The Litribune

Our Thanks For the Last Year

The Litribune — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:38:16 +0000

The Litribune would like to thank all of these generous, hard working artists for maintaining our belief that through music and venues such as these, Michigan will keep on keepin’ on.

We thank the following venues around Michigan for allowing The Litribune to hold fundraisers and harbor musical talent:

The DAAC

Michigan News Agency

The Sparrows Coffee Tea & Newsstand

Mexicains Sans Frontieres

The Avalon Cooperative

The Strutt – One of our favorite venues in West Michigan has grown into a premier bar & coffee shop since our first issue release on July 22, 2009. We’re not quite sure where we’d be if it weren’t for The Strutt. Having a venue who truly cares about Michigan music and the well-being of it’s artists is something we truly take for granted. We thank everyone at this beautiful oasis in Kalamazoo for sharing our love for music.

We couldn’t forget about the musical artists who’ve allowed The Litribune to be what it is today. Let’s be honest, without the musical talent listed below we really wouldn’t know where we’d be. Cookie sales and other homemade goodies (thanks Jess!) just don’t cut it sometimes, so we’d like to take a moment and give our thanks to each and every band who took their time and energy to allow The Litribune to still be around. We love these bands, each & every one of them, so once again, Thanks Guys, Each And Every One of You:

Aaron Young & His Night Jars

BEATLOAF

Cookie Bumstead & The Lonesome Space Cadets

Cotton Jones

The Fainting Generals

Ghost Teeth

Julio Gomez

H.O.M.E.S.

Nathan Kalish & The Wildfire

Max Dandy Slacks

Graham Parsons & The Go ‘Rounds

Toro & The National Guard

Hailey Wojcik & Her Invisible Friends

Last, but not least, thanks for our generous readers & supporters throughout West Michigan. You guys are great! It’s you, this person staring at screen, that makes our lives worthwhile. Hopefully within the next year we’ll give you something more to offer, as you’ll give us the memories and drive to create, pledge, and fulfill.

With love,

The Litribune

MIDWEST FEST (in the press)

The Litribune — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:30:05 +0000

Click image to read.

68 Bands, 5 Venues, Next Weekend

The Litribune — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:01:13 +0000

Midwest Fest, organized by DITR agent, Corey Densmore, in cooperation with the Litribune’s Dan Climie kicks off next Thursday, May 20th at the DAAC & Founders Brewing Co. Let’s not forget all the hard work that Joey Basch and Juliet Bennet-Rylah have dedicated to making this event a success.

The line up is a veritable who’s-who of Michigan/Midwest powerhouse acts including Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Paucity, Prussia, Graham Parsons & the Go-Arounds, Ghost Heart, Hard Lessons, and many many more.

What’s more, a portion of all proceeds from the festival will be donated to the Litribune’s Creative Youth Center (a soon-to-come tutoring center for underprivileged youth in Grand Rapids, focused on creative writing skills through project-based learning).

Weekend passes for the festival are available at Vertigo Records, Sparrows Coffee Tea & Newstand, The Strutt in Kalamazoo, and on the DITR webpage. Day passes also available. Your wristband will get you into all that day’s/weekend’s events, including after parties at Founders, Mexicains Sans Frontieres, and more, as well as scoring you sweet specials at local bars/restaurants.

This Festival is a representation of just what we can accomplish with enthusiastic collaboration of a community. You’re not going to want to miss this. We’ll see you next weekend!

trip the light, tomorrow night

The Litribune — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 02:06:25 +0000

photo credit: jonathan clay

article originally published to the rapidian: Mar 23rd, 2010 by Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth

ArtPeers, an arts organization encouraging local art, and Dance in the Annex (DITA), a contemporary dance collaborative, are hosting the premiere of something completely unique in Grand Rapids: Trip The Light 04.14.10 at Wealthy Theatre, doors at 7pm, curtain at 8pm, tickets $8/$7/$6.

Trip The Light is a benefit to help ArtPeers pursue its nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, which will enable ArtPeers assist local artists in diverse, significant ways – including acting as a fiduciary for local artists who apply for grants and other funding.

“We can better serve local artists and the community, as a nonprofit organization,” said ArtPeers president Erin Wilson. “Almost all arts funding goes through nonprofit organizations: ArtPeers could play a more meaningful role for local artists.”

Unlike the normal bar scene concert or studio dance production, this event is bringing local musicians, dancers, and other artists together to support local art.

“Local dancers choreograph all the time, but never before like this,” said ArtPeers President Erin Wilson. “Trip The Light features local musicians – playing original music, live – while dancers perform original movements based on these songs. The only thing close to this was ‘Salmagundi’ (August ‘09), one of Wealthy Theatre’s most acclaimed live events of 2009.”

Along with the event being a fundraiser for ArtPeers, it is also supporting the arts is by collecting art supplies for Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth.

With more and more arts programs being cut from Grand Rapids Public Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs (BGC) is focusing on their arts programming to ensure the arts remain accessible to youth.

“I try hard to keep the youth that come into our Clubs involved in creating,” said Boys & Girls Clubs Art Director Stephanie Trompen. “They do not get to engage with art in an experimental setting in many of their formal educational structures.”

Audiences will receive $1 off tickets when they bring an art supply donation for BGC. They need the following items: paper (any color), paint,colored pencils, matte board or thick paper, markers, crayons, paint brushes, scissors, glue, tape, glitter, stickers, stencils, beads, yarn, ribbon, fabric, shoe boxes, Clorox wipes, and Sharpie permanent markers.

In December ‘09, ArtPeers & DITA put out a call for submissions for local, original music. The overwhelming response allowed DITA to select amazing songs to which they’ve choreographed original movements; they’re currently in rehearsal.

Musicians performing 04/14 include:
• A.B. & Coconut Brown • Charles The Osprey • Ritsu Katsumata • Paucity • Rick Beerhorst • Lights At Sea • Seth

Choreographers and video submissions include:
• Amy Wilson • Rachel Finan • Catherine Herrman • Carolina Pava • Sara Schneider • Shawn Bible • Rachel Siegel

In addition, local artist Kaili Rodriguez will also be doing live drawing/paintings at the event and artwork will be auctioned in the Wealthy Theatre lobby.

Trip The Light is a celebration of local artists and is an event benefitting countless sectors of this community. Bring an art supply and some friends and do not miss this groundbreaking event.

THIRD THURSDAY: LOCAL POET SHOWCASE

The Litribune — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:11:08 +0000

Thursday, March 18, 7pm

We’re pleased to announce that the Third Thursday event for this month will be held at 7pm, on March 18. We’ll be welcoming six members of our literary community in celebration of poetry. The Local Poet Showcase features Jamie Smith, Caitlin Mackenzie, Matthew Landrum, Neil Kaufman, Benjamin Davey, and Z.G. Tomaszewski. Each poet will read three of their works aloud, and the audience is invited to respond with questions and comments. This event is free, and open to the public. For more information, call us at 616.458.8418, or email us at info@literarylifebookstore.com.

2ND ANNUAL POETRY CONTEST AT LITLIFE

The Litribune — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:16:49 +0000

Call for Submissions: February 1 – March 15, 2010

We’re completely excited to announce that we’re sponsoring a 2nd Annual Poetry Contest here at LitLife! Our first contest was a great success—we read some amazing poetry submissions, published a wonderful chapbook anthology, and hosted a champagne celebration for contest participants at the conclusion of National Poetry Month. We can’t wait to start it all over again! So, beginning on 2/1/2010, you may submit up to two (per poet) original, unpublished poems in any style or length. Entries must be typed, and sent to the bookstore along with a cover letter including your name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address. Each entry should be mailed, along with a $5.00 entry fee, to the following address:

Literary Life Bookstore & More
c/o Poetry Contest
758 Wealthy Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Entries must be postmarked by March 15th. The contest will be judged by Heather Sellers, a professor of English at Hope College. Sellers won an NEA grant for fiction and was part of the Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers program. Her books include a short story collection (Georgia Under Water), three volumes of poetry, and three books on the craft of writing.

Winners will be announced at a champagne celebration at LitLife on Friday, April 30, at 7pm. The winning entries, along with select poems of interest, will be published in Volume 2 of the LitLife Chapbook Poetry Anthology. Look forward to notification of other events during the 2010 National Poetry Month, as well!

Questions? Call us at 616.458.8418 or send an email to info@literarylifebookstore.com. Happy writing, and good luck!

A Singing Conversation

The Litribune — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:45:10 +0000

Join us at Literary Life Bookstore & More tomorrow evening from 6pm to 7pm for the first in our “Singing Conversation” series. Come and welcome Joseph Scott (White Pines) and Timothy Showalter (Strand of Oaks) to the neighborhood.
Curious about their inspirations for writing? Wonder how writing lyrics transforms into performing a song? How does all this translate from the artist to the audience?
In addition to the singer/songwriter discussion several poets featured in the winter issue of the Litribune quarterly will give a reading of their original works.
After the “Singing Conversation” follow the musicians as they will be playing a show at the D.A.A.C. at 8pm with Graham Parsons & the Go Rounds.

5 DAYS TO WINTER RELEASE

The Litribune — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:41:26 +0000

Literary Life & the Litribune make it to Publisher's Weekly. Zachary finally scans Article.

The Litribune — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:14:23 +0000

Click image to enlarge.

A Conscious Benefit

The Litribune — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:39:39 +0000

Love great art? Great food? Supporting great causes? Then mark your calendars for the 15th of January!

The opening reception reveals work from 4 local artists: Rebecca Green, Justin Kellner, Molly Pettengill, and Cory Schneider. Buy some work, and 100% of the profit goes to the Farm Sanctuary Organization.

You’ll also eat great vegan food, donated and prepared by Brick Road Pizza Co. Can’t beat that…
And…at 7 p.m. be sure to catch our film screening of the documentary, “Earthlings” which portrays the ways in which humans use animals for their own economic interests…sad topic? You bet. But there are ways you can help…come to find out more..

And the best part is…Admission is Free! So no excuses..

Can’t make it the 15th? No worries, the show will be up until the 28th, so there is plenty of time to stop in and show your support.

Extra Special Thanks to Dylan Drier, C.C., Mercy for Animals, Brick Road Pizza Co., Jenn Schaub and all of the crew at the DAAC, and Allie Farlow.

www.earthlings.com
www.farmsanctuary.org
www.brickroadpizza.com
www.mercyforanimals.org

*Movie contains graphic material, viewer discretion is advised.

Don’t forget to check out:
Wake Up Weekend, January 22-23, 2010! Visit http://www.g-rad.org/vegan for details!