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this is my favorite track off of @joshtalo‘s band’s new album- u should listen!1

Unsigned, Talented, Hungry: Michigan Music & Fusion Shows

It’s wild to look back on all the shows we’ve done over the years. It’s coming up on 2000 shows now. That’s a lot of artists. A lot of bands. A lot of rappers. A lot of solo acoustic musicians. And of those 2000 shows, I’ll bet that I’ve been at nearly half of them. That stretches back to before Fusion Shows was Fusion Shows.

When I (Nate) started this whole “hobby” back in 2004, it was all about local musicians. I guess I never knew that there were smaller touring bands. It was bands in the local high schools, and bands who played “big” places, and that’s all I knew. As I grew into this thing becoming a career for me, I found out about an awful lot of acts in the middle. Those that were local, but touring elsewhere. Or bands that were local to somewhere else that were touring here. Unsigned, hungry, talented, and just trying to get in front of anyone who will listen.

As we’ve grown, we’ve definitely taken the approach of trying to expand what we do, to work with bigger names, to move into larger venues. But one thing that Fusion Shows will never truly abandon is our love for working with local talent, helping them find the next level. Taking them from playing 1st of 5 in an evening to where they can headline their own show for a decent crowd, and maybe eventually starting pushing towards a capacity crowd in some venues, all the while growing as musicians and people.

These next few weekends are chock full of prime examples of acts that we’ve been working very closely with to help meet their goals, and we’re really proud to present the following events that feature some of the most talented, hungriest, most driven musicians in our fine state:

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 - WATCHING FOR FOXES @ PYRAMID SCHEME This band grinds. They want to play. They want to improve. From the first time I saw them emote their way through their set (without a bass player), I could tell what they were going for. If you’re a fan of huge sounding bands like Manchester Orchestra, you’ll love these guys. And while they work hard for opening opportunities, it’s time for them to have a huge headline show to use as a building block to wherever it is they want to go next. Add to them 3 great Michigan acts, and this show has the potential to be one of those nights you’ll remember for a long time. Joey from the band sent me an advance link to the new record, and I haven’t had more than a few minutes to focus on anything this week, but I want to give it a listen, as from what I’ve heard, it’s AWESOME.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 - SMALL PARKS @ MAC’S BAR We have so much history with the members of this band. James was in Good Weather For Airstrikes, a project that started as just him playing acoustic tracks to becoming this massive sounding post-rock band. Danny and Josh played pop-punk chords in A Big Crash, and when the three of them got together and started this band, it clicked. And the last time I saw them, I kind of pinched myself. They’re GOOD. And now, after 3-ish years of hammering away locally and around the Midwest, they’re real proud and excited to show you “Honest Light”, their debut full-length. James has really stepped up his lyrical quality, focusing on depth, and the band is just so damn solid now. I’m really excited to see where this record takes them. I feel like it’s a bigger deal than it used to be for a local act to actually see through a full-length record, and I hope it makes them proud. They should be.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 - MICHIGANDER @ PYRAMID SCHEME If there’s an award for “person who gets it” in the Michigan music community right now, it goes to Michigander mastermind Jason Singer. He just brings a joy and such a healthy ethic to everything he touches, and I’m so sad that I can’t see this show myself. First, the lineup is out of control. Stefanie Haapala, Good Day Good Sir, and All Is Well are among the most promising acts in our little community right now. And Jason and his friends just bring such a positive air to really gorgeously written and performed tracks. If you want to be happy for a night, I’d suggest the Pyramid Scheme as your destination on Saturday.

FRIDAY, MAY 5 - THE FEVER HAZE / SECRET GRIEF @ PYRAMID SCHEME One of the coolest things in this job is to see the friendships that develop between bands, that last a lifetime. It happened between Monte and Silence The Wake. Between Audrey and Good Weather For Airstrikes. Between Island View Drive and Koji. And one of the best friendships this state has been lucky enough to bear the fruit of is the pairing of The Fever Haze and Secret Grief. Jake from The Fever Haze has produced a lot of Secret Grief’s music, and Scott has put out a lot of both of their music through his label, Triple Deke Records. And never mind the fact that Scott’s former band members from TIPS, Tom, couldn’t tell the two apart physically, Jake and Scott just have very similar writing styles, and the various members of both bands, no matter what configuration they’re in on that day, are so talented and the musicianship is always held to such a high standard. I’d suggest you go to this show just based on the strength of their jams alone, but a big bonus will just be the friendly atmosphere the show is sure to put off!

SATURDAY, MAY 6 - STORIES UNTOLD @ LOVING TOUCH We’re not often enough treated to YOUNGER bands who get it, especially in 2016. A lot of younger kids these days are into rap, and EDM, and whatever else. And there’s nothing wrong w/ those things. Less kids are picking up instruments these days, and a lot of the ones that are have role models that preach not caring about anything. That’s why Stories Untold and the little group of friends/bands they’ve built around are such a refreshing blast of fresh air! They work so, so hard, not only to improve their songs and their live show, but to get people through the door. They work with a determination that every band listed above could certainly learn a little from. They’re willing to do what it takes to make sure there’s a very solid crowd at every show they play, and they write songs that sounds a lot like Thrice, which to me is 2 ways directly into my heart. Really excited for this one. A Year In New York is cut from the same cloth, working their asses off, and Lilac Lungs is a band that I’m just hooked on, because of their pop sensibility and style.

And I guess that’s it. Over the next 2 weekends, we’ve got 5 remarkably great, Michigan-made shows that you won’t go wrong if you check out. Make plans to support something awesome, crafted locally, and everyone wins!

#fusion shows #michigander #watching for foxes #small parks #the fever haze #secret grief #stories untold #michigan #music #local #diy #mac's bar #the pyramid scheme #grand rapids #lansing #the loving touch #ferndale

Shout out to our friends in Small Parks for releasing an awesome new album!

Stream it here: http://goo.gl/bWbdHt

#Small Parks #Honest Light #Mover Shaker #Girlband #Midnight Manifesto #Fusion Shows #Mac's Bar #Lansing

SONG OF THE DAY!

Catch Small Parks at their album release show at Mac’s Bar on April 30! Also, check out our exclusive stream of their new song “Oakland” at the link below!

TICKETS & INFO: https://goo.gl/Kq1Evq

#Small Parks #Five Dollar Words #Mac's Bar #Lansing #Fusion Shows #Exclusive Stream