Intimate Venue. Ultimate Experience.
CONCERTS/SHOWS
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Michigan Music Video Awards
APRIL 8, 2023 | 8PM
Preshow/Reception: DJ Nervous Recs | 7PM
This star-studded awards show will celebrate the year’s best music videos and feature show-stopping performances by Michigan artists. Don’t miss the pre-party and the after party in The Franke Center’s Downstage club–your chance to share the red carpet with some of Michigan’s most talented performing artists and filmmakers.
Featuring live performances by
Phabies is an art-centric group of musicians who embrace the spirit and culture of the DIY scene. Formed as a solo project by Laura Hobson, the band leveled up with the additions of Kevin Burrows, Joshua Holicki, Max McKinnon, and Garrett Stier. According to John Sinkevics of Local Spins: “Phabies has carved out a unique, artistic and entertaining niche in West Michigan,” Eric Mitts of Revue Magazine wrote Laura’s voice, “both lyrical and literal, is the shining star of Phabies’ sky of sounds, celestial yet terrestrial, rising from the earth and the core of her being so beautifully on the album’s dense title track centerpiece, and the songs surrounding it. A phenomenal listen for anyone with a burning deep inside.”
Lokella incorporates layers of haunting ambiance, crooning melodies and an often punchy percussive backbone in evocative performances often extending beyond the confines of the rock genre. Formed in 2016, the Grand Rapids group continues to create allure by flirting with blues tropes, jazz elements, dashes of grunge and an abundance of drama.
Kait Rose has been playing guitar and writing songs since the summer of 2001 after finding her mom’s Alvarez in the hallway closet. Since then, Kait has gone on to produce 7 records, most recently, Balance, (2022) produced by David Vandervelde. A storyteller in the purest sense of the term, Rose bares her buoyant soul with songs of personal struggle and strife, set aloft by her powerful voice. A gem and fixture in Kalamazoo’s music community, she adds another great chapter to the city’s already rich roots music history.
Josiah C. Baker is a multi faceted artist. Originally hailing from the theater world, Josiah is no stranger to the stage and has been involved in a number of projects. But his passions don’t stop there. Baker loves to push his limits and wear many hats, from film, to music, choreography, to fashion.
Host Becky Scarcello is a passionate ambassador for the metro Detroit area. A true patron of all things creative, she helps elevate and promote the local scene as a booking agent for musicians and DJ’s (furthering her ‘music’s biggest fan’ status) and by curating shows & events for visual artists in the area. Further advocating for her community, Becky is the business manager at Feet on the Street Tours Detroit, where she enjoys introducing people to the many hidden gems, murals, fascinating people, and exciting venues around the City. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for Matrix Human Services, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the most vulnerable. As the former co-host and co-producer of the D Brief podcast, she relished sharing local creatives’ stories through hundreds of episodes, and still helps match artists with opportunities in a collaborative online community.
Each of these positions serves to showcase Becky’s intense excitement and devotion to the local creative scene. It is her hope to continue to build an ever-expanding support network of artists and ultimately spread joy and beauty in everyday life through her work. As a 2019 recipient of the “Spirit of Detroit” award, she certainly embodies exactly that!
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SWEET WATER WARBLERS
SWEET WATER WARBLERS
APRIL 15, 2023 | 8PM
DOWNSTAGE CLUB PRESHOW: GRACE THEISEN | 7PM
If the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, then The Sweet Water Warblers are no exception. Comprised of Michigan songbirds Rachael Davis, Lindsay Lou, and May Erlewine, the folk trio’s organic vocal harmonies and seamlessly interwoven instrumentation leaves listeners breathless.
The Sweet Water Warblers came together in 2014, for a single performance at the Hoxeyville Music Festival upon request by the promoter. From the beginning, there was a unique connection between the three artists, a bond forged by a mutual passion for social change and expansion of the soul through music. Each of the ladies’ brought with them a regarded solo career within the Americana and roots worlds, and with them individual perspectives on traditional music. Whether it was the gospel and soul-laced melodies uncovered in Davis’ music, the Appalachian folk and country-leaning ballads belted out by Erlewine, or the versatile country soul and bluegrass roots of Lou’s band it was clear from the beginning that the culmination of their talents would be unparalleled.
With three-part vocal harmonies that are sublime, the singing sirens and multi-instrumentalists saw the release of their first EP, With You, in 2017. The repertoire swinging from gospel and bluegrass to soul and even joyful interpretations of pop, AmericanaUK called it, “top drawer roots music.”
The Warblers released their first full studio album, The Dream That Holds This Child, in May of 2020. Produced by Dan Knobler (Lake Street Dive, Caroline Spence), the album serves to empower and uplift spirits, and offer refuge, solidarity and support through its focus on modern femininity.
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Big Fat Meanies
BIG FAT MEANIES
APRIL 22, 2023 | 8PM
DOWNSTAGE CLUB PRESHOW: THE MUSHMEN | 7PM
Voted “Best Rock Band” in Central Pennsylvania, Big Fat Meanies offers a high-octane dose of horn-driven progressive rock with each impressive performance. The independent eight-piece ensemble hailing from Lancaster, Pennsylvania wields on-stage energy that can only be matched by their catalog of exhilarating songwriting. Drawing inspiration from genres of all nature – including pop, punk, funk, metal, ska, and even musical theatre – Big Fat Meanies’ signature episodic songwriting archetype blends the varied musical backgrounds of each member in perfect harmony.
With each performance Big Fat Meanies presents powerful vocal lines, shredding guitar solos, and cinematic horn parts that emphasize refrains with glamorous ferocity. Their collective attention to detail shines through lyrical storytelling, captivating rhythmic structures, and sophisticated instrumental lines. The band uses every tool in their artistic arsenal to inspire feelings of both passion and catharsis. Big Fat Meanies’ live performances and studio recordings offer energetic talent and a wide array of inspiration that is sure to connect with each listener in a unique way. The band has been described as “off the wall”, “refreshingly different”, and “a gut punch of danceable high energy.” No matter your musical background, Big Fat Meanies is sure to move you and to make you move. Their latest EP Bad Hand is available to stream on all platforms.
Downstage Club Preshow: Mushmen are Kalamazoo’s longest-running ska band, featuring wild psychedelic horns and guitar, with just a dash of piracy! In their decade-plus run they’ve opened for Fishbone, Mustard Plug, Reel Big Fish, as well as Reggie and the Full Effect
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THE ART OF DRAG
April 29, 2023 | 8PM
MC: SUTTON LEE SEYMOUR
Preshow/Reception: DJ Marc Paskett | 7PM
One of The Franke’s most popular shows ever, The Art of Drag is back for another night of outrageous fun! Detox from season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race will take the stage along with delightful MC Sutton Lee Seymour for a night of jaw-dropping drag you won’t want to miss.Headliner: DetoxThe self-dubbed “most killingest cross dresser on the planet,” Detox was the 4th place contestant on season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race.MC: Sutton Lee SeymourKnown as the “Robin Williams of Drag,” Sutton Lee Seymour is New York City’s campiest live singing queen of stage and screen, now touring her best selling shows from coast to coast in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, and also the seven seas with Atlantis Events!
*Season Four Winner of NYC’s So You Think You Can Drag?
*Tours with Atlantis Events
*Sold Out Shows in NYC, LA, Chicago, and Puerto Vallarta!CONTENT ALERT: This show contains sexually explicit content that may be offensive to some viewers. For mature audience members only!Click here to sign up for an exclusive meet-and-greet + photo op with Detox and Sutton Lee Seymour!
- At The Franke’s 7pm Downstage Preshow party.
- Cost: $20
SPONSORED BY:TICKETS
