Tag: Monroe

Detroit Music Collective and Portfolio Medics Seek Feedback About Local Music Ecosystem Through Census

A promotional graphic for the Greater Detroit Music Census.

Editor’s Note: The Stratton Setlist is a community partner for the Greater Detroit Music Census.

Two organizations are seeking feedback from the community about the Detroit music ecosystem.

The Detroit Music Collective and Portfolio Medics are conducting the Greater Detroit Music Census, a survey designed to gain a deeper understanding of the current state and future needs of the local music ecosystem.

“The questions for the census are tailored to give us an idea, collectively and comprehensively, what the local ecosystem looks like,” said Kevin Kay, founder and CEO of the Detroit Music Collective.

“It’s never been done here before, but the response from everyone so far has been: ‘Wow! This is something that we need.’ Everyone seems to be rallying together for an initiative like this.”

Launched earlier this month, the census is being administered by Sound Music Cities. It’s free to take and open to people 18 and older working in music within a 75-mile radius of the city.

“This is your chance to use your voice,” Kay said. “If there’s something bad, say it. If there’s something good, say it. Please don’t candy-coat it to think that you need to answer everything in a positive way. The only way we make change is if we know there are problems, and that’s what’s happened in all the other cities that have done the census so far.”

Sound Music Cities has previously administered censuses for Cleveland, Nashville, Charlotte, Austin, and Columbus, Ohio.

“Nashville did their census last year, and one of the things coming out of there from the creative sector and the artists were big complaints about how there are no loading or unloading parking spaces at venues, especially if they’re playing downtown,” said Kay, who once worked for Sony Music Nashville.

“They’re parking four or five blocks away sometimes, and if it’s summertime, they’re hauling gear, and they’re sweating. The organization that helped create the census for Nashville took the data, sat down with the city and the mayor’s office, and presented it to them. The city is now working on designating [parking] spots.”

The census is also receiving support from three lead partners, including Detroit Techno Militia, D.Cipher, and Detroit Nightlife United, and several community partners.

I recently spoke with Kay about the census, which is open until March 22.

Continue reading “Detroit Music Collective and Portfolio Medics Seek Feedback About Local Music Ecosystem Through Census” →

For the Love of Music — Blockhouse Valley’s River Raisin Americana Celebration Showcases Breadth and Depth of Genre and Artists at April 26 Event in Monroe

The inaugural River Raisin Americana Celebration features six acts from Michigan and Kentucky.

As members of Blockhouse Valley, Ashleigh Glass-Cooper and Cody Cooper hold a deep appreciation for Americana music.

The married partners not only write, record, and perform in that genre for their Metro Detroit quartet, but now they’re hosting a new festival to celebrate their love of it.

Known as the River Raisin Americana Celebration, the inaugural event will showcase six acts that demonstrate the breadth and depth of Americana music on April 26 at Monroe’s River Raisin Centre for the Arts.

“As Americana music draws from and mixes a broad array of other genres, one of the key concepts for the River Raisin Americana Celebration is to bring a variety of musicians with diverse approaches, instrumentations, styles, and stories,” said Glass-Cooper, who’s also the festival’s executive director.

“To accomplish our vision, we invited all bands and artists to apply to perform in our inaugural concert. We were thrilled to receive over 100 submissions! We reviewed each submission and curated a show that we believe will have something for everyone.”

What resulted is a solid lineup of Americana musicians from Michigan and Kentucky, including headliner The Gasoline Gypsies, Luke Trimble, Silver Creek Revival, Daniel Neihoff, Mike Ward, and Blockhouse Valley.

“Americana is a genre that can feel grounded while also being surprising, delightful, and moving,” Glass-Cooper said. “I fully anticipate that our audience members will each discover something new to love, even if they are primarily attending as fans of one of the six acts.”

I recently spoke with Glass-Cooper about the festival and the inspiration behind it.

Continue reading “For the Love of Music — Blockhouse Valley’s River Raisin Americana Celebration Showcases Breadth and Depth of Genre and Artists at April 26 Event in Monroe” →