Kristi Kates

Music Kristi Kates The Magic Numbers - Runaway - 101 Distribution
A pair of brother-sister, er, pairs, The Magic Numbers are working hard to revive the ‘60s folk/flower-power era, from their dense, well-balanced harmonies (which, in addition to their configuration, often see them being compared to the Mamas and the Papas) to their groovy lyrics and subject matter. “Why Did You Call?” and “Throwing My Heart Away” are peppy and ready for a few tambourine shakes, while “Restless River” and “I’m Sorry” focus more on the instrumentals behind the vocals, but there’s a good balance of both approaches.

Art Kristi Kates Mike Curths: Art’s InsideOut Man Warehouse District gallery renovated & ready
By Kristi Kates
It’s been five years in April since Mike Curths “hung a shingle,” as
he simply puts it, and began what is now one of Traverse City’s
must-see, most eclectic art galleries.

Dining Kristi Kates Bienvenue! A touch of Provence inspires The Rowe Inn
By Kristi Kates
You‘ll find some of Northern Michigan‘s most cherished dining traditions at The Rowe Inn in Ellsworth -- a restaurant that pioneered fine dining, ethnic foods and the “fresh is best“ ideals in the region.
“I grew up in my parent’s restaurant, starting as a dishwasher at the age of 10,“ The Rowe Inn‘s proprietor Albert “Wes“ Westhoven says. “My father was a gifted chef committed to the concept of ‘fresh and from scratch,‘ and I learned my cooking skills from him.“

Features Kristi Kates The Galloping Game: Horsing around with the Bliss Polo Club
By Kristi Kates
“We have all sought the state of being that is bliss,“ Mason Lampton explains of his love of polo and the North. “I found it in Michigan.“
Georgia resident Lampton, who purchased a farm in Bliss three years ago, has brought something to the region that few have had the chance to experience - namely, the newly-established Bliss Polo Club.

Music Kristi Kates Arvel Bird’s Violin Journey
By Kristi Kates
The dulcet sounds of the violin are perhaps not usually thought of as being part of Native American musical culture. But musician Arvel Bird is drawing on little-known history to bring native violin sounds into the spotlight.
“You’re right - it’s not well-known as an instrument traditional to natives,” Bird explains, “but I understand that the violin was introduced to the indigenous people of North and South America beginning as early as 1689 by the Jesuit priests from Europe who brought the harp, guitar and violin so that they could have music for Mass on Sundays. So I think it’s safe to say that it’s been a tradition for the last 321 years. Almost 13 generations of some indigenous people have played the violin.”

Music Kristi Kates Rosanne Cash’s LIST
By Kristi Kates
Rosanne Cash worked with a number of guest performers on her new
album, The List. A covers set, her first, that was narrowed down to a
select dozen songs from a list of an “Essential 100” that her father,
the late great Johnny Cash, gave to her when she was 18 years old, in
order to craft the foundation of her country-music education.

Music Kristi Kates The 2010 Top 10 Men of Rock
By Kristi Kates
Some of the men making the biggest steps in the rock world this year were U.S. radio favorites, while others were conquering the market overseas. Some were making giant steps well under the radar (but just you wait...), while others were maintaining their already-established status among the world’s biggest bands. Still others were striking out into unknown territory in order to achieve new accomplishments - while the rest were keeping it simple and maximizing what they already do best.
And it’s the perfect balance of all of the above that helps us select who will be this year’s Top Ten Men of Rock.

Music Kristi Kates The Black Crowes - Croweology - Megaforce
1990 was the year, Shake Your Money Maker was the debut disc, and the band was The Black Crowes. Twenty years later, the band has released their first album of all-acoustic tracks, a double album being sold at the cost of a single set to thank the band’s fans. Produced by Paul Stacey, the album itself includes unplugged versions of prior Crows songs, plus a couple of newbies; opener “Jealous Again” is punchy and strong, while classic “She Talks to Angels” adds in pedal steel and mandolin to the acoustic guitars, and “Thorn in My Pride” finds the band doing a little acoustic jamming to Robinson’s distinctive vocals.

Music Kristi Kates Whispers of the North:Mike Fornes as Gordon Lightfoot
By Kristi Kates
While some tribute bands pay homage to big acts like Pink Floyd or The
Rolling Stones, a plethora of performers around the country choose a
solo artist to be the focus of their act. Mackinaw City

Music Kristi Kates Brandi Carlile’s Story
By Kristi Kates
Brandi Carlile may be a relatively new face on the folk-rock circuit,
but she’s paid her dues with years of performing in obscurity.
Carlile started singing at the age of eight, picked up the guitar at
the age of 15, and snagged a gig as a backup singer for an Elvis
impersonator by the time she hit 16. She followed up that experience
with years performing around the Seattle club scene alongside twin
brother musicians Tim and Phil Hanseroth.

Modern Rock Kristi Kates Tron Gets Reboot with New Film, Soundtrack
Tron: Legacy, the new Tron remake-slash-sequel, may not be on the way to theaters until this upcoming December, but Tron: Legacy the soundtrack will beat it to stores this fall. Penned by none other than legendary electro-pioneers Daft Punk, the soundtrack for the film will feature Daft Punk music exclusively, and is available for pre-order on Amazon, although the album itself won’t be available until November 23rd (with the movie’s release date being December 17th in both standard theaters and 3D IMAX)...

Music Kristi Kates Josh Turner Goes ‘Haywire‘
By Kristi Kates
It may seem to the casual country music listener that Josh Turner’s music just popped out of the woodwork recently. In fact, the musician has actually been simmering under the country radar for quite some time, having released four studio albums and charted ten times on the Billboard country singles charts.
His song, “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” has been embraced by country and country-pop crossover fans alike; he’s currently on another one of his extensive tours, this one in continued promotion of his latest album, Haywire; and he was recently inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, making him the second-youngest member of the Opry after fellow country singer Carrie Underwood.

Music Kristi Kates Sia - We Are Born - Hear Music
UK-via-Australia singer Sia returns with her fourth set, as produced
by Kylie Minogue collaborator Greg Kurstin; Inara George and The
Strokes’ guitarist Nick Valensi also chip in. First single “Clap Your
Hands” sets the dance-floor-friendly tracklisting in motion, alongside
other disco-ish hits “You’ve Changed” and “The Fight.” Elsewhere, Sia
shows off her balladry skills on a Madonna cover as well as her own
songs “I’m Here” and “Stop Trying” - she may have started as a simple
pop singer, but she’s gradually gaining more depth with each album.

Music Kristi Kates Festival in the Forest: Hoxeyville’s Set to Rock
By Kristi Kates
Deadheads and noodle-dancers, folk fans and jam bands, chilled-out
campers and local music aficionados - there’s something for every
single one of you at this year’s upcoming Hoxeyville Music Festival as
it embarks upon its 8th year.

Music Kristi Kates Reggae meets Finland, eh? Take a multicultural vacation with Conga Se Menne
By Kristi Kates
It’s one thing to try and describe your average band to readers. One generally narrows down the band’s genre to something easy to describe, like “funk-rock group” or “folk four-piece.”
It’s another thing entirely to attempt a translation of Upper Peninsula band Conga Se Menne.
Formed in 1994 by Derrell Syria, Conga Se Menne takes Syria’s original compositions and songs, arranges them utilizing elements of both Finnish traditional music and Jamaican reggae, adds in comedy lyrics about “Yoopers” and other facets of U.P. life, and performs them on guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion instruments (and occasionally horns). Whew. So how did they get to this admittedly zany mix of musical styles?
“I am 100 percent Finnish - second generation American - and I’m influenced by many different genres of music,” Derrell Syria explains. “Our aim when Conga Se Menne was founded was to perform my tunes in a reggae-slash-traditional Finnish style. The name of the band is a play on words taken from the Finnish phrase ‘kuinka se mene,’ meaning ‘how are you doing?’”
Syria says that the band started out as a three-piece, but today has evolved into a “floating cast” of musicians, ranging from two to seven, depending on the gig and venue. They include Syria, Dave Ziegner, John Kumjian, Jerry Kippola, Gary Parkonnen, Paul Neumann, and Kay Smith.