The opening night of the seven-day festival featured five eclectic singer-songwriters performing varied tunes in an intimate setting. The recap, photos, video highlights and more at Local Spins.
A Night of Songs: Tunesmiths from across the state told engaging musical stories at The Clover Room. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
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The sounds gracing Kalamazoo on Monday were quite different from one another.
Indeed, the opening night of 2024’s Sounds of the Zoo unfurled as a perfect representation of what this seven-day festival is all about: showcasing the diverse and oft-overlooked talent in Michigan’s music scene.
With five singer-songwriters representing varied genres (R&B, indie-pop, Americana, hip hop, folk) on stage at Kalamazoo’s intimate Clover Room — and a free musicians’ workshop next door at La Luna Recording & Sound — Day 1 of the third-year festival created an alluring mix of story-telling charm for an attentive crowd, the first volley in a salvo of 50-plus acts who’ll perform at several different venues this week. (Details, schedule here.)
The Setting & The Organizer: Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert outside The Clover Room. (Photo/Local Spins)
“It’s insane how rich our music is,” Sounds of the Zoo founder and executive director Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert said in introducing the night’s lineup, while also encouraging fans and venues to work together to build the scene with a goal of making Kalamazoo “a Michigan music destination.”
That “insane” talent was on full display, courtesy of the night’s opening singers-in-the-round session featuring veteran Kalamazoo tunesmith Darcy Wilkin, mid-Michigan singer-guitarist Kanin Wren and Marshall pianist and singer Sammie Hershock, all of whom took turns in delivering their inviting compositions — from the introspective to the funny to the maudlin amid The Clover Room’s suave, jazzy and chill environs.
The second set in the 50-person-capacity room featured performances by soulful, piano-based Kalamazoo singer Dylan Tolbert and Detroit R&B/hip hop artist Jessica Ivey. (Scheduled Grand Rapids singer Hannah Rose Graves had to cancel due to a family emergency.)
• Wren, an 18-year-old from Dewitt who has written songs since she was 11, performed her original country/pop with a rich, thick voice and simple acoustic guitar. Her style was wistful, wishing for a past moment with the exception of “Dine and Dash,” a humorous song about a self-interested date. Her initial uncertain shyness grew into quiet confidence thanks to the audience’s rapt attention.
• Sammie Hershock performed poignant, striking keyboard ballads. She waxed poetic about Michigan’s music scene only to realize she hadn’t even introduced herself. Her music exuded an aching and painful yet hopeful vibe, with an organic-feeling voice leveling out the work. Compelling imagery kept the work intriguing.
• Darcy Wilkin, who described herself as “a folk singin’ kinda girl,” reveled in her murder ballad — “I like to call it a justified homicide ballad actually” — which showed off her voice, waltzing slowly over her work, performed on her 1934 Gibson guitar.
• Dylan Tolbert, praising Hudson-Prenkert as a “doer” who has brought Sounds of Zoo to life, showed off not only his piano-playing skills but a striking, expressive voice that propelled songs ranging from R&B balladry to New Orleans-hued dazzle.
In Praise of Sounds of the Zoo: Dylan Tolbert (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
• Detroit’s Jessica Ivey, a one-time Kalamazoo resident who credited the Last Gasp Collective and the city’s scene for giving her the space, confidence and support to move forward with her music, augmented her soulful singing with an arsenal of DJ-gear, looping equipment and instruments to provide a lush backdrop for her contemplative, personal tracks.
“I just want people to have a lot of fun. I want to bring back some pure joy and excitement,” said Hudson-Prenkert, who believes the free festival has grown year by year. “And just for the sake of it, without any other reason, but just connecting. I think we need to really tap into each other these days in a really organic, like, sincere way that really is just about a connection.”
While the week’s performances are free, attendees are encouraged to donate to Sounds of the Zoo at the shows or online here, while also purchasing festival and band merchandise, and otherwise supporting the festival and its performers.
“It feels like there’s momentum happening in a different way, that the message is getting out there,” she said. “I like, struck a match and it’s like bubbling and … I’m really proud of every year of music that I’ve had.”
Today (Tuesday), the festival moves to Old Dog Tavern for performances by Abe Savas & The New Standards of Beauty, Mexicuba and two bands from the Kalamazoo Academy of Rock, starting at 6 p.m. View the full weekly schedule below.
PHOTO GALLERY: Sounds of the Zoo at The Clover Room (Monday)
Photos by Derek Ketchum, Cassandra Kipp, John Sinkevics
VIDEO: Sounds of the Zoo – Day 1 Highlights
SOUNDS OF THE ZOO 2024: THE SCHEDULE
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