STOP PRACTICING... START PERFORMING

Photo by Jeremy Carroll Marc Nischan, guitarist for the Detroit-based band The Twistin’ Tarantulas, plays during a press conference announcing the music lineup for Arts, Beats and Eats. The band will play the Soaring Eagle Casino Stage at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 4.

Music lineup announced
for Arts, Beats and EatsBy Jeremy Carroll
C & G Staff Writer

ROYAL OAK — Calling it the best ever entertainment lineup in the 13-year history of Arts, Beats and Eats, festival producer Jon Witz unveiled the musical acts for the annual festival set for Labor Day weekend in downtown Royal Oak.

Among the performers on the main stage will be rock bands Candlebox and Sponge, R&B singer Macy Gray and country star Clint Black. Others include Saving Abel, Alto Reed, Mayer Hawthorne and Kansas.

“The lineup is amazing,” Witz said during an Aug. 11 press conference at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle. “This is the best work we’ve ever done.”

Overall, the event will feature more than 200 artists on nine different stages, including events at the Royal Oak Music Theatre and inside Baldwin Theatre, which are both within the footprint of the festival.

The main stage will be located in the parking lot at Seventh and Main streets.

“This is the most quality event that we’ve brought to the public since the inception of Arts, Beats and Eats,” said County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. Patterson founded the event in 1998.

The nine stages will feature various types of acts, including alternative rock, country, blues, international music and a kids stage.

Inside the Baldwin Theatre, the Detroit School of Rock and Pop, based in Royal Oak, will put on clinics in between performances of student bands.

“So far we’ve organized a studio roundtable with a bunch of top recording studio guys in town,” said Jason Gittinger, who runs the facility.

Also, they have lined up musician/producer Luis Resto to put on a keyboard clinic. Resto, who hails from metro Detroit, will be in town to play with Eminem during his concerts at Comerica Park with Jay-Z. A percussionist from Kid Rock’s band will also be putting on a clinic.

All this will be done inside, away from any potential hot or wet weather.

“We will be in air conditioning, and we’ll have about 10 bands,” Gittinger said. “It should be a lot of fun.”

There will be 53 different participating restaurants, including 14 from Royal Oak, at the festival. No food item will cost more than $5, organizers said. More than 400 artists applied to be part of the event, with 135 scheduled be to selling items.

“This is going to be a special weekend in the city of Royal Oak,” Mayor Jim Ellison said.

For a complete list of musical acts, visit the festival’s website atwww.artsbeatseats.com.

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1110.

The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music is proud to announce that our bass instructor, Chuck Bartels will be performing on The Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday June 23rd with soul legend Bettye LaVette! Chuck has been touring with Bettye for a couple of years and regularly travels all over the globe to back her up. We are happy to have such a consummate professional not only providing unparalleled instruction to our students, but also leading by example at the top of the business.

Tune in June 23rd, 2010 at 11:30pm on CBS.

The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music is proud to announce AGAIN that our bass instructor, Chuck Bartels will be performing on The Tonight Show on May 24th, 2010 with soul legend Bettye LaVette! Chuck has been touring with Bettye for a couple of years and regularly travels all over the globe to back her up. We are happy to have such a consummate professional not only providing unparalleled instruction to our students, but also leading by example at the top of the business.

Tune in May 24th, 2010 at 11:30pm on NBC.

Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music Instructor Chuck Bartels at Soundcheck on The Tonight Show