Tommy Plural says –
While the weekend is still fresh in my mind:
When Hattie, Nicholas and I started this whole GTG Records thing it was just a vague high school lunch table idea to bring our musician friends together and try and make cool things happen. GTG Fest began happening a few years later to try and have some sort of annual celebration of this and I’m frankly astounded at how much things have grown since then and how much of our vision has been fulfilled. GTG Fest 2015 completely blew me away with how great the performers were, how attentive and engaged the crowds were, and the fact that on a grassroots level we – performers, organizers, and audience members, together – were able to create four consecutive nights of well-attended shows entirely featuring independent original music (and comedy too) in our little city by the river that has at times undeservedly been overlooked or written off by less interested parties. So thank you people of Lansing and those adventurous attendees that came from many miles away to be a part of this year’s fest. So many of you were there all four nights and I can’t even begin to express how much that means to me and the others that put this together. I merely got the ball rolling with the dates and venues and wouldn’t have been able to do much more than that without Ben, Corey, Isaac, Loren, Timmy and my constant fellow Plurals Nich and Hattie to get the lineup together, spread the word, and think of fun ways to make the events more interesting and unique (which is where Corey and Ben deserve another shout out). Many many other friends from the bands and venues did their part too, and Eric from Mystery Garage / LMAC, the past and present residents of GTG House and doubly the wonderful and supportive staff of The Avenue Cafe, as well as Steve King who got the ball rolling with bringing GTG Records events into the Avenue in the first place, deserve a digital round of applause. Raffle contributors and event sponsors Schuler Books & Music, Golden Harvest, The Record Lounge, Nomad Kitchen, Harrison Roadhouse, Fusion Shows, Craig Horky, Old Town General Store, Foods For Living, Papercuts handmade, Business Casual, LCC Radio 89.7, The Impact 88.9, The Avenue… we are so humbled by your support. And the performers! You all have my support. I’m going to re-post the whole lineup at the end of this manifesto, but “thank you” just barely begins to cover this to everyone that was a part of the weekend, and if I forgot anyone, I didn’t forget you, I’m just still processing things. The handful of people that were still at the Garage in the wee morning hours of Monday for “clean up” saw how much my mind came apart (in a questionably good way) when the whole thing was over and really, I don’t think we have a choice other than to say see you next year!
GTG FEST 2015 LINEUP (by night of performance, headliners in the caps):
THE FICTION JUNKIES
Bobby Meader Music
Little American Champ
Blaine and His Keyboard
THE HAT MADDER
Small Parks
MPV
Dreadpool Parker
Mr. Hipster
Narc Out The Reds
Frank and Earnest
THE PLURALS
Honah Lee
Red Teeth
The Lippies
The Hunky Newcomers
The Free Life
Carm
RE-EVOLUTION
The Jackpine Snag
Immanuel Can’t
Hailey Wojcik
Stargrazer
Comedy Coven
Cat Midway
Middleman
GTG RECORDS 