The Kalamazoo festival celebrating the heritage of stringed instruments on Saturday boasted nine fan-enticing performances, impromptu jams and lots of folks browsing exhibits and vendors.
Packed House: Djangophonique closed out Saturday’s Fretboard Festival with an eye-popping set. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
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If 2023 was a post-COVID step forward for the Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival, then the 2024 affair on Saturday was a full-fledged return to robust top-tier attendance, top-shelf performances and jamming, and top-notch browsing for handcrafted guitars and more.
Amid gorgeous, sun-splashed weather, the free 2024 festival at Kalamazoo Valley Museum packed several different rooms for performances by everything from the Kalamazoo Mandolin & Guitar Orchestra to the jazzy alt-pop of Basic Comfort to the harmony-driven Americana strains of The Mickeys to the entertaining folk of icon Joel Mabus and jazz manouche of Djangophonique.
Festival Fare: Guitars and guitar lovers galore. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
Throughout the day, attendees browsed exhibits by guitar and stringed-instrument vendors and other music-related businesses, participated in instrument workshops or jammed with fellow acoustic players such as those involved with the Great Lakes Acoustic Music Association.
Overall, upwards of 1,400 people attended Saturday’s day-long festival, an increase from 2023.
“I was really pleased with the turnout. It’s obvious people are ready to be back in person,” said Bill McElhone, director of Kalamazoo Valley Museum, noting some fans even had to wait to enter some performances because they were at capacity. “We had fabulous weather, so that didn’t hurt either and it seemed like everybody had a great time.”
The comments from attendees and musicians told the story:
• “It’s its own thing. It’s unique enough that it has its own personality,” longtime festival attendee and performer Mabus said of ethe festival after his noontime banjo workshop and prior to his music history-laden, late afternoon set in Mary Jane Stryker Theater.
Rene Meave (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
• “I thought it was good; great for experienced players,” said first-time festival attendee Sam Kapp of Kalamazoo, who attended the day’s first workshop led by Rene Meave. “Intrigued with the amount of workshops that are offered, and definitely would attend more next year.”
• “The sound here is really good. Always hear them at bars where the sound is kind of crap, but you can really hear them here and that was really cool,” said Julia Hulbert of Kalamazoo.
• “I think people seem to enjoy the social element of it, I guess people who are into music like to converse with each other,” said Heather Lehman, who works at Kalamazoo Valley Museum.
• “I’ve been going to Fretboard Fest for a long time now, and it’s nice to finally be able to play such a fun festival with so many talented musicians,” said Tony Mitchell, keyboardist and singer for Basic Comfort. “Also, shout-out to (festival producer) Bryan Heany and the KVCC team for putting this festival together every year.”
• “It feels great to play Fretboard Fest. It’s my second year and I’m honored and appreciative to be doing it,” said guitarist and singer Mike Anyonga of Basic Comfort.
Pop-Up Performance: Payton & Annabelle (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
Young singer-songwriters Annabelle Fuerst and Payton Carter — performing as Payton & Annabelle — made their first-ever Fretboard Festival appearance on Saturday as part of a second-floor “pop-up” set. It came just hours before they hosted a full-band album-release show for their brand new debut recording that night at the Clover Room. Boasting sweet harmonies, the duo performance impressed festivalgoers.
“I wasn’t expecting them to be that good,” marveled Natalie Noud, of Kalamazoo, a lifelong guitarist originally frmo St. Louis.
McElhone said the bigger crowds and impressive sets on Saturday bode well for next year’s event. “We’ll continue to look for high-quality acts that represent Soughwest Michigan and other parts of the state as well.” – John Sinkevics, Casey Grooten and Cassandra Kipp contributed to this report.
PHOTO GALLERY: Fretboard Festival 2024
Photos by Derek Ketchum
VIDEO: Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival Highlights
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