The Rain Doesn't Stop Us!

A storm hit the Acorn Theater on Friday around 6:30 PM . . . a storm of

biblical proportions. We heard that it knocked out hundreds of thousands

of homes of power in Chicago. But as it made it way across the warm waters

of Lake Michigan, the storm gained strength.

In Three Oaks it met the Acorn Theater with particular force. The wind

and rain blew off part of our roof before we lost power. Water, water,

water. and only one mop.

With no electricity, flashlights and candles in hand, we took a cheerful

audience and enjoyed an unforgettable show. Congratulations to the

winner, Merrie Greenfield. My favorite story of hers came from the

suggestion “recalled meatballs” and her story involved an Eastern

European woman trying to get compensation for meat she used to make a huge

meatball sandwich for an American Idol finale party where everyone got

sick. Storied by candlelight turned out to be really fun and cool.

Big Vs. Little

I have mixed emotions about presenting well-known performers at the Acorn Theater. Meeting some of these people is a thrill because they are so great to be around. Shawn Mullins, Poi Dog Pondering, Peter Yarrow, and Richie Havens come to mind. If you stuck around after their shows, you got to experience firsthand how friendly they are. They also performed great shows and really excited the audience. I am looking forward to meeting Marshall Crenshaw and presenting him for the first time. Another wonderful thing about presenting the bigger names is the amount of press and buzz we receive. performers such as Lesley Gore, Nathan Gunn, Jim Brickman, Jefferson Starship, Leon Redbone, The Platters, The Pacifica Quartet, and The Cowboy Junkies garnered a lot of media attention. It is also great to have sell-out crowds and enthusiastic audiences. On the other hand, we present so many really talented performers who deserve as much attention. Remember, there are a lot of amazingly talented people who will give you a great night of entertainment. Come to the big shows, but also try some of the less famous performers. You may discover an unexpected treat. Plus, you will be the cool person who "saw them when." I would love to hear what artists gave you that surprise moment where you were moved and thrilled. The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Mark O'Connor, Corky Siegel, and the drama "Tops or Bottoms" were a few of mine.

Extreme Beer Fest: THE LIST!

As a special treat for you, our loyal fans and readers, I'm giving you the first glimpse at the actual and true final list of beers for tomorrow's Extreme Beer Fest! Of course, one never knows what will ACTUALLY show up at the fest, but this will give you a great idea of tastes to come.

This is, by far, the biggest of these events I've ever done, and I'm so excited we have decided to move this May event to be part of the Acorn 7th anniversary celebration!

And with that, I (Jill) give you...THE LIST!

Affligem Blond Belgian Ale

Arbor Espresso Love-

Arbor Flamboyant Wild Red Ale

Arbor Strawberry Blonde

Arbor Red Snapper

Arbor Sacred Cow IPA

Atwater Cherry Stout

Atwater Dirty Blond

Atwater Double Down

Atwater Vanilla Porter

Bell's Consecrator Dopplebock

Bell's Batch 9000

Big Sky Moose Drool

Big Sky Scape Goat Pale Ale

Big Sky Trout Slayer

Big Sky Summer Honey

Breckenridge Agave Wheat

Breckenridge 471 IPA

Breckenridge Lucky U IPA

Clipper City Big DIPA

Clipper City Loose Cannon IPA

Clipper City Red Sky Saison

Clipper City Siren Noire Chocolate Stout

Dark Horse Belgium style Amber Ale

Dark Horse Crooked Tree I.P.A.

Dark Horse Raspberry

Dark Horse Reserve Spec. Black Bier

Dark Horse Fore Smoked Stout

Dragonmead Crown Jewels

Dragonmead Final Absolution

Dragonmead Under The Kilt (Wee Heavy)

Dragonmead Erik the Red

Founders Cerise

Founders Backwoods Bastard

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout

Founders Old Curmudgeon

Hacker-Pschorr Weisse

Harpoon Celtic Ale

Harpoon I.P.A.

Harpoon UFO

Harpoon Leviathan Imperial Red

Harpoon Leviathan Saison

Harpoon Leviathan Baltic Porter

He’Brew Jewbelation 13

Hitachino White

Great Divide Collette

Great Divide Hoss Rye

Great Divide Samurai Rice

Great Divide Yeti Espresso Stout

Great Lakes Commodore Perry

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

Great Lakes Holy Moses

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noire

Lagunitas Dog Town

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid

Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot

Lagunitas Undercover Shutdown

Left Hand Sawtooth ESB

Left Hand 400lb Monkey

Left Hand Good Juju

Left Hand Black Jack Porter

Left Hand Imperial Stout

Livery Brewery Kentucky Kaffinator

Livery Brewery Rye Barrel Jak

Mt. Pleasant Train Wreck Ale

Moylan’s Dragon Stout

Moylan’s Hopsicle

Moylan’s Imperial Stout

Moylan’s IPA

Moylan’s Irish Red

Moylan’s Kilt Lifter

Moylan’s Moylander

Moylan’s Tipperary

New Holland Envious

New Holland El Mole Ocho

New Holland Dragon’s Milk

New Holland Black Tulip

New Holland Mad Hatter Imperial IPA

New Holland Pilgrim’s Dole

Rogue Brutal Bitter

Rogue Chipotle Ale

Rogue Captain Sigs

Rogue Mogul Madness

Schmohz-Hopknocker

Schmohz-Sammie Rae Root Beer

Schmohz- Miracle off 28th St. Old Ale

Schmohz-Mad Tom's Porter

Short’s Huma Lupalicious

Short’s Magician

Short’s Soft Parade

Short’s Sustenance

Stone Pale Ale

Stone Ruination

Unibroue Apple Ephemere

Unibroue Blanche de Chambly

Unibroue Don de Dieu

Unibroue la Fin du Monde

Unibroue Maudite

Victory Golden Monkey

Victory Hop Devil

Victory Hop Wallop

Victory Prima Pils

Weihenstephan Kristal White

Acorn Theater Anniversary

The Acorn Theater is celebrating its seventh anniversary this coming weekend. Thinking back to our first year, a number of performers come to my mind. Colleen McHugh performing in the incomplete room for an audience of lodging owners in Harbor Country. Squirm including our new pipe organ in their music. Amy Seeley performing Moline Mad Man, a touching and funny one-woman show to our first packed house. Scott Woldman, Jim Jarvis, Justin Hayford, and Jenna Mammina performing their hearts out. We also did workshops of a new musical by Jack Helbig and Mark Hollmann. Hopefully, I will find my 2003 calendar that lists all the shows. Many people give their time and energy to help create the space. We are thankful to everyone who has performed on our stage, who has attended our shows., and who has helped us create the magic.

Extreme Beer Fest

This post was just posted on Jill's blog, eat it. drink it. But it's so Acorn-centric (because it's all about the beer fest) that she wanted to post it on the Acorn blog, too! Enjoy!

Setting up for the Extreme Beer Fest, for me, is similar to setting up for my wedding. Ok, not really, but I do have the same intensely disturbing dreams, fears, and obsessive attitude that I did regarding my wedding. Just ask the people who work with me. (You love me...)

A lot goes into creating this event, and basically, it's all done by two of us. Becky (calling her the "manager" of the theater is like calling Bill Gates well-off--a complete and total understatement) and myself. B is incredibly supportive and helpful with this event, from sourcing extra tables, to helping me staff, to working the actual event, to designing our awesome poster. I do all the ordering, the glasses, the stocking and pricing and...you get the idea.

We've been getting delivery after delivery of cases and cases of beer for the event. Today, I went through, priced and stocked it all in the storage room. Yes, me. I guess I haven't lost all my upper body strength from last summer. It's awesome. And not awesome as in wicked cool. Awesome as in massive. We have about 90 beers in total for this event, at least 50 more than my October event. We've doubled the number of tickets, which are selling like mad. I've done actual press for this event (which, as a recovering and still functioning publicist is insanely uncomfortable, personally speaking) and the local beer blogs, Kalambrew, Michigan Microbrews and Beer Nuts, have been super cool!

'm more than excited for next Friday. It will be, to date, the largest event I have thrown that I'm personally responsible for. Which is a great feeling, and at the same time, insanely scary.

And really does make marrying J seem like a total piece of cake.

A Little Insight into David and Kim...

Kim and I have gone to an arts festival called Burningman ten times so far. I find it creatively inspiring. People come together and form a city filled with art projects. The event lasts for a week and then everyone cleans up and leaves. One of the rules is “leave no trace” so everything goes away and it looks like a desert where nothing ever happened. This event is certainly not for everyone. It is dirty, gets very hot and very cold, and you need to meet all your needs including bringing your own food, water, lodging, and other needs. There is no commerce there. All you can buy is ice and coffee. There are port-a-potties there and an infrastructure. There are also rules, but they are different than our daily lives. I always try new ideas there. There is so much creativity that I come back with new ideas for the theater and for Three Oaks. It is strange being ‘off the grid” and inaccessible for a period of time but there is something freeing about that experience. If you are interested, you may want to attend a local “burner” event and get a little taste. We have had some events at the Acorn Theater produced by people who attend Burningman. In fact, one of the jugglers who will be here on Saturday is a veteran of Burningman. If you want to talk with me about it some time, catch me when I’m not busy.

--David

(Photo:)

This Coming Weekend

This coming weekend is really busy at the Acorn and I hope it is indicative of our future in terms of varied programming. We begin the weekend on Thursday night, as I think everyone should. Michael Holmes is performing The Judy Show which is a nightclub act. Michael sings, tells jokes, and impersonates a number of celebrities in a fun and playful manner. Our space lends itself well to nightclub-style shows. We move to Friday night where we have two bands playing CD release concerts. These groups are perfect for the hipster who wants to try something new and be on the edge of the arts. Reptet is coming from the west coast and End Times Orchestra are from Grand Rapids. End Times back the Super Happy Funtime Burlesque who are always popular at the Acorn. A bunch of the burlesque performers including dancers and some variety performers will perform with the band at this combination concert/party. This is a good night for groups of friends to come, hang out, and let your hair down. Saturday night brings the Corky Siegel Chamber Blues band with special guest, bassist/vocalist Rollo Radford. This will be a night a high-energy music flowing between classical and blues with a string quartet, percussionist, Corky’s harp and keyboards, and Rollo on bass and vocals. If you want to expose your kids or grandkids to great music that is also fun, this is a wonderful opportunity. Check out the bios of the performers. The weekend ends on Sunday afternoon with Twinkles the Clown performing a show for all ages. She is fun and gentle and playful. Bring the kids and enjoy a performance designed to delight all ages.

I think there is something for everyone this weekend. Our schedule has been filling up with world-class performers. I hope people will not only enjoy the well-known performers, but also give the lesser-known people a chance. The tickets are priced reasonably and you can discover great talent in a relaxed atmosphere. Remember, some of the best performers are not necessarily the most famous. This weekend really kicks off the summer season so get a group of friends or family and turn them on to the beauty of live performance at the Acorn Theater.