Midwest Skies, Valentiger, The Legal Immigrants, SoundIsRed, Maybe Next Time and more play the West Ottawa High School weekend fest which showcases emerging, diverse talent. See the full schedule.
The veteran WO-Stock performers in Midwest Skies see the unique two-day festival at West Ottawa High School north of Holland as “an opportunity for us to give back with our music, which is by far one of the most rewarding parts of the performance.”
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“Having different types of music on display keeps things fresh, not only for the fans but for the artists as well,” adds bassist Ryan Ykimoff of the Grand Rapids power pop/rock trio which will play the event for the fourth time this weekend.
“All of us in Midwest Skies have pretty diverse music interests, so having a lot of different genres to listen to makes things more exciting for us as artists and listeners in the crowd.”
Indeed, the 13th annual, all-ages event – a project of West Ottawa’s CTEE (Cultural, Technical, Environmental Exchange) – hosts 28 bands on two stages with some of the area’s best up-and-coming bands as well as established acts covering a variety of musical styles.
And yet, this indoor showcase of West Michigan talent may be one of March’s best-kept secrets.
“This is a unique opportunity right in our backyards, and too few know about it,” says Andrew Kinsler, of Vinylicious, a West Michigan cover band featuring educators which has played every WO-Stock since its creation.
Because it’s a benefit to raise money for computers, medical supplies, clothing and toys for Cameroon, Africa, bandmate Brad Vredevoogd adds that he’d like to see “a larger representation of the public domain at the event, because every little bit helps.”
From its diverse lineup to its attention to sound quality, WO-Stock stands out.
West Ottawa High School students are involved in all aspects of the event’s production, including sound, lighting, promotion, concessions and more. And all proceeds from WO-Stock go to the charity, which has installed more than 2,700 used computers in Cameroon since the program began.
Just as important, said Mike Jaeger, CTEE faculty advisor and West Ottawa science teacher, it’s an “opportunity for student musicians to share stages with professional acts” and display the region’s musical diversity – from jazz to synth-pop and rock to rap. This year’s theme is “Viva La Vida.”
Performances take place 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $10 each day at the door, or $15 for two days, purchased in advance.
It’s also a chance for established bands to reach a broader audience and meet “new fans. It’s a great feeling coming back from a set and having people wanting to buy our music and learn more about the band,” said Sam Engelsman, guitarist for Grand Rapids pop-punk band Maybe Next Time.
A PLACE TO FIND ‘YOUR FAVORITE BAND,’ SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE
“Go check out bands and give them a shot. Who knows, you might find your favorite band.”
Those bands include experienced popular acts who perform regularly throughout West Michigan, including The Legal Immigrants, American Wifi, Valentiger, Secret Grief and Olivia Mainville.
Tech-savvy drummer Kevin DePree of SoundIsRed started playing WO-Stock 10 years ago as a freshman in high school. He’s still “happy to bring some music back to the venue that gave me the opportunity” every year and help out a good cause.
“The more access our world has to computers and technology, the more we can imagine and create,” he said of CTEE’s mission to send computers to Cameroon. “Sharing those tools is important.”
Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC
WO-Stock is a great and fun event, it’s gonna be a blast this year! 😀
Somewhat-interesting trivia – two West Michigan band now on radio stations across the U.S. once played the same WO-Stock event” Willamena, and Pop Evil.