Three emerging bands and several young solo performers will rub elbows with veterans such as Wallace Collective and Conklin Ceili Band at day-long festival and pig roast near Cedar Springs. (Video, podcast)
Some of Phantom Ivory’s musical influences are easy to trace.
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After all, the Rockford alternative rock band of teenagers is led by Marley Ferguson, 17, and her brother, Miles, 15, whose father just happens to be West Michigan producer and multi-instrumentalist Joel Ferguson, of Papa Vegas, Miles to Mars, The Verve Pipe and The Cones fame. “I grew up always going to his shows and it gave me a huge interest in performing and being in music,” Marley readily concedes.
But Phantom Ivory’s haunting and inventive milieu – which includes a cellist among its five members – may owe just as much to the edgy approach of singer-songwriter Fiona Apple, an inspiration to Marley, the band’s chief songwriter. “I saw her over the summer and it pretty much changed the way that I looked at music. She has a lot of intensity to her lyrics and the way she performs,” Marley says.
The same might be said for the words and music of Phantom Ivory, a band that formed about a year ago and currently features Marley on guitar and lead vocals, Miles on drums and guitar, Jonah Nelson, 15, on bass, Max Petrlich, 15, on cello and Stephanie Berezecky, 15, on keyboards.
The band released a five-song EP, “As It Turns Out,” last fall and Marley already has churned out more new material, some of which Phantom Ivory plans to perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday during the 2013 Bona-Who? Pig Roast and Music Feast organized by Joel Gordon on four acres off 15 Mile Road near Cedar Springs.
As special guests on this week’s Local Spins Live, all five members of the band packed into the studio at News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW) to perform the song, “Mumbling,” on the air. Listen to a podcast of the show here and watch a video of that performance below, featuring the youngest group of musicians ever spotlighted on Local Spins Live.
Nine bands will take the stage for Saturday’s all-day Bona-Who? festival, along with perhaps a dozen young solo performers as part of a 4 p.m. open-mic session.
A PERFORMANCE PLATFORM FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS
The event is designed to showcase emerging teen bands and give them an opportunity to rub elbows with veteran acts, which this year will include the Celtic-flavored Conklin Ceili Band (2 p.m.), Randy Marsh’s Big Organ jazz band (3 p.m.), folk-rock’s The Wallace Collective (5:30 p.m.), bluegrass’ Lucky Dog (6:30 p.m.), classic rock’s Daddy’z Breakdown (8:30 p.m.) and folk-rock’s Gumina (10:30 p.m.).
Along with Phantom Ivory (7:30 p.m.), this year’s younger rock acts on the bill include The Squares (1 p.m.) and Mr. Mammoth (9:30 p.m.); Marley and Miles Ferguson and Mr. Mammoth have played Bona-Who? previously.
“There’s always opportunities to be inspired by other people,” Marley says of playing festivals.
That’s part of the motivation behind Bona-Who? (a twist on the name of blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa, not Tennessee’s Bonnaroo festival), which Gordon started three years ago as a way to celebrate young talent.
This year’s free event kicks off at noon Saturday and runs “until the fire goes out,” with roast pig available. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring their own beverages, lawn chairs, blankets and instruments. Parking is limited at the site off 5620 15 Mile Road, so attendees are encouraged to car pool. Alcohol consumption by minors is strictly prohibited.
Although admission is free, donations will be collected to aid the family of Holland 5-year-old Taylor Brann, who recently had both kidneys removed and is awaiting a kidney transplant. For more information about Taylor and to donate to the cause, visit this Facebook page.
For Marley and Miles, who’ve played music together since grade school, the festival is another opportunity to put Phantom Ivory’s music in the spotlight.
“We put a lot of energy into it,” Marley insists. “We try to focus on the emotional side of it.”
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2013, Spins on Music