Posts Tagged ‘Charles The Osprey’

Fes2Val shows it only takes two

Published by NOISE! Staff on August 21st, 2011 - in Featured, News, Uncategorized



George Michael said sex is best when it involves two people (one-on-one, to be exact). Well, music isn’t too shabby for bands that are two strong, either. The fellas in Grand Rapids-based math rock duo Charles The Osprey is putting some of the area’s top acts on display.

The third annual Fes2Val: It Only Takes Two is a one-day festival celebrating bands in a variety of genres that share one common element: each band has two members. The show is slated for Saturday, Aug. 27 beginning at noon at the Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids.

Held each year in a non-traditional music venue, Fes2Val is an all-ages event. Sponsors this year include The Meanwhile Bar, Vertigo Records and REVUE West Michigan magazine.

Tickets are $5 (advance) and $6 (day of show). Beer will be available for 21+. There will be an official after party for Fes2Val at the Pyramid Scheme, which will be hosting the Still Remains reunion show the same evening.

Here are the bands on tap
- Charles The Osprey, Grand Rapids
- Jowls, Grand Rapids
- Beast In The Field, Mount Pleasant
- Brontosaurus, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- Bangups, Grand Rapids
- Bram N Dexous , Grand Rapids
- Noblesville, Grand Rapids
- Between Brains, Grand Rapids
- Lost Coves, Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Good News, Kalamazoo
- The Kincaids, Mount Pleasant
- Stagnant Pools, Bloomington, Ind.
- Whee, Detroit
- Back Alley Knife Show, Grand Rapids
- Boy with Mace, Grand Rapids

Boiling Pot: My favorite bands at this year’s Oktoberfest

Published by Brandon St. James on June 22nd, 2011 - in Featured, Opinion



Event coordinators at Boiling Pot Music Festival recently announced a majority of this year’s lineup. This year’s installment wields an Oktoberfest theme and will be held at Arcadia Creek Festival Place in Kalamazoo on Sept. 29 – Oct. 1.

Not only do I give a big thumbs up for moving the event so that it doesn’t fall on the Fourth of July (me likes my parades and fireworks), there are several bands that I was especially happy to see on the bill. Here are six of my favorites.

MAPS & ATLASES
Being one of the headliners, this kind of goes without saying (yet I’m going to say it anyway). Kalamazoo and beyond has shown to dig this mathy group of folk rockers, flooding to their two recent shows at The Strutt. Like so many others around the country, I have become a fan just in the past year.

MUSTARD PLUG
When throwing an event in West Michigan, you simply can’t go wrong by throwing these Grand Rapids-based ska heavyweights in the mix. Their presence is also a real sign of the multiple musical dimensions the event has taken on this year, serving as more of a strictly indie rock fest last season.

CHRIS BATHGATE
Chris Bathgate’s latest album “Salt Year” stole the title of my favorite folk album of the year. He was a part of last year’s lineup, and returns with good reason.

CHARLES THE OSPREY
Quite possibly the most mind-blowing and technical band in the area. It took a while for me to actually give their live show a shot, but once I did, I was mesmerized by their performance. This duo plays quite regularly around Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, but is it really possible to see them TOO much?

THE SOIL AND THE SUN
This Grand Rapids spiritual folk act has a knack for two things — producing hauntingly beautiful music and acquiring new members. Starting as a duo, this bnd has spiraled into an all-out music collective (now eight members strong). Implementing elements like oboe, cello, accordion and piano, this is quite possibly the most fascinating band at this year’s fest.

ACKLEY KID
This isn’t your granddaddy’s music festival. I love that some hardcore punk is in the mix to truly run the musical spectrum at this year’s Boiling Pot. While West Michigan is brimming with quality punk, it’s nice to see one of Kalamazoo’s finest on the bill at a Kalamazoo event. I’ll drink to that.

Reach Brandon St. James at westmichigannoise@gmail.com.

Pyramid Scheme up and running already

Published by NOISE! Staff on April 27th, 2011 - in News




The buzz of the local music scene for the last few months — aka the sparkling new Grand Rapids venue The Pyramid Scheme — has opened its doors. With the official grand opening slated for this weekend with two performances by Dayton, Ohio-based indie rockers Guided By Voices, The Pyramid Scheme flung open its doors for a soft opening on Wednesday night.

To boot, the venue will be breaking in the stage before Guided By Voices turns that mother out. Charles The Osprey recently announced the surprise show slated for Thursday night where they will appear with Chance Jones and other special guests for the first ever show at the venue.

Let there be local brews and tunes.

And the Jammie goes to…

Published by NOISE! Staff on February 16th, 2011 - in News



Last night at The Intersection saw the latest installment of the WYCE Jammie awards. Along with a boatload of performances from local music royalty, the coveted awards were doled out. Below is a list of the winners as compiled by the Grand Rapids Press.

The Jammies is an annual, regional competition sponsored by community radio station WYCE 88.1 FM.

Jammie of the Year: May Erlewine, “Golden,” and The Vincent Hayes Project, “Reclamation”
Special Jury Prize: Charles the Osprey, “Consider”
Best Americana album: May Erlewine, “Golden”
Best alternative/indie album: Breathe Owl Breathe, “Magic Central”
Best rock/pop album: Seth Bernard, “Is This You?”
Song of the year: Benjamin Riley, “I Can See Glory”
Best album, female solo artist: Claudia Schmidt, “Promising Sky”
Best album, male solo artist: Ralston Bowles, “Little Miracles”
“Traditional” award: Red Sea Pedestrians, “Adrift”
Best funk/hip-hop/urban album: A.B! & Coconut Brown, “Indeed”
Best jazz album: Steve Talaga, “Heartside Sketches”
Best blues album: The Vincent Hayes Project, “Reclamation”
Best instrumental album: Organissimo, “Alive & Kickin’ ”
Best album by a new duo or group: The Vincent Hayes Project, “Reclamation”
Best album by a new solo artist: Nicholas James Thomasma, “Barefoot” and Mark Lavengood, “From Dust to Steel”
Best producer: Glenn Brown, GPB Studio
Listeners’ choice, best album: Delilah DeWylde & the Lost Boys, “The Price You Pay”
Listeners’ choice, best new artist: Charles the Osprey, “Consider”

Related articles:
- NOISE! Readers’ Choice winners

Contact us at WestMichiganNoise@gmail.com. Or, get up-to-the-minute updates on local music and our web site by following us on Twitter.

NOISE! TV: Lights At Sea

Published by NOISE! Staff on February 6th, 2011 - in Uncategorized




It might have been below freezing outside, but everyone that crammed inside Founders in Grand Rapids was working up a hearty sweat. The soundtrack to said perspiration was a line-up of Shores, Lights At Sea, Husband and Wife and Charles The Osprey. Here is Lights At Sea taking care of business while we tried to hold our own in the front.

Related articles:
- NOISE! TV: Shores
- Lights At Sea featured in our 50 bands to watch in 2011

Contact us at WestMichiganNoise@gmail.com. Or, get up-to-the-minute updates on local music and our web site by following us on Twitter.

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