Meet the stars of Interlochen’s Singer-Songwriter program, like Lauren Jones of the band Trousdale
Everything Is Political
Mr. Tuttle, in his rant against Pete Hegseth, shows his left lean. I think without much research, I could list a multitude of people who were replaced when Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden came into power. He forgets that we are just human…why go down the path of DEI? I am so sick of people ranting and raving over every little thing that the duly elected President does…it is a laugh now, that everything is political, but the same instances in the past were said: “no one is above the law.” Rebecca Carlson | Rapid City
CORRECTION: Stephen Tuttle’s Aug. 25 column referred to the Deportation Data Project as an arm of Trump’s own Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Deportation Data Project is a research project based at the University of CaliforniaBerkeley Law School and has no connection to ICE. We regret the error.
Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC.
Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com
Distribution Manager: Roger Racine Sales: Lisa Gillespie, Kim Murray, Kaitlyn Nance, Abby Walton Porter, Michele Young, For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948
Creative Director: Kyra Cross Poehlman
Distribution: Marc Morris, Gerald Morris, Dave Anderson, Joe Evancho, Jason Ritter, Sherri Ritter, Roger Racine, Sarah Racine, Brandy Grames, Rachel Cara, Jackson Price, Lisa Price, Peggy Bell
Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold
Contributors: Ross Boissoneau, Ren Brabenec, Matt Dursum, Anna Faller, Kierstin Gunsberg, Marla Miller, Nora Rae Pearl, Stephen Tuttle, Drew VanDrie
top ten this week’s
Let’s Take a Walk
School may be back in session, but there’s still plenty of late-summer beauty to explore in the great outdoors. Saturday, Sept. 6, join the Harbor Springs Chapter of the North Country Scenic Trail for a 4-mile hike from the Kipp Road trailhead, beginning at 9am. Per the trail description, expect “high hills and deep valleys through hardwoods, cutover areas, and pine plantings.” Also on Saturday, head to the Krause Road trailhead with the Jordan Valley 45° chapter of the NCT from 10am-1pm for “Wild Things on a Trail,” a family-friendly event to introduce kiddos to the joys of hiking alongside cutouts from Maurice Sendak’s beloved story. And last but not least, join Headlands International Dark Sky Park for a guided full moon hike on Sept. 7 starting at 9pm. Get the details on all of the above at petoskeyarea.com/calendar-events.
2 tastemaker
Gold Baby Biscuits’ Sausage, Egg, & Cheese
We’ve all heard that gold has to glitter, but our favorite semi-precious substance is the tender crumb of a just-baked biscuit. That’s right: We’re talking Gold Baby Biscuits. First baked in Suttons Bay in 2019, these pastry squares were developed specifically as a vehicle for jam-packed sandwiches, complete with four pillowy sides and a texture somewhere between a bun and butter-studded scone. As for our favorite sandwich combo? Featured flavors are always changing, but it doesn’t get better than the breakfast bliss of the classic sausage, egg, and cheese (ingredients: fluffy scrambled eggs, American cheese, and a crispy-edged sausage patty)—dunkable dollop of maple syrup or hot sauce optional. Get your biscuit fix at Gold Baby’s September 6 pop-up at Tank Space (1110 E. Eighth St.) in Traverse City. gold-baby-biscuits.square.site
Support your local and Michigan authors at the Cadillac Book Fest, Saturday, Sept. 6, from 10am-4pm! Head to downtown Cadillac to shop for books at Horizon Books, Bound for Books, or The Book Nook and enjoy a book craft or two at the Commons Market, across from City Park, all sponsored by the Friends of the Cadillac Library and the Cadillac Wexford Public Library. Plus, meet Michigan authors like John Garavaglia, a Gary Reed Award nominated author who writes sci-fi, horror, fantasy, superheroes, and humor. Learn more at facebook.com/groups/michiganauthors.
Hey, watch It! Thursday Murder Club 4
Usually we highlight TV shows in this section, but the new Thursday Murder Club film adaptation on Netflix was too good to pass up. (And this is written by a Richard Osman superfan, so you know it’s true.) The moment the trailer ran, we knew the star-studded cast—Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie— would bring our beloved characters to life. And so they do as the crime-solving team living at Cooper’s Chase, a retirement village in England. The Thursday Murder Club has been working on old cold cases, at least until a reallife (real-death?) murder happens right under their noses. Mischief, mayhem, and some marvelous detective work ensue thanks to Elizabeth’s (Mirren) secret agent past, Joyce’s (Imrie) disarming warmth, Ibrahim’s (Kingsley) diligence, and Ron’s (Brosnan) bumbling charm. Like the book, this is a delightful whodunnit from start to finish.
Photo by John Hill, courtesy of Headlands International Dark Sky Park
Raise your hand if you’re an artist. Now raise your hand if your art has ever been rejected. Probably all of us, right? The Glen Arbor Arts Center is exploring this all-too-common experience with their lecture “Not Accepted: An Historical Look at Art Exhibition Rejection.” Gallery Manager Sarah Bearup-Neal will lead a discussion about who determines what is acceptable art, whose voices are heard, and whose voices are erased. The lecture will focus specifically on the Paris Salon of 1863 and the Third Reich’s suppression and destruction of visual art. “Not Accepted” is part of GAAC’s ongoing “HISstory/ HERstory: Whose Story?” series, which features a juried exhibit through Oct. 23 along with multiple themed events. Join the conversation on Sunday, Sept. 7, at 11am in the GAAC Main Gallery. Tickets are $5 for GAAC members, $10 for nonmembers. glenarborart.org
Northern Michigan has no shortage of great schools, but as we head back for the 2025-26 school year, there’s one academic institution basking in the glow of a special shoutout. U.S. News & World Report releases its “Best High Schools” ranking every summer, and this year, Leland High School ranked No. 8 in the entire state of Michigan and in the top 500 in the country. (Even more impressive, LHS jumped way up the charts from their spot at No. 67 last year!) Part of the Leland Public School District, the high school is home to about 130 students with a graduation rate of 94 percent. One other NoMi school hit the top 30 in the state: Elk Rapids High School, which clocked in at No. 25. Way to go, Comets! (And Elks!)
Purple
Not Accepted Stuff We Love: Fireworks for Project
What’s better than going to the soldout International Fireworks Championship at Turtle Creek Stadium Sept. 5-6? How about winning four tickets to do so? Marathoner Rachel Toward raffled off her tickets to one lucky winner, and now she’s continuing to race toward her goal: raising money for Project Purple, a nonprofit dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research and patient care. Toward is raising money in memory of her boyfriend Sam Haggard’s mother Lou Ann Bogart. On the first day of her retirement, Bogart learned she had pancreatic cancer. She died four months later. “It was shocking,” says Toward. “I wish [she] had had more time.” Toward, a runner for 20 years, will be part of a Project Purple team at the New York Marathon that hopes to raise as much as $800,000. Follow along at projectpurple.org/events/tcs-nyc-marathon.
National Writers Series is kicking off its fall season with Traverse City’s own Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Bryan Gruley and his brand-new crime thriller: Bitterfrost.
Thirteen years ago, former ice hockey star Jimmy Baker quit the game after almost killing an opponent. Now, as the Zamboni driver for the amateur team in his hometown of Bitterfrost, Michigan, he’s living his penance. Until the morning when he awakens to the smell of blood…
Join NWS at The Alluvion on September 5 at 7:00 pm (+ livestream) for a conversation with Bryan and guest host John U. Bacon, award-winning author, teacher, and journalist.
With a view of the eponymous islands just steps away from their front door, Manitou & Co.’s tasting room in Leland is all about beverages that reflect local flavor, and their signature Whaleback Whiskey is northern Michigan in a bottle! Inspired by local agriculture, this smallbatch rye starts with a 15-year-aged base matured in second-use American oak barrels and finished on tannic cherry wood staves (because nothing says Michigan like a touch of cherry!). The result is a delightfully-quaffable whiskey with warm notes of cinnamon, baking spice, and brown sugar, topped off by a light and lingering finish. Sip it neat or enjoy it as part of the Whaleback Old Fashioned, made with Michigan maple syrup—either way, you’re bound to leave in good spirits. Stop in at 110 W. River St. in Leland. manitouandco.com
Three Cheers for Leland High School
Photo by John Konkal Photography
UNION WORKERS AND BIG YELLOW BUSES
spectator
By steven Tuttle
Another Labor Day will be marginally celebrated and mostly forgotten. It’s just a meaningless day off for many people. We might as well call it No Labor Day.
The first hint of such a holiday occurred in New York in 1882, a parade specifically celebrating union workers. It became a federal holiday in 1894. May 1 was the initial idea, but it came too close to other worker holidays, so was moved permanently to the first Monday in September.
There used to be massive parades in major cities and celebrations in most, with a focus on union members and manufacturing jobs. But many of those jobs are now gone and unions have shriveled to a shadow of their former selves. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in the U.S. peaked in 1955, when fully 33 percent of the American workforce was unionized. By 2024, union membership was down to 9.9 percent of the workforce, mostly in government and education, with only 6 percent in the private sector.
The U.S. manufacturing economy was exploding in the 1950s. Veterans had returned from winning World War II and had settled into factory jobs or starting their own businesses. It was a time of boundless opportunity for some and created a growth spurt in the burgeoning middle class.
LOCAL PR ODUCE
FRESH ME AT & SE AFOOD PANTRY STAPLES
Those jobs, mostly stable and mostly unionized, continued to provide meaningful wages and benefits. By 1979, there were nearly 20 million manufacturing jobs, but that was the peak of manufacturing sector job opportunities. By 2023, only 12.7 million manufacturing jobs remained.
(In 1945 the state of Pennsylvania alone produced more steel than Germany and Japan combined, but we had just bombed both countries’ steel producing industry into near oblivion, so outproducing them wasn’t much of an accomplishment. Now, we produce less than China, India, or Japan.)
So, what happened to all the manufacturing and the accompanying jobs?
Manufacturing and its jobs were outsourced where both labor and materials were cheaper as corporate shareholders demanded higher returns on their investment, government policies like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) made it both easier and more profitable for U.S. companies to outsource manufacturing and assembly, and automation all contributed to the decline of manufacturing and manufacturing jobs, according to research at MIT.
Unions became easy and convenient targets for some politicians who claimed collective bargaining drove up prices and reduced productivity—factually dubious but politically effective claims.
That same period marked some serious wage stagnation among U.S. earners according to the American Economic Association. Wages mostly treading water coincides with the outsourcing of jobs, the rise of right-to-work laws designed to break unions and their ability to collectively bargain for wages and benefits, and government policies that were designed to improve corporate bottom lines but did so at the expense of workers.
And so, the middle class began to shrink. According to Pew Research Center, by 1971, fully 61 percent of American households were considered “middle class,” but by 2024 that figure was down to less than 50 percent.
The U.S. Department of Labor now defines “middle class” as household income between two-thirds to twice the national or state-level median income or $52,000 to $155,000. The broad range is because the number varies depending on location. Income needed to be “middle class” in Silicon Valley is considerably more than that needed in Grand Traverse County, for example.
That same Department of Labor now says we still have 35 million Americans working in manufacturing jobs, but their definition of manufacturing is wildly broad and includes such categories as fishing, farming, and forestry, among others.
The reality is we have outsourced the middle class for some cheaper labor and better returns for investors. The labor we used to celebrate got mostly left behind.
With Labor Day comes back to school. It is once again time for those giant yellow buses to be among us mornings and afternoons. They will be stopping frequently. When those buses are stopped with red lights flashing traffic MUST STOP whether behind them or approaching them.
Yes, this means all of us, whether we are late for an appointment or paying little attention or anything else. Buses now have cameras, and they will photograph the fools who refuse to stop and law enforcement will come calling with a hefty fine.
Those stopped buses are either loading or unloading children, sometimes very young children who m ight not look before darting across the street. According to the National Safety Council, half a dozen children were killed loading or unloading in 2023, the last year for final statistics. And according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 128 people died in passenger vehicle/bus collisions, nearly all the fatalities from the passenger vehicle.
A little extra caution around the buses will be greatly appreciated by the bus drivers, students, and their parents. Just stop.
LEADERSHIP LOST
GUEST OPINION
by Gary Muller
Last summer, my brother and I travelled to upstate New York to visit relatives. We visited Hyde Park, the home of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the location of his Presidential Museum and Library. This year, my wife and I visited Independence, Missouri, where President Harry Truman lived and where his Presidential Museum and Library are located. The National Park Service does a fantastic job giving tours and sharing historical facts about our country’s struggles and successes. These two gentlemen truly were the leaders of the Greatest Generation.
Their campaign promises were honored and their accomplishments were numerous. They led a country—that was first in a depression and then in the second World War—out of many dark days and an economic nightmare. The U.S. became the respected leader of the free world.
We were proud to be recognized as Americans by other democratic nations. Prior to Trump, the U.S. was seen as benevolent but always “carried a big stick” that was not seen as bullying or cruel, as Trump now governs.
FDR was elected based on his New Deal platform to bring the U.S. out of the Great Depression. His strong leadership and vision started the National Recovery Administration that created jobs for laborers and government workers.
DOGE, by the Trump administration, has failed by cutting jobs and essential government services. Elon Musk, the DOGE champion under Trump, has now said that his cost-cutting efforts have been wasted by the “Big Beautiful Bill” that has weakened the U.S. dollar and created enormous debt for decades.
FDR accomplished the Social Security Act for seniors and those who are disabled as well as the Works Progress Administration that provided useful work for millions of those unemployed. He had the leadership skills to create an alliance with Britain and the Soviet Union and signed the Atlantic Charter to show the United States’ leadership strength and to establish world order.
Trump is not able to end the Russia-Ukraine war or the Middle East wars. Trump’s tariffs and “Beautiful Bill” threaten decades of Social Security for seniors and the safety net healthcare for millions by cutting Medicaid benefits for needy citizens, fueling inflation at the same time. This is a perfect storm of take-aways from the least among us.
President Harry Truman was determined to build on FDR’s policies, and he did. He ended WWII and initiated the Marshall Plan to contain communism in Europe by providing economic aid to many countries in the world. He oversaw the formation of NATO that expanded the reach of democracy, with the U.S. being recognized as the world leader. Truman expanded the New Deal, raised the minimum wage, and addressed growing civil rights issues.
Trump has eliminated USAID to developing countries and has threatened all NATO countries economically with tariffs.
The accomplishments of the leaders commemorated on Mount Rushmore are all historic. President George Washington: a military leader and the father of our country, following the Revolutionary War to separate from King George of England (a simple, brutal bully like Trump).
President Thomas Jefferson: the primary author of the Declaration of Independence and leader who doubled the size and strength of America through the Louisiana Purchase. Trump blusters and threatens independent nations like Greenland and Panama to be taken over.
President Theodore Roosevelt: whose “Square Deal” domestic policies protected consumers and controlled corporations while conserving natural resources. The Trump Bill and tariffs are raising consumer prices and giving large tax breaks to wealthy corporations and individuals. He is planning to destroy many natural resources by allowing drilling and development in protected areas.
Arguably the person who united a divided nation and emancipated the slaves, President Abraham Lincoln defines leadership. As commander in chief of the Union forces, he mobilized U.S. forces and inspired the nation with his courage and speeches. He united our country rather than divided it as Trump has done. He did not tolerate racism and bigotry, cruelty or elitism, as seems to be Trump’s methods.
In my opinion, the Trump administration and Republican Congress show none of these leadership traits. In fact, he/they are unraveling decades of gains by FDR, Truman, and four presidents on Mt. Rushmore. DOGE and Trump’s cabinet have further torn apart the government infrastructure necessary to lead the world. It is time to honor the leadership of FDR, Truman and others to regain the U.S. world reputation that has been lost.
We can do this by demonstrating our opposition and participating in the “No Kings” marches and voicing our concerns in local council meetings and forums. Contact your federal and state senators and representatives to express your opinion. Be proud to be an American and honor our forefathers, parents, and grandparents who were bold enough to risk or lose their lives and possessions to build and to maintain our democracy. The goal should be to remove anyone who damages our democracy, like Trump and Bergman have done, and support new, responsible leadership.
Let’s regain the leadership position that we have lost.
Gary Muller writes from Bellaire, Michigan.
MARG BAR Magnificent Magnificent
What’s Hot in Vinyl?
A beloved chapter in music history is making a comeback in northern Michigan
By Ren Brabenec
Humanity’s technological advancements are such that when something new comes along, the old is often relegated to the far back corner of the closet or junk drawer (looking at you, VHS tapes).
However, there are exceptions to this rule, because new doesn’t always mean better. Sometimes, a piece of technology can become ingrained in the cultural ethos and develop a dedicated fan base long after “new and improved” options emerge, as has been the case with vinyl records.
Vinyl Goes Viral
There’s no questioning it: Vinyl is making a comeback, despite sales falling off a cliff in the 1990s and 2000s due to innovations like CDs, MP3 players, and smartphones.
At the height of their popularity, U.S. vinyl sales were at $2.5 billion per year in 1978, according to Camoin Associates, an economic development firm. Sales dropped to just over $10 million during the 1990s, but began climbing in the 2020s. In 2022, sales reached $1.2 billion, despite the almost endless (and more convenient) alternatives consumers have for listening to music.
In 2021, vinyl sales increased by 68 percent in terms of units sold compared to 2020, and by 55 percent in terms of revenue. In 2022, vinyl sales surpassed CDs for the first time since the 1980s. In 2023, 43 million vinyl units were sold, six million more units than CDs.
We checked in with local record shop owners, and everyone we spoke to said nostalgia has had a lot to do with the vinyl resurgence, but that it was only part of the story.
“It’s an even split between younger and older folks,” says Michael Grigg of Hexagon Records in Petoskey, referring to the older, loyal fanbases who he thinks are in it for the nostalgia and the younger customers who grew up with MP3 audio but now want something different. “I’ve been pretty amazed and inspired by the amount of young people interested in vinyl.”
Vinyl record sales began to turn around during the pandemic, leaving some to theorize the resurgence in the media format was due in part to music lovers having a need
for new hobbies in order to stay occupied during lockdowns and quarantines.
It appears that particular hobby is expanding across age demographics. “We have teenagers just getting into vinyl come in regularly that aren’t old enough to drive so they’re being dropped off by their parents,” says Alex Walton of RPM Records in Traverse City.
“That’s one of the coolest things about an actual record store,” Walton adds, referencing the camaraderie of vinyl enthusiasts and the collectibility of the records. “It’s a place where customers, no matter their age difference, come together over their love of music and will spend an hour or two or more searching around for some new vinyl, and most of the time they’ll end up chatting with each other about different albums or bands and they’ll find something they didn’t know they were going to be into.”
Last, and perhaps most importantly, there’s the aesthetics of vinyl. No one denies it; the music sounds different when it’s coming from a carefully pressed, grooved, circular disc of polyvinyl chloride rotating at 33 1/3, 45, or 78 revolutions per minute, depending on the record.
“RPM officially opened back in 2010, which was before vinyl started to make a comeback, so the first years of being open differed from the present,” Walton says. “Now that people have caught on to not only the sound quality of vinyl vs. digital, but also the camaraderie or purpose of music, which I feel is to play it out loud and enjoy it with your family and friends instead of sticking in headphones by yourself, we have seen a huge increase in people buying turntables, vintage stereos, and records.”
What People are Listening To
We suspected that, despite an infinite number of music options to choose from, a few albums would enjoy ubiquitous popularity; Rumours by Fleetwood Mac being one of them. Brian Chamberlain, of Eugene’s Record Co-op in Traverse City, confirmed our suspicion. “You are definitely correct about Rumours,” Chamberlain laughs.
“It’s one essential album that we need to have in the store at all times, if possible,” he says. “Other current bestsellers include
Chappell Roan’s Midwest Princess, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n' Sweet, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, and anything by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Kendrick Lamar, Steely Dan, and Prince.”
Promoting and selling a product as technologically obsolete as vinyl records might seem difficult, but the shop owners we spoke with said that simply leaning into the good vibes around the vinyl community is enough to sell out new shipments of records in just a few days. “With our specific shop, I think our ability to stay open is also due to the atmosphere and vibe that we put forth, in addition to the inventory,” says Chamberlain.
“People often compliment the look and decor of the store,” he adds. “I wanted to design a store that would transport folks to another time and place with our unique art, lighting, vintage electronics, and of course the incense. We also host live music, comedy shows, and dance parties at the shop, which also bring people in.”
The Future of Vinyl
Cultural interests, hobbies, shared pastimes—these are all fickle creatures, leaving us to wonder if the vinyl comeback is permanent, or if the industry’s sudden popularity is fleeting. Then there are economic factors to consider, ones that are well outside the control of record shop owners.
“I’d say that business is steady overall, but inflation and the recently unnecessarily
imposed tariffs are definitely making a lot of the merchandise even more expensive,” Chamberlain tells us. “Vinyl is already pricey, so it’s unfortunate that our costs have continued to increase over the past few years, and we’re having to up the retail price for vinyl to survive. Business has still been good, but things are a little dicey with the current economy, but I’m hopeful we can make it to the other side.”
Broader economic concerns aside, as of now, vinyl feels like it’s here to stay. Walton of RPM Records and Grigg of Hexagon Records also report that business has been good, and they hope it continues.
“I post previews on my new arrivals on social media, and that brings business in,” Grigg says. “I have a shop sign up now, I’m selling a lot of used albums and some new ones, and business has been even better this year than last year.”
Walton seconds that sentiment with some additional, behind-the-curtain insight as to why he feels the resurgence is here to stay.
“With all of the great new music coming out, and most artists now totally bypassing CDs and releasing on digital download and vinyl, along with vinyl pressing plants either opening or opening back up and repressing classics, we now sell a ton of vinyl,” he says. “We get a big order in every Thursday and get it priced and into the racks for Friday morning, and a good majority of the order is gone by end of day Sunday.”
RPM Records
Hexagon Records Eugene's Record Co-op
Teaching the Stars
Meet the famous (and soon to be) students of Interlochen’s singer-songwriter program
By Kierstin Gunsberg
It was the early aughts when, thanks to a little luck and a whole lot of talent, Courtney Kaiser-Sandler’s demo landed in the hands of John Mellencamp. The “Jack & Diane” singer was so impressed with Kaiser-Sandler’s vocals that he invited her to be one of his backup performers. In the years since, she’s toured with her own band, KaiserCartel, finished her master’s program, and during the 2012–2013 school year became integral to the launch of Interlochen Center for the Arts’ Singer-Songwriter program.
“I was living in New York at the time
Sydney Kassekert, Interlochen senior Sydney Kassekert’s parents like to remind her that music has always been part of her identity—something they first noticed when Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” was on repeat back in 2011. “They say I knew it by heart by the third time we had played it.”
Influenced by bands like The Chicks and Sheryl Crow, Kassekert grew up on the West Coast where she accumulated piles of journals filled with lyrics. So far, she’s written more than 60 original songs. But it wasn’t until she arrived at Interlochen at 14 that she felt like a bonafide musician.
“I was so nervous,” she says of her audition and moving across the country to attend the academy, “but the second I arrived, I knew it was home.”
While she may have quickly settled into life on campus, it took Kassekert a bit longer to feel at home in the spotlight. “I remember my freshman year coming onto the stage, just shaking,” she says. With Kaiser-Sandler’s coaching and Interlochen’s Performance Shangri-La class, she learned “the importance of repetition and self-confidence,” and began seeing each show as a way to build on the successful parts of her past performances.
She carried that mindset into a recent show at the City Opera House where, for the first time ever, she stood under the warm lights for a vocal solo without the safety net of a guitar or any other instrument. “I had a full band ready, a microphone in hand, and an audience before me… I told myself to have fun because I’d made it so far and deserved that at least,” she says. “I left the stage feeling so proud of myself.”
that Interlochen was thinking about this [program],” recalls Kaiser-Sandler, who by then had carved out a teaching career between gigs and album drops. “I thought, wow, what would it be like to teach students who had to audition to be my student?”
A former Interlochen alum herself, she saw how her experience as a working musician could help the school expand beyond their long-running classical voice program, made famous by alumni like Jewel Kilcher. “Classical voice gives everyone a wonderful foundation,” says Kaiser-Sandler “but it doesn’t necessarily develop the artistry or songwriting abilities of young artists.”
This past fall, when Wesley Stoker learned his grandmother was passing away, he did what writers often do when life gets tough and began to process through words. In just 30 minutes, the Interlochen senior poured his grief into a complete song, creating a kind of thread between his dorm in northern Michigan and his family back in Texas.
“I was struggling with this feeling of division,” he recalls. “I felt so far away from what was going on and out of touch with the situation.” The result became, in his words, “a time capsule” of how he felt in that brief moment.
Stoker credits the last few years of built-in collaboration at school for helping him develop his voice. “I realized that showing people your songs can give you a completely different idea to what you’re doing,” he says. “Whether that’s chords, lyrics, or form, someone else’s input could give you something that you love but never would’ve thought of on your own.”
A multi-instrumentalist (vocals, guitar, cello, upright bass, ukulele—the list goes on), Stoker hopes his songs can offer the same comfort they’ve given him. “My goal is that my story can be a stepping stone to someone else’s way of processing their life,” he says. “I think songwriting has the power to have one person’s story create a universal healing experience for those who listen.”
Now a quarterfinalist for the Grammy’s Music Educator of the Year Award, KaiserSandler focuses as much on the mental and emotional side of songwriting and performance with her students as she does the technical.
“All the things we make up about how we think an audience is feeling—whether they like our music, whether they like us—being a songwriter, an artist on the stage, performing your own music, it’s a lot harder than performing someone else’s [songs],” she says.
And while greats like Bob Dylan and Stevie Nicks never studied music at an
Rett Madison, 2015 Academy graduate
“Write the songs and tell the stories that feel most authentic to you.” That’s the advice 2015 grad Rett Madison says they’d give to today’s Interlochen students.
Madison, who has appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers and earned praise for her albums Pin-Up Daddy (2021) and One For Jackie (2023), is now recording a third project, continuing to explore the themes of childhood, grief, and identity that have won over critics.
“I’ve always felt very connected to music, and singing has been my creative outlet as early as I can remember,” says Madison. “It wasn’t until I was 12 years old that I began writing songs and short stories and eventually considered myself a writer too.”
Originally from West Virginia, she still remembers the nerves of auditioning for Interlochen and then, the surreal thrill of getting in. “It was a dream come true,” Madison says. “It validated to myself that I was supposed to follow the path of music more seriously.”
After graduation, Madison was homesick for the woods surrounding the northern Michigan campus. “It was one of the few places that I felt happiest and understood as a young person.” But, like any true home, Interlochen keeps calling Madison back. Just last summer, she returned to the Kresge stage to open for Melissa Etheridge and fellow alum Jewel, taking to Instagram to share: “I feel so lucky to have this reason to come back.”
academic level, instilling an inner confidence and strong sense of self in her students before they hit the big-time is one way KaiserSandler hopes to steer them away from the pitfalls of putting themselves at the whim of audiences “to be criticized and judged, for better or worse, night after night after night.”
Thirteen years in, the program (which is also offered to middle schoolers as a threeweek summer intensive) has spurred young musicians from all over the world to vie for a chance to study in northern Michigan. Meet four of them as they share what they’ve learned from their time at Interlochen and where they’re headed next.
Jones,
As one-third of the pop trio Trousdale, Lauren Jones has spent the past year on the road (and in the sky), hitting soundchecks and her pillow between performances promoting the band’s album Growing Pains
“2025 is probably the heaviest touring year we’ve had yet,” says the “Wouldn’t Come Back” singer as she wraps up the tour’s European leg before heading to Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina venues this fall.
For most singer-songwriter students, this is the ultimate goal: to rack up seven figures in streams, book gig after gig, and, as Trousdale did this summer, perform for the Kelly Clarkson Show’s 1 million+ viewers. But as Jones—who says she doesn’t think she’d be a working musician without her Interlochen education—admits, no amount of live-performance training could have fully prepared her for the grind of touring.
“It’s something you can’t quite figure out until you’ve done it a couple times, and even then, it changes constantly,” she says. “Anything that can go wrong on tour probably will at some point, and you have to learn how to roll with the punches.”
As Jones spends the summer crossing international date lines, her time Up North not only helped her hone her talents but also gave her a wider perspective than her Bay City upbringing alone could have.
“I grew up in a really small town, and hearing experiences from people who have totally different walks of life was pretty limited,” she says. “The diversity of students and teachers at Interlochen really helped me obtain a broader understanding of the world… it was like going to college two years early.”
Wesley Stoker, Interlochen senior
Lauren
2014 Academy graduate
Photo by Janelle Brosnan
More Stars to Follow
Interlochen’s halls have launched more than a few household names. Consider this your highlight reel of the school’s latest breakout acts.
Sofía Valdés: As Valdés told Interview Magazine in 2021, leaving home for boarding school isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. In a poetic act of spite spurred by teasing from some of her Interlochen classmates while she learned English, Valdés—who grew up in Panama speaking Spanish and moved to the U.S. at 15 to attend the arts school—released her dreamy beach-pop debut EP Ventura, written entirely in English. Critics hailed the songwriting as “prematurely wise” and “introspective,” proving it doesn’t take a native speaker to capture the nuances of engaging storytelling.
Grace VanderWaal: For Grace VanderWaal, attending Interlochen as a Singer-Songwriter student during the pandemic was a followup to a meteoric rise to fame that began just a few years earlier, when, at 12 years old, she won season 11 of America’s Got Talent. Since that win, she’s starred in the Disney+ musical Stargirl, performed an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, and watched her hit ukulele ballad “I Don’t Know My Name” rack up over one hundred million streams on Spotify. This past April, VanderWaal released her second fulllength album, Childstar, where she explores an adolescence shaped—and sometimes strained—by the limelight.
Claud Mintz, aka Claud: The first artist signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records, Claud was connected to northern Michigan long before attending Interlochen. In a 2020 piece for the school, they recalled summers spent exploring Traverse City with their mom and her best friend. The duo ended up convincing Claud to audition for the SingerSongwriter program. Since graduating, Claud has opened for Bleachers (Jack Antonoff’s onstage moniker), formed the indie-pop band Shelly with Clairo, Josh Mehling, and Noa Frances Getzug, and shot a hilariously sweet music video with Paul Rudd for Claud’s 2023 single “A Good Thing.”
Sav Madigan and Katie Larson of The Accidentals: After meeting between classes at Traverse City West, Sav Madigan and Katie Larson joined the inaugural year of the Singer-Songwriter major in 2012, where they formed The Accidentals. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind of touring nationally, opening for acclaimed artists like Brandi Carlile and Andrew Bird, and releasing eight full-length albums, including their latest, Time Out, which dropped this August.
Chappell Roan: As musician and Interlochen collaborator Seth Bernard recalled to sister publication The Ticker last year, when Chappell Roan attended Interlochen’s Singer-Songwriter summer camp a decade ago, he couldn’t come up with a single note of constructive criticism to share with her, she was just that good. After spending the next decade as a relative unknown, the “Pink Pony Club” singer saw her career explode with the 2024 release of “Good Luck Babe,” and, well, the rest is very recent history.
Thursday, September 4th
The Jeff Haas Trio featuring Laurie Sears & Lisa Flahive WSG Rob Smith & Chris Glassman
6-8:30 pm (doors 5:30) Food & drink by NoBo Riverside Come as you are, pay what you can
“The Arts Are Not a Luxury”
Local arts organizations wade through financial limbo after federal cuts
By Drew VanDrie
From murals to sculpture gardens, performance centers to galleries, live music to dance theaters and beyond, the northern Michigan arts community is part of what makes our area so special.
While those programs are supported in part by local and state funding, along with donations and ticket sales, many arts organizations also rely on federal funding. However, extensive cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) this year and the prospect of the agency being eliminated altogether have placed the future of many Up North arts groups in jeopardy.
“For the members of the community who enjoy what the arts provide, they understand this to be a vibrant, creative home for the arts,” says Troy DeShano, executive director of the Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network. “What they may not know is just how fragile the infrastructure is that holds up our arts and culture in this region.”
Immediate Impacts
The revocation of previously-confirmed NEA funding to grantees was swift and unexpected, arriving earlier this spring as either a letter or email notifying of the reversal.
“We did get an NEA grant last year to
support our latest additional programming,” says Julie Cobble, executive director of Traverse City Dance Project (TCDP).
“We received a letter in March, that due to administrative cuts, we were one of those groups that were awarded this back in November, thought we had it, and then got the letter that it was cut.”
Cobble is referring to a $10,000 NEA grant that had been awarded to fund an expanded Northern Michigan Dance Festival to be hosted at Milliken Auditorium October 10-12. “That was immediate, that we lost that $10,000,” says Cobble, “Which for us is impactful as such a small group.”
Traverse City Dance Project is not the only organization experiencing the sudden setback of funding cuts.
“There are a handful of local nonprofit organizations that have received funding directly from the NEA,” says DeShano. “And for some of those, the impact is relatively devastating, because they’re actually having to return funds that they’ve already been awarded.”
An Age
of Uncertainty
Beyond the challenge of earmarked funds being rescinded, local art organizations pointed to the unpredictability of future funding as the next challenge.
“The biggest impact we’re feeling right
now is uncertainty,” says Scott Bouma, executive director of the Glen Arbor Arts Center. “The Michigan Arts & Culture Council (MACC), which gets a lot of its funding from the NEA, has put its 2025 grant process on hold. For organizations like ours that have counted on this support every year, the delay is making it hard to know how we’ll cover planned costs.”
DeShano echoes similar concerns on the difficulties to budgeting and planning that funding cuts pose. “We’re working on budgeting right now, which is nearly impossible if you don’t know what your funding is going to look like.”
Both Bouma and DeShano say that while the NEA funding is not a majority of funding for some organizations, the previous dependability of the grants provided for some of the basic operations that made other aspects possible.
Noting that NEA/MACC funding is 4.5 percent of the Glen Arbor Art Center Budget, Bouma explains, “The MACC grant we’ve counted on in the past helps pay for important parts of our organization like staff, building costs, and marketing.” Having those accounted for allows Glen Arbor Arts Center to focus on their programming available to the public. “If this support keeps shrinking and we can’t find other funding, we might have to cut back or stop some programs in the
future because we won’t have the resources to keep them going.”
DeShano says that while the NEA funding may be the “meat and potatoes” for some organizations, the cuts to grants and funds may place smaller programs in a more dire situation. “Those that are hit the hardest are the smaller, rural arts centers who truly are providing the experience to the most needed in our communities.”
Faced with a smaller resource pool to draw from for alternative funding and donations, DeShano flags these programs as the most at risk in the wake of NEA funding shortfalls.
“Everybody is now seeking other sources of funding,” adds Cobble. “We diversify as much as we can—we have charitable foundations and personal donations, individual donations—but now all of the organizations that could donate money are seeing more requests because the NEA funding is not an option any more.”
Creatives Get Creative
With that in mind, arts orgs in the region are shifting to creative solutions to circumvent the shortfalls.
“Adapting is going to be a key focus for the next few years. We’re going to have to adapt,” says DeShano. He points to programs offered by his organization to promote efficiencies and improved processes. “The
Photo courtesy of Traverse City Dance Project
Arts & Culture Network provides training, workshops, and professional development to support nonprofit workers to be more efficient in their mission. As well as training for independent artists to provide some of the business skills they may not have.”
As they plan to make do with less, arts organizations are trying to secure more local funding and private donations to make up funding gaps. Along the way, they’re making new in-roads with the community.
Cobble highlights coordinating with Rotary Charities of Traverse City to work on a novel form of funding. “They reached out when we had a grant update meeting and they asked if we would be interested in participating in what they’re calling a ‘funding pool,’” she says. Rotary’s idea is to pool any leftover funding not tied to a specific grant to create some “piggy bank money” that could be doled out to organizations in need.
“Share the money!” encourages Cobble. “If anyone has a few thousand dollars for an arts organization, whether we get some of it, or somebody else gets it, it’s that sharing the wealth. … They’re [Rotary Charities] trying to be very creative with what they could do to utilize their funds as much as possible.”
Despite the innate competition for funds, organizations also expressed a communal sense of collaboration to ensure that the show—and the arts—goes on.
“Collaboration is absolutely part of our approach,” says Bouma. “We’re always looking for ways to lift each other up across the arts community. Whether that’s co-hosting events or brainstorming initiatives, working together helps us all weather financial challenges and keep the arts strong in our area.”
“We’re all in it together,” agrees Cobble. “We’re all trying to do the same thing, bring
art to different communities. There’s some unification there, we’re all experiencing this.”
In regard to the upcoming Northern Michigan Dance Festival, Cobble shares how dance troupes have been willing to compromise to ensure that the show continues. “Some of the groups that are coming to the festival, they’re doing it for less than what they may have asked for at a different time. They know that we’re all doing the best we can; they believe in what we’re trying to do. We all want to participate in each other’s work.”
Tomorrow is taking the road less traveled
The Future of the Arts
Although the road ahead is filled with potholes, the passion for the arts and those that promote them in the region has not diminished.
“For us, the arts are not a luxury. They are an important part of what makes our community lively and connected,” says Bouma. “We believe that creativity adds value to every part of life. It helps people understand the world, care about others, and build connections. In a rural area like ours, the arts can be a lifeline by giving
people chances to express themselves, learn, and feel like they belong.”
Cobble also highlights the connective power of the arts and how it draws a community together. “It can change someone’s individual life. Especially in a place in northern Michigan where it is so spread out, that was always important,” she says. “The main thing is that art, in general, brings people together at a time when we feel like people are drifting further apart. It really unifies—you can feel it.”
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Photo courtesy of Glen Arbor Arts Center
All the Sounds of Fall September
showcases a variety of acts Up North
By Ross Boissoneau
Summer may be coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. Au contraire, there are a number of concerts coming to the region. From local standouts to nationally-celebrated performers, venues across the area will showcase songs, sounds, and stylings from a variety of sources. Whether classical or classic rock, acoustic folk or heavy metal, there’s something for every taste.
Here are a few standouts from among the many shows and artists coming in September. Check the venue for ticket information except as noted.
LA Guns, Sept. 3, The Venue Event Center, Cadillac
Tracii Guns boasts an impressive hard rock CV, founding his namesake glam metal band as well as Guns N’ Roses and Brides of Destruction. He cites such metal gods as Johnny Thunders, Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen, and Tony Iommi among his inspirations. His bands typically feature powerful vocals offset by his guitar work. While one version of LA Guns toured sans its namesake, he’s been back onboard since 2016.
Kittel & Co., Sept. 5, City Opera House
Acclaimed violinist Jeremy Kittel departed the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet to form a band that leans more toward folk, bluegrass, and Celtic stylings, all while staying true to the jazz ethos of improvisation. Whorls, the band’s debut album, made the top 10 on Classical Billboard charts and claimed the #1 spot on the Bluegrass chart. Bluegrass Situation calls the music “whimsical, alluring, and magnificent.” Who are we to argue?
Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus, Sept. 7, City Opera House Star light, star bright, the stars
you’ll see that night are members of the longstanding Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus. The barbershop quartet organization formed in 1966, held its first concert in 1967, and has been going strong ever since. With songs from Broadway to the Beach Boys that all celebrate the night sky, the chorus (and special guests Five Star from Grand Rapids) guarantee they’ll have you humming along.
No Sugarcoating!, Sept. 12-13, Traverse City Philharmonic Center
Life is a cabaret, old friend. You can experience it for yourself at the TC Phil Center Nightclub. “No Sugarcoating!” is an evening of songs with stories about real life as it’s lived. Join four women with decades of stage and real-life experience, with Traverse City Philharmonic Music Director Kevin Rhodes on the piano. Spoiler alert: Maestro Rhodes will play, but he’s been forbidden to open his mouth.
Don Felder, Sept. 13, Odawa Casino
No word on whether the guitarist and vocalist has been livin’ it up at the Hotel California, but he’ll surely play that and other Eagles tunes as well as solo material.
Famed for his tenure with that volatile superstar band (1974-1999, excepting the 1980-1994 hiatus—volatile indeed), Felder has since maintained a solo career. He’s also worked with Alice Cooper, Michael Jackson, the Bee Gees, Elton John, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Andy Gibb, and Stevie Nicks.
Danilo Perez Trio, September 13, The Alluvion Grammy Award-winning pianistcomposer Danilo Pérez has collaborated with jazz giants Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, Wynton
Dave Bennett
Marsalis, and too many others to mention. His music blends his Panamanian roots, Latin American folk music, West African rhythms, and European impressionism into a style all his own. Bassist Ben Street has performed and toured with the likes of Roswell Rudd, Cyndi Lauper, and Shawn Colvin, while drummer Adam Cruz counts time with Chick Corea among his musical highlights.
The Dave Bennett Quartet, Sept. 13, Cheboygan Opera House
On the one hand, Dave Bennett draws inspiration from swing and Dixie icons such as Benny Goodman, and Pete Fountain. On the other, he admits to enjoying the music of Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, and Genesis. So the Dave Bennett Quartet presents an evening of swing, rockabilly, jazz, pop, gospel, and originals influenced by the above plus Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, Chris Isaak, and who knows who else.
Grand Rapids Ballet, Sept. 14, Great Lakes Center for the Arts
Michigan’s only professional classical ballet company presents a program including two ballets made exclusively for the company. Le Grand Jazz! features classic tunes and songs from contemporary jazz artists. Jump Cut, by resident choreographer Penny Saunders, is a nod to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Get there early and get in on the conversation with Artistic Director James Sofranko for behind-the-scenes insights.
Jason Vieaux, guitar and Tim McAllister, saxophone, Sept. 16, Dendrinos Chapel and Recital Hall
This Interlochen faculty recital features two instruments rarely heard together in a duo. Classical guitar virtuoso Jason Vieaux and acclaimed saxophonist Tim McAllister blend their instrumental voices for a unique program. Upbeat? Mellow? Mournful? Joyous? All the above? Their genredefying program blends precision, passion, and unexpected sonic pairings, demonstrating music need pay no heed to predetermined boundaries.
East Bay Drive with Miriam Pico, Sept. 18, Music on the Mountain at The Homestead
Start with four of the region’s most versatile instrumentalists, add sizzling saxophone, and bring in a ringer on vocals. That’s a recipe for a great evening of music, with the backdrop of sunset over Lake Michigan. The originals and imaginative covers bring to mind David Sanborn, Steely Dan, Dave Koz, Grover Washington Jr., Deodato, and other pop/jazz/smooth outfits.
C.S. Lewis House Band, Sept. 19, Great Lakes Center for the Arts
As part of the C.S. Lewis Festival, the C.S. Lewis House Band will perform a set of songs inspired by Lewis’s writings. Curt Coffield, musician and pastor at North Life Church in Gaylord, last year wrote several original tunes with lyrics inspired by the acclaimed Christian author. He and the other members of the five-piece pop-rock band will reconvene for the festival with a couple new tunes.
Cadillac Community Big Band, Sept. 20, Cadillac Elks Club
Everything old is new again. The Cadillac Community Jazz Band plays everything from classic Glenn Miller to sassy N’Awlins-style tunes like “Iko Iko.”
While some of its repertoire reaches back decades, the band itself is less than a year old. It features active and retired music teachers with over a century of combined experience, along with other jazz and swing enthusiasts.
www.rpmrecordstc.com
The 1985 Totally 80s Mixtape Live!, Sept. 20, Little River Casino, Manistee
Those of you who wish the ’80s had never ended are in luck. The 1985 performs a veritable cornucopia of 1980s rock, pop, new wave, metal, and club classics from icons like Prince, Journey, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi (take a breath), Wang Chung, Whitney Houston, The B-52’s, Def Leppard, and yes, many more. Don’t stop there: The band features throwback video/ song montages, period cosplay, and synchronized choreography to make the show a full-throttle flashback experience.
Maya de Vitry House Concert, Sept. 27 (GopherwoodConcerts.org)
Nashville-based singer/songwriter
Maya de Vitry blurs the lines of folk, country, indie rock, and Americana in her original music. Think of a cross between Bonnie Raitt and Nina Simone performing music that combines the songcraft of John Prine, Gillian Welch, and Townes Van Zandt. She launched her solo career following an apprenticeship with the roots-Americana trio The Stray Birds, garnering praise from Rolling Stone Country, NPR Music, and No Depression.
Traverse City Philharmonic, Sept. 27-28, Milliken Auditorium 5 + 4 = 9…Or the TC Phil playing Ludwig van Beethoven and Philip Glass. Everyone can play “name that tune” with the iconic first four notes of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (“da-da-da-DUM”). Less immediately recognizable is Glass’s “The American Four Seasons,” aka “Violin Concerto No. 2.” Violinist Yevgeny Kutik guests, and—oh my, is that a synthesizer in there? Yes. Yes it is.
QUACKFUTUREQUACKFUTURE to the
Dewey Louie and The News
How to Make a Record
By Matt Dursum
Balance, harmony, beauty, and storytelling that grabs our hearts are just some of the things that go into a great song. In the studio, it’s up to mixers and engineers like Nick Nagurka to capture moments and complex feelings through sound.
Nagurka’s portfolio includes Theo Katzman, May Erlewine, Vulfpeck, and Yo La Tengo. Instead of working from a studio in Hollywood or New York, he mixes music right here in northern Michigan.
Local Inspiration
“I grew up in Harbor Springs and had some really great teachers in school,” says Nagurka. Superstar music teachers such as Randy Marquardt, Jeff Bennett, and guitar teacher Chris Koury inspired Nagurka to study music. “Chris is the one who got me into recording, and I got into it to prove to myself I could, like, rip on the guitar, because I could never really do it in person.”
With an eight-track Tascam 488 cassette recorder gifted to him by his parents, Nagurka set up his studio in his basement and went to work.
“My guitar teacher at the time, Chris Koury, also had one of those machines, so we could bring tracks back and forth between guitar lessons and home,” he says. Koury loaned him a drum machine, and Nagurka recorded demos on cassettes with his friends. “I loved music. I loved listening to music,
and that was just kind of the gateway into recording,” he says.
Although he claims he doesn’t play well, Nagurka is proficient in piano, bass, guitar, and trumpet. But as he prepared for college, Nagurka realized he lacked experience using the electronic software most studio professionals were accustomed to.
“It was great, but it was also pretty limiting trying to emulate sounds that I’d heard on recordings and just not getting there,” he says. He recorded his music portfolio for the University of Michigan on cassette tape.
“When I got there, all these kids around me were like, ‘Oh yeah, I know how to use MIDI, and I know how to make beats.’”
University of Michigan’s Fine Arts in Performing Arts Technology program gave Nagurka the multi-disciplinary outlet he needed. “It’s sort of split between engineering school, art school, music school, and maybe a little bit of film school too,” says Nagurka, who took all the advanced recording classes he could.
Big City Living
After graduation, Nagurka moved to New York with his then-girlfriend, now wife. “She had gotten a great job there, and that was perfect for me, because I wanted to get into a New York studio and kind of get my butt kicked for a while,” he jokes.
Nagurka’s career in New York started slowly, “but just luckily, through a friend, I got this gig at Brooklyn recording as an
assistant.” Brooklyn Recording’s portfolio includes artists such as Cheap Trick, Ani DiFranco, Norah Jones, and The Kills.
Recording engineer Andy Taub took him under his wing, giving Nagurka the skills and confidence to take on mixing for Grammywinning artists.
“You don’t have input when you’re an assistant in a studio—you do it the way the engineer tells you to, or the client asks you to. You get to learn the ways you would want to do something, the ways you wouldn’t want to do something, the ways you want to treat people, and the ways you really don’t ever want to treat people.”
While working in Brooklyn, Nagurka worked with some of the best artists and recording engineers in the business. “There are a lot of absolutely insane artists that came through there,” he says. When he started, the studio had just finished mixing Keith Richards’ solo album.
One prolific artist who made an impact on Nagurka was drum producer Steve Jordan.
“Steve was the first person I ever met who would come in after a take, after just crushing it, and sit right in the middle of the console in the control room, take the volume knob, and turn it up before I even hit play,” says Nagurka. The deafening levels hit like a shockwave, even with earplugs. “It was just rocking out and just such high energy. It was really fun.”
Recording, mixing, and sound
engineering can be a thrill, but Nagurka says the biggest challenge lies in developing a common language with the artist.
“You know when somebody says ‘clarity,’ my version of clarity may mean something completely different. Or they say they want it to sound warm—how do you define warm? Whatever it is, it’s just developing that sort of commonality, that little musical encyclopedia where everyone is sort of reading from the same page.” Once that’s developed, Nagurka says the process becomes inspiring.
A Change of Pace
Although he was having fun professionally in New York, things changed quickly during COVID. At the time, Nagurka was on tour with Theo Katzman as his front of house mixer, mixing the sound for the audience. “It was this weird situation where we were driving from Cincinnati to Detroit, and we were about to play our third to last gig of that tour, and we got a call from management that was like, ‘Hey, you gotta cancel these last three shows.’”
After cancelling the tour, Nagurka returned home to his New York apartment, where he and his wife spent several months in lockdown. “It just turned into a highpressure situation in New York,” he says. Together, they left the brutal New York summer for Traverse City.
After making the move, Nagurka returned to music. He now works out of a home studio, a far cry from his life in New
Nick Nagurka and the art of mixing
Nagurka at work in Theo Katzman's studio.
York. “The slower pace of life really allows me to take advantage of being outside, going to the beach, and spending time in the water. I think it helps my work, having the space go down into a room to work instead of having to commute,” he says.
When Nagurka gets into the zone, even the beauty of northern Michigan becomes a distant thought. “When I’m mixing, I just sort of float into space somewhere, and I could be gone for hours. It’s like you’re forgetting about the rest of the world, but it’s so nice to get into the world again.”
Nagurka also travels regularly to Theo Katzman’s studio to continue work with him and his band in rural Michigan. There, Nagurka records as many musicians together
as possible to get the artist’s full, natural sound.
“A lot of what we do is start a song, get into a groove, and then we just remove stuff until you can hear the actual song. Am I hearing the song, or am I trying to make a production out of it? Everyone’s reacting to each other. You’re spending a lot more time listening than you are playing,” he says.
With this style of recording, there’s no way to go back and edit, making every session as raw as a live performance.
“Every time somebody hits the snare, it’s spilling into 20 other mics, and unless you move them all, there’s not a whole lot you can do, which is kind of great.” There is no grid, no click track to keep time, just the tempo of the performers together.
No matter the band or the studio, mixing is an art, and when asked, Nagurka gave his favorite examples of near-perfect work.
Steve Winwood, “Higher Love”: “Whenever I’m on tour and in front of a new PA, this is the first song I put up to start tuning the system. The band hears it and slowly emerges from wherever they are, because they know it’s almost time for soundcheck.”
Little Feat, “Long Distance Love”: “Just an insane amount of low end for the year 1975. No one ever had this much clean bass. Just a super cool recording.”
The Wallflowers, “One Headlight”: “This song is a gold standard in balance between instruments. I love how the crack
of the snare drum sits right in front of Jakob Dylan’s nose—90’s record, recorded on tape by the way.”
Beyoncé, “Partition”: “That 808 drop will destroy your foundation on the right system. Wow.”
Third Eye Blind, “How’s it Going to Be”: “A masterclass on how to make a rock album. What sounds like an acoustic guitar in the intro is actually an Autoharp. Also recorded to tape.”
Tom Waits, “Big in Japan”: “A colossal recording, full of the right kinda weird.”
Willie Nelson, “The Maker”: “Recorded in an old theater. Doesn’t get much better. If you listen closely, you can hear there are two drummers.”
The Perfect Track
Before and after. Left: Nagurka working on Katzman's studio build. Right: Bringing music to life in the studio. Inside Nagurka's home studio
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LATE SUMMER EATS Inside the Ingredients
By Nora Rae Pearl
Our last month of uninterrupted summer has come to an end. Back to school is upon us, but fear not; the bounty of summer is now coming to harvest. Your favorite farm market or local co-op will have everything you need to make these summertime recipes. Check out Altonen Orchards on M-72 for sweet corn, ideal for the freshest corn cakes. Find sunkissed peaches at Cherry Street Market, perfect for the sassiest salsa. And last but not least, shop Gallagher’s Farm Market for the finest green tomatoes. Make the most of these late August days that can’t be beat when paired with fresh and inventive meals.
CORN CAKES WITH PEACH SALSA
This savory, spicy, and cheesy pancake with sweet salsa takes breakfast for dinner to a new level.
Corn Cakes Ingredients
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 large or 3 medium ears of corn, shucked
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1 jalapeño, finely diced
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons dried onion or 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Few shakes of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• Vegetable oil, for frying
Peach Salsa Ingredients
• 4 ripe peaches, cut into small bits
• 1 jalapeño, finely diced
• 10 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
To make the salsa: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss gently to combine. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
To make the corn cakes: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Add the corn through the vinegar, stir to combine. Sprinkle over the salt through the pepper, stir again. Add the cornmeal and flour, mix until well combined. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Add enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, use a 1/4-1/3 cup to scoop batter into the pan. Gently flatten with the back of a spoon to make 3-inch or 4-inch round, 3/4-inch thick pancakes. Cook two to three minutes per side until golden and cook through. Add more oil between batches if needed. Serve with peach salsa, sliced avocado, and sour cream.
• Four 9 Bean Rows Ciabatta Rolls, cut in half and toasted
To make the sandwich: Start by cooking your bacon until crispy. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Slice the tomato(es) into 1/2-inch thick slices—you will want at least eight slices.
Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl, set aside. In a small bowl, mix the egg replacer with 1/4 cup water. Let sit for one minute. Dip both sides of the tomato in the mixture, then dip both sides in the breadcrumbs. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Carefully add the breaded tomato slices. (You may need to cook them in batches so they do not overlap.) Cook two to three minutes per side, until nicely browned. Add more oil between batches if needed.
Spread mayo on each side of the ciabatta rolls. Add lettuce, three slices of bacon, and two fried green tomatoes to each bottom bun. Finish the tomatoes with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper. Add top bun, then dig in!
*For plant based, seek out Lightlife Smart Bacon from Oryana in Traverse City.
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The Passing Parade Aug. 16 was just another happy Saturday at the Northeast Elementary School playground in Vernon, Connecticut -- until it wasn't. A 40-year-old man who became trapped in a tube slide had to be rescued by the Town of Vernon Fire Department, WKRC-TV reported. When first responders arrived, the unnamed man was stuck in the middle of the slide. He was provided oxygen, and ventilation was set up to cool the space. After about 30 minutes, which included taking the slide apart, the man was rescued and refused medical care or transport to a hospital.
Least Competent Criminal
Those pesky home surveillance videos. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department took a missing person report on Aug. 12 in regard to Sheylla Cabrera, 33, KTLA-TV reported. But the next day, as detectives viewed video from a neighbor's Ring doorbell, they spied Cabrera's husband, 36-year-old Jossimar Cabrera, struggling to pull a heavy sack or sheet away from the home. Three days later, a sack containing Sheylla's body was found in the Angeles National Forest. Jossimar allegedly fled to Peru, where local authorities picked him up, then released him pending charges. The couple's three children were also found safe in Peru.
Only in Iowa could you be arrested for "simulated public intoxication." KCRGTV reported that on Aug. 18, Fayette County Sheriff's deputies were called about individuals lying in a ditch around 5:30 a.m. Kalab Barker, 31, was the only one still around when officers arrived; he was arrested and charged with the dubious crime of pretending to be drunk.
In Hillsborough County (Florida), a drone crashed into a home around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 19, Fox5-TV reported. The homeowners retrieved the drone from the backyard before the drone's owner, Jason Brooks, 49, knocked on the front door, at which point they called police. Sheriff Chad Chronister said the homeowner found a cloth bag attached to the drone, with four other bags inside. "Three bags with fentanyl powder and one bag of methamphetamine," Chronister said. "Each bag has a person's name written on the bag." When deputies arrived, they found Brooks outside. He told them he was flying his drone and "I believe it crashed in this area, and I'm going in the backyard trying to find my drone." Brooks is a 15-time convicted felon; he was charged with possession with intent to sell or deliver, among other charges, and held without bond.
But Why?
As landscaper Brian Hanson mowed a lawn in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Aug. 14, he was interrupted by a man in full jester costume approaching him with a 12inch dagger, The Smoking Gun reported. Hanson positioned his mower between him and the threatening cosplayer, Anthony Marzola, 51, who lives nearby. Marzola was allegedly unhappy about the sound of the mower and yelled at Hanson that he "cannot be mowing." Police believe Marzola's getup may be related to his business, the Psychedelic Jester smoke shop; why he was in full costume at home was not explained.
He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
David Hampson, 54 -- known to locals as "Silent Man" -- has been arrested again in Swansea, Wales, for standing in the middle of busy roads in the city, the Telegraph reported on Aug. 12. By "again," we mean for the 12th time. Hampson, who has no fixed address, has been repeating his strange behavior since 2014, but he won't explain himself to law enforcement or health officials and won't even confirm his name in court. But he's not mute, his brother said: "He never stops talking. He's a spoilt brat. He just does it to have a comfy life inside prison."
Well-Done
Firefighters with the Doolittle (Missouri) Rural Fire Protection District responded to a truck fire on Aug. 18, Fox5-TV reported. Inside the trailer was 40,000 pounds of rib-eye steaks -- which, while a total loss, had to smell AMAZING! Probationary firefighter Jenna Ulrich, the only vegan in the department, fought her first fire that morning alongside her dad, Glenn Ulrich.
Suspicions Confirmed
The Wynn Encore resort in Las Vegas and nightclub DJ Gryffin got punked when Justin Bieber impersonator Dylan Desclos, 29, showed up at the venue, Huff Post reported on Aug. 19. The pseudo-Bieber danced and partied, allegedly racking up a $10,000 bar bill, before his "team" alerted Gryffin that he wanted to perform "Sorry," one of his big hits. "Dark venue and loud music didn't help here," Gryffin posted after discovering he'd been had. A spokesperson for the Wynn Encore said Desclos had been granted access to the stage after an "elaborate and multistep ruse by him and his advance team." The resort banned him for life after learning he wasn't really Bieber.
When Fujiyoshi Shindo, 93, was found dead in his home in Daisen, Japan, on Aug. 18, police initially suspected he had been mauled by a bear, The Japan Times reported. Bear sightings have become more common in northern Japan; more than 200 people were attacked in the 12 months leading up to March 2024. But as investigators looked into the incident further, they found that the man's wounds were more consistent with a knife attack.
On Aug. 19, his son, Fujiyuki Shindo, 51, was arrested for allegedly murdering his elderly father. The younger man lived with his parents, and detectives seized several knives from the home in an effort to identify the murder weapon.
The Tech Revolution
Visitors to Judong No. 3 Park in Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea, may rub their eyes when they see a life-size, uniformed policeman, Oddity Central reported on Aug. 15. That's because the officer is a 3D hologram that patrols between 7 and 10 p.m., assuring people that "in emergencies, the police will respond immediately" and "there are surveillance cameras everywhere." The specterlike officers are intended to increase people's perception of safety, and since their installation in October, data show they've had a significant impact on crime in the park, decreasing incidents by 22%.
More than a Bookstore
Cedar’s The Folded Leaf offers new and used books, community concerts, and “snuggery” vibe
By Marla Miller
Rachel Zemanek looked through the window of a vacant building in Cedar on a snowy day in February and knew it was the perfect spot for her bookstore concept, The Folded Leaf.
The space at 9044 S. Kasson St. was a former art gallery with a “for lease” sign in the window. Zemanek called the owner and presented her business plan, signing the lease in early March and opening the store in late April.
The Folded Leaf is an independent bookstore that sells a “carefully curated selection” of new books as well as used books that have been largely donated by the community. The intimate space hosts concerts and other events—a movie night is in the works for the winter—on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The business was born with help from Zemanek’s family, her business partner Kimberly Robinson, and community supporters.
“It felt right. It felt like this was supposed to be The Folded Leaf,” she says. “Having it in my hometown made everything fall together.”
What’s behind the name? The Folded Leaf combines Zemanek’s “love for nature and love for books into one amazing bookstore,” she says. It’s subtitled “A Leelanau County Snuggery”: per Merriam-Webster, a “snuggery” is a British term that means “a snug cozy place.” The store is meant to act as a “third space,” where customers feel like they are walking into their living room.
“It’s like an extension of your home, where you feel comfortable and at home and joyful,” she says. “We wanted the snuggery to
be everyone’s third space.”
A Dream Comes True Early
Zemanek, 33, always dreamed of opening a bookstore in retirement—and never in her hometown of Cedar. But life has a funny way of coming full circle, and The Folded Leaf offers the safe, inclusive space that Zemanek always longed for as a teen.
“I didn’t know where it was going to be, but I knew it wasn’t going to be in Cedar and look at me now,” she says.
Zemanek, openly bisexual, recalls growing up in Cedar and feeling like she could not be her true self, especially going to a small Catholic school. “I wanted to create a space that felt needed and a space I needed as a kid, a place where I felt accepted and loved and not judged,” she says. “If I prevent one kid from harming themselves, I will have met my goal.”
After living in several other states, Zemanek returned to the Leelanau Peninsula in 2024 to be closer to family. She also retired in February 2024 from her job as a paramedic/EMT due to injuries, which accelerated the bookstore idea.
Zemanek realizes owning an independent bookstore in a small town presents its share of challenges. She is learning as she goes and working on multiple revenue streams.
“I didn’t get into this business with the intention of making money,” she says. “I got into this with the intention of creating a community space where people feel love, accepted, and welcomed.”
Zemanek is still juggling a full-time remote job and has a passion for supporting the mental health of first responders. She’s active with the Northwest Michigan Peer Network, a group of first responders
who support each other’s mental health concerns and debrief after crisis situations. In September, The Folded Leaf will highlight and donate a portion of the proceeds from special events to the Peer Network, but year-round the store gives back to other nonprofits, especially those supporting mental health and LGBTQ+ youth.
Cedar at the Center
The Folded Leaf is in the downtown business district between Bunting’s Cedar Market and Blue Moon Ice Cream Shop, so the location attracts foot traffic as well as provides a place for locals to read, work, or simply relax.
“Cedar is in the center of Leelanau County,” Zemanek says. “If you live in Maple City or Glen Arbor or Northport and you don’t want to drive all the way to Traverse to see a movie or go to a concert or find a good book, we have it here.”
The first thing you’ll see is an outdoor patio area with seating and picnic tables where “we’re going to be doing some really cool landscape architecture.” When you walk into the store, it’s an open concept with large bookshelves that line the walls, art from local artists, a small stage, and a couple of couches and “a really awesome rocking chair,” Zemanek says. If you’re very lucky, you’ll even see the neighborhood cat, Honey, snoozing among the books.
The Folded Leaf carries mostly used books, and 90 percent of them have been donated by people in the community. The bookstore also sells books through its website, and through a partnership with Libro.fm, patrons can buy audiobooks directly through the bookstore. This allows locals and online shoppers to browse the
catalog of over 400,000 audiobooks and discover hidden gems curated by expert booksellers.
“The community came out in droves,” Zemanek says of her first few months in business. “It was completely unexpected and a delightful surprise to have the community rally around something that had always been my dream.”
Community Music
The weekly music series has also been a hit so far. The events have a fundraising element and support local nonprofits or charitable causes.
“You can come and enjoy the space, enjoy the community, and enjoy the music,” she says. “Our music nights are incredible. The community comes together in the intimate space and the deep connection you get with the musicians…it really just radiates love.”
Rolf von Walthausen, a Leelanau local who lives in Centerville Township, also inquired about the space, so the building’s owner connected him with Zemanek and they quickly hit it off. He has since become a friend, supporter, piano tuner, and helps with the music series.
“She had this plan and these ideas that weren’t just hatched overnight,” Walthausen says. “They have sort of evolved on her life’s journey to the point it embodies who she is,” he adds. “It’s unbelievable what she’s done in three months.”
Walthausen also connected Zemanek with Traverse City’s Jeff Haas for some pointers on launching a successful music series. Walthausen praises the acoustics in the venue and says it’s really unique to listen to live music without any amplification.
“I talk it up. I tell everybody I know, ‘hey
you should check this place out because it’s amazing,’ because it is,” Walthausen says. “I don’t know any other place like it in northern Michigan.”
What’s Next
The Folded Leaf also sells artwork and other Leelanau items, Fiddleheads premade sandwiches, and local cheese and sweet treats. Zemanek is trying to obtain a beer and wine tasting permit to offer tastings in the store. In the meantime, customers can buy local beer, wine, and premixed cocktails for carryout. She also has other snacks and nonalcoholic beverages that can be consumed at the store.
“We’re working on getting some coffee and tea that people can have to drink there,”
she says. “People are welcome to come and sit and enjoy the space.”
But the dreams don’t stop there. Zemanek’s parents live on a nearby farm and her mom has the “world’s greenest thumb.” Her goal for the 2026 season is to sell fresh-cut native northern Michigan flowers and plants. “We would like to be able to sell those at the shop, not necessarily thinking of it as a way of making more money but a way to support the local ecology and pollinators,” Zemanek says.
In the winter, she has plans for a couple of igloos with cozy blankets and chairs inside, so people can sit outside and be surrounded by the snow and feel like they are in a “little snow globe snuggery.”
Zemanek is thankful for the support so
far and says her overarching goal is to make the space and books financially accessible to the locals and give vacationers a reason to visit Cedar.
“It’s just been incredible to experience the love and support and general joy that people feel when people come in the store, and they keep coming back every single week,” she says. “I would like to give a huge thank you to the community for making my dream a reality and letting me create a space that not only healed a part of me but helped the community grow.”
Find The Folded Leaf at 9044 S. Kasson St. in Cedar. (231) 714-0384; thefoldedleafleelanau.com
Fall Book Recommendations
The Folded Leaf owner scoops on her top book recommendations for the fall:
• All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
• The Lilac People by Milo Todd
• The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson
• The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho
• The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
• The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
• On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
“All of these books are great stories that also hold deep meaning and offer lessons on how to be a more loving, open, and generous person, both in one’s personal life and in society,” Zemanek says. “We can all learn something from the pages of a book. These titles offer incredible insight into the ideas of bettering oneself and the world we interact with.”
Saturday
CADILLAC YMCA FESTI-
VAL OF RACES: Featuring a fast & flat Boston Marathon Qualifier Full Marathon & Half Marathon, 1 Mile Kids Fun Run (8 & under), 1/4 Mile Lake Swim Race, 7 Mile Team Relay Run around Lake Cadillac, 5K & 10K, live music by Honeybadger, food trucks & more. See web site to register & find various starting times & locations. Free to $75. cadillacareaymca.org/cadillac-festival-of-races
BRETHREN DAYS 2025: Today includes a softball tournament, High Bridge Hustle 5K, pancake breakfast under the gazebo, horseshoe pitching tent, live music with Wandering Aimlessly, Tim Krause, Cheryl Wolfram, & Working on Famous, fireworks & more. facebook.com/search/top/?q=Brethren%20Days
KIWANIS BOYNE CITY LABOR DAY WEEKEND CAR SHOW: The judged Car Show will take place in Veterans Park. Registration will open at 8am, judging will begin at 10am, & prizes will be announced at about 2pm.
ALDEN SIDEWALK SALES: 9am, downtown Alden. Aug. 29-31. Sale prices on hundreds of items.
FRIENDS OF ALDEN DISTRICT LIBRARY BOOK SALE: 9am-2pm, Helena Township Community Center, Alden. Books, audio books, DVDs, music CDs & puzzles. Proceeds will benefit Enrichment Programs for Adults and Children. 231-331-4318.
5TH ANNUAL TORCH LAKE LABOR DAY ART & CRAFT SHOW: 10am-5pm, Depot Park, Alden. Please bring a canned good for food drive. Downtown Alden Sidewalk Sales are happening - up to 50% off.
ELK RAPIDS ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW: 10am-4pm, downtown Elk Rapids. 60+ artisans & crafters feature art & homemade items in many areas including coastal art, home decor, jewelry, ceramics, woodcrafts, photography, & much more. elkrapidschamber.org/arts-crafts-show
ELKS LODGE CAR SHOW: 11am-2pm, TC Elk Lodge #323, TC. ELKamino Car Show. Free admission for spectators. Lodge open to public. Classic cars, food, music & patio fun. Proceeds support TC Elks Lodge, supported by Hagerty. $20/vehicle entry. hagerty12.regfox.com/2025-elk-amino-traversecity-elks-lodge-car-show
LABOR DAY WEEKEND TENT SALE: 11am-5pm, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Featuring up to 70% off ski & snowboard apparel & gear, along with golf apparel & accessories, athleisure wear, & more. There will also be a Ski Racer Sale, where you can meet representatives from brands such as Atomic, Salomon, Head, Lange, & Dynstar. Don’t forget to check out the yard sale corner for gently used items. Held at the tent near the base of the Loki Quad chairlift. crystalmountain.com/events-activities/ events/event-calendar/labor-day-live
MINNEHAHA BREWHAHA MUSIC FESTIVAL: Arcadia Marine. Featuring three music stages with Cousin Curtiss, Benzie Playboys, Whiskey Wolves of the West, Dobros Heal the World, The Ride with Jake Allen & more. Fourteen local bands, 60+ craft brews, food trucks, kids activities & 5K & 15K races. Camping at the festival available. $25-$30. music-moves-me.org
SATURDAY FAMILY CONCERTS: 11am, TC Philharmonic Center, TC. Featuring Peer
Gynt by Grieg. Designed for ages 5-12 & their families. Each performance takes a masterwork—opera, ballet, or concert piece & brings it into a small setting with a few players, dancers or singers, & a storyteller. Free. tcphil.org/concerts
SAY NO TO ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE: 11am12:30pm, corner of Grandview Parkway & Union St., TC. Join in showing solidarity with the people of Palestine who are being killed by Israel while our communities pay for the weapons. Demand that the U.S. Government serves America, not Israel. Meet every Sat. mideastjustpeace.net
THE BAY TO BRAMAN BOLT 6: ULTIMATE UPHILL CHALLENGE: Noon, Northport Bay Marina. This 1.1-mile uphill race has three age categories: 19+, 10-18, & 9 & under. Proceeds are donated to Northport Museum. $0-$40. runsignup.com/Race/ Events/MI/Northport/thebolt6
LABORFEST 2025: First Street Beach, Manistee. Free afternoon music from 1-5pm; ticketed event from 6-11pm. Featuring seven bands including Pajamas and Manitou Trucking Co. A Salt City Rock and Blues event. $15 advance; $20 at door. saltcityrb.com
JERSEY BOYS: 2pm & 7:30pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Follow the fascinating evolution of four bluecollar kids who became one of the greatest successes in pop-music history. Winner of Best Musical at both the Tony Awards & Olivier Awards, Jersey Boys takes you behind the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons to discover the secret of a 40-year friendship as the foursome work their way from the streets of New Jersey to the heights of stardom. Tickets start at $52 before fees. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/jersey-boys
LOCAL AUTHOR ANN GOETHALS: 3pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Ann will read from her debut novel, “The Doublewide.” Set in rural northern Michigan, the novel is an account of a young woman’s journey towards creating a life, & a home, of her own. The novel explores social & economic issues that will resonate with area readers. glenlakelibrary.net/Events
SATURDAYS IN THE PARK: 7pm, GT County Civic Center Amphitheater, TC. Featuring The Schleppinbop Kids.
THE BENZIE COUNTY PLAYERS PRESENT “STEEL MAGNOLIAS”: 7pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia. Set in late 1980s northwest Louisiana, this beloved comedy-drama centers on the deep bond among a group of spirited southern women. $20 adult/$10 student. Facebook.com/BenzieCountyPlayers
NO QUARTER COMEDY PRESENTS JEFF RICHARDS WITH JAYSON THIBAULT & BILLY DODARO: 8pm, City Opera House, TC. SNL & Mad TV alumni Jeff Richards headlines with feature comedians Thibault & Dodaro. Meet & Greet with Jeff Richards & Friends after the show. GA: $20. cityoperahouse.org/events
sunday
BRETHREN DAYS 2025: Today includes Community Church services, softball tournament, pig roast, cornhole tournament, grand parade, live music by The Nephews, Andy McQuillen, & Duke and the Studebakers, & much more. facebook.com/search/ top/?q=Brethren%20Days
ALDEN SIDEWALK SALES: (See Sat., Aug. 30)
5TH ANNUAL TORCH LAKE LABOR DAY ART & CRAFT SHOW: (See Sat., Aug. 30)
LABOR DAY WEEKEND TENT SALE: (See Sat., Aug. 30, except today’s time is 10am2pm.)
ARTIST MARKET: Noon-4pm, Walloon Lake Winery, Petoskey. Join in the pavilion for a variety of vendors to visit. Local artists come together with all different products to give you a chance to see how much creativity northern Michigan has to offer. walloonlakewinery.com
MINNEHAHA BREWHAHA MUSIC FESTIVAL: (See Sat., Aug. 30)
“BAD RIVER” FILM SCREENING: 2-4pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey. A documentary film that chronicles the Wisconsin-based Bad River Band’s on
going fight for Sovereignty, presented in collaboration with the “Water is Life” Festival. Registration required. Free. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-petoskey/immersed-freepublic-programming
7TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY CEREMONY: 6pm, The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, TC. Honor those we have lost to substance use disorder & give hope to recovery. There will be a moment of silence, community speakers, recovery speakers, music & lighting candles of remembrance & hope. Presented by Moms on a Mission. Free.
THE BENZIE COUNTY PLAYERS PRESENT “STEEL MAGNOLIAS”: (See Sat., Aug. 30)
sept 01 aug 31
JERSEY BOYS: (See Sat., Aug. 30, except today’s time is 4pm.)
BAYSIDE CONCERT SERIES: CONTINUOUS IMPOSITION: 5-7pm, Petoskey’s Waterfront, on the Promenade near waterfront clock tower. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. bigwatercreativearts.org
monday
ANNUAL LABOR DAY MACKINAC BRIDGE WALK: 7am. The walk begins in St. Ignace at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge in the Upper Peninsula, & in Mackinaw City at the south end of the bridge in the Lower Peninsula. You can walk various distances, but must meet cut off times. See web site for more info. Free. mackinacbridge. org/events/walk
STATE STREET BRIDGE WALK, CHE-
BOYGAN: Line-up for the walk begins on the east side of the State Street Bridge at 11:30am. The walk starts at noon, & will be followed by a free community picnic at Festival Square. There will be live music by Happy Little Accidents & an appearance by the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile at the picnic. cheboyganmainstreet.org/event/statestreet-bridge-walk
Head Back to the Future with Ducktales for “Quack to the Future” presented by Mashup Rock & Roll Musical! Huey, Dewey and Louie star in this show, as they interact with a younger Uncle Scrooge, George and Lorraine, and Mallard McFly! This all happens with a soundtrack of Huey Lewis and the News’ greatest hits at The MATCH at the Cherryland Center, TC, Sept. 5-7 and 12-13. Visit the web site for show times and tickets. mashuprockandrollmusical.com/upcoming-shows-tickets
COLD CREEK BRIDGE WALK, BEULAH: Stroll across this 23.5 ft. bridge at 10am. Following the walk gather at Beulah Village Park for games, refreshments, prize drawings & more. -
CHARLEVOIX’S LITTLE BUT MIGHTY BRIDGE WALK: Line up at the Town House Bar at 12:30pm. The walk across the bascule bridge will be at 1pm. visitcharlevoix.com/ events/LittlebutMightyBridgeWalk.
THE WORLD’S SHORTEST SWING BRIDGE WALK: This walk will cross the Alanson Swing Bridge at 1pm. The procession will be led by the Rivertown Jazz Band. The band will also perform a free concert in Memorial Park from noon-2pm with a food truck onsite.
HORTON BAY BRIDGE WALK BY CAN-
DLELIGHT: Join a candlelit walk across the community’s 14.5-foot span. The evening gets started at 7pm with live music; look for the area marked by tiki torches. The walk begins at dusk, around 8:15pm. After the walk, enjoy a free scoop of ice cream at the Horton Bay General Store.
30TH ANNUAL GLEN LAKE NARROW LABOR DAY BRIDGE WALK: Noon. A .3 mile walk across Carl Olson Bridge, Narrows of Glen Lakes. Certificates, t-shirts & ice cream available.
5TH ANNUAL TORCH LAKE LABOR DAY ART & CRAFT SHOW: (See Sat., Aug. 30)
MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE: 7:30-10pm, Voorhies Hall, Bay View Association, Petoskey. Featuring “One Life.” Free. bayviewassociation.org/monday-night-movies
wednesday
NAMI CONNECTION & NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP: Noon, Christ Church, lower level, 430 Fair St., TC. NAMI Connection is a support group for people with mental health conditions. You will gain insight from hearing the challenges & successes of others, & the groups are led by trained leaders who’ve been there. NAMI Family Support Group is a support group for family members, significant others & friends of people with mental health conditions. Gain insight from the challenges & successes of others facing similar experiences. Both groups are held on Wednesdays at the same location & at the same time. Free. namigt.org/ support-and-education/support-groups
SEPTEMBER RECESS: 5-7pm, K&A Hop Dogs, TC. The Ticker is off the leash with a very special Recess. Bring your canine friend! Enjoy socializing, appetizers from Folgarelli’s, & beverages including beer, wine & cocktail specials like the Tail-Chaser, Sit Stay Spritzer, Off-Leash & Fetch. Enter to win prizes including a $100 Downtown TC gift card, $100 K&A Hop Dogs swag bag, & four tickets to the K&A Hop Dogs Fireworks Spectacular Watch Party for the International Fireworks Competition on Sept. 5 ($140 value). Recess 2025 is brought to you by Grand Traverse County: A grand place to live, work and play. Find ‘September Recess at K&A Hop Dogs’ on Facebook. $10/person & $10/dog; MUST pre-register using QR code.
SEPTEMBER COMMUNITY DINNER: 6pm, The Center, Suttons Bay. Join for a “¡Fiesta Latina!” themed community dinner. Attendees are encouraged to bring a dish-to-pass & a donation, but neither are required. thecentersb.com/communitypotlucks
JAY BUCHANAN’S WEAPONS OF BEAUTY: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. The lead of rock band Rival Sons, Jay has been focusing more on his personal writing, & his lyrics fall between American gothic & devastating romance. This show will feature songs from his previous solo work as well as his upcoming solo album “Weapons of Beauty.” $35-$45. cityoperahouse.org/jaybuchanan
thursday
HIGH TEA WITH CHIEF INSPECTOR GAMACHE AND THE CHARACTERS OF THREE PINES: THE NOVELS OF LOUISE PENNY: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Presented by Robert Van Dellen, Ph. D. Recognized as one of the finest novelists in the murder-mystery genre, Louise Penny’s writing career spans over 20 years. Free. tadl.org/louisepennytalk
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS FORUM | BREAKING THE ENGAGEMENT: HOW CHINA WON & LOST AMERICA: 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. A discussion with David Shambaugh, professor of International Affairs & director of the China Policy Program, Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University and Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University on his most recent book “Breaking the Engagement: How China Won & Lost America.” $15 advance purchase for in person attendance, $20 at door, $10 online livestream. tciaf.com/event-september-4-2025
friday
INTERNATIONAL FIREWORKS CHAMPIONSHIP: 6-10pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. This year six incredible teams from around the world—China, Poland, Serbia, Portugal, Canada, & the USA—will light up the sky in an epic battle for fireworks supremacy. Visit web site for tickets. traversecityifc.saffire.com/p/tickets
KITTEL & CO.: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Led by acclaimed violinist Jeremy Kittel (formerly of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet), Kittel & Co. falls somewhere in the space between classical & acoustic roots, Celtic & bluegrass aesthetics, & folk & jazz sensibilities. They have collaborated with Béla Fleck, Sarah Jarosz, Chris Thile, & YoYo Ma. $10-$38. cityoperahouse.org/kittel
NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES PRESENTS BRYAN GRULEY: 7pm, The Alluvion, TC. This TC Pulitzer Prize-winning author presents his new crime thriller, “Bitterfrost.” Did a former ice hockey star commit a double murder? He has no memory of it. This event includes a Q&A & author signing. Host John U. Bacon has written 14 books, including seven national bestsellers. GA: $20; virtual: $14. nationalwritersseries.org/author-event/bryan-gruley
UNCLE KRACKER WSG LOUIE LEE: 7-10:30pm, Little River Casino Resort, outdoor venue, Manistee. Living to have fun, Detroit’s Uncle Kracker is known for his hits “Follow Me,” “Drift Away” & more. Kid Rock alumni, Uncle Kracker later toured with Kenny Chesney & reached country’s Top 10 with his double-platinum crossover hit “Smile.” $30-$50. lrcr.com/event/uncle-kracker-special-guest-louie-lee
MASHUP ROCK & ROLL PRESENTS “QUACK TO THE FUTURE”: 7:30pm, The
THURSDAY NIGHT JAZZ 4 ALL RETURNS SEPTEMBER 4TH
JEFF HAAS TRIO FEAT. LAURIE SEARS + ARTIST
LISA FLAHIVE • DOORS @ 5:30 • PAY WHAT YOU LIKE
FUNKY FUN MONDAY ROLLS ON
BIG FUN: 9/8 + 9/22 + 10/6 + 10/20
FUNKY UNCLE 9/15 + 9/29 + 10/13 + 10/27
DOORS @ 5:30 • PAY WHAT YOU LIKE
WHEATPASTE WEDNESDAY WRAPS UP
9/3 + 9/17 • 3 TO 5 PM
VISUAL ARTS GOODNESS: EVERY DAY ACTS OF ART
OPENING RECEPTION • 9/12 • 6 PM
ARTISTS PANEL • 9/16 • 6 PM
SONGWRITERS & SOUL STIRRERS
ELISABETH PIXLEY-FINK + SLOW SPELL 9/12 • 7:30 • $25
KAIT ROSE + THE THORNS • 9/20 • 7:30 • $25
SUGAR BOMB + NA BONSAI • 9/26 • 7:30 • $15
MICHIGAN SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND: ELIZABETH LANDRY + SIERRA CASSIDY + ZACH PETERSON + JOSH ROSE 10/3 • 7:30 • $15
JUSTIN AVDEK + ERIC ENGBLADE ALBUM RELEASE • 10/24 • 7:30 • $20
FEARLESS MUSIC FROM LEGENDARY GREATS
DANILO PÉ REZ TRIO • 9/13 • 7:30 • $30
DANILO PÉREZ TRIO PERFORMING WITH THE ALLUVION BIG BAND! FREE BONUS CONCERT • 9/14 • 3 PM
DON WAS AND THE PAN-DETROIT ENSEMBLE 10/8 • 7 PM + 9 PM
JAKE CINNINGER + JOEL CUMMINS OF UMPHREY’S MCGEE • 10/10 • 8 PM • $30
PRIDE WEEK STORYTELLING
QUEER:SAY • 9/23 • 7 PM • $15
THE RETURN OF SHIP YARD: SUPPORTING EMERGING TALENT
FACELESS JAY + ANDI ANDERSON 10/7 • 6 PM • SUGGESTED DONATION AT THE DOOR
A WIDE RANGE OF JAZZ & WORLD MUSIC GOODNESS
HILARY JAMES & KEVIN DISIMONE PRESENT OUR FOOLISH HEARTS • 10/4 • 7:30 • $30
THE BAD PLUS • TWO SHOWS • 10/18 • 7 PM + 9 PM • $30
DAVE SHARP WORLDS QUARTET FT. SVETLANA
SAHAKYAN & CAROLYN KOEBEL • 10/25 • 7:30 • $30 NO SHOW ON LABOR DAY
MATCH, 1728 S. Garfield Ave., TC. Remix classic Ducktales with the 1985 blockbuster Back to the Future. Follow Huey, Dewey, & Louie back to the 50’s where they have to convince a younger Uncle Scrooge to help them get back in time. All with a soundtrack of Huey Lewis and the News’ greatest hits! $20-$38. The admission for the Sept. 7 performance is Pay What You Can. mashuprockandrollmusical.com/upcoming-shows-tickets
saturday
SECOND ANNUAL CADILLAC BOOK FEST: 10am4pm, Commons Market, downtown Cadillac. Support 40 Michigan authors/crafters & check out their latest books. Sponsored by Friends of the Cadillac Library & Cadillac Wexford Public Library. Free. friendsofthecadillaclibrary.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post. php?post=267&action=edit
OPEN MIC AT NORTHPORT ARTS ASSOCIATION: 7-9pm. You wrote it, you read it. Creative Writing open mic with featured reader Fleda Brown. Open to all. Published authors encouraged to bring books to sell. Free. northportartsassociation.org/events-exhibits
MIKE MCINTOSH NMC CAR SHOW: 11am2:30pm, Automotive Building, 2510 Aero Park Dr., TC. Public voting, silent auction, raffles, music & food. Spectator participation encouraged. Free. nmc.edu/programs/ academic-programs/automotive-technology/ classic-car-show
THE MUNGA GRIT USA: Noon, Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. The approx. 170 mile route will head out in a counter-clockwise direction following the Leelanau Trl., out north towards Suttons Bay. Then it will pick up the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trl., before heading south to Frankfort where it will pick up the Betsie Valley Trl. From Thompsonville, the route will follow dirt roads south into the Manistee river valley before heading up north towards Lake Anne & eventually back to Black Star Farms. This is a 24 hr., non-stop bike adventure. See web site for more info: themunga.com/munga-grit-usa
BIRDS DOING STUFF: PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE JESSMORE: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Presentation by five-time Michigan Photographer of the Year Steve Jessmore of his Birds Doing Stuff wildlife photography project on Torch River. Free. tadl.org/Birdsdoingstuff
INTERNATIONAL FIREWORKS CHAMPIONSHIP: (See Fri., Sept. 5)
GREAT LAKES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
OPENS 25TH SEASON: 7pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. The per
formance, under the baton of Maestro Libor Ondras, will feature Beethoven’s Eroica & Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos, which includes guest piano soloists Tony Patterson & Casey Robards. There will be a 6pm optional pre-concert talk. Tickets: $35-$65. Call for free tickets for Veterans, active service members & students 18 & under: 231-4870010. glcorchestra.org/concerts
JUSTIN MOORE WSG SHIATOWN: 7-10:30pm, Little River Casino Resort, outdoor venue, Manistee. Shiatown shares their modern country music along with classic country tunes. $60-$85. lrcr.com/event/ justin-moore-special-guest-shiatown
LAUGHS ON THE SAWPATH: FULL TILT COMEDY: 7pm, Michigan Legacy Art Park, Thompsonville. Enjoy 90 minutes of original improvisational comedy from this northern
Michigan performing troupe. $20 per person. michlegacyartpark.donorwrangler.com/ donate/?id=47
MASHUP ROCK & ROLL PRESENTS “QUACK TO THE FUTURE”: (See Fri., Sept. 5)
STRAITS AREA CONCERT BAND SEASON FINALE: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. The musicians from this band come from a wide range of backgrounds: former college & high school band directors, engineers, nurses, school teachers, doctors, senior citizens, and more $15; $10 Veterans; free for students. theoperahouse.org
sunday
‘NOT ACCEPTED: AN HISTORICAL LOOK AT ART EXHIBITION REJECTION’: 11am, Glen Arbor Arts Center. Rejection from juried exhibitions is baked into the cake for artists who want to show their work. Not Accepted: A Conversation About Rejection, a slide lecture, delves into the topic. Tickets are $5 for GAAC members; $10 for non-members. Reservations are required. glenarborart.org/product/exhibit-history-herstory-whose-story
CADILLAC FOOTLITERS THEATRE AUDITIONS: “A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL”: First Presbyterian Church, Cadillac. Ages 10-15: 1-3pm. Ages 16+: 3-5pm. cadillacfootliters.com
GRAND FINALE KIDS’ DAY; $120,000 AGERO CSI3* GRAND PRIX: 2pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. Alongside Grand Prix competition, enjoy food trucks, shopping, & interactive activities for children of all ages. The Great Lakes Children’s Museum Mobile Museum joins for hands-on exhibits, paired with music, balloon animals, & the horseless jump arena (The Dam Shop Arena). All GA proceeds benefit the Great Lake’s Children’s Museum. traversecityhorseshows.com/visit. $15 GA. app.gopassage.com/venues/8654
A LITERARY AFTERNOON WITH AUTHOR JESS WALTER: 4pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Hear from contemporary author Jess Walter as he discusses his writing life, literary journey, & the inspiration behind his newest acclaimed bestseller, “So Far Gone.” $15. greatlakescfa.org
STARLIGHT, STAR BRIGHT!: 4pm, City Opera House, TC. Enjoy this night of a cappella barbershop harmonies sung by TC’s Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus. They will be joined by the Grand Rapids based FIVE STAR quartet & local quartets. GA: $25. cityoperahouse.org/ node/699
MASHUP ROCK & ROLL PRESENTS “QUACK TO THE FUTURE”: (See Fri., Sept. 5, except tonight’s show is at 6:30pm.)
ongoing
TERRIFIC TUESDAYS: Tuesdays, 4-6pm, Leland United Methodist Church. Join 5Loaves2FishNMI for a community meal. 5loaves2fishnmi.org
GUIDED WALKING HISTORY TOUR OF TC: This tour is an easy 2 mile walk that includes the historic neighborhoods & waterfront of TC. Begins & ends at the Perry Hannah Plaza, located at the corner of 6th & Union streets near downtown. There is no charge for the tours, but gratuities for the guides are appreciated. Groups of six or more can schedule tours at other times. Tours run at 10am every Weds. through Sept. walktchistory.com
9. "I'd like to buy ___" ("Wheel of Fortune" line)
10. Trusted
11. "Blazing Saddles" theme singer Frankie
12. Yosemite landmark climbed in "Free Solo," familiarly
14. General on menus
18. Space streaker
21. "Sharknado" actress Reid
25. Thusly
26. Machine that helps with apnea
27. Sinatra sobriquet
28. Italians from a tower city
29. Authorized stand-in
30. Somewhat
31. GPS lines
32. ___ out a win
33. Brothers of madres
34. 1 of 100 in D.C.
39. Oregon Coast city with a self-descriptive name
40. Plucked instrument
41. Passion
42. Murphy's "48 HRS." costar
45. Assassin of 45-Across
46. 1980s console
47. "Giant" of pro wrestling
50. Brother in the 2025 Oasis reunion concert
51. Lowdown
52. Co. that once owned NBC
53. 50-50 choice, perhaps
54. Meal ___
55. Line of stitching
57. Loki's daughter, Norse goddess of the underworld
lOGY
SEPT 01 - SEPT 07
BY ROB BREZSNY
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Gross National Product (GNP) is a standard of economic success by which countries gauge their health. It reflects the world’s obsession with material wealth. But the Buddhist nation of Bhutan has a different accounting system: Gross National Happiness (GNH). It includes factors like the preservation of the environment, enrichment of the culture, and quality of governance. Here's an example of how Bhutan has raised its GNH. Its scenic beauty could generate a huge tourist industry. But strict limits have been placed on the number of foreign visitors, ensuring the land won't be trampled and despoiled. I would love to see you take a similar GNH inventory, Virgo. Tally how well you have loved and been loved. Acknowledge your victories and awakenings. Celebrate the beauty of your life.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): There’s a Zen motto: “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” I hope you apply that wisdom in the coming weeks, Leo. Your breakthrough moments of insight have come or will come soon. But your next move should not consist of being self-satisfied or inert. Instead, I hope you seek integration. Translate your innovations into your daily rhythm. Turn the happy accidents into enduring improvements. The progress that comes next won’t be as flashy or visible, but it’ll be just as crucial.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): ): In Japanese haiku, poets may reference the lingering scent of flowers as a metaphor for a trace of something vivid that continues to be evocative after the event has passed. I suspect you understand this quite well right now. You are living in such an after-scent. A situation, encounter, or vision seems to have ended, but its echo is inviting you to remain attentive. Here’s my advice: Keep basking in the reverberations. Let your understandings and feelings continue to evolve. Your assignment is to allow the original experience to complete its transmission. The full blossoming needs more time to unfold.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the Australian desert, there’s a phenomenon called desert varnish. It’s a thin, dark coating of clay, iron, and manganese oxides. It forms over rocks due to microbial activity and prolonged exposure to wind and sun. Over time, these surfaces become canvases for Indigenous artists to create images. I like to think of their work as storytelling etched into endurance. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, consider using this marvel as a metaphor. Be alert for the markings of your own epic myth as they appear on the surfaces of your life. Summon an intention to express the motifs of your heroic story in creative ways. Show the world the wisdom you have gathered during your long, strange wanderings.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In Indigenous Australian lore, the Dreamtime is a parallel dimension overlapping the material world, always present and accessible through ritual and listening. Virtually all Indigenous cultures throughout history have conceived of and interacted with comparable realms. If you are open to the possibility, you now have an enhanced capacity to draw sustenance from this otherworld. I encourage you to go in quest of help and healing that may only be available there. Pay close attention to your dreams. Ask your meditations to give you long glimpses of the hidden magic.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Saturn is your ruling planet and archetype. In the old myth of the god Saturn, he rules time, which is not an enemy but a harvester. He gathers what has ripened. I believe the coming weeks will feature his metaphorical presence, Capricorn. You are primed to benefit from ripening. You are due to collect the fruits of your labors. This process may not happen in loud or dramatic ways. A relationship may deepen. A skill may get fully integrated. A long-running effort may coalesce. say it’s time to celebrate! Congratulate yourself for having built with patience and worked through the shadows. Fully register the fact that your labor is love in slow motion.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In Greek mythology, the constellation Aquarius was linked to a heroic character named Ganymede. The great god Zeus made this beautiful man the cupbearer to the gods. And what drink did Ganymede serve? Ambrosia, the divine drink of immortality. In accordance with astrological omens, I’m inviting
you to enjoy a Ganymede-like phase in the coming weeks. Please feel emboldened to dole out your gorgeous uniqueness and weirdness to all who would benefit from it. Let your singular authenticity pour out freely. Be an overflowing source of joie de vivre and the lust for life.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): In 1932, trailblazing aviator Amelia Earhart made a nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic, steering through icy winds and mechanical trouble. When she landed, she said she had been “too busy” to be scared. This is an excellent motto for you now, Pisces: “too busy to be scared.” Not because you should ignore your feelings, but because immersion in your good work, mission, and devotion will carry you through any momentary turbulence. You now have the power to throw yourself so completely into your purpose that fear becomes a background hum.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Austin Curtis was a prominent Black scientist whose work had spectacularly practical applications. Among his successes: He developed many new uses for peanut byproducts, including rubbing oils for pain relief. His work exploited the untapped potential of materials that others neglected or discarded. urge you to adopt a similar strategy in the coming weeks, Aries: Be imaginative as you repurpose scraps and leftovers. Convert afterthoughts into useful assets. Breakthroughs could come from compost heaps, forgotten files, or half-forgotten ideas. You have the power to find value where others see junk.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In Polynesian navigation, sailors read the subtle rise and fall of ocean swells to find islands and chart their course. They also observe birds, winds, stars, and cloud formations. The technique is called wayfinding. I invite you to adopt your own version of that strategy, Taurus. Trust waves and weather rather than maps. Authorize your body to sense the future in ways that your brain can’t. Rely more fully on what you see and sense rather than what you think. Are you willing to dwell in the not-knowingness? Maybe go even further: Be excited about dwelling in the not-knowingness. Don’t get fixated on plotting the whole journey. Instead, assume that each day’s signs will bring you the information you need.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The umbrella thorn acacia is an African tree whose roots grow up to 115 feet deep to tap hidden water beneath the desert floor. Above ground, it may look like a scraggly cluster of green, but underground it is a masterpiece of reach and survival. I see you as having resemblances to this tree these days, Gemini. Others may only see your surface gestures and your visible productivity. But you know how deep your roots run and how far you are reaching to nourish yourself. Don’t underestimate the power of your attunement to your core. Draw all you need from that primal reservoir.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): To make a tabla drum sing, the artisan adds a black patch of iron filings and starch at the center of the drumhead. Called a syahi, it creates complex overtones and allows the musician to summon both pitch and rhythm from the same surface. Let’s imagine, Cancerian, that you will be like that drum in the coming weeks. A spot that superficially looks out of place may actually be what gives your life its music. Your unique resonance will come not in spite of your idiosyncratic pressure points, but because of them. So don’t aim for sterile perfection. Embrace the irregularity that sings.
nitelife
Leelanau & Benzie
BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR
3:30:
8/30 -- Dominic Fortuna
8/31 -- Larry Perkins
9/2 -- Luke Woltanski
9/6 -- John Piatek
9/7 -- Nick Veine
BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS BAY LAWN, 6-8:
8/30 – Zack Meyers
9/5 – Bob Roberts @ Old Mission
9/6 -- Highway North
BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU
TASTING ROOM:
8/31 – Jim Hawley, 4-6:30
9/3 -- Larry Perkins, 5:30-8
9/7 -- Dominic Fortuna, 4-6
CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY
8/31 -- Rhett & John, 2-4:30
9/4 -- Charlie Arnett, 4-6:30
9/7 -- Elizabeth Landry, 2-4:30
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLLE BARR PARK, 6-8:
8/30 -- Jason Locke
8/31 -- Jesse Jefferson
9/5 -- Doc Probes
9/6 -- Big Rand
9/7 -- Rhett & John
KINLOCHEN PLAZA, 6-8:
8/30 -- Sean Baldwin
9/6 -- Dominic Fortuna
LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 8:30-10:30:
8/30 -- Fred Drachus
8/31 -- Cole Caspers
9/5 -- Carl Pawluk
9/6 -- Nick Vasquez
9/7 -- Brady Corcoran
DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT
3-6:
8/31 -- Chris Smith
9/3 -- Liz Landry
9/7 -- Dennis Palmer
FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH
9/3 -- Open Mic w/ Andy Littlefield, 7-9
FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR
8/31 -- Summer Slam Jam w/ Touch of Grey, Loose Change, & Manitou Truckin' Company, 2
9/1 -- Jesse Jefferson, 4
9/4 -- Rhett & John, 4 9/5 -- Drew Hale, 5-7
FURNACE STREET DISTILLERY, ELBERTA PATIO:
8/30 – Andy Littlefield, 6-8
HOP LOT BREWING CO., SUTTONS BAY
8/30 -- Rock Hat, 5-8
9/6 -- Mike Moran, 4-7
IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE
8/30 -- Adam Carpenter & The Upper Hand, 6:30-8:30
8/31 -- Keith Scott, 3:30-5:30; Wink, 6-8
9/5 -- Blair Miller, 5:30-7:30
9/6 -- Levi Britton, 5:30-7:30
9/7 -- DJ Rhet, 4-6
JACOBSON MARINA RESORT, FRANKFORT
8/30 & 9/6 -- Jim Hawley, 3-6
LAKE ANN BREWING CO.
8/30 – Daydrinker’s Series w/ Mike Moran, 3-6; Fifth Gear Band, 7-10
8/31 -- Daydrinker's Series w/ Chris Skellenger & Paul Koss, 3-6; The Dune Brothers, 7-10
LEELANAU SANDS CASINO, PESHAWBESTOWN SHOWROOM, 8: 8/30 – Club Night feat. 1Wave DJs
LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY BEER GARDEN: 8/31 – Jazz North, 4-7
RIVER CLUB, GLEN ARBOR 8/30 -- Jesse Jefferson, 1-4; Kevin
Paul, 6-9
8/31 -- Ben Richey, 1:30-4:30; Surprise Guest, 5-8
9/4 -- Loose Change, 6-9
9/5 -- Andre Villoch, 6-9
9/6 -- Luke Woltanski Duo, 6-9
SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY
8/30 – Dennis Palmer, 4-7
9/5 -- Friday Night Live w/ Swingbone, 3-6
9/6 -- Kevin Paul, 3-6
9/7 -- Chris Smith, 1-4
SOUL SQUEEZE CELLARS, LAKE LEELANAU 4-7: 8/30 -- Luke Woltanski
9/5 -- Rhett & John
ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 8/30 -- Keith Scott, 1-4; Chelsea Marsh, 5-8
8/31 -- Jabo Bihlman, 1-3:30; Aaron Dye, 4-6:30
9/1 -- Jesse Jefferson, 5-8
9/5 -- Highway North, 5-8
9/6 -- Barefoot, 5-8
STORMCLOUD PARKVIEW TAPROOM, FRANKFORT
9/1 -- So Long, Summer Labor Day Party w/ 1000 Watt Prophets (4-7), 3-8
SUTTONS BAY CIDERS
8/31 -- Luke Woltanski Band, 5:30-8
9/4 -- Thurs. DJ Trivia, 6:30-8
9/7 -- Billy & The Kid, 5:30-8
SWEET’S BAR & GRILL, HONOR Mon. – Music Bingo, 7 Fri. – Music Bingo, 8; Karaoke, 10 Sat. – Karaoke, 8
THE FOLDED LEAF, CEDAR 8/30 -- Hunter Bell, 6-8:30
THE HOMESTEAD RESORT, GLEN ARBOR WHISKERS, 6-9: 8/30 -- Bryan Poirier 9/5 -- Scott Foor 9/6 -- Dan Marryman
UPRIVER PIZZA, BENZONIA 9/3 -- Dave Marton, 6:30-9
BUYING OLD WOODEN DUCK and FISH SPEARING DECOYS: BUYING OLD WOODEN DUCK and FISH SPEARING DECOYS, call, text photos 248 877-0210 COMPUTER PROBLEMS?: I'll come to your home or office and make your computer, tablet, phone and TV work! Call James Downer, at Advent Tech. YOUR HIGH TECH HANDYMAN. Call: 231-492-2087 Sewing, Alterations, Mending & Repairs. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231-228-6248
