With all of the commotion caused by ArtPrize, and the constant flow of other arts-related events in the area, it’s impossible to tell every story. Nonetheless, Revue’s Arts Issue, at the very least, offers a sample of what our side of the state has to offer.
For 26 years Classic Stereo was a hi-fi fixture in West Michigan. Then, following the economic recession, the retail outlet closed in 2008 – but the story doesn’t end there. The audio/visual electronics retailer, which previously had locations in both Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, is now prepping for a comeback in Grand Rapids.
The West Michigan Film and Video Alliance teamed up with the UICA for its new project, the Visiting Film Artists Series. The series focuses on bringing film-industry professionals to Grand Rapids to host workshops and presentations about the art of film. From directors and writers to actors and costume designers, the idea is to have working experts in the biz.
When Lydia VanHoven and her colleagues at the Bandit Zine set out to create Grand Rapids’ first-ever feminist film festival last year they weren’t exactly sure what kind of response they would get. As it turns out, roughly 400 people showed up for the event, far exceeding expectations. “We were initially going to just do Grand Rapids Feminist Film Festival as a one-time event,” VanHoven said. “But since the response was so positive we wanted to make it an annual thing."
Aside from several decades of tired Murder City clichés, if Detroit has a reputation for anything, it’s for being on the cultural vanguard. From proto-punk to techno, Detroit is the place where cool things happen a decade before anybody else thinks of them. That reputation transcends the musical realm. Long before The Onion – or even Grand Rapids’ own Recoil – took a biting and satirical look at arts and culture, there was a monthly Detroit magazine called Orbit.
Local cinephiles were likely bummed about the cancelation of this past summer’s Waterfront Film Festival. Since 1999 the acclaimed South Haven event has unequivocally celebrated independent filmmakers while showcasing hundreds of Midwestern and world premieres, from Man on a Wire to Napoleon Dynamite.
Unlike many stand-up comedians, superstar Brian Regan doesn’t fear the infinite space of the great outdoors. “Most comedians I think are a little hesitant to play outdoors, but I don’t have a problem with it,” Regan told Revue. “I was doing a show one place outdoors and I was doing a joke about the moon. I looked up and I literally saw the moon up there and I was like, ‘Wow, I guess I’m a prop comedian. Take a look! It’s the biggest prop in comedy history.’”
It’s that time of year again where awkward youth flock to ramshackle cabins in the woods and brave mosquitoes, campfire ghost stories and Mystery Meat Tuesdays in hopes of forging friendships and embarking on unforgettable adventures. Wealthy Theatre’s summer camp is the alternative, designed for the creative, less outdoorsy individuals.
The Grand Rapid’s Public Library is hosting numerous educational and literature-based events throughout the summer. Books, theater, science, comics and even animals can be expected to make an appearance at a few of their events. The best part: They’re all free. For all the details, visit grpl.org.
In the ‘80s, stand-up comedy boomed. Clubs were packed, legends were born and anything was possible. For one glorious decade stand-up reigned. Decades later the Internet has introduced the new generation of stand-up comedians. A comedy renaissance is underway and it’s larger and more diverse than ever before. That’s where Taylor De La Ossa comes in.
Milwaukee-based Americana songwriter Peter Mulvey, who’s no stranger to the West Michigan music scene, sat down on Friday and wrote a new song in a basement dressing room at the Calvin Theatre in Northhampton, Mass. The song, “Take Down Your Flag,” is a direct narrative on the tragic Charleston, S. Car. church shooting and the accompanying push to remove the confederate flag from the state’s capitol.
For a long time, Station Eleven author Emily St. John Mandel only told stories through the language of her body in motion. But one day, while studying contemporary dance at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, the narrative stopped making sense. “There was a point where I realized that dance wasn’t fun anymore,” St. John Mandel recalled. “It was more a burden than a joy.”
Some familiar faces will be rolling back into town Thursday, June 11. The New Belgium Clips Beer and Film tour returns to Ah-Nab-Awen Park for its third year in a row. At the event New Belgium will be offering some of their best sellers, as well as hard-to-find items like its dry-hopped sour ale and a peach ginger beer. The brewery will also be raffling off a brand new New Belgium Fat Tire bike.
It's time to get outdoors and soak in a little sun, ya'll. Here is a round up of family-friendly events that take you out and about in West Michigan.
