Intimate Venue. Ultimate Experience.
CONCERTS/SHOWS
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ICE, WINE, BEER + BLUES FEATURING NORA JEAN WALLACE
featuring NORA JEAN WALLACE
DOWNTOWN WINE AND BEER TASTING – FEBRUARY 03, 2023 | 6PM
CONCERT – FEBRUARY 04, 2023 | 8PM
DOWNSTAGE CLUB PRESHOW – KEITH SCOTT | 7PM
Ice, Wine, Beer and Blues, one of Marshall’s favorite events, is back! This fun-filled festival features specialty wine and beer tastings downtown on Friday night and a blues concert at The Franke Center for the Arts on Saturday.
This year, the festival will again feature spectacular live ice carving by master sculptor John Merucci and his team. The theme for this year’s festival is “Video Games” and will feature fun and inventive sculptures of characters from vintage and modern video games, from Pac Man to Halo and everything in between.
Ice carving will take place downtown from 5-8pm on Friday and on Saturday from 10am until completion.
Friday – Beer and Wine Tasting – Downtown Marshall
5pm – Ice Sculpting in downtown Marshall – Master ice sculptor John Merucci and team will begin their video game themed ice sculptures. Everyone is encouraged to come and watch this fascinating art as it unfolds!
6pm – 10pm – Beer and Wine Tasting – Folks 21-and-up are invited to participate in a beer and wine tasting in downtown Marshall. At each location, participants will receive a 2oz pour of wine or a 3oz pour of beer, as well as delicious appetizers from local restaurants. Tasting wristbands cost $25 each and include 10 tastings. Unique pottery goblets made by Eastend Gallery artist Eric Strader will be available for an additional $15 each on the night of the event. Goblets will also be for presale beginning on Wednesday February 1st and Thursday February 2nd at EastEnd Gallery and paper & i.
Friday’s wine and beer tasting will take place at downtown business locations: The Mole Hole, The Green Scene, Living MI, Serendipity & The Brew Coffee Cafe, Handle & Hinge, Eastend Studio & Gallery, Blufish Consulting, Solitude & Co., Highpoint Community Bank, and Amazing Grace from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.
Individuals over 21 will be able to purchase a wristband at any location for $25 and receive 10 wine / beer tastings. Tasting passes can also be purchased in advance on TheFranke.org and exchanged for a wristband on the night of the event at Handle & Hinge, Living MI, or Eastend Studio.
Saturday – Concert, Ice Sculpting, and Shopping Specials
10am – Completion – Live Ice Sculpting in Downtown Marshall – Watch live video game-themed ice sculpting from John Merucci and his team.
All day Saturday – Shopping Specials in Downtown Marshall – Stroll the streets of downtown Marshall and admire the video game-inspired sculptures while completing your downtown shopping and taking advantage of special shopping specials.
7pm – Nora Jean Wallace Concert at The Franke Center – The festival caps off on Saturday evening when The Franke Center for the Arts will
host a live blues concert featuring Chicago blues queen Nora Jean Wallace. Starting at 7 p.m., Franke Center favorite Keith Scott will open the night in The Franke’s Downstage Club. At 8 p.m., headliner Nora Jean Wallace will take the mainstage.
Keith Scott is a veteran of the Chicago Blues scene. Having made it through the recent downturn in the arts community ,Keith has recently toured Alaska,Canada and Ireland .Keith is a regular performer at The House of Blues in Chicago and brings an engaging personality to all his performances.Nora Jean Wallace (formerly Nora Jean Bruso) is a Chicago Blues singer with deep Delta roots. Like so many blues greats that hail from the Delta of Mississippi, Nora Jean Bruso was born and raised in Greenwood, a town in the heart of this blues-rich region. From birth her father, Bobby Lee Wallace, a professional blues singer and sharecropper, and her Uncle, Henry “Son” Wallace, a blues singer and guitar player, infused the blues in her soul. Also contributing to her musical education was her mother, Ida Lee Wallace, a gospel singer, and her grandmother, Mary, who ran a juke house. As a child Nora would sneak down to her grandmother’s place on Friday and Saturday nights and listen to her relatives sing blues classics. It was during these years that Nora developed a love for the music of Howlin’ Wolf that has continued to the present day.
Nora’s singing career in Chicago began in 1976 when her Aunt Rose heard her sing at home and brought her to several clubs she was promoting. It was at the Majestic on the West Side of Chicago that Nora sat in with Scottie and the Oasis. She was invited to join the band and spent several years with them before Scottie’s unfortunate passing.
During this time many local Chicago musicians, most notably Mary Lane and Joe Barr, encouraged Nora and taught her the finer points of her craft.
Nora’s big break came in 1985 when Jimmy Dawkins saw her perform at a local Chicago club and invited her to join his band. For the next seven years Nora toured and recorded with Jimmy and his band and appeared on two of his CDs, Feel the Blues (JSP, 1985 & 2002 with a bonus NJB track) and Can’t Shake These Blues (Earwig, 1991). She also released a single, “Untrue Lover” (Leric, 1982) and her first solo release in 2002, Nora Jean Bruso Sings the Blues (Red Hurricane).
While touring Europe, Canada, and the United States, Nora refined her performing skills and developed an international fan base. She appeared on many major festivals including the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, AK, the Chicago Blues Festival and the Pocono Blues Festival.
Concert tickets are $26 in advance or $29 at the door and can be purchased separately or along with tasting wristbands.
“Nora Jean sounds just like I did when I was her age. She is one of the new upcoming women that’s singing the real blues. I know she is going to make it.” – Koko Taylor
The festival would not be possible without sponsorships from: Eaton, Oaklawn Hospital, Grand River Brewery, Hemmingsen Drugstore, Southern Michigan Bank and Trust, Highpoint Bank, Choose Marshall, Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, Sandy Woods State Farm, Marshall Eye Care, Townsquare Media, Darkhorse / Roak, Kellogg Community Credit Union, Lisa Sands State Farm, FUG Inc., and FireKeepers Casino Hotel.
Interested in signing up to volunteer for 2 hour shift pouring beer or wine? Click here to sign up!
TICKETS
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YOUTH THEATER PRODUCTION
The Franke Center youth Theater & Marshall High School
presents
February 16-18 | 7pm
February 19 | 2:30 pm
At Marshall High School
Newsies The Musical is a musical based on the 1992 musical film Newsies, which was inspired by the real-life Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City. The show has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman, and a book by Harvey Fierstein based on the film’s screenplay by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White.
TICKETS -
Ada LeAnn
Ada LeAnn
FEBRUARY 25, 2023 | 8PM
DOWNSTAGE CLUB PRESHOW: RAE OF LIGHT | 7PM
Ada LeAnn is a 17-year-old singer song writer from Battle Creek Michigan. She was the State of Michigan’s representative for NBC’s tv show hosted by Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg, The American Song Contest Season 1. She was a Semi Finalist and episode 5’s Jury selection in which, Tom Poleman the Chief Program Director for iHeart Radio Stated “Ada LeAnn reminds me of the first time I heard Taylor Swift! That Voice! Those Lyrics!”. She recently won a Josie Music Award for Single of the year for her song Natalie that she performed on NBC and she also performed it at the Grand Ole Opry House stage in Nashville Tennessee that same night. She is known for her ability to write emotional and relationship-based lyrics that are real and relatable to her audience. Ada strives to be a voice for teenagers like herself to show them that they are heard, understood, and not alone. Her music can be found on all music platforms.
7pm preshow entertainment in The Franke’s Downstage Club will be local favorites Rae of Light and will feature FREE ice cream provided by show sponsor Cold Stone Creamery!
Rae of Light combines the vocal talents of Megan Rae and Norman Light to consistently provide a fun-filled, high-energy night of music, complete with country/blues/top 40/classic rock/and modern music, all delivered in an acoustic setting. They have a combined 15+ years of professional experience including performances in state theater’s, nationally recognized festivals, and countless restaurants, bars, and private functions. Book them now for a night of music to remember!Michigan Music Video AwardsMICHIGAN 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 your chance to share the red carpet with some of Michigan’s most talented performing artists.
The Franke Center welcomes this years Michigan Music Video Awards host Becky Scarcello
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!
TICKETSSWEET WATER WARBLERSSWEET 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.
TICKETSBig Fat MeaniesBIG 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
TICKETSTHE ART OF DRAG
April 29, 2023 | 8PM
MC: SUTTON LEE SEYMOUR
Preshow/Reception: DJ Marc Paskett | 7PM
One of The Franke’s most populars 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!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
