For a decade, the Friday night sessions have been a tradition at the Grand Rapids pub, so this week’s milestone show will feature bands such as The Willeys and Significant Otters with ties to hosts and sound guys.
Open-Mic Guests: The Jukejoint Handmedowns, with open-mic host Craig Van Otteren on mandolin, will play Friday night at Quinn & Tuite’s.
By Mary Mattingly
LocalSpins.com
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
After hosting nearly 500 open-mic nights, Craig Van Otteren has picked up a story or two.
As emcee of the popular Friday open-mic sessions at Quinn & Tuite’s Irish Pub in Grand Rapids, he’s witnessed the evolution of local talent, the formation of new groups and the spontaneity of collaboration. Friday will mark open-mic No. 500.
“We’ve lasted the longest,” Van Otteren said of the more than dozen open-mic sessions held in the Grand Rapids area. “We’re the granddaddy of the open-mic nights around here.”
Van Otteren has hosted the pub’s open mics since 2003, taking over for former host Dave Molinari.
This Friday’s free show will feature all hosts and soundmen who have taken part over the past 10 years,
including Mark Swanson, Dave Molinari, Larry Gephart, Craig Van Otteren, and Andy, Renee and Ben Willey. Bands on the bill for this special evening of music include The Willeys, 555 Blues, The Strain, The Jukejoint Handmedowns, The Significant Otters and Cliff Thomas.
Each host’s current band will play a 25-minute set, starting at 9 p.m. In between sets, musicians are free to sign up to play one song to keep the music going. The show will be a culmination of the open mics that have taken place over the last decade in the pub at 1535 Plainfield Ave. NE.
“Because we have been doing it for so long, ours is the place for a real showcase,” said Van Otteren, who plays in several area bands, including The Jukejoint Handmedowns and The Willeys. “It’s easier for musicians to get people to come out and see them.”
Mark Swanson
The open-mic nights began in 2001, at first only booking featured acts. When Molinari got too busy to continue hosting, it seemed like the open-mic nights might fizzle out. But Van Otteren, with help from Larry Gephart, stepped in to keep them going.
“We enjoyed the open mics so much. We didn’t want them to end,” said Van Otteren, who recognized the opportunities the open-mic nights held for local musicians.
“We saw by that time that a lot of amateur players would come in when they were just starting and they would usually start off pretty rough,” he said. “Over time, they would hone their skills at the open mics and also meet like-minded musicians. We saw a lot of groups form this way. [The open mics are] a service to the musical community.”
Van Otteren got busy hosting while Gephart took over sound duties. “We made it a fixture every Friday night,” he said.
The open-mic nights serve as springboards for local talent. Amateurs often get their start playing at the open-mic nights. “I remember Jesse Ray [Carolina] coming in when he was 16 or 17,” Van Otteren said. “Now he’s turned into quite an act to see.”
The Willeys
Established musicians also take advantage of the sessions. “Pete and Barb Weatherhead [of The Weatherheads] are longtime musicians who will run new songs of theirs,” Van Otteren said. “It’s kind of a testing ground. If the response is good, they’ll add it to their sets.”
Most other open-mic nights around Grand Rapids take place on weeknights. “[Friday night] allows a lot of people to sleep in on Saturday mornings,” Van Otteren said. “It was put on Friday to accommodate working musicians.”
With a stage that can accommodate up to a 7-piece band, the Quinn & Tuite’s open-mic nights draw participants from across West Michigan, including Kalamazoo and Muskegon. “We always get one or two new faces,” Van Otteren said. “It keeps it interesting.”
These days, the pub’s tradition remains as popular as ever, with more musicians showing up to play now than ever before. “Our main goal is to make sure everyone who shows up before 10 p.m. has a chance to play,” Van Otteren said.
Clearly, the pub’s open-mic nights are not going anywhere anytime soon. So, the special Friday show is a tribute to the past and a hopeful look to the future.
“It’s been a real pleasure to be a part of,” Van Otteren said. “I’ve been a part of it for 9 years. It’s always unusual and interesting. I’m fully expecting it to run another ten years.”
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2013, Spins on Music
Sorry, I’m not a band. I WAS a sound guy for the open mic for a few years back when David Molinari was host. It IS correct I will be around that night though. The musicians make the night though: the new ones wanting to get used to playing out and the established ones wanting to try out something new. It’s still one of the more welcoming places in town for such things.