Gopherwood Concerts’ Ramblin’ New Season

Sept. 25, 2015

Gopherwood’s been putting on shows in Cadillac for 32 years – everything from big national acts like Eddie from Ohio and Richie Havens to local favorites.

“We’re really most proud of the Michiganbased performers,” Gopherwood’s Paul Brown said. “And we try to mix it up so that we’re alternating people who have played here before with new artists and other projects that our returning artists are taking part in.”

Gopherwood also makes an effort to keep ticket prices low so more people can attend. Ticket proceeds pay the artist fees with a little additional assistance from the Cadillac Arts Council.

Each season’s lineup improves upon the last, with more diverse musical offerings rambling in from downstate and beyond, and even stronger support for hometown performers.

“This season, I think I’m looking forward to Sweet Water Warblers the most,” Brown said. “We’ve had all of the ladies from that group on stage here before, but never all three at once, and I think that will be a really unique show that people will be excited about.”

“Plus, I think it’s great that we’re kicking off our fall and winter season with a local connection.”

Here’s a preview of all the shows coming up at Gopherwood, beginning the first weekend in October. All shows start at 8pm. For more information, venue location and tickets, visit gopherwoodconcerts.org or call (231) 846-8383.

OCT. 3 – The Muteflutes

This group from Grand Rapids offers up what Brown calls “youthful, lyric-driven indie folk rock” and they’ll be performing tunes from their latest album, 2014’s American Dream. They’re fans of playing smaller venues, so they’re a perfect fit for Gopherwood; the “local connection” that Brown mentioned is Marie Dornan, the band’s keyboard player, originally from Cadillac. “I’m excited to have them here; we’ve been hearing so much about them,” Brown said.

OCT. 24 – Mark Lavengood Bluegrass Bonanza

Dobro player Lavengood is perhaps best known for playing with Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellies locally, but Brown calls him “an incredible musician” in his own right. He started playing in 6th grade band and wound through drums, ukulele, guitar and congas before settling on the resonator guitar (dobro), which he now utilizes with the Flatbellies and with his own band, which fuses high-energy bluegrass with improv jams, dynamic instrumentals and a revolving cast of bandmates, including Billy Strings and Lindsay Lou herself.

NOV. 21 – Sweet Water Warblers

Rachael Davis, May Earlwine and Lindsay Lou Rilko performed together at last summer’s Hoxeyville Festival and the response was terrific. “Everybody loved it, so they were like, ‘why don’t we do more with this?’” Brown said. That they did; they formed this much-anticipated trio, which was the first group Brown booked for Gopherwood’s 2015–2016 season. In concert, the three ladies perform songs together and break apart to treat the audience to duets and solo tunes. Another local connection: Davis, too, grew up in Cadillac.

JAN. 16 – Drive South

The country and roots duo of Mary Sue Wilkinson and Roger Brown hails from Traverse City; they’ve been performing together for some time. They also have a reputation as the core of country band The Wilenes, both of which feature the pair’s detailed harmony singing and guitar work. While Wilkinson has performed at Gopherwood for years in many different groups, her talents are further complemented by Brown’s skills; Paul Brown said this duo, in particular, “is just great.”

FEB. 20 – The Ragbirds

Ann Arbor folk-rock-worldbeat band The Ragbirds is a five-piece outfit built around frontwoman Erin Zindle, who plays a wide range of stringed instruments and formed the band with her husband, percussionist Randall Moore. A Ragbirds performance could feature accordion, Celtic music or African beats reminiscent of Paul Simon’s Graceland project; this fusion keeps the band performing more than 100 shows per year. “They always sell out and it’s been four to five years since they’ve been here, so we’re looking forward to having them back,” Brown said.

MARCH 19 – Made in Michigan Fundraiser

Gopherwood's annual fundraiser helps cover the costs of their shows and the improvement of their sound and lighting equipment, and it always delivers some top-notch musical names and sounds, as well as additional treats like the traditional silent auction and plenty of community spirit. Keep an eye on their website to see who will be performing to support Gopherwood this year!

MAY 21 – Blake Elliott

Traverse City standout Elliott has built a regional musical name for herself with her vintage-inspired sound that blends folk, jazz, funk and spoken word into a unique performance style unmatched by anyone else in the area. This special house concert will wrap up the end of Gopherwood’s winter season and is sure to be a highlight.