The cozy music festival staged last weekend in Morley boasted sets by two dozen bands and solo acts, including New York reggae outfit Aqua Cherry, who closed it out with a gleeful bang. Photos.
Uplifting, Dance-Inspiring Coziness: Tamarack Music Festival in Morley. (Photo/Anna Sink)
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There couldn’t have been a more apropos way to close out this year’s Tamarack Music Festival than for New York’s Aqua Cherry to deliver its brand of “sweet, uplifting, booty-shakin'” reggae wizardry.
The Saturday night finale in Morley — north of Grand Rapids — for the “best tiny festival in the Mitten State” had attendees twirling, skanking, boogeying and, yes, booty-shakin’ gleefully after two-and-a-half days of performances by two dozen bands and solo artists.
Band members even ventured into the crowd for the all-involving set at the Tamarack Creek Soap & Gifts’ festival site, all while covering some reggae classics and otherwise putting an upbeat stamp on the cozy weekend affair.
The festival — which only endured a bit of rain early Saturday — boasted myriad collaborations by a wide swath of Michigan musicians, with performances by The Bootstrap Boys, K. Jones & The Benzie Playboys, Brian Oberlin, Cosmic Knot, The Smokin’ Dobroleles, Leprecons, The Turnips, Hawks & Owls, Space Bar, Beaver Xing and many more.
Bringing the Party: Aqua Cherry on Saturday night. (Photo/Anna Sink)
“The drum circle led by Jonathan Beaver was especially moving, and set the tone for the remainder of the day on Saturday,” said Stacy Noonan of Beaver Xing, who also complimented the audio engineering by Clear Sky Sound and The Bootstrap Boys’ “incredible cover” of an Ozzy Osbourne classic.
“The Smokin’ Dobroleles had a super-group set featuring Justin Wierenga, Tom Wall and Brian Oberlin, K. Jones & The Benzie Playboys got everyone up and dancing the “Rochambeau” around the stage. But Aqua Cherry were the climax of the night. They traveled here from New York just because they love the Michigan music scene, and they brought the reggae energy. The crowd stayed on their feet dancing until the wee hours of the morning.”
Mark Stoltz of northern Michigan’s Benzie Playboys — who helped ignite the dance party on Saturday night with their Cajun/zydeco revelry — called it all a “great time.”
Added Noonan: “All in all, it was a weekend full of talented dedicated musicians. Tamarack is by far, our favorite ‘tiny’ festival, that is really more like a musical family reunion.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Tamarack Music Festival 2025
Photos by Anna Sink
