Michigan

FATF 2023: Grace Theisen

Events, Spotlights

Grace Theisen is an Americana/Blues artist originally from Kalamazoo. Grace won Cari Cole’s Best New Artist of 2021, was named “Artist To Watch” by Local Spins in 2022, and was one of the “Top 10 Bands Heating Up The Summer” 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, “Wild Wild Woman”, 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 “Therapy Elves” 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 hasn’t 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 “playing music” 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 it’s 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.

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FATF 2023: Zion Lion

Events, Spotlights

Zion Lion is the “baddest band to hit the Kalamazoo music scene”. FATF fans may remember them from last year’s 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!

JULY 7 – ZION LION

Who are the members of the “baddest band to hit the Kalamazoo music scene”? 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.

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FATF 2023: Brothers Proper

Events

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 “The Center of the Universe”. 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 “Brothers Proper”. Get groovy with the Brothers Proper – properly – June 23rd at 7pm EST at The Youngish Professionals Committee’s first #FridaysAtTheFountain show of 2023!

JUNE 23 – Brothers Proper

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.

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Fridays at the Fountain 2023

Fridays at the Fountain 2023!

Events, Updates

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

Fridays at the Fountain 2023
Fridays at the Fountain 2023

2023 DATES

JUNE 23 – Brothers Proper

JULY 7 – Zion Lion

JULY 21 – Grace Theisen

AUGUST 4 – The RockShow

AUGUST 18 – Norman Light & Friends

JUNE 23 – Brothers Proper
JULY 7 – Zion Lion
JULY 21 – Grace Theisen
AUGUST 4 – The RockShow
AUGUST 18 – Norman Light & Friends

We’d 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!

Thank You for Wolf Tree 2023!

Events

We’d like to give a Marshall-sized THANK YOU to our sponsors, The Franke Center for the Arts, the talented filmmakers & our YPC family, who joined us for the #2023WolfTreeFilmFestival. Congrats to the festival winners and we hope to see you at next year’s event!

🏆2023 WINNERS🏆

Best Actor……….Tara Hazel Walsh (The Funeral Photographer)
Best Student Film……….An Apocalypse
Best Comedy……….Season’s Greetin’s
Best Drama……….The Funeral Photographer
Best Thriller……….Thrashed
Best in Festival……….The Funeral Photographer
Audience Choice.………Joy

Wolf Tree Film Festival: TONIGHT!

Events

It’s finally here!

We’ll see everyone at the 5th annual Wolf Tree Film Festival tonight, hosted at The Franke Center. Tickets are $16 in advance/$19 at the door, and the pre-party mixer starts at 7pm.

GET LAST MINUTE TICKETS NOW!

2023 WOLF TREE OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

50 mL (MN) | Directed by Vanessa Powers

All for Naught | Directed by TL Westgate

An Apocalypse (IL) | Directed by Matt O’Connell

Blossom (Grand Rapids, MI) | Directed by Tanner Hamilton

Different (Detroit, MI) | Directed by Alexsys Giraud

JOY (Dearborn, MI) | Directed by Salim Laham

Pressed (PA) | Directed by Michelle Elise Harding & Scott “Silent K” Knowlton

Season’s Greetin’s (WI) | Directed by Owen Imgrund

The Funeral Photographer (Sawyer, MI) | Directed by Ashley Thompson

Thrashed (MI) | Directed by Joe Nicholas Post

CW: Some films included in this festival contain mature content that may be inappropriate for young viewers and may be triggering for others. Viewer discretion is advised.

2023 Wolf Tree Film Festival Official Selections

Events

Wolf Tree proudly presents our 2023 🏆Official Selections🏆 for short films!

Every Wolf Tree is curated carefully and thoughtfully, from the programming to the production behind it. Our committee of fellow film and theatre aficionados invite you to experience Marshall’s own homegrown film festival – January 21, 2023 at 7pm! Join us at The Franke Center for an exciting evening of screenings and a mixer with the filmmakers and the YPC.

CW: Some films included in this festival contain mature content that may be inappropriate for young viewers and may be triggering for others. Viewer discretion is advised.

🎥 50 mL (MN) | Directed by Vanessa Powers

A drama about a young man who struggles with his sobriety while he and his wife host a holiday dinner with her dysfunctional family.

🎥 All for Naught | Directed by TL Westgate

A comedy about a hitman who thinks he’s on a routine mission, but he’s got another think coming.

🎥 An Apocalypse (IL) | Directed by Matt O’Connell

A drama about a lonely, sensitive boy and his doomsday-prepping father.

🎥 Blossom (Grand Rapids, MI) | Directed by Tanner Hamilton

A live-action animated short about a young girl and her imaginary friend, a silent and friendly monster.

🎥 Different (Detroit, MI) | Directed by Alexsys Giraud

A 7th grade student shares their thoughts about being Different.

🎥 JOY (Dearborn, MI) | Directed by Salim Laham

A foreign language drama about a pianist who suffers from conversion disorder, and the universal language of music.

🎥 Pressed (PA) | Directed by Michelle Elise Harding and Scott “Silent K” Knowlton

A drama about a seasoned journalist who reevaluates the role she plays in other people’s stories.

🎥 Season’s Greetin’s (WI) | Directed by Owen Imgrund

A dark comedy about two friends who hope to buy a car but discover a corpse in its trunk.

🎥The Funeral Photographer (Sawyer, MI) | Directed by Ashley Thompson

A drama/mystery about a photographer tasked with taking photos of all in attendance at a funeral.

🎥Thrashed (MI) | Directed by Joe Nicholas Post

A thriller about two surfers who take matters into their own hands to catch a killer.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

The Skivvies

Events

November 19, 2022 | 8PM

Special Mainstage Guest: Danae Lortz, Charlie King & Beau Hutchings
DOWNSTAGE CLUB PRESHOW: DANAE LORTZ | 7 PM

Please join us November 19th at 8pm for The Skivvies! Hosted by The Franke Center with Special Mainstage Guests Beau Hutchings, Charlie King, & Danae Lortz, The Skivvies are Nick Cearley and Sydney Shepherd, a musical comedy duo who performs stripped down arrangements of eclectic covers and eccentric originals while literally stripping down to their underwear.

GET TICKETS NOW!

The Skivvies are Nick Cearley and Sydney Shepherd singer/actor/musicians performing stripped-down arrangements of eclectic covers and eccentric originals. Not only is the music stripped down – cello, ukulele, glockenspiel, melodica – but the Skivvies literally strip down to their underwear to perform. The Skivvies were born in 2012 when they became YouTube sensations with their unique covers of artists like Robyn, Carole King, and Rihanna. The videos led to live shows, and now this “musically thrilling”, undie-rock, the comedy-pop duo continues to perform to sold-out audiences in New York and beyond.

The Wall Street Journal calls them “smart, sophisticated…ingenious,” and Out Magazine says, “The Skivvies have managed to carve out a niche that we never knew needed to exist: part Weird Al- parody and part sexy burlesque…and unusual explosion of satire and sultry.”  People Magazine named The Skivvies “The Most Playful Performers” in The Most Talked about Bodies issue and Sports Illustrated named them “Favorite New Band”.  The New York Times calls them “a hot musical comedy duo specializing in unexpected arrangements, incongruous mashups, and of course, highly toned displays of skin.” They were also nominated for a MAC award for show of the year.