Local Music News: A new year, a new venue or two. As veteran local music fans know it has been tough in Kalamazoo with the venue losses. Hopefully this year will change that. Old Dog Tavern (402 E. Kalamazoo Ave.) opened its doors early last month. It is located in the old Kraftbrau building and definitely has a buzz going. For booking info e-mail
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, or call (269) 350-7693...Speaking of Kraftbrau, rumors are flying about the reopening in a different location. Renovations have begun at the former location of the Dog House/Wonderful's on Portage road. All three venues closed in 2007...West Michigan rockers Dunktank are making quite a name for themselves since they were featured on WGRD's Bootleg ‘09 album next to national acts Veer Union, Theory of a Deadman, Pop Evil and more. The CD is available at all West Michigan Meijer stores and proceeds go to Hospice of Michigan. "We've opened for Tantric, Saliva, Dope and Pop Evil and are looking forward to more opportunities in 2010," says Don Cool of Dunktank. You can catch the band at Planet Rock in Battle Creek on Feb. 11. For more information and music visit myspace.com/dunktankband.... The Coopersville Farm Museum is celebrating its sixth anniversary of Jam Night on Feb. 2. Jam Night is held inside the museum the first and third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m., and participants are encouraged to bring an acoustic instrument to perform songs with other musicians. Admission is $4, or free to members of the Museum...Starting Feb. 1, the Mackinaw Harvest Music Group is hosting Mackinaw Harvest Recording School, a five-week intensive program designed to give students a hands-on experience of production, engineering and the recording process. The class meets every Monday in the afternoon and evening. For more information, visit mackinawharvest.com/school.php...My Dear Disco's Theo Katzman (shown above) is leaving the band to pursue his own career as an indie/soul singer/songwriter. Katzman is scheduled to play his first show at Bell's Eccentric Café on Feb. 25 at 9:30 p.m. Cover is $5 for the 21-and-up show.
Touring: Twitter addict, serial dater, and guitar-playing extraordinaire John Mayer is bringing feel-good singer Michael Franti (shown right) and his band Spearhead to Van Andel Arena (Grand Rapids) on Feb. 28. Not a Mayer fan? Head across the street to the B.O.B. to see West Michigan's successful ska band Mustard Plug play on the same night...Fifth Third Ballpark announced a singer/songwriter series for its Pepsi Stadium Club. First up is folk troubadour John Wesley Harding. On deck, Richard Shindell in March. In the hole, Cheryl Wheeler in April. For more, visit whitecapsbaseball.com...Self-described "Two Man Wrecking Crew" Cedric Burnside & Lightnin' Malcolm bring their brand of blues to Kalamazoo State Theatre Feb. 12.
Local CD Releases: Musical duo MacRaven (award-winning composer and pianist Roger MacNaughton and 30-year Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra cellist Steve VanRavenswaay) is releasing its CD, The Heart Does Not Forget and will be performing songs from the album at One Trick Pony and the downtown Schuler Books & Music location. On Feb. 14, the duo will make a couple's romantic dinner complete when they play at One Trick Pony's Valentine's Dinner from 6-10 p.m. Autographed CDs will be available for purchase. The Schuler performance will be on Feb. 26 and start at 7 p.m.
National CD Releases: Musician, director, and all-around creepy guy, Rob Zombie has taken a break from remaking the Halloween franchise to release Hellbilly Deluxe II, his fourth solo album and a companion to his debut album, Hellbilly Deluxe. The album drops Feb. 2...New Wave icon - and former Talking Heads front man - David Byrne is teaming up with Fatboy Slim to release Here Lies Love on Feb. 23...Also being released on that day is Computers and Blues from British hip hop act Michael Geoffrey Skinner, also known by his stage name, The Streets...British electropop group Hot Chip is releasing its fourth album, One Life Stand on Feb. 9.
Community: Stop by Grand Rapids' Arena District (Ionia St.) for the Cajun Crawl all day on Feb. 16. Multiple bars, restaurants and area establishments will be celebrating Mardi Gras with special menus, events and the second annual "World's 1st Motionless Parade," where motionless floats will be lining the streets.
Beer: Bundle up because Fifth Third Ballpark (Comstock Park) is hosting the Michigan Brewers Guild Fifth Annual Winter Beer Festival on Feb. 27. Held by the Michigan Brewers Guild, tickets are on sale now at michiganbrewersguild.org for $35 in advance, which includes 15 drink tokens...Beer snobs can formulate the perfect Valentine's Day date by going to HopCat on Feb. 14. The number three beer bar in the world is hosting a reservations-only four-course beer-paired meal for $70 per couple. Menu items include fresh flower salad, oysters with vanilla stout foam, and ginger honey ice cream.
Art: The Division Avenue Arts Collective is inviting artists, business owners, city planners, community organizers, activists, commissioners, and creative types to participate in a conversation with artist Marc Fischer on Feb. 5 from 3-5 p.m. at the DAAC. The conversation will focus on the issues addressed in the ART WORK project, a national dialogue concerning art and economies.
Theatre: Western Michigan University's Department of Theatre's original production, Good Death, which ran in October, recently competed to win a performance opportunity at the Kennedy Center's National Festival. The festival will be held in Washington D.C. in April. Official results will be announced in March...In other WMU theatre news, Shakespeare will be making a return to the theatre in the Shaw Theatre at the Gilmore Theatre Complex with As You Like It. The last time this play saw WMU was 100 years ago, as the Department of Speech's senior play in 1910. As You Like It will run Feb. 18-26.
Film: The West Michigan Film Office is hosting a monthly mixer for anyone interested in film. The first mixer was Jan. 25 and featured Michigan Film Commissioner Janet Lockwood as its guest speaker. The event is held on the last Monday of every month from 6-9 p.m. at Brann's Steakhouse (401 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids) with drink and appetizer specials all night. Every mixer will feature a guest speaker and topics ranging from directing, producing, acting, writing, to crewing, and with updates on West Michigan film.
Comedy: Bust a gut in Kalamazoo Valentine's eve (Feb. 13) or on in GR on VD night (Feb. 14) with the Laugh Lover's Ball: An Evening of Sophisticated Silliness. The night's lineup is well-nigh a dream team of comedy, featuring Drew Hastings, Nikki Glaser, Dwight Slade, and Tim Lee. Tickets are $29.50 or $40 ($40 tickets include pre-show hors d'ouevres). Get them through the State Theatre or ticketmaster.com...Poptart® lover Brian Regan visits the Wharton Center in East Lansing on Feb. 28…C&W comic Rodney Carrington sings his classics like “A Letter to My Penis” and “Gay Factory Worker” when he visits Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in April...Gary Fields may have shut the doors to his comedy club, but that doesn't mean the laughs stop there. Fields is still coordinating comedy shows, with two shows at Ball Joint Sports Bar (4720 Beckley Road, Battle Creek) in February. On Feb. 5 and 6, clean comic Heywood Banks is performing an 8 p.m. ($18) and 10:30 p.m. ($15) show. On Feb. 12 and 13, Dwayne Gill and Dean Mink stop by for a clean $10 show.
Random Notes is compiled by REVUE staff and minions including Elena Nieman, Lindsay Patton-Carson, Brian Edwards, Kate Bedrick, Mitchell Terpstra, and Melinda Wilcox. For more breaking news about music, arts, entertainment and beer, visit the REVUE blog at revuewm.blogspot.com. Send your news to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
IF YOU'RE INTO IT: OPEN MIC
Where to go:
Billy's Lounge
1437 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids
billyslounge.com, (616) 459-5757
The minds at Billy's Lounge know most open mic nights aren't very friendly to bands looking to sharpen their stage skills. That's why they created Plugged, an open mic specifically for bands. So take your band out of the garage/basement, put down the Guitar Hero and get your training in to become the next rock god. The 21-and-up, no cover evening starts at 9 p.m. every Tuesday.
For the sensitive, intellectual type, Billy's also offers a Monday night open mic. Dubbed Grand Rapids' original open mic night, this event is also 21-and-up, no cover, and starts at 9 p.m.
Other places to go:
Harvey's on the Mall
416 South Burdick St., Kalamazoo
myspace.com/harveysonthemall, (269) 492-7506
Every Monday at 10 p.m.
Rocky's Bar and Grill
633 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
Myspace.com/rockysbarandgrille, (616) 356-2346
Acoustic open mic every Tuesday at 9:30 p.m.
Main Street Pub & Eatery
1113 Ruddiman Dr., Muskegon
(231) 744-7139
Every Sunday at 8 p.m.
Dee Lite Restaurant
24 Washington Ave, Grand Haven
harborrestaurants.com/deelite, (616) 844-5055
Every Monday at 9 p.m. Hosted by Big Daddy Fox.
Sazerac Lounge
1418 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids
thesazeraclounge.com, (616) 451-0010
Every Thursday at 10 p.m.
Louie's Bar
608 Bridge St, Grand Rapids
myspace.com/louiesandtherocketlounge
Every Monday at 9 p.m. Hosted by Curt Hines.
