Grace Theisen Trio: Midwest Made

Sunday, Aug. 10 | 3:00pm ET (2:00pm CT)

Grace Theisen is a queer Americana artist originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Grace won Cari Cole’s Best New Artist of 2021 and was named “Artist To Watch” by Michigan’s Local Spins media outlet in January of 2022.

This concert is part of our recording partnership series with 88.1 WVPE Public Radio which will air in a future "The Sauce Live from The Acorn" broadcast on WVPE! We'll be capturing LIVE footage at the show - come get in on the action!

Part of our Midwest Made afternoon summer concert series – Sundays throughout the summer!

About the Artists:

Grace Theisen (pronounced “Tyson”) is a queer Americana artist originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan. After graduating from Hope College in 2014 with a double major in Gender Studies and Psychology, Grace moved to Nashville, TN from 2015-2018 to run her nonprofit, Songs Against Slavery, full-time. Their mission was to raise awareness and fight sex trafficking in the U.S. through benefit concerts. They ended up raising over $375,000 to aid in the fight. In that time, she opened for Emmylou Harris, played the infamous Bluebird Cafe, participated in songwriter rounds at The Listening Room and opened for Matthew Perryman Jones at The Nashville City Winery.

In 2019, Grace moved back to Kalamazoo to pursue music full-time. Since then she has created quite the buzz. Grace won Cari Cole’s Best New Artist of 2021 and was named “Artist To Watch” by Michigan’s Local Spins media outlet in January of 2022. In March of 2022, she released her 3rd EP, Dance With The Shadows. From that EP, the Down To The River Official Music Video won Best Americana Video & The Audience Choice Award at the 2022 Michigan Music Video Awards. Behind the Rain was picked up by one of Spotify's official playlists, Home At Last. She was also named by Revue Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Bands Heating Up The Summer.”

Grace kicked off 2023 with a splash making her debut performance at the 2023 WYCE Jammie Awards. Grace was nominated for several awards including artist of the year. Her Master of Fire music video was nominated as a finalist in the Toronto Women's Film Fest and was shown at the 2023 Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival. Last summer she and her band played several huge Michigan venues and festivals including: Kalamazoo Pride, Frederik Meijer Gardens, Local Spins Fest, Bliss, Buttermilk Jamboree, Dunesville and Earthwork Harvest Gathering Music Festival. This year Grace will play Hoxeyville and Mile of Music.

In the beginning of June 2023, Grace came out on her social media as queer alongside the release of her newest single, Honey’s Dripping. She wrote Honey’s Dripping about her journey of falling in love with a woman. She also released a music video to go along with the song that features LGBTQIA+ dancers.

Her most recent single, Ghost Town, is out now. She is also 1/3 of the band, The Rebel Eves, an empowering Americana girlband featuring herself and 2 other Michigan natives, Katie Pederson and Jilian Linklater.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Help Hounds: Midwest Made

Sunday, Aug. 03 | 3:00pm ET (2:00pm CT)

A five piece from Northwest Indiana writing Americana, indie/folk songs. Self-reflective and a little self-deprecating at times, Help Hounds sing about nice weather and the human condition.

Part of our Midwest Made afternoon summer concert series – Sundays throughout the summer!

About the Artists:

A five piece from Northwest Indiana writing Americana, indie/folk songs. Self-reflective and a little self-deprecating at times, Help Hounds sing about nice weather and the human condition. Each member brings a little something different from toe-tapping melodies to classical cello, airy violin sweeps, to driving banjo picking. It’s the peoples’ romp and roll!

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Shiny Shiny Black: Midwest Made

Sunday, Jul. 27 | 3:00pm ET (2:00pm CT)

Shiny Shiny Black is an alternative folk band from Goshen, Indiana. Featuring Nate and Amber Butler, this husband and wife songwriter duo is frequently joined by keyboardist Simon Kauffman Hurst and percussionist Arthur Schroeder.

Part of our Midwest Made afternoon summer concert series – Sundays throughout the summer!

About the Artists:

Shiny Shiny Black serves an audience of thousands via their concerts, original songs and reflections on the creative life. Featured regionally in Indiana and having performed on stages throughout the US and internationally, their song “Reverie” stood out as a 2024 IAMA Finalist. They ask their audience to consider a framework of life as art, building the life you want and demonstrating how the things we make become creative vehicles for our development along the way. The band performs throughout the U.S. in traditional venues as well as the unique and personal offering of house concerts in the homes of their listeners.

The couple co-founded Nimble Wit Productions in 2003, a music and audio production company based in Goshen, IN. Clients have included HarperCollins, Magnolia Network, artists on Sony Records, New West Records, NPR and PBS alongside local emerging artists, and national touring acts. Their most recent full-length record under Shiny Shiny Black, Reverberations, released in June 2023.

Nate is an accomplished touring musician supporting and fronting bands for over two decades. He is also a live sound and recording engineer and producer for local, regional and national acts. Amber spent decades developing grassroots initiatives in the arts, non-profit and small business domains: practicing intentional community with fellow artists, and bridge-building across cultures.

Most recently, the family and band have launched an expansive restoration of a local 19th century farmhouse - reimagining neglected apartments into their next home and studio workspace, and another home for house concerts. When they’re not busy with their team, they can be found dreaming up the next reno project at home, walking the kids to school, or plumbing the depths of the Internet for the next passion project.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Jack Whittle Trio: Midwest Made

Sunday, Jul. 20 | 3:00pm ET (2:00pm CT)

Jack Whittle is a blues and roots singer, guitarist, and songwriter with a staggering depth of talent.

Part of our Midwest Made afternoon summer concert series – Sundays throughout the summer!

About the Artists:

Jack Whittle is a blues and roots singer, guitarist, and songwriter with a staggering depth of talent. The Chicagoland-based performer has been busy playing all over the Midwest and beyond, including a tour of the South in support of Chicago Blues mainstay Liz Mandeville. On a local level, Jack is a pillar of the thriving Northwest Indiana music scene and a highlight of jam nights and bar stages all over the area. Underneath it all is a foundation of knowledge based upon Jack’s consummate study and love of American roots music old and new from dirty, relentless blues shuffles to infectious country dance tunes and the underlying grooves and shared vocabulary that drive them. This is exemplified in the playful versatility of his songwriting, which was put on full display when Jack released his highly-anticipated, self-titled debut album in June 2022 to tremendous acclaim including a spot on Tom Lounges’ Top 10 Regional Albums of 2022. Featuring 8 original songs, many of which were co-written alongside frequent collaborator James Gedda, as well as Whittle’s rendition of the timeless Gospel song “Glory Glory.”

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Sadie Gustafson-Zook: Midwest Made

Sunday, Jul. 13 | 3:00pm ET (2:00pm CT)

With a pure and agile voice reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, Sadie Gustafson-Zook’s hummable melodies balance with witty lyrics and intricate guitar playing to create charmingly honest and relatable music.

Part of our Midwest Made afternoon summer concert series – Sundays throughout the summer!

About the Artists:

“She uses her voice with the precision of an instrument, leaping between registers and outlining jazz chords, all with grace and ease...” - No Depression

With a pure and agile voice reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, Sadie Gustafson-Zook’s hummable melodies balance with witty lyrics and intricate guitar playing to create charmingly honest and relatable music. A skilled performer, Sadie’s writing tackles internal and taboo subjects while holding the audience with warmth and levity. Sadie’s songs have been endorsed by some of the most respected songwriting contests in the country, winning The Acorn's 2024 Singer Songwriter Competition, Kerrville Folk Festival’s 2022 New Folk Contest (as well as placing as a finalist in 2020), earning second place at the Rocky Mountain Folk Fest’s Songwriter Showcase, and winning first place at the 2022 NewSong + LEAF Songwriting Contest. On Sadie’s most recent album “Where I Wanna Be” (2024), Sadie takes the listener along on an intimate analog-recorded journey as she decides where to call home.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Resurrection Blues Band: Midwest Made – Acorn Anywhere! at Fernwood

Sunday, Jul. 06 | 5:00pm ET (4:00pm CT)

Acorn Anywhere! returns to the lush, verdant grounds of Fernwood Botanical Garden in Niles, MI with an installment of our Midwest Made summer concert series – featuring regional favorites the Resurrection Blues Band.

Part of our Midwest Made afternoon summer concert series – Sundays throughout the summer!

Bring your own chairs to this event, but nothing more!

No outside food or beverages permitted. There will be a cash bar and food available on site.

THIS EVENT IS RAIN OR SHINE
*In the event of severe weather, this show will be moved to The Acorn, 107 Generations Drive in Three Oaks.

About the Artists:

The Resurrection Blues Band is a local Southwest Michigan favorite. Between Good Times, Bad Times, and the Blues, the Resurrection Blues Band has kept a faithful following throughout the years, and they have no plans on slowing down. From a live concert video available on YouTube to their upcoming EP release, The Good, The Bad, & The Blues, you won't be sorry to have witnessed the Resurrection & Rise of Southwest Michigan's Power Blues/Rock Trio, the Resurrection Blues Band!

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group. BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR.

Please note Week of Show price increases by $5 per ticket.

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Friday, Jul. 18 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Celebrating over 45 years since their founding in 1977, the GRAMMY Award-winning New Orleans-based Dirty Dozen Brass Band has taken the traditional foundation of brass band music and incorporated it into a blend of genres including Bebop Jazz, Funk and R&B/Soul.

About the Artist:

In 1977, The Dirty Dozen Social Aid and Pleasure Club in New Orleans began showcasing a traditional Crescent City brass band. It was a joining of two proud, but antiquated, traditions at the time: social aid and pleasure clubs dated back over a century to a time when black southerners could rarely afford life insurance, and the clubs would provide proper funeral arrangements. Brass bands, early predecessors of jazz as we know it, would often follow the funeral procession playing somber dirges, then once the family of the deceased was out of earshot, burst into jubilant dance tunes as casual onlookers danced in the streets. By the late '70s, few of either existed. The Dirty Dozen Social Aid and Pleasure Club decided to assemble this group as a house band, and over the course of these early gigs, the seven-member ensemble adopted the venue's name: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Roger Lewis - Baritone Sax/Vocals
Gregory Davis - Trumpet/Vocals
Kirk Joseph - Sousaphone
Trevarri Huff-Boone - Tenor Sax/Vocals
Stephen Walker - Trombone/Vocals
Julian Addison - Drums
Takeshi Shimmura - Guitar

The unique sound of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, described by the band as a ‘musical gumbo,’ has allowed them to tour across 5 continents and more than 30 countries, record 12 studio albums and collaborate with a range of artists from Modest Mouse to Widespread Panic to Norah Jones. Forty five-plus years later, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a world famous music machine whose name is synonymous with genre-bending romps and high-octane performances.

“The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is arguably the most influential ensemble to emerge in New Orleans over the last 25 years. Its sway on the brass band scene has been staggering, spawning bands like the ReBirth, New Birth, Hot 8, Li’l Rascals, Soul Rebels and just about every other young brass ensemble presently performing.” - Offbeat Magazine

Please note Week of Show price increases by $5 per ticket.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 5 @ 10am ET.

Cracker

Saturday, Jun. 21 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Cracker is an American rock band formed in 1990 by lead singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. They are an Acorn favorite and we are thrilled to have them back in the theater this June!

About the Artist:

Cracker has been described as a lot of things over the years: alt-rock, Americana, insurgent-country, and have even had the terms punk and classic-rock thrown at them. But more than anything Cracker are survivors. Co-founders David Lowery and Johnny Hickman have been at it for over a quarter of a century–amassing ten studio albums, multiple gold records, thousands of live performances, hit songs that are still in current radio rotation around the globe [“Low,” “Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now),” “Euro-Trash Girl” and “Get Off This,” to name just a few], and a worldwide fan base–that despite the major sea-changes within the music industry–continues to grow each year.

Please note Week of Show price increases by $5 per ticket.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $35 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $35 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 5 @ 10am ET.

Dixon's Violin

Friday, Jun. 13 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

You've never heard violin like this! Inspiring audiences across North America, from Burning Man and Electric Forest to TED talks.

About the Artist:

You've never heard violin like this! The world's premier visionary violinist, Dixon's life mission is to inspire people - and he has done so at over 1,000 concerts across North America, including giving five TED talks/performances, over ten years at Burning Man and Electric Forest, plus radio, TV, and film appearances. A former technology leader and symphony violinist, Dixon walked away from a distinguished career to follow his dream full-time, and invented a whole new music genre. Dixon now improvises on a 5-string electric violin with a looping system he developed to create an all-live one-man symphony, guided by his remarkable personal story of life transformation.

"It's quite an accomplishment for a man who possibly invented a new genre on his violin" – City Pulse

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 5 @ 10am ET.

Corky Siegel with Kalyan Pathak

Friday, May. 30 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Corky Siegel "A Piano and harmonica virtuoso of remarkable invention and wit" (BILLBOARD MAGAZINE) + Indian tabla ace Kalyan Pathak in concert together on The Acorn stage!

About the Artist:

Corky Siegel is known internationally as one of the great blues harmonica players, blues pianist, singer-songwriter, and composer. Co-founder of SIEGEL-SCHWALL, Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, with recordings on RCA, Vanguard, Alligator, and the iconic classical label Deutsche Grammophon. His close associations with the blues masters, the blues rock revolution, and his bringing together blues and classical audiences make him a pivotal figure in modern music history.

Sagacious songs and instrumentals from the trail blazing legend of Siegel-Schwall and Chamber Blues, with Indian tabla master Kalyan 'Johnny Bongo' Pathak and his "fleet fingered virtuosity" - CHICAGO TRIBUNE - Howard Reich

"Corky Siegel is a force to be reckoned with - a magnificent musical hurricane creating musical masterpieces, tearing down the expected..." NEW JERSEY BLUES SOCIETY Raymond Muller

"They Love Corky Siegel in Lincoln Center." NEW YORK TIMES

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 5 @ 10am ET.