December 21, 2024

Kristi Kates | Author


Khalid, Migos, Parquet Courts Head to Chicago

Sept. 16, 2017

Chicago is set to be the spot for the month-long musical extravaganza Red Bull Sound Select, where a full slate of indie rock, R&B, and hip-hop performers are prepping to take the stage(s) around town, with concerts happening almost daily for the 30-day period. The event kicks off with … Read More >>

Jonny Lang – Signs – IPT

Sept. 16, 2017

Lang’s first album in four years blends his usual penchant for sharing personal experiences with some outside storytelling, all wrapped up in his distinctive guitar work and blues-pop singing approach. Produced by Lang with assistance from Drew Ramsey and singer Josh Kelley, the set i… Read More >>

Jonny Lang – Signs – IPT

Sept. 16, 2017

Lang’s first album in four years blends his usual penchant for sharing personal experiences with some outside storytelling, all wrapped up in his distinctive guitar work and blues-pop singing approach. Produced by Lang with assistance from Drew Ramsey and singer Josh Kelley, the set i… Read More >>

Colin’s Corner Cafe of Harbor Springs

Sept. 16, 2017

School meals for Petoskey’s Colin Stevens weren’t the usual fare. With a dad who was a chef, Colin and his five siblings grew up expecting more than the average fare at their family dining table. Full breakfasts were cooked every morning, school lunches were packed with expert c… Read More >>

Bottoms Up: Health-Ade Kombucha at Brew TC

Sept. 16, 2017

Tea has long been known as a healthy beverage, with all manner of antioxidants and other benefits flowing through its flavorful brew.
        
But kombucha is another way to take your tea: specifically, as fermented tea, which means the te… Read More >>

Tastemaker: Alpine Chocolat Haus Seafoam

Sept. 9, 2017

Yes, it’s September — but never fear, you’ve got a few more chances to chase after a few last summery pursuits. One of your sweetest options is the seafoam candy from the Alpine Chocolat Haus in Gaylord.

Very much its own kind of light, sugary sweet, the Chocola… Read More >>

Arias and Afterglow at Traverse City's City Opera House

Sept. 9, 2017

Fun fact: Longtime friends and self-proclaimed opera fans Mario Tabone, of Traverse City’s Tabone Orchards and Vineyards, and Silvio “Tony” Ciccone, of Suttons Bay’s Ciccone Vineyard and Winery, have more than “just” opera and wine in common. “Tony … Read More >>

Paddle Antrim Invites Kayakers to Take Over the Chain of Lakes Water Trail Sept 15–16

Sept. 9, 2017

Ain’t No Party Like a Paddler Party

Hikers in northern Michigan have an abundance of trails to choose from. But did you know that kayakers do too? If not, Paddle Antrim is looking to get you on its home-water trail, the Chain of Lakes, which routes paddlers along a variety of … Read More >>

Look What You Made Taylor Swift Do

Sept. 9, 2017

Taylor Swift debuted her new single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” at last weekend’s MTV Video Music Awards, to gasps and laughs from the audience both present and online. We’re talking Taylor Swift, who resurfaced with very little pre-promotion after … Read More >>

Grieves – Running Wild – Rhymesayers

Sept. 9, 2017

From Seattle hails Grieves, the double-threat rapper and producer who evolves in unique ways on each album. This time around, he’s working with Swedish producer Chords to add a more sleek, modern feel to his tracks, which are permeated with glossy synths and expressive horn sections. … Read More >>

LCD Soundsystem – American Dream – DFA/Columbia

Sept. 2, 2017

LCD Soundsystem was broken up, then it wasn’t. Played its last live show, then, well, kinda didn’t. But in the end, it seems LCD was (perhaps in spite of itself) on its way to recording another album, and this is it. From the opener (“Oh Baby”) to the finale (the app… Read More >>

Bottoms Up: Bayside Coffee and Tea’s BKON Tea Brews

Sept. 2, 2017

Tucked away on a pretty little street in Suttons Bay is Bayside Coffee and Tea, with its earthy, sleek interior and — most importantly — an extensive menu of coffee and tea selections.

Owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Randy and Tak McMillen, Bayside … Read More >>

Django Get Cranking in the Studio

Sept. 2, 2017

Scottish indie-rockers Django Django are currently spending their days at a specially built recording studio in North London, where they’re setting down tracks for what will be their third full-length studio album. The band also has brought in Metronomy’s drumme… Read More >>

Traverse City’s Honeypot Pickups Reverberates in Local Music Scene and Beyond  

Sept. 2, 2017

When Cameron McLean says that he prefers a “sweeter” guitar tone — a less harsh, prettier sound than what you might often hear in rock music — he really means it. In fact, he built a company devoted to the cause: Traverse City’s Honeypot Pickups.

Essent… Read More >>

The Up North Artists to Watch Now

Sept. 2, 2017

Keep your eyes on these artists — they’re making a mark on northern Michigan’s music scene with their own brands of folk, funk, country, vintage rockabilly, and more. Check ’em out now, so you can say you’ll knew ’em when.

JONATHAN TIMMRead More >>

Awon and Linkrust – Moon Beams – Don’t Sleep Records

Aug. 26, 2017

From French producer Linkrust and Brooklyn MC Awon arrives this collaboration, an album that will become a household repeat upon first listen. Flipping back and forth between Awon’s classic flow and Linkrust’s ability to pull and spin gritty beats from a short range of eras (he … Read More >>

Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic Heads Into the Woods

Aug. 26, 2017

Former Nirvana bass player Krist Novoselic has a new band called Giants in the Trees, and the newbie quartet has just dropped a lo-fi music video for its debut tune, “Sasquatch.” In the video, the bandmates clamber around on old tree trunks as t… Read More >>

Downstate Destinations: Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum

Aug. 26, 2017

Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum — named after the late Marvin Yagoda (pictured), who founded the place back in 1979 — is exactly as remarkable as its name would indicate.

Try to win against the Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken!
Get your fortune told by T… Read More >>

Mackinac Bridge Walk Breaks Tradition

Aug. 26, 2017

Summer 2017 marks 60 years of the Mackinac Bridge Walk and one major break in tradition.

“Because of threats happening across the country … We met with Homeland Security and the Michigan State Police, and it was decided that for the first time, we will not be allow… Read More >>

Refurbishing a Jewel: How to Paint the Mackinac Bridge

Aug. 26, 2017

If you think painting your fence is a tough summer project, imagine repainting the entire Mackinac Bridge.

The suspension bridge, which connects Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, stretches nearly 5 miles, across the Straits of Mackinac. 

“Every componen… Read More >>