Howmet Playhouse Fine Arts Festival in full swing

The Howmet Playhouse kicks off its Fine Arts Festival this Friday, July 2 in Whitehall, Mich. The nine week, ten production festival will begin the season with “Jive at Five,” a seven-piece jazz and swing ensemble from Michigan. The ensemble will be playing a special kick-off concert in front of a 1930’s Hollywood office set that will be used throughout the festival.

The festival will continue with a variety of plays, comedy shows and musical artists until Aug. 28. All shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Howmet Playhouse. Tickets are now available for purchase at the Howmet Box Office, Whitehall City Hall or online.

For more information on ticket sales or performances, visit howmetplayhouse.org.

Muskegon County invites public to celebrate the arts

Join the Muskegon Community Foundation to Celebrate the Arts on Wednesday, June 30 from 4-6 p.m. at the Frauenthal Theater. Patrons, donors and friends are all invited to this annual gathering to support the arts.

The event will feature a special presentation of the Frauenthal Theater as well as awards to special arts organizations in the community. In addition, new trustees will be announced and outgoing trustees will be honored. The event will culminate with a surprise, and very special, unveiling. Cash bar and snacks are available with a $5 donation at the door.

To RSVP or learn more about the event, contact Lurinda Montella at lmontella@cffmc.org or by phone at (231) 722-4538.

The event will be preceded by a meeting of the Lakeshore Arts and Music Association at noon in the MCC's Blue and Gold room. This meeting will focus on sharing marketing ideas and techniques to brainstorm ideas of how arts groups can work together to create awareness in the community.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Please email lakeshore.arts.music@gmail.com with ideas, questions or for more information.

GRAM on the Green to feature great music and art discussions

Join the Grand Rapids Art Museum as they celebrate another musical summer in the city with GRAM on the Green. The Friday night program goes outside each week to the Terrace for great music, food and of course, art. This week, Groove Merchant hits the stage with urban beats from 7-9 p.m.

The performance will follow games and giveaways for the DowntownGR Bazaar in the plaza at 5 p.m. as well as the GRAM's Friday Night Conversations. This week the Conversation will feature special guest Ben Perrin, from the Grand Rapids Gallery Association, MercuryHead Gallery. Perrin will be available to answer questions about how to care for, hang and store works of art. Perrin's table will be open at 6:30 p.m.

Full bar and seating is available and the galleries are open late. For more information, visit the GRAM's website or call their office at (616) 831-1000.

Griffins to open 15th season at home

The Grand Rapids Griffins will open a season at home for the first time in five years when they christen their 15th season on Friday, Oct. 8 at Van Andel Arena. Five additional dates Friday home games have also been announced for the 2010-11 season: November 26, December 10 and 31, January 21 and 22.

Start times and opponents will be announced later this summer, when the full 80-game slate for the AHL's 75th anniversary season is released. The league's milestone season will also mark the Griffins' 10th year of AHL membership.

Group tickets for these six games are now on sale along with the 2010-11season ticket packages. Single-game tickets will go on sale to the public in September. For more information, go to griffinshockey.com or call their office at (616) 774-4585.

Long Live Pop-Punk

Review by Elena Nieman

Pop-punk is not dead and gone. Grand Rapids band, Three Cents Short, makes sure the genre is kept alive. Recommended for fans of Blink-182 or Sum 41, the band’s second release, Kids These Days, has classic three-minute punk songs.

The first track has a fun, semi-aggressive intro rap with the cheeky line, “If you get hurt in the mosh pit, don’t be a poor sport, you just got donkey punched by Three Cents Short!”

“Leftover Fries Suck!” is a song that tackles trust issues, and maybe even a romance. On “Ghost Dancer Meet Old Toby” there is an interesting reggae feel that starts at the 1:40 mark.

On the second track, “A New One and Three Old Ones,” you can hear Drummer Niko’s love for hardcore in the drum intro where he aggressively beats for your attention. With Blink-182 guitar sounds, Rancid bass riffs and even some help from the Mustard Plug horn section on “Ska Song,” this album is a surprise coming from some kids jamming at Cold War Studios and StudiOtte. You can see Three Cents Short on June 26 at Papa Pete’s in Kalamazoo with The Red Lights and SuperDot.

Friction Records to release Charles the Osprey LP

Friction Records, a Michigan-based label, has announced the new release from Grand Rapids' Charles the Osprey. The band's debut full-length, Consider, is due out June 29th and is now available for pre-order.

Troy Reimink, from the Grand Rapids Press, describes the drum-and-guitar duo as brain-melting instrumental spazz-rock that employs non-fancy guitar and drum sounds, but cover impressive dynamic territory as they weave through thickets of changes in time and tempo, some fluid, some jarring, all compelling.

To hear more of Charles the Osprey, head to Founders this Saturday, June 26. The band will be playing a record release show with label mates Ozenza. Can't wait until Saturday? Listen to a free mp3 of the band's song "Scimitar Children and Their Rugs." For more information about the band visit their MySpace page.

Legendary band The Wailers to perform in Grand Rapids

The Wailers are coming to spread their message of peace and love in Grand Rapids with a performance in Grand Rapids on June 23 at 8 p.m. at The Intersection. Come see the greatest living exponents of reggae music perform some of their most popular songs like Jamming, Redemption Song and Could You Be Loved. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased on The Intersection's website.

Formed in Jamaica in the late 1960s, The Wailers are one of the most successful reggae bands of all time, selling over 250 million albums. The band will be performing their new song, A Step for Mankind, which was writing to benefit the United Nations' World Food Programme.

Tour proceeds will also go toward the I Went Hungry Campaign, which works in collaboration with the United Nations' World Food Programme to fight against child starvation. The Wailers have also enlisted the help of their fellow musicians to go hungry by donating a portion of their tour catering to the foundation. Currently more than 650,000 people have been fed.

For more information about The Wailers' music, tour dates or charity, visit their website.

Summer Celebration Air Show to host high flying performers

The Muskegon Summer Celebration is giving attendees more thrills in 2010 with a two-day air show on June 26-27. The show will take place over Muskegon Lake, making Heritage Landing the ideal location to enjoy the view.

The air show will feature seven different aircrafts in a variety of demonstrations, performances and flyovers. Performances will take place both Saturday and Sunday and will begin at 12:30 p.m. Highlights of the show include wing-walker Ashley Battles strapped to a 450 Stearman and the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

General admission tickets are $8 each day or $18 for a general admission pass and an all-you-can-ride Midway wristband. Festival goers with a 10 or 11-day Pizza Hut Pass will also gain a single-day ticket to the Air Show. Chalet and Executive Club seating is also available by visiting Star Tickets outlets in local Meijer stores or visit their website.

For more information about the air show and aircrafts scheduled to fly, visit the Summer Celebration's website.

GRAM collaborates with the DEC Project

Join the conversation with the area's most talented and successful young design-focused entrepreneurs at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) tonight at 5 p.m. as they feature the DEC Project (Design/Educate/Connect).

Artists and entrepreneurs alike will be on hand for interviews and live digital design demos. The DEC Project is being featured as part of the Conversations program that occurs every Friday night at the GRAM.

Artists include Drew Melton, Dave Scholfield & Ryan Greaves, Ross Berens and Jake Richardson. Interviews will include Benjamin Gott, Boxed Water; Nicolai Czumaj-Bront, Haworth; Rick DeVos, ArtPrize; Josh Higginson, Premier Skateshop; Nick Stockton, Teamwork Design; and Chad Miller, Restaurant Bloom.

Also tonight, the GRAM on the Green/DowntownGR Bazaar will continue with games, giveaways in the park and music from DJ Brandon Hill.

Visit their website for more information on GRAM conversations.

Buddy Guy - Meijer Gardens 6-17-10 - Photos by Anthony Nowack

Blues legend Buddy Guy rocked the sold out crowd Thursday night at the Meijer Gardens.

The Riviera Theatre announces its Water Festival weekend

The Riviera Theatre will begin their Water Festival weekend with great films and music on Thursday, June 17. Be sure to stop by the Riviera Theatre at 50 N. Main St. in Three Rivers for all of these great events.

Kicking of the festival will be Flight to Athena. The band, from southern California, boasts a combo of powerful guitars, fervent drums, swirling vocals and clever lyrics. Come by on Thursday at 8 p.m. to hear this band. Joining Flight to Athena will be Their Teeth Will Be of Lions, Hello Victor, Please Promise and Stacey Koziel. Admission is $8.

Matt Kelly will have audiences hooked with his vocals, multi-instrumental arrangements and intuitive storytelling. Come hear Kelly for free on Saturday, June 19 at 9 p.m. at the Rivera Theatre.

A special showing of the 1968 film "Bullitt" will take place on Saturday, June 19 at 11 a.m. For $5 you can see Steve McQueen in one of his most famous roles as a man assigned to protect a mafia informant. "Bullitt" is 113 minutes long and is not rated.

Based on a true story, "John Rabe" tells the story of a German businessman who rescued more than 200,000 civilians during the so-called "Nanking Massacre" in China. The film, which is 134 minutes, is in six different languages with English subtitles and is not rated. Showings will take place on 6 p.m. June 18 and 19, 1 p.m. on June 20 and 8:30 p.m. on June 22. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for children, students and seniors.

For more information about bands, films or the Water Festival, visit the Riviera Theatre's website.

Malea McGuinness opens for Kenny Loggins, talks exclusively to REVUE

Last night, Malea McGuinness opened for Kenny Loggins at Frederik Meijer Gardens. REVUE had the opportunity to talk to her about her new album, Close as Air.

Kalamazoo Island Festival begins June 17

The Caribbean vibe will be washing over Kalamazoo June 17 - 19 at the 15th annual Kalamazoo Island Festival, hosted by the Kalamazoo Jaycees. Come downtown to the Arcadia Creek Festival Site for authentic food, music and crafts straight from the islands.

More than 20 featured performances will happen over the three days of the festival, including bands such as The Jah Kings, Zion Lion and The Meditations. Get a taste of the islands with authentic foods, ranging from vegetarian dishes to world famous Jerk chicken, and refreshing drinks like island cocktails, smoothies and margaritas.

Gates will be open Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. For performance schedules and vendors, visit the Kalamazoo Island Festival website.

Chihuly and other glass masters exhibited at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts

Prepare to be dazzled by an array of modern glass works at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. The SCA's newest exhibition, "Re(fr)action: Experiencing the Art of Glass," will open Friday, June 25 in the Bertha Krueger Reid Exhibition Hall. The exhibit is free, open to the public and will run through Aug. 9.

The works featured in "Re(fr)action" come from the collection of the Muskegon Museum of Art and include pieces by modern masters such as Dale Chihuly, Michael Rogers and Nancy Callan (pictured right). "Re(fr)action" is a great companion to the current Chihuly exhibit, "A New Eden", at Frederik Meijer Gardens.

Glass masters can be viewed, for free, Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. While the exhibit is free of charge, Goodwill donations are also accepted.

A reception for the exhibition, which is sponsored by Symbiote, Inc. and media partner WGVU, will take place Friday, July 16 from 5-7 p.m. The reception is open to the public.

For more information about "Re(fr)action" or other SCA summer events, visit www.sc4a.org or call (269) 857-2399.

Art Prize winners create art for Helen DeVos Children's Hospital

Chicago-based ArtPrize winners, Tracy VanDuinen and Todd Osborne, are using art to make the lobby of the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital a special place for healing. The artists are using art produced by kids at art-making workshops held at LaFontsee Galleries to create a large wall mosaic, composed with colored tiles and mirrors, depicting childhood scenes.

"We are excited to have these wonderful artists helping to guide the creation of art in the new building," said Bob Connors, MD, president, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. "Art in the lobby will make it a special place for children and set the stage for an entire experience of healing throughout the hospital."

With nearly $103 million in generous community support, the new hospital will be 14 floors, 444,000 square feet and 206 beds. To learn more about the new hospital, visit their website.

Celadon Summer Concert Series kicks off with Karisa Wilson

If you didn't have anything to do tonight, you do now. The Celadon Summer Concert Series will kick off tonight from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. with Karisa Wilson in an open acoustic jam. The concert will take place at 2050 Celadon Dr. in Grand Rapids.

All Concert Series events are free, open to all ages and BYOB. Better yet, each artist will be accepting donations to support the charity of their choice. Join Karisa Wilson tonight for some great music in support of Iris Ministries.

Again, this is an acoustic jam so all are welcome to join in and create music!

For more information, visit the Celadon Summer Concert Series Facebook page.

UICA holds final exhibitions on Sheldon Boulevard

The Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts will open their final exhibitions at their current location at 41 Sheldon Blvd. SE before moving to their new location on Fulton. Help the UICA celebrate their last exhibit in the current building at a free reception this Friday, June 11, from 6-9 p.m. Guests will be able to meet the six artists being showcased, explore their work and enjoy amazing food with drinks.

Don't miss your chance to see the following artists:

Rebecca Murtaugh will be showcasing her installation Temptations, which is creating with everyday materials and varying techniques. Murtaugh's piece maintains a balance of formal and conceptual motivations, drawing from the language of each material's history.

Bryan Leister's installation, Transit, explores issues of representation and landscape. The piece combines single channel projection animation, 5-channel sound, 3D printed sculptures and original drawings. The concept for Leister's piece revolves are explorations of the Colorado landscape and interest in depicting layers of representation to the viewer.

Justin Webb's series of paintings, entitled While Holding Our Own, explore the concept of an ever-evolving narrative. Webb's combination of images and audio demonstrate the interconnections that create historical facts.

Nicola Vruwink's work, To You. From Me. Love, Nicola, involves organic forms constructed from crocheted cassette tape. The repetitive nature of crocheting provides a symmetry and order to the chaotic state of modern life and sense of stillness amidst the disorder. Through the employment of humble, nearly obsolete materials and means, Vruwink examines the impermanence and temporal nature of our society, paced by technological advances, resulting in the disconnection of people and ensuing loneliness of modern urban life.

Christopher Gauthier's Constructs of Diversion, Part III: Mountains and Molehills is an anthology of art produced to embody metaphorical interpretations of thoughts, feelings, actions, dreams and memories in tangible collections.

dis.place.ment, a group exhibition, marks the last show in the Monroe Gallery before the UICA moves to their new facility. The collection of work considers emotional or physical displacement in a broader spatial, social, economic or political context.

For more information about the exhibit, visit the UICA's website.

Underground punk turned mainstream: AFI rocks the Orbit Room

Review and photo by Elena Nieman

A modest but enthusiastic crowd gathered at the Orbit Room June 3 for AFI, (A Fire Inside), a West Coast based band that normally does not play shows in the Midwest unless it’s on Warped Tour.

The band’s set list included a well balanced mix of old and new tunes, covering albums The Art of Drowning, Sing the Sorrow, Decemberunderground, and its newest album, Crash Love.

Lead singer, Davey Havok, was makeup-free. He and the other members of AFI were all energetic performers. Havok’s vocals were strong; his body and hand gestures to the lyrics and the expressions on his face conveyed the emotion of each song strongly.

Onstage, there was a flurry of actions: running, jumping, and spinning taking place almost every song while fans were singing and yelling with Davey, putting as much of themselves into the music as the band was.

Leon Redbone Exclusive Interview

Even if you don't know his look or his music, you know Leon Redbone's voice. From Bud commercials to TV theme songs to his duet in the movie Elf with indie goddess Zooey Deschanel, he's carved a 30 year career as a singer-guitarist-entertainer. REVUE got an exclusive interview with him in advance of his show this Saturday in Saugatuck. Read it!

Keep the ArtsAlive! in Allegan County

The struggle of the arts and cultural non-profit organizations has been definite this past year and the Allegan County Community Foundation (ACCF) is giving the public a chance to change that. The ACCF is launching Keep Your ArtsAlive!, a competition that allows all Allegan County residents to declare their desire to keep their arts alive.

You can show support for your favorite Allegan County arts or cultural non-profit organization for just $1. Support just one or multiple organizations with as many votes as you want, as often as you want!

Keep Your ArtsAlive! will be launched with a media conference on June 3 at 12:30 p.m. at the ACCF Offices, located at 524 Marshall Street, Allegan, MI. The launch event is open to the public and will feature members of the media, ACCF Board Trustees, 17 ArtsAlive! participating organizations and other county dignitaries. The competition will culminate with a bash event on Sept. 24, so you will have plenty of opportunities to vote for your favorite organizations!

For more information, please visit the ArtsAlive! website or contact Theresa Bray at (269) 673 - 8344.

2010 Downtown Holland Street Performer Series to begin June 10

The Downtown Holland Street Performer Series is back, and it's bigger than ever. This popular summer event will feature close to 70 artists of all varieties who will give free performances on a rotating basis throughout downtown Holland. This free Series begins Thursday, June 10 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. and will continue each Thursday evening through Aug. 26.

The Series will feature endless summer entertainment for audiences of all ages. Performances include: musicians, caricature artists, theatrical troupes, aerial acrobats, dancers, henna tattoo artists, slide-show acts and much more. Performers will be announced the week of the event. While events are free, tipping is encouraged.

Performance locations have been increased from 20 to 29 this summer to accommodate the record number of performers in the Series. Locations stretch almost the entire three blocks from River Avenue to Columbia Avenue on 8th Street.

Also, for the first time ever, the Street Performer Series will feature two theme nights: Civil War theme on June 24 and Kid's Day on July 15. An interactive drum circle will also be held each Thursday as part of the Series.

The 2010 Downtown Holland Street Performer Series is organized by the City of Holland's Principal Shopping District with support from the Holland Area Arts Council and Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

For more information on the Street Performer Series or Downtown Holland, please visit www.downtownholland.com or call 616-394-0000 (toll free 800-506-1299). To stay up-to-date on the latest Street Performer Series news, visit the Downtown Holland Street Performer Series Facebook page or follow them on Twitter (@HollandSPS).

The International Society of Experimental Artists Exhibit

Grand Rapids continues to embrace all forms of art as the Forest Hills Fine Art Center is hosting the International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA), an exhibit previewing 68 entries of experimental artists from all over the world starting June 2. The month-long exhibit features works of artists from the United States, Canada, Australia and Wales and invites visiting artists to workshops and discussions about experimental art on June 2 - 6.

This year’s ISEA theme for the workshops is “Experimental = Concept, Attitude, Techniques + Materials.” The workshops and field trips of attendees over June 2 - 6 are designed to explore and discuss each of the key elements and share ideas about the art form. Trips to the Frederick Meijer Gardens Dale Chihuly exhibit and Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts are a few of the scheduled art events that registrants will be visiting.

The exhibition is open daily to the public and the 68 various pieces will be displayed from June 2 to June 29 at the Forest Hills Fine Art Center in Grand Rapids.

The ISEA was founded in 1991 by Maxine Masterfield and Gracie Hegeman for artists to encourage, connect and share ideas about experimental art with artists worldwide.

For more information about the ISEA Exhibit and the pieces on display, please visit the exhibit’s website.

The Orbit Room Sells Out Another Show

Review and photo by Elena Nieman

Bullet for my Valentine rolled into Grand Rapids on May 28 to a sold out show at the Orbit Room. Even an hour after the doors opened the crowd outside was quite large with additional people looking for extra tickets. Inside, it was just as chaotic. At least two people passed out before Bullet even took the stage. Opening acts Airbourne and Arcanium hardly pacified the Orbit Room’s full house.

Chiodos was the other opening band. Having seen them numerous times when Craig Owens was the lead vocalist, I don’t feel that the crowd responded as enthusiastically to Brandon Bolmer, who has only been their vocalist since the beginning of this year. Still, Chiodos put on an energetic and musically pleasing set.

The tension of the crowd only increased while waiting for Bullet for my Valentine to play. Almost as soon as Chiodos exited the stage, concert goers were already chanting “Bullet, Bullet, Bullet”. When Bullet’s members hit the stage, they hit it hard. Musically, they were very tight with an arsenal of hard-hitting guitar and drum pieces that got the audience riled up. Two circle pits, numerous crowd surfers, and a full house of yelling and fans singing along with vocalist Matthew Tuck. Playing crowd-pleasers “4 Words” and “Tears Don’t Fall” off its album, The Poison, along with newer material, it is no surprise that this show sold out.

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts’ Art Fair features Beer Garden and Garage Sale

Nothing kicks off the summer weather better than checking out the Beer Garden and Garage Sale at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts' 59th Annual Art Fair.

Starting Friday, June 4 at Bronson Park, adults can enjoy KIA’s Beer Garden with Bell’s Oberon Ale on tap and TGI Fridays’ food available those looking for a bite to eat. Local band, Whiskey Before Breakfast will perform. The Beer Garden will be open on Friday from 5-10 p.m. and Saturday from 12-5 p.m. during the Art Fair.

For the first time ever, KIA is hosting a Garage Sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Eclectic items will be up for sale such as furniture, jewelry, collectibles, clothing, books, toys, and electronics. Who knows what kind of treasures can be found at the Garage sale located at the KIA galleries.

With more than 200 artists booths featuring original works such as paintings, prints, photography, ceramics, jewelry and sculpture, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts’ Art Fair has unique pieces for all kinds of art lovers. Admission is free for the whole family.

Cash awards are given to participating artists selected for first, second and third place that will be selected by a guest judge. The family friendly fair includes activities like face-painting, a button factory and the Children’s Art Yard, a space for kids to create their own art.

Bands will also be taking the stage throughout the two-day event that include: Rare Combinations, Blowers & Stone Duo, Great Lakes Grass and Allegro String Quartet.

For more information about the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts’ Art Fair, check out its website or contact Sandy Linabury at (269) 349-7775 ext. 3114.

Blues Man Jonny Lang Releases Live Album

With a soulful, raspy voice and amazing guitar solos, Jonny Lang has become one of the most recognized blues artists – and he’s only 29. Lang has been singing blues for half his life. His newest album, Live at the Ryman is over an hour of pure gold blues.

Lang creates the quintessential blues sound, somewhere between the late Ray Charles and the Blues Brothers. Songs like “Turn Around” and “Don’t Stop (For Anything)” contrast smooth, soulful rhythms with raspy, wholesome vocals and vibrato laced guitar solos. The song “Give Me Up Again” slows down the tempo but raises the temperature with its sensual rhythm and heated lyrics. Also on the album is the 10 minute epic, “Red Light,” with a two minute band intro song beforehand.

If you are a fan of Lang’s previous work, Live at the Ryman won’t disappoint. With the crowd noise adding a sense of intimacy, the album creates a calming mood appropriate for every scenario. If you’re in the mood for a short road trip this summer, Lang is performing July 13 at the Royal Oak Music Theatre in Royal Oak, and on July 16 at the House of Blues in Chicago.