The Mainstays, DC, DJ Boogie and The Incantations made it a manic Monday at Bell’s Brewery, kicking off the inaugural Sounds of the Zoo with an eclectic blast. Recap, photos.

Loving Hip Hop: DC with special guest DJ Boogie. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTO GALLERIES, VIDEO, FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
From the musicians on stage to the musicians in the audience to the fans just there for a bracing night of regional live music, the opening night of Kalamazoo’s first-ever Sounds of the Zoo festival rolled out at as the sort of uplifting, upbeat event that West Michigan’s music scene needs and deserves.
Kicking off with a Michigan Music Alliance information session for musicians interested in starting an LLC to performances by rootsy rock’s The Incantations, DC wsg 13-year-old DJ Boogie and funk sensations The Mainstays, Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Café served as the launching pad on Monday for a seven-day celebration of Michigan music.

Bringing the Funk: Andrew Schrock of The Mainstays. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
The idea: Let’s keep this vibe going for seven days.
Festival organizer Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert said late Monday that it’s all about “a sense of community – unify the community. It’s almost like creating a movement.”
That movement felt like it had a spark on Monday that would light a fire that would keep things heated up for more than just a week.
“It’s a wonderful concept,” Mainstays lead singer Andrew Schrock said of Sounds of the Zoo, encouraging music fans to support the festival for years to come.
For at least a few hours, it was a Monday unlike any other in Kalamazoo, with a night of singer-songwriter charm set to light up Hilton Garden Inn on Tuesday night. (View a full weekly festival schedule below.)
“Won’t you take me out of this pain,” The Incantations sang at one point on Monday.
They did – and so did everyone else on stage, proving the healing power of music and the power of West Michigan’s music scene.
PHOTO GALLERY: Sounds of the Zoo, Day 1
Photos by Derek Ketchum
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker
Copyright 2022, Spins on Music LLC