This weekend’s festival boasts performances by Zoso, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, May Erlewine, That 1 Guy, G-Snacks, Brotha James, Andrew Sturtz, Biomassive and more.
Brews and Tunes: The 10th annual Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival fires up this weekend.
For Traverse City singer-songwriter May Erlewine and her new band, The Motivations, the Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival is all about community.
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Returning Performer: May Erlewine (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
“The Traverse City Microbrew fest is a really unique event celebrating community and the craft of fine beverages. It’s a time for people to come together and explore the bounty of amazing brews made right here in Michigan while dancing to some really great live music,” she said. “We’ll be hosting the dance party.”
Indeed, the all-star Michigan roster of musicians in The Motivations – Michael Shimmin, Max Lockwood, Terrence Massey, Eric Kuhn, Phil Barry and Mike Lynch – creates “a soul/groove-inspired dance band,” said Erlewine, who performs with the group on Saturday.
The festival’s 10th anniversary lineup boasts sets by Led Zeppelin tribute band Zoso, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, The Accidentals duo, That 1 Guy, Heatbox and more, along with serving up a selection of 300-plus beers, ciders, meads and wines from across North America.
Singer-songwriter Andrew Sturtz views the festival as a homecoming affair. After leaving Traverse City several years ago to try his hand at music in Chicago and, now, Colorado, he relishes coming home to northern Michigan in the summer.
PLAYING ALONGSIDE ‘INCREDIBLE MUSICIANS’
“I absolutely love making my trek back to Traverse City any chance that I get,” he said. “Being able to see my mother while relaxing on Long Lake is what I would ideally like to be doing all summer.”
Homecoming: Andrew Sturtz
Sturtz is doing considerably more than that this summer as he puts the finishing touches on a new EP he hopes to release this fall while performing in Michigan and Colorado. The indie-folk artist plays the secondary stage as part of the Microbrew & Music Festival on Friday. (He also plays Boone’s Long Lake Inn in Traverse City on Aug. 18.)
The 21-and-older Microbrew & Music festival, which takes place on the front lawn of The Village at Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City, runs from 5-10 p.m. Friday and 4-10 p.m. Saturday. General admission tickets – which include five drink samples and a commemorative tasting glass – are $90 in advance for the weekend, or $45 for Friday, $50 for Saturday. Get details and tickets online at traverse.microbrewandmusic.com.
‘THRILLED TO BE BACK’ FOR A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
Friday’s main stage performers include Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience, Heatbox, DJ Abilities, DJ Dominate and Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, with Sturtz and G-Snacks playing the secondary stage.
Brothers of Brotha James: Jeremy Reisig and his brother, Sean.
On Saturday, the main stage features The Accidentals duo of Savannah Buist and Katie Larson (playing “a throwback show of ‘Bittersweet’ songs”), That 1 Guy, May Erlewine & The Motivations, Moon Taxi, DJ Dominate, DJ Abilities and Heatbox, with Biomassive, Brotha James, Lucas Paul Band, G-Snacks and Sturtz. The festival also features a Silent Disco that will run both nights.
“I’m thrilled to be back … and grateful to (organizer) Sam Porter for believing in me from the very beginning of the Brotha James project,” said Jeremy Reisig, aka Brotha James, who vowed to energize fans with help from his brother and drummer, Sean Reisig.
“It’s one of the most unique settings with the State Hospital in the background. Also, the ‘Traverse City Tribe of Music Lovers’ comes out in full force ready to have an experience.”
Sturtz said he’s just “honored to come back and be playing alongside such incredible musicians.”
DISTANCE FROM GRAND RAPIDS TO THE VILLAGE AT GRAND TRAVERSE COMMONS IN TRAVERSE CITY: 139 miles (2 hours, 21 minutes)
DISTANCE FROM KALAMAZOO TO THE VILLAGE AT GRAND TRAVERSE COMMONS IN TRAVERSE CITY: 188 miles (3 hours)
Copyright 2017, Spins on Music LLC
