Shagbark: Sunshine, heat, hot music mark festival's Day 1

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Welcome to our recap of Shagbark Music & Arts Fest’s Day 1. Plus, we feature organizer ‘Farmer’ John Crissman and new Michigan music — from Full Cord to Au Gres — in today’s Local Spins on WYCE podcast.

Bluegrass Barking: Full Cord not only headlined Shagbark’s Day 1, but just released a new single. (Photo/Anna Sink)

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Before the event even began, Shagbark Music & Arts Festival’s head honcho, “Farmer” John Crissman, said he hoped performers would be blown away by the improvements, the special vibe and the hard work that went into creating the re-branded Cowpie fest in southern Kent County.

“I’m looking forward to how many times the musicians are gonna say, ‘Holy Bleep,’ ” he quipped. “I want them to be as thrilled with it as much as I am.”

If Day 1 of the inaugural Shagbark festival is any indication, ‘Holy Bleep’ mission accomplished.

Happy Host: “Farmer” John Crissman on stage Thursday evening. (Photo/Anna Sink)

After building a permanent new concrete stage, installing endless lines of fencing, and mowing, mowing and re-mowing 60 acres of pasture land, the festival in Alaska unfurled on Thursday amid sunny skies and an upbeat milieu enhanced by performances from an all-Michigan lineup of bands.

Grand Rapids’ Nathan Walton & The Remedy uncorked the first set of the festival, bolstering the friendly, lax atmosphere. Soulful vocals enhanced by saxophone perfectly suited the grassy-hill, gentle-breeze sense of the festival’s new stage.

“It’s cool: first day, first Shagbark festival ever, but like this place definitely holds a special place in my heart from the Cowpie days. It’s awesome to return to the farm,” said guitarist and singer Kyle Brown, frontman for the band Kyle Brown & The Human Condition, which performed the evening’s second set on Thursday.

Brown called Crissman “a great part” of the region’s music scene, so it’s special to participate in the 2023 festival.

“He’s such a staple in the music community and it’s been great getting to know him and be a part of this awesome event on this beautiful land.”

‘COMFORT, FUN, LOVE’ AND NO OVERLAPPING SETS

With no overlapping sets, a surprisingly small but endlessly ebullient crowd of first-day attendees — with many more expected over the weekend — meandered between the festival’s two stages for performance by Brown and his rootsy rock band, The Remedy and bluegrass outfit Full Cord, which closed out the night with a peppy set that included the songs “I Laugh When I Think How I Cried Over You” and “Wild Mountain Rose.”

‘Beautiful Land’: The setting on Shagbark Farm. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)

All of it took place amid a picturesque West Michigan setting embraced by musicians and fans alike.

It’s all about “comfort, fun and love, man,” quipped Erica, a Cowpie festival veteran from North Muskegon, noting that the new Shagbark event had met those expectations “100 percent.”

Noted Brown: “Outside in the summer with a bunch of people who love music and I get to play music for ’em? It’s kind of my favorite thing.”

The festival continues today (Friday) and Saturday, with Myron Elkins, Chirp, Desmond Jones, Pajamas, Max Lockwood, Earth Radio, The Bootstrap Boys and more. The schedule and a preview online here.

In addition to an on-site interview with Shagbark’s Crissman, this week’s episode of Local Spins on WYCE also featured the debut of new Michigan tracks by Au Gres, Daisybox, Stellar Tantrum, A Study in Scarlet, The Smokin’ Dobroleles and Shagbark performers Chirp and Full Cord, as well as music from Sixman, The Bronk Bros., The Crane Wives and Fake Baseball. Listen to the podcast below.

PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE (8/4/23)