rapids, performances of “Ain’t Too Proud” continue through Sunday (April 3). Ticket information at broadwaygrandrapids.com.

MORE: Ain’t too proud: the story of The Temptations comes to DeVos Hall

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe Spring Break.



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Suzanne Ramljak, UM grad with Guggenheim experience, joins Meijer Gardens as chief curator

Area Education, Entertainment, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, WKTV Projects, ,
Susanne Ramljak, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Chief Curator. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has appointed a new Chief Curator: Suzanne Ramljak, “a seasoned curator and art historian,” and a graduate of University of Michigan who has worked at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the institution announced Tuesday, March 29.

Ramljak, who started work March 28, will oversee Meijer Gardens’ expanding exhibition programing and acquisitions for the permanent collection. She joins an art team at the Gardens which includes Laurene Grunwald, Director of Sculpture, Art Collections, Exhibitions. Jochen Wierich, Assistant Curator and Researcher, has resigned his position as of the end of April, according to Meijer Gardens.
 

“In this newly created position, she (Ramljak) will lead our efforts to acquire and site sculpture and to curate engaging sculpture exhibitions,” David Hooker, Meijer Gardens President & CEO, said in supplied material. “Ramljak is ideally suited to help us realize Fred Meijer’s desire to create a world-class sculpture program. In addition, in this role she will serve as an officer of the institution.”

Ramljak comes to Meijer Gardens from the American Federation of Arts in New York City, where as curator for 10 years she organized numerous traveling museum exhibitions. Her own exhibition projects have centered on modern and contemporary sculpture, including “Natural Wonders: The Sublime in Contemporary Art”, “Case Studies: Art in a Valise” and the forthcoming “Mark Dion and Alexis Rockman: Journey to Nature’s Underworld.”

Ramljak has also worked in the curatorial departments of the Guggenheim, as well as the Detroit Institute of Arts and University of Michigan Museum of Art.

“I am delighted to join the outstanding team at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park to advance the mission of inspiring appreciation of sculpture and the natural environment,” Ramljak said in supplied material. “It is my fortune to be arriving during a time of impressive growth at Meijer Gardens and at a moment in our culture when the bracing forces of art and nature are more essential than ever.”

Meijer Gardens recently underwent a major $115 million expansion project that adds new major architectural features and renovations to current facilities.

A Michigan native, Ramljak earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in art history from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she also served as arts writer for the Ann Arbor News, according to the Meijer Gardens announcement. Ramljak pursued doctoral work and earned a Master of Philosophy in art history from the Graduate School, City University of New York, with dissertation research on the Venus de Milo in 20th-century art.

Along with her broad curatorial background, Ramljak has extensive publishing and writing experience. She was editor of Sculpture magazine for five years and held the editorship of Glass Quarterly and Metalsmith magazines. Ramljak has published widely on contemporary art.

Her writing on sculpture includes monographic essays on artists Louise Bourgeois, Michele Oka Doner, John Grade and Beverly Penn, among others. She has authored several books including “On Body and Soul: Contemporary Armor to Amulets” and, most recently, “Loaded: Guns in Contemporary Art”.

Posing with Princesses, training with Superheroes coming to Gilmore Saturday, April 2

Entertainment, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local History, Recreation, Upcoming Events, ,
“Cars & Characters: A Celebration of Princesses and Superheroes”, a family-focused event scheduled for this weekend at the Gilmore Car Museum. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

“Cars & Characters: A Celebration of Princesses and Superheroes”, a family-focused event scheduled for this weekend at the Gilmore Car Museum promises to “combine a magical interaction for kids with storybook princesses and comic book superheroes,” according to an announcement form the museum.

And for for the adults, there will be indoor collection of more than 400 classic vehicles.

The event will be Saturday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For tickets and more information visit GilmoreCarMuseum.org.

Aurora and Frog Princess will be among the Princesses and Superheroes this weekend at the Gilmore Car Museum. (Supplied)

“Our princess and superhero events at the Gilmore have become a unique opportunity to engage and delight children, yet also educate and introduce them to automotive history,” Josh Russell, executive director of the Gilmore Car Museum, said in supplied material.

“Cars & Characters” will provide “aspiring young princesses and superheroes,” and their parents or grandparents, the opportunity for memorable photographs with more than 20 storybook princesses and comic book superheroes alongside carriages, royal coaches, limousines, and fairy tale backdrops.

Fairytale princesses will be cruising in cool cars at the Gilmore Car Museum next week. (Gilmore Car Museum)

Photos with the featured princesses and superheroes will be taken in front of special luxury vehicles from the Gilmore collections, including a 1936 Packard, the America’s Sweetheart Ford Model A, and the 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Sedanca De-Ville from the 1967 Walt Disney film “The Gnome-Mobile”.

Several new “experiences” for children have been added to this year’s event, according to the announcement, including Storytime with Belle (a reading of a magical tale), “Certified Superhero Training Sessions” with Spiderman, and Pixie Dust Wishing Ceremony with Tinker Bell. There will also be a special new VIP Coronation Ceremony with the Frozen Sisters, available by separate VIP tickets.

Each activity happens every thirty minutes, is first come, first served, and is available to fifty guests at one time.

Advance Cars & Characters admission tickets are available online.

“Cars & Characters – A Celebration of Princesses and Superheroes” at the Gilmore Car Museum is produced in collaboration with Michigan-based Olivia Grace & Company, and its highly-regarded cast of unforgettable character performers.

For more information visit GilmoreCarMuseum.org, call 269-671-5089 or email info@gilmorecarmuseum.org.

Ain’t too proud: the story of The Temptations comes to DeVos Hall

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

“Ain’t Too Proud: The Story of the Tempetations” rolls into Grand Rapids this week for eight performances. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)

The story of The Temptations is a “complicated” story, said Detroit native and award-winning playwright Dominique Morisseau.

“The Temptations went through a lot as a group, not only to form, and to finally make a hit as a group, but to also be the face of integration in the nation when the nation was not favorable to that,” said Morisseau in a TV interview before “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” opened on Broadway in 2019.

After a successful run, including a Tony for best choreography and a bevy of nominations, the show is on tour, including a stop this week for eight performances at DeVos Performance Hall as part of the current season for Broadway Grand Rapids.

Critics call it an “electrifying” musical that follows The Temptations’ journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Motown capitalized on the group’s signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin.

Opening night is Tuesday (March 29) with shows through Sunday.

They scored an incredible 42 Top 10 hits with 14 reaching No. 1.

They also did it at the time of civil unrest, which was a challenge considering they had their own issues of “figuring out who they (were) and normal growing up, ego things,” Morisseau told TV host Steve Adubato.

Musicians were used to bring the nation together, she added.

Fans will love the show with the legendary quintet’s signature hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and so many more.

It’s a show for fans of all ages, said Morisseau, who graduated from the University of Michigan with a BFA in Acting.

“Generations can come see this show together,”  Morisseau said.

“That’s what’s really exciting and special to me. We’re introducing them to a new generation, and we’re invoking the spirit of the people that came and grew up with them. They’re reliving a beautiful past.”

As for staying true to Detroit, she said: “I brought out all the good feelings of my hometown on that stage, and that’s a victory.”



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

St. Cecilia’s chamber music series finale examines ‘The Jazz Effect’ with works of Gershwin, Marsalis

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
Several Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) musicians will perform, including pianists Anne-Marie McDermott and Zhu Wang, as well as violinist Ida Kavafian and the Orion String Quartet (violinists Daniel Phillips, Todd Phillips and Steven Tenenbom, and cellist Timothy Eddy). (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

St. Cecilia Music Center’s final Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center concert of the 2021-22 season, set for Thursday, March 31, will present classical music influenced by “The Jazz Effect” and featuring works by composers Wynton Marsalis, George Gershwin, Maurice Ravel and Darius Milhaud.

Seven Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) musicians will perform, including pianists Anne-Marie McDermott and Zhu Wang — including in a rare “four hands” piece, as well as violinist Ida Kavafian and the Orion String Quartet (violinists Daniel Phillips, Todd Phillips and Steven Tenenbom, and cellist Timothy Eddy).

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) pianists Anne-Marie McDermott and Zhu Wang will perform in a “four hands” piece. (Pixaby)

“The Jazz Effect” program will include Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, Marsalis’ Selections from At the Octoroon Balls for String Quartet, Milhaud’s La création du monde for piano quintet, Op. 81, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue for piano, four hands (arr. Henry Levine).

Tickets for the concert are available and can be purchased online at scmc-online.org or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224.

While the series of short pieces by Marsalis may be among the more unique of the program — set to include “Come Long Fiddler”, “Mating Calls and Delta Rhythms”, “Creole Contradanzas”, “Many Gone”, “Hellbound Highball”, “Blue Light on the Bayou” and “Rampart Street Row House Rag” — the Gershwin work is set to close the night for good reason.

“In terms of pure musicality, George Gershwin was America’s Schubert,” according to promotional material. “He composed with a creativity and skill that immortalized his art, and hardly any of his works is more embedded in the world’s musical consciousness than Rhapsody in Blue, originally described by Gershwin as a “symphony” for piano solo and jazz band. This extraordinary chamber music program pays tribute to great composers who crossed the bridge between the classical and jazz idiom, with dazzling results.”

And having Ann-Marie McDermott and Zhu Wang, and their four hands, on the keyboard should be unforgettable.

Health and safety requirements 

According to supplied material, St. Cecilia currently requires proof of fully vaccinated status, or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours, to attend a concert at the SCMC venue. Attendees need to bring photo ID and proof of vaccination, or a negative test, the night of a concert. Home tests are not accepted. All patrons will be required to wear a mask while in the building for the duration of the concert.

 

If patrons have tickets to an upcoming performance and are unwilling or unable to abide by this policy, please contact the SCMC box office for a refund at kelly@scmc-online.org a minimum of 48 hours prior to the concert date.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Big trucks, 80s music, pet, toys, and cottage living shows

Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Recreation, West Michigan, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Spring is officially here, and if you’re getting out of town soon, consider this the last weekend before you have to start packing.

In my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal, you’ll find a perfect way to get ready for Spring Break and warmer weather.

What are you going to do?

Gonzo’s Top 5

Mega 80’s returns to Grand Rapids this Saturday. (Facebook)

5. MEGA 80’S

I’ve been singing the praises of Michigan’s top ‘80s band for more than a decade. The Mega 80’s is the premiere cover band of an era that is most remembered for colorful clothes, synthesizer rock and musc videos. Get dressed up, gather a group of friends and relive some of the biggest songs and videos from the ‘80s on Saturday (March 26) at The Intersection. The Detroit area band always puts on a great show. Guaranteed. Ticket information and more at sectionlive.com.

Take a walk down memory lane was the Grand Rapids Toy Show. (Facebook)

4. Grand Rapids Toy Show

Speaking of nostalgia, this weekend you can experience the GR Toy Show from 9 a.m,-3 p.m. Saturday (March 26) at the Home School Building; 5625 Burlingame Ave SW, in Wyoming. You’ll experience more than 200 tables with antique toys, collectibles, pedal cars, dolls, bears, furniture, movie posters and more. Admission is $5 and free for those 10 and under. More info at midmichigansupershows.com.

3. West Michigan Pet Expo

Where are my pet lovers? Me, I’m warming up to the idea of getting a pet in the near future. This might be a good time for me to check out the West Michigan Pet Expo, a two-day event (March 26-27) with fun activities for animal lovers and families. Along with 50 pet-related vendors, you can enjoy entertainment from The Canine Stars Stunt Dog Show, which was recently featured on America’s Got Talent, as well as a petting zoo, pony rides, a reptile and amphibian exhibit, and more. Learn more at deltaplex.com/event/west-michigan-pet-expo-3/.

2. Monster Jam

One of my favorite memories as a dad is taking the kids to see Monster Jam at Van Andel Arena. It’s a fun, family activity where you get to see these incredible machines race for a championship, do stunts and make jumps. Plus, you have to love names like Grave Digger, El Toro Loco and Monster Mutt! In addition, you’ll be entertained by Freestyle Motocross exhibitions, too. Check out this weekend’s show, March 25-27, which is at Van Andel Arena. For ticket prices and show times go to vanandelarena.com.

1. Cottage and Lakefront Living Show

We’re all ready for spring, right? That makes this the perfect weekend to think about summer getaways to a family or friend’s cottage. At the annual Cottage and Lakefront Living Show, those looking to make upgrades or some remodeling can talk to designers, lakefront builders and realtors. Maybe you’re looking for a new dock or boat. This is the place to be. The show is Friday-Sunday (March 25-27) at DeVos Place. Times and ticket information at  devosplace.org.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Three groups face-off for final round of Battle of the Bands

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Upcoming Events, , , , ,
Local group Whorled performing at The Stray Cafe. The group is one of the three finalists. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

It has been last minute solo decisions to all out phenomenal performances as Wyoming’s The Stray hosted its first-ever Battle of the Bands.

This Friday is the final round as the three remaining bands/performers, Whorled, Daisybox, and Epitones compete for bragging rights along with cash prizes, a free photoshoot and an opportunity to record at Dogtown Studio. First place will receive $300 while second and third will each receive a $100. The show is set to start 6:30 p.m.

“Whorled is a relatively new band, so we thought [Battle of the Bands] would be a fun way to meet other musicians and bands that we have not yet connect with,” Thom Jayne of Whorled said, adding the group heard about the competition from the staff at The Stray Café.

Epitones’ Matt DeRuiter said the group felt the Battle of the Bands would be a great way to showcase the band’s music. (Photo by Jessica Darling)

Grand Rapids-based Whorled (pronounced “world”), offers a unique twist on Celtic, gypsy, jazz, Brazilian and American folk music. The trio performs on a variety of instruments, violin, accordion, guitar, banjo, whistles, and occasionally a didgeridoo, which is a wind instrument.

“When we came across the Battle of the Bands, we knew that it would be a great networking opportunity and avenue to showcase our music,” said Matt Deruiter who is the drummer for Epitones. “We have each participated in Battle of the Bands events in the past with different groups which sparked our interest in this event.

“We’re grateful to be part of such a well organized event with so many great acts.”

Epitones is also based in Grand Rapids and is a three-piece band. The group’s music is original and unique, focusing on progressive instrumental structures and soulful vocals.

Taylor Hottenstein said it was his first time performing Daisybox material live. (Supplied)

Taylor Hottenstein, who is Daisybox, had a tough start as his backing band fell through leading up to his March 4 performance. Despite that, he went on with what has been described as a “raw and emotional” solo performance with just an acoustic guitar. Hotternstein’s music can be best described as soft rock with him focusing on originals and an occasional cover. (In his March 4 performance, he covered Mac Miller’s “Circles.”)

On Friday starting at 6:30 p.m., each of the groups will be performing for 45 minutes. Guest judge is John Sinkevics, who is a career journalist, musician and founder of Local Spins, the state’s fastest-growing music website that covers the West Michigan music scene.

“This was actually my first live performance doing the Daisybox stuff,” Hottenstein said. “I had been mulling over getting these songs out in front of people other than just through releasing singles. So when I saw this pop up, it felt like the right time. So glad I did!”

The Stray Café is located at 4253 S. Division Ave. For more information about upcoming events, visit The Stray’s website or Facebook page. 

After renovations, Meijer Gardens sculpture galleries reopen with artistically commanding works of Yinka Shonibare

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
  • Yinka Shonibare’s “Eden Painting”, courtesy of the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London (Supplied)
  • Yinka Shonibare’s “Eden Painting” (detail),courtesy of the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org


Yinka Shonibare, the featured artist as Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park reopens its sculpture galleries after more than a year of renovations, is commanding in his artistic vision and, yet, undoubtedly playful as well.

Shonibare — with “CBE” (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) attached to his name when necessary — is a self-proclaimed “postcolonial hybrid” of British-Nigerian heritage who has emerged as one of the leading artists in the global art world, with his works maybe best known for a playful combination of colorful Dutch wax-fabric patterns popular in West Africa with the fashion of upper-class Victorian culture.

Yinka Shonibare “Moving Up”, courtesy the artist and James Cohan Gallery, New York. (Supplied/Photo by Stephen White & Co. Supplied)

When the Garden’s remodeled sculpture galleries reopen in April, Shonibare’s works of the past three decades, many never shown in the United States, including sculptures, paintings, photographs, collages, embroidery, and film, will be featured in the exhibition “Yinka Shonibare CBE: Planets in My Head.” The show will run thorough October.

“Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is thrilled to host this major exhibition, one of Yinka Shonibare’s largest in the United States,” David Hooker, President & CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, said in supplied material. “It will be a wonderful opportunity for hundreds of thousands of guests to experience works never before seen in the U.S. and learn more about this fascinating artist.”

The man and his works

Born in London to Nigerian parents and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, where he spoke Yoruba at home and English at the private school he attended, Shonibare has a bicultural heritage, according to supplied material. “His identity is shaped by the postcolonial experience of being in two places at once; of growing up located between center and margin of the British Empire.”

Yinka Shonibare in his studio in 2014. (Artist’s website photo by James Mollison)

Postcolonialism and hybridity define his artistic and political identity, and are major themes in his artistic output. While Shonibare embraces cross-cultural mixing and exchange in his work, he never shies from alluding to the postcolonial scars of cultural imperialism and exploitation.

“As this exhibition reveals, Shonibare thinks globally and uses his artistic imagination to comment on colonialism, art history, environment, education, knowledge, food justice, and other subjects of universal concern,” the Meijer Gardens’ announcement states.

Shonibare, born 1962, studied Fine Art at Byam Shaw School of Art, London (1989) and received his MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London (1991), according to the biography on his website.

Yinka Shonibare’s ‘Hybrid Mask (Fang Ngil). Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. (Supplied/Photo by Stephen White & Co.)

His interdisciplinary practice uses “citations of Western art history and literature to question the validity of contemporary cultural and national identities within the context of globalisation. Through examining race, class and the construction of cultural identity, his works comment on the tangled interrelationship between Africa and Europe, and their respective economic and political histories.”

In 2004, he  was nominated for the Turner Prize and in 2008. In 2013, he was elected a Royal Academician, and was awarded the honour of ‘Commander of the Order of the British Empire’ in 2019. His installation ‘The British Library’ was acquired by Tate in 2019 and is currently on display at Tate Modern, London.

More recently, Shonibare was awarded the prestigious Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon Award. His works are in collections of, in addition to the Tate, the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C; Museum of Modern Art, New York; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.

  • Yinka Shonibare’s ‘Creatures of the Mappa-Mundi – Bonnacon’. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. (Supplied photo by Mark Blower)
  • Yinka Shonibare’s ‘Creatures of the Mappa-Mundi – Bonnacon’ (detail). Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. (Supplied photo by Mark Blower)

Exhibit-related special events

Among the many exhibition-related events are:

“A Fashion in Contemporary Art” — Saturday, June 18, a discussion by Suzanne Eberle, PhD, Professor Emerita, Kendall College of Art and Design.

“Abundance and Scarcity: Yinka Shonibare CBE and Food Justice” — Saturday, July 16, a discussion by Jochen Wierich, PhD, Assistant Curator & Researcher at Meijer Gardens and Associate Professor of Art History at Aquinas College.

“Complex Embodiment: Yinka Shonibare and Disability” — Saturdays, Sept. 3 and 10,  with Jessica Cooley, PhD candidate in the art history department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“Yinka Shonibare and the Pan-African Imagination” — Saturday, Oct. 1, 1with Antawan Byrd, PhD candidate in the art history department at Northwestern University, Weinberg Fellow, associate curator of photography and media at the Art Institute of Chicago.

A full list of exhibition activities can be found at MeijerGardens.org/Shonibare.

For more information about Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, visit meijergardens.org.

Gonzo’s Top 5: LaughFest, butterflies, and doing the Irish Jig 5K

Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Non-Profits, Recreation, Restaurants, , , , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

From butterflies to an Irish jig, we’re ready for the weekend!

My Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal, also includes comedy, one of Christian music’s most successful acts and a show primarily for women.

What are you going to do?

Gonzo’s Top 5

Casting Crowns first performed at Van Andel Arena in 2005 and last graced the stage locally in 2019. The band returns on The Healer Tour on Saturday, March 19th along with special guests We Are Messengers and Jonathan Traylor. (Photo by Jim Hill)

5. Casting Crowns

As part of their “The Healer Tour,” award-winning Contemporary Christian Music act Casting Crowns makes a stop this weekend at Van Andel Arena. The show is at 7 p.m. Saturday (March 19) with special guests We Are Messengers and Jonathan Traylor. Known for multiple hit songs and albums, the group has been a staple on the charts since 2003 when its self-titled album became an instant hit and sold nearly 2 million copies. The band also has been honored with four American Music Awards, a GRAMMY Award for their 2005 album “Lifesong,” and eight additional GRAMMY Award nominations. In addition, the group has garnered 18 GMA Dove Awards. Ticket information at vanandelarena.com. Learn more about the band at castingcrowns.com.

The West Michigan Women’s Expo takes place this weekend. (Facebook)

4. West Michigan Women’s Expo

The Women’s Expo is a great opportunity to get out of the house with friends and explore a variety of exhibits, seminars and shopping, all tailored to women and their families. Attendees will enjoy interactive activities, pampering, food tastings and even a Great Lakes Writers book and author area. Also, see my friend Jackie Blankenship, who recently was named Mrs. America 2022, as she shares her story about “Confidence and a Belief of Purpose.” She speaks at 1 p.m. Saturday. Show hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at DeVos Place. Learn more at kohlerexpo.com/wm-womens-exp.

3. 38th Annual Spectrum Health Irish Jig

One of the biggest events in the running community is the Spectrum Health Irish Jig, which kicks off the summer season. Even if you have not trained much this winter, you can still get out for an easy run or walk. The race begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at East Grand Rapids High School. Learn more at spectrumhealth.org/irish-jig.

Butterflies and flowers will be on display at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

2. Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies are Blooming

One of my favorite events in Grand Rapids opened a couple weeks ago – the annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition at Meijer Gardens. It is the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the nation. The kids will love watching tropical butterflies from around the world fly freely in the balmy Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. Throughout the exhibition, guests can experience special educational programming and butterfly-themed activities. It is open through April 30. It’s never too early to start planning a trip or Spring Break outing. More info at meijergardens.org/calendar/butterflies-are-blooming/.

MORE: Spring is around the corner as the butterflies bloom at Frederik Meijer Gardens

Pop Scholars get their LaughFest on along with everyone else. (Facebook)

1.Laughfest GR

This awesome, six-day community event built on the love of laughter, continues this weekend with a jam-packed lineup throughout venues in Grand Rapids. The annual benefit for Gilda’s House Grand Rapids, the non-profit to support the free cancer and grief emotional health programs founded by Gilda Radner, features some of the top local, regional and national acts. I’ll be at tonight’s sold out trivia show at Golden Age inside Creston Brewery. But tickets remain for Tone Bell, Maria Bamford, improv shows, the All Y’all Comedy Showcase and more. Shows continue through Sunday. More details at www.laughfestgr.org.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

March is Reading Month: The Phantom Tollbooth

3-bottom, Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Business, Recreation, , , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March has been designated as Reading Month. To celebrate and encourage reading, we are asking local officials, residents and WKTV staff and volunteers to tell us about a book that they enjoy. Happy Reading!

Today’s reading selection comes from Rosalie Kaser, who has been the co-owner of Kilwins in Gaslight Village for the past five years and an East Grand Rapids resident since 2000. Founded in 1947 in Petoskey, Mich., Kilwins is known for its chocolates, fudge, and ice cream. Today there are more than 140 Kilwins franchises in 25 states. To learn more, visit www.kilwins.com.

Book: The Phantom Tollbooth
Author: Norton Juster
Genre: Fantasy/children’s literature

“The Phantom Tollbooth” is a wonderful play on words that make you laugh at the main character’s, Milo, adventures and makes you think about the words we use.

GVSU to host special presentation of theater production ‘Anne and Emmett’

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Anne Frank and Emmett Till are the subjects of an upcoming theater presentation at Grand Valley State University. (Free domain)

Grand Valley is hosting a special presentation of a play that imagines a conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till, two young people who died as victims of hatred and whose lives are now widely remembered.

“Anne and Emmett,” written by Janet Langhart Cohen, is being presented by Ebony Road Players, a theater group based in Grand Rapids that works to bring to the community productions that focus on the Black experience.

The presentation is at 7 p.m. March 24 at the Loosemore Auditorium in DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. It is free and open to the public, said Rob Franciosi, the GVSU professor of English who is organizing the event. The evening also will include a talk-back session and refreshments.

Franciosi said he became familiar with the Ebony Road Players production in 2021 when it was in a streaming format, and thought it would be beneficial to his students in a Frederik Meijer Honors College course about Frank.

“The power of the play, however, is such that I thought it was important to open the performance up to the wider GVSU community as well as the public,” Franciosi said.

The story focuses on a conversation between Frank, a Jewish girl who while in hiding was discovered and died at a concentration camp, and Till, who was kidnapped and killed in 1955 for allegedly offending a white woman. Franciosi said while watching the play, he was struck by the youth of both Frank and Till. He also noted how easy it can be for people to forget that they were children when they died.

“Yet for all the distance between the worlds of Anne and Emmett and our own, the continuing stains of racism and anti-Semitism which destroyed them add a measure of urgency to setting their stories side by side,” Franciosi said. “Aligning the crimes of Nazi Germany to those of the Jim Crow South can, in fact, deepen our understanding of the larger forces which engulfed both Anne Frank and Emmett Till.”

Edye Evans Hyde, executive director of Ebony Road Players, said theater company officials decided to produce the play to highlight the lessons from the stories of Frank and Till.

“We chose ‘Anne and Emmett’ for the relevant stories of two teenagers who experienced similar atrocities at different times in the world,” Hyde said. “We hope that the stories help remind us of the horrors they lived through so we don’t make the same mistakes with our children.”

The production is sponsored by GVSU’s Frederik Meijer Honors College, Joseph Stevens Freedom Endowment, Department of English and Division of Inclusion and Equity.

Art auction will raise funds for Mel Trotter, Heartside Ministries

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, ,

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

Julie Ashba started working in stained glass 18 years ago. Her stained glass sculpture was inspired by the waters of Michigan. The piece will be at the Art & Experience Auction. (Supplied)

A capital campaign to bring improved services to people experiencing homelessness will get a boost from an upcoming auction.

Mel Trotter Ministries is hosting its first Art & Experience Auction on Thursday, March 24, featuring 85 items up for bid in both live and silent auctions.

In addition to art works, auction items include a trip to Mexico, a signed guitar from Christian recording artist Matthew West, wine tastings paired with a local restaurant, a sports package, and a private chef experience in the winning bidder’s home.

Beth Fisher, chief advancement officer at Mel Trotter Ministries, said auction proceeds will go to an ongoing capital campaign to benefit Day Center operations at Heartside Ministries, which merged with Mel Trotter Ministries in 2020.

Art pieces were donated from personal collections and local artists, including guests of Heartside Ministries.

“Heartside Ministries has a longstanding art therapy program,” Fisher said. “Many of the pieces that will be at the auction were created by Heartside Ministry guests in the art ministry program.”

‘Mission Point’ is one of three photographs Ben Dykhouse donated to the auction. (Supplied)

Interested bidders can already browse through silent auction items online. A link to the auction site is online at meltrotter.org/events.


Items not included in the silent auction will be auctioned live at the event on March 24.

Auction organizers reached out to artists who had a connection to Mel Trotter Ministries or Heartside Ministries and found many who were willing to donate their art to the cause.

Ben Dykstra, who specializes in fine art, architecture and portrait photography, donated three of his photographs. He said he was on Mel Trotter Ministries’ mailing list because he volunteers every year at the organization’s Thanksgiving dinner. He was happy for the opportunity to “pay it forward” by donating the photographs, which had been on display in his home.

“Service, to me, is something that’s vitally important. I think it’s the hidden ingredient in any blessed life,” he said.

Shannon Andrus, a mixed media artist based in Rockford, is on the leadership committee for the auction. She donated two pieces as well as a “Brushes and Brews” event at Hearts for the Arts, her studio. Ten people will get a two-hour art class along with pizza and beer from Mitten Brewing Company, which is owned by her husband.

‘Be a Legend’ is one of two pieces donated to the auction by Shannon Andrus, owner of Hearts for the Arts studio. (Supplied)

Andrus founded the art studio in 2008 as a place for students with cognitive and physical disabilities to get art therapy, skill building and entrepreneurial training.

Two of her students, Bradley Spidell and DJ Pezzato, donated pieces of their art to the auction.

“Homelessness has  been an ongoing issue, especially during Covid, and now more than ever people need to give back and help,” she said.

The Art & Experience Auction will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 24 at The High Five GR, 19 LaGrave Ave. SE. The event is free, but space is limited. To RSVP, or to become a sponsor, go to www.meltrotter.org/auction. 

HarborFest scheduled to return in June

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

HarborFest returns in 2022. (Supplied)

South Haven recently announced that its popular HarborFest would return for 2022.

According to chairs Ken and Kelly VanHorn, it was their goal to come back strong in 2022 with amazing music, vendors, activities and fun. Popular activities will be back including craft vendors, food vendors, kids’ area, beer tent, and dragon boat races and, of course music.

The dates for this years HarborFest are June 17 and 18. For more details, visit www.southhavenharborfest.com.

Gonzo’s Top 5: GR Ballet Junior, St. Paddy’s Day, and the ultimate sports show

Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

It was just announced that Major League Baseball is officially back, which means Spring training games are right around the corner. Locally we have the Fulton Street Farmers Market this weekend. And St. Patrick’s Day is next week.

It feels more like Spring every day.

I have more signs that warmer days are ahead in my Top 5, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

5. Fulton Street Farmers Market

Are you looking for another sign of Spring? Well, it’s a great time to head out to the popular Fulton Street Farmers Market. With a great assortment of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, hand-crafted food items, and unique artisan products year-round. Hours are 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. The summer season begins May 7 and expands hours and days. The Fulton Street Farmers Market is located at 1145 Fulton St. SE. Learn more at fultonstreetmarket.org. The Fulton Street Artisans Market opens June 12.

A scene from Grand Rapids Ballet School’s Junior Company production of the ballet “Aladdin”. (Supplied/Scott Rasmussen)

4. Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company: Aladdin

This production has been two years in the making after the Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company had to cancel its planned performances in March 2020 due to the pandemic. The familiar story of “Aladdin ” was choreographed by Grand Rapids Ballet School director and Junior Company artistic director Attila Mosolygo, who said: “It will be an amazing production of dancing and performance,” in a recent interview with D.A. Reed for WKTV. Performances are March 11-13 and 19-20 at the Peter Wege Theatre in Grand Rapids. More info at grballet.com.

READ: Tea time anyone? GR Ballet School’s Junior Company will stage ‘Aladdin’ after a two-year postponement

Conklin Celi Band performs at Quinn & Tuite’s Irish Pub. (Supplied)

3. Grand Rapids St. Patrick’s Day Parade

We all know the big day isn’t until March 17, but you can get a jump start on your St. Paddy’s Day celebrations at 11 a.m. Saturday (March 12) at the annual GR St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The West Catholic High School Marching Band makes an appearance, as well as dignitaries and organizers of the Grand Rapids Irish Committee. The Parade will start at the Grand Rapids Library Foundation on 111 Library St. NE and end on Ottawa Ave. NW. More info at experiencegr.com. Also, immediately after the parade, you can check out the Conklin Céilí Band at Quinn & Tuite’s Irish Pub, 1535 Plainfield Ave NE, for a set.

Greta Van Fleet

2. Greta Van Fleet

The Michigan retro rock band that rose from obscurity from the small town of Frankenmuth to international stardom is back on the road on its Dreams in Gold Tour, which includes several Michigan shows. This weekend you can see the guys at 7 p.m. Saturday (March 12) at the DeltaPlex Arena. Opening the show are Rival Sons and The Velveteers. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $59.50; reserved grandstand seats are $49.50, $59.50 and $69.50. Learn more at deltaplex.com.

1. Ultimate Sport Show

Who’s ready for Spring. And fishing? This weekend you can experience everything you need to know to have a great season at the Ultimate Sport Show at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. Discover the latest in outdoor gear, travel information and fishing boats and more, as well as taxidermy, antique lures, fishing simulator and even a trout pond. Overall there are nearly 100 fishing and hunting seminars on five stages, including “Lake Ultimate,” the 110,000 gallon indoor lake. The first 250 people in line on Saturday and Sunday get a pre-rigged K&E Bass Stopper worm. My friend Tony Gates of WLAV will host this annual competition on Lake Ultimate on Saturday from noon-1 p.m. The kid that catches the single biggest fish will win a 1/2 day weekday Charter Fishing Trip for up to 6 people with Captain Lance Valentine. Show hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday (March 11), 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for those ages 6-14. More info at UltimateSportShow.com.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.


John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

March is Reading Month: How Do Dinosaurs…

3-bottom, Books, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March has been designated as Reading Month. To celebrate and encourage reading, we are asking local officials, residents and WKTV staff and volunteers to tell us about a book that they enjoy. Happy Reading!

Today’s book selection is from Deb Winn, the program manager for Children’s Healing Center. Children’s Healing Center, which is located at 1530 E. Fulton St., is the nation’s first year-round recreation center where kids with weak immune systems can play in a safe space. The Children’s Healing Center has quickly grown to include a wide range of programs that emphasize research-based play, socialization and learning. To learn more about the center, visit childrenshealing.org.

Book: How Do Dinosaurs…
Author: Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Genre: Children’s Fiction

I enjoy the “How Do Dinosaurs” series.  “How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon,” “How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night,” and many more.  Who doesn’t love the silliness of seeing dinosaurs brush their teeth or take their medicine?  They are delightful to read to a preschool class or cuddle with your grandchildren.

Tea time anyone? GR Ballet School’s Junior Company will stage ‘Aladdin’ after a two-year postponement

Area Education, Education, Entertainment, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
  • A scene from Grand Rapids Ballet School’s Junior Company production of the ballet “Aladdin”. (Supplied/Scott Rasmussen)
  • A scene from Grand Rapids Ballet School’s Junior Company production of the ballet “Aladdin”. (Supplied/Scott Rasmussen)
  • A scene from Grand Rapids Ballet School’s Junior Company production of the ballet “Aladdin”. (Supplied/Scott Rasmussen)
  • A scene from Grand Rapids Ballet School’s Junior Company production of the ballet “Aladdin”. (Supplied/Scott Rasmussen)
  • A scene from Grand Rapids Ballet School’s Junior Company production of the ballet “Aladdin”. (Supplied/Scott Rasmussen)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer

The talented young dancers of the Grand Rapids Ballet School’s junior company were all set to “recreate” the ballet “Aladdin” back in 2020, and then like many stages, their’s went dark as the pandemic dropped its curtain.

And while that moment was bitter for cast and crew, young and old, “Aladdin” will finally fly in, starting this weekend — with a special tea party available.

The ballet school’s junior company will take the stage March 11-13 and March 19-20 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre to “share the familiar story of ‘Aladdin’, an impoverished boy living in Agrabah who falls in love with the beautiful Princess Jasmine.”

A crop of promotional material from Grand Rapids Ballet School’s Junior Company production of the ballet “Aladdin”. (Supplied/Scott Rasmussen)

Choreographed by Grand Rapids Ballet School (GRBS) Director and Junior Company Artistic Director Attila Mosolygo, the ballet “Aladdin” was inspired from the folktale in the book, “One Thousand and One Nights.” The adventure features a thrilling quest with mysterious characters along the way including a fierce dragon, a magic genie, and a powerful sorcerer.

“It will be an amazing production of dancing and performance,” Mosolygo told WKTV.

This production, actually, has been two years in the making after GRBS had to cancel their planned performance on opening night in March 2020 due to the pandemic.

“The students have been working extremely hard the past three months helping me recreate this ballet and they are thrilled to be given this second chance to perform it,” Mosolygo said in supplied material.

Keeping ‘Aladdin’ ready to fly

The path to this opening night, however, was not an easy one.

The planned opening night of “Aladdin” in 2020 was one that GRBS dancer Serafina Wagneveld remembers well.

“There we were, at the height of excitement, ready to go,” said Wagenveld, who will perform the role of Jasmine in the 2022 production. “At the beginning of the day we still didn’t know if we would go on.”

Then came the announcement that “Aladdin” would be postponed.

“Even then, we didn’t fully grasp what was happening,” Wagenveld said. “We were sad but hadn’t lost hope.”

As the pandemic continued, however, it became obvious that the performance GRBS Junior Company had worked so hard for would not be taking the stage anytime soon.

Attila Mosolygo. (GR Ballet)

Mosolygo told WKTV that, due to pandemic restrictions, it was more than five weeks before he was allowed back into the building after the cancellation. Walking on stage with every curtain ready to be pulled, every prop in place, Mosolygo said — “I could almost hear the music — but nothing happened.”

 

Online classes began but were difficult for the dancers, many of them improvising in their homes by performing ballet on stairwells and on kitchen counters. “It was all new and we were doing our best,” said Wagenveld.

Mosolygo said he noticed a definite shift in the mindset of students over the last two years.

“Virtual classes work in some ways, and they don’t in others. When you come to an art form that is so hands-on, to try to learn anything off your iPhone, off your tablet, off your computer — over time it’s not fun. Their attention and willpower went away.”

Wagenveld personally felt the hardship of the ongoing pandemic — “There was nothing you could be sure of anymore.”

Because of the mental and emotional toll, the dancer decided last year to take a break from dancing. But she couldn’t stay away for long.

“It wasn’t long before I came back,” said Wagenveld. “It (dancing) brings out my creativity. It is a unique way of expressing myself that not all people get to experience.”

And the junior company’s leader understands his dancer perfectly.

“Ballet is an art form, a self-expression of who you are,” Mosolygo said. “Dancing goes beyond words.”

Through the hardships the pandemic brought, Wagenveld and her classmates were able to find a silver lining. And the ability to have in-person classes again this school year and the chance to perform “Aladdin” has created excitement among the dancers and staff, healing some of the heartbreak that came with having to set aside the performance two years ago.
 

“We are more appreciative of what we have, not taking them for granted,” Wagenveld said.

Tea with Aladdin & Jasmine

For an added experience, GRBS Junior Company is hosting Aladdin & Jasmine’s Royal Tea, a “unique and memorable event, fit for both princes and princesses alike,” on Sunday, March 13, at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market in the Greenhouse space. 

The event features a photo booth, a meet and greet with “Aladdin” characters,” a kid-friendly craft, all topped off with a brunch built for kids and adults. After the Royal Tea, attendees will travel to the land of Agrabah at Peter Martin Wege Theatre to experience the thrills of “Aladdin” beginning at 2 p.m.


Tickets for “Aladdin” are available now for $18 online, via phone at (616) 454-4771 ext. 10, or in-person at GRB’s Box Office. Tickets to Aladdin & Jasmine’s Royal Tea are available for $49 per person.

Area’s first outdoor concert series along with John Ball Zoo announce start dates

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The “Washed Ashore” exhibit comes to the John Ball Zoo this summer. (Washed Ashore)

Spring is marching in as two popular summer activities, the John Ball Zoo and the area’s oldest outdoor free concert series, announce opening dates.

This past week, John Ball Zoo announced it would officially open March 25 for its 2022 season and will feature the “Washed Ashore” collection. Turning discarded plastics found on the beach into beautiful pieces of art, “Washed Ashore” artists create large powerful sculptures that captivate all ages and teach environmental conservation and sustainability.

Tickets for the zoo are available online, www.jbzoo.org/visitandtickets, or at the zoo. Admission tickets are on sale now for opening day, March 25, through April. Spring hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit the zoo’s website at www.jbzoo.org, all 616-336-4300, or email info@jbzoo.org.

Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts

The area’s oldest outdoor concert seres, the Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts, marks its 20th anniversary this season. the Lowell concerts are offered with the Lowell Showboat as a backdrop, commemorating the history of the showboat for the City of Lowell.

 

To commemorate the series’ history, this year’s concerts feature many groups who originated in Michigan and are now heading nationally and internationally.

The Accidentals perform at the Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Series June 23. (Supplied/Courtesy Aryn Madigan)

Groups scheduled to perform are Mungion, The Acidentals, Stone Street Revival, Kari Lynch Band, The Adams Family Band, and the Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines with the Great Lakes Chorus.

The series runs June 16 to Aug. 25. Thursday evening concerts begin at 7 p.m. along the Flat River, 113 Riverwalk Plaza, in downtown Lowell.

 

Food and spirts are available for purchase. Admission to the concerts and parking are free. the concerts draw upwards of 1,000 visitors each week. The concert venue is wheelchair accessible. Bleacher seating is available or attendees can bring their own folding chair.

 

For more about the series, visit www.lowellartsmi.org.

Jazz ‘fearless voyager’ Dee Dee Bridgewater joins fellow GRAMMY winner, pianist Charlap, at St. Cecilia concert

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, , ,
Dee Dee Bridgewater’s “Memphis … Yes, I’m Ready” cover. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org


Dee Dee Bridgewater — Michigan native, GRAMMY winning jazz vocalist extraordinaire, Tony winning actress, United Nations Goodwill Ambassador — will need little or no introduction when she is introduced before hitting the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Royce Auditorium stage later this month.

And her accompanist, GRAMMY winning jazz pianist Bill Charlap, is not far behind in jazz star power.

So it is sure to be a night of superb “re-envisioning jazz classics” when the two perform as the next concert in the St. Cecilia Jazz Series Thursday, March 10, with tickets still available.

Dee Dee Bridgewater. (Supplied)

“Over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning Jazz giant Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics,” it states on her record label website.

Ever the “fearless voyager, explorer, pioneer and keeper of (jazz) tradition,” the three-time Grammy-winner most recently won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for “Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee” — Eleanora Fagan was Holiday’s actual name.

Her latest CD release, in 2019, created as part of her induction in the Memphis Music Hall of Fame was, appropriately titled “Memphis, Yes…I’m Ready.”

“These were songs I listened to on the famous Black radio station WDIA, where my own father, Matthew Garrett, was a young on-air DJ,” Bridgewater said about the release in supplied material. “I was born in Memphis, but my family migrated north to Flint, Michigan when I was 3 years old. The South has always remained buried in me and coming back for this recording project has brought me full circle in my life.”

Bill Charlap. (Supplied)

Charlap, considered one of the world’s premier jazz pianists, has performed and recorded with many leading artists of our time, ranging from jazz masters Phil Woods and Wynton Marsalis to singers Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand.

In 2016, Charlap won the GRAMMY for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Since 1997, he has led the Bill Charlap Trio, now recognized as one of the leading groups in jazz.

“We are thrilled to bring the amazing Dee Dee Bridgewater to St. Cecilia Music Center to hear her gorgeous voice and unique spin on beloved jazz classics and her own new music “Memphis”, St. Cecilia executive and artistic director Cathy Holbrook said in supplied material. “It will certainly be a special evening to see Dee Dee and Bill Charlap performing together within our intimate Royce Auditorium setting.” 

Bridgewater’s history of music, activism

Bridgewater earned her first professional experience as a member of the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, and throughout the 1970’s she performed with such jazz notables as Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and Dizzy Gillespie. After a foray into the pop world during the 1980s, she relocated to Paris and began to turn her attention back to jazz.

Bridgewater, who produces all of her own recordings, boasts a series of critically-acclaimed releases, with almost all having received GRAMMY nominations.
 

Bridgewater also pursued a parallel career in musical theater, winning a Tony Award for her role as “Glinda” in The Wiz in 1975 but continuing with playing Billie Holiday in the off-Broadway production of “Lady Day”, and numerous her other theatrical credits.

As a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, Bridgewater continues to appeal for international solidarity to finance global grassroots projects in the fight against world hunger.

In April 2017 was the recipient of an NEA Jazz Masters Fellows Award at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.. and that same year she was presented with the ASCAP Foundation Champions award acknowledging her charitable contributions.

What’s next; what protocols to expect

The final concert of the St. Cecilia’s 2021-22 Jazz Series will be April 14, as, Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra perform a night of big band favorites.

Tickets to Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap, and Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, can be purchased online at scmc-online.org or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224.

St. Cecilia currently requires proof of fully vaccinated status, or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours, to attend a concert at the SCMC venue. Attendees need to bring photo ID and proof of vaccination, or a negative test, the night of a concert. Note: Home tests are not accepted.

All patrons are required to wear a mask for the full duration of their time in the building.

If you have tickets to an upcoming performance and are unwilling or unable to abide by this policy, please contact the SCMC box office for a refund at kelly@scmc-online.org a minimum of 48 hours prior to the concert date.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Comedy, bourbon, flying dinosaurs, and the home and garden show

Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, Sports, , , , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez

WKTV Contributing Writer

Spring is around the corner, and we’re excited for all the cool things happening now.

Whether it’s the Home & Garden Show, a new exhibit at the Public Museum or a festival devoted to Bourbon. All of this, and more, are in my Top 5, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

Comedian Whitney Cummings performs Saturday, March 5 at GLC Live. (Supplied)

5. Comedy Shows

The local comedy scene is really exploding with local, regional and national acts performing throughout West Michigan. That’s great news as we get closer to Laughfest GR, which is March 16-20, and a great opportunity to see a variety of acts. This weekend check out:

Whitney Cummings – comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director – performs at 7 p.m. Saturday (March 5) at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. She is on her “Touch Me Tour.” Opening is Ricky Velez. Tickets start at $35 and on sale now at livenation.com. Learn more about Whitney Cummings in this recent Fox 17 interview.

Golden Age Comedy – Located in the upper room at Creston Brewery, and presented by Full House Comedy, the venue features Maddy Smith at 7 tonight (March 4) and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday (March 5), and Hal Sparks at 9 tonight (March 4). Sparks also performs at 8 p.m. Saturday at Billy’s Lounge in Grand Rapids. More details at fullhousecomedy.com/.

May the force be with the Griffins: Star Wars night is Saturday, March 5. (Supplied)

4. Grand Rapids Griffins

What? You haven’t been to a Griffins game this season? What are you waiting for? The professional hockey team is in action four times over the next week with games March 4, 5, 9 and 11 at Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids. You can get $2 beers and $2 hot dogs at select stands on Friday and March 11. And it’s Star Wars Night on Saturday (March 5). All games are at 7 p.m. Get tickets and more details at griffinshockey.com.

The 2nd Annual GR Bourbon Fest returns to D2D Event Center. (Supplied)

3. 2nd Annual GR Bourbon Fest

Where are my bourbon lovers? Good news, the second annual Grand Rapids Bourbon Fest is back Saturday (March 5) at the Studio D2D Event Center, located at 401 Hall St SW. You will discover 200-plus whiskeys, with the majority of them being bourbon. There will also be a few non-bourbon options such as beer from New Holland Brewing Co. and wine from 45 North Winery. Designated Drivers get complimentary nitro coffee, kombucha and tea from Reputation Beverage Company. In addition to the beverages, attendees can experience food trucks, live music and more. There are two sessions with Session One from 4-7 p.m. and Session Two from 8-11p.m. Proceeds will benefit Friends of The River. More details at the Facebook Event page.

The dinosaurs take flight at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Supplied)

2. Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs

Are there any dinosaur lovers in your life? This weekend the Grand Rapids Public Museum opens “Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs.” These flying animals ranged from the size of a sparrow to that of a two-seater plane. They are believed to be the first back-boned animals to evolve into powered flight, and the only vertebrates to develop this ability besides birds and bats. The exhibition includes life-size models, videos and interactive exhibits. The exhibit opens Saturday, March 5, with a special members only preview from 9 a.m.-noon.

Learn more at www.grpm.org.

A sign of spring: the West Michigan Home and Garden Show. (Supplied)

1. West Michigan Home and Garden Show

The recent warm up makes it feel like spring, and that means it’s a perfect time for the 41st annual West Michigan Home and Garden Show at DeVos Place. You can expect 13 feature gardens, five free seminar stages and more than 350 exhibitors featuring a wide variety of products and services. Let’s go! Hours are noon-9:30 p.m. today (March 4), 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults and $4 for children ages 6-14. Check out more information on seminars and services at GRHomeShow.com.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.


John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Featuring 15 emerging artists, the stage is set for The Stray’s first-ever Battle of the Bands

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, West Michigan, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

March is Reading Month. March is Women’s History Month. And March 2022 is Battle of the Bands month at Wyoming’s The Stray.

The Stray Cafe, located at 4253 Division Ave., Wyoming, will host its first Battle of the Bands, running every Friday in the month of March. (Supplied)

Starting this Friday, March 4, and for the next two Fridays, Wyoming’s The Stray Cafe will be hosting its first-ever Battle of the Bands which will feature 15 Michigan bands, most from the Grand Rapids area with others coming from Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo and Allen Park.

“We wanted to give young and emerging artists a chance for exposure, networking, and some compensation within a high-quality listening environment,” said The Stray’s Music and Arts Manager Hunter VanKlompenberg. “We generally value collaboration over competition, but we hope in this case that the premise of friendly competition will help gather audience excitement and will bring out the best in the performers.”

When looking for performers, VanKlompenberg said there were a number of factors the venue considered, quality being the top one along with diversity in genre, gender, age and background.

“Finally, we looked at the effort put forth in their application/online presence,” he said. “Overall, there’s a balance between looking for quality and looking for artist that this would be a great opportunity for. We weren’t necessarily looking for huge touring acts because it wouldn’t be as much of a growth opportunity for them.”

Five bands will compete each Friday by performing a 20-minute set. The winner from each of those preliminary rounds will advance to the final round which will be March 25. In that round, each of the remaining three bands will before a 45-minute set. There will be a populous vote and judge’s vote that will be combined to determine the winners. The winner of the March 25 event will receive $300 and a free photoshoot and an opportunity to record at Dogtown Studio, a Grand Rapids-based studio that specializes in live sessions for bands and musicians. Second and third place will each receive $100. All three finalists will be featured on the WKTV Journal in the month of April.

This Friday’s line-up includes Tink and the Lost Boys, The Dead Lennies, Sebastian and the Mood, DaisyBox, and The Polyphonic Element. Guest judge will be Andrea “Dre” Wallace, a West Michigan native who is a music producer/DJ, entrepreneur and technologist.

The Stray’s Music and Arts Manager Hunter VanKlompenberg said they hope “friendly competition will help gather audience excitement and will bring out the best in the performers.” (Supplied)

On March 11, Bond Girl, Shnkool, Grace Thiesen, Josh Graveling and the Epitones will perform. Guest judge will be Elle Lively, who is the owner of Crooked Tree Creative, a Michigan-based management and consulting company geared towards empowering up-and-coming artists.

On Mach 18, the performers will be Ficus, Whorled, Painted Friends, Low Phase, and Dalmatian Stone. Guest judge will be Jake Rye, who is a producer, songwriter and mixer based in southeast Michigan, who over the past 14 years has mixed more than 1,000 songs including many billboard charting radio singles. 

The final night, March 25, will be judged by John Sinkevics, who is a career journalist, musician and founder of Local Spins, the state’s fastest-growing music website that covers the West Michigan music scene.

 

“We hope to provide opportunities for growth to local artists, put on a handful of incredible shows, and introduce audience members to bands they may not have known of before,” VanKlopemberg said.

The event is free with The Stray offering a range of food items such as flatbread pizzas, salads, and nachos along with a selection of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

 

The Stray Cafe is located at 4253 S. Division Ave. For more information, visit The Stray’s website or Facebook page. 

Spring is around the corner as the butterflies bloom at Frederik Meijer Gardens

Entertainment, Environment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , ,

By Anna Johns
WKTV Contributing Writer

An Emerald Swallowtail is just one of the many butterflies visitors will see at this year’s “Butterflies are Blooming.” (Supplied)

Bold butterflies are flying in for Spring! The Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park’s annual Fred and Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition is back.

Beginning March 1 through April 30 thousands of butterflies will be taking over the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. The 15,000 square-foot conservatory is set at 85 degrees with 70 percent humidity. New this year is the kokedama arch that is filled with colorful penta, lantana, bromeliads, and orchids. During the exhibition, several flowers will be blooming including orange plume, blue porter weed, jatropha, queen’s wreath, and bleeding heart vines.

 

This year’s exhibition highlights the power of flowers and the positive and powerful impact flowers have on butterflies, people, and the world.

“Our goal is to bring an awareness of the important relationships butterflies and humans have with flowers, and to show the positive and powerful impact flowers have on butterflies, people, and the world,” said Steve LaWarre, Vice President of Horticulture.

More than 60 species of butterflies reside in the warm, lush environment of the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. These creatures come from butterfly-rich regions around the world including parts of Asia, Africa, and Central & South America. Every week an average of 1,000 pupae arrive at the gardens and guests can view the new arrivals at the observation station. At this station, the conservatory staff collects and releases adult butterflies throughout the day.

The Caterpillar Room, in the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse, features monarch caterpillars. The greenhouse is filled with milkweed host plants for the hungry caterpillars to feed on. 

At the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, young guests can participate in outdoor activities. The children’s garden has unique educational activities for all ages to enjoy. In the Log Cabin guests can perform their own butterfly-themed puppet shows or read about moths and butterflies. The garden features a special Treehouse Village hunt, a Butterfly Maze, and the Monarch’s Migration game. Check the Children’s Garden Information Center for activities and times, which vary daily.

Through the exhibition, the gardens will be putting on several special events and recurring activities including:

The Lena Conservatory will be filled with an array of different butterflies from March 1 to April 31. (Supplied)

Outdoor Children’s Activities

March 1 – Friday, April 30, daylight hours only

Lena Meijer Children’s Garden 

Included with admission 

Tuesday Night Lights

Included with admission

Bring your flashlight on Tuesday nights until 9 p.m. to search for butterflies and see the nightlife in the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.

SMART Gardening to Support Monarchs (Lecture)

March 13, 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Included with admission

Dr. Erwin “Duke” Elsner  Extension Educator, Michigan State University, will explore simple ways landowners and gardeners can support monarch butterfly populations in their own backyards. During his presentation he will highlight simple ways to create a significant “green space” in urban and residential areas.

Flower House Detroit (Lecture)

March 27, 2 p.m.

Included with admission

Lisa Waud, Botanical Artist, Flower House Detroit

In October 2015, 37 floral designers and more than 100 volunteers from across North America came together to fill an abandoned Detroit house with American-grown fresh flowers and living plants. In this lecture, botanical installation artist, Lisa Waud will be presenting virtually to the audience at Meijer Gardens. She will be sharing her project from idea to exploration along with her thoughts on beauty, blight, and nostalgia, and the themes of risk-taking, logistics, and collaboration through the lens of the large-scale installation.

Flower Power Exploration Stations

April 24, 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Included with admission

Learn about flowers and butterflies during a self guided drop-in program. Guests can use microscopes and IPads as they explore the connection between flowers and butterflies.

Night With The Butterflies – Family Parties

March 14, March 20, April 18, 6 – 8 p.m.

This party will include entertainment, an art activity, and a light snack. 

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/FMGpartiesBAB 

Morning With The Butterflies – Family Parties

April 10, April 24, 9 – 11 a.m.

This party will include entertainment, an art activity, and a light snack. 

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/FMGpartiesBAB

Night with the Butterflies – Member Adult Party

March 28, 7 – 8 p.m.

Members 18 and older can enjoy a night of entertainment, alongside art activities, a photo booth, and a cash-only bar with a light snack. 

Those visiting are encouraged to be courteous to others when taking photos. Tripods are not allowed during the exhibit. (Supplied)

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/FMGpartiesBAB

Extended Hours & Exhibition Activities: More information at MeijerGardens.org/calendar

The gardens request that all visitors wear a face mask in indoor public settings regardless of their vaccination status. During the exhibition, tripods are not allowed in the conservatory and monopods may only be used with courtesy around other guests. No butterfly or plant materials can be removed from the conservatory and guests are not permitted to touch the butterflies.

 
The exhibit runs through April 30. Members can attend the exhibit for free, while students and children receive a discount. For more details about the butterfly exhibition, visit www.meijergardens.org

Gonzo’s Top 5: Ballet, poutine and beers

Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Recreation, Restaurants, , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

What’s going on this weekend? What are you going to do?

I say it’s a great weekend to go on a hike, maybe see the ballet, enjoy mouthwatering Poutine or sip on 700-plus Michigan craft beers.

You’ll find all the details, and more, in my Top 5 list, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

Logan’s L.A. Veggie Poutine: Sidewinder fries topped with a garlic parmesan gravy, flash fried Brussel sprouts, spinach, mushrooms, red peppers and jalapeño cheese bites. (Photo by John D. Gonzalez)

5. Michigan Street Poutine Week

Have you had a chance to check out Poutine Week on Michigan Street? Several local restaurants and bars are participating, and one will be declared the winner. I’ve only been to Logan’s Alley, but if the others are just as good, don’t miss this opportunity to support local business and enjoy tasty fries covered in gravy, cheese and other proteins. Some are vegetarian, too, which is what you can find at Logan’s. Participating: 7 Monks Taproom – Grand Rapids, Birch Lodge, Bob’s Bar, Duke’s, Elbow Room Bar & Grill, The Friesian Gastro Pub, Glass House Bar, Grand Coney, Kaffeine Place GR, Logan’s Alley, Maggie’s, Palio Grand Rapids and Vander Mill. Voting continues until Feb. 26 at https://poll.app.do/2022-michigan-street-poutine-week.

4. Noodle Fest 2022

Our friends at the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation are raising funds for their summer festival with this weekend’s Noodle Fest competition from noon-5 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 26) at Sixth Street Park. This is part of Downtown GR’s World of Winter. Each bowl is $5 each, and you help decide the winner by voting for the best dish.

The competitors include:

– PHỞ 616 Grand Rapids: Pho Ga / Vietnamese chicken noodle Soup (*Gluten Free)

– Legacy Noodles: Kha Poon Noodles / Hmong chicken coconut curry with vermicelli noodle

– Adobo Boy GR – Filipino Food: Pancit Canton / Filipino style stir-fried egg noodles

– Festival Fixx: Pork Red Curry with Rice Noodles (*Gluten Free)

– Rak Thai: Shoyu Ramen

– Amazing Myanmar Asian Cuisine: Burmese Shan Noodles

– Lao Lahanam Association: Thai River Boat Noodle / Clear pork broth with rice noodles (*Gluten Free)

Sixth Street Park located at 647 Monroe Ave NW. Check out the Facebook Event Page for more info.

 

3. Luminary Walk

On this special luminary walk, you can explore Kentwood’s Stanaback Park, which has been transformed into a half-mile pathway lit up with luminaries decorated by community members. This event is free and open to anyone to participate. Dress for cold weather. Hours are 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday (Feb. 25). Stanaback Park is located at 3717 Whitebud Dr. SE. More info at kentwood.us.

The Grand Rapids Ballet starts the celebration of its 50th celebration with the production of “Cinderella.” (Photo by Blaine Truitt Covert)

2. Grand Rapids Ballet presents Cinderella

The Grand Rapids Ballet Company kicks off its 50th Anniversary with performances Feb. 25-27 at DeVos Performance Hall. Fans of all ages will recognize the classic fairytale “Cinderella,” which has been choreographed by renowned choreographer Ben Stevenson. The Grand Rapids Symphony performs Sergei Prokofiev’s melodic score, as the audience watches Cinderella’s story unfold. Tickets and showtimes at www.grballet.com.

READ MORE: Grand Rapids Ballet’s ‘Cinderella’ adds to company’s rich history

1.Winter Beer Festival

If you’re a craft beer fan, count your blessings that you live in Beer City USA! With nearly 120 breweries tapping 707 unique beers in 92 styles, this weekend’s Winter Beer Festival – presented by the Michigan’s Brewers Guild – at LMCU Ballpark is the place to be. A few tickets remain. Doors open at 1 p.m. (noon for enthusiasts) on Saturday (Feb. 26) and includes beer samples, fun and good times. Tickets are $55 per person; attendees must be 21 or older with valid ID. Get tickets at mibeer.com. For the current list of breweries and beers go to https://beerlist.num1pirate.com/2022gr/

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Special student tickets available for St. Cecilia WinterFest Jazz with Christian McBride

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, , ,
Christian McBride, from a 2008 concert, is no stranger to St. Cecilia Music Center. (St. Cecilia Music Center)

By WKTV Staff

St. Cecilia Music Center has announced that special $10 student tickets are available for the this weekend’s three-day WinterFest “jazz festival”, Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 24-26, all shows with headliner bassist Christian McBride.

To redeem student priced tickets visit scmc-online.org/winterfest/ and click on the night(s) you would like to attend. Go through the process of finding your seats and buying tickets. When you check out, enter the discount code STUDENTWF22 and it will adjust the price to $10. There is a $3 ticketing fee per ticket.

On Thursday, Christian McBride & Friends will offer up a unique pairing with fellow bassist Edgar Meyer for a “double bass extravaganza”; then on Friday The Christian McBride Trio takes the stage with special guest jazz singer Cyrille Aimée; and on the final evening, Saturday, McBride and his award-winning quintet, Inside Straight, will hit the stage.

For a WKTV Journal story on the concert series, visit here.

For more information call St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224. 

And the rules at St. Cecilia

St. Cecilia currently requires proof of fully vaccinated status, or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours, to attend a concert at the SCMC venue. Attendees need to bring photo ID and proof of vaccination, or a negative test, the night of a concert. Note: Home tests are not accepted.

All patrons are required to wear a mask for the full duration of their time in the building.
 

If you have tickets to an upcoming performance and are unwilling or unable to abide by this policy, please contact the SCMC box office for a refund at kelly@scmc-online.org a minimum of 48 hours prior to the concert date.

Grand Rapids Ballet’s ‘Cinderella’ adds to company’s rich history

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, ,

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

The Grand Rapids Ballet starts the celebration of its 50th celebration with the production of “Cinderella.” (Photo by Blaine Truitt Covert)

As Grand Rapids Ballet celebrates the opening of its 50th anniversary season, the company is looking both forward and back with its upcoming performance of “Cinderella.”

 

When the dancers take the stage at DeVos Performance Hall this weekend, Feb. 25-27, it will be significant in many ways.

 

Thirty-five years ago, “Cinderella” was the first full-length ballet that the company performed.

And aside from the annual performances of “The Nutcracker,” the shows this weekend will also mark the first time in a decade that the Ballet has done a full-length production with the Grand Rapids Symphony at DeVos Performance Hall.

 

“We love the magic of the theater, we love having the live music, and the fact that it has been in our history is special too,” said James Sofranko, artistic director at Grand Rapids Ballet.

Full-length ballets like “Cinderella” are the pinnacle of what classical ballet is all about, he said.

“It has a beautiful orchestral score, beautiful sets and costumes, and utilizes classical ballet steps, so this is what we’ve been training for our whole lives,” he said. “It’s a very challenging thing to make it look effortless and hone every detail.”

This version of “Cinderella” was created more than 50 years ago by Ben Stevenson, former director of the Houston Ballet. Renowned companies like The Washington Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Houston Ballet have all performed the work, and Sofranko feels the significance of that history for both the individual dancers and the company as a whole.

 

The Grand Rapids Ballet’s production of “Cinderella” is set for Feb. 25-27. (Photo courtesy of Grand Rapids Ballet)

“You’re adding to your own personal repertoire as a dancer, and as a company, these ballets elevate us and our stature in the dance world,” he said. “These dancers are relishing this moment, and these ballets bring us to our next level. So to do this in our 50th anniversary year is fitting, and shows that we are moving ahead pretty boldly into the future.”

  

The Grand Rapids Ballet’s home stage at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre provides an intimacy that is perfect for many shows, he said, but the size of the DeVos Performance Hall stage allows bigger sets that give an immersive, storybook quality to “Cinderella.” The immediacy of the live music by the Symphony enriches the performance as well, he said.

“For the dancers too, it feels grander, so you dance bigger,” he said. “You want to raise your dancing to match it. It elevates the performance in many ways.”

Students from the Grand Rapids Ballet School will join the 19 professional dancers on the stage.

As the community continues to feel the lingering effects of the Covid pandemic, Sofranko said he’s glad people are buying tickets and supporting the Grand Rapids Ballet, which is the only professional ballet company in Michigan.

“We’re very thankful that people are still wanting to support the arts and not watch everything on TV,” he said.

“Cinderella” takes place Feb.25-27 at DeVos Performance Hall. Tickets start at $20 and are available online, via phone at 616-454-4771 ext. 10, or in person at GRB’s Box Office. 

Gonzo’s Top 5: Boats, brews, and a polar plunge

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , ,

By John Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

The month of February is fading fast.

And the recent warm weather certainly has us thinking about spring and summer. That makes it a perfect time to experience the Grand Rapids Boat Show, which is in this weekend’s Top 5, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

5. KDaLe at Railtown Brewery

If you’re looking for an intense coffee stout, check out Railtown Brewery’s new homebrew collaboration with the  Kent District Library ‘s brewing competition called KDaLe. I stopped by recently to meet up with some friends, and loved the robust and roasty flavors of this coffee beer. Local homebrewer Jason Kniss won with this stout recipe, which was made by the brewers at Railtown. The beer is named after a book called “Repeat” by Neal Pollack. According to reps, “the storyline of the book mimics his experience brewing this stout… It’s smooth and delicious!” As for food, I would recommend any of the mac and cheese dishes, loaded tots and fries, and the Korean Rice Bowl, a Korean-style bibimbap bowl with white rice, shredded carrots, cucumber, pickled onion, kimchi, edamame, and sunny-side up egg.  Along with an extensive luch and dinner menu, the brewery features 20 taps of beer, cider, seltzer and wine. Railtown is located at 3595 68th St SE Dutton, MI 49316. Follow them on Facebook.com/railtownbrewing or check them out at http://www.railtownbrewing.com/.

4. Grand Rapids Polar Plunge

Want to help a great cause? You can support Special Olympics at 2 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 19) at this year’s Grand Rapids Polar Plunge at LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park. You can register or donate at www.PLUNGEMI.org.

3. World of Winter

The downtown celebration of winter may be a little washed out with the recent rain, but you can still enjoy several weekend activities this weekend. Today (Feb. 18) is the last day to see “Control No Control, an interactive installation at Ah-Nab-Awen Park. This big LED cube reacts to everything that touches it and every movement performed on its surface. Streamlined patterns and generative sound emerge as interaction occurs. Pop-up Entertainers perform from 6-8 p.m. Friday throughout downtown. Also, several local food trucks will be on hand at 555 Monroe Ave. NW (5-8 p.m. Friday, 2-8 p.m. Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday). Looking for a party? “Modelo Meltdown” is a fundraiser for public art campaigns in 2022. It takes place from noon-5 p.m. Saturday and will have live entertainment, an artist market, games and food & drink to celebrate arts in Grand Rapids. It is located at Grand Rapids Chicks Way behind Garage Bar. Get your FREE tickets here. More details on all events at  https://worldofwintergr.com/events. World of Winter continues through March 6.

2. Winter Jam 2022

Presented by NewSong Ministries with Premier Productions, Winter Jam is Christian Music’s biggest multi-artist tour. It stops at 7 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 19) at Van Andel Arena and features Skillet and Tauren Wells, as well as KB, Colton Dixon, I Am They and NewSong. Sponsored by Compassion International, admission is a $10 donation at the door. More details at www.jamtour.com or www.vanandelarena.com

1. Grand Rapids Boat Show

Summer is right around the corner, and nothing will get you in the mood more than the Grand Rapids Boat Show where you will find power boats, pontoons, fishing boats and other watercraft. The weekend also includes kayak demos, boating safety and Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel more. Hours are noon a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave NW. Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-14 and free to ages younger than 5. Twiggy performs at 2, 5 and 7:30 p.m. Friday; 11:30 a.m., and 2:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and noon and 3 p.m. Sunday. More info at https://showspan.com/GRB/.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Local voices will add to the story as Opera Grand Rapids premieres new work focused on racial justice

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

As Opera Grand Rapids gets ready to stage the world premiere of Stinney: An American Execution, a companion piece will bring together local artists to talk about Stinney’s story through a variety of additional art forms.

The new opera tells the true story of the execution of George Stinney Jr., a Black teen who died in the electric chair at age 14 after he was wrongfully accused of raping and murdering two White girls. His conviction was overturned in 2014, 70 years after his 1944 execution.

The Stinney Artistic Collaborative, being performed the night before the opera opens, will showcase Ebony Road Players, Dr. Eric Williams from the Smithsonian Museum of African American History, The Diatribe, student artists from WMCAT, and other independent artists, in addition to performances by Opera Grand Rapids. 

“It’s essentially an open invitation for those artists to create after being inspired by George Stinney’s story,” said Emilee Syrewicze, executive director of Opera Grand Rapids.

In 1944 George Stinney Jr. became the youngest American executed. His conviction was over turned in 2014, 70 years after his execution. (Public domain)

“It’s a significant artistic achievement to get a world premiere opera, and particularly one that is so highly regarded,” she said. “That it speaks to a social issue like racial justice is something we wanted to elevate.”

She said after securing the rights to the opera in June, they knew they wanted to do more with it than just perform the opera. They reached out to organizations represented by artists of color and found several that were interested in taking part in a collaborative event.

Edye Evans Hyde, executive director of Ebony Road Players, will be performing songs relevant to the theme of the opera at the Stinney Collaborative.

She said in the current climate around the United States, with books about racial injustice being banned in schools, the arts community is the only place left to telI stories like Stinney: An American Execution.

“The arts still have the ability to further the conversation about equality and inclusion and racism and all these things that we still need to talk about,” Evans Hyde said. “I’m just really proud of the Opera and other Institutions taking on the subject matter so that we can continue to talk about these things, not just in February but the whole year long.”

G. Foster,  a teaching artist and co-founder of The Diatribe, will be performing a poetic work at the Stinney Collaborative.

G. Foster,  a teaching artist and co-founder of The Diatribe, will be performing a poetic work at The Stinney Collaborative. (Supplied)

He’s frustrated by the lack of progress toward racial justice not only around the United States, but in the Grand Rapids community.

“We still have so many problems that need to be addressed,” he said. “In 2021, Mayor Bliss announced that racism is a public health crisis in Grand Rapids. I haven’t heard anybody talking about it. We haven’t been putting in the work to make sure it’s preventable. We have ‘diversity, equity and inclusion.’ These are amazing words, but when you go to the table, there’s no diversity at these tables. It’s usually done by people who don’t look like me.”

He’s participating in The Stinney Artistic Collaborative in hopes that the event will help put words into action.

“We have to know our history, but we have to be able to change our present and our future,” he said.

The Stinney Artistic Collaborative takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, 17 Pearl St. NW.

Stinney: An American Execution will be staged Feb. 25 through 27 at the Peter Martin Wege Theater, 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW. Tickets for Stinney and the Stinney Artistic Collaborative are available online at www.operagr.org or by calling the box office at 616-451-2741.

Christian McBride shows off versatility, friends with St. Cecilia WinterFest Jazz Series

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Reviews, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, , ,
One of Christian McBride’s many musical “hats”, rejoining “A Moodswing Reunion” for a new release and a 2022 tour with, from left, drummer Brian Blade, McBride, saxophonist Joshua Redman, and pianist Brad Mehldau. (Nonsuch Records)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

It is no secret that bassist Christian McBride wears many hats — a good number of photographs have him wearing one. But the “many hats” metaphor applies not only to his headgear but where his head is at, musically.

Over his legendary and GRAMMY filled career, dating back now more than 30 years, McBride has slid his stand-up bass in alongside artists ranging from Chaka Khan to Shanghai Quartet; he has effortlessly excelled in jazz, pop, rock and classical, all with little or no real meaning to labels or genres; and he and his bass, it seems — to morph an old phrase — can lead, follow, but never get out of the way.

Christian McBride, from a 2008 concert, is no stranger to St. Cecilia Music Center. (St. Cecilia Music Center)



McBride’s many music hats, and many musical friends, will be on full display at St. Cecilia Music Center’s three-day WinterFest “jazz festival” Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 24-26.



First, Christian McBride & Friends will offer up a unique pairing with fellow bassist Edgar Meyer for a “double bass extravaganza”, then The Christian McBride Trio takes the stage with special guest jazz singer Cyrille Aimée, and on the final evening, McBride and his award-winning quintet, Inside Straight, will hit the stage.

Tickets for the series, and individual shows, are still available — $123 for the full series, $40 to $55 per single concert — and tickets can be purchased online at scmc-online.org or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224. 

Man with many hats

McBride moved to New York in 1989 to pursue classical studies at the Juilliard School, but he was quickly recruited to hit the road with jazz saxophonist (and composer, arranger and educator) Bobby Watson. From there he gained masterclass after masterclass from the who’s who of music until he, himself, became the master.

 

Christian McBride. (Artist’s Facebook Page)

He leads his own bands, starting in 2000 with the formation of what would become his longest-running project, the genre-bending Christian McBride Band, to the 2009 formation of his more “straight-ahead” Inside Straight quintet, to the later Christian McBride Big Band, whose 2012 release The Good Feeling won the GRAMMY for Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album.

He joins other groups, jazz and otherwise, all-star and Young Lion-filled, including the modern who’s who of straight ahead jazz in the legendary 1994 “MoodSwing” quartet of saxophonist Joshua Redman, McBride, pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Brian Blade — a group that will hit the road again in “A Moodswing Reunion” this spring including a stop in Ann Arbor in April.

Along the way, McBride was named the artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival, arguably one of the top three jazz festivals in the world; he hosts and produces “The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian” on SiriusXM satellite radio and National Public Radio’s “Jazz Night in America”; and, with his wife, vocalist Melissa Walker, he formed Jazz House Kids, the nationally recognized community arts organization dedicated to educating children through jazz, but developing musical potential, leadership skills, and academic performance.

Oh, ya. And he has made a lot of musical friends.

Three nights; three vibes

McBride’s opening-night friend, GRAMMY winning bassist Edgar Meyer, is both a unique performer and an accomplished composer, and as The New Yorker says, he “is the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument.”

Edgar Meyer. (Supplied photo by Jim McGuire)

His musical uniqueness was on full display in 2011 when Meyer joined cellist Yo-Yo Ma, mandolinist Chris Thile, and fiddler Stuart Duncan for the recording The Goat Rodeo Sessions which was awarded the 2012 GRAMMY Award for Best Folk Album.

As a composer, his uniqueness was also on full display as he has collaborated with Béla Fleck and Zakir Hussain to write a triple concerto for double bass, banjo, and tabla, which was commissioned for the opening of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.

The pairing of McBride and Meyer will also, to say the least, be unique.

Cyrille Aimée. (Supplied)

The next night, McBride’s trio will team with vocalist Cyrille Aimée, who, the story goes, grew up singing at gypsy camps in her native France and on street corners around Europe, graduated to facing audiences at the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals, not the least of which was the Montreux Jazz Festival.

But her singing is only part of her story. As an actress, Aimée co-starred with Bernadette Peters in a Stephen Sondheim tribute at New York’s City Center, which inspired her to dig deeper into Sondheim’s repertoire, resulting in her fourth and most recent album, “Move On: A Sondheim Adventure.”

And then, on the final night of the WinterFest, McBride will be on stage with his Inside Straight cohorts — drummer Carl Allen, saxophonist Steve Wilson, pianist Peter Martin (who replaced the band’s original pianist Eric Reed) and now joined by young vibraphonist Warren Wolf.
 

Inside Straight’s “Christian McBride & Inside Straight Live at the Village Vanguard” is his quintet’s newest recording and, to some, can be thought of as a companion to the GRAMMY Award-winning Christian McBride Trio Live at the Village Vanguard album released in 2015. 

And the rules at St. Cecilia

St. Cecilia currently requires proof of fully vaccinated status, or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours, to attend a concert at the SCMC venue. Attendees need to bring photo ID and proof of vaccination, or a negative test, the night of a concert. Note: Home tests are not accepted.

All patrons are required to wear a mask for the full duration of their time in the building.
 

If you have tickets to an upcoming performance and are unwilling or unable to abide by this policy, please contact the SCMC box office for a refund at kelly@scmc-online.org a minimum of 48 hours prior to the concert date.

Circle Theatre set to host auditions in March for summer series

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events
All are welcome to audition for Circle Theatre’s 2022 season. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Circle Theatre will host auditions for its Main Stage and Summer Concert series in March.

This year’s Main State productions include “RENT,” “The Play That Goes Wrong,” “The Music Man,” “On Golden Pond,” and “Little Shop of Horrors. Auditions for those shows will be held from 6:30 – 10 p.m. March 4 and from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. March 5.

Circle Summer Concert productions include “Nobody Does It Better,” “Get Ready:The Music of Motown,” “Divine Divas: Iconic Women of Pop,” “Soul Groove: The Hits of Soul and R&B, and “Under Pressure:The Music of Queen and David Bowie.” Auditions for these productions will be from 7 – 9 p.m. March 11 and noon – 3 p.m. March 12.

All auditions will be at the Aquinas College Art and Music Center, located on the Aquinas College campus at 1700 Fulton St. SW. Find audition notices, sides and resources, registration info, and more at circletheatre.org/auditions.

For more information on Circle Theatre’s auditions, to purchase 2022 season tickets and memberships or to find more ways to support Circle Theatre, call 616-456-6656 or visit circletheatre.o. 

Gonzo’s Top 5: Ice sculptures, country music, Disney, and Hamilton

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

It’s Super Bowl weekend, and the entire state of Michigan is rooting for the LA Rams and Matthew Stafford. Are there any Bengals fans out there?

Well, the big game is not until 6:30 p.m. Sunday, which means you have plenty of time to get out of the house and enjoy the snow. We have a few ideas in this weekend’s Gonzo’s Top 5, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

John Gonzalez sits down with singer Scotty McCreery (John Gonzalez)

5. Scotty McCreery at The Intersection

I can’t believe it’s been more than 10 years since teen star Scotty McCreery won Season 10 of “American Idol.” It’s been watching him grow as an artist, and as a person. He’s released several hits, got married and even endured loss. Through it all we have we’ve stayed in touch. In fact, I got to spend some time on his tour bus last summer when he performed at an outdoor concert in Grand Rapids. Over the years he has carved out a solid career after his meteoric rise to fame, topping the country charts with hits such as “This is It,” “Five More Minutes,” “You Time” and his most recent video, “Damn Strait.” It’s a classic country song that pays homage to the legendary George Strait. If you’re a fan, you already know he’s in town tonight (Feb. 11) at The Intersection in Grand Rapids as part of his “Same Truck Tour.” Tickets are $39.50 at the door. I guarantee it’s going to be a great show. More info at www.sectionlive.com.

Disney On Ice returns this weekend. (Supplied)

4. Disney On Ice presents Mickey and Friends

Why not celebrate the Disney character we know and love by taking the kids to see “Mickey and Friends” at Van Andel Arena? You’ll spend time with Moana and Maui, Woody and the whole “Toy Story” gang, Anna and Elsa of “Frozen” and so much more! Performances are at 7 tonight (Feb. 11); 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday. Ticket information at  www.vanandelarena.com.

More than 100 some ice sculptures will be heading to Grand Rapids this weekend. (Supplied)

3. World of Winter in Grand Rapids

It’s a busy weekend in downtown Grand Rapids as World of Winter has several events, including:

  • ICE-Breaker from noon-5 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 12) at Rosa Parks Circle to witness the live carving of the publicly voted 5,000-pound ice sculpture by the Ice Brigade‘s Randy Finch. Also, check out a gallery of ice sculptures all throughout Downtown Grand Rapids. You can also join one of the several guided ice sculpture walking tours led by Grand Rapids Running Tours. 
  • Movies on the Piazza: The Princess Bride, 1-3 p.m. Sunday at Studio Park. It’s a free showing, but ring your own chair and warm up by the fire pits.

     

Learn more about all of the events taking place now through March 6 at www.worldofwintergr.com.

Winter fun at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. (Supplied)

2. Winter Family Day at Meijer Gardens

If you can’t make it downtown, Meijer Gardens is offering several activities as part of a Winter Family Day from 1-4 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 12). The kids can watch a sculptor transform a block of ice into a piece of ice art; create a winter-inspired craft; and discover how birds play and eat. The special activities are included with your admission to the gardens. Get more info at www.meijergardens.org.

Listen to “Episode 1: Hamilton returns to Grand Rapids, Feb. 8-20” on Spreaker.

1.Hamilton at DeVos Performance Hall

What is there to say? I think everyone knows that “Hamilton,” created by Lin-Manuel Miranda about American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, is a groundbreaking Broadway show. It has been selling out since it first debuted in 2015, and tickets for the touring shows remain in high demand. A few tickets still remain for performances through Feb. 20 at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids. Check the latest ticket availability at https://broadwaygrandrapids.com/.

Also, listen to an interview with new Broadway Grand Rapids President and CEO Meghan Distel, who was a guest on my inaugural “Then By All Means, Lead the Way” theatre podcast. In the interview she said the show is “emotional,” “inspiring” and “the lyrics are so brilliant.” “I sobbed the first time I saw it,” Distel said in the podcast. “I was so moved. And you just want to see it again.” She also talks about the remainder of the Broadway Grand Rapids season and her new role. Please listen.

Well that’s it for this weekend’s Top 5.

Go Bengals!

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Fountain Street Church has history, and legendary acoustics, as 2022 concert series begins with Waxahatchee Feb. 14

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local History, Religion, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
Waxahatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield) will bring songs from her new album, “Saint Cloud”, to be released on March 27, to Fountain Street Church’s historic Sanctuary. (Supplied/Artist website)

By WKTV Staff

The early U2 band poster in the “Green Room” at Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church is not there because the historic church once had a reverend who dug the boys from Dublin, the band actually played there in 1981.

The wide variance of concerts held at Fountain Street Church: U2 and the Vienna Boys Choir. (WKTV)

The walls of the Green Room, back stage where guests often await shows, are filled with evidence of the musicians, comedians and just flat interesting people who have visited the famous stain-glass windowed, pipe-organ dominated sanctuary of the church.

And that history of outside entertainers hitting the stage at Fountain Street will continue Monday, Feb. 14, with Waxahatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield) undoubtedly bringing songs from her new album, “Saint Cloud”, to be released on March 27. (The 7 p.m. show will have Madi Diaz opening.)

Fountain Street Church has served as a platform for a variety of performers since 1928 when senior minister Alfred Wesley Wishart debated Clarence Darrow over the topic “Is There a General Purpose in the Universe?”

Over the years, speakers such as Winston Churchill, Eleanor Roosevelt and Malcolm X have given talks. Notable musicians who have performed in the sanctuary range from Duke Ellington to Frank Zappa, from Alison Krauss to B.B. King.

Fountain Street Church is the venue only, not the promoter, of the entertainment scheduled — which will include comedian Fortune Feimster (currently seen on NBC series “Kenan”) visiting as part of Gilda’s Laughfest on March 18 as well as later shows by Needtobreathe and Welcome to the Night Vale.

Needtobreathe, with Patrick Droney, is scheduled for May 17. Welcome to the Night Vale, with Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin, is scheduled for June 13.

For more information about all shows, visit here.

Take a visit to Waxahatchee

Waxahatchee’s new album, “Saint Cloud” is “an unflinching self-examination,” according to the band’s promotional material.
 

“From a moment of reckoning in Barcelona to a tourist trap in Tennessee to a painful confrontation on Arkadelphia Road, from a nostalgic jaunt down 7th Street in New York City to the Mississippi Gulf, Crutchfield creates a sense of place for her soul-baring tales, a longtime staple of her storytelling. This raw, exposed narrative terrain is aided by a shift in sonic arrangements as well.”
 

Waxahatchee is a project fronted Katie Crutchfield, a singer and songwriter from Birmingham, Ala. She debuted the project in 2011 and has released three critically acclaimed albums under its name since 2012.

Since the age of 15 Crutchfield played in indie rock bands with her twin sister, Allison, the first was called The Ackleys, and the second was called P.S Elliot. That union and band(s) came to an end in 2011.

Around the same time Cruchfield needed to get away from the world, so she went to her parents holiday home in her native state of Alabama. She spent her week there writing the songs that would make up her debut as Waxahatchee, “American Weekend”.

“Katie Crutchfield’s southern roots are undeniable,” it states on her website. “The name of her solo musical project Waxahatchee comes from a creek not far from her childhood home in Alabama and seems to represent both where she came from and where she’s going.”

For more information on Waxahatchee, visit here. For a video visit here.

‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ — West Michigan singer-songwriter May Erlewine plans a creative twist for Feb. 17 concert at St. Cecilia

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Reviews, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
May Erlewine will be bringing her songs, new and old, and a few stories of her songs and songwriting, to St. Cecilia Music Center Feb. 17. (Supplied)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer 

May Erlewine — singer-songwriter, West Michigan native, and no stranger to Grand Rapids audiences and soundtracks — plans a creative twist for her Feb. 17 concert at St. Cecilia Music Center, when she will debut her new release, “Tiny Beautiful Things”.

And music will be only part of it.

“(Tiny Beautiful Things) is about exchange and all these different faces of love,” Erlewine told WKTV. “The record has songs about falling in love, songs about falling out of love, songs about loving your children, songs about loving those who have passed on, all of the many incarnations love finds in our lives. The sentiment is that love is always there.

“One of the ways I wanted to present this was by reading some letters throughout the concert and share these different incarnations of love and connection.”

Tickets for May Erlewine’s Feb. 17 Folk Series concert can be purchased online at scmc-online.org or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224.

“We are excited to bring May Erlewine back to SCMC,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia Music Center executive/artistic Director, said in supplied material. “She appeared here many years ago when we first started our folk series. It’s exciting that May can highlight her new album with this show and that audience members will have the chance to purchase the new album that night.”

The artist’s music and life

Not only will the St. Cecilia audience be treated to new songs and the opportunity to purchase Erlewine’s new album, they will also be treated to a more personal aspect of the songwriter’s life.

Erlewine is a strong believer that sharing our connections with others throughout life can do much to enrich our lives. An avid letter writer, Erlewine plans to share snippets of her own correspondence with loved ones over the years to highlight this belief.

May Erlewine. (Supplied)

“Part of the reason I wanted to do this was to remind people how important it is for us to stay connected in a time where most of us are unable to be close to our loved ones,” Erlewine said. “We have all been through a lot of changes and had to sacrifice a lot through this difficult time. We are still very connected in community even though we haven’t been able to actively feel that connection.”

Erlewine urges people to reach out to their loved ones in both little and big ways.

Connection has always been a vital and powerful aspect of Erlewine’s life, even prompting a cross-country journey at age 16.

“I was really curious about seeing the country, seeing how different people lived,” she said. “And I think one of the main reasons I wanted to do that is that I love to hear people’s stories. Songs are basically stories, so I found a great way to share the ones I’ve collected.”

Collecting and listening to stories of people’s lives has always fascinated the songwriter and has been a catalyst for several of her songs.

“We are all living a similar human experience, but we all have these incredible unique things that have happened to us in our lives,” Erlewine said. “There is a lot of meaning and depth in sharing those things.”

Connecting to music young

Erlewine said she felt the power of music at the young age of 12, when she picked up a guitar for the first time.

“I was immediately inspired to write a song. When I did that, I had this ‘aha’ moment of ‘This is something I’m supposed to do. This is my way of expressing myself in the world.’ I just didn’t stop from that point on.”

May Erlewine (Supplied/Michael Poehlman)

Over the years, Erlewine has used her music as a platform for positive change, whether it be individual or as a community, environmental, or even regarding social justice. Her catalog of albums and collaborations gives voice to these themes. (Checkout a 2019 WKTV feature on her “Second Sight” release, and its social/political themes.)

“I had a revelation that music is part of a very long-standing tradition, much larger than just me and what I am feeling,” said Erlewine. “It encompassed something much bigger. I wanted to serve that.”

The passion listeners hear in Erlewine’s voice and songs comes from a deep-seated belief in the power of music to connect people no matter where they come from or what their beliefs are.

“Music has a lot of power in community to bring people together, to speak about issues that are happening around us. That folk tradition of being a voice for the people is something I really believe in and have embraced in my path of music.”

When asked about the fearlessness demonstrated in using her music to speak on social and political issues, Erlewine likened it more to strength.

“It’s always scary to be vulnerable,” Erlewine said. “It takes a lot of strength to go there.”

What helps Erlewine is focusing on what she feels is the “most honest thing to do.”
 

“I have a strong sense that if something feels like the right thing to do,” the songwriter said, “even if it’s scary or even if it puts me in harm’s way, if it’s the right thing to do…then I know that it is part of my path, and I trust that.”

Erlewine’s daughter also plays a large part in giving the songwriter the courage and strength to do what she feels is right.

“When I think about my daughter and her living in this world after I’m gone, I ask, what things can I do that will impact her future in a way that matters to me? That has definitely added some fuel to those moments where I might feel more shaky. This is not just for me, this is for future generations.”

For more informant about the artist, visit mayerlewine.com.

Health and COVID protocols and requirements for SCMC can be found at http://scmc-online.org/concerts-and-events/.

Two West Michigan artists are the Loeschner Art Competition winners

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

A former WKTV Journal contributor was one of two artists to win the 2021 Ray and Nancy Loeschner Art Competition hosted by the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

 

Lynn Strough. The Conversation, 2021. Photograph printed on acrylic. (Supplied)

Painter and photographer Lynn Strough shared her travels with WKTV Journal readers from 2016-2017. Strough took home the top prize for photography. Muskegon-based artist Lee Ann Frame won for two-dimensional art.

“Nature and art are food for the soul, hence my spending so much time feasting at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, where I find an abundance of both,” Strough said in an artist statement. “It inspires my creativity and refreshes my mind and spirit, soaking in all the beauty of the plants, animals, and sculptures. My current medium is photography, and each time I visit, which is almost weekly, throughout all the seasons, I find new visuals to capture. Some are from far away, like vistas from above the Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, while others, my favorites, are from up close, discovering and sharing things that most people don’t even notice, like a single drew drop on a whorl of green leaves, or a raindrop continuing a world of its own dangling from a twig, of a milkweed plant in conversation with a distant sculpture.”

Strough has a bachelor’s degree in art from Grand Valley State University. Her work has been exhibited in regional exhibitions and has won several awards, including top prizes at West Michigan Regional Competition and Celebration of the Arts. For her book design, she was included in the top 50 children’s books of the year in Smithsonian magazine. Her work is in collections in more than 60 cities and five countries.

Lee Ann Frame. Spring, 2021. Etching. (Supplied)

For a little over a year, she shared her travels through out Europe in Travellynn Travels, reprinted by permission in the WKTV Jounral, visiting such places a Pompeii, Montenegro, Croatia, Italy, and France,

 

Frame, who has a master of fine arts in printmaking from Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University and a bachelor of fine arts in painting from Grand Valley State University, has taught printmaking and ceramics at Muskegon Community College for many years. Her work has been included in many regional and national juried competitions. She has exhibited in group exhibitions such as Boston Printmakers Members Exhibition. Society of Graphic Artists and Southwest Michigan Printmakers.

 

“Intaglio is an age-old process that I find to be an engaging and creative process,” Frame said in her artist statement. “I use two copper plates, altering the surface with aquatint and an etched line. For this print, I was engaged with the view of the stone sculpture and bridge from across the waters as they emerge from the surrounding deciduous greens and the steady rocks that sat at the edge of the water creating dynamic textures and composition.

 

The Ray and Nancy Loeschner Art Competition is an annual event that welcomes artists from around the globe to respond to Meijer Gardens in their work. The wining entries receive a $5,000 purchase award in addition to becoming a part of the Meijer Gardens permanent collection. The competition is open to all artists 18 years old and older who are working in a two-dimensional format.

 

Since 2002, the Loeschner Art Competition has sought artwork inspired by Meijer Gardens, with the objective of collecting high-quality work that celebrates the beauty and inspiration Meijer Garens provides. To view the winners, click here.

Bands wanted for The Stray’s upcoming Battle of the Bands

Entertainment, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The Stray Cafe will be hosting a Battle of the Bands in March. (Supplied)

Wyoming’s The Stray is looking for local bands to participate in its first-ever Battle of the Bands competition in March.

On each of the first Friday nights in March, up to five bands will compete in 20-minute spotlights to make it to the finals on March 25, where the ands can showcase their full-length set of 45 minutes. Finalists will be determined based on popular vote and the vote of a guest judge. Guest judges are Andrea “Dre” Wallace, OPNR Music, Super Drizzy, March 4; Elle Lively, Michigan Music Alliance, The Listing Room, March 11; Jake Rye, Social Recording Co., March 18; and John Sinkcevics, Local Spins, March 25.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners.

The deadline to enter is fast approaching, Feb. 10. Bands and solo artists fro many genre are welcome to apply.

To apply, visit www.thestraycafe.com. The Stray is located at 4253 S. Division Ave.