With no overlapping sets, more than a dozen Michigan acts will perform at the first-year Shagbark Music and Arts Festival taking place near Caledonia. Get the preview, schedule and a festival playlist.
Shagbark Celebration: It all starts Thursday evening. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
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When West Michigan-based Nathan Walton & The Remedy kick off the inaugural Shagbark Music & Arts Festival south of Grand Rapids on Thursday, band members will feel more excited than usual as they unleash “the funky, soul music” fans have come to expect from the up-and-coming ensemble.
“We are pumped to be the first band on the new stage at Shagbark,” said frontman Nathan Walton, noting that with drummer Scotty King on board for the 6:15 p.m. set, the group also plans to feature songs from the band’s 2021 self-titled debut album.
Re-branded from the long-running Cowpie Music Festival that took place in the same location, the Shagbark festival runs Thursday through Saturday (Aug. 3-5) in Alaska, outside Caledonia with more than a dozen Michigan bands, along with a host of family-style activities.
Swanky New Stage: Shagbark owner ‘Farmer’ John Crissman. (Photo/Local Spins)
“We believe Shagbark stands out from other festivals with the goal of creating a fun, family-oriented atmosphere with something to do for all ages,” said Nathan Purchase of Purchase Productions, which has overseen talent booking for the 2023 festival.
“We have been working hard on several aspects of that with a kids’ tent filled with activities all weekend long for our younger festivalgoers. Our operations leader, Josh Mumme, just put in a brand new nine-hole disc golf course designed specifically for any age or skill level to enjoy. And we’ll have a couple of other surprises in store for our festival attendees.”
With two late-night sets by Grand Rapids jam band Desmond Jones and headlining performances by Otsego native and Nashville-based Americana artist Myron Elkins, funky Ann Arbor jazz-rock outfit Pajamas and award-winning Grand Haven bluegrass band Full Cord, Shagbark has concentrated on regional quality over quantity, ensuring that none of the weekend performances overlap with another.
Not only that, but work is being completed this week on a permanent new concrete stage that’s 24 feet wide and 66 feet long.
“Our goal with the rebrand was simple. Cowpie started out as a strictly blues-only festival. As we have grown over the years, we have become more inclusive of all genres ranging from bluegrass, funk, rock, and hip hop,” Purchase said.
Desmond Jones: The band will play twice over the weekend. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
“In this first year of Shagbark, we believe we have succeeded in creating a stellar lineup by keeping it local and only booking Michigan-based groups spanning several genres, two stages, and zero overlapping music.”
After The Remedy, the festival on Thursday will also feature roots rock’s Kyle Brown & The Human Condition and finally, Full Cord. Other artists performing Friday and Saturday include The Bootstrap Boys, Earth Radio, Max Lockwood, Chirp, Flexadecibel, Trax a Trillion + Porkchop and Round Creek String Band. (Scroll down for the complete schedule.)
John Nowak, drummer for Grand Rapids jam band Desmond Jones, which was a featured act at several past Cowpie festivals, said fans this weekend can expect “funky, high-energy and borderline strange” sets from the group, which accompanies fire performers on Friday.
The band’s headlining main-stage set on Saturday will feature the “usual shenanigans and potentially the most exciting wardrobe choices of the weekend,” Nowak quipped.
Festivalgoers should also be aware of another change from past festivals: Although there will be various vendors on hand, there will be no beer tent at Shagbark. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own canned beer and other beverages for the weekend.
SHAGBARK MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL
Myron Elkins (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
WHERE: Shagbark Farm, 7525 Alaska Ave. SE, Caledonia, 49316
WEBSITE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shagbark-music-arts-festival-tickets-586048736547
THE DRIVE: 18 miles (23 minutes) southeast of Grand Rapids
51 miles (52 minutes) northeast of Kalamazoo
147 miles (2 hours, 21 minutes) west of Detroit
58 miles (1 hour) west of Lansing
157 miles (2 hours, 26 minutes) south of Traverse City
THE LINEUP: Myron Elkins, Full Cord, Desmond Jones, Pajamas, Chirp, Nathan Walton & The Remedy, Kyle Brown & The Human Condition, The Bootstrap Boys, Earth Radio, Flexadecibel, Trax a Trillion + Porkchop, Max Lockwood, Round Creek String Band.
QUOTE: “I love how the schedule is packed with incredibly talented local artists and bands. With no overlapping set times, there’s no pressure to pick between two bands playing at the same time or running from stage to stage. People will have the chance to see everyone they want and the festival won’t be splitting the crowd for performing bands.” – John Nowak, drummer for Desmond Jones
WEATHER FORECAST (as of July 31):
Thursday – High of 79 degrees, sunny and humid
Friday – High of 80 degrees, partly cloudy and humid
Saturday – High of 79 degrees, sunny
TICKETS: Weekend tickets are $90; those 10 and younger are admitted free. Day passes are $30 for Thursday, or $40 for Friday or Saturday. Get tickets online at Eventbrite.com.
SHAGBARK MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL: The Local Spins Playlist
SHAGBARK FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
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