Music Fest promises eclectic lineup for a good cause
An eclectic lineup of more than 200 live bands promises to rock two-square miles of Hamtramck in a grassroots music extravaganza starting next Thursday.
The third annual Hamtramck Music Festival will celebrate Metro Detroit musicians in 25 of Hamtramck’s notable venues March 3-6. A kick-off party is slated for 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. March 3, at the Fowling Warehouse, featuring nine live bands on two stages.
Patrons can expect to hear everything from rock, folk, blues, electronic and Bengali to garage bands throughout the weekend. Among the groups are the Hentchmen, Terrible Twos, Radio Burns, Tabcat Detroit, Outrageous Cherry, Cosmic Light Shapes, the Bangla School of Music and more.
A $10 wristband, on sale at several area locations, gives patrons access to every band.
“One nice surprise of the festival is that you might come to see a certain group and end up discovering your favorite new band,” said Eugene Strobe, co-organizer of the festival that’s run by community partners. “It’s a fun weekend and it benefits a great cause.”
John Panich, a hip-hop artist from Hamtramck, will be playing with his band, Jp from the Hp, on Friday night at the New Dodge Lounge. This will be his second year playing to the crowds with his drummer, Dan Patterson, and DJ Petty Cash.
“It’s a really cool experience because you to get reach out to people with your music that might not have otherwise heard of you,” Panich said.
“As a music lover, it’s also the best bang for your buck because you’re in this really great bar town, and the sheer volume of all the bands you get to see in one night is pretty incredible,” he said.
Proceeds from the festival benefit Ben’s Encore, a nonprofit that provides music lessons, instruments and scholarships to young inspiring musicians, as well as grants to underserved school music programs in metro Detroit.
“If a child’s family doesn’t have money for say, guitar lessons, they can seek our help,” said Jamie Donoghue, marketing and public relations director for Ben’s Encore. “We try to fill needs whenever we feasibly can.”
Donoghue said the largest scholarship given to date was $2,500 for a child to study music at a school in Boston.
The organization was formed in honor of music lover Benjamin Borowiak, who was hit by a drunk driver driving the wrong way on westbound I-696 during his freshman year at University of Detroit Mercy. But his shattered bones and brain scarring didn’t deter him from learning to play any instrument he got his hands on. He died in March 2011, after complications from an epileptic seizure.
Ben’s Encore has sponsored the Hamtramck festival since its inception. Last year $12,093 in festival earnings were donated to the nonprofit. A drum set also was donated to Hamtramck Public Schools.
The festival was born in 2014 in response to the void left in the city when the four-day music festival Blowout, traditionally held in early March since the late ’90s, pushed its event to late April and expanded to other cities, Strobe said.
Roughly 100 unpaid volunteers help with the showcase and each band donates its time, Strobe said.
Each of the festival’s music venues is within a half mile of each other, making it easy for guests to navigate performances. Free shuttle transportation is available 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
And this year, organizers added food trucks like the Mean Weenie and Rollin Stone Wood Fired Pizza, along the shuttle routes to enhance the experience.
Delores Flynn is a Royal Oak-based freelance writer.
Hamtramck Music Festival lineup
March 3
Fowling Warehouse
(stage 1)
12:15 a.m.: Moonwalks
11 p.m.: James Linck
10 p.m.: Belterra
9 p.m.: Le Voyage
8 p.m.: The Walking Beat
Fowling Warehouse
(stage 2)
11:45 p.m.: The Belle Isles
10:30 p.m: The Erers
9:30 p.m.: Cosmic Light Shapes
8:30 p.m.: Five Pound Snap vs. White Bee
March 4
7 Brothers
12:30 a.m.: Dirty Copper
11:30 p.m.: Tin Foil
10:30 p.m.: Sros Lords
9:30 p.m.: Dear Darkness
Baker Streetcar
12:30 a.m.: Cold Men Young
11:30 p.m.: Palaces
10:30 p.m.: Dude
9:30 p.m.: D’Coolette
Bank Suey
9 p.m.: Barbarossa Brothers
7:45 p.m.: Tahnz & the Filthy Animals
5:30 p.m.: open house
Bumbo’s
Midnight: John Bardy & the Keys to Your Heart
11 p.m.: The Whiskey Charmers
10 p.m.: Black Shampoo
9 p.m.: Mike Galbraith
Cafe 1923
7:15 p.m.: Bingo Mama
6:30 p.m. Old Man
5:45 p.m.: Ryan Dillaha
5 p.m.: Eye See
Carbon
12:15 a.m.: Interfaith
11:15 p.m.: Lt.baD
10:15 p.m.: Ancient Language
9:15 p.m.: Halfcrash
Detroit Threads
Detroit Techno Militia
Hamtramck Public Library
8:30 p.m.: Air is the Arche
7:30 p.m.: Genevieve MacPhee
6:30 p.m.: Arianna Bardoni & Nick Martin
5:30 p.m.: Emma Islands
Jean’s
12:15 a.m.: Detroit Party Marching Band
11:15 p.m.: Lac La Belle
10:15 p.m.: Audra Kubat & Tamara Finlay
9:15 p.m.: Athena Akram
Kelly’s
12:45 a.m.: Carjack.
11:45 p.m.: Decisions
10:45 p.m.: J. Walker & the Crossguards
9:45 p.m.: The Fiegers
Lo & Behold
1 a.m.: Dehydrated Vitamin DJ set
Midnight: Wooden Pipe
11 p.m.: Jura
10 p.m.: Pocket Candies
9:30 p.m.: Adam Pierce
9 p.m.: Attack Ships On Fire
Metro Pub
12:30 a.m.; Rogue Satellites
11:30 p.m.: Pewter Cub
10:30 p.m.: The Landmarks
9:30 p.m.: Unlimited Head
New Dodge
1 a.m.: The Imaginatron
Midnight: Jp from the Hp
11 p.m.: Satan Face
10 p.m.: Beekeepers
Painted Lady
12:15 a.m.: Sugarcoats
11:15 p.m.: Growwing Pains
10:15 p.m.: Prude Boys
9:15 p.m.: Sex Police
Paycheck’s
12:45 a.m.: Scott Morgan
11:45 p.m.: Willa Rae & the Minor Arcana
10:45 p.m.: Crazy Toy
9:45 p.m.: The Sugar Bombs
Plav Post #6
12:15 a.m.: Flowers Bloom
11:15 p.m.: Blakdog
10:15 p.m.: Bermudas
9:15 p.m.: Mango Lane
Plav Post #10
1 a.m.: Outrageous Cherry
Midnight: Pretty Ghouls
11 p.m.: Feelings
10 p.m.: Paint Thinner
Polish Sea League
12:15 a.m.: Two Cheers
11:15 p.m.: Howlin Mercy
10:15 p.m.: Zombie Jesus & the Chocolate Sunshine Band
9:15 p.m.: The He Bops
Polka Dot
12:30 a.m.: Detroit CYDI
11:30 p.m.: LXL
10:30 p.m.: Destroy This Place
9:30 p.m.: Poor Player
Rock City Eatery
12:15 a.m.; Reunion
11:15 p.m.: The Blueflowers
10:15 p.m.: Kelly Elizabeth
Small’s
12:30 a.m.: Radio Burns
11:30 p.m.: Cheerleader
10:30 p.m.: Golden Torso
9:30 p.m.: Dirtwolf
Temptation Lounge
12:15 a.m.: Casual Sweetheart
11:15 p.m.: The Deadly Vipers
10:15 p.m.: Blood Stone
9:15 p.m.: AM People
Trixie’s
Midnight: Roxolydian
11 p.m.: Inn
10 p.m.: The Garden of Soul
9 p.m.: The 44 Territories
Whiskey In The Jar
Midnight: Tart
11 p.m.: Phosphor Elephants
10 p.m.: Market
9 p.m.: Taxon Clade
March 5
7 Brothers
12:30 a.m.: Choke Chains
11:30 p.m.: Caveman Woodman & Bam Bam Moss
10:30 p.m.: The Britemores
9 p.m.: Leah Diehl
Baker Streetcar
12:30 a.m.: Siamese
11:30 p.m.: Jeecy & the Jungle
10:30 p.m.: Go Tiger Go
9:30 p.m.: Jet Black Blonde
Bank Suey
8:30 p.m.: Ornamatik
7:30 p.m.: Stella’s Ghost
6:15 p.m.: Klezmer DetrOYt
4:30 p.m.: Bangla School of Music
3:15 pm: Tabcat Detroit
2 p.m.: Flaquito Hernandez
1 p.m.: Sean Blackman ~ In Transit
11:30 a.m.: open house
Bumbo’s
Midnight: The Scrappers
11 p.m.: Craig Brown Band
10 p.m.: The Drinkard Sisters
9 p.m.: Jay Clark Reid
Cafe 1923
5:30 p.m.: Dr. James Cornish
4:45 p.m.: Jenny Junior
4 p.m.: Venusloc
3:15 p.m.: Stef Chura
2:30 p.m.: Emily Rose
Carbon
12:15 a.m.: Odd Hours
11:15 p.m.: Catty Club
10:15 p.m.: Jack Oats & the Wardsmen
9:15 p.m.: Soft White
Detroit Threads
Alex Jackson
Brent Scudder
Brian Borsa
Bryan Trusmoke
Jeffrey Woodward
Theresa Chavez
Warren from Warren
Hamtramck Public Library
8 p.m.: Aster
7 p.m.: The Doozers
6 p.m.: School of Rock Farmington
5 p.m.: School of Rock Rochester
Jean’s
12:15 a.m.: Border Patrol
11:15 p.m.: Escaping Pavement
10:15 p.m.: Jibs Brown & the Jambros
9:15 p.m.: Corn Potato Duo
Kelly’s
12:45 a.m.: Terrible Twos
11:45 p.m.: Mexican Knives
10:45 p.m.: Fake Surfers
9:45 p.m.: K9 Sniffies
Lo & Behold
2 a.m.: 78 rpm dance party
8 p.m.: Folk Blues Night
6 p.m.: Phil Leslie’s Story & Song Hour for Children
Metro Pub
12:30 a.m.: Duende!
11:30 p.m.: George Morris & the Gypsy Chorus
10:30 p.m.: VSTRS
9:30 p.m.: Trancers
New Dodge
1 a.m.: The Hentchmen
Midnight: Jimmy Ohio
11 p.m.: Best Exes
10 p.m.: Mountain Babies
Painted Lady
12:15 a.m.: The Kickstand Band
11:15 p.m.: 3FT
10:15 p.m.: Johnny Ill Band
9:15 p.m.: A Love That Forgives
Paycheck’s
1:00 a.m.: Stikyfut
11:45 p.m.: The Volebeats
10:45 p.m.: Cameron Jones
9:45 p.m.: Blue Black Hours
Plav Post #6
12:15 a.m.: The Creepos
11:15 p.m.: Vnesswolfchild
10:15 p.m.: Shady Groves
9:15 p.m.: Young Punk
Plav Post #10
1:00 a.m.: Danny & the Darleans
Midnight: Duane the Brand New Dog
11 p.m.: Colorwheel
10 p.m.: Primitiv Parts
Polish Sea League
12:15 a.m.: Blue Snaggletooth
11:15 p.m.: Malo Konjche
10:15 p.m.: Disinformants
9:15 p.m.: Steve Harvey Oswald
Polka Dot
12:30 a.m.:Wasabi Dream
11:30 p.m.: Old Empire
10:30 p.m.: Lipstick Marquee
9:30 p.m.: Eric Allen
Rock City Eatery
12:15 a.m.: Bronze Mambas
11:15 p.m.: Nina & the Buffalo Riders
10:15 p.m.: Carmel Liburdi
Small’s
12:30 a.m.: Valley Hush
11:30 p.m.: Warhorses
10:30 p.m.: Yum
10 p.m.: Shadow Klan
9 p.m.: The End Electric
Temptation Lounge
12:15 a.m. Deadbeat Beat
11:15 p.m.: River Spirit
10:15 p.m.: Junk Food Junkies
9:15 p.m.: Missionary
Trixie’s
Midnight: Sick Smile
11 p.m.: Mountain Club
10 p.m.: 1592
9 p.m.: Doctor Pizza
Whiskey In The Jar
Midnight: The Ill Itches
11 p.m.: The Q
10 p.m.: The Idiot Kids
9 p.m.: Six & the Sevens
M A R C H 6
Plav Post #10
11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. HMF “Hangover Brunch”
12:30 p.m.: The Detroit Square Dance Society