Welcome to Foundry Hall, South Haven's home for original performance, music, and art. With the help of the local community, our century old building in the heart of downtown was extensively renovated in 2000-2001 from a former piston factory into a music hall and theatre. Besides hosting live, all-ages performances most Friday and Saturday nights, the Foundry is regularly used for private parties and banquets, workshops, classes, meetings, and community events. Our experienced teachers provide personal instruction on a wide range of musical instruments, and we house a limited number of private studios for individuals and small businesses needing an office away from home. At the Foundry Hall, we believe interaction through the arts and shared experiences is the key to a happy, healthy, and vibrant town.
THURSDAY, MAY 15 - 7:30 PM - $5 - fingerstyle jazz guitar
Nashville, TN - As a professional musician working in a competitive industry, Tim Thompson has learned to play his strengths in more than one area of the business. Not only is he considered a guitar virtuoso and talented singer/songwriter, he's also a much sought after independent producer and session player. Thompson grew up in a musical family in Minnesota, where he began playing piano, then trombone, and eventually guitar. Ambitious and focused, he practiced and challenged himself and by age fourteen was playing guitar professionally. Tim placed 2nd at the prestigious International Fingerstyle Guitar Competition in Winfield Kansas in September 2007. He travels with his 12 year old son, Myles, who is a talented fiddle player and has accompanied his father on stage for the last 2 years. Tim has been written up in Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine 3 times in the past two years. Tim can often be heard at Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe playing his intricate and energetic fingerstyle interpretations of songs such as "Eleanor Rigby," and "The Flintstones" or delivering his original songs in his signature raspy voice.
FRIDAY, MAY 16 - 8:00 PM - $10/$8 adv - country / swing
double CD release with RACHAEL DAVIS
Lansing, MI - Toting an ample supply of vintage instruments and a sound that brings listeners back to the days of old-time radio, Steppin' In It is determined to make a dent in the roots community. Hailing from Lansing, Mich. -the heart of Factory Town, USA- these young men pound out their own brand of roots combining old-time country, swing and blues playing what Performing Songwriter Magazine calls "some of the liveliest and most rocking acoustic roots music around." Upright Bassist Dominic Suchyta and multi-instrumentalist brothers Andy & Joe Wilson compliment the strong songwriting talents of singer/songwriter Josh Davis, who's haunting vocals paint a picture of rural and urban Michigan breaking its blue-collar back under troubled times. This show is the West Michigan release of the band's new album, "Simple Tunes for Troubled Times."
Michigan songwriter and frequent Steppin' in It collaborator Rachael Davis was born in Lansing and grew up in Cadillac. What grabs you first about Rachael is the voice, with a bluesy richness that will make you pull off the road to listen. Add in the incisive songwriting on Rachael's new "Antebellum Queens" album, and you have a Michigan phenomenon. Says songwriter Susan Werner: "We don't have Eva Cassidy anymore, but we do have Rachael Davis."
SATURDAY, MAY 17 - 8:00 PM - $5 - acoustic rock / indie
with The Darts
and Brandenmann & the Congregation
Acoustic rock, blues, indie and soul from South Haven (Jake Simmons), Lansing (The Darts), and Kalamazoo (Brandenmann & the Congregation).