WEST MICHIGAN’S ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE FOR 30 YEARS » JANUARY 2019
ALSO INSIDE: BANDS TO WATCH, NEW BEER RESOLUTIONS, GOVERNMENT REFORM
WEST MICHIGAN
WEDDING GUIDE SEE PAGE 36
JAN
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BILL ENGVALL Entertainment Hall | 8PM Tickets start at $35 CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEEKLY SPECIALS
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Performances held at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Entertainment subject to cancellation. Management reserves all rights.
2 | REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019
616.551.1957 | PERRINBREWING.COM REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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* january 11 THE PRINCE EXPERIENCE
JANUARY 18 THUNDERSTRUCK
America's AC/DC Tribute 18+
w/ Booze and Glory, Lenny Lashley, Amigo The Devil
w/ To Whom It May
january 25 WALK THE MOON w/ Bear Hands
january 26 JESSE MCCARTNEY
FEBRUARY 21 THE WALL LIVE EXTRAVAGANZA
MARCH 1 RUSSELL DICKERSON & CARLY PEARCE
MARCH 2 SWITCHFOOT
w/ Rome, Melophobix
The Greatest Floyd Show on Earth
* MARCH 14 QUINN XCII
MARCH 9 VINCE STAPLES
w/ Ashe, Christian French
MARCH 30 DEMETRI MARTIN
MAY 5 GLENN HUGHES
18+
march 15 THE PUMP & DUMP SHOW
w/ Logan Mize
APRIL 10 TESLA
AUGUST 20 PAPA ROACH
march 6 NOTHING MORE w/ Of Mice & Men, Badflower, Palisades
march 20 THE MUSICAL BOX A Genesis Extravaganza
* MARCH 23 RANDY RAINBOW
MARCH 28 TAPE FACE
APRIL 20 ILIZA
MAY 3 MIDLAND
* APRIL 13 ROBIN TROWER
APRIL 17
SiriusXM Yacht Rock Radio Presents
YACHT ROCK REVUE
Get more info and see the full schedule at 20MonroeLive.com 20 Monroe Live Box Office Hours: Mon-Thurs: 12pm-6pm / Fri: 10am-6pm Weekends: event days only / Box office opens 2 hours prior to doors. (closed on non-show days)
* SEATED SHOW
11 OTTAWA AVE NW • DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS • 20MONROELIVE.COM 4 | REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019
20 Monroe Live 2nd birthday celebration! w/ Brother Elsey
w/ Colony House, Tyson Motsenbocker
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FEBRUARY 2 THE VERVE PIPE
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FEBRUARY 19 DROPKICK MURPHYS
FEBRUARY 15 CANDLEBOX
JANUARY 24 SUBLIME
REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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Save the Date: Feb. 14 - 17 Updates at Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Facebook
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REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 7 12/14/182019 2:50 |PM
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WHAT’S INSIDE
January 2019 | Volume 31, Issue 1
SCENE: 12 14 18 28 45
Biz Beat The ‘Vestige’: Advocates seek reforms for GR City Commission Potshots 50 Things to Do in 2019 Style Notes: My Kind of Style
SOUNDS: 20 26
Local: Bands to Watch Touring: Two Feet
SIGHTS:
28
27
Comedy: Larry Joe Campbell
REVUE ARTS: 1A Visual arts, classical and jazz music, theater, arts event previews and more. (See the center of this issue)
WEST MICHIGAN WEDDING GUIDE 36 37 38 40 42 43
Wedding Trends Pony Up to the Bar Shutter Sam's Tips Vendor Guide Bachelorette Parties Wedding Directory
DINING & DRINKING: 46 48 49 50
36
50
Beer: New Beer Resolutions Dining: Marcona on Lyon Hidden Gems: Creston Last Call: Linear
REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
T
he dawn of a new year can be both exciting and daunting, largely depending on what exactly you have in store for the coming months, weeks and days.
It’s impossible to fully know what lies ahead, but at least we can make plans, creating exciting milestones across 2019. Nothing gives a healthy sense of optimism like something to look forward to. Even though there’s no shortage of places to go and events to attend in West Michigan, it can be easy to fall into a cycle, going back to our old standbys every season. Don’t get me wrong, I love tradition, but trying something new expands the scope of the region around you. So we rounded up 50 festivals, concerts, comedy shows, art exhibits, markets, restaurants and more that you might went to check out in the year ahead. And honestly, this is just the tiniest tip of the iceberg — much of what’s to come is lying underwater, unannounced. Don’t worry, we’ll be here to help you find fun things to do for the next 12 months. In the meantime, also check out our Wedding Guide this issue, talking about all the ways to make your wedding unique, whether it’s a Volkswagen photo booth or a vegan, gluten-free cake. We also help you plan your bachelorette party and give pro-tips from a seasoned photographer. Your wedding may be many moons away, but if there’s one lesson the holiday season should teach you, it’s that procrastination never pays off.
W E S T M I C H I G A N ’ S E N T E RTA I N M E N T G U I D E
EDITORIAL Publisher Brian Edwards Associate Publisher Rich Tupica / rich@revueholding.com Editor Joe Boomgaard / joe@revuewm.com Managing Editor Josh Veal / josh@revuewm.com Copy Editor Claire Boomgaard DESIGN Kristi Kortman / kristi@revuewm.com Kaylee Van Tuinen / kaylee@revuewm.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Andy Balaskovitz Dana Casadei Elma Talundzic Eric Mitts Jane Simons Jack Raymond
Kayla Sosa Kelly Brown Marla R. Miller Michaela Stock Missy Black Nick Macksood
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Katy Batdorff ADVERTISING / 616.608.6170 Rich Tupica / sales@revuewm.com Kelli Belanger / kelli@revuewm.com ADVERTISING CONSULTANT Dwayne Hoover / dwayne@revuewm.com
’Til next time,
DIGITAL EDITOR Josh Veal
Josh Veal, Managing Editor
FIND US ONLINE! Website: revuewm.com Twitter: twitter.com/revuewm Facebook: facebook.com/revuewm Instagram: instagram.com/revuewm
UP COMING IS SUE S FEBRUARY:
MARCH:
We readily recognize that many of our readers love a good deal. With food and drink costs on the rise, we’re taking a month to put a spotlight on the best bargains around West Michigan.
People make the world go ’round. We shine a spotlight on 10 fascinating citizens who are shaping the past, present and future of West Michigan.
The Cheap Issue
REVUE is published monthly by Revue Holding Company. P.O. Box 1629, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-1629 Office: 616.608.6170 / Fax: 616.608.6182 ©2019, Revue Holding Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part granted only by written permission of the publisher in accordance with our legal statement, fools.
The People Issue
ON THE COVER: Courtesy Photos Wellspring Dancer Photo by: Amelia Fink Illustration by: Kaylee Van Tuinen
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See more on page 28
REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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The Russian National Ballet presents
WEST MICHIGAN
BIZ BEAT
A Roundup of Openings, Closings and other Local Business News
OPENED:
“The beauty of the dancing and the costumes made this a real cultural treat that is not to be missed.” — DC Metro Theater Arts
Frid ay, Ja nua ry 1 8 , 8 p m
Savasana Quilts (2211 E. Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids) finally brought a store specifically for quilting enthusiasts to Grand Rapids. Whether you’re just beginning and want to take a class or are a seasoned expert wanting to work on a project around other quilters, Savasana is the place to visit. The store is full of modern fabrics, notions and tools. Local kombucha company Sacred Springs (1059 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids) opened a tasting room with 12 taps pouring flavors like Razz Ninja (raspberry ginger) and Trop Hopics (pineapple and simcoe hops). The taproom also offers bagel sandwiches, live music and a variety of events, including meditation and kombucha workshops. The Commons (547 Cherry St., Grand Rapids) opened in the ground floor of the Oakwood Manor Apartments with a ’70s lounge theme, from the spot-on throwback interior design to classic, affordable comfort food. The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, entrees and tons of appetizers, such as Prime Rib Dirty Tots and Street Corn Mac n Cheese. The Commons also features classic cocktails and a large wine and craft beer selection. Third time’s the charm! Mannie’s Pizza (10 Jefferson Ave., Grand Rapids) has taken over the location that once held Good Pizza Company and Cult Pizza. This also makes for Mannie’s third location, adding to Otsego and Byron Center. The pizzeria is open late on weekends (3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays) and features slices, as well as “Mannie Crust,” a sort of combination of calzone and pizza.
Acrobatics, mechanical marvels, and a bit of clowning around DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS SCENE
Fr i d ay, Fe b rua ry 1 , 8 pm
Order tickets at TheMendelCenter.com Facebook “f ” Logo
Box Office (269) 927-8700, option 1 The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College, 2755 E. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor, MI
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RGB / .ai
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RGB / .ai
#TheMendelCenter
Mudpenny. COURTESY PHOTOS
CLOSED: Georgina’s Fusion Cuisine (724 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids) closed last month, less than a year after opening in January, and shortly after winning Best New Restaurant in Revue’s Best of the West readers poll. Chef Anthony Craig cited the stress of running this location alongside the Traverse City location, and claims that the closure is unrelated to a lawsuit against him alleging sexual harassment. In its place, Damir Duratovic, the owner of Bosna Express, plans to open a new restaurant called Zivio, which will be a “modern European tavern.” Gouleese (1635 Beidler St., Muskegon) is shuttering after being open for one year. The unique restaurant focused on various styles of goulash from around the world. n
Coffee shop and catering company Mudpenny (570 Grandville Ave., Grand Rapids) opened in the West Side, offering a large array of sandwiches, salads —Compiled by Josh Veal and breakfast foods, alongside coffee, espresso, lemonade and house sodas. The cafe also acts as If you have any closings, openings or other business an event venue, hosting up to 50 people. news for REVUE, e-mail josh@revuewm.com.
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REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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THE ‘VESTIGE’: ADVOCATES SEEK REFORMS FOR GR CITY COMMISSION Community organizers have failed for decades to change Grand Rapids’ governing structure. A new effort hopes to change that. By Andy Balaskovitz
F DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS SCENE
BEGINNING THE BEAT Revue has covered arts and entertainment for 30 years, but in a world where today’s issues are increasingly urgent and prominent, we’ve decided to get some answers. Reporter Andy Balaskovitz will be joining the team to cover the topics that affect West Michigan, from politics to economics, news, gentrification, community relations and more. Arts, culture and entertainment aren’t divorced from all of this — they’re shaped on every level by these issues. This story on Grand Rapids’ government is really about how we create equity in our community, which affects us all.
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or more than a century, Grand Rapids’ governance has basically remained unchanged. The city manager acts as a CEO overseeing day-today operations. The mayor is largely a figurehead and a seventh vote on a six-person city commission. The commission is divided into three wards with two representatives each. The problem, however, is not just that this system was designed with the nefarious intentions of furniture barons to keep political power over thousands of ethnic voters and workers. Critics say it’s also unrepresentative of the city. Consider the First Ward. It stretches from Walker to the corner of Eastern and 28th Street, yet the commission has completely lacked representation from the Latino community on the southwest side. In the Second Ward, do Eastown residents really share the same neighborhood concerns and priorities as those north of I-96? Most people who follow local politics agree on this point: Three sprawling wards across a population of 200,000 people doesn’t accurately reflect the city’s diversity and, therefore, neither does its legislative body. That’s why a nascent, grassroots effort is underway by community organizers to double the number of wards from three to six. Sounds easy enough, right? Maybe not. The group’s broader plan tackling multiple voting issues may require revising the city charter, a sort of citywide constitution that delegates roles and responsibilities of city officials. Triggering a charter revision is like opening Pandora’s box, even if the goal is common-sense reforms like creating more representative districts. Any vote on charter reform risks becoming highly politicized as interest groups insert their own
influence into the process. Representation needs improvement, but at what cost, according to observers. “The current ward system places communities of color, particularly the Latino community on the southwest side, at a tremendous disadvantage in terms of representation,” the Latino Community Coalition said in a statement to Revue after discussion among its steering committee. “Latinos do not currently see themselves in the city commission at all. However, opening the charter has the potential to further disenfranchise people of color depending on whose voices are at that decisionmaking table, and we caution against a process that might ultimately create more inequity.”
A LITTLE HISTORY
Jeffrey Kleiman’s 2006 book, “Strike! How the furniture workers strike of 1911 changed Grand Rapids,” lays bare the history of the city’s current governing system. The furniture strike of 1911 was a turning point in the city’s economic and political history. The four-month standoff between thousands of workers seeking to unionize and their bosses left a lasting mark on City Hall. Then-Mayor George Ellis sided with workers during the strike. After most workers voted to go back to work, industrialists sought greater control through the political process. Following the strike, furniture manufacturers “mounted a municipal reform movement aimed at creating government that effectively concentrated power in the hands of business leaders while diluting the influence of the ordinary voter,” Kleiman writes. “Taking aim at the city’s unruly west side and influence exercised by a popular mayor, they proposed a new city charter
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1911 WARD BOUNDARIES
nine-member board. It’s easy to imagine the set of interests a margin of 1 percent or less in elections; and special elections for vacated commission seats rather than appointments. seeking a hand in the city’s governing document. Lee says voters are increasingly dissatisfied with represenUltimately, the Charter Revision Commission required under the Michigan Home Rule City Act put forward three tative politics at the national and state level. He points to the separate charters that would have expanded mayoral powers. statewide Voters Not Politicians ballot initiative — which also Voters rejected all three. started with a Facebook post — that passed 61 to 39 percent In 2002, former Mayor John Logie sought to expand in November to end gerrymandering. mayoral powers without fully adopting a strong-mayor system. “It’s acknowledging what we would call the under-repre“As in the early 1970s, a coalition emerged to defend the sentation of various areas of the city,” Lee said, adding that council-manager system from any enhancement of mayoral citywide term limits passed by voters in 2014 arbitrarily limit power,” Zeemering writes. Logie’s charter amendment was effective local officials. also rejected by voters. Zeemering calls the current structure On appointments to vacant commission seats, Lee says: a “vestige” of the 1916 charter. “It’s not to say people are doing a good or bad job, but it’s a Still, the historical battles around governance largely focused less democratic process when a commissioner is appointed and on mayoral power and executive leadership, which divided the then able to maintain that seat because of the advantage of public. Expanding the number of wards poses a different question. incumbency without being elected in the first place. “There’s definitely some weak spots and room for improvement in our local democracy.” GR DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE Lee says he’s been in discussions to develop a “package of Since informal and formal attempts to revise or amend the initiatives that could be placed on the ballot.” Next is forming city charter have endured since 1916 but never materially an advisory committee to see how exactly the process would changed the way the city is governed, the question remains: play out and whether some issues can be separated to avoid a Why should this latest effort be any different? full charter revision, he said. The aim is for the 2020 election. Don Lee, executive director of the Eastown Community “To me, it makes perfect sense to look at the ward conAssociation, started a Facebook group this year called GR figuration,” said former Mayor George Heartwell, who served Democracy Initiative (though he’s apprehensive about being 12 years in office before being forced out due to term limits. seen as the leader of the plan). While not yet a formal campaign, “Ours is an old, outmoded system.” it lays out five goals: six city wards with 12 commissioners; paper ballots; eliminating term limits; automatic recounts for Continued on page 16
SCENE SOUNDS | SIGHTS | DINING
that would remake the city in the image of a privately held corporation where a small board of directors governed affairs by setting policy and hiring professional management.” The city charter adopted in 1916 thus eliminated the strongmayor form of government, transitioning to a council-manager structure we know today. Additionally, the new charter slashed the number of wards from 12 to three. Working class voters who supported the charter change at the time ironically “contributed to their own political exclusion,” Kleiman writes. “The plan was designed to create a government less responsive to direct citizen participation and the interest groups that dominated specific areas of the city,” according to Kleiman. “The consolidation of the wards was a major step toward the concentration of power in the hands of a proposed new seven-member city commission dominated by the East Side’s Second and Third wards, where business and industry leaders exercised greater control,” he adds. Kleiman concludes that the effort by “businessmen and bankers of Grand Rapids transformed municipal government into a vehicle subject to their influence.” After minor charter revisions in the following years, another reform movement emerged in the late 1960s that considered going back to a strong-mayor system. In a case study published in 2010, Eric Zeemering writes that reformers in the early 1970s argued “professional managers in city hall were out of touch, unresponsive, and unaccountable to the public.” In 1970, voters approved a commission to revise the charter. “Interest in charter reform was so high,” Zeemering writes, that 97 candidates ran for the
2018 WARD BOUNDARIES
REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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tenure,” said Heartwell, who was first elected mayor in 2003 and served on the city commission through most of the 1990s. “They shut it down, said it’s impossible without a charter revision commission.” “Nah, he’s wrong,” Kettle said. Meanwhile, the city’s off ice of communications said that the current city attorney, Anita Hitchcock, “has not opined or researched this topic.” An amendment versus a revision is a distinction with a major difference — and one that Lee says is currently being worked through.
POTENTIAL HEADWINDS
Above: Ed Kettle. PHOTO BY KATY BATDORFF Below: Don Lee. PHOTO BY ANDY BALASKOVITZ
Continued from page 15
DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS SCENE
REVISION OR AMENDMENT?
Ed Kettle has managed political campaigns for Kent County Democrats for decades. He ran an unsuccessful six-ward effort that voters rejected in the early 1980s. Kettle maintains that reconfiguring the wards could be done every 10 years based on new Census data when new boundaries are drawn anyway. Additionally, six wards could be drawn without increasing the number of commissioners. “For the last 30 years, no one has tried to do anything about it, but it’s plain now people want more personal representation instead of two people from one ward,” he said. Kettle, 68, says city candidates historically were elected by outer parts of wards: “It’s where people voted the most and had more
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money. People in the inner city didn’t have much of a chance.” Additionally, Grand Rapids used to have many more — and politically powerful — neighborhood associations. “When we had more neighborhood associations, the six-ward thing wasn’t as important. Everyone had strong representation,” he said. Kettle also maintains — as evidenced by the failed attempt in the early ’80s — that wards can be added by a charter amendment and approval by a majority of city voters. That’s a much easier lift than doing so in a charter revision. Heartwell disagrees, based on advice he said he received from the city attorney while in office. “The only thing I had to go on was legal counsel when we looked at it early in my
While a charter amendment would still be up for a citywide vote (and campaign), the prospect of a charter revision is much more daunting. Based on state law, voters elect whether to revise the charter. If they approve, then they elect a nine-member charter revision commission to deliberate over changes. The commission can take up to three years to put forth multiple charter options. Heartwell maintains that adding wards, though good in theory, would be a heavy lift. “You don’t simply say, ‘Let’s look at the ward system.’ It means everything in the charter is fair game for the charter revision commission,” he said. “There’s some risks associated with it, there’s going to be politics played. There’s no end to the mischief that could be done.” Revising a city charter is, simply put, politically fraught. City Manager Mark Washington came to Grand Rapids earlier this year from Austin, Texas, where voters in 2012 chose to revise the charter to better represent diverse groups on the city council. The Austin effort changed the council from a seven-member, at-large body to an 11-member council from 10 districts. The Austin Chronicle wrote in 2013 that the vote “kicked off a lengthy, raucous, and sometimes frustrating struggle over district lines for the new shape of City Hall.” Questions over equity and diversity persist during what can be multi-year processes, Washington said. “It’s something you don’t do overnight. You want to make sure it’s carefully structured and gives the voice of various residents,” he said. Washington emphasized that he has no position on a charter change in Grand Rapids, nor has he been part of discussions about it. In Michigan, Detroit voters approved a new city charter in 2012. In this year’s August primary election, voters narrowly chose to revisit the charter and elect a new nine-member charter commission. Media reports leading up to the November vote appear to confirm
fears about how that system — electing members to oversee the amendment process — is subject to influence from power brokers. Detroit Metro Times reported a week before the election that several candidates were backed by mega-developer Dan Gilbert, Mayor Mike Duggan and other “Republicanleaning” and corporate interests. This is the concern from the Latino Community Coalition and others in Grand Rapids. “Once you open (the cit y char ter), anything can happen,” said Jeremy DeRoo, executive director of LINC UP, a nonprofit community development organization. “There’s definitely that threat that instead of expanding it, it could be reduced in some other way.” But that’s not to say LINC UP or the Latino Community Coalition are against the plan. Both groups say they’re open to the idea. If it does go forward, it’s understood that it will be a grassroots-led effort and not initiated by city officials. “If there was any change to the ward system, it would have to be driven by the community,” said Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. While Bliss agrees smaller districts could “potentially create greater diversity” on the commission, she also sees value in two commissioners “working together” to represent a ward while commissioner terms are staggered. “I think there’s pros and cons — people need to be part of the conversation,” Bliss said. Asked about the potential for expanded mayoral power and full-time pay, Bliss added: “I’m happy with the system as it is today. I don’t feel strongly there needs to be a push for change.” First Ward Commissioner Kurt Reppart agrees “there’s merit to having a smaller constituent base” under more wards. “It allows an entr y point for more people to run, and it certainly allows for more representation on a more local level,” he said. “It’s easy to see the pros, I’d have to look at the cons.” Heartwell agrees on the pros. “It would probably provide for better representation by race as well as by socioeconomics,” he said. Consider this the next chapter in Grand Rapids’ century-long debate over how its government functions. This effort, however, comes amid strong growth in the city while debates over equity, race and class persist. “This is an evolution,” Lee said. “It’s the recognition that we’re growing as a city and that it’s not a one-size-fits-all. It’s time for people to participate in democracy, and it’s certainly fair to ensure people have elected leaders who represent their needs.” n
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JANUARY 2019 A monthly roundup of marijuana news and notes.
O
DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS SCENE
N THE DEC. 6 OPENING DAY of legalization, Lansing alt-weekly newspaper City Pulse celebrated in true alternative fashion: Passing out 28 joints to passersby across the street from the Capitol. Someone at the paper reportedly bought a $223 ounce from a local dispensary and gifted it to adults on the street after checking IDs. Editor and publisher Berl Schwartz told the Lansing State Journal he
18 | REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019
cleared it with attorneys and the police chief beforehand. Extra! Extra! Since “gifting” remains the only legal way to distribute recreational marijuana before we see retail stores in a year, at least a few businesses are getting creative. An online business in Detroit sells “munchie bags” for up to $120 filled with snacks or a T-shirt, and then gifts up to 2.5 ounces of weed, according to the Detroit Free Press. MLive
ILLUSTRATIONS BY KAYLEE VAN TUINEN
reported a similar venture in Ann Arbor. It appears the state hasn’t officially responded.
after a licensing board member spread falsehoods over the reasoning for the denial.
As if gutting voter initiatives to raise the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave wasn’t enough for the GOP state Legislature during Lame Duck, outgoing Senate Majority Leader/ known buzzkill Arlan Meekhof from West Michigan thought he’d get in on the action. He sponsored a bill in early December to ban home grows allowed under Prop 1. Meekhof ’s bill also would have slashed the excise tax from 10 percent to 3 percent while diverting revenue from schools and roads, as well as creating a politically appointed board to oversee recreational licenses — the same type of board that has arbitrarily been denying medical licenses to applicants. Fortunately, Meekhof ’s bill was dead on arrival and didn’t even get a floor vote. Adios, Arlan. We’ll see where you land your lobbying job next year.
Meanwhile, the board passed a resolution on Dec. 7 saying provisioning center applicants won’t be penalized for buying product from caregivers because of the shortage of supply from licensed growers. No doubt that will make store owners already facing criminal charges for doing the exact same thing feel much better.
Spea k ing of med ic a l ma r ijua na, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ licensing board as of Dec. 7 had approved 91 total licenses for facilities: 28 for growers, 10 for processors, 45 for provisioning centers, four for secure transporters and four for safety compliance facilities. However, Michigan Advance reports that advocates want the Whitmer administration to look into the board’s functioning following widespread complaints over its license denials. The most high-profile instance involved former Detroit Lions players Calvin Johnson and Robert Sims, whose representatives are considering recourse
Looking back on the Prop 1 vote, advocates always said one of the most significant impacts of its passing would be the domino effect in other states. That already appears to be playing out. In recent weeks, the incoming governors in Illinois and Minnesota have called for legalization. Welcome to the club. n — Compiled by Andy Balaskovitz
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THE CHEAP ISSUE
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CHEECH AND CHONG JANUARY 11 & 12
ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK JANUARY 25
3 DOORS DOWN ACOUSTIC FEBRUARY 2
RICK SPRINGFIELD FEBRUARY 15
JONNY LANG FEBRUARY 23
THE MONKEES MARCH 15
AARON LEWIS MARCH 22
FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS MARCH 30
LARRY THE CABLE GUY APRIL 5
(616) 884-3166 51 E. Bridge Street, Rockford, MI 49341
ABBA THE CONCERT MAY 3
Ring in the new year at our house ®
TYLER HENRY THE HOLLYWOOD MEDIUM MAY 11
THE BEACH BOYS AUGUST 2
CARROT TOP MAY 17
HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR 2019 AUGUST 9
PLEASE VISIT TICKETMASTER.COM OR CALL 800-745-3000 FOR TICKET INFORMATION.
Must be 21 years of age or older. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians invites you to play responsibly. If you think you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-522-4700. ©2018 Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. 3395-2.12.18
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SCENE SOUNDS | SIGHTS | DINING
11111 WILSON ROAD • NEW BUFFALO, MI 49117 1-866-4WINDS1 • fourwindscasino.com
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/// LOCAL MUSIC
Shabazz GC He’s last of a dying breed and perhaps the future of Grand Rapids’ hip-hop scene. Rapper Shabazz GC, a.k.a. Andrew Malik George, already has an impressive resume, having opened for stars like Post Malone, 21 Savage, A$AP Ferg and Arrested Development. Crossing eras and styles, his music is cross-cultural and cross-generational, speaking directly to the heart of what’s true. Shabazz is just getting started, having starred in a short documentary film about his rise thus far and now working on a new video for his forthcoming project, The ’90s Ain’t Dead.
BANDS TO WATCH IN
2019
Genre: Hip-hop soundcloud.com/shabazzgc For fans of: Lil Uzi Vert, MadeinTYO
FADE Rather than disappear from the limelight when her former group — the popular Grand Rapids electronic duo PARTS — decided to go separate ways, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Marley Ferguson has struck out on her own as FADE. Her new journey is already off to a bright start with the release of her debut EP late last year. The sonically somber set exudes the sort of hypnotic synth-pop fans of her past group will immediately latch onto, while newcomers will soon get hooked on her melancholic mix of melody and mystery when she hits the road this January. Genre: Synth-pop marsfade.bandcamp.com For fans of: Beach House, CHVRCHES PHOTO BY DILLON LUYMES
okaycool Distorted, grungy and gritty, okaycool is a female-fronted band composed of Alana White and Maddi Smith. Only a few months old, the duo has a clear vision for their “soft pop grunge” sound. Wailing vocals powered with angst and sweet sing-song harmonies spin out over vigorous guitar strums, leaving you room to headbang, dance or sway the night away with okaycool’s tunes. The group has yet to release recordings, so be sure to keep up with them online to catch the next show. Genre: Pop rock IG: @okaycoolband For fans of: Adult Mom, Ratboys
DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS | SCENE
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ith 2018 behind us, it’s time for a fresh start. West Michigan is full of musicians to watch, whether they’re just beginning their careers or planning to take it to another level in 2019. Here’s our guide for acts to keep an eye — and ear — on in the coming year. BY ERIC MITTS & MICHAELA STOCK
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Flats Stanlie Rising electronic producer/DJ Flats Stanlie, a.k.a. Kollin Houghtaling, had an absolutely scorching summer in 2017, hitting the stage at popular dance music festivals like Electric Forest and Sonic Bloom. In 2018, he leveled out to focus on making new music, rattling fans with eerie effects and explosive bass on his Halloween-themed EP, Form, before returning with a blistering set at the Breakaway Music Festival. Now, he’s set to make 2019 the year he blasts into the stratosphere. Genre: EDM/Dubstep flatsstanlie.com For fans of: Herobust, Boogie T
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HYPEROPTIK 1134 WEALTHY STREET 6 1 6 . 3 0 1 . 1 9 1 1 w w w. h y p e r - o p t i k . c o m
6740 CASCA DE ROAD www .cas cade - optical. com
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/// LOCAL MUSIC Continued from page 20
PHOTO BY ADAM ROBERT
Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions With anthems of careless youth, Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions is all about having a darn good time. The six piece band’s easy-going stage presence mixes with musical proficiency during their energetic and robust live shows, and every song has a danceable swing to it. Vocal harmonies are as present as Droppers’ lead in each tune, and the powerful combination of voices and instrumentation lends itself to a rock ‘n’ roll vibe with a splash of Americana. Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions sounds like what drinking red wine on the back porch in the summer feels like — even in the middle of December.
LeLand Blue
Jordan Hamilton
LeLand Blue is making a splash in the West Michigan music scene with feel-good, outdoorsy tunes. Inspired by nature in the Great Lakes State, the band produces electric guitar-driven originals with a clear and clean finish. Simple vocal melodies accompany rhythmic riffs and pocketed beats that are a perfect accompaniment to your morning cup of coffee or a drive down the coastline of Lake Michigan.
How many artists can count themselves as part of the area’s fastestrising hip-hop collaborative AND one of the area’s preeminent classical ensembles? Only one name comes to mind, and that’s the immensely talented Jordan Hamilton. A trained cellist and Western Michigan University Graduate, Hamilton displays a mix of mastery and maverick musicality that has no equal in our music scene. While he continues to work with Kalamazoo’s Last Gasp Collective, look for Hamilton this year to release his debut LP, My Thoughts/Of This World Not From This World.
Genre: Indie rock lelandblueband.com For fans of: Hippo Campus, Vacation Manor
Genre: Hip-hop/classical jordanhamiltonmusic.com For fans of: The Roots, The Internet
DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS | SCENE
Genre: Rock ‘n’ roll/Americana jackdroppersandthebestintentions.bandcamp.com For fans of: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Head & the Heart
Luck Plunge
Formerly Bodies
Political Lizard
Sweet, sad and soothing songs are what Luck Plunge does best. What started as a lo-fi bedroom folk project by Wilbur Murphy is expanding into a full indie rock ensemble. The debut EP is cradled in cascading acoustic guitar riffs and wrapped in reverb — it feels like hearing your deepest secrets being sung in the shower. The dreamy five-song collection, recorded on an iPhone 4S in Murphy’s home, car and garage, is sure to simultaneously comfort and haunt you.
Ambient guitar swells and hazy vocal harmonies characterize Formerly Bodies, a solo project by Hannah Weir. With a voice like a sunset, Weir’s words drip like golden honey over her atmospheric compositions. Each track carries a sense of helplessness that borders on desperation but pulls back into pensivity. Formerly Bodies’ graceful, intense and thoughtful music will fit perfectly on your winter playlists.
Recently expanded to a four-piece, this introspectively intense duo has quickly evolved in a short span of time. Fronted by the haunting harmonic combination of singer-songwriters Jenna Olsen and Caleb Woldvogel, the group’s soul-piercing simplicity has grown by leaps and bounds with the addition of guitarist/bassist/keyboardist John Bomer and drummer Miles Ferguson. If the band’s strong string of impassioned singles is any indication, get ready for the debut LP to give you all the feels when it comes out early this year.
Genre: Indie-rock luckplungegr.bandcamp.com For fans of: Cavetown, Peach Pit
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Genre: Singer-songwriter formerlybodies.bandcamp.com For fans of: Julien Baker, SOAK
Genre: Indie-folk politicallizard.bandcamp.com For fans of: The Head & the Heart, The Oh Hellos
We’ve got the WEST MICHIGAN arts scene COVERED.
In an era of dwindling local arts coverage, we are expanding. From hard news and inspiring feature stories, to critical online reviews and our culture calendars, REVUE Arts covers what’s going on at the region’s symphonies, theaters, ballets, museums, galleries, dance ensembles and more.
You can find REVUE Arts each month in the center of REVUE magazine, but did you know it’s also distributed as a stand-alone magazine at 180 locations across West Michigan? Pick up a copy or read it online at revuewm.com
REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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/// ON TOUR Two Feet. PHOTO BY JAMES J ROBINSON
“I NEVER ENVISIONED MYSELF DOING WHAT I’M DOING NOW AT ALL.”
BACK ON YOUR FEET The highs and lows of rising alternative star Two Feet | by Eric Mitts
DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS | SCENE
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n his path to mainstream success, singer/songwriter/producer Zachary William “Bill” Dess will be the first to admit he’s hit the ground running. Better known as Two Feet, Dess literally became an overnight sensation when he uploaded his song Go F*ck Yourself to SoundCloud, just over three years ago. Within a matter of hours, the track had racked up nearly 4 million streams, and his life had changed forever. “I never envisioned myself doing what I’m doing now at all,” Dess told Revue. “(Growing up) I listened to blues and weird electronic music and jazz and stuff like that. I didn’t even really listen to rock, which is odd because that’s kind of what I make now.”
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Only 22 years old when he first took off, Dess went from working as a cashier at a bodega and living in a rat-infested apartment to preparing for a coast-to-coast tour that included stops at several of the biggest music festivals in the business. “I played in jazz and blues bands, but the music all just sounded like jazz and blues music. There wasn’t anything new,” Dess said. “So that’s when I started making my own music. I was always really fond of electronic music, like heavy bass stuff, so I just sort of mixed them. Not even on purpose. It was just sort of what came out.” A drop-out from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Dess remembers having a former songwriting teacher warn
I’ve been completely honest with you forever. him that he’d end up working at Guitar Anyway I love you.” Center. His classmates didn’t understand His feed then went dark. his compositions either, ripping on his Soon after, his father announced that early works, and ultimately inspiring him he had been hospitalized following an atto pen Go F*ck Yourself in response. The song has since amassed a staggering 400 tempted suicide. million combined streams. Returning to Twitter, he candidly de“I had a scholarship, and I lost my schol- tailed his experience, in hopes of helping others. arship, and I couldn’t afford my classes, (so) “It’s still hard for me to talk about,” he I just left because of that,” he said. “And said. “Sometimes I’ll just be walking around yeah, now they’re asking me for money. So it’s kind of interesting how that worked out.” the block and I’ll be thinking about everyAlthough he first thought having a song thing that happened and I’ll put my hand go viral might help him launch a career as on my face, and I’ll go, ‘I can’t believe that a producer, Dess quickly found himself happened. I can’t believe that I did that.’ steered toward performing. Somewhat (But) there was no point in trying to gloss reluctantly, he played his first live show in over it, and I guess at this point, it’s part of March 2017, and has sold out the whole story. I hope goconcerts across the country ing forward, if people learn ever since. about it, if they’re feeling PANIC! AT THE DISCO Yet caught up in the depressed, they’ll see that I WSG. TWO FEET whirlwind of touring and reached out and got help and VAN ANDEL ARENA his rising popularit y, he maybe they’ll do the same 130 W. FULTON ST., GRAND RAPIDS JAN. 29, 7 P.M., SOLD OUT succumbed to a crippling thing.” VANANDELARENA.COM, spi r a l of de pression, at He continues to receive an (616) 742-6600 wh at m a ny m ig ht h ave outpouring of support from considered the height of fans and fellow artists, who his sudden stardom. have contacted him to share Last summer, his single I Feel Like their own personal stories. I’m Drowning had quickly climbed the And music has played a big part in his Alternative Radio charts, on its way to No. ongoing recovery as well. 1. His tour thrust him in front of thousands “The second I got out of the psych ward, at festivals like Governor’s Ball in his home- I started writing new music again immediately,” Dess said. “Art and performance and town of New York, and Electric Forest here all that stuff are the best escapes ever.” in West Michigan. But he just couldn’t make sense of it all. Last fall, Two Feet released his major He dropped out of the second week- label debut, A 20 Something F*ck (Part 1), as well as two new singles, Lost The Game and I end of Electric Forest, despite saying how much he loved his experience there, and, Want It. He also has a bunch of new material, which he plans to release this year. struggling with ongoing mental health and “When I’m writing music, when I’m at substance abuse issues, he turned to Twitter my computer, or I’m playing my guitar, I’m late last July, posting a series of increasingly not thinking about anything else other than troubled messages. that,” he said. “It’s a form of meditation. So In a since-deleted Tweet, he wrote, “I music has helped me dramatically.” n know it may be odd posting a suicide note on Twitter. But that’s the world we live in.
JANUARY 2019 REVUEWM.COM/ARTS
FREE
DESIGNING DRAMA How a costume designer brings Broadway plays to life SEE PAGE 6A. STORY BY DANA CASADEI.
PAGE
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PAGE SHAKESPEARE SHORTENED Kalamazoo Civic does some trimming
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PAGE LOST AND FOUND GR Symphony appoints new president
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SETTLED IN GRAM celebrates a decade downtown
Y L S U O I FEROC
, N FU
D O O G L FEE ” ! L A C I MUS
FEB. 19-24
DeVos Performance Hall visit BROADWAYGRANDRAPIDS.COM or 1-800-745-3000 • TICKETMASTER.COM
Grand Rapids engagement is welcomed by Autocam Medical; Bank of America; Hylant; Mercy Health Saint Mary’s; Steelcase Inc.; and Warner Norcross + Judd.
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Photos: Matthew Murphy
ent Weekly m in a t r e t n –E
[THEATER]
Long Story Short Kalamazoo Civic gives William Shakespeare a tight edit
In just 90 minutes, three actors will perform all 37 plays and sonnets written by William Shakespeare in The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged).
THE COMPLEAT WRKS OF WLLM SHKSPR (ABRIDGED) Kalamazoo Civic Theatre 329 S. Park St., Kalamazoo Jan. 25-Feb. 9 kazoocivic.com
Associate Publisher Rich Tupica Editor Joe Boomgaard / joe@revuewm.com Managing Editor Josh Veal / josh@revuewm.com Design Kristi Kortman / kristi@revuewm.com Kaylee Van Tuinen / kaylee@revuewm.com Rachel Harper / rharper@revuewm.com
BY JANE SIMONS
Impossible? Not at all, according to Michael Martin, director of the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre production. “It’s going to be hilarious,” Martin said. “Think vaudeville meets clowns meets Buster Keaton.” He uses words like “zany” and “quirky” to describe the gags and jokes they perform while also going through fast costume changes, which causes no small amount of sweating for actors Brian Berheide, Stefani Bishop and Dustin Morton. “Because there are only three people acting it all out, the challenge is to keep it going to hit that 90-minute work,” Martin said. “It’s non-stop physicality. All three actors will have to be on the same page and know the show backwards and forwards.” When casting the show, Martin said he looked for actors who had a good grasp of the texts and Shakespeare’s characters. He said he paid particular attention to the way they were able to use their arms and bodies and facial expressions to feed off of each other’s energy. “We wanted a real cohesive, collaborative group that was coming up with
Publisher Brian Edwards
Contributing Writers: Jane Simons Kayla Sosa Dana Casadei Marla Miller
FIND US ONLINE:
The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) rehearsal photo. COURTESY PHOTO
great choices and strong decisions, and timing,” he said. “These are things you can’t really teach. “The biggest challenge is making sure actors do have input. I try not be the type of director who tells people who’s moving when and here’s what your intentions are. For this piece, a lot of it is listening to the input and gags the actors come up with.” The play was first performed at the Civic in 2000. At that time, Martin was a student in the theater performance program at Western Michigan University and was in the cast. After receiving his degree, he continued to act and began to direct while also working as the member engagement manager at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo. The three actors he directs also have day jobs. Bishop is a local on-air radio personality, Moore is a chiropractor and Berheide is a public school teacher in Chicago. “They’re not all professional actors, but they are all seasoned and they’re picking up their lines fast,” Martin said. “It’s fun to see the three actors do their own version. They have to make references to pop culture and local people and places a lot. There’s a lot of on-the-spot collaboration and improvisation.”
The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) was first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1987 and later played at the Criterion Theatre in London, where it ran for nine years. It has become one of the world's most popular shows, playing frequently in a variety of languages, and it’s notable for holding the world record for the shortest-ever performance of Hamlet, clocking in at 43 seconds. The play was written by three men who had been performing at renaissance faires in the 1980s. Their performances often included shorter versions of Shakespeare plays such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Martin said a friend encouraged the trio to put together a performance of their work for inclusion in the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival and that’s when they realized they had a hit on their hands. Janet Gover, marketing director for the Civic Theater, said she saw the play in London and believes it’s fun for Shakespeare aficionados, but especially fun for people who don’t like him, because it completely skews every Shakespeare production. “This is a very funny play and we always try to do something very lighthearted and fun in the winter because people need an escape,” Gover said. ■
Website: revuewm.com/arts Twitter: twitter.com/revuewm Facebook: facebook.com/revuewm Instagram: instagram.com/revuewm
For advertising, subscription, and distribution inquiries, e-mail: Rich Tupica sales@revuewm.com REVUE is published monthly by Revue Holding Company. P.O. Box 1629, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-1629 Office: 616.608.6170 / Fax: 616.608.6182 ©2019 Revue Holding Company. All rights reserved.
ON THE COVER: Designing Drama How a costume designer brings Broadway plays to life
See more on page 6A
REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019 |
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[THEATER]
Stage to Stage
Shane German has spent a lifetime performing
BY KAYLA SOSA
Shane German, local WYCE music director and actor, moved to Grand Rapids three years ago. Since then, he has been in 14 shows, including Jewish Theatre’s Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Women and Children First, in which he just won the Grand Award this year for outstanding lead actor in a play. The play went on to win outstanding play, and other cast members took home awards as well. Coming off of the hype, German is both inspired and exhausted from the experience. What was it like to play your role in Torch Song Trilogy? I played a character called Arnold Beckoff, who is a female impersonator slash drag queen entertainer in the late ’70s, early ’80s in New York City. He had just lost his life partner who was gay-bashed and beaten to death, and he’s grieving the loss of his lover. The New York Foster System places a gay runaway teen in his care thinking that might help this kid stay in school and quit running the streets. … He’s got his ex-part-
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ner living in his house on the couch and then on top of all of that, his overbearing Jewish mother comes to visit for the weekend from Florida, and they have a very contentious relationship.
Do you see yourself in that at all? That hit close to home with me as well. When I came out of the closet, when I was a teenager, it wasn’t the best situation for me. It took me and my mother years to get to a point where we could love and accept each other. We had to work really hard on that relationship because this was a different time; this was 1993.
What made you decide to move to Grand Rapids? I was in New York City for a couple years working in the music industry and I just needed to slow down. And I wanted to reconnect with my mom, who was here. I would come to Grand Rapids to visit for Christmas and Thanksgiving and stuff, but I never thought to live here. And then I decided to start a whole new chapter.
Have you always been an actor? I’ve done drag. I’ve been in rock bands. I’ve always been a performer, but more in the music scene. I didn’t really start doing theater until I moved to Grand Rapids. I went to a performing arts high school in California, the Orange County School of the Arts. I just kind of gave it up in my 20s, because my life went in more of a music direction. But as a musician, I was still a performer. Through drag, I got cast in Dawson’s Creek. That was the first time that I was paid as an actor.
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Top and Left: Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Women and Children First. PHOTOS BY JAN LEWIS PHOTOGRAPHY. Right: On-set photo from Dawson's Creek. COURTESY PHOTO
My band, they were all straight guys, and I sang in drag. And we would get in a van and play in rock clubs. Then I’d go in the bathroom, put my drag makeup on and come out and we’d play punk rock music. That was our thing. It was called Trixie Delicious. … I have 20 years of music industry experience. I’m a Grammy voter.
Why do you like performing? It’s given me confidence. It’s hard to believe but I’m kind of an introvert and it’s given me ways to come out of my shell and be more confident. I’m humbled and honored that my work as an actor has been recognized.
What’s keeping you happy staying here in Grand Rapids? Future plans? I like it here. It’s been good for my mental health. It’s been good for my profession. It’s been good for relationships and finding a community. I’m humbled and honored that I get to have this dream job at a radio
station in Grand Rapids, a city that’s growing as fast as it is. And I’m here to mentor and support and listen and guide anyone that might need assistance. Especially, there are teenagers, kids in the theater community, you can tell that they’re coming out of the closet or maybe struggling at home, and if you can provide a support system for these up-and-coming kids so that they can recognize and see somebody in themselves.
How do you handle that? I really like to encourage the kids to be themselves and not accept bullying. And it’s really been a joy to watch these kids come up through the theater program and gain the tools that they need to be confident. I try to just live my life in a very positive way and hope that it impacts someone in a positive way. I don’t really think about it, I just go forth and do it, and just hope for the best. But I’m certainly very honored and humbled that I have the opportunities I’ve been given and have been recognized for them. ■
Feb. 6–17, 2019 For more information visit us online at millerauditorium.com or call (269) 387-2300 | (800) 228-9858 REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019 |
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[THEATER]
Lila Coogan (Anya) and the company of the National Tour of ANASTASIA. PHOTO BY MATTHEW MURPHY, MURPHYMADE
Designing Drama How a costume designer brings Broadway plays to life
BY DANA CASADEI
It takes some of us more than 20 minutes just to pick out an outfit, let alone design one from scratch — not Linda Cho. Twenty minutes was the amount of time she had to redesign and hand in a sketch for one of the elaborate dresses in Anastasia the Musical, which will be making a stop at the Wharton Center this month. While doing previews in Connecticut, Cho was told Anastasia’s red dress, which audiences see in the musical’s finale, needed to be more spectacular. The current dress just wasn’t working. “They didn’t know what exactly it should be but the shop basically told me, you have 20 minutes if you want to get this done,” Cho said. “It was like my Project Runway dress, really high pressure, and it was all hands on deck.” Over the next three days, a team of more than 10 people brought Cho’s vision to life — all 25 yards of ruffle of it. “That was an Olympic challenge,” Cho said. To many, Cho’s entire job as costume designer for the new musical would feel that way. Cho and her team created more than 125 costumes for the cast, with multiple
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changes between the Hartford previews and Broadway. So where does one even begin to take on something of this magnitude? For Cho, it all starts with research. Her sources ranged from period paintings and photographs to museum exhibits. This helped her create what she called her bible of research. With Anastasia, Cho found copies of Tsar Nicholas II’s photos to take inspiration from. Cho mentioned that he took thousands of personal photographs, many of his family. Some he had tinted pink — this was back in the day before color photography — a nod to his wife’s favorite color. “I used that as my inspiration for the royal costumes,” Cho said. “You’ll see at the very top of the play, all the princesses are dressed in pink.” Cho also had to factor how much, if any, inspiration she would take from the beloved 1997 film about the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, which the musical is based on. There is one dress audiences will see as a nod to the animated film, Anastasia’s iconic blue gown, which wasn’t originally in the production when it was playing in Hartford. “There was backlash from the fans on blog sites that they were somewhat enraged that her iconic makeover dress wasn’t like the film,” Cho said. “So we were like, let’s make the fans happy for Broadway, so we remade it in blue.” What Cho did create is abso l u te ly s tu n n i n g . T h e To ny Aw a rd s
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Administration Committee seemed to agree, nominating Cho for her work with the musical. She had one of two nominations Anastasia received, the other being Mary Beth Peil for her portrayal of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. That character wears one of Cho’s favorite costumes she created, a black dress that does a lot of storytelling. During the scene, the Dowager Empress is in mourning, but she still has an elegant, royal presence, Cho said. “I think it was a good meld of the period, 1927, and of her royal past,” she said. “Another factor was that older people tend to hold onto clothes longer, so her stuff is somewhat teens-inspired. It’s a little bit higher-waisted, very classic and elegant.” Cho said the entire cast, especially the principle members, were a delight to work with. They all loved their clothes, a huge perk for a costume designer. Another perk is getting to interact and collaborate with creative people every day. “You’re crafting something as a group,” she said. “I’m just one component that is presented onstage, and my work wouldn’t be possible without the rest of the team.” When Cho decides which shows she wants to work on, being with great people is one of three factors she looks for. The other two: is it a great project, and what does it pay? Anastasia had all three. During her time with Anastasia, Cho worked for the 56th time with its director, Darko Tresnjak. Both she and Tresnjak
took home Tony Awards for their work on A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, which just so happened to be her first Broadway musical. Cho, who is also the mom of two boys (who would rather get their Halloween costumes from Amazon than have her make them), has more than 200 regional and international design credits in theater, dance and opera. So while she loves designing for Broadway, it’s really one venue of many. Even though she has been designing for upwards of 20 years — Cho has her MFA from the Yale School of Drama — she said that those first dress rehearsals, where everything comes together for the first time, are still exciting and surreal. “I always pinch myself,” Cho said. “I always say, ‘I can’t believe this is my job,’ whenever I go to a first rehearsal, because your ideas that you draw on paper, they’ve come to fruition; quickly, too.” ■
ANASTASIA THE MUSICAL Wharton Center 750 E. Shaw Ln, East Lansing Jan. 15-20, $43+ whartoncenter.com
AN EVENING WITH SEAN PANIKKAR Accompanied by world-renowned pianist, Rohan De Silva.
American tenor of Sri Lankan Heritage, Sean Panikkar, who has graced stages in both the United States and Europe, returns to Grand Rapids to perform a unique solo recital in the intimate setting of the Betty Van Andel Opera Center.
FEBRUARY 7, 2019 | 7:30 PM BETTY VAN ANDEL OPERA CENTER Tickets $25 | Students $5 616.451.2741 | operagr.org
WINTER FUN AT THE KIA
ART HOP
Friday, January 4, 5-8p, free Explore, enjoy, and create art
VERDI | LA TRAVIATA From the true story that inspired the films Camille, Pretty Woman and Moulin Rouge.
TEEN NIGHT
Friday, January 11, 6-8p, $2 Pizza, pop, pals & art
ART DETECTIVES
Saturday, January 12, 10:30a-12p Free for kids 4-8 with an adult
ART CLASSES FOR ALL
Begin the week of January 7 Weather your winter with creativity ADMISSION: $5 / Students $2 / children through age 12 free HOURS: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 11a-5p / Thursday-Friday 11a-8p / Sunday 12-5p Entrances and FREE parking lots on South & Lovell streets
KALAMAZOO INSTITUTE OF ARTS 435 W. South Street 269/349-7775 kiarts.org
JUNE 14 & 15, 2019 | 7:30 PM ST. CECILIA MUSIC CENTER Presented in Italian with English subtitles Tickets starting at $55 | Students $5 616.451.2741 | ticketmaster.com REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019 |
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1 | 5 – 8 PM Storytellers and singers Robin Nott, 6 p.m. and Allison Downey, 7 p.m. will kick off the Festival Friday night during Art Hop.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2 | 10 AM – 5 PM A full day of storytellers, inlcuding Jenifer Strauss, 10 a.m. and Adam Mellema, 11:15 a.m. and many others.
2019
FRIDAY, MARCH 1 | 5 – 9 PM Join us for the 14th Annual Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival Kickoff Concert featuring Shari Kane & Dave Steele. Steeped in folk and blues roots blended with Appalachian grind.
SATURDAY, MARCH 2 | 10 AM – 6PM Meet luthiers and musicians to learn about their art and trade, attend workshops, and enjoy live performances by area musicians!
FREE GENERAL ADMISSION Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday + Holidays 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
269.373.7990 | 800.772.3370 kalamazoomuseum.org The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its Board of Trustees
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| REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019
[theater]
preview Plays, plays, plays, a few musicals, and more plays are what await you at West Michigan theaters this month. There are a few dramas, a couple of really epic mysteries, and one centered on a girls indoor soccer team. And if you love the 1997 animated film Anastasia, they even made that into a musical coming to town this month. BY DANA CASADEI
BROADWAY GRAND RAPIDS
122 Lyon St. NW, Grand Rapids broadwaygrandrapids.com, (616) 235-6285
SCHOOL OF ROCK, Jan. 8-13, $38+
CALVIN THEATRE COMPANY
3201 Burton SE, Grand Rapids calvin.edu/academic/cas/ctc, (616) 526-6282
SPINNING INTO BUTTER, Jan. 31-Feb. 2, $15+ Continuing with the second production of the season is Rebecca Gilman’s Spinning into Butter. One of the more serious productions on this month’s list, Gilman’s play takes place at Belmont College, where the campus community is rocked by random acts of racism, shaking the seemingly idyllic New England school and their supposed progressive values. After said incidents, everyone from faculty to students must consider their own prejudices and attitudes about race, being “PC,” identity and community.
FARMERS ALLEY THEATRE KALAMAZOO 221 Farmers Alley, Kalamazoo farmersalleytheatre.com, (269) 343-2727
SPOTLIGHT SERIES, Jan. 18-19, $25
GILMORE THEATRE/ WMU THEATRE 1903 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo wmich.edu/theatre, (269) 387-3227
THE WOLVES, Jan. 25-Feb. 10, $20 Sarah DeLappe’s 2016 play follows a girls indoor soccer team making it through adolescent life. Over the course of five games, the girls come face-to-face with challenges that have nothing to do with the sport they are playing, but everything to do with life, leading to debates about everything from tampons vs. pads, if their coach is hungover or just plain lazy, and what in the world can we do about the Khmer Rouge?
MILLER AUDITORIUM 2200 Auditorium Dr., Kalamazoo millerauditorium.com, (269) 387-2300
her husband, tries to comfort her to no effect, and then calls a psychiatrist, who agrees that Elaine should be committed to a sanitarium. Classy move. From there, it all just goes to another level.
KALAMAZOO CIVIC THEATRE
329 S. Park St., Kalamazoo kazoocivic.com, (269) 343-1313
TENDERLY: THE ROSEMARY CLOONEY MUSICAL, Jan. 11-27, $25 The title kind of says it all. Making its southwest Michigan premiere, this musical follows the journey of George Clooney’s aunt as she went from a childhood in Kentucky to topping the charts for nearly half a century and Hollywood stardom. Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman — who have also written multiple Civic Youth Theatre productions — bring her story to life, and made sure to include songs like Tenderly, Mambo Italiano, Sisters and more.
THE COMPLEAT WRKS OF WLLM SHKSPR (ABRIDGED), Jan. 25-Feb.9, $25
QUEER THEATRE KALAMAZOO
315 W. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo qtkalamazoo.com, (269) 929-6781
ANGEL OF THE PEOPLE MOVER, Jan. 17-20 Set in present day Detroit, Emilio Rodriguez’s play centers on Maya, who is a young, black, trans woman trying to find love — love in the people she meets, love in the friends she makes, love in the family she belongs to, and most importantly, love in herself.
WHARTON CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS
HOLLAND CIVIC THEATRE
750 E. Shaw Ln., East Lansing whartoncenter.com, (517) 353-1982
AMERICAN GIRL LIVE, Jan. 5, $35+
50 W. 9th St., Holland hollandcivictheatre.org, (616) 396-2021
ROCK OF AGES, Jan. 16, $38+
NIGHT WATCH, Jan. 24-Feb. 9, $10+
If you would like to rock with slighter older rockers than the kids in School of Rock, this production might be right up your alley. It’s 1987 on the Sunset Strip, where the hair is almost as big as the musicians’ egos playing at L.A.’s most famous rock club, the Bourbon Room. The musical focuses on a small-town girl who meets a bigcity rocker. As they fall in love, get ready for a bunch of ’80s hits from Journey, Bon Jovi, Poison, Twisted Sister and more.
Yes, part of Lucille Fletcher’s thriller does take place at night. Now that we’ve covered that, onto the rest of the plot. Elaine Wheeler is a long-suffering wife who is troubled by unsettling memories and vague fears, and paces her living room. (At least she’s getting her steps in.) John,
ANASTASIA, Jan. 15-20, $43+
ACTORS’ THEATRE, GRAND RAPIDS
160 Fountain St. NE, Grand Rapids actorstheatregrandrapids.org, (616) 234-3946
THE BURNT PART BOYS, Jan. 31-Feb. 9, $24
RUSSIAN NATIONAL BALLET: SLEEPING BEAUTY, Jan. 20, $25+
MUSKEGON CIVIC THEATRE
www.stulberg.org 269.343.2776
425 W. Western Ave., Muskegon muskegoncivictheatre.org, (231) 722-3852
THE OLD SETTLER, Jan. 18-26, $22
GRAND RAPIDS CIVIC THEATRE
30 N. Division Ave., Grand Rapids grct.org, (616) 222-6650
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, Jan. 11-27, $18+ Ten strangers are summoned to a remote island (this already sounds promising for them) in this Agatha Christie mystery, adapted for the stage in 1943 and based off Christie’s novel of the same name. While the guests seem to have nothing in common, it turns out they do, each harbouring a past filled with dark secrets. When they arrive to dinner that first night, it becomes apparent they’ve each been asked to be there in order to make amends for said secrets. Will they? Won’t they? And most importantly, will there be enough wine at dinner?
MARK YOUR 2019 CALENDAR SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 8 PM 2018 Gold Medalist Charlotte Marckx, violin Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Miller Auditorium FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 10 AM AND 8 PM 2017 Gold Medalist William McGregor, double bass Grand Rapids Symphony, St. Cecilia Music Center THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 7 PM BRAVO! Jolliffe Theatre, Epic Center SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MAY 18 – 19 44th Stulberg Competition & Master Classes Judges Paul Coletti, Emilio Colón, Jennifer Frautschi, Dalton Center, WMU
REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019 |
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TICKETS ON SALE!
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muskegoncivictheatre.org The Old Settler is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
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Second City Alumni Friends: Ithamar Enriquez, Josh Funk and Trey Stone
Saturday, February 9, 2019 7:30pm Frauenthal Theater Tickets: $40, $30, $25 $65 VIP preshow meet and greet at 6:30pm
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223 W Main Street, downtown Lowell LOWELLARTSMI.ORG Rotating Gallery Exhibitions • House Concerts Art and Theater Classes • Community Theater Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series Fallasburg Arts Festival
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| REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019
[Music]
Under Their Nose
The Grand Rapids Symphony found its new president within the search committee BY DANA CASADEI
As a kid, Grand Rapids native Mary Tuuk found herself in the audience of the Grand Rapids Symphony often. Now, the Calvin College alumna will be taking a different seat, one behind the desk labeled “GRS President and CEO.” She’ll be bringing a unique combination of skills to the job, including her business experience, such as her most recent role as chief compliance officer/senior vice president of properties and real estate with Meijer, Inc.
the end of the summer and continued to follow a very regular process. … Then the search committee approached me and asked if I would consider the position, and that’s how it all came about.
Are there any main concerns you plan on addressing as the GRS president? The artistic product that we are able to produce today, as well as the possibilities in front of us, I think are phenomenal. I think the opportunity that I have, and what I’ll be focused on, is how do we continue to not only cultivate but grow and expand our product in a way that is also prudent for the organization. Most importantly, my role is a support role; to be able to support the artistic mission of the organization in a prudent way, and in a way that allows us to start that next chapter of the orchestra’s story.
But more importantly, she’ll be bringing a life-long passion for music, which began when her brother taught her how to play the piano as a child. Even though she’s been a part of the GRS organization for years — both as a board and symphony chorus member — the first thing she plans to do is a lot of listening in hopes to better understand this organization from every single vantage point, and figure out what the GRS fuMary Tuuk. COURTESY PHOTO ture can look like.
Originally, you were chairing the search to find a new president for the GRS; how did you go from that to being interviewed for the job? (Laughs) Well, it was definitely a surprise, but originally I was going to chair the board in the spring of 2019. As part of that, after Peter Perez announced his retirement, I became the chair of the search committee for that position. We met starting at
do that can add additional value to the community. At the end of the day, it’s about enriching other lives in the community and that can happen with what we do onstage, it can happen with what we do as we go out in the community and perform in other venues. Our education programs are so incredibly important because we’re able to touch young lives, and start that shaping of possibilities at a young age. So the possibilities for positive impact on the community are truly endless.
What of your previous work experience do you think has best helped prepare you for the role you’re about to take on? My banking background provides a lot of insight on financial management processes and my more recent background in retail has also given me a tremendous opportunity to really think about the consumer and what the experience looks like, and that can translate well into this particular position. Then there’s also my experience and involvement in music over the years both as a performer, as well as a board member for various arts organizations.
How does your performing experience help? I can also think of things through the hat of being a performer for the symphony chorus, what it’s like to prepare for a concert, go through rehearsals, that onstage experience as well as what can happen offstage. Then also thinking about the experience I have as a member of the audience, as a long-time attendee of the GRS, and the experience that I’ve had getting to know our musicians in different capacities as well as our team in the office. In many respects, it’s the perfect and incredible combination of all of those different experiences that have led to this stop in the journey. I’m very, very excited about what’s in front of us.
What are you most looking forward to in regard to taking over the position? The fact that my passion has now become my profession is literally a dream come true. ■
Is there anything you can think of right now that you’re hoping to accomplish during your tenure?
There’s a lot out in front of us. It all comes back to how do we take the artistic mission of the organization and how do we provide the right support behind it so that it ultimately leads to a much more vibrant West Michigan community impact, but also, in the orchestra world and orchestra industry.
How do you think you can bring more of the community to the symphony? I think the opportunities to impact the community are literally endless. There are so many different facets to what we REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019 |
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[Music]
From Russia with Love Moscow’s rising star brings his talents to West Michigan
Nikita Mndoyants . PHOTO BY EMIL MATVEEV PHOTOGRAPHY
BY JANE SIMONS
Kalamazoo and Moscow are colliding this month when a Russian piano virtuoso is performing with the Gilmore Keyboard Festival. Nikit a Mndoyant s s aid he was ap proached with an invitation to play in Kalamazoo by Pierre van der Westhuizen, director of the Gilmore Keyboard Festival, who came to know Mndoyants after he won the Cleveland International Piano Competition in 2016. At the time, van der Westhuizen was the director of the Cleveland competition. Speaking from his home in Moscow where he was scheduled to play a concert, Mndoyants said he and van der Westhuizen became good friends. “After that competition, I came to Cleveland several times to play concerts organized by the organization in Cleveland,” Mndoyants said. “When Pierre became the director of the Gilmore, he wanted me to play a recital. It is a great honor and pleasure for me to come to Kalamazoo. I know it’s one of the most important festivals in the United States. It’s one of the highlights for me.” Mndoyants' performance in Kalama-
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zoo will include sonatas by Beethoven, Brahms and Haydn, in addition to an original composition titled Intermezzo. As a composer, Mndoyants received first prize at the 2014 Myaskovsky International Competition of Composers in Moscow and 2016 Prokofiev International Competition of Composers in Sochi, Russia. Cu r t i s Cu n n i n g h a m , d i re c to r of marketing and public relations for the Gilmore, said it’s rare to have a Rising Star play an original composition during a performance, but Mndoyants is a talented composer in addition to being an accomplished pianist. He said the choice of music is up to the performer, and they decide what they have available and what they’re working on. “The unique thing about the Rising Stars series is that it features people who are kind of on the way up, but established to a certain degree,” Cunningham said. “The goal is always to see them before they reach that next level.” Pianist Magazine said of Mndoyants, “There comes a time when a rising talent comes onto the scene so polished that there isn’t much to say other than to simply applaud it.” Cunningham also said Mndoyants has a strong command of his playing. “He’s kind of an old-school Russian pianist,” Cunningham said. “He’s secure in his ability to play. He’s not flamboyant, but he does have a presence.”
| REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019
Mndoyants grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at the age of six, attending the Moscow Conservatory, a special school for children with outstanding musicianship. His father was a professor at the conservatory and won the prestigious Van Cliburn Piano Competition in 1977. “That competition was very important to my family,” Mndoyants said. “Thirty-six years after my father won that competition, I was a finalist in the Van Cliburn. My mother is also a pianist.” It was almost a given that Mndoyants would make a career in music. Although he has traveled extensively over the past three years, the January performance will be Mndoyants’ first visit to Kalamazoo. He said he enjoys meeting new people and seeing new places while perfecting his craft. “I appreciate the combination of the pleasure of playing and also of the way that I can share the art with the audience,” he said. “It’s important that
NIKITA MNDOYANTS Gilmore Keyboard Festival Wellspring Theater Jan. 13, 4 p.m., $25 thegilmore.org
I choose compositions that I like very much. It’s very interesting to see how people react to what I’m doing.” Now 29, Mndoyants said his preparation for a performance involves studying a piece and refreshing it. It’s a matter of learning the program and preparing beforehand. Concentration and precision are key. “It’s a slow review of the works just to clean up and refresh the program,” Mndoyants said. “The long-term preparation takes place in different ways, such as working the details or playing whole pieces just to feel how to handle the whole work, like a big building. Especially for this program, the preparation is important because the last sonatas from Beethoven and Brahms are huge pieces that demand a lot of attention and power. “To handle them together is just like a whole piece. Because it’s so long, you have to have great concentration for this.” Mndoyants is bringing this show to Wellspring Theater for a one-night show. Cunningham said the venue provides an ideal setting for pianists like Mndoyants because it’s small and intimate and gives the audience an opportunity to get closer to the artist. It’s exactly the opportunity you might not have in just a few years. “You get to see them in a small, intimate setting before they hit the big time,” Cunningham said. ■
[MUSIC]
PREVIEW
With the start of the new year comes multiple concerts to check out, many of them featuring the piano. If classical piano isn’t something you enjoy — to which I say, maybe broaden your horizons — there’s also an exceptional jazz trumpeter who does a heartfelt tribute to one of the greats. Or if supporting young, local musicians is more your jam, stop by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra this month, where the 2018 Stulberg International String Competition gold medalist will make her KSO debut. BY DANA CASADEI
THE GILMORE Wellspring Theater 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall Ste. 101, Kalamazoo thegilmore.org, (269) 342-1166
NIKITA MNDOYANTS, Jan. 13, $25 Before he was even a pre-teen, Nikita Mndoyants had already given his first public recital at age eight and recorded his first CD at 10 years old. Now, the Russian pianist can be found traveling all over the world playing in different festivals and a variety of orchestras, most recently with the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic orchestra. Since 2013, the pianist and composer has taught orchestration at his alma mater, Moscow Tchaikovsky State Conservatory, where he received undergraduate and graduate degrees. Mndoyants — who comes from a family of professional musicians — is playing an evening of Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms and his own work.
GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY 300 Ottawa NW Ste. 100, Grand Rapids grsymphony.org, (616) 454-9451 ext. 4
THE CLASSICAL COFFEE CONCERT,
HOPE COLLEGE GREAT PERFORMANCE SERIES Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts, 221 Columbia Ave., Holland hope.edu/arts/great-performance-series, (616) 395-7222
THE 5 BROWNS, Jan. 18, $23 Turns out some siblings actually do genuinely, really get along. Enter the classical music pianists The 5 Browns. They all attended Juilliard School from 2001 to 2006, making them the first family of five siblings ever accepted simultaneously. They had their big break in 2002 when People magazine dubbed them the “Fab Five” and they appeared on Oprah, as well as 60 Minutes. Since then, they’ve released seven CDs — three which went to number one on Billboard Magazine’s Classical Album Chart — and made a variety of television appearances, showing the world their mix of classical music combinations from duo to complex five-piano arrangements.
KALAMAZOO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Jan. 11, $16
359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 100, Kalamazoo kalamazoosymphony.com, (269) 349-7759
THE CLASSICAL CONCERT: VIENNESE MASTERS, Jan. 11, $26+
CLASSICS ON TAP, Jan. 18, $30
RHYTHM OF THE DANCE, Jan. 18-19, $18+ HANSEL & GRETEL, Jan. 19, $5 RAGTIME, BLUES AND ALL THAT JAZZ WITH BYRON STRIPLING, Jan. 25-27, $18+ This concert features a whole bunch of jazz music with Byron Stripling, who will fill the amazing jazz trumpeter void in your life. Marking his fourth performance at DeVos Hall, Stripling is well-known for his heartfelt tribute to the man, the myth, the legend; Louis Armstrong. His Armstrong program has become one of America’s most popular orchestral pops program and he’s performed all over North America, including with the Boston Pops and the Detroit Symphony.
Journey to the past.
CLASSICS UNCORKED, Jan. 19, $45 TCHAIKOVSKY'S 5TH, Jan. 26, $12+ The music will be lovely, per usual, but the real draw for this concert is that it marks violinist Charlotte Marckx’ KSO debut. For those who don’t know, Marckx took home the gold medal at the 2018 Stulberg International String Competition, which takes place right in Kalamazoo. The competition’s mission is to promote excellence in string instrument performance by gifted young artists under 20, and it’s one of the longest-standing string competitions in the U.S. for young musicians. Other highlights of the night include a performance of Anna Clyne’s Night Ferry and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.
JANUARY ��-��, ���� MSU’s Wharton Center WHARTONCENTER.COM �-���-WHARTON East Lansing engagement is welcomed by Delta Dental of Michigan; Grewal Law PLLC; and Retailers Insurance Company.
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Jan. 16 @ 7:30 p.m. FEARLESS | ATHLETIC | DAREDEVILS
As seen on“America’s Got Talent” by over 95 million viewers
Feb. 27 @ 7:30 p.m. For more information visit us online at millerauditorium.com or call (269) 387-2300 | (800) 228-9858 16A
| REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019
[VISUAL ARTS]
Downtown Decade The GRAM celebrates 10 years in the heart of the city
BY MARLA R. MILLER
A pair of 15th century engravings by Martin Schongauer, a 17th century etching on paper by Rembrandt, and Adonna Khare’s ArtPrize 2012 winner Elephant Whirlpool exemplify the diversity of recent gifts, promised gifts and art purchases at Grand Rapids Art Museum. The special exhibition, A Decade at the Center: Recent Gifts and Acquisitions, runs Jan. 26-April 28 and celebrates the museum’s first decade at 101 Monroe Center. GRAM plans to debut several pieces from a major recent gift of 100-plus design objects, gifted by a prominent national collector of industrial design. The collection is a boon for the museum’s design holdings and helps tell the story of West Michigan’s design and manufacturing history. “I think people are interested to see how museums are building and shaping
A DECADE AT THE CENTER: RECENT GIFTS AND ACQUISITIONS Grand Rapids Art Museum 101 Monroe Center St. NW, Grand Rapids Jan. 26-April 28, artmuseumgr.org, (616) 831-1000
the things they own that are central to the institution,” said Chief Curator Ron Platt. “This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate this aspect of this institution at the 10-year point here in the center of the city.” Featuring more than 100 works of art and design, nearly half of the exhibit’s works have never been shown before. The rest are works acquired in the last five years, encompassing a wide range of materials and mediums. “We wanted the exhibition to reflect the diversity and the scope of our collection and so the show is going to feature works of art and design from the 15th century to the present,” Platt said. “We also were really grateful to receive some gifts and promise gifts in recognition of this anniversary.” For example, Sid and Cate Jansma, founders of GRAM’s extensive Jansma Print Collection, promised the two 15th century religious engravings by Martin Schongauer. They are among the oldest works on display. A print by American artist Kara Walker in her recognizable silhouette-style — a promised gift from the collection of Martin and Enid Packard — represents new contemporary works. Viewers can see a sampling of the museum’s unique holdings and collection interests, from 19th century paintings to modern furniture, vintage photographs, rare Renaissance-era engravings and contemporary art. The exhibit also recognizes the integral role of gifts and support of notable West Michigan residents, institutions and foundations in GRAM’s evolution and expansion. The museum continues to build “one of the most notable collections in the American Midwest,” an effort that dates back to the museum’s founding in 1910. The generous support of patrons and donors has enabled GRAM to build its permanent collection of more than 6,000 objects. “There’s definitely going to be some big surprises in the mix that we are really excited to be sharing with people,” Platt
Left: Boo-Hoo, Kara Walker. Right: Elephant Whirlpool, Adonna Khare. COURTESY OF THE GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM
said. “The exhibition represents gifts from people who have been generous with the museum for years and others who are making donations for the first time.” Artists represented include Monir Farmanfarmaian, Janet Fish, Alfred Stieglitz and James Van Der Zee, among many others. Local artists also have wall space, showcasing the work of well-known Grand Rapids artists Reynold Weidenaar, Mathias Alten, Margaret Vega, Jerry Gretzinger, Rick Beerhorst, Stephen Frykholm, Salvador Jiménez-Flores and Donald Kerr. “GRAM continues to purchase works of art for the collection and will be debuting a selection of new purchases, including two photographs by one of today’s most important and influential photographers, Dawoud Bey,” said Jennifer Wcisel, curatorial assistant. GRAM plans to offer various educational programs and gallery tours, including an exhibition talk with Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen and Platt on
the crucial role of donors and their gifts to growing a museum collection and insights on organizing the exhibition. A few of the local artists included are giving gallery talks as well. The exhibit also pays tribute to the museum’s commitment to design and craft with the inclusion of important works of furniture, ceramics, glass and other design objects. Patrons can peruse furniture pieces from Herman Miller and renowned designers George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames. “There will be some works shown in a chronology; there will be some pairings and juxtapositions to show how we talk about and think about art here,” Platt said. “There will be many teachable moments in the exhibition and lots of surprising and interesting connections people will be able to make.” ■
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[VISUAL ARTS]
Left to right: Squid Mural at Squibb Coffee & Wine Bar. Look up, Don't Look Down. Garden 1. BY KELLY ALLEN
The Cycle of Service How one artist reclaims and gives back
BY MARLA R. MILLER
At five years old, Kelly Allen turned a plastic trash can into a loom to weave bookmarks while she watched cartoons. The need to create has always been a strong drive for Allen. Although she primarily paints today, she still loves to crochet, knit and pursue craft-oriented hobbies. She also enjoys using reclaimed materials in her work, once opening a now-defunct creative reuse shop in Grand Rapids. Her love for nature, a disdain for humanity’s excessive wastefulness, and a desire to protect the environment and reduce her toxic footprint continues to inspire and inform her work. “Art supplies can be pretty toxic and pretty wasteful,” she said. “It’s fun diverting things from the landfill, plus it’s free and creates parameters for creativity.” Allen, known for her surrealistic and abstract paintings, regularly exhibits her work at LaFontsee Galleries — one of many on her extensive resume, which includes a 10page spread in Hi-Fructose Magazine and illustrations for New York Magazine. She began art at a young age, going on to graduate with a degree in painting from Humboldt State University in California. “Painting entranced me,” she said. “It offers limitless freedom for experimentation and expression. It can be fast, dramatic, sensuous and I found it more satisfying than any other medium.” Allen returned to Grand Rapids in 2003,
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where she met her husband, Jay VanPortfliet, an industrial screen printer. She became active in the artist community while earning her MFA in drawing from Kendall College of Art and Design. In 2010, the couple moved to San Francisco so she could pursue her studio art and meet influential dealers and collectors. Those California connections led to work in exhibitions around the world before they moved back to Grand Rapids. Like many creatives, she has worked in a variety of capacities to supplement her craft: gallery assistant, curator, art instructor, and working with individuals with developmental disabilities. Drawing on those experiences, Allen has embarked on a new career path that will give her the opportunity to help others individually while utilizing her creative mind, pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy at Western Michigan University with the goal of working as a pediatric occupational therapist.
How do you see your new career influencing your art or inspiring new work? Art will fit in well with my career as an OT as I become more experienced. Just as most artists supplement their studio art practice with professional careers, like art professors, we make time to make the work that we need to make to satisfy our souls and our purpose as artistic individuals.
What’s the focus of your new work? My new Bioforms series has been influenced by my recent schooling in anatomy
| REVUEWM.COM/ARTS | JANUARY 2019
and physiology, and also reflects the process of how we as humans grow, develop and grow layers of history through time and experience. I’m always pushing my edges to try new styles, new materials or revisit previous styles and materials with new insight.
What’s your process like? I keep my mind open when I go to create. I have no preconceived expectations. I come from a place of exploration. I feel like a channel when I am in the grips of making work, almost like some force is making the work through me. I work in stages. I have to give myself space and time away from a painting in order to see issues to resolve and develop strategies to implement.
How did volunteering with people with disabilities change your work?
Kelly Allen with her Bioform painting in Grand Valley's collection at the new CHS building on Lafayette St. COURTESY PHOTO
would possibly like to participate in research to provide more evidence for the cognitive, emotional and functional benefits of making art to validate the practice in the eyes of the scientific and educational communities.
Volunteering with art organizations for people with disabilities gave me permission to dramatically shift my work from the hyper-realistic style of painting that I was most known for to loosening up, going abstract, using found materials, and letting go of the need for perfection. Working with these clients allowed me the ability to experience the freedom, authenticity and joy they brought to their work. It was beautiful, but in a very different way than my work.
Do you feel like West Michigan is a good place for artists? What could be better?
Do you have any specific aspirations for the future?
What advice would you give a young artist?
I’d like to connect with people with autism who are interested in art and work to facilitate their creative expressions. I’m also extremely interested in neuroscience and
Don’t be afraid to speak your truth. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Don’t be afraid to ruffle people’s feathers. ■
Yes, it’s a good place for trying out ideas. It’s small enough to be able to start your own gallery or creative reuse shop, like I did, and has a lot of art-lovers and community support. It could be better if artists can become more bold — do more wild projects, make bigger, louder, more impactful work.
[VISUAL ARTS]
PREVIEW
Local art galleries are off to one heck of a start this month, opening numerous exhibitions across the area. January brings the opening of a Calvin College alum’s solo exhibition, one museum concluding its yearlong celebration, and another show that will make you want to write a very kind letter to the teachers who were nice to you. BY DANA CASADEI
CALVIN COLLEGE CENTER ART GALLERY 106 S. Division, Grand Rapids calvin.edu/centerartgallery/studio, (616) 526-6271
PRINTS FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION, Through Jan. 23
DYLAN MINER: WATER IS SACRED // TREES ARE RELATIVES, Through March 3
native will showcase a selection of original artwork from her books that celebrate and honor educators that made a difference in her life. Polacco’s books all address different parts of her childhood, including bullying, pushing through difficulties and those teachers who pushed her to be her very best.
CONDUCT BECOMING: A SURVEY OF DISTINCTION, Through Feb. 17
KENDALL COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN 17 Fountain St. NW, Grand Rapids, kcad.edu, (616) 451-2787
SHE STARES BACK, Through Jan. 26
LOWELLARTS!
A DECADE AT THE CENTER: RECENT GIFTS AND ACQUISITIONS, Jan. 26-April 28
223 W. Main St., Lowell, lowellartsmi.org, (616) 897-8545
KALAMAZOO INSTITUTE OF ARTS
WHO’S WHO: LOWELLARTS MEMBERS EXHIBITION, Jan. 5-Feb. 9
314 S. Park St., Kalamazoo kiarts.org, (269) 349-7775
SAUGATUCK CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Jan. 7-Feb. 23
INKA ESSENHIGH: A FINE LINE, Through Jan. 6
400 Culver St., Saugatuck sc4a.org, (269) 857-2399
ELAINE TOLSMA HARLOW: SOLO EXHIBITION, Jan. 7-Feb. 23
DO IT, Through March 3
ABSURD IMAGINARIES, Jan. 11-March 1
WATANABE: JAPANESE PRINT ENVOY,
OF EARTH, SEA AND SKY, Jan. 11-March 1
Through March 10
Taking a deep look into abstract expressionism, The Expressionist Figure examines a large group of the leading artists of the 1940s. First developed in the 1940s, abstract expressionism was arguably the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence. Some of the prominent artists featured include Deborah Remington and the leading feminist painter of the late 20th century, Nancy Spero.
The SCA is highlighting Ohio-based artist Adrienne Slane this month. Working with collage, drawing, printmaking, photography and animation, she uses sources ranging from the 1500s to mid-1900s to create her pieces. Slane’s hand-cut collages and cyanotypes combine images of plants, insects, animals, human anatomy and planets. Her works are inspired by the history of the curiosity cabinet, traditional women’s crafts such as folk quilts and paper silhouettes, alongside Christian and Eastern iconography.
MUSKEGON MUSEUM OF ART
URBAN INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS
WAS GOD DEAD? BIBLICAL IMAGINATION IN GERMAN EXPRESSIONIST PRINTS,
This Calvin College alum works out of a studio in West Michigan and has been in local galleries such as LaFontsee Galleries, where her work has hung in countless exhibitions dating back to 1999. She’s well-known for her encaustic paintings. For those who don’t know, encaustic paintings involve heating beeswax, to which colored pigments are added, which is how it also got the name “hot wax painting.” The liquid, or sometimes paste, is then applied to the canvas. We just have to wonder where she gets all that beeswax.
HAGUE SCHOOL PAINTINGS, Jan. 28-July 31
FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS & SCULPTURE PARK 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids meijergardens.org, (888) 957-1580
PROCESS AND PRESENCE: CONTEMPORARY DISABILITY SCULPTURE, Through Jan. 6 CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD, Through Jan. 6 ORCHID SHOW, Jan. 26-27
GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM
101 Monroe Center, Grand Rapids artmuseumgr.org, (616) 831-1000
WHO SHOT SPORTS: A PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY, 1843 TO THE PRESENT, Through Jan. 13
THE EXPRESSIONIST FIGURE, Jan. 19-May 5
296 W. Webster Ave., Muskegon muskegonartmuseum.org, (231) 720-2570
2 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids uica.org, (616) 454-7000
ARMAND MERIZON: HIS LIFE AND ART,
WARM WATER: NEW WORKS BY CHARLES EDWARD WILLIAMS, Jan.
Through Jan. 6
FANTASMENAGERIE: THE SCULPTURE OF NAT ROSALES, Through Jan. 13 SONS: SEEING THE MODERN AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE, Through March 10 AD MAN: JOSEPH GREY II, Through March 10 A + FOR EDUCATORS: ILLUSTRATIONS BY PATRICIA POLACCO, Jan. 31-May 12 Did you ever have one those teachers who made a lasting impression? Patricia Polacco sure did — in fact, the author and illustrator has a whole exhibit dedicated to them. The Lansing
11-April 28 Based on the event that sparked the Chicago Race Riot of 1919, Charles Edward Williams’ Warm Water is a collection of re-narrated visual works, telling the story of what caused the death of Eugene Williams in Lake Michigan on the South Side of Chicago that year. This event proved to be the tipping point, leading to a string of riots across the U.S. In this show, Williams — a contemporary visual artist from South Carolina — references the psychological racial constructs and the human state of the five teens during the event.
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St. Cecilia Music Center PRESENTS
CHAMBERJAZZFOLK CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY of LINCOLN CENTER SERIES Extraordinary one-of-a-kind chamber music performances
RUSSIAN MASTERY MARCH 14, 2019
FROM MENDELSSOHN APRIL 25, 2019
SPECTACULAR JAZZ SERIES
Experience some of the world’s most incredible jazz musicians performing today
JOEY DEFRANCESCO FEBRUARY 7, 2019
BENNY GREEN TRIO + VERONICA SWIFT MARCH 7, 2019
ACOUSTIC CAFÉ FOLK SERIES
The Acoustic Cafe series brings outstanding folk artists to GR
BÉLA FLECK & ABIGAIL WASHBURN FEBRUARY 9, 2019
THE WAR AND TREATY FEBRUARY 24, 2019
THE MILK CARTON KIDS
SCMC-ONLINE.ORG 616.459.2224
FEBRUARY 28, 2019
LEO KOTTKE
APRIL 18, 2019
by Eric Mitts
COMEDY
HOMECOMING HUMOR Michigan native Larry Joe Campbell brings night of stand-up and improv to Muskegon
actor/comedian Larry Joe Campbell knows a thing or three about Michigan winters. “You can drink, you can shoot your rifle and you can get someone pregnant. Those were the three things to do during the winter in Northern Michigan,” Campbell said of his time growing up at Pine River High School in Cadillac. Displaying the sort of self-deprecating humor that has become signature to many Midwest comedians, he stayed out of trouble by staying home. “I have two older brothers that are a lot of older and were a lot bigger than me for most of my life,” he said. “They would beat the hell out of me, so I would tend to use humor back at them. So I think (my sense of humor) developed that way. “I had a bunch of nights with my brother Gary, when I should have been on dates as a teenager, but I was a nerd, and we just ate pizza and watched The (Three) Stooges a lot.” Now a TV star in his own right, best known for his role as Andy for eight seasons on the ABC sitcom According to Jim, alongside his longtime friend and frequent collaborator Jim Belushi, Campbell credits his success to his alma mater: Central Michigan University. “When I went to CMU, I had no idea about the theater program, he said. “In fact, I was thinking about maybe doing pre-law or sports medicine, but I thought that might be too much work. So I went into theater thinking I wouldn’t have to read, and then I ended up reading plays for days.” CMU helped him land his first paid acting gig with its Larry Joe Campbell. COURTESY PHOTO summer theater program, which he’s since helped continue by founding an endowment. the night he has planned for when he someone and it would never work out. And “When I got out to L.A., I heard rumors that they might here I am during that time having kids and LARRY JOE CAMPBELL & FRIENDS returns to Michigan this month. stop doing it, and I definitely wanted to see that keep going Billed as Larry Joe Campbell being married.” FRAUENTHAL THEATER because it’s like being at a regional theater,” he said. “You’re & Friends, his Feb. 9 show at the He added that some of his favorite 425 WEST WESTERN AVE. #200, MUSKEGON responsible for putting up shows, and being part of the crew if roles of his career have actually been the Frauenthal Theater in Muskegon will FEB. 9, 7:30 P.M., $25-40 you’re not acting. That was a huge moment for me, spending also feature his friend and fellow comore serious ones, like his recent part as FRAUENTHAL.ORG, (231) 727-8001 two summers doing that. I don’t know if a lot of people know Greg Kavanagh, the helpless step dad in median Josh Funk, whom he worked that you can do that at Central Michigan, but it definitely Netflix’s satirical mockumentary American with at Second City in Detroit, needs help.” Vandal. He’s also been seen recently in Seth and L.A. actor/comedian Ithamar From CMU, Campbell went on to Wayne State University MacFarlane’s live-action sci-fi series, The Orville on FOX, and Enriquez, who has worked at Second City Chicago. They’ll and landed at Second City in Detroit, where he performed in Comedy Central’s Detroiters with Sam Richardson and Tim be joined by musical director Trey Stone, and together they’ll with the famed improv group and had a chance encounter Robinson. perform some stand-up, take suggestions from the audience, with comedian and beloved TV dad Bob Saget that led him “One of my favorite professors, Tim Connors, would say and create a fun and interactive show. to Los Angeles. ‘the next one’ was his favorite role,” Campbell said. “So I think “We’re really hoping to get the audience to have the most When casting for According to Jim in 2001, Belushi took I look forward to all of them. They always offer something magical night of 2019,” Campbell said. “We wanted to do a chance on Campbell, vouching for him and helping him a little different.” it early so that the rest of their year is a huge disappointearn the breakout part. He’s also returned to the stage, occasionally touring ment, because it won’t come close to what they experience “Andy was a lot of fun because he was a lot different from together with Belushi as The Board of Comedy, performing on February 9, 2019.”n me,” Campbell said. “He was single and always trying to date improv and stand-up in an evening-long showcase similar to
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ORN IN PONTIAC AND RAISED IN CADILLAC,
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THINGS TO DO IN 2019 By Michaela Stock, Kelly Brown, Elma Talundzic and Josh Veal Wellspring Cori Terry & Dancers. PHOTO BY AMELIA FINK
B DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS SCENE
etween concerts, plays, restaurants, festivals, classes, markets and much, much more, there’s absolutely no shortage of life to live in West Michigan. In today’s day and age, there’s no reason to ever be bored here. We were able to find 50 fun, fascinating, unique things to do in 2019, and that’s before the year even began. New events, restaurants and oddities are sure to pop up, so even once you’ve used the ideas ahead to add to your 2019 bucket list, don’t forget to keep an eye out year-round.
FOOD DRAG BRUNCH
Grand Rapids, Various dates grbrunch.com
Drag Brunch. PHOTO BY ASHLEE BROWN,
OWNER OF ASHLEE KRISTIN PHOTO
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Sometimes, brunch alone isn’t enough to put pep in your step. But when you toss in a drag show with some of the best queens in West Michigan, it’s hard not to
get ready to party. If you’ve ever wanted to go to a drag show but wished you could sit down and enjoy a meal and mimosa the whole time, this is the show for you. The troupe performs most Sundays, at various restaurants around town.
KALAMAZOO CHILI COOK-OFF
Downtown Kalamazoo Jan. 26, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. kalamazoorestaurantweek.com
For 14 years now, Kalamazoo has kept warm with this free chili cook-off. Just about every business in the area gets in on the fun, with dozens of restaurants, cafes and more offering chili samples. Start by picking up your commemorative tasting spoons and then travel from bowl to bowl with the Holly Jolly Chili Trolley. It’s a great excuse to explore the city while filling up on beans and broth.
TAKE A COOKING CLASS
Downtown Market 435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids downtownmarketgr.com
Kitchen 242 242 W. Western Ave., Muskegon kitchen242.com In today’s world, it’s great for your health — both mental and physical — to slow down and spend some time with a homecooked meal. Whether you’re useless in the kitchen or just want to pick up a new skill, cooking classes are where it’s at. Downtown Market in Grand Rapids and Kitchen 242 in Muskegon are both here to up your game, with classes like D.I.Y. Thai and Cooking With Craft Beer at the Downtown Market, or Gnocchi Like a Pro and Cast Iron Cooking at Kitchen 242. Bonus: It makes for a great date.
KALAMAZOO RESTAURANT WEEK
Downtown Kalamazoo Feb. 26-March 3 kalamazoorestaurantweek.com Whether you live in Grand Rapids, Muskegon or Holland, you need to check out Kalamazoo’s food scene. The updated
classics of Principle, the experimentation of Old Dog Tavern and the world-traveling cuisine of Food Dance are all on full display in Restaurant Week, the perfect opportunity to make a day of the ’Zoo. While you’re in town, you might as well stop at iconic breweries like Bell’s, Arcadia and Tibbs.
DRINKS ONESIE BAR CRAWL
Tin Can 206 Grandville Ave. SW, Grand Rapids Jan. 12, 4-midnight, $10-25 crawlwith.us/grandrapids/onesie Grab your coziest onesie and get to bar hopping. The onesie bar crawl makes partying in the middle of Michigan winter a breeze. Hosted by Crawl With Us, the event gets you free cover at all partner venues and two free drinks, plus access to professional photographers, a onesie contest and prizes. After all the hopping’s over, be sure to stick around for the afterparty.
50 THINGS TO DO IN 2019
BEER MONTH
Grand Rapids Feb. 15-March 15 experiencegr.com
Us West Michigan folk love any reason to celebrate and drink beer. Lucky for us, Grand Rapids decided to dedicate a full month to it. Events include Cool Brews, Hot Eats — in which restaurants put beer in the spotlight — local hotel deals, restaurant specials, KBS Week, exclusive Brewsader Passport discounts and so much more. It all centers around the main event, the Winter Beer Festival at Fifth Third Ballpark.
WINTER BEER FESTIVAL
Fifth Third Ballpark 4500 W. River Dr. NE, Comstock Park Feb. 22-23 mibeer.com Even as the explosive enthusiasm for craft beer simmers down, brewers continue to push out some of the best, boldest, most creative beers they’ve ever made. A pretty good IPA isn’t going to cut it anymore, which means gatherings like the Winter Beer Festival are upping their game every year. With more than 1,000 different craft beers to choose from, you’ll never be wanting for options. Bundle up, gather around the fire pits and celebrate winter the way you were meant to: with a beer in hand.
offers ample opportunities to do so. One great summer (or anytime, really) day can just be driving from Saugatuck Brewing up to Grand Armory and Odd Side Ales in Grand Haven, then to Pigeon Hill and Unruly Brewing in Muskegon. If you’re feeling really adventurous, keep heading north for Fetch Brewing in Whitehall and Jamesport Brewing in Ludington, or head down south to any of the killer spots in South Haven and St. Joseph.
MUSIC DR. DOG
Calvin College 3201 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids Feb. 16, 7 p.m., $25 calvin.edu The Philadelphia-based Dr. Dog has been making music for more than 10 years now, but in many ways, the musical endeavor still feels brand new. The band is all about making music the members love with their friends and having a good time, and that mentality keeps it fresh and rooted in the purpose of their craft. Calvin College invites you to join in on the fun at their headlining show, with special guest The Nude Party.
WALK THE BEAT PEDAL PARTY
From Saugatuck to Muskegon
Third Coast Recording Company 1447 Washington Ave., Grand Haven Jan. 12, 6 p.m., free thirdcoastrecording.com
Eventually you get tired of lying on the beach and it’s time to go grab a drink. Luckily, the West Michigan lakeshore
It’s no secret that the right guitar pedal can unlock tones that melt faces and blow minds. If you’re looking to trade out some
LAKESHORE BEER TOUR
Downtown Market Cooking Class. COURTESY PHOTO
gear or just want to enjoy a performance by notable local guitarists, then the Walk the Beat Pedal Party is for you. Hosted by Third Coast Recording Company and Cusack Music, the free event includes pedal demonstrations and a gear swap so you can learn a few new tricks and grab that pedal you’ve been keeping your eye on.
GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV
Fountain Street Church 24 Fountain St. NE, Grand Rapids Jan. 26, 7 p.m., $33 fusionshows.com
Spend the evening serenaded by some of the indie folk world’s most predominant artists, Gregory Alan Isakov and special guest Good Old War, while surrounded by the stained glass architecture of Fountain Street Church. Gregory Alan Isakov has been creating tear-worthy tunes since 2005, and his latest album, Evening Machines, is nothing short of another masterpiece. Joined by Good Old War, a group encapsulated by harmonies this night should be an unforgettable musical experience.
BE A ROSE PRESENTS: WOMEN EVERYWHERE
Pyramid Scheme 68 Commerce Ave. SW, Grand Rapids Jan. 4, 8:30 p.m., $10 bearose.org Empowering women with female-fronted bands and providing feminine hygiene resources is exactly what Women Everywhere is all about. The face behind the concert is Be A Rose, a Grand Rapid-based nonprofit supporting women who experi-
Dr. Dog at Calvin College. COURTESY PHOTO
ence times without access to menstrual products, a.k.a. period poverty. Be A Rose encourages monetary and hygiene product donations at the show, and you can find out exactly what to bring on the website.
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
Van Andel Arena 130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids July 23, 8 p.m. vanandelarena.com This ambitious, Beatles-esque, massive, futuristic pop, classical mega band is making its way to Grand Rapids again. This amazing event will span more than 40 years of Jeff Lynne’s career with critically acclaimed and chart-topping hits. Their epic live shows are something you don’t want to miss.
CRESTON VIBES OPEN SESSIONS
Creston Brewery 1504 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids Every other Sunday crestonbrewery.com
CONCERTS UNDER THE STARS
Grand Rapids Public Museum 272 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids grpm.org
With the ability for pretty much infinite variety in visuals, the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s planetarium makes
VERVE PIPE
20 Monroe Live 11 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids Feb. 2, 7 p.m., $20+ 20monroelive.com There’s no more fitting way to celebrate 20 Monroe Live’s birthday than with a homegrown, nationally famous act like the Verve Pipe. The band’s success goes all the way back to 1996, when the hit single The Freshmen reached number one on the charts. Since then, the group has earned a reputation for amazing live performances, full of energy and powerful rock.
SHOPPING JANUARY INDIE FLEA
Wealthy Street Theatre 1130 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids Jan. 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., free thevendorexchange.org Indie Flea is more than just a cool handmade market hosted on the first Saturday of every month at the Wealthy Theatre. Alongside local vendors and live music, the monthly event is committed to a social and environmental policy that is nearly zero waste and is driven to create a better tomorrow with the businesses of today. Continued on page 31
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Dust off your stack of poems and have a dose of liquid courage before hopping onstage at Creston Vibes Open Sessions at Creston Brewery. The bi-monthly openmic series has a theme for each session. These events, which are as vibrant as the Creston Neighborhood, feature lyrical poetry, musical, acoustic and comedy acts.
for a magical, spectral stage. Thanks to spiffy modern technology, artists are able to shift the mind-blowing visuals in real-time with the music. All kinds of bands have taken the stage, from psychedelic and atmospheric to acoustic, electronica and shoegaze. Check the museum’s website for this season’s lineup, including Fiona Dickinson, Pink Sky, Bronze Wolf and more.
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Brunch Sunday
KIRBY HOUSE - GRAND HAVEN ROSE’S - EAST GRAND RAPIDS BOSTWICK LAKE INN - ROCKFORD BLUE WATER - GRAND RAPIDS FLAT RIVER GRILL - LOWELL
Reservations available at opentable.com 20 Monroe Ave NW / Downtown GR / thebob.com
All Your Favorites, Delivered to Your Door! ORDER ONLINE AT www.rockford.express
enter to win at gilmore-catering.com 30 | REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019
50 THINGS TO DO IN 2019 Continued from page 29
Tickets to Indie Flea are free, and you can grab yours online. While you’re at it, visit The Vendor Exchange’s website to submit your business or music to get involved.
VINTAGE STREET MARKET
Downtown Market 435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids First Sunday of every month, May to September vintagestreetmarketgr.com Sunday in the summer is best spent with coffee in hand, perusing antiques and collectibles at the Vintage Street Market. This event is the only monthly vintage market in Grand Rapids. Whether you’re looking for the perfect vintage dress, a beautiful mid-century dining chair or a reclaimed item to call your own, the Vintage Street Market is where you’ll find it. Every month, the market changes with new vendors from across the Midwest.
WEST MICHIGAN WOMEN’S EXPO
DeVos Place 303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids March 8-10 kohlerexpo.com Welcome to the ultimate Girls’ Night Out. Obviously, not all women are the same, but with more than 350 exhibits, the Women’s Expo is sure to have your interests covered. From fashion and beauty to fitness, food, home decor, finance, education and much more, the expo covers just about every part of your life. You can shop, get health screenings, taste some food, watch speaking seminars and cooking presentations, and win some prizes, all in one place.
KALAMAZOO SHOPPING SPREE
Downtown Kalamazoo discoverkalamazoo.com
Okay, “spree” might be a strong word here, but our point is that Kalamazoo is chock full of local stores of all kinds selling oneof-a-kind gifts, clothes and accessories. You’ll find tea and vintage treasures at Diversitea, manly gifts at Damn Handsome Grooming Co., Kalamazoo-centric T-shirts and trinkets at The Spirit of Kalamazoo, and much, much more.
FESTIVALS MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR: SAUGATUCK
Saugatuck Center for the Arts 400 Culver St., Saugatuck March 22-23, 9 p.m., $12-$55 mountainfilm.sc4a.org
Breathe in mountain-fresh air without having to leave the Midwest at Mountainfilm on Tour. The documentary film festival showcases stories about environmental, cultural and societal issues of today. Mountainfilm is not limited to just a movie, though. The event spreads across three venues, has six screenings of 40 films, live music, art galleries and more with the mission to inspire others to create a better, healthier and more sustainable world.
TRAVERSE CITY CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL
City Opera House 106 E. Front St., Traverse City April 7, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., $10-20 cityoperahouse.org Traverse City is home to Michigan’s largest chocolate festival. Hosted in the beautiful historic City Opera House, the event features a variety of exhibitors and numerous
David Wiesner & The Art of Wordless Storytelling. COURTESY PHOTO
Grand Haven Art Festival. COURTESY PHOTO
chocolatey treats. Chocoholics can enjoy chocolate tasting, chocolate-inspired art, books and shopping. The festival is also a fundraiser for the Northwest Food Coalition.
GRAND HAVEN ART FESTIVAL
Washington Ave., Grand Haven June 29-30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., free grandhavenchamber.org
Washington Avenue is transformed into one large exhibit with nearly 100 artists for the Grand Haven Art Festival. Paintings, fiber, glass, jewelry, wood, clay, photography — it’s all there. This free outdoor event pulls in visitors from Grand Rapids, Chicago, Detroit and more. Soak in the creativity and get the chance to purchase unique art directly from the artists.
WINTER WHEAT
The Intersection 133 Grandville Ave. SW, Grand Rapids Jan. 12, 1 p.m.-1 a.m., $25 wheatlandmusic.org
ART EXTREMELY CLOSE
Grand Rapids Ballet 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW, Grand Rapids April 12-14, 7:30 p.m., $52 grballet.com
LA TRAVIATA
St. Cecilia Music Center 24 Ransom Ave. NE, Grand Rapids June 14-15, 7:30 p.m., $55 operagr.org La Traviata is the true story of a Parisian cour tesan that inspired the films Camille, Pretty Woman and Moulin Rouge. Considered one of the greatest operas of all time, the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi retells the heart-wrenching story of Marie Duplessis. The production features Metropolitan Opera star soprano Elizabeth Caballero as well as tenor Zach Borichevsky.
OR DOES IT EXPLODE?
Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts 2 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids Feb. 15, 5:30-9 p.m., $5 uica.org This exhibit puts the spotlight on the documentation of refugees and forced migration, giving faces to the statistics we hear about in the news. The multimedia group show primarily focuses on portraits of refugees and migrants in an effort to bring awareness to the millions affected. Opening night of the exhibit will offer a cash bar, docent-led tours and light refreshments.
DAVID WIESNER & THE ART OF WORDLESS STORYTELLING
Grand Rapids Art Museum 101 Monroe Center NW, Grand Rapids Oct. 26, 2019-Jan. 12, 2020 artmuseumgr.org Join the Grand Rapids Art Museum in celebrating the work of David Wiesner. For three decades, Wiesner has captivated audiences with his books, some that tell stories without using any words at all. The exhibit features 70 original watercolors from some of his most famous books, as well as Wiesner’s earliest work while studying at the Rhode Island School of Design.
INSECT EMBROIDERY
Lions & Rabbits 1264 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids Jan. 29, 7-9 p.m. facebook.com/lionsandrabbits If you’re looking for a new hobby, West Michigan has plenty of places and events to learn from experienced masters of the craft. With Insect Embroidery, you’ll learn five basic embroidery stitches in a beginner’s crash-course taught by Dayna Walton of Solstice Handmade. The focus is on insects, with inspiration from books and field guides, but you’re free to bring your own project as well.
RAD FEST
Epic Center 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo March 6-10 midwestradfest.org Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers is an incredible modern dance company that Continued on page 33
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One Wheatland Music Festival just isn’t enough, which is why Winter Wheat is back once again for its 10th year. The folk, Americana and roots festival brings more than a dozen bands to The Intersection, with a main stage for the heavier sounds and an acoustic stage for the lighter fare. Acts like the Journeymen, Boot Strap Boys and Fauxgrass make ample use of all kinds of strings, whether they’re on an electric guitar or a violin.
Unexpected angles, strong female characters and new, original work characterize Extremely Close, the Grand Rapids Ballet’s spring season showcase. You’ll see three shows, Extremely Close by Hubbard Street Chicago’s internationally renowned resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo, Ibsen’s House by Val Caniparoli, and an original composition by the GR Ballet’s artistic director, James Sofranko.
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T U E S DAY N I G H T S AT M E I J E R G A R D E N S
A FEBRUARY AFFAIR
Flowers & Chocolate. Our friends from Local Epicurean will be back to instruct you on how to make delicious chocolate truffles, all while enjoying a three-course meal featuring ricotta ravioli with a dark chocolate marinara sauce. You will also make chocolate bowls to take your truffles home in. Sight and Sound: Redux. Join MuseArte Duo for a unique performance combining live painting and music. Paint a Monet-inspired nature scene along with artist Marlene Boonstra, while listening to the sounds of Gail Saldatori on the violin. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and libations will be provided. All tickets include admission to the event, food, and drinks. Visit MeijerGardens.org for Tuesday dates and times.
Photo by Katherine Salavatori.
Photo courtesy from Local Epicurian.
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1000 East Beltline Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525 Toll-Free Phone 888-957-1580 • MeijerGardens.org
12/3/18 11:32 AM
50 THINGS TO DO IN 2019 Continued from page 31
shows exactly what the artform should aspire to down in Kalamazoo. While the company’s fascinating shows are yearround, the Regional Alternative Dance festival is where it kicks into high-gear, bringing in hundreds of dancers from around the world to perform the most bold, experimental dance you’ve ever seen.
BARN THEATRE
13351 West M-96, Augusta barntheatreschool.org Barn Theatre is consistently one of the most well-reviewed theaters Revue visits. Considering the cast members they’re able to pull in — such as Robert Newman, who’s been on Guiding Light, Criminal Minds and Amazing Spider-Man 2 — this should be no surprise. Keep an eye out for the 2019 season, which is sure to be full of amazing comedies, musicals and dramas, as always.
PARTY 80S VS 90S
HOME at The B.O.B. 20 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids March 9, 9 p.m., free feelgoodmusicchicago.com The ’80s feel like last year, and the ’90s could’ve been yesterday. But in all reality, you’ll never be able to enter your neighborhood Blockbuster or receive an AOL CD again, so it’s time to kick back into nostalgia and revisit the trends of our childhoods that are still within reach. Grab The Henderson Castle. COURTESY PHOTO
a drink and jam out to the biggest hits of the ’80s and ’90s in downtown Grand Rapids at the B.O.B., singing all the words to radio tunes you thought you left behind with your spiral perms and buffalo shoes.
GET SAD VOL. 2
Anchor Bar 447 Bridge St. NW, Grand Rapids Feb. 14, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. facebook.com/getsadgr Despite the name, Get Sad is actually all about having the time of your life. If you grew up in the era of Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, this is the party for you. Ignore your utter lack of a Valentine’s date by donning your blackest clothes and diving deep into nostalgia. Plus, whether you’re looking for a similar experience on the shore or just want to double-dip, you can head to Eyeliner For All at Our Brewing Company in Holland the next night.
ECLECTIC MURDER MYSTERY DINNER
The Henderson Castle 100 Monroe St., Kalamazoo Jan. 19, 6-9 p.m., $87 henderson-castle.myshopify.com
The Henderson Castle is full of history, romance and curiosities, the perfect place for a murder mystery to unfold. Its monthly events offer the perfect opportunity to dress up, have an amazing dinner and find out who exactly killed whom — it could even be you! In January, you’ll be heading to the Eight Ball, an infamous night club in the basement of Lou’s Pool Hall, circa 1923.
MEANWHILE MOVIES
We can all agree that today’s new movies aren’t all exactly the most original — sometimes you just have to go back to the classics. That’s what Wealthy Theatre does best with its Meanwhile Movie series, showcasing cult classics, indie hits and seasonal favorites. Whether you’re into
comedies, dramas or horror flicks, the lineup is stacked. January’s movies include Beetlejuice, Wayne’s World, Akira and The Dark Crystal.
ALGER HEIGHTS HALLOWEEN 5K
Alger Heights Neighborhood Oct. 31 alger5k.com
sideshow performances and live human suspension throughout the day.
NATURE PAJAMA PET PARTY
Harbor Humane 14345 Bagley St., West Olive Jan. 18, 5:30 p.m., $15-$30 harborhumane.org
There’s no better way to start a night of binge-eating Snickers than to run (or walk) a 5K or 10K through one of Grand Rapids’ Between a date night for you and a PJ party most gorgeous neighborhoods. The an- for the kiddos, it couldn’t get any better … until it does. This isn’t just any pajama jam nual races take place on Halloween, with the route circling the Alger and Eastern — this party includes pets. Hosted by Harbor Humane Society, the monthly event includes intersection. Bonus: Afterward, you can pizza, pets to play with and a movie, so you grab a drink or a bite to eat at The Old can drop your kids off and relax knowing Goat or Brass Ring Brewing while you’re they’re cuddling with cute animals over in the Heights. snacks, films and friends. Discounts are available for siblings, so you can take the saved cash to get dinner and dessert while you’re out on the town.
CRITTER BARN
9275 Adams St., Zeeland critterbarn.org
DETROIT ODDITIES & CURIOSITIES EXPO
Suburban Collection Showplace 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi Aug. 3, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m., $10 odditiesandcuriositiesexpo.com Starting with just two cities in 2017 and now expanding to 16 cities, this traveling expo is for lovers of the strange and unusual. Local and national vendors feature taxidermy, wet and dry preserved specimens, antiques, jewelry crafted from bones, skulls, insects, and many more bizarre and unusual items. The expo will hold
Are you a grown adult who loves baby animals? Of course you are. Right around April, you need to head to the Critter Barn in Zeeland to welcome all the new baby animals. This is my favorite part about the end of winter. Forget the sunshine and green grass — I’m here for the baby ducks, bunnies, goats and cows. The Critter Barn is a donation-based farm that is typically filled with families. But if you can get in around midday, you’ll enjoy an hour of petting an assortment of barn animals in an open-air environment that really celebrates the arrival of spring. Make the Critter Barn a stop on your way out to Holland or Saugatuck for a day filled with window-shopping and beer drinking.
WINTERFEST CARDBOARD SLED RACE
Mulligan's Hollow Ski Bowl 600 Y Dr., Grand Haven Jan. 26, free winterfestmi.org
If you hate the snow, this event might change your mind. The Winterfest Cardboard Sled Race presents you with an opportunity to design and build a sled out of corrugated cardboard and test it down the Mulligan Hollow Ski Bowl. Prizes will be awarded to those with the snazziest design and best team spirit, so bring your artsiest friends, your family and that neighbor with the sweet tool shed to join in on the winter fun.
BOULDER RIDGE WILD ANIMAL PARK
8313 Pratt Lake Ave. SE, Alto May 1-Oct. 21, $14 boulderridgewap.com
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park is a unique animal viewing and interacting experience. Located on 80 acres, the park houses a diverse collection of exotic animals, birds and reptiles. Last year welcomed the birth of Toskey, the park’s baby giraffe, as well as Baby Animal Days and a daily bird show. This year, the park is adding even more animals and a new building. Stay tuned.
BLANDFORD NATURE CENTER
1715 Hillburn Ave. NW, Grand Rapids blandfordnaturecenter.org Not everyone knows that Blandford Nature Center is more than just beautiful trails and rescued animals — the newly renovated center also features all kinds of events Continued on page 35
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Wealthy Theatre 1130 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids Tuesdays grcmc.org
Winterfest Cardboard Sled Rave. COURTESY PHOTO
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50 THINGS TO DO IN 2019 Continued from page 33
At The B.O.B. Grand Rapids, MI 616.356.2000 thebob.com
throughout the year. Whether you want to learn how to make kombucha or use a forge, Blandford is at the ready. Other events center around birding, henna, snowshoeing, butterflies and much more. No matter the season, it’s the perfect place to reconnect with nature.
TREERUNNER ADVENTURE PARK
2121 Celebration Dr. NE, Grand Rapids treerunnergrandrapids.com Seeing the forest from the trees gives you a whole new perspective. At TreeRunner, you’ll be climbing, crawling, swinging and zipping through the branches. It’s a test of balance, dexterity and bravery, but more than all that, it’s just a dang good time. Tucked away in the woods behind Celebration! Cinema North, this is the perfect nature getaway for those looking to stick close to home.
MUSKEGON WINTER SPORTS COMPLEX
462 N. Scenic Dr., Muskegon msports.org
The Winter Sports Complex is a veritable winter wonderland, offering just about every seasonal activity you can imagine. Ice skating? Of course they have that, and through the woods, too! Luge? Yup, and it’s one of only a handful in America. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, it’s all here. Grab some hot chocolate and make the most of a very special season.
GAMES LOCKED 460
There are escape rooms all over West Michigan now, and honestly, it’s hard to go wrong. Working together with your friends to solve dozens of minimysteries and piece together a larger story is a guaranteed great time, and you’re probably better at it than you think. Locked 460 is just one stellar experience, coming in with top-notch
Januar
Pop Scholars. COURTESY PHOTO
themes, affordable prices and a helpful staff, who help give you clues via TV monitor.
COMEDY
GREAT LAKES GLOW GOLF
WEIRD AL YANKOVIC: THE STRINGS ATTACHED TOUR
3494 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids greatlakesglowgolf.com
DeVos Performance Hall 303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids July 26, 8 p.m. devosperformancehall.com
Mini-golf finally got its glow-up. At Great Lakes Glow Golf, you can putt year-round in the safety of a psychedelic, blacklight-filled room. Neon fish, “Weird Al” is back on tour with his most elaborate and high-energy shows to bears and wolves set the stage for this trippy course. Hot tip: wear your light- date. The best-selling comedy recording artist is playing all of his hits with colored clothing to shine like a star in the night sky. Also be sure to check out an original band featuring costumes, props, a video wall, and for the first the free-play arcade up front! time ever, background singers and a full symphony orchestra. It’s going to FREE PINBALL DAY be large, loud and impressive — a big The Pyramid Scheme swing back from his 2018 tour, where 68 Commerce Dr. SW, Grand Rapids he played deep cuts in intimate venues. First Sunday of the month pyramidschemebar.com
Best of the Midwest, Clean Comedy Showcase and more.
POP SCHOLARS
Wealthy Theatre 1130 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids popscholars.com Do you remember turning on Whose Line Is It Anyway? and being ecstatic when the perfect lineup of comedians was on? That’s what it’s like to see Pop Scholars, a local improv group that’s been saying “yes, and” to each other for 10 years. Their rapport is strong and their humor is incredibly funny, always relevant, cleverly surprising and scarcely dirty. You can catch their shows throughout the year, often at Wealthy Theatre. n
JOHN H
Grand Rapids March 7-17 laughfestgr.org
With the state of today’s world, it’s good to set aside some time just for laughter. LaughFest brings some of the world’s funniest comedians to Grand Rapids, such as Brian Regan, Ali Wong, Ed Asner and many more. It’s only the best of the best, so you can walk into any show and leave with a healthy dose of the best medicine. Also check out the National Showcase,
DON FRIESEN
January 17-19
ON JanuaryEF2F4R-2 6
LAUGHFEST
Probably the most frustrating part about pinball is stepping up to a new machine, realizing you have no idea what’s going on and that you’re not likely to find out until you run out of quarters. Free Pinball Day removes all monetary obstacles so you can spend as long as you need getting to know every bumper, ramp and flipper of the venue’s 24 machines. Then, next time you’re at the Scheme for a show, you can easily impress all your friends.
RO
B LITTLE Januar y 10-12
TreeRunner Adventure Park. COURTESY PHOTO
CY AM3U1N-FDeSbO. N2 Jan.
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2035 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids locked460.com
JAY LARyS3ON-5
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WEST MICHIGAN
WEDDING GUIDE
RING PUT A
ON IT IN 2019 | by Missy Black
Y
our surly grandmother somehow isn’t on the seating chart. The DJ might be a few hours late. Looking back, spending all your time on Pinterest looking at floral crowns for your flower girl’s doll might not have been a great use of your time. Enlisting the help of event planning services such as White Dress Events, based out of Grand Haven, is a way to ensure there’s someone at the helm of the ship (one that’s overly decorated and with an inflated guest list). Tip one: stress shouldn’t receive an invite to your big day. “We’re there with customized budgets, checklists, design plans, vendor recommendations and personalized timelines to pay attention to the details all the way until the last guest leaves the reception,” said Rachel Ramos, lead planner. “I had a bride give me a list of people with their photo, so I could find them in the crowd and check on them for various things — to see that grandpa gets his signature drink in a normal glass tumbler, because that’s the way he likes it.” The result is that you’re free to enjoy the experience and vision you had for the special day with the people you love.
Ramos also knows a thing or two about what’s fresh and fun on the wedding scene and wants to share her unconventional and new ideas for ultrastylized celebrations.
May We Suggest… Mix up timelines. Send guests right to the dancefloor for a song or two before dinner to set the mood. Tie the knot in the middle of the fun, such as one couple’s vision starting with a salsa band and dancing followed by a cocktail hour that led into a 30-minute ceremony with dinner following. It’s refreshing to switch up order and keep guests guessing what’s next. Simple, pared down florals are trending. Use textural greenery swags to drape a ceiling or entryway for a sweet and subtle presence. If you have a big personality, floral walls make a statement and serve as hip photo backdrops. Word is that Skeeter Parkhouse from Wasserman’s Flowers and Gifts in Muskegon incorporates fruits, nuts and other natural gems into tablescapes, pushing the boundaries. Intimacy is arresting. These days, couples are writing their own
vows and having friends officiate, personalizing the ceremony. The actual wedding is moving from large, seated attractions to 15- to 20-minute ceremonies, with guests gathered in the round in smaller venues. Cake is for the weak. Ditch the guilt and listen to your sweet tooth. Multiple tables of candy confections, dessert bars or the couple’s favorite local ice cream can be more fascinating than courting tradition. Play favorites. Guests love to feel V.I.P. Set up charging stations for phones, a shoe check to swap heels for dancefloor-friendly flipflops, or offer a cigar bar for those who want to feel extra classy. Happiness is snacks. End of the night extras (also known as sober-up surprises) are always well received. Send a friendly farewell message with palm-sized pizzas in miniature cardboard boxes, a mac-and-cheese bar or HopCat’s wildly popular fries at evening’s end. If you’re going to the chapel, you should bring White Dress Events along. For more information, visit whitedressevents.com. n
From top to bottom: Bride and Groom. Courtesy of Jill DeVries Photography. Florals Skeeter Parkhouse. Courtesy of Kelly Sweet Photography. Love's Ice cream cart. Courtesy of Jill DeVries Photography.
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Windmill Island Gardens
Photos Courtesy of Happy Horse Bar Services.
PONY UP
To The Bar | by Missy Black
A
mobile boutique bartending service in a renovated horse trailer means good, wild fun. It’s a natural fit for barn, forest or nature-inspired venues and provides a focal point at a more minimalist reception in a backyard or park. This little trailer serves up big happiness and loads of charm, culminating in an unforgettable experience. “I’d like to point out that the bar is likely the most repeatedly visited space of the party, but the details of the bar experience have largely been ignored,” said Wendy VanWagoner, owner of Happy Bar Services. It’s VanWagoner’s mission to enhance the atmosphere of the party via cocktails from her trailer that’ll be considered the hot spot by professional wedding photographers and guests for candid, Instagramworthy pictures. The Happy Horse Bar can be dressed up in wedding flowers, decorative string lights and straw bales to create the mood. Services include beverage menu planning and shopping lists, and on the special day, the trailer rolls up with a bartending staff and all the supplies, complete with napkins, garnishes and non-alcoholic mixers. The hosts purchase the alcohol (in Michigan, only brick-and-mortar
businesses can get liquor licenses) while the Happy Horse Bar serves it up. It works in the host’s favor, as they forego paying a significant markup on their bar tab. “I guarantee people will be talking about it well after the party ends,” said VanWagoner. From a signature cocktail to a customized fruity spirit that fits into the night’s theme, the crew in the trailer hooks you up with the right sip, adding a playful and unexpected highlight to the celebration. Find out more at facebook.com/ happyhorsebar or on Instagram at @happybarservices. n
HOLLAND, MI 616.355.1036 | WINDMILLISLAND.ORG
Providing you with an intimate backdrop, personable staff will indulge you and cater to helping you find that perfect gown. We take the time to get to know all of our brides, so your unique personality can be complimented with your dream gown.
1555 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids 616-224-0092 • reneeaustinwedding.com REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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Real Talk With Shutter Sam | by Missy Black
S
am Vanderlist has been in the business for 15 years, cultivating a relaxed, chill vibe. So it’s no surprise that she’s “hands off — as much as I can be.” In her off-season, she “macramés all kinds of shit” and is renovating a camper van. We asked the elopement and wedding photographer to share some inside scoops on how to have the best photo session.
Sam’s Tips, Tricks And Your Weird Family…
Photos Courtesy of Shutter Sam.
Let her know the goods. Will there be special people in attendance? Perhaps an aunt and uncle are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Is the jewelry special? Is this a ring that’s been passed down from generations or was your jew-
elry handmade by your friend? This is the stuff she needs to know. Also, spill the drama. “I need to know what I can and cannot do. If mom and dad are newly separated and there’s no way they’re going to be in a photo together, give me a heads up.” Ditch the spray tan. You can come across a little too orange looking and whoever is standing with you in the photo can look ghostly white in turn.
times, bridal updos give you a whole different vibe. While the updo has come a long way, “the wind and your hair flowing are magic.” Natural props work. “I’ve seen people wear hats during photos and you don’t have to wear it all day.” Steer away from stagey props, but have fun with incorporating imageworthy embellishments.
Talk it out. Booking is one thing but spend time with your photographer. “It’s not uncommon for me to have a beer together after an engagement session.” Talk casually (more than an hour) and cement the connection.
Relaxation breaks are a thing. “I’ll pull the couple aside and have them hold hands, facing each other with their eyes closed. I put my hands on them and in a calming voice instruct all three of us to take deep breaths together. I call it Photography Yoga.”
Flex those tresses. If you have long, flowing hair, wear it down. Often-
Deep dive into imagery at shuttersam.com. n
Newly Engaged?
CONSIDER A WEDDING RECEPTION AT THE DOUBLETREE Our All-Inclusive Reception packages include food, cocktails, set up and décor Call 616-957-0100 and ask for Karisa.
grandrapidsairport.doubletree.com 4747 28th St SE, Grand Rapids
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BROWS. BODY. BRAZILIAN Specializing in Women's Brazilians & Brows
701 Bagley, East Grand Rapids | 616-309-0561 | ilovewaxology.com
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77 VW Photo Bus. Courtesy photo
WEST MICHIGAN
WEDDING GUIDE
Besides rings, Emma designs tie clips, necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Her style is sleek, refined and imaginative with a modern elegance.
Unique Union ONE-OF-A-KIND VENDORS FOR YOUR WEST MICHIGAN WEDDING | by Kelly Brown
S
o, you want a wedding unlike everyone else — something that will stun your friends on Instagram and be labeled anything but conventional. Perhaps that’s a vintage cottage winter wedding in the middle of nowhere at a private Airbnb, or maybe it’s at a regular venue with unique food options. Chances are, you’ve spent more hours on the internet than you care to admit looking for eccentric vendors to make your special day different than the rest. Close your laptop, grab a cup of joe, and read through our recommendations to make your wedding truly unique.
CUSTOM BRIDE AND BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Ashley Triệu, Iconoclasp iconoclasp.com
If David’s Bridal or even BHLD won’t cut it for you, look no further than local dress designer Iconoclasp for a one-of-a-kind, vintage-inspired wedding dress. Ashley works with brides through the entire design process, hand-selecting fabrics and schedul-
ing numerous fittings to bring your wedding gown visions to life.
BRIDAL PARTY GIFTS
Bold Socks 17 Division Ave., Grand Rapids boldsocks.com
Why be boring when you can be bold with socks that match your personality? These fashionable socks feature kooky patterns and trendy colors that make a great groomsman or bridesmaid gift. Plus, flashing your bold socks makes for a better photo op.
MIXOLOGIST
TONIC & LIME Northern and West Michigan tonicandlimemi.com Custom cocktails at weddings are a trend that is here to stay. With craft brews becoming a regular part of most events and weddings, higher-end cocktails are almost a necessity. Goodbye boring vodka soda! Hello deliciously crafted Old Fashioned. Amber Jaeger and her team are located in Traverse City, but serve West Michigan as well.
GLUTEN-FREE TREATS
Rise Authentic Baking Grand Rapids riseauthenticbaking.com
Sheet cakes are so yesterday, and so not gluten-free or vegan. Now, Rise Authentic Baking is the go-to treat caterer, whether you have food allergies or just love delicious baked goods. After countless experiments, owners Nick and Becca Van Liere mastered the art of vegan, glutenfree baking. Rise is proud to offer all kinds of food for those with gluten intolerance, dairy sensitivity, nut allergies, and “even the crazy aunt who doesn’t eat all three.”
Designing an invitation as unique as you, capturing the design and aesthetic of your wedding, is an important first step in the planning process. Take the work off your plate and cross it off your to-do list with help from Freshly Squeezed Print Shop, the only print shop in Grand Rapids specializing in letterpress printing. Step into their storefront to experience the century-old printing presses!
PHOTO BOOTH
77 VW Photo Bus 77vwphotoboothbus.com This one is for our vintage-loving brides. The 77 VW Photo Booth Bus combines a photo booth with good vibes, uniqueness and character. Located in West Michigan, this photo booth is constructed inside a colorful old 1977 VW bus. Park it outside your venue or bring it inside — whatever works for you! n
CUSTOM JEWELRY
Emma Elizabeth Jewelry Grand Rapids emmaelizabethjewelry.com Emma is an ambitious one-woman show who creates unique, never mass-produced, quality jewelry. She works in recycled metals and stones, and meets with clients to create a bespoke piece that matches their style.
17246 VanWagoner Road, Spring Lake 616-842-8260 • trilliumevents.com • randall@trilliumevents.net
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INVITATIONS
Freshly Squeezed Print Shop 1121 E. Fulton St., Grand Rapids printfreshlysqueezed.com
Cake from Rise Authentic Baking. Courtesy of Northern Native Photography
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Naughty By Nature WHERE TO HOST YOUR BACHELORETTE PARTY IN WEST MICHIGAN | by Kelly Brown
A
ll those college parties have culminated in this important night — your bachelorette party! It’s time to gather all your best friends and hit the town. More and more, we see brides and bridesmaids celebrating in local restaurants, bars and breweries, but West Michigan has plenty of other options. Whether you’re looking to bond with some yoga or shop for the wedding night, we’ve got something for you.
PRIVATE YOGA
PRIVATE DINNER
Megan Rader Yoga Grand Rapids meganraderyoga.com
The Grand Woods Lounge 77 Grandville Ave. SW, Grand Rapids grandwoodslounge.com
Go for laid-back vibes and relax before your big day with a private small group instruction class with Megan Rader yoga. Held at your own space or Kula Yoga, this twoto-10 person class is a great private session that will have you breaking a sweat and centering yourself for the final days of planning.
What’s more iconic than a dinner and drinks with friends for your bachelorette party? Grand Woods Lounge in Grand Rapids features three different rooms that can be privately booked to host your event. The Cedar Room is the perfect size for a private dining experience with views of downtown Grand Rapids. Book your event online.
FLYING HIGH WITH AERIAL FITNESS
CHEEKY STRUT VOTED BEST OF THE WEST 2018
Photo by Tiffany Ann Photography
1ST PLACE BEST SALON & 1ST PLACE BEST WEDDING PLANNER Lindseyrae@cheekystrut.com • (616) 272-3123 216 Grandville Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
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Courtesy of Naughty Bettie.
LINGERIE FITTING
Aerial 4 Me Grand Rapids Gymnastics aerial4me.com
Lingerie Party at Naughty Bettie 1111 Godfrey Ave. SW, Grand Rapids naughtybettie.com
Aerial 4 Me is a fabric, silks, hoop, trapeze and acro-yoga class in West Michigan that offers private classes for your bachelorette party. Each party can host 5-12 guests and lasts anywhere from 60 minutes to two hours, teaching you how to twirl, spin and bend in the air with ease. Classes can be customized with whatever lessons you would like to learn, though the aerial silks are their most popular choice.
Welcome to West Michigan’s one and only European-influenced boutique providing high-quality lingerie in a wide variety of sizes and styles. You’re a hot little piece of a bride and you deserve to find lingerie that makes you feel that way (and fits every curve of your body). Schedule a private party with your gals at Naughty Bettie for a custom shopping experience where you’ll be fitted in luxurious lingerie that makes you feel like a queen.
POLE FITNESS
Flirt Fitness Studio 5366 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids flirtfitnessgr.com Grab your best friends and schedule a private party at Flirt Fitness, one of West Michigan’s best pole fitness studios. Wear your comfy clothes or break out those crop-tops and 6-inch heels. Each private party is led through a highenergy warm up that transitions into a few sassy floor-work and pole moves. It’s your turn to shine at the end when you perform your new “signature routine.”
BLOW DRY SERVICE
BANG Blow Dry Bar 2180 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids bangblowdry.com Make an evening on the town with friends more special with custom blowouts and makeovers from the BANG Glam Squad. The talented team will travel to your location and provide you with a blowdry style unlike anything you’ve received before. n
Wedding Directory BEAUTY Cheeky Strut
CATERING
VENUES
Distinctive Catering
CityFlatsHotel Grand Rapids
216 Grandville Ave. SW, Grand Rapids (616) 272-3123 cheekystrut.com
4945 S. Division Ave., Grand Rapids (616) 538-4384 distinctivecatering.com
Waxology
Trillium Catering & Event Center
701 Bagley Ave. SE, Grand Rapids (616) 309-0561 ilovewaxology.com
BOUTIQUES Renee Austin Wedding
1555 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids (616) 224-0092 reneeaustinwedding.com
17246 Van Wagoner Rd., Spring Lake (616) 842-8260 trilliumevents.com
WEDDING PLANNERS Amplify Weddings
7130 South Westnedge Ave., Portage (269) 251-9067 theamplifyteam.com
83 Monroe Center St. NW, Grand Rapids (616) 451-1892 cityflatshotel.com
CityFlatsHotel Holland
61 E. 7th St., Holland (616) 796-2100 cityflatshotel.com
DoubleTree By Hilton Grand Rapids Airport
4747 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids (616) 957-0100 grandrapidsairport.doubletree.com
WEST MICHIGAN
WEDDING GUIDE
Downtown Market Grand Rapids
435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids (616) 805-5308 downtownmarketgr.com
Trillium Catering & Event Center
17246 Van Wagoner Rd., Spring Lake (616) 842-8260 trilliumevents.com
Windmill Island Gardens
1 Lincoln Ave., Holland (616) 355-1030 cityofholland.com/windmillislandgardens
LIFE IS NOT THE AMOUNT OF BREATHS YOU TAKE, IT’S THE MOMENTS THAT TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. — WILL SMITH, HITCH
269.251.9067 | THEAMPLIFYTEAM.COM REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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great food
live music
&
january SHOWS
NOT YOUR AVERAGE BAR FOOD.
Sunday Brunch 11am-4pm
HOURS:
LOCALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS
T U E - W E D 1 1 AM - 1 0 PM T H U R - F R I 1 1 AM - 1 1 PM S A T 5 PM- 1 1 PM & S U N 1 1 AM- 4 PM
136 East Fulton, Grand rapids | 616.235.7669 | onetrick.BIZ
BRIDAL SHOW | FEBRUARY 1ST 5–8PM
CSBREW.COM
See what it’s like to host your wedding at CityFlatsHotel! Taste, sip, and mingle with some of West Michigan’s top wedding vendors while touring our beautiful event spaces. GRAND RAPIDS, MI
866 609 CITY
C I T Y F L AT S H O T E L . C O M
Brauhaus & Restaurant Look For Kusterer Bier On Tap In West Michigan!
B R I D A L S H O W | F E B R U A R Y 1S T 5– 8 PM
"Up to Snow Good" Winter Party Jan. 19th.
ee what it’s like to host your wedding at CityFlatsHotel! aste, sip, and mingle with some of West Michigan’s top wedding vendors while touring our beautiful event spaces. RAND RAPIDS, MI
866 609 CITY
C I T Y F L AT S H O T E L . C O M
German Tradition. Crafted in Michigan.
95 North Main | Cedar Springs | Michigan | {616} 696-BEER
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by Missy Black
STYLE NOTES
MY KIND OF STYLE THIS YEAR’S FASHION FORECAST: KINDNESS LOOKS GOOD ON YOU and never goes out of style. Pair it with concern and care as you move through this world. The message started small, with a vinyl window cling that read, “Kind Humans Only.” It got both Nick Fischer and Peter Jacob thinking: What if this sentiment was on apparel? What if you could proclaim the statement and claim the mantra wherever you went? But the duo didn’t stop there — apparel wasn’t enough of a commitment. “The easiest possible way to start kinding is to buy something you like, something you’re proud of, and we do the rest of the work,” said Nick Fischer, co-owner of When Humans Kind, a company that places the care and wellbeing of others at the top of its to-do list, donating a portion of its proceeds. “Volunteering can be once a month, but when we partner with charities and the kind humans working there, we identify issues that people really care about giving towards.” Kind clothing options consist of tees, hoodies, long sleeves, tanks, even a hip women’s crop top. It’s simple statement style
that can be paired with jeans, joggers — almost any wardrobe, really — for that relaxed streetwear look that spreads the good word. There’s even threads for the littles. “What can feel better for parents? A friend said this is how she wanted to raise her kids. She’s branding them, essentially naming someone with a character attribute,” Jacob said. Can’t f ind a tee that resonates with you? The accessory selection doesn’t stop, so there’s zero room to walk away emptyhanded. With mugs, totes, beach towels, socks and baseball caps, these are easy gift ideas with a slick, stylish message from a rotation of illustrators and designers providing inspiration for apparel collections that merge with charity partnerships, which change every quarter. Kindness is the connection. A bomb-ass graphic tee is the bonus. n Your kinding journey starts here at whenhumanskind.com or on Instagram at @whenhumanskind.
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BEER
NEW BEER RESOLUTIONS Brewers look forward to a new year
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t’s OK to be a little scared of the future: the polar ice caps melting and flooding our metropolises, robots snacking on our bodies for battery power, the inevitable heat death of the universe. It’s all a bit much. On the bright side, West Michigan breweries persist, pushing the posts of excellence further with each passing year. Truly, it’s never been a better time to be
of your favorite craft beer stores. In a market that can seem oversaturated, especially in Grand Rapids, we just want our beer to stand out. I think what people really want from that craft beer world is consistency, even if that means consistent change.
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Ron Snider, Pike 51
Bri Ross, Creston Brewing Company Our goal is to always continue to revitalize the great Creston neighborhood. We want people to really experience just how unique and approachable this community truly is and it’s our goal for Creston Brewery to be the nucleus of that. For 2019, expect to see us and our beer at plenty of beer festivals, competitions and of course on the shelves
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Because we’re a winery/brewery, we’re working on meads, cysers and ciders too. We’ll also be trying out beers based on ingredients you can find here in Hudsonville. A Dutch Cookie stout and Cream Curls stout, both barrel-aged, are gonna be delicious. We want to continue in trend and keep Grand Rapids the number one beer destination. I’ve done a lot of traveling around the U.S. and hands down, we’re still the best.
David Ringler, Cedar Springs Brewing Company We hope to make more people happy in 2019, introduce more people to Christoph Küsterer, and exceed our community dona-
a drinker. Sours are getting stranger, IPAs grow wider in diversity, craft lagers are the superior alternative to macro swill. We asked some of our favorite breweries to get a forecast on how they plan to improve and impress us in 2019. Never mind the doom and gloom — it looks like we’ll have good beer to ring in the apocalypse.
tions beyond the $20k-plus we gave back this past year. Non-craft beer is still 90 percent of the market, so we can be even better and more inclusive in 2019 as more people are introduced to the traditions and the passionate beer artists behind the movement. By definition, the creativity in craft beer should find something for everyone, and it’s the job of us all to be ambassadors.
Heather VanDyke-Titus, Harmony Brewing Company In 2018, we added the capacity to deliver pizza and Harmony beer to your door. One of my goals is to continue to spread the word about this amazing development. We will deliver beer. To. Your. Door! Another thing my brothers and I are excited about is a renewed focus on education and culture building for our staff. One of our goals is for every staff member to participate in a brew day, and to do a few collaborative staff beers. We’ve been testing some new recipes and I’m so excited to share them once they’re ready to go.
Michael Brower, Pigeon Hill Brewing Company Our biggest goal is to finish our new production facility and start making beer there! Beyond that, we are looking forward to putting new products, both beer and otherwise, into cans in 2019. As we go into 2019, we have a foundation that we’re proud of, and we’re looking forward to experimenting a bit more with new styles, new approaches and completely new product types. As craft
By Jack Raymond
the brewing world rather than following the fickle trends that come in rapid ebbs and flows. Craft beer can get better as a whole by continuing to beat the drum of independence from globally dominated ‘Big Beer’ and keep working to compete and fight for every inch of space that we can get on the shelves and in the marketplace.
beer consumers, I hope that our community focuses more on drinking beer because it’s good, not simply because it’s new, hyped or rare. Some of the best beers in the world are readily available any day.
Ed Collazzo, City Built Brewing Company
Ryan Andrews, Grand Armory Brewing Company
Lindsey VanDenBoom, Perrin Brewing Company One big initiative for Perrin Brewing in 2019 is a new brand refresh and launch. Starting with a modernized logo to fresh can design to crafting a story that speaks about the culture and beer that Perrin Brewing produces. We’re taking a step into the hard seltzer game with Clear Coast, which happens to be Michigan’s first hard seltzer to hit the market. Through the Perrin Brewing Side Hustle series, we will be releasing a plethora of off-the-wall styles to do some experimentation and let the brewer’s imagination have some fun! We try not to be afraid to take risks. Not only in the beer styles but in marketing, sales and even within the taproom. We move quickly. Things change on a dime with craft beer trends.
Grand Armory strives to maintain our high level of quality and standards in every facet of our business, from the production side to our taproom and everything in between. We always feel like we can get better in everything we do. Craft beer is all about quality and consistency, and there is a lot of work that goes into maintaining that level of excellence. We’re also an industry that has such a beneficial impact on our local communities! Keeping our local communities as a top priority is something that makes craft beer so special!
Jason Ley, Better Drinking Culture
Jeff Williams and Jon Vanderploeg, The Mitten Brewing Company
Mitch Ermatinger, Speciation Artisan Ales My goal for 2019 is to get our wine program off the ground. We’ll be making some very interesting and rule-breaking wines, so I’m excited to see the response!
Seth Rivard, Rockford Brewing Company RBC will be very focused on distributing our tasty brews to the Kent County market, our beloved backyard. We are planning to more than double our beer production in 2019. We plan to focus on building and creating beers that are unique and interesting using ingredients that are not typically utilized in
What started in 2015 by a group of friends sharing their stories about alcohol, Better Drinking Culture has grown into a nationwide grassroots movement shifting our culture’s relationship with drinking in a healthier and more positive direction. 2019 is going to be particularly impactful because we’re releasing our first book, The Drinker’s Manifesto. It’s an honest, approachable conversation at eye-level with college-age novice drinkers, binge drinkers and non-drinkers about what a healthier relationship with alcohol looks like. n
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As far as new beer things go, our sour program will be the biggest departure from what the Mitten has done in the past six years. We’ve made awesome, tight, clean beer. This is taking that level of quality control and making it wild.
Mind our cash. Mind our people. Mind our resources. We’d like to add capacity in the form of tanks. Add an outdoor seating area. Grow our volunteer program with our staff. Grow to 1,500 barrels of production in 2019. We are stoked to be in such a rich beer culture. GR brewers continue to get better, which is exciting. We are fortunate to be in such a collaborative environment and industry.
REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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By Nick Macksood
DINING
TABLE TALK Matt Overdevest, Marcona on Lyon
Chef/owner Matt Overdevest
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We’re not going to be putting fresh sliced tomatoes on the menu right now, but we are going to be seeing a lot of fresh pomegranate seeds until it warms up, because they are in season and they taste better now than they do in the summer. I’m on the board of the Fulton Street Market and while I love seasonality and I look forward to championing it during the growing season and sourcing from as many local farmers as possible, there is a reality that we have to plan around when local products are not so bountiful.
Tell us a little about what’s going on here.
Let’s talk about being a chef-owned, or partly chef-owned, restaurant like Marcona.
Well, the original basis for the restaurant is if the region borders the Mediterranean at any points, its cuisine is fair game as far as we’re concerned. But all of those dishes won’t necessarily be on the menu all at once.
And the Mediterranean is so vast, so are those broad strokes challenging to work with?
Maybe not in the way you’d think. For example, many of these countries and regions use similar seasonings and in different combos, you come up with these distinct flavors. We can use the same four ingredients and make them Moroccan, Turkish and Spanish just by taking those ingredients and playing with them in subtle ways.
For example?
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So, hummus can be different depending on who’s making it or what city it’s made in. For our hummus, we’re using what’s technically a black chickpea, but we call it a red chickpea. It’s an heirloom variety that we soak and cook our chickpeas from dry. And already, it’s changed since we’ve opened. At the beginning it was dried mint, sumac and charred lemon with our base hummus. Now, it’s zhoug — which is a Yemeni hot sauce, essentially — fresh cilantro and lime, but we’ll change it and we’ll change it again depending on the season.
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I imagine seasonality in the Mediterranean is a little different concept to be playing around with in West Michigan, too.
Sure, and there’s a fantasy and a reality to be reckoned with in any cuisine you’re working wit. For instance, the baba ganoush, that’s something that we can’t really take off our menu. And this isn’t eggplant season, but the reality is, most of the eggplant that commercial restaurants use come from Mexico year-round, because they grow them year-round! And even now, they may not be perfect but they are quite good. COURTESY PHOTOS
Any other dishes affected by seasonality?
ucked away on Lyon Street, neighborhood establishments like Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket Baking Co. and Lyon Street Cafe serve the many denizens of Heritage Hill and Midtown. All business owner Kameel Chamelly didn’t have on his roster was a full-service restaurant. So, Chamelly teamed up with chef/owner Matt Overdevest to open Marcona on Lyon, serving up high-end, modern Mediterranean cuisine in a cozy, social atmosphere. The food is uniquely impressive, so we sat down with Overdevest to ask about what makes Marcona tick.
You get a lot more of a perspective from the chef or the staff itself, which makes it much more of a personal experience. Like, I want our staff to be very open and inviting because that’s who I am. And so we have the open kitchen; you see what goes on here. It’s hard to say, because each chef-owned restaurant will be different. You know, everyone has their own experience and may want their space to reflect that in different ways, but having that control, having that financial stake in a restaurant, of course puts us in a better position to convey that experience to our diners. And really, what it comes down to for me is: what we have on the menu here is what I would want to eat. And we believe what we’ve come up with is tasty enough to share with other people.
It’s an incredible menu, too. You’ve got staples on here and a fair amount of unique preparations.
Yes, and all the ingredients are good and clean and healthy without trying to be healthy, you know? There are not the health crises that exist here in the Mediterranean and it’s not because they’re limiting their food intake or whatever, it’s because they’re eating healthy food to begin with!
Anything else you want to highlight that I’m missing?
One of the other cool things that we’re doing is our beverage program here that contains a lot of things that you may not see elsewhere. For example, our wine list is entirely Mediterranean wines. In a lot of cases, these wines are not something you would find unless you were seeking them out. And they’re all very approachable, unique and fun. Soon, there’ll be prosecco and cava and champagne, and we’ve even got a cider on draft from People’s Cider. We’ve been working with them to create a house cidre in the Spanish style that’s a little different from what you’d typically find around here. It’s very good, and — like everything we try for — it’s perfect with the food. n
By Josh Veal
DINING
HIDDEN GEMS: CRESTON Culinary treasures in a transforming neighborhood
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ALK TO ANYONE WHO’S SPENT enough time in one neighborhood and they’ll be able to act as your personal concierge, guiding you to the unique treasures that aren’t always the first choice for Yelp or Google. The shops without snazzy storefronts or fancy signs might fly under the radar, but they often hold the most unique, delicious, cared-after, affordable dishes around. As the Creston neighborhood continues to bring in full-service restaurants and breweries, we encourage you to not forget about the hidden gems. Consider this a treasure map.
Greek salad from North East Deli - Matt's Gyro.
North East Deli - Matt’s Gyro
1965 Fuller Ave. NE, Grand Rapids facebook.com/north-east-deli-matts-gyro
Mike’s Wings
chicken? Sausage? Catfish? It’s all here, and available in far more than one form. You’ll find sandwiches, tacos and meat platters, along with all the sides you’d expect — mac and cheese, hush puppies, potato salad, cornbread and more. Point is, Main Street stands out for offering loads of options at an express pace. It doesn’t hurt that the food is so gratifying, with perfectly smoked meat, a stacked lineup of sauces and no shortage of spices. If you’re looking for a terrific meal on-the-go, head to Main Street Express. n
Main Street BBQ Express. COURTESY PHOTO
1808 Monroe Ave., Grand Rapids mikeswings.com The wing game in Grand Rapids is tough competition — our Best of the West readers poll has made that clear. They’re on the menu everywhere from Wolfgang Puck’s Kitchen to unassuming joints in strip malls. Mike’s Wings, which falls in the latter camp, proves it doesn’t matter where you’re serving your sauce-slathered chicken, as long as it’s delicious. Take, for instance, the spicy garlic wings — these things are covered in what can only be described as a ludicrous amount of minced garlic and it’s perfect. For those of us who quadruple the garlic in any given recipe, welcome to heaven. All the sauces are spot-on, actually, whether you’re keeping it classic with honey BBQ or going out on a limb with sweet raspberry. Plus, this might be the cheapest place around to get your wings, and yet no sacrifice is made to quality.
ON DRAFT & IN CANS, BUD-DY!
Main Street BBQ Express
1539 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids facebook.com/main-street-bbq-express For those who’ve spent any time in Lowell, Main Street BBQ could hardly be described as “hidden,” but it’s certainly a gem. With this takeout location, however, Main Street has taken a more humble route while keeping the menu just as enticing. What meat are you in the mood for? Brisket? Ribs? Smoked chicken? Fried
17 S. 2ND ST GRAND HAVEN, MI 616.414.7822
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This place is the definition of a hidden gem. I never would’ve expected some of the best Mediterranean food in the city to come from a small, one-employee joint attached to a gas station, but here we are. The owner of Matt’s Gyro understands exactly what makes a great meal: amazing service and memorable food. You’ll always be greeted with enthusiasm and treated with kindness, as Matt clearly cares for his customers and food. Here, after the gyro meat is carved off the spit, it’s tossed onto a grill with some oil, which revives and releases the amazing flavors
you don’t always get. It’s this juicy, f lavorloaded meat, combined with the top-tier tzatziki sauce, that makes the gyro sandwich a hit, and the Greek salad an absolute musthave — honestly, I get it once a week. Rumor has it the falafel is just as amazing, for all you veggies out there. That’s not to mention the grape leaves, hummus, baklava and more in the deli case. Really, you can’t go wrong here.
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LAST CALL BY NICK MACKSOOD PHOTO BY KATY BATDORFF
LINEAR Linear’s own Cliff Ensing treated us to a bounty of cocktails, on menu and off, while reminding us that Linear’s happy hour (3-6 p.m. every day) is one of the best around. Half off signature cocktails, draft beers and wine glasses is not so bad! You didn’t really mean you were going to the gym more often this year, did you? To start, the no. 6 (pictured here) is a standard cocktail on the menu at Linear, featuring the increasingly popular amaro Fernet-Branca. Ensing says this is the “most returned” drink on the menu, despite warnings, so if you’re not aware of what Fernet tastes like, don’t be a hero. Caveat emptor. But if the herbaceous, slightly medicinal quality of the Fernet doesn’t bother you, the no. 6 is quite nice, and a good repose from the dominant whiskey drinks meant to warm you up in the wintertime.
no. 6
INGREDIENTS: 1/2 oz. Long Road gin 1 1/2 oz. Fernet-Branca 1/2 oz. lemon juice 3 fresh cucumber slices Ginger beer, to top Pour the gin, Fernet and lemon juice into an iced mixer. Shake well, then pour into an iced Collins glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish the rim of the glass and the drink itself with cucumber slices.
The gin sour is nothing new, but here we have the addition of a rather excellent gin, instead of whatever’s hiding under the bar. The dry shake, you might notice, is necessary to incorporate the egg white into the drink so as to whip up a silkier foam. I have to say that it worked — a nice, bright gin sour with a creamy smooth texture.
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MICHIGIN SOUR INGREDIENTS: 2 oz. Long Road MICHIGIN 3/4 oz. lemon juice (fresh squeezed, preferably) 3/4 oz. simple syrup 1 egg white Lemon zest, for garnish Pour all ingredients into a shaker without ice. Dry-shake for at least 15-20 seconds. Add ice and shake for an additional 10 seconds or so. Strain into a coupe, then garnish with lemon zest while the drink settles.
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FEB
LALA LALA
w/ Sen Morimoto | Fri. 8pm | Recital Hall | $15
FEB
12
SHAD
Tue. 8pm | CFAC Auditorium | $15
DAILY SPECIALS!
01
FEB
Dr. DOG
w/ The Nude Party | Sat. 8pm | CFAC Auditorium | $25
16
SUNDAY
KIDS UNDER 10 EAT FREE!
MONDAY
GREASY SPOON BURGER AND FRIES $7 BACON JAM BURGER AND FRIES $12
TUESDAY
FEB
ADRIANNE LENKER
w/ Luke Temple | Tue. 8pm | Recital Hall | $25
19
20 ROTATING CRAFT BEERS FOR $3 FROM 8PM TO MIDNIGHT
WEDNESDAY
DETROIT STYLE PIZZA NIGHT $7
THURSDAY
LIVE MUSIC (FREE ADMISSION)
MAR
12
VIENNA BOYS CHOIR
Tue. 8pm | CFAC Auditorium | $20
51 CRAFT BEER TAPS • GASTROPUB • FULL BAR
740 MICHIGAN ST NE • GRAND RAPIDS 7MONKSTAP.COM • 616.265.5417
MONDAY-FRIDAY 3PM-12AM // SAT 11AM-12AM // SUN 11AM-10PM
Tickets on sale now! calvinsao
/calvincollegesao
calvin.edu/sao | calvin.edu/boxoffice | 616.526.6282 REVUEWM.COM | JANUARY 2019 |
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January Grooves
THURSDAYS
cabin fever funk
15
$
Woody Buckets ALL NIGHT 2 Bud Light Drafts $4 Absolut Moscow Mules
$
WEDNESDAYS
got game?
HAPPY HOUR
Mon~Fri 2pm~7pm
3 Select Drafts and Well Drinks $ 4 House Wine and Woodstinis $ 2 Beef Tacos $ 5 Pub Burger $
Free DJ Trivia Free Jukebox after Trivia
$5 Boneless Wing Basket
$3 All Drafts