Joseph Beyer | Author

From Porch Concerts to Comedy Clubs

Sept. 3, 2022

Labor Day weekend is underway—or in the rearview, depending on when you pick up this paper—but the live music scene Up North isn’t slowing down with the changing of the (tourism) seasons.

Porchfest
Taking place on downtown porches and lawns ... Read More >>

A Rabbi Walks into a Comedy Club...

Aug. 20, 2022

Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg has already made me laugh several times, and I haven’t even had my first cup of coffee yet. His demeanor is thoughtful, calm, and seriously funny. The full-time rabbi and part-time stand-up comedian (slash historian) is talking to me from Lake Orion outside t... Read More >>

Come One and All for the All Call Music Festival

Aug. 20, 2022

Local restaurateurs Gary and Allison Jonas (The Little Fleet and Farm Club) are perpetually starting new things that lead to even newer things, and this pattern is just fine by them. As pioneers of the craft bar and food truck culture, and now the mini-music-festival scene in Traverse Cit... Read More >>

August’s Sigh

Aug. 6, 2022

As author Denis Mackail wrote of the approach of August, we may “sigh over the vanished strawberries and all that they signified” … or we can keep the camp chairs in the sandy car, knowing full well that summer is only half over and there’s more acoustic exploring... Read More >>

Larger Than Life

July 30, 2022

Maybe it’s our human ego or maybe it’s just the supersizing of our culture, but big art is in. Innovations in materials and technology now make it possible to imagine and create almost anything, no matter the size.

International visionaries like Christo and Jeanne-Clau... Read More >>

Meet the (Film)Makers

July 23, 2022

While there may not be eight million stories in little ol’ Traverse City, there is a small but growing number of story-tellers living and working right here in our laid-back neck of the woods. Here are just a few of the fascinating folks of film who share their thoughts on ... Read More >>

Summer Sounds of July

July 16, 2022

Now that the pungent scent of elephant ears is fading on the wind and the brouhaha of the National Cherry Festival has come and gone, it’s time to trade the spectacle of the big stages for more intimate sonic experiences off the beaten path. Whether you seek it out or find it unexpe... Read More >>

Red, White, and Blues

July 2, 2022

Up North, it’s that time of year again when the roads live up to their “Traffic City” nickname and many of us activate our local tradition and civic duty to overbook and soak up as much summer fun as possible. For both casual and hardcore fans of live music, this is undo... Read More >>

All the North’s a Stage

May 28, 2022

From the early glam days of the Cherry County Players to the traveling tours from Broadway, our northern Michigan home has always been a rich and friendly place for the arts. With an almost dizzying array of musicals, plays, opera, and dance available to inspire you this summer, you won&r... Read More >>