Tunde Olaniran, water protection, ArtPrize challenge pump up Michigan House at SXSW

Wrapping up with a music showcase boasting sets by 10 Michigan artists tonight, Michigan House has once again showcased the Great Lakes State in Austin in a variety ways. Check out the recap and images.

 

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO OF TUNDE OLANIRAN, PHOTO GALLERY

With music and barbecue in the air, South by Southwest descended on Austin over the weekend.

Every year, more than 50,000 official registrants and 2,000-plus bands flock to Austin for SXSW. Crowds are flooding the streets in search of new music and buzz-worthy events housed in pop-up venues and DIY spaces.

One such space was curated by Michigan House, set up in a church gymnasium but converted to a Michigan oasis of creativity, culture and innovation.

By Saturday, festivities were in full swing and Michigan House hosted sessions such as “Water Insights from The Great Lakes,” “Strategies for Neighborhood Health in Michigan” and “Making the Future of Mobility.”

On Monday morning, an environmental workshop titled, “Water Initiatives in the Great Lakes and Beyond,” was held at Michigan House with a panel of speakers that included Earthwork Music collective founder and singer-songwriter Seth Bernard. The passionate group tackled current environmental threats against the Great Lakes and discussed possible solutions and plans of action.

Another highlight was the “$15k Artist Artprize” challenge where five different artists from around the country got the chance to compete for a prize of $15,000 and a slot at ArtPrize 2018. Brazilian artist Gustavo Prado won the competition with a fascinating interactive exhibit that will use a series of mirrors to reflect visitors’ surroundings.

CHARISMATIC PERFORMANCE BY FLINT’S TUNDE OLANIRAN

At dusk, throngs of people filtered into Michigan House, filling the venue to near-capacity, sipping Michigan-crafted libations and connecting with others. Soon the lights faded and Flint pop/R&B/electronic sensation Tunde Olaniran solemnly entered the room in a yellow robe flanked by two dancers. (See video snippet below.)

When a heavy beat dropped the trio snapped into a musical trance, gliding from side to side and dancing in synchronized fashion.

The Michigan artist flowed charismatically through a set of originals for a frenetic crowd, turning the room into a booming music club to close out the Michigan House festivities.

Today (March 13), Michigan House hosts a Michigan showcase at the Stay Gold nightclub in Austin that will include a number of diverse Mitten artists, preceded by an informal panel discussion on building Detroit’s music scene. Local Spins will live-stream part of that discussion and some of the music showcase on the Local Spins Facebook page starting at 4 p.m. EDT.

Here’s the showcase performance schedule:

Michigan House Showcase at Stay Gold in Austin on March 13 (all times EDT)
5 p.m. – Dogleg
6 p.m. – Alexander Lynch
7 p.m. – Vespre
8 p.m. – Major Murphy
9 p.m. – Lady Ace Boogie
10 p.m.- Kid Vishis
10:45 p.m. – Bernard, Lavengood and Stovetop
11:30 p.m. – Nique Love Rhodes & the NLR Experience
12:15 a.m. – ONEFREQ
1 a.m. – Nydge

VIDEO: Tunde Olaniran at Michigan House (March 12, 2018)

SXSW 2018 PHOTO GALLERY NO. 1
Photos by Anna Sink

Copyright 2018, Spins on Music LLC