Cheers, and Happy Sunday, friends! The sun is hanging out a little bit more each day. Pretty soon, the spring peepers will be…well…peeping. Today, I’m going to share some recent experiences with inspiring people. Then I’ll drag you through a bunch of events happening over the next two weeks, share some fabulous substack restacks, a look at a book, a spin on the turntable, and your moment of zen!
Hanging Out with Inspiring People
You are probably aware that inspiring people are everywhere. Especially in times like these when your news feed is a s**t show of uninspiring stories with a******s being a******s, you’ve got to appreciate the folks you know and meet who inspire you. Actually, I feel we all do better when we seek inspiration from those around us.
Of course, my primary inspirational person is Brenda. I think I’ve mentioned before that without her, I would not be writing to you today. Her curiosity, writing, and wit inspired the creation of Life In Michigan. Clearly, like a lot of people, I’m inspired by my family and my long-time friends. I could rattle off all their names, but I’m hopeful that they each know the level of inspiration they have supplied through their friendship and love. Their kindness and appreciation for all the s**t I get into inspires me always to strive to be the best I can be (and keep getting into more s**t - the good kind 😀). I’m not always the best, yet their steadfast belief in me inspires me to keep pushing forward.
I could go on about my family and friends while getting super sappy and emotional, so let me get to the heart of this letter to you. I recently had a fantastic experience that I feel was the direct result of being inspired by people around me.
Substack Live with Seth Werkheiser
Last Saturday, I was working on emails for GIG when I popped into Substack to see a message from Seth Werkheiser. He asked if I wanted to do a Substack Live conversation with him, and I believe I responded, “Hell Yeah!.”
You may be wondering who this Seth dude is and why I was so excited to talk with him. You see, Seth is someone I’ve gained inspiration from. I came across his Heavy Metal Email newsletter a couple of years ago. It might have been through an email newsletter from Bill Meis (MNRK Music Group).
Anyway, Seth’s newsletter (now called Social Media Escape Club) talks about taking your art directly to the people who care about it instead of spinning your wheels on social media. While Seth’s focus was on musicians and helping them connect directly with their fans, it resonated with me. In particular with what Brenda and I have been trying to do with Life In Michigan (and Fans With Bands, GIG, and now our podcast). Because of Seth, Brenda and I decided to start the Sunday Sip, which I’m writing for you today 😃
Seth and I set a time for Monday morning to talk. It was great to connect with Seth, who was kind enough to let me ramble on and on about GIG and collaborations with artists and other art enthusiasts here in Michigan. I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to talk with Seth. It was also awesome to acknowledge his inspiration and share the joys of collaboration with him. Thanks Seth!!
Inspiration Leads to New Friends and More Inspiration!
Shortly after talking with Seth on Monday, I got a message on Substack from Bree Stilwell (check out her substack). She mentioned that she had caught the live conversation with Seth, was in Ann Arbor, and was wondering if we could chat about the local creative scene. I think I may have run to tell Brenda that someone watched the Substack Live and actually wanted to talk with us!! Holy Smokes!
We met on Friday morning for coffee over at York Food and Drink. Meeting Bree and talking about her background and passion for art was a blast. She also shared thoughts on her project, which is yet another source of inspiration. She’s looking to build a third space for all kinds of creative folks. Most importantly, including those that are what I’ll call “creative curious.”
As Bree mentioned, everyone is creative. Yet, they might not feel completely comfortable seeking out others who may share a particular creative interest. Or folks might want to get together with people who are expressing their creativity in a way that differs from their own. Regardless of their creative outlet or overall experience, Bree’s vision is a creative collective space in the Ann Arbor area that is inclusive, welcoming, and fun.
Brenda and I thought this sounded awesome, and we are looking forward to helping raise awareness of Bree’s project and ultimately being part of this community. While talking with Bree, we mentioned that this feels like the Washtenaw Business Association in that it is a group of diverse and welcoming people who are truly interested in each other’s work and doing what we can to help promote it. I’ve got to tell you that it feels awesome to share something positive, particularly in a world where the news tends to be negative.
Shout Out To Inspirational Folks
I started to make a list of local inspirational folks that I admire (the famous folks already get enough love). That list was going to be thousands of words, so I’m figuring you don’t want to wade through it. I do plan to send an individual email or text to people on a regular basis to thank them for inspiring me. I also want to thank you. You're reading this, and it inspires me to hone my crafts and share something meaningful and worth your time. Thank you!
Followup on Vacation Planning
In my last Sunday Sip, I shared my process for vacation planning. I got some great feedback in the comments, and in particular, Amy Nesbitt shared an online tool called Scout Explore. She was kind enough to share her vacation plan on Scout Explore for New Orleans, and we are giving this app a go. So far, if you need to modify an existing plan by adding more places or things to do, there is a limit in terms of the free versus paid versions. However, the fee is very low, and the functionality is high. It gives you a nice way to create an itinerary and organize and group items such as attractions or restaurants with links to Google Maps. We’ll share more of our experience as we use it, but it looks pretty cool so far. Thanks, Amy!
Upcoming Events You Won't Want to Miss
There is so much to share every week. If you have events to share, drop a note on Substack or email me at [email protected].
Music
Raise the Speakeasy Roof Streamathon Fundraiser virtual and at the Old Town Tavern in Ann Arbor on Mar 16 - Help rebuild the beloved Speakeasy in Ann Arbor! You can watch at home or hang out at the Old Town Tavern in Ann Arbor. All donations go to rebuild the Speakeasy, which was devastated by fire and which insurance has failed to cover.
Sing For Your Drink Open Mic at Ironbark Brewing in Jackson on Mar 16 - Give it a go on stage and enjoy an afternoon of tunes with friends - hosted by Rude Boy Music (which is right next door!)
Brant Bjork Trio with Carbon Decoy and Cullossus at Small’s in Hamtramck on Mar 19 - Dial in those stoner grooves!
Michigan Songwriter Showcase hosted by Steve Taylor featuring Michelle O'Neil, Bill Arnold & Jill Jack at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion on Mar 20 - Imagine the possibilities!
Hamtramck Blowout 2025 on Mar 20 - 22 - Tons of bands all over Hamtramck
Punk’s Not Dead Fest at Diesel Concert Lounge in Chesterfield Township on Mar 21 - I’m not sure who the f**k thinks Punk is dead...anyway, local punk bands unite!
Bluegrass Friday: Pontiac Trail Blazers featuring Keith Billik at North Star Lounge in Ann Arbor on Mar 21 - Every Friday is bluegrass, and on this nigh,t Wilson Thicket’s banjo guru joins in on the fun
BIG L & Code Blü at the Rumpus Room in Chelsea on Mar 21 - A must-see for those who love soul, funk, and the blues!
Passenger Radio: WHCK Launch Event in Hamtramck on Mar 21 - Check out the new Passenger Recovery radio station WHCK, which hits the air during the Hamtramck Blowout.
Mike Ward: Psychosongs Duo at North Star Lounge in Ann Arbor on Mar 22 - Enjoy the scintillating singer-songwriter in this wonderful listening room (don’t worry…he isn’t really a psycho 😀)
The Hourlies, Blood Rune Sigil, & Permanently Pissed at Ziggy’s in Ypsilanti on Mar 22 - Rock out and feel the force flowing through you
Annie Capps Trio and Grace Theisen Trio at Trinity House Theatre in Livonia on Mar 22 - A duo of Americana trios
The Lowcocks, Hayley and the Crushers, and Rawhide at the Lager House on Mar 22 - Fine as wine Detroit Punk!
Orbitsuns at the Turn Around Bar and Grille in Detroit on Mar 22 - A party for the Orbitsun’s new single “Micro Dosin Do Si Do”
Mark Jewett at Alpino Detroit in Detroit on Mar 25 - Tales of the human experience set to song
Kate Hinote Trio at River’s Edge Brewing in Milford on Mar 27 - Outstanding jazzy folk with beer and food
The Whiskey Charmers at O'Malley's in Livonia on Mar 27 - Noir country that stirs the soul
Chris DuPont and Nathan Emmet at the Rumpus Room in Chelsea on Mar 28 - Fantastic musicians and songwriters take the stage.
Drink Their Blood, Neqriem, Nequient, The Gold Dollars, and Domain Master at Papa Pete’s in Kalamazoo on Mar 28 - Heavy progressive jazz metal and more.
Corktown Music Festival - PreParty at Flamingo Vintage in Detroit on Mar 28 - Live music and a chance to win passes to the Corktown Music Festival, which happens on April 24-26.
Forge The Sun, True Devil, Haflife, and The Creeping Chaos at Odd Fellows Concert Lounge in Wyandotte on Mar 29 - Hard rock rules this night
Ziggurat with Supreme Mystic, Cullossus, and Ommnus at Parts & Labor in Melvindale on Mar 29 - Check out the debut of a new heavy doom supergroup along with other killer heavy bands.
Petals of Power and Spitvalve at Trixies Bar in Hamtramck on Mar 29 - Hard hitting side splitting punk
BFT’S The Zoo Tribute To the Scorpions with The Larry’s at Road Rangers in Taylor on Mar 29 - Brian Thomas of Halloween shares his love for the Scorpions
Rollie Tussing Trio at the North Star Lounge in Ann Arbor on Mar 29 - Classic jazz and country blues in this excellent listening room
The Wholesome Boys with Cracked and Hooked and Bren n’ Co at Ziggy’s in Ypsilanti on Mar 30 - Sunday Funday featuring an evening of Americana and more
Beers
March Madness at Hear.Say Brewing in Ann Arbor on Mar 20 - Enjoy awesome beer and free hot dogs while watching March Madness…it's crazy!
Lager Challenge at Little Fleet in Traverse City on Mar 20 - Ten beers, 1 winner, and you decide. Beers from Silver Spruce, Workshop, Farm Club, Filling Station, Stonehound, Rare Bird, Loco Boys, Earthen Ales, Middle Coast, and Short’s!
Starkbierfest at Batch Brewing Co. in Detroit on Mar 22 - Delicious German beers and food at one of Detroit’s finest breweries
Lägerland 2025 at City Built in Grand Rapids on Mar 22 - Lager, Lager, Lagers (7 total) on tap at City Built
Brewsology Beer Fest 2025 at the Michigan Science Center in Detroit on Mar 22 - A very unique beer fest where you can learn and drink - we went in 2023 and had a blast.
Oberon Day 2025 at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo on Mar 24 - A sure sign of Spring, Oberon Day should be a national holiday. Celebrate the coming warm weather and Michigan beer.
The Ann Arbor Oddities Bazaar at Homes Campus in Ann Arbor on Mar 30 - One Stop Soul Shop is bringing a Unique Market featuring a wide selection of vendors, artists and illustrators, oddity makers, curiosity enthusiasts, musicians, and more, drawing a crowd passionate about the dark art community
Various Intrigues
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme Record Show at Sanctuary Detroit in Hamtramck on Mar 16 - Pick up that vinyl you’ve been searching for and have a great time doing it.
Patterns, Pies, and Pastries at Peace Pie Company in Marquette on Mar 19 - Bring your fabric project and enjoy a community gathering fueled by pie
Live Recording | Cadence: A Podcast for Creatives—Where Practice Meets Practicality at the Ann Arbor District Library on Mar 20 - Yen Azzaro and Hafsah Mijinyawa are Michigan-based creative professionals who share their experiences and perspectives on growing, living, and working in creative spaces in their podcast Cadence: A Podcast for Creatives.
Grand Rapids Record and CD show at American Legion Neal E. Fonger Post 179 in Grand Rapids on Mar 22 - Get those records!!
Annual Flea Market at the Ann Arbor City Club in Ann Arbor on Mar 22 - Pick up those lost treasures just in time to share on the Antique Road Show!
Arts and Crafts Supply Swap at the Ann Arbor District Library Pittsfield Branch on Mar 22 - Jumpstart your spring with crafts!
PB & J’s BBQ Tasting Event in Brooklyn on Mar 22 - Try out the delicious BBQ from PB & J’s food truck in downtown Brooklyn.
Marche du Nain Rouge at the Intersection of Canfield and Second Detroit Michigan in Detroit on Mar 23 - All are invited to join in the annual Marche du Nain Rouge, a parade of Detroiters (and their friends). Everyone is invited--young, old, all shapes, sizes, and persuasions. Wear a costume or don't. But really, wear a costume and just show up!
Books and Brews: Fantasy Edition at Ore Dock Brewing in Marquette on Mar 23 - a fantasy book fair, pop-up from Iron Golem Games, literary fantasy character COSTUME CONTEST, and Fantasy Literature Trivia! Drink beer and dress like Gandalf!!
Geoff and Jon’s Spring Record Show at Ore Dock Brewing in Marquette on Mar 27-30 - Geoff and Jon are awesome, and they have tons (literally) of albums, cds, and collectibles to hunt for your next piece of treasure.
Brrs, Beards, & Brews: A Lumberjack Festival in Old Town Lansing on Mar 29 - Pull out your best buffalo plaid and facial hair and join us for the sixth annual Brrs, Beards and Brews: A Lumberjack Festival!
Women’s Expo and Open House at 3010 Wildwood Ave in Jackson on Mar 29 - A fundraiser for the Jackson Aware Women’s Shelter - Come on down and let's celebrate Women's History Month! They will have over 20 local small businesses to check out, shop, and celebrate with!
Film Maker Mixer at Art 634 in Jackson on Mar 30 - Join us from noon to 4 pm on the last Sunday of the month for a gathering of Michigan-based filmmakers and anyone interested in the art of filmmaking.
GIG Skate Fundraiser at Allskate Fun Center in Jackson on April 17 - Join us from 6-8p for an evening of fun at Allskate Fun Center. You can skate, play video games, laser tag, or just hang out. A portion of the proceeds help us fund GIG - The Art of Michigan Music 2025. We’ll head over to Ogma Brewing afterward to share laughs and a beer.
Can’t make it? Share this and donate online.
In Other News
You may notice that Life In Michigan comes in waves of a certain topic. It could be beer one week, music this week, and a bit of travel thrown in for good measure. Well, the cycle has been heavy in music and beer lately. A companion article for our podcast with Tony DeRosa touches on our conversation as well as the phenomenal time we had at the improv theater. We also have a recap of the fun we had out in Kalamazoo during their Craft Beverage Week.
On the music side (with a bit of food), I recapped a night of Ypsi Rock featuring Electric Huldra, Good Man’s Brother, and Velvet Snakes. There is a story about the Dirk Kroll Band at the fantastic Edo Lounge in Royal Oak. To round out the music coverage, I made my first visit to The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids (I know…what the hell??? First visit???) to see a spectacular show with Brant Bjork featuring local openers Slumlord Radio and Carbon Decoy.
Life In Michigan Podcast
Did you catch our chat with Tony DeRosa from Hear.Say Brewing and Theatre? Talk about inspiring…check it out! We’ve got an interview with local author Breeda Miller coming up!!
https://open.substack.com/pub/lifeinmichigan/p/brewing-creativity-tony-derosa-on?r=8a5t6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Substack Restack Attack
Substack is where it’s at. Check out these other superb publications:
I absolutely love this collection of album covers by Bill Sawalich at Art + Math. He has done a ton of research to showcase the visual artists who created these amazing album covers.
His addendum rocks, too!
I wasn’t aware of Alexander Rodchenko’s art, and now I am; thanks to Mark White
JustSomeMustard is a fantastic condiment and also does indie music interviews. This one with Whitney Tai is great (as well as her music). Thanks, Mustard!!
From Mustard to Ketchup - Courtney Burk shares the power of soup and community. She is a caring soul and an inspiration.
Speaking of inspiring folks, Susanne Helmert is one of them. I have found a number of great photographers and substack articles due to her sharing. Her own stories and photographs are super. In particular, both Brenda and I loved this one on creating a Leporello
Even more inspiration from Stefania Culafic , whose Softening series of images reminds me that everything doesn’t have to be sharp
And last but not least, Shital Morjaria (she/her) always shares thoughtful and insightful words with her images.
Ok…just one more…I love Steve! In Otter News is fantastic.
Adventures Yet To Print
This weekend, we switched things up from the music trend and watched folks curling at Chelsea’s Curling Fest held at the Arctic Breakaway. Later today, we are stopping into Old Town Tavern for the Save The Speakeasy stream-a-thon to see our friend Johnny Williams. We’ll have stories from both of those out on Life In Michigan as soon as we can. However, we are headed to New Orleans this week, so please be patient 😀
Detroit Vinyl and Beer status: Cripes…Record Store Day on April 12 is fast approaching; I need to make this a priority!
What Are You Reading?
I recently finished the post-apocalyptic book called Far North by Marcel Theroux. It is set in a near future, where the main character is the lone survivor of a Quaker settlement in Siberia. Evidently, climate change has led to potential nuclear conflict, and people have sought refuge in the far north. However, scarcity of food and housing leads to even further societal collapse where those with the guns and technology enslave the weak.
The book starts a bit slow but continues to build such that it eventually becomes a page-turner. You get pulled into the main character’s plight and root for their survival. It is a very dark and brutal novel in much the same way as Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. However, there is some hope in the end.
What Are You Spinning?
There is always a good deal of vinyl spinning at Life In Michigan studios, and this week, I’m featuring The Allman Brothers At Fillmore East. This is one of the most iconic live albums ever recorded, and it never fails to enthrall. It was recorded live at Fillmore East in New York City back in 1971 (54 years ago!). The recording is fantastic, featuring some of my favorite Allman Brothers renditions of classic blues songs “Statesboro Blues” and “Stormy Monday.” Let’s not forget their stellar jam on “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed.”
I never knew the origin of the iconic cover photo shot by the legendary Jim Marshall in Macon, GA, but my buddy Brett Pickett helped me out. Evidently, the band wasn’t too psyched about the photo shoot and perhaps a bit grumpy. A dude that Duane Allman knew came by, and Duane ran over to score some drugs. He then ran back into the photo scene, resulting in the band busting out laughing, with Greg Allman really losing it. Jim Marshall grabbed the shot, and today, we have one of the best album covers ever.
Side Note: I tried to recreate that cover (sort of) when doing a promo shoot for Nina and the Buffalo Riders at the Token Lounge in Westland before a show.
That’s A Wrap
As my buddy Sturgill once said:
“Keep your head out of the clouds
And remember to be kind
And just stay in school
Stay off the drugs
And keep between the lines.”
Thank you for reading. I hope your week is awesome! Don’t forget to kick out the jams!
Now, here is your moment of zen:
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