Find Your Groove: Northern Michigan‘s Summer Music Festival Preview

Folk music may be flying below the radar in the rest of the country this summer, but it continues to rule as the main event here in Northern Michigan. Four major folk festivals are scheduled over the coming months, with nods to jazz, blues and classic rock. Following is a preview of this summer‘s music festivals.

Spirit of the Woods • June 21
Dickson Park, Brethren
Where‘s Brethren, you‘re wondering? It‘s down in northern Manistee County, just west of Onekema. Staged since 1978, the Spirit of the Woods offers a folk fest and square dance with a small town flair. This year‘s lineup includes Joel Mabus, The Teflons, Hoolie, Fox and Branch, Duck Soup; and Rex, Letha, and Dan. Also an open mike, all for free from noon to 9 p.m. For info, see www.spiritofthewoods.org.

The Blissfest • July 11-14
Festival Farm outside Cross Village
Northern Michigan‘s biggest music festival is the Blissfest, which draws a crowd of more than 4,000 from all over the Midwest for its roots-based lineup of of acadian, bluegrass, blues, cajun, celtic, folk, jazz, latin and ethnic music and dance.
After a rough two years spent defending its venue turf, things are looking brighter for the Blissfest with the full-time addition of founder Jim Gillespie as executive director. Gillespie is tightening up the loose ends and launching new ventures such as a new Harbor Celtic Festival, set for Aug. 23 in Harbor Springs (see related item).
The 23rd staging of the Blissfest continues its tradition of inviting a classic folk artist from the folk‘s halycon days. This year, Melanie does the honors (“I‘ve Got a Brand New Pair of Roller Skates,“ “Rain On“), bringing hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s as well as new material from her ongoing career. Two internationally-recognized masters of their instruments will also be on hand in the form of guitarist Leo Kotke and harmonicist Harper, both offering virtuoso performances.
Other performers this year include homegrown talents Kirby, Dr. Goodhart, John Lamb, Jeff Lang and K. Jones and the Benzie Playboyz. Rounding out the three-day bill are Fruteland Jackson, Railroad Earth, Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys, The Bill Hilly Band, Royal Garden Trio, Madviolet, Viva Quetzal, Vishten, George Colovus, Seth Bernard Trio, Titos Sompa, Terry Farmer, and The Rhythm Billies. New this year is a Song Tree stage in the woods, where budding songwriters get a half-hour slot to showcase their stuff.
Tickets for the show are on sale now. A weekend pass for adults is $65, $30 for teens, and $55 seniors. Prices rise by $10 at the gate. Camping? You bet. Check out www.blissfest.org for details.

The National Cherry Festival
Open Space, bayside, downtown Traverse City
The big concerts at the Grand Traverse Resort or the fairgrounds are kaput this year due to funding issues and such, but true Cherry Festival mavens always relished the freebie Open Space concerts anyway, just a skip away from the beverage tent, and the happy news is that the show goes on down by the bay.
As in the past, this year‘s lineup includes a mix of classic rock, country and blues. Concerts start at dusk and admission is a $3 commemorative pin that gets you in the music area all week long. This year‘s lineup includes:
July 5: ‘80s rockers Loverboy
July 6: Three Men & a Tenor
July 7 NeXt2Y Night, a teen lip sync contest.
July 8: Country performer Blake Shelton, performing his new hit, “The Baby,“ with a warmup by the Chelsea Oakes Band.
July 9: 1964, The Tribute Beatles show with a warmup by TC‘s Mark Staycer doing his John Lennon act.
July 10: Hitmaker Eddie Money (“Two Tickets to Paradise“).
July 11: Bayside Blues show with the Kinsey Report, Chicago Rhythm, Blues Kings and Liz Mandville Greeson.
July 12: WAR (“What Is It Good For?“).

Suttons Bay JazzFest
July 26 • Suttons Bay Marina Park
The 11th annual JazzFest flexes its creative muscles this year with headliner Ahmad Jamal. Jamal has been performing on piano since the age of three, back in 1933. Some critics feel his fresh approach to jazz rank him in the same league as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Count Basie and Theolonius Monk. Rounding out the bill are the Harry Goldson Quintet with Betty Joplin, the Jeff Haas Trio with George Benson, Sheila Landis and the Brazilian Love Affair Sextet with Rick Matlep, and the Interlochen Jazz Combo.
The show runs under the big top from noon - 9 p.m., with tickets $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. See www.leelanau.com/jazzfest for details.

Sleeping Bear Dunegrass & Blues
August 2 • Empire
This day-long festival showcases the best of Leelanau/Benzie‘s homegrown folk, often with a ringer dance band brought in from downstate to close out the evening.
The Dunegrass is one of Northern Michigan‘s most pleasant festivals by dint of its location. It‘s a short stroll through downtown Empire to the beach for a dunk in Lake Michigan in between catching the acts throughout the day.
The festival starts at 10 a.m. with an open mike and continues through dusk. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the gate, with kids under 12 free.

FarmFest • August 7-10
Festival Farm, Johannesburg
For an honest-to-gosh rural feeling, you can‘t beat the FarmFest, which is held in a natural amphitheatre with a barn stage at the Festival Farm, just outside Johannesburg, east of Gaylord.
The farm country feel extends to the mix of country, bluegrass, folk, Irish, blues, and reggae music. This year‘s performers include Kevin Collins, Wendy Walker & 1st Nation, the Rust Belt Boys, The Blue Water Ramblers, Kirby, Ron Fowler,  Cathi Norton, Potato Moon, Millish, Wanderin‘ Wheel, Yid Vicious, and Madcat‘s Cosmic Boogie Band.
The weekend includes camping, crafts, workshops, fireside jams and open mikes. Tickets for the weekend, inlcuding camping, are $50 advance, or $60 at the gate, with day passes available for $30. Check out www.farmhousemusic.org for details.

Harbor Celtic Festival
Aug. 23 • Harbor Springs
A collaboration of the Blissfest and the Association for Harbor Arts, this event will celebrate the region‘s Celtic heritage, including the 200th anniversary of its namesake, Robert Emmet.
To be held on the Zoll Street green space next to the new city offices, the event will feature music, dance, crafts, and Celtic heritage programming. Performers will include Na Dorsa, Millish, Step In Time, and Dr. Goodhart, with more to be announced. Workshops will be held from 1-5 p.m., a dance from 5-6 p.m., and the concert from 6:30-10 p.m.

Boardman River Jam Folk & Blues Festival
Aug. 24 • Cass & Lake streets, Traverse City
Like the Harbor Celtic Fest, this is a brand-new music festival with high hopes for success.
The festival is still in the planning stages, but bands in consideration include The Flow, Jay Webber‘s group, and Kenny Olson with Jimi Hendrix‘s reorganized Band of Gypsies. One possibility will be to have the main event groups performing on boats or barges in the Boardman River, with acoustic musicians playing on a stage set up at the Loading Dock, an anchor venue for the event along with the 310 Tapas restaurant. Look for more details in upcoming issues.

Blue Sunday Weekend • Aug. 30-31
Festival Farm, Johannesburg first annual “Mid/North Michigan Blues Challenge“ this year as part of Blue Sunday. On Saturday, acoustic and electric performers will compete for an all-expense-paid trip to Memphis to compete in the 2004 International Blues Challenge. You can expect some very hot licks at the contest.
The main show is on Sunday, with Eddy “The Chief“ Clearwater headlining this year‘s event. Eddy was voted Best Blues Artist in Chicago recently.
Tickets are $45 in advance or $55 at the gate, including camping. Day passes are $30. See www.farmhousemusic.org for details.
View On Our Website