Grand Rapids’ Festival of the Arts will raise the curtain on summer entertainment this weekend with dozens of bands, dance groups and solo artists playing several stages over three days.
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But another Michigan festival – one that will close the summer with 200 performances on 10 stages – is beckoning local bands with the lure of playing in front of huge crowds.
The Ford Arts, Beats & Eats in downtown Royal Oak takes place Aug. 31-Sept. 3, and organizers are still seeking Michigan bands to fill performance slots for the festival, which draws upwards of 100,000 people for music, a juried art show and cuisine.
Interested performers, including those from West Michigan, must submit their applications by the end of the day Monday, June 4, says David Codr, founder of Musicpage, a national online resource for musicians and music industry professionals which has partnered with the Arts, Beats & Eats festival.
David Codr
“There are 200 slots they’re trying to book … and all the supporting acts are going to be Michigan-based bands,” Codr told me. “But people like to wait until the last minute (to apply).”
Unlike many festivals, acts selected for the 15th annual Arts, Beats & Eats event will be paid.
And as Codr puts it: “It’s a pretty cool opportunity to play in front of a hell of a lot of people.”
For the 2012 festival, all applications are being handled exclusively by musicpage.com at https://www.musicpage.com/artsbeatsandeats.
The applications are free, but bands applying must create a Musicpage profile.
Launched online about year ago, Musicpage provides contact information about the music industry in more than 40 categories – including performers, promoters, production companies and instrument dealers — with separate listings for each state.
For those unfamiliar with the event on the east side of the state, Codr says the Arts, Beats & Eats festival on Labor Day weekend is “looking for the best artists we can get to play … real talented acts.” Every year, he notes, there’s “a band or two that steals the show,” and often these are previously unheralded local groups.
“It’s not so much about their draw,” he says, “it’s about their talent.”
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