Mittenfest: round four
Great Lakes state’s musicians unite for four nights of a smoke and whiskey-drenched benefit concert
Staff Writer
ROBERT CONRADI WASHTENAW VOICE
Smoke pouring off lit cigarettes and many more stubbed into ashtrays hours before swirled in a stagnant haze around The Elbow Room a little after midnight when Andy Garris brought out a tray of whiskey shots for local band Frontier Ruckus.
Davey Jones watched from the stage with his banjo close by as Garris, owner of the bar, announced that Mittenfest, the three-day fundraiser that Jones’ band was about to close, had raised about $4,500. And all the money was going to 826michigan, a non-profit that provided free literacy programs to local kids.
Jones, fully aware that neither his band nor any of the other bands playing the show would be profiting from the event, cheered with the rest of the crowd and began jamming into their set.
That was almost a year ago. Now, Michigan musicians from around the state count the days as the fourth coming of Mittenfest, from Dec. 31 to Jan. 3 at The Elbow Room in Ypsilanti, creeps closer and closer.
To an outsider, Mittenfest may look like an excuse to drink and see all your favorite bands in one place. And for insiders like founder Brandon Zwagerman, the draw isn’t really all that different.
Zwagerman used to have bands come play at his house in Ann Arbor, but after moving to New York City a few years ago, Zwagerman had to settle for the sporadic visits from his band-mate friends when they played gigs in NYC. And when a few bands showed up around the same time, Zwagerman said it felt like home.
Knowing he’d be returning to his hometown in Holland for Christmas, Zwagerman began planning a reunion show in Ypsilanti.
“I thought we could do a small little cozy intimate holiday music show, get together to see a bunch of people I know and bands I like — mostly acoustic acts really — all in one place,” Zwagerman said.
And to top it off, Amy Sumerton, former cellist for the band Canada and program director for 826michigan, suggested that all proceeds go to 826michigan. Of course, Zwagerman said “yes,” and the benefit concert was born.
The first year featured all-acoustic acts at the Corner Brewery. Three years later, Mittenfest has turned into a four-day show at The Elbow Room with everything from Michigan folk bands to pop acts to rock bands frequenting the stage.
“It sort of brings together the whole music community,” said Sumerton, who feels the event is a special one for her and other bands. “So as a local musician you play with all sorts of bands. And some bands you play will all the time and some you play with once in a while, but you become friends with these people. And Mittenfest is really fun because it sort of brings everybody together into the same room, and you get to play with all of your friends.”
And oddly enough, a good number of the musicians at the concert are involved with 826michigan from time to time. Jones has volunteered at the non-profit, Chris Bathgate has taught workshops and Joe Scott of White Pines has also tutored there.
“We really appreciate that (Mittenfest) happens every year and it’s been exciting to watch it grow,” Sumerton said. “. . . It’s been exciting for us particularly with the economy to have something like this that we can count on every year to bring in some money.”
Sumerton’s band played in the past couple years of Mittenfest. This year, Sumerton is looking forward to meeting up with her former band mates and other local bands she befriended in the years past.
Sumerton and Zwagerman agree that the show is beginning to have a mind of its own, and both Mittenfest veterans are looking forward to seeing new acts this year. Zwagerman doesn’t do much recruiting, but he began hearing from bands in August wanting to get into the show. Before he could remember to invite all of his favorite local bands, the show had filled up.
Maybe that’s because Mittenfest isn’t just a gig to many of the bands playing from night to night. It’s more than a show. It’s a coming together of sorts where bands that know each other from the local scene swap members and jam for their friends and music-scene buddies. Where The Elbow Room becomes like their personal living room — all nights melding together in a whisky and smoke-spiked haze.
And the music runs through it. . . .
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