Winter music

Dec. 5, 2010

Winter Music: Familiar faces join newcomers for sounds of the season
By Jack Pine
While others are singing “Let it Snow, Let it Snow,” and waxing their
skis, I  am mumbling to myself the lines of “In the Bleak Midwinter”
and thinking, “Now there’s a Christmas carol written for me.” Perhaps
I’d be wise to put up something of a fight, get into my car, scrape
the ice off the window, turn on the defroster and see a Northern
Michigan concert or two.
Following are some highlights for the season:
Blissfest Music Organization is doing its part to bring a little bit
of its summer festival spirit to the dark months. On December 19 at
the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey, they will be hosting a
Winter Solstice Concert with Seth and May and Breathe Owl Breathe.
They all play in the area on a regular basis, but this is a rare
opportunity to see the young and talented good friends in one place.
Blissfest also offers harmonica wiz Harper in Harbor Springs on
January 15;  Ann Arbor folky legend Dick Seigel February 5 at Crooked
Tree; and the fabulous Irish group Solas in Harbor Springs on March
26. It’s a ways into the future, but tickets to the Solas show would
make good stocking stuffers. Meanwhile, the Harper show will be the
kick-off for a year of concerts celebrating 20 years of Northern
Express Weekly, in conjunction with concert venues throughout the
region.
The InsideOut Gallery maintains a steady flow of music all year
regardless of the weather. The gallery will feature return visits from
jazz singer Rachel Borovik on January 7 and Brian Vander Ark of the
Verve Pipe on January 21.  Blues and soul powerhouse Ruthie Foster
will make the trip up north from Texas on January 23.
On February 17, a couple of non-music shows are coming to town that
look like they could be fun. Mummenschanz-style extravaganza “The
Aluminum Show” will be at the Traverse City Opera House and the
Popovich Comedy and Pet Theater will be at Interlochen’s Corson
Auditorium. They both have plenty of videos on youtube of their
performances to give an idea of what to expect. The Aluminum Show has
giant worm-like tubes and the Popovich Theater features pet tricks
such as cats shimmying up and down poles. It’s too bad they are on the
same day. Both shows look like they could help out with any potential
mid-February winter blues.

winter lineup

Blissfest Music
Seth Bernard and May Erlewine
wsg/ Breathe Owl Breathe
Winter Solstice Concert
December 19, 7 p.m.
Crooked Tree, Petoskey

Harper and Midwest Kind
January 15, 8 p.m.
Crooked Tree, Petoskey

Dick Seigel and the Brandos
February 5, 8 p.m.

Solas
March 26, 8 p.m.
Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center

Cheboygan Opera House
Mike Ridley and Friends - Christmas Celebration
December 12, 7 p.m.

Russian National Ballet - Sleeping Beauty
January 13, 7 p.m.

Gopherwood Music
Dick Seigel and the Brandos
January 22, 8 p.m.
Cadillac Elks Club

Red Sea Pedestrians
February 12, 8 p.m.
Cadillac Elks Club

Interlochen Center for the Arts
Jaleel Shaw, jazz saxophonist
January 15, 7:30 p.m.
Corson Auditorium

Joshua Roman, classical cellist
January 22, 7:30 p.m.
Corson Auditorium

Popovich Comedy Pet Theater
February 17, 7:30 p.m.
Corson Auditorium

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
February 20, 7:30 p.m.
Corson Auditorium

Insideout Gallery
Dead Ovaries
December 26, 8 p.m.

Rachel Borovik
January 7, 8 p.m.

Brian Vander Ark
January 21, 8 p.m.
Ruthie Foster
January 23, 7 p.m.

Traverse City Opera House
Three Men and a Tenor
December 10, 8 p.m.

Butch Thompson’s New Orleans
Jazz Originals
January 22, 8 p.m.

Aluminum Show
February 17, 7:30 p.m.

Chanticleer
March 4, 7:30 p.m.

Connemara Concerts
(Seamus Shinners)
Switchback
December 28, 7:30 p.m.
Elk Rapids Town Hall

Andre Villoch
December 29, 7:30 p.m.
Del Micheals Studio Traverse City

Emma Cook (Leelanau County Singer/
Songwriter CD release show)
January 2, 5 p.m.
Loading Dock, Traverse City