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Posted on Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:55 a.m.

Expanded Roots Jamboree, Friday and Saturday in Ypsilanti, mixes local and national musical talent

By Roger LeLievre

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Local favorite Ella Riot will be part of the Michigan Roots Jamboree.

The first thing that stands out about the two-day Roots Jamboree in Ypsilanti’s Riverside Park starting Friday is the strength of the artist roster. Local favorites such as NOMO and Ella Riot share the bill with acts the likes of Philadelphia’s Hoots and Hellmouth and Motown-based Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise.

“It’s one heck of a lineup,” said Don Sicheneder, the Jamboree’s director. “I wanted to keep it local but at the same time I wanted to expand it—we’ve got 9 national acts on there. … I was looking at a lot of the other festivals, and tried to offer something that you can’t see everywhere else, so I changed it up from years previous.”

The second item worth highlighting is the expansion of the Jamboree into nearby nightspots. Although Riverside Park closes at midnight on Jamboree nights, that doesn’t mean the music has to stop then.

“We’re implanting what we call the Late Night Jamboree,” Sicheneder explained. “It’s going to be in three different venues around Ypsilanti—we’re trying to involve the whole area and make it more of an urban music festival.”

To that end, Crossroads Bar & Grill, Woodruffs and Corner Brewery will stay open until 2 a.m. and offer live music both nights. Among the bands booked to play are The Macpodz, Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, Zoogma, Covert, Gun Lake, Misty Lyn, DJ Jamie Register and more.

PREVIEW

Michigan Roots Jamboree

  • Who: Ella Riot (Formerly My Dear Disco), NOMO, Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise, Frontier Ruckus, Steppin’ In It, Hoots and Hellmouth, The Werks, Theo Katzman and Love Massive, Caravan of Thieves, Ben Miller Band, Graham Parsons and the Go Rounds, Black Jake and the Carnies, Dragon Wagon, October Babies and The Floorwalkers.
  • What: Two-day music and art festival brings together local and regional acts on two outdoor stages.
  • Where: Riverside Park, Ypsilanti.
  • When: Friday-Saturday, Aug. 5-6.
  • How much: $15 each day, $30 weekend pass, $50 weekend camping pass. Children under 12 are free. Late Night Jamboree: $5 at the door with a Jamboree wristband, $10 for anyone without a wristband. Info: www.rootsjamboree.com.
The third noteworthy element is the return of overnight tent camping Friday and Saturday at Frog Island Park after what Sicheneder said was a very successful first attempt last year.

“We had about 75 tents out there, it was completely peaceful and all the security was great. People had a really great time. It was neat to see people waking up the next day in the park being able to go and enjoy some music,” he said.

The Roots Jamboree is sponsored by the Depot Town Community Development Corporation. All proceeds go to support projects aimed at improving the quality of life in Ypsilanti, Sicheneder said.

The Jamboree was conceived 3 years ago as a bluegrass festival, partly because Sicheneder is in the bluegrass band Dragon Wagon. However, the decision was eventually made to make it more inclusive, so now, fest-goers can hear bluegrass, folk, jazz-rock fusion, world-music and more.

Of the local acts, electro-rock act Ella Riot (formerly My Dear Disco), the horn-driven collective NOMO, the Ypsilanti-based “crabgrass” band Black Jake and the Carnies and Ann Arbor indie rocker Theo Katzman (who, with his band Love Massive, kicked off Friday night of this year’s Ann Arbor Folk Festival on just the right note) are probably the best known.

Hoots and Hellmouth, which has also played at the Folk Festival, is the duo of singer-songwriters Sean Hoots and Andrew Gray. Lansing-based Steppin’ In It is also a favorite on the state and local roots circuit while Detroit’s Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise has brought the blues to The Ark on a number of occasions.

Art is also an important part of the Jamboree. While bands are performing on stage, artists will be painting works of art to the music. The results will be available for auction.

“Last year we had 16 local artists, this year we’ve almost got 30 doing live art simultaneously with some of the bands,” Sicheneder said.

Also important to mention, he added, is a 17-track music disc offering tunes from Jamboree performers. The compilation can be downloaded from the Jamboree’s Web page for $10, with funds raised going to support the event (you can also “like” the Jamboree on Facebook and get the disc for $5).

Meanwhile, Sicheneder said word of the Jamboree is getting around in music circles.

“I play in Dragon Wagon; we’ve played in a number of festivals and more and more people are talking about (the Jamboree). Hopefully it will have a bigger impact on the Michigan festival scene. That’s what it’s all about—Michigan music and trying to provide something in Southeastern Michigan that has camping and a festival environment.”

Comments

Sarah Mark

Wed, Aug 3, 2011 : 1:54 p.m.

Can't wait!!!!!

Don Sicheneder

Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 3:22 a.m.

@ lumberg, yup, volunteers that work hard to bring something positive to ypsi actually read the comments. So, I simply said 75 campers, which we had. Not 75 tents. And believe it or not, it was in our plan to keep it small and intimate- not expecting hundreds more- we intentionally limited it. We are the only camping music festival in Southeastern Michigan and one of the only, if not the only Urban area camping music festivals in the US. We did it as a trial and it was successful. This year will be bigger, better and a ton of fun for those who look for the postives in life. Lets enjoy the fun, amazing music and family that Michigan Roots Jamboree brings to this area. See you all this weekend!

lumberg48108

Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 2:13 p.m.

"We had about 75 tents out there, it was completely peaceful and all the security was great." he said. That is a nice spin - no way there were 75 tents last year and they were expecting hundreds...

al

Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 11:33 p.m.

My back yard is pretty peaceful right now too. There's nobody there either.

Steve McKeen

Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 2:02 p.m.

I have my tickets and am ready to camp! It's important that people donate to this event and buy tickets otherwise it might not be back for a 4th year. Please, please, please support local music and local festivals. Go Ypsitucky Rustbelt Revival!!!

gsorter

Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 1:51 p.m.

I think this has been a great way to lift some of the gloom this area has faced. Don Sicheneder should be commended for spearheading this