Cancer fucking sucks. However, it sucks even more when it’s one of your own circle who is dealing with that beast. Well, someone very close to Marquette Music Scene (the organization) and a major player in the game, Pete Polini, has been dealing with that bastard for a few months now.
If you don’t know Pete Polini, he’s the drummer for the seminal regional rockers Stranded, a man whose played an integral role on the crew of the last two Marquette Music Scene Marquette Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies, and lately from what I’ve seen a pretty damn solid iRacer.
Anyway, when one of your own is in trouble it’s important to pull together and do what needs to be done to aid your friend. On Saturday, the Rainbow Bar and local acts Spun, Left of Center, the Carp River Barn Band, and Diversion are getting together to do just that. Now, you may be asking yourself, WAIT!?! Isn’t Saturday going to be one of the biggest bar nights of the year?
Why, yes. Yes, it will be, and with the Rainbow Bar getting their entertainment for much cheaper than market value for this day has said that they’ll be donating a portion of their total sales to Pete at the end of the night. This will be on top of the 50/50 raffles, t-shirts, bracelets and other merch for sale (BIG THANKS! to Martin Sports) and outright donation jars that will be placed around to help Pete defray the costs of travel, lodging and treatment.
As the publisher of the most comprehensive music calendar in the region I can officially say that you aren’t going to find a room with more RAWK! than at the Rainbow this holiday weekend ANYWHERE in the Yoop. Ya never know what kind of suprises are going to be in store when you get all these bands together as so many have shared the stage with each other in the past.
Come on down to Ishpeming tomorrow for a DAMN Good Cause.
We’re all fightin’ with ya Pete and expect you to be standing with us at the 2021 Marquette Music Scene Hall of Fame induction ceremony this November!
Thunder on the Iron Ranges pushes forward with the Upper Michigan Music Fest
Thunder on the Iron Range 2019 on Iron St, Negaunee. Photo Courtesy of TOTIR
UPDATED: Obviously y’all know that no festivals went down in 2020. Tis life. Hopefully we’ll see this ‘fest return with the potential to be the coolest in the Midwest in 2022.
It’s obviously been a rough couple months for everyone, not just the music scene. Sure, we’re seeing loads of AMAZING remote performances from artists on every level, but we haven’t been able to get that in person fix for weeks. We also don’t know when we’re going to get that fix.
How ‘bout lookin’ ahead to the festival season? Well, the first to drop would have been the Way UP Fest, which was supposed to be mid April, who was really looking like they were going to take a HUGE step up this year. Next to fall was Marquette’s Harbor Fest. Now, lots of folks may not give that little show the credence it deserves, but let’s just say that the majority of those “tribute bands” that have been booked are full of musicians with serious musical credentials. If that hasn’t hit ya in the gut hard enough, after 42 consecutive years Hiawatha had to make the difficult decision of looking towards a grand return in 2021, and the Marquette Area Blues Society is still up in the air on their 17th Labor Day Weekend classic.
“Geez Bear, why ya bringin’ us down?!?”
That’s not my goal here, just gotta lay out facts before we talk about one of the ‘fests that hasn’t just NOT CANCELLED but is still MOVING FORWARD. A festival that, actually, even without all the chaos going down this year, was on track to become the premiere Upper Peninsula music festival. In its second year, downtown Negaunee is going to be ROCKING August 14 to 16. Tickets are ON SALE NOWONLY $10 A DAY!!!!
The view from the stage before David Allan Coe
Last year’s Thunder on the Iron Range promised big and produced. Thousands from across the region gathered in downtown Negaunee for a day of real Country & Americana music IN THE MIDDLE OF IRON STREET. Last year’s show brought two international touring acts to the stage underground outlaw journeyman Cecil Allen Moore and the legendary David Allan Coe. The rest of the day was filled up by regional greats Tom Katalin & Highway 41, Chad Borgen & the Collective, and regional Bluegrass stalwarts Chasin’ Steele. This year the ante has definitely been raised.
Rock Goddess Lita Ford
Expanded and split over three days, the Upper Michigan Music Festival kicks off bringing you ROCK! with local neck wreckers SPUN topped off by THE QUEEN of 80’s heavy rock Lita Ford on Friday night. Whether it was rockin’ with The Runaways; her platinum selling solo career; or even just the near chart topping “Close My Eyes Forever” with Ozzy Osbourne, Lita was a hard to miss force throughout the late 70’s & 80’s. Sure, Lita disappeared for a decade in the 90’s to raise her kids, but she’s been back rockin’ like it’s still the 80’s since 2008.
Rock Night will be followed by two days of the best Outlaw Music this region has seen in quite a while. I say Outlaw music because even though the headliners are “Country/Americana” there’s still plenty for rock fans.
Saturday will kick off with a handful of local and regional acts including the family band, formed around 19 year old guitar phenom (and Otsego, MI native), Myron Elkins and the Dying Breed and nasty North Carolina Southern/Stoner rockers The Dirty Soul Revival (fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd to Clutch take note). We hope to have a lot more on both of these killer acts in the coming months.
Cecil Allen Moore, Country Outlaw
Another family band, the one backing, Cecil Allen Moore returns to Negaunee with their own Outlaw style somewhere between Waylon Jennings and Bill Monroe (with a bit of a rock aesthetic at times). This must have been an easy call for organizers as Cecil, and REAL country music still being alive, had more buzz after last year’s show than the legend that followed him. Of course, as I mentioned his band consists of his wife Nicki plucking and slapping her baby around, and their eldest playing rhythm. One of the coolest stories in Outlaw Country, a REAL family band. The next international act on the list is one that I should have been pushing to get up here years ago, Hellbound Glory.
Having toured with the likes of ZZ Top, Leon Russell, Kid Rock, and the Supersuckers, Hellbound Glory are no stranger to the spotlight. Which makes the fact that main man Leroy Virgil is one of the most down to earth cats you’ll ever meet (and a dude who just wants to jam around the campfire all night after they play) pretty damn special. Musically they should be able to please anyone from a country to a rock to a straight blues fan. If you haven’t checked these guys out yet, get on it, their diversity alone really sums up this festival.
New Hellbound Glory, from their upcoming release “Pure Scum” due out 6/5 on Shooter Jennings’ Black Country Records , dedicated to “the men & women in red & blue.”
Saturday’s headliner is one of those acts that is impossible to pigeonhole. A heavy rock fan would call ‘em Country, a diehard Country fan would call ‘em rock, I just call ‘em kick ass. Underground Americana Legends The Band of Heathens will top off the Upper Michigan Music Fest’s Saturday night. If you haven’t heard their rendition of the Leon Everette classic “Hurricane,” which they brought to #18 on Billboard’s “Hot Rock Songs” chart in 2018, well, the link is embedded right here. Get on it:
Austin’s Band of Heathens take on the 1981 classic “Hurricane.”
Sunday continues the Americana trend with the Keweenaw’s Tom Katalin & Highway 41 busting through a set of modern and classic real Country cuts to start off the day. Tom tells us there may be some of his originals thrown in as well.
Those nasty North Carolina rockers The Dirty Soul Revival will hit the stage for second set for the weekend. This band is one of those bands that I could see just about anywhere. They fit this bill perfectly. They could open for Country, Rock or Heavy Metal. Hell, I saw a similar band open for GWAR back in the day. Alright, I have to admit, these cats are a new discovery for me, and I’m wondering A) how they escaped my attention before, and B) why they aren’t already making regular stops through the Yoop. I highly recommend their 2017 full length “Brave New World” (not to be confused with works by Aldous Huxley or Iron Maiden). Their 2016 debut is solid too, and has some fun sax work that doesn’t get carried on into later works.
Jams for Rock, Metal, Country and Blues fans alike from these West Virginia badasses!
Jesse Daniel slipped onto my radar mid-2019. In fact, I was promised “new music by the end of the year,” and it didn’t happen. Instead, “Rollin’ On” dropped in March, and there was no disappointment. It’s easily one of the most well rounded pieces of country music I’ve heard in years and should appeal to most folks who “don’t like new Country” as this album calls on a lot of styles from the 70’s through 90’s all while putting a touch of that modern underground flair to it. This ‘fest should go a long ways to to change the mind of just about anyone that currently believes that “new Country” is only that twangy R&B or Southern Bro-Rock-lite, and hates it.
A fun light-hearted jam from California’s Jesse Daniel.
It feels kind of funny that I’m only getting to one of the local acts this late in the article, but it’s honestly absolutely deserved. Adam Carpenter is a staple name in this region, be it for Chasin’ Steel and his musical ventures; having the number 1 radio show in the region “Adam Carpenter’s Outdoor Show,”; or his various business ventures over the years. He’s put in his dues and Adam Carpenter & the Upper Hand is probably the best material he’s put out yet. I assume the recorded material, further than “U.P. Life”, will be circulating before this festival, but as of now I’ve only heard a few of the tracks. However, I did have the privilege of seeing ACUH in, near, it’s full glory with members of One Ton Trolley handling steel and some leads, mesmerize a crowd at a small U.P. bar literally in the middle of the woods with 3 sets of nearly all original tracks. Let’s just say this is nearly unheard of in the rural Midwest. They call it “Frostbitten Outlaw Country” I call it real country, with real feel, and influences from all over the spectrum. I can’t wait to see how far these cats can bring this material.
A fun rendition of this U.P. opus by Adam with One Ton Trolley’s Bill Arnold.
That brings us to the final announced headliner, and this writer could hardly be more excited. Originally from Flint, Whitey Morgan and the 78’s have been trucking around the Midwest for over 15 years. In fact, back in the days when they took their soundboard recordings from random gigs and put them up on the Internet Archives (there’s tons of sets available dating back to 2008). I pushed to get them up to a local venue, but was sadly ignored at first. Of course, when someone finally realized how much they’d kill up here and tried to get ‘em, well, let’s just say we never heard back. When Mike (Ridenour, promoter of TOTIR) told me they’d be headlining, I almost jumped out of my skin. I honestly have a hard time naming another modern Country artist who embodies everything that traditional Country music fans are looking for, yet also has that outlaw edge that will appeal to more open minded rock fans. Fans of Jones, Waylon and Garth should all agree that Whitey Morgan is the real deal and is what should be being spun on the radio instead of the monogenre-ic pop music Nashville pushes instead.
Country Music the way it’s meant to be played.
Yes, this is a big festival full of names you may not have heard. I implore you to check out the examples littered throughout this article. Play them for like minded friends; check out the artists on the streaming service you prefer, and GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! because they’re gonna go up and 3 days of AMAZING music for $30 right now (until May 15th) is seriously one of the most unbeatable festival deals in the ENTIRE COUNTRY.
“WHAT IF THE FEST GETS CANCELLED BECAUSE OF THIS DAMN VIRUS?!?!”
Unfortunately, these times force this question to be asked and answered. Thunder on the Iron Range fortunately has covered their bases with a full Covid-19 cancellation/postponement policy on the website (refund/tickets good for new dates). You can buy in advance with confidence that if Covid-19 shuts down the ‘fest you’ll get your money back. Of course, under otherwise normal circumstances this ‘fest is rain or shine so be ready for anything.
Finally, a little bit of full disclosure here. I was not involved in the planning of this festival, however, the parent organization to the festival is in the process of becoming a non-profit organization and I have been asked to be a part of said organization. Not that this fact would change ANYTHING I’ve said in this piece, I do feel it’s important for you all to know that I do personally have a little heart in this game. Also, I work closely with Adam Carpenter & the Upper Hand, but again, I’m long notorious for telling my friends their bands suck, do you think that has changed at all?
Get your tickets for this festival and give yourself something GREAT to look forward to in these uncertain times. I can’t wait to see this go down in August, and I can’t wait to see it continue to grow to potentially be not only the premiere annual U.P. music festival, but one of the premiere niche fests in the Midwest if not the nation.
Some of the laser capabilities at Shiras Planetarium in Marquette. Not Quite Canada will be featured LIVE October 26 at 8 pm!
Yesterday I got an urgent (frantic?) message from the director of the Shiras Planetarium, Becky LeBrecque. She and I are friends, and we’ve talked a bit about Marquette Music Scene eventually collaborating with the planetarium on their spectacular laser light shows. If you haven’t been out to one of these yet, you are DEFINITELY missing out. Anyhow, this message yesterday was about progressing from using recorded music for the laser shows to doing it with a live band: local/regional eclectic rockers Not Quite Canada. Now, as I said, we’ve discussed this in the past so I wasn’t too shocked that it was about to happen, so why was this message so “urgent”? This “first of a lifetime” opportunity is happening THIS SATURDAY!
Fortunately, with the gig occurring on such short notice I was able to catch up with both Becky and Josh Dallas Carlson of Not Quite Canada.
Hey guys! Thanks for doing this on such short notice. Let’s just get into the meat of what’s happening here. This is pretty short notice for a show like this, especially something this groundbreaking. How did this show come about?
Josh: We were supposed to play the Boot Lake Music Festival this coming weekend which was unfortunately canceled. Many of us in Not Quite Canada are full time musicians and a canceled gig is like a missed paycheck. Sometimes in these scenarios we have to act fast to make sure we aren’t going to be coming up short that month, and we had been talking with Becky in the past about doing a live show with a visual mash-up. As deeply saddening as the cancellation of the Boot Lake ‘fest was I took it as a sign that we should turn this dream into a reality.
Becky: Yep. As Josh said we had been talking about it in the past, and when he reached out after their gig was canceled it just seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass up. We pretty much jump at any good opportunity to make headway on our fundraising goals, and we’ve come to an agreement where the planetarium is guaranteed to come out ahead Saturday (The goal is $500k to replace the projection system that went down in 2014, over $100k has been raised so far).
Yeah, the U.P. music scene can be very fickle these days when it comes to festivals and national level entertainment, but it seems like you guys (Not Quite Canada) are definitely making the best of it AND helping out an amazing organization/venue at the same time.
Now, Josh, Not Quite Canada is already a pretty eclectic group. How do you feel playing in this environment is going to add to your show?
Josh: We already play a style of rock and roll that is unique in itself, but this collaboration will create a visually stimulating environment that would take the listener on a journey with every song. With only 55 seats in the dome, this is a very intimate show, but we wouldn’t want it any other way. I expect it to feel somewhat like a spaceship and its crew talking off on a psychedelic, Halloween themed, music adventure through space and time.
…and it’s not just going to be Not Quite Canada on Saturday?
Josh: That’s right, and I couldn’t be more excited about this. This is going to be a collaborative effort with Shiras Planetarium, Not Quite Canada, Hyroglyfic Collective and GrooveMQT. Between us we have all key pieces and players to put on not only a show but truly a piece of art that is new and fresh and something Marquette has not seen yet.
So in other circumstances we could consider this a “once in a lifetime” opportunity, but since we’re hoping this is just the start of something really cool, we’ll call it, as I did earlier in the interview, a “first of a lifetime” opportunity. Josh & Becky: (Laughing) Yeah.
Alright, lets talk a little about the production side of this spectacle. Becky, what has it been like preparing for this show, especially on such short notice. Is this like an all-hands on deck moment where everybody who is capable of working the system needs to be there because you’re trying to be creative in the moment? Or have you had a little time to try to flesh it out with the band and get some pre-programmed effects? Becky: Well, we’ve never done this before, but we have our new Kvant laser system and Pangolin Beyond software so we are prepping a little this week, using songs from NQC’s website, and we expect to do a lot live. My laser tech Jacob Phillips and I have been doing our best to build some pre-programmed effects, but the majority of the production will happen live. We don’t have a setlist or anything so it’s definitely not going to be as choreographed as our traditional music shows. There will definitely be a lot of experimenting. In our eyes, the focus will still be on Not Quite Canada, but… …lasers!
As a production cat myself I imagine it will be fascinating to watch from both a technical perspective and as a fan enjoying the show.
Finally, Becky, obviously, we’re going to be anxiously watching to see how this turns out, but at this point what do you think this show means for the future of the Shiras Planetarium?
Becky: Well, for MAPS and the planetarium, we are ready to explore new avenues for student experiences and public offerings. Eventually we will have student designed laser shows. For now, Jacob and I are still learning the software and system.
Is there anything else either of you would like to get out there?
Josh: With only 55 seats available we highly recommend buying one pre-sale as soon as possible. A portion of the ticket sales goes back into the planetarium, which we have a deep respect and love for, and love everything they do for our amazing community.
We are going to blow some minds in that dome though. It’s gonna be a blast!
Becky: As you said this is going to be a “First of a lifetime” opportunity, and from what I’m hearing from the bands, and seeing what Jacob and I are putting together you aren’t going to want to miss this one. It’s probably going to sell out so get your ticket NOW!
Thanks so much for your time. This is really cool. I wish you the best for sales, and am looking forward to watching the planetarium grow in both the unique educational and entertainment opportunities we’re so blessed to have available to us in our rural locale.
Tickets for this VERY LIMITED event are $18, and available HERE. This really sounds like something you DO NOT WANT TO MISS!!!
