I had a wonderful past week and weekend in music. Proof that the local music scene is rich and strong.
Our first outing was to check out Charlie Ballantine, who we recently chatted with about his latest album and tour.
Thursday night, Kristin and I, along with friends from work, finished our dinner at Fiddler's Hearth in South Bend (I'm still dreaming about the fish and chips) and headed down the road to Merriman's Playhouse. The building on Colfax is a wonderful, winding maze filled with other local shops and businesses. Quiet by that point of the night, we followed the signs to the music and were treated to an excellent performance by Ballantine and his trio (not to mention great conversation with Stephen Merriman and running into local musician, Little Frank Krakowski). The room full of listeners took in two sets, the first a gentle build into the music and the second a loose and enthusiastic dive into the on stage collaboration of the three musicians.
Sunday brought us sunshine and warmth, the perfect environment to head on over to River St. Joe brewery and restaurant to enjoy the open fields and the latest Greenhouse Pick’n acoustic jam.
I chatted with one of the organizers, Michael Rowland, recently. The event was as he promised; musicians of all skill levels, tossing songs back and forth while all present joined in with their chosen instrument while the rest of us took in the sounds, sights, and tastes that only River St. Joe can bring.
The Greenhouse Pick’n events at River St. Joe are recurring, so be sure to check out their events page for that and plenty more offerings.
Merriman's Playhouse is showcasing a variety of performances multiple times a week. It's one of the best rooms in the area, so be sure to check out what they have coming up here.
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