Previous Performances
2009 Summer Concert Series THURSDAYS 7PM
Rain Location: Laker High School AuditoriumSeason tickets are available. Call 888-282-4782 or 989-453-4391. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by their parents. Advance tickets will be available at various businesses in the area, Click Here for more information. Tickets will always be available at the gate. ALL CONCERTS ARE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!
August 13, 2009 - Bill Denbrock Big Band - Sounds of the Big Band Era
The 1930s and 1940s were the heyday of the Big Bands — the Swing Era — and Denbrock embraced the music. His love of the Big Band sound has remained with him, and today he leads The Bill Denbrock Big Band, a group of musicians who play at festivals and events throughout Huron County — and beyond.
Familiar faces and local talent, that’s what you’ll experience when you come out to the band shell for the Bill Denbrock Big Band performance.
There’s Bill Denbrock, retired Laker High School band director, on saxophone and clarinet, Claude Mestack, retired band director from Akron-Fairgrove who recently taught at Bad Axe Junior High School and plays tenor sax, Cheri Diebel on alto sax, who lives in Elkton and is a rural mail carrier, Milan Miller, of Bay Port, who plays tenor sax and is a retired band director from Harrison, Owen-Gage and Caseville schools, and Bob Gulash, on baritone sax, who is a retired band director from Caseville High School.
Trumpet players are Ray Carman, of Brown City who is the owner of the Carman Funeral Home, Tom Laity, who lives in Bad Axe and is a retired first-grade teacher, and Allen Bachelder from Harbor Beach, a retired music professor.
Trombonists include Terry Lutz, Scheurer Healthcare Network CFO, who lives in Pigeon, Ron Louks , transportation director for Bad Axe Public Schools and Mimi Herrington who lives in Port Austin, is the library director for the Bad Axe Area District Library and alumnus of the University of Michigan Marching Band.
The rhythm section features Nancy Denbrock, on piano who is an instructor at Baker College, Don Starks on electric bass who is the band director at Owendale-Gagetown High School and Kent Gabrielson who plays drums and provides vocals also from the Owendale area.
For further information on The Bill Denbrock Big Band, or to purchase the CD, contact any band member or call (989) 269-9325.
August 6, 2009 - elmoTHUMM - A Capella Singing At Its Best
elmoThumm sings their unique style of classic rock and R&B balanced with oldies to create a show that has to be seen as well as heard. They continue to innovate with a live percussion tool they have created (the THUMM stick) and a high-energy show that is unmatched.
About the Guys...
elmoTHUMM started as a quartet in 1998 featuring the solo voices of Ed Pendleton and Jason Miller combined with the arrangements, harmonies, and rhythms of Greg Vaden and Adam Westmoreland. Paul Ellinger joined the group at the end of the summer of 2000 and the rest, as they say, is history. www.elmothumm.com
July 30, 2009 - The Crist Family - Southern Gospel Singers
Crist Family Ministries was started in 1987 by Tami Crist and over the years, The Crist Family has grown and currently consists of Tami Crist Starkel and her husband John, her brother Rich Crist Jr. and his wife Lisa with their two daughters Breana and Jackie, and long time friends Tom and Gail Joyce .
In 2004, they sold their homes, quit their secular jobs, and left their extended families to embark on the greatest adventure of their lives. They moved across the country from Seattle, WA to Maynardville, TN.
In October of 2004 they won 1st place in the group division talent contest for Ray Flynn’s “Alternative to Halloween” event and were given the opportunity to open the evening concert. In April 2005 shortly after completing vocals on their first recording after moving to the south, they were asked to sign an exclusive recording contract by Crossroads executive Mickey Gamble at Crossroads Records. In July of 2005 Crossroads released The Crist Family’s first radio single “It’s Been A Journey”, which quickly charted in the top 40 on the Singing News Chart. Through it all, their greatest desire has and always will be to follow the call God has placed on their lives. www.cristfamilymusic.com
July 9, 2009 - The Bostrom Brothers - Instrumental Celtic
Who are we?
We're four brothers who play music together. Daniel on percussion, Jordan playing the tin whistle, Paul with the violin/fiddle and Jonathan, the manager, on keyboard and guitar.What do we play?
We play instrumental Celtic music. But our blend of Celtic music is not completely traditional. We're not musical purists. We use whatever it takes to make great music... electric guitars, electric violins, keyboards, effects, etc., etc. But that doesn't mean we abandon the traditional instruments, like hand percussion, the bodhran, fiddle, tin whistles, etc.Where are we from?
We're from a small town in Michigan, Caro, which is about two hours north of Detroit. www.thebostrombrothers.com
June 25, 2009 - The Bijou Orchestra - Old Time Theatre Pit Orchestra
The Bijou Orchestra is unlike any other ensemble in the country. Modeled on the orchestras found in America’s theaters in the first part of the 20th century, it is composed of artists selected from the ranks of symphony orchestras, opera houses and university faculties who share a fascination with the Orchestra’s vast repertoire.
Bringing 19th century European and American dance and concert music, Ragtime and Tin Pan Alley alive using historical arrangements, and present original scores with silent movies. It's not all history and nostalgia, though, the orchestra is equally at home with swing, bluegrass, jazz and klezmer styles. www.bijouorchestra.org