đ Wolf Tree Best Documentary Award Winner (Perpetual Plastic, 2022) and Marshall local, Eric Ebner, has gone on to win awards at various film festivals including the first prize at the National Geographic Ocean Plastic Innovation Challenge. Heâs also directed other amazing films such as The Bull, Nuestros Muertos, Opening The Earth: The Potato King and more.
Check out his website here:
And check out his past YPC Spotlight:
Every last Thursday of the month, join us at 5:30 for an evening of fun! Free admission and no cover. Bust out your favorite ugly Christmas sweater and help us kick off the holiday season with this screening of the classic 80âs comedy movie National Lampoonâs Christmas Vacation. Chat with your friends, quote along with the movie, and enjoy some delicious food from Pastrami Joeâs in our intimate Downstage Club. There will be prizes, trivia, holiday beverages, and more! Bring your friends and letâs get our Christmas on!
Learn more at: https://thefranke.org/events/national-lampoons-christmas-vacation/
Date & Time: Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 5:30PM – 8:00PM EDT
Location: The Franke Center for the Arts (214 E Mansion St, Marshall, MI 49068-1151)
Every last Thursday of the month, join us at 5:30 for an evening of fun! To kick off this event series, join us for 80âs and 90âs karaoke. St. Samuels food truck will be onsite serving delicious meals and appetizers. The bar will be pouring your favorite cocktails, and youâll have a chance to unwind with your friends in The Franke Centerâs Downstage Club! So dust off your favorite power ballads come on down. No tickets or cover charge required!
Learn more at: https://thefranke.org/events/80s-and-90s-karaoke
Date & Time: Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 5:30PM – 8:00PM EDT
Location: The Franke Center for the Arts (214 E Mansion St, Marshall, MI 49068-1151)
Independent filmmakers â submissions are now open for #WolfTreeFilmFestival2024!
The Franke Center for the Arts is gearing up again for the popular community event, The Wolf Tree Film Festival (The Youngish Professionals Committee). The submission site, FilmFreeway.com, is now open for entries.
Everyone is welcome to attend, including cinema fans as well as industry professionals. The Wolf Tree Film Festival is in its 6th year and is set for January 20, 2024 at 7:30pm ET. The festival will once again showcase short films (under 30 minutes) set in the Great Lakes region or that include themes or topics related to the region, as well as the work of filmmakers who reside in or grew up in the Great Lakes region.
This yearâs event will again include screenings of each selected film, a meet and greet with the filmmakers and an awards presentation. Selected films will include a variety of genres, including comedy, drama, documentary and others.
Submissions can be submitted at the button below. Deadline for the submissions is November 12th.
Guess whoâs returning to #FridaysAtTheFountain? Marshall local and fan-favorite: Norman Light!
Performing at previous FATFâs with Chameleon and Rae of Light, weâre excited to have him close out this yearâs event by bringing back Norman Light & Friends. The only thing guaranteed is that thereâll be a night of good music, with fantastic musicians. Playing songs that everyone knows from a wide range of genres, every show brings a different line-up that makes each experience unique and memorable. Donât forget to join us for our last show at the fountain – August 18th at 7pm EST!
Please give a warm welcome to FATF alum, Norman Light & Friends, and weâll see you August 18th at 7pm EST!
THE YPC: What kind of music/instruments do you enjoy playing the most?
NL: Favorite instrument – guitar of course đ And music? I love playing songs from all eras and all genres. I like playing a mix so that the youngest kid will find a song they like, all the way up to the grandparents enjoying the music together.
THE YPC: What is your funniest memory about playing a show or being on tour?
NL: Too many to remember, but so many funny times driving back and forth to Florida with my band Rae of Light.
THE YPC: What are you most excited about for FATF?
NL: Praying that we actually play at the actual fountain. We’ve been scheduled twice before: once it got canceled, and the other we relocated to Dark Horse. Still a great show/venue, but not the fountain!
THE YPC: What is your biggest achievement thus far?
NL: Writing our own songs that we’re proud of.
THE YPC: If you could make an instrument out of a piece of food, what would it be?
NL: A pineapple-tar.
The RockShow: The Ultimate Tribute to Journey must be seen and heard to be believed. This fun 80s rock tribute band will take you back to the days when Journey topped the charts playing all your favorite hits. When the band takes the stage, you will see and hear why fans all over the nation are raving about their Journey experience as Tommy Kâs remarkable âPerryesqueâ vocal performance will leave you amazed that it is not Steve Perry himself. Levi Goodwin (bass/vocals) and Chris Bartnikowski (drums/vocals) round out the Journey Tribute. The RockShow also performs covers from a variety of different 80s rock bands. Come rock out with us and The RockShow – August 4th at 7pm EST!
Get ready to rock out đ¤with The RockShow at FATF on August 4th! But first, letâs go on a little Journey with them in this interesting interview:
THE YPC: What kind of music/instruments do you enjoy playing the most?
TRS: Performing the music of Journey.
THE YPC: What is your favorite thing or special memory about Michigan?
TRS: Opening up for many National Artists such as Great White, Eddie Money, April Wine, Whitesnake, Tesla, Blue Oyster Cult, Firehouse, Ratt, The Guess Who, and many more!
THE YPC: What are you most excited about for FATF?
TRS: It will be our first time in Marshall in about 5 years.
THE YPC: What is your biggest achievement thus far?
TRS: Fremont Street, Las Vegas. (3 times) and opening up for many National Artists.
THE YPC: If you could compose a movie soundtrack, what sort of film would it be?
TRS: I (Tommy K) actually wrote the music for a documentary on the shipwrecks of the Great Lakes by Ric Mixter called âDEEP SIXâ Titanics of the Great Lakes. It aired on PBS and is available online to purchase.
Grace Theisen is an Americana/Blues artist originally from Kalamazoo. Grace won Cari Coleâs Best New Artist of 2021, was named âArtist To Watchâ by Local Spins in 2022, and was one of the âTop 10 Bands Heating Up The Summerâ by Revue. From her 3rd EP, Dance With The Shadows, the Down To The River official music video won Best Americana Video & The Audience Choice Award at the 2022 Michigan Music Video Awards. Her newest single, âWild Wild Womanâ, is out now across all streaming platforms. Be sure to join us July 21st at 7pm EST for the highly anticipated performance of rising Americana/Blues artist, Grace Theisen!
Please give a warm welcome to rising artist (and Michigan native) Grace Theisen, in our pre-FATF interview, and see her live – July 21st at the Brooks Memorial Fountain!
THE YPC: What kind of music/instruments do you enjoy playing the most?
GT: Well obviously acoustic guitar because that is what I play but I am learning bass right now which has been a blast to learn! I LOVE swampy/blues slide guitar and that is my next venture to learn.
THE YPC: What is your funniest memory about playing a show or being on tour?
GT: In March I toured with my girlband, The Rebel Eves, and for the longest time people thought our name was actually âTherapy Elvesâ because our website (www.therebeleves.com) does look like that when the letters are so close together. We thought it was so hilarious and so accurate as to what our band is all about so we designed a summer festival t-shirt around it that will come out in July when we go on tour!
THE YPC: What are you most excited about for FATF?
GT: To expose Marshall to my incredible trio featuring the percussion queen herself, Carolyn Koebel and my main guitar Maestro, Adam Main!
THE YPC: What is your biggest achievement thus far?
GT: While it hasnât happened yet. We get to play Frederick Meijer Gardens on June 6th which feels like a super huge honor. But also at the end of the day the fact that I get to call âplaying musicâ my full-time job feels like a really huge deal considering Covid almost knocked out our entire industry. I am very new to pursuing this as I ran a nonprofit for almost all of my twenties so itâs only been the last 3 years that I have seriously pursued music as a career.
THE YPC: If you could make an instrument out of a piece of food, what would it be?
GT: Oh hands down I would make a guitar out of Werthers! They are my favorite candy⌠I literally eat them every night because, yes, I am 80 years-old in my soul.
Zion Lion is the âbaddest band to hit the Kalamazoo music sceneâ. FATF fans may remember them from last yearâs series. Our crowd was up dancing and having a great time! The members are a combination of several bands from the Kalamazoo area that crossed each other’s path along the way and decided to form what we believe to be the right mix of reggae, African zouk, mucosa, zoukous, and some Afro-Latin influences. Mark your calendars for July 7th at 7pm EST as Zion Lion returns to FATF with good vibes and good times!
Who are the members of the âbaddest band to hit the Kalamazoo music sceneâ? Find out in our interview with Myra Atkinson (lead vocalist & steel pan for Zion Lion), and catch their exciting performance at FATF July 7th!
THE YPC: What kind of music/instruments do you enjoy playing the most?
ZL: We love playing reggae and socca. For me it’s the steel pan.
THE YPC: What is your funniest memory about playing a show or being on tour?
ZL: We were headed to a festival in Kentucky and one of our former members from Africa asked if we could stop and get Kentucky Fried Chicken.
THE YPC: What are you most excited about for FATF?
ZL: Love the ambience of the fountain in the background while performing!
THE YPC: What is your biggest achievement thus far?
ZL: Opening up for international reggae acts that we only dreamt of.
THE YPC: If you could make an instrument out of a piece of food, what would it be?
ZL: A carrot into a flute.
The Brothers Proper power trio hails from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area and bring an eclectic set of original takes on classic blues, jazz, soulful Motown funk, as well as some heartfelt originals. Known and loved for their low volume, easy listening groove, Brothers Proper will bring a musical energy that will transport you to âThe Center of the Universeâ. Though not proper brothers, the energy and musical connection of these 3 musicians become one united sound and groove, leaving you knowing why they are called the âBrothers Properâ. Get groovy with the Brothers Proper – properly – June 23rd at 7pm EST at The Youngish Professionals Committee’s first #FridaysAtTheFountain show of 2023!
Get to know the Brothers Proper in this fun interview with lead guitar & vocalist, Tom Hutchinson!
THE YPC: What kind of music/instruments do you enjoy playing the most?
BP: Funk, Blues and jazz are my favorite genres and I only play Fender Telecasters.
THE YPC: What is your funniest memory about playing a show or being on tour?
BP: As most Brothers Proper fans know, always play barefoot. I was once playing a backyard party & I stepped off the stage onto the wet grass (with my electric guitar). I got shocked so bad, it threw me into the drum-set. However, the band never stopped playing and I eventually got up and finished the song.
THE YPC: What are you most excited about for FATF?
BP: This will be our first time playing at FATF and we are excited to play such a beautiful location.
THE YPC: What is your biggest achievement thus far?
BP: Opening for Backyard, Burgers and Brews festival in BC and playing to 5k people, what a rush!
THE YPC: If you could make an instrument out of a piece of food, what would it be?
BP: A guitar every day, and I made a Telecaster-Style guitar once out of a solid chunk of African Mahogany.
The sounds of summer are here! The Youngish Professionals Committee is thrilled to announce the return of our community concert series, Fridays at the Fountain, featuring 5 amazing live performances at the Brooks Memorial Fountain! Join us starting June 23rd (with a chair and a blanket) at the fountain.
*In the event of inclement weather, FATF will move to: Dark Horse Brewing Company on 7/7 and 7/21 and at The Franke Center for the Arts on 6/23, 8/4, and 8/18
JUNE 23 â Brothers Proper
JULY 7 â Zion Lion
JULY 21 â Grace Theisen
AUGUST 4 â The RockShow
AUGUST 18 â Norman Light & Friends
Weâd like to thank our wonderful partners for supporting #FridaysAtTheFountain2023: Choose Marshall, Underhill Agency – Farmers Insurance, Franke Center For The Arts, Marshall Rotary Club, Marshall Community Foundation, Green Scene, Party Time, Copper Athletic Club, terraNOVA Collective, Dark Horse Brewing Co., Black Lab Five & River Run Press!