The mid-sized, riverfront concert space has impressed musicians and fans alike during its spring ‘preview mode,’ with more to come. Get the back story, plus photos and a video.
Casual, Fun Listening Room: The Alluvion so far has impressed performers and fans. (Photo/Local Spins)
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Matt McCalpin gestured toward the alluring and striking wavy wood ceiling of the concert venue along Traverse City’s Boardman River.
The distinctive feature, he explained, reflects the listening room’s name, The Alluvion, referring to the way moving water can constantly shift and reshape shorelines over time.
Like the river it borders, the intimate, high-tech space can shift and reshape from a dinner-club setting with tables to traditional concert seating to standing-room shows with a capacity of 170.
‘Focusing Energy’ on The Performances: Matt McCalpin (Photo/Local Spins)
“The goal here is to offer a wide variety of high-level performances and fill somewhat of a venue void that Traverse City has had over the last few years during its rapid growth and flourishing arts culture,” said McCalpin, director of operations for The Alluvion, which has hosted shows in its “preview mode” this spring with official completion and formal opening later this year.
“Traverse City has some great large venues like Milliken Auditorium and The City Opera House. We also have some great smaller spots that offer live music like Workshop Brewing and The Little Fleet. What has been missing is something in between.”
The pristine venue’s capacity, he added, represents “an ideal number for artists and patrons who are looking beyond the brewpub scene, but perhaps not looking for a 300- to 600-plus-capacity auditorium either.”
On a recent Thursday night, about 30 of those patrons embraced the jazz strains of a foursome led by saxophonist/flautist Laurie Sears, listening intently, clapping enthusiastically and enjoying snacks while seated comfortably at tables dotting the venue. Traverse City artist Lisa Flahive created live art of the performance at one end of the stage.
Between sets, Sears – who was accompanied at the Thursday jazz night by pianist Gary Potter, bassist Jack Dryden and drummer Randy Marsh – called The Alluvion “a great listening room” environment with a fun, casual atmosphere for concertgoers.
Distinctive Ceiling: An alluvion theme. (Photo/Local Spins)
That’s precisely the mission of the venue located amid the NoBo District of downtown Traverse City in the Commongrounds Cooperative building at 414 E. Eighth St.
Kicking off with “preview mode” shows in April, The Alluvion was launched as an equity partnership between Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology, Commongrounds and Traverse City musician Jeff Haas.
“The Alluvion can serve as a sweet spot for local, regional and national artists who are playing for an audience buying tickets or attending with the intention to listen, and focus their energy on the performance first and foremost,” said McCalpin, who’s also a member of the Traverse City funk band Medicinal Groove.
“We are embracing the listening room culture experience and hope that it’s obvious that when you arrive here for a show, that the music, art or community is the main focal point.
“We are already finding that when you develop a culture like this, and also provide acoustic treatment, quality sound and AV equipment, a beautiful green room, a grand piano and all of the other amenities that we can, that artists and community members are delivering on an incredible level.”
A DONATED GRAND PIANO FROM A JAZZ LEGEND
Thank jazz piano legend and Grammy Award winner Bob James for that Yamaha C7 semi-concert grand piano.
A friend of Haas, James – who has a lakefront residence near Traverse City – donated the piano after being “inspired by the space,” McCalpin said.
“He is such a generous, humble person that the conversation quickly progressed from him selling us one of his own, to loaning it, to donating it to The Alluvion. … It was really a donation from the whole family. They gave a special performance the day it was announced after its delivery.
A Grand Donation (Courtesy Photo)
“A large list of incredible musicians have played this instrument and are in awe of its sound – and are giving stunning performances when they sit down and play it. There really is something special about it, just like Bob James himself.”
The roster of upcoming concerts at The Alluvion ranges from jazz to electronic music to singer-songwriter intimacy.
Award-winning Ann Arbor jazz manouche band Djangophonique will perform at 8 p.m. Friday ($25), Jesse Clayton, CYMEK and Wavrunner play the “Alluvion Electronique” night at 8 p.m. Saturday with live art by Super Nuclear ($15) and songwriters Cameron McGill and Tim Jones perform solo sets on June 7 ($10).
Other June shows will feature Max Lockwood, Viridian Strings, Opera MODO & Opera Grand Rapids’ “D[x]n Pasquale: An LGBTQ+ Take on Classic Opera,” and The Greg Vadnais Quartet. View the full calendar online at thealluvion.org/tickets.
In addition, The Alluvion has been hosting weekly shows: “Funky Fun Mondays” featuring either Big Fun or Funky Uncle, and the Jeff Haas Quartet with Laurie Series on Thursdays.
VIDEO: Jazz Night at The Alluvion
PHOTO GALLERY: The Alluvion in Traverse City
