Archive for September, 2011

Get out and (zydeco) dance on October 1

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

First, let me apologize for not posting much recently. I have finally reached the stage where I need one of my knees replaced and will have that surgery soon. I wore it out from playing lots of sports, and also from lots of dancing in my past years. I’m hoping I can make a full recovery so I can join y’all on the dance floors of the future, but in the meantime I haven’t been as motivated to write about music and dancing as I could have been.

Anyhow, this Saturday, October 1, you’ve got a choice of three different Cajun/zydeco bands playing in three different cities to choose from. First, if you’re near Detroit, Monsieur Guillaume and His Zydeco Hepcats play at Kelly’s Bar & Grill in Hamtramck (at 2403 Holbrook–across from the big Kowalski sausage sign). They crank it up starting at 9:30 pm. The Hepcats also recommend getting there earlier and having dinner. There’s no cover charge (I could have just said “no cover” like the Mardi Gras picture about this event on their homepage). Call Kelly’s at 313-872-0387 if you need more info.

Or, if you’re in south-central (lower peninsula) Michigan, you could head over to the Black Sheep Tavern (at 115 E. Main St., Manchester) to hear Cracklin. Definitely go hungry to this event as the Tavern has some good food! But, quel dommage! there’s no room for dancing. More info at 734-428-8972.

Finally, if you’re in the Traverse City/Cadillac area, check out K. Jones and the Benzie Playboys at the Gopherwood Dance. It’s at the Elks Club at 122 S. Mitchell St. in Cadillac. There is an admission fee ($10 in advance, kids less), and while the Gopherwood series is promoted as concerts, they will have a dance floor available. More info at 231-775-2813.

As always, if you attend one of these events, please post a comment about the event (or email me a report, hopefully also with a picture or two)!

CZ Events, Sunday, September 4

Sunday, September 4th, 2011

If the weather holds out, and if you don’t mind a lot of driving, you can dance to two different CZ bands on Sunday, September 4!

First, Monsieur Guillaume & His Zydeco Hepcats play on the International Stage at Arts, Beats & Eats in Royal Oak, MI, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. That stage is near W. 6th & S. Lafayette streets in Royal Oak. There’s a $3 admission fee to get into the festival, plus you’ll most likely have to pay to park. There are also lots of food vendors there (that’s the “Eats” part of the festival title)–maybe Howe’s Bayou or Fishbones will have a food booth there?

Monsieur Guillaume & His Zydeco Hepcats at the Marine City Festival 2011

Monsieur Guillaume & His Zydeco Hepcats at the Marine City Festival 2011 (photo shamelessly borrowed from the Hepcats website)

Next, you can hurry out to downtown Ann Arbor, MI, for their annual Dancing in the Streets where Creole du Nord plays from 5:15-6:30 pm on S. Main St between Huron and Washington Sts. The overall event runs from 2:00-6:30 pm, and there are several stages with different kinds of music for dancing. In particular, you can do a lot of contra and swing dancing. This event is free, and parking is free in downtown Ann Arbor on Sundays.

Creole du Nord at Dancing in the Streets 2010

Creole du Nord at Dancing in the Streets 2010

Dancing In The Streets!

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

Sunday, September 4th
Ann Arbor, MI

Dancing In The Streets (Schedule)
2:00PM-6:30PM – Free admission
Intersection of Main & Washington, downtown

Cajun dancing, Swing dancing, Contra dancing

Posted by Alan