In Thursday’s (6/19) Herald-Palladium (St. Joseph, Michigan), Jeremy Bonfiglio writes about the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Solstice Music & Microbrews Festival, a fundraising event last Saturday featuring three bands and beers from sixteen breweries, an idea proposed by Charlie Stempion, who owns the Liquor Locker, based in St. Joseph. “ ‘When Charlie came to us, it just seemed like the perfect match,’ SMSO executive director Sue Kellogg says. ‘The goal was to get some diverse music and make it a fun summer kickoff for everybody. This will be the first event in the newly renovated Shadowland Pavilion, so we’re excited all around.’ ” Bands included Nashville-based country recording artist Justine Blazer, Chicago-based band The Hot Sauce Committee, and Chicago party band Libido Funk Circus. Kellogg adds, “We hope to attract people who might not have come out before and raise awareness for the rest of our summer season. If we can expose them to this, then maybe they will come back July 4 or come back for our August concert with Elton John music. It expands our audience to people who might not have heard about us before to give us a try.”
Posted June 23, 2014
