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Sturgis Creatives hosted the first ever Open Mic at The Place Uptown in Leonidas on Thursday, February 8.
Sturgis Creatives is the brainchild of Heidi Wolfe, who said she knows there are creative people in the area and wants to unite them in community. Heidi, Peggy Sue Williams, Cal Robinson, Ari Stratman and Collin Sutton met for the first time in December at LoneSpruce Farms on Fawn River Road in Sturgis. They now have their visual art for sale at the store and plan to have a Facebook page up soon. You can DM them at Heidi’s Facebook page for now: Wolfe Makes Art.
This past Fall, Alisha Truckey was simultaneously opening a space for just such creative events. Alisha and Heidi both noticed this area of Michigan was an Open Mic oasis. Wolfe said they knew there was musical and artistic talent in the area, but no outlet to show it off. Well, they have changed that.
The Place Uptown is a renovated venue in the pie-sliced 1906 building at the main intersection in Leonidas. Ross Truckey said he fell in love with the historical building when he was growing up in the area. Now he and his wife own it and have renovated it with the intention of creating a safe public space for people to cross paths in our increasingly divided country.
The walls are filled with local artists’ work. Every Thursday night they open their space for whoever wishes to come and shoot the breeze. A few people always stroll in, to sit and chat with the couple and their smiling toddler. They have shelves of books guests can borrow. “Just make sure you bring them back,” Alisha says.
Last week’s open mic was the first formal event The Place Uptown has planned during the aforementioned Thursday nights. Myles Sutton ran a professional sound system, allowing each performer to sound their best.
Peggy Sue Williams started the night out by reading the true story of Adam Crosswhite, a former slave who traveled to freedom in Marshall, Michigan from Kentucky in the 1840s via Underground Railroad stations. When Crosswhite’s slave owner came to return him to Kentucky, the whites and blacks of Marshall united to fight them off. Wolfe played three Spirituals on her banjolele that the Crosswhite family may have sang on their journey.
Next up was Sutton, a singer-songwriter, who played guitar and sang a melodic modern cover as well as a peppy Rodger Miller tune from the 1940s.
The last performers were Three Rivers Exposure Control photographer James Cole on guitar with Klair Patnoude belting out pitch perfect vocals to covers. They had the crowd singing along in rock concert fashion for much of their set. As Wolfe closed the front door for the night, Ross with toddler in tow, yelled…”This Open Mic has momentum now. Let’s keep it going!” And they will.
The next Open Mic is scheduled for the second Thursday in March. March 14 from 5:30-8 p.m. Open Mic sign-ups begin at 5:30. From 6-7 performances are family friendly with 7-8 reserved for adult content. A few snacks and soda will be for sale for $1.
Follow these small businesses online to keep up with the creative happenings in St Joe County: The Place Uptown, Wolfe Makes Art, Exposure Control and Pixel Peach Studios.
You can read the true story of the Crosswhite family escaping their slave catchers in Marshall, Michigan here: https://marshallmich.net/history/
