Grand Rapids’ Vox Vidorra, Detroit’s Pierre Anthony and more will take the spotlight and boost “creative energy” this week in temporary quarters in downtown Detroit.
Detroit Debut: Vox Vidorra plays Michigan House-Detroit on Wednesday night. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
The East and West sides of Michigan boast different musical vibes.
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West Michigan's music scene
Detroit is a muscular, grungy, rock ’n’ roll mecca and the birthplace of Motown.
A Block from Cobo: Michigan House-Detroit
Although much of that has seeped into West Michigan’s music scene, there’s a rootsier feel to many of the indie-folk and Americana-inspired bands that have flourished along Lake Michigan as of late.
Recently, there have been efforts to bridge that gap, with more bands traversing the state to play venues with their geographical counterparts. That intrastate musical trend takes center stage this week in Detroit.
Michigan House, a pop-up venue backed by the Creative Many Michigan organization, has hosted events during Artprize in Grand Rapids and South by Southwest in Austin, Texas – doing its part to bring the music scenes together.
This week, the Grand Rapids-based organization will host a Michigan House venue in downtown Detroit during the North American International Auto Show that runs through Jan. 24.
Michigan House festivities will take place at 601 W. Fort St. – a block from Cobo Center – in a second-floor, 9,000-square-foot loft.
Ted Velie
As part of Michigan House–Detroit, Grand Rapids’ soul powerhouse outfit, Vox Vidorra, will venture east for its first-ever Detroit show on Wednesday night.
“Detroit was an obvious choice because of the creative energy that permeates the air down here,” said Ted Velie, of Michigan House. “So many great people to work with down here.”
Starting Tuesday, and running through Friday, a steady schedule of events is slated for the unique space.
It starts Tuesday with a “Welcome to Detroit Party,” a Detroit “Food City” discussion featuring chefs and restaurant owners from the Motor City. Food and drink from Le Petit Zinc, Harry’s Detroit, Atwater Brewing and Detroit Distillery will cap off the evening along with entertainment by Detroit R&B/hip hop artist Pierre Anthony.
Pierre Anthony
To celebrate the “east meets west” theme on Wednesday, Michigan House is offering a shuttle service from Grand Rapids to Detroit that kicks off at 9 a.m. and includes stops at Detroit Bikes, Artesian Farms and Good Cakes and Bakes, before arrival at the Michigan House for cocktails, a performance by Vox Vidorra and a DJ set by Ryan Clancy from Detroit’s Jamaican Queens.
A statewide “Connect the Dots” pitch competition also will take place, awarding a $5,000 prize to the person with the best idea to bring Michigan’s creative scenes together.
On Thursday and Friday, events include a Lawyers for the Creative Economy Cocktail Reception, a story-telling time presented by FAILURE: LAB and an end-of-the-week dance party. For a full schedule, visit michiganhouse.org.
Michigan House also is slated to return to Austin in March for the 2016 South by Southwest Festival.
(Return to Local Spins later this week for more coverage of Michigan House – Detroit.)
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