MLC NEWS

Summertime, and Mid-Lifing is easy... - The Whitecaps are putting on a special Mid-Life Crisis Night to celebrate mid-season at 5/3 Ballpark. Everyone welcome! MLC will headline the Walkerfest for the first time for this annual celebration of summer. Lots of private parties and weddings in the works, and a return to the Reed's Lake Concert Series in the Park. More details to come along with some fun secrets to be revealed.

Spring Is In The Air 2008 - MLC is back to the One Trick for an encore "Unplugged" performance. The first one was a big hit, and with a full house, there has been lots of inquiries for MLC to do it again. Then out to the lakeshore for a first ever event for the Muskegon Symphony. MLC will kick off the Fifth Third River Bank Run with a "Fire-Up" Rally, then head back to Harryfest to finish up the Spring. Recording of the new CD has started with new inspirations from all of our midlife happenings. Looking forward to summer with some big MLC surprises on the horizon......stay tuned!

Happy New Year 2008! - The year starts with the great news that MLC has been awarded "Best Band in Grand Rapids" for the unprecedented fourth year in a row by Grand Rapids Magazine in their Annual Reader's Poll. The Standing Together Project for GRPS continues with a very special Unplugged and up close show with Phil Biggs at the One Trick Pony. MLC will welcome it's newest member, Tara and returning member, Steve W (welcome back!). at this show. Also coming up is the Annual Soup's On For All, where MLC will Headline for the fifth year in a row - always one of our favorite benefits. Then on to a busy winter season. The band is also working on it's sophomore album of original music, and hope to be in the studio soon. Look for more photos and upcoming events on the "Playdates" and "Photos" page.

Fall 2007 - MLC Style! Kicks off with the dogs at the big Humane Society Bash, then Pulaski Days and the big WLAV Halloween Party at The B.O.B. November brings the world premier release of the Phil and Friends CD Release Party with WLAV at The Intersection, featuring MLC, Trout and many others who contributed to the latest installment to the Standing Together Project for GRPS. Then, it's on to the many holiday parties, finishing up with the big New Year's Eve Bash at West Catholic - open to the public. Also, this Fall, MLC is hard at work writing tunes for their sophomore album. Lot's cooking - come out and rock! F

llFRock Into Summer 2007 - Summer is off and running... THE BIG NEWS: MLC was just awarded a Golden Townie award from "On The Town" Magazine for "Best Band" in Grand Rapids.  MLC is back in the studio with Michael Crittenden and Phil Biggs for 2 cuts on the upcoming compilation album, and starting to lay early tracks for the second originals follow-up album to "It's All Good." MLC then starts with headlining the Tulip Time Bier & Muziek Festival, then Sink-A-Palooza with The Honeytones. Down the road, in Otsego, MLC will headline HarryFest with The Big E, followed by a feature on WZZM TV Live at 5 . July 4th rocks at Cascade and then the Lowell Showboat. MLC rejoins the Grand Rapids Symphony Picnic Pops with fireworks, and returns to the Rally For Hope and Hunger to open up for Pure Prairie League at the Deltaplex. Following that is the Rogue River "After-The-Blues" Concert Series, Opening up for Mitch Ryder at the Blueberry Fest, jammin' the UICA with friends Domestic Problems, and Headlining the Cattle Baron's Ball. Lot's of private events and parties also....stay tuned. rrS

Spring 2007 - MLC kicks off spring with an on-ice performance before 11,000 hockey fans at the Griffins game St. Patrick's weekend. In addition to a number of private parties, MLC returns to the Whitecaps for a Spring "Play Hookey" game featuring a post-game party on the deck. Then it is on to MLC Headlining this year's Tulip Time Bier & Muziek Fest and the infamous HarryFest. Summer is coming fast - look for lots of fun MLC shows in the works.

2007 Arrives and MLC Named #1 Band - Mid-Life Crisis is named "Best Band In Grand Rapids" for the third year in a row in the annual Grand Rapids Magazine Readers Poll. The annual January issue also has a feature story on the band and the new album "It's All Good." The new album is also nominated for the 8th Annual WYCE Jammies Award for "Best Rock Album," "Best New Artist" and "Album Of The Year." 2007 starts out with an MLC tradition: the annual Soup's On For All event at The B.O.B. Look for a number of unique and fun events this winter in the works, including another "unplugged" appearance by popular demand and other rocking parties in the works. Don't forget to pick up the album - it is nearly sold out of it's first pressing, and you can pick up your MLC T-shirts and can coolies at any gig.

2006 Fall Is Here! - The big news; MLC's first album, "It's All Good" was released on September 22!~ Fifth Third Bank, Meijer and DoranDerwent Joined media sponsor WLAV and the Intersection in putting on the big MLC Benefit Concert for the Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Advancement Foundation. This party rocked with over 800 people raising nearly $18,000 for GRPS. Pick up your copy in the stores or on-line. Now, the fall kicks in with a number of private and public parties as MLC heads into the holiday season.

Summer MLC Style -MLC kicked off the 2006 summer with a huge concert under the Mackinaw Bridge at the Hospice Of Mackinaw Bike Rally. On deck is a full summer highlighted by a first-time show at the Muskegon Summer Celebration before the Steve Miller Concert, a return to the Whitecaps Fireworks Night, and headlining the Cattle Baron's Ball. The biggest summer news is the release of MLC's first ever all-originals album It's All Good. Watch the web site for details on a CD release party and where the album can be purchased. Should be a fun summer - hold on tight!

MLC Welcomes 2006 - Thanks to everyone voting MLC "The Best Band In Grand Rapids 2006" for a second year in a row in the Grand Rapids Magazine Annual Readers Poll! MLC was voted number 1 from 35,000 votes this year - total votes were up 30% over last year. MLC rocked a sold-out show for New Year's Eve at The Top Of The B.O.B. at the biggest party in town. The holiday season was packed with fantastic private parties and we enjoyed getting to know many new FOB's. The big news for winter is that MLC is finalizing their first all-originals classic rock CD with Michael Crittendon engineering. This CD (we still call it an "album," don't you mid-lifers?) is full of songs truly about our mid-life crises. We touch on everything from aging, to our kids, to our parents and our worries. A very unique collaboration with song writer Phil Biggs is available at local record stores named Shop Floor. It is a haunting song about the struggles of our manufacturing community. We hear your complaints about lack of public or open gigs to come hear MLC. We will try to squeeze a bar gig or public venue in during the winter, and don't forget the annual Soup's On where MLC again will headline at The B.O.B. It is an event open to the public and very worthy. Hope to see everyone there.

Time to Fall into Fall! - Great summer of outdoor events for MLC, finishing up with a big opening for the Marshall Tucker Band at the Cattle Baron Ball. Now, it is on to the Fall schedule, starting out with a big show where MLC will open for Eddie Money at the Celebration On The Grand. Don't forget the big Halloween party at The B.O.B. A number of great events are planned for the rest of the year where you can catch MLC live. Look at the "Playdates" page for more info. MLC continues with work on original music and will be in the studio this fall and winter. Stay tuned.

Bring On The Summer! - MLC shared the stage with local legends Troll For Trout and Phil Biggs at the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center Concert For Literacy. It was a great event, and raised money for the GRPS literacy programs. Then, MLC headlined the next night at the first ever WOODen shoeSTOCK at the Dutch Village. Now it is time to move into the summer schedule, and hope for sunny skies for all the outdoor events. See everyone there.

Is It Spring Yet - 2005? - Welcome to all of the new FOB's. Spring for MLC is turning out great. We kicked it off with a huge show at the Orbit Room for our great friends Tony Gates and Uncle Buck from LAV to celebrate their 10th anniversary together. MLC got to open up in front of 2,000 people for The Tubes! What a great party! The summer is filling up with a number of private shows and squeezing in a few public events to catch MLC. Don't forget the third annual Cattle Baron's Ball where MLC will perform with The Marshall Tucker Band. Stay tuned as it looks like a rocking summer.

Welcome 2005 -We finished up a very fun and busy year with a country club tour including Cascade, Kent, Penn and Blythfield Country Clubs. Hello to all the new FOB's, and thanks to everyone for such a great year. We start 2005 with some very exciting news - MLC being named "Best Band" in Grand Rapids" by over 25,000 voters in the Annual 2005 Grand Rapids Magazine Readers Poll. We are kicking off the winter with two great fundraisers for the GR Public Schools and God's Kitchen. Also in the works is the upcoming Mid-Life Crisis album of original songs. We are in the process of recording it at Meat Locker Studios and are hoping for a Spring release.

Fall Fun - K-Wing-A-Palooza kicks off the fall featuring MLC in a season opening concert. Cascade Country Club "Breaks All the Rules" and lets its members wear jeans, use cell phones and drink (gasp!) keg beer in the Clubhouse! MLC has certainly been a bad influence on that club. Then it's on to some wonderful holiday parties and a great fund raiser for St. John's Home. More information to follow. MLC is also trying to squeeze in a public party during this time. Stay tuned for details.

2004 Cattle Baron Ball - MLC played for a packed house at the Alticor Airplane Hanger to benefit the American Cancer Society. Headlining the night was recording star Sammy Kershaw, who performed all his greatest hits. The band pulled together all it's best country-sounding music including a few new ones from the Allman Brothers and Mary Chapin Carpenter, but also couldn't help but crank out some classic MLC rock from Chicago and Elton John. A fun night in a neat setting for a great cause - could not have been better.

MLC Performs A Musical Double Header - MLC had a marathon music day on a beautiful summer day on July 24. It started with the Rally For Hunger party, where the band partied with hundreds of bikers with a pig roast, biker games and Harley raffle at Bertha Brock Park with WLAV, Wild Boar Harley, Rockford Construction and the VanAndel Institute. The band then packed up the whole party and tour bus and moved up the road to Marne where they headlined for the final night of the Berlin Fair under a gorgeous summer night sky. Quite a day for a bunch of middle-age folks, but a great time for all.

Grand Rapids Downtown Fourth Of July Fireworks Celebration - Thanks to Tony Gates and WLAV Radio and Grand Entertainment for rescuing the July 4th celebration, and asking MLC to perform along with Brian VanderArk, Freekbass, Jimmy Stagger and others. We dodged another weather bullett that night, and were able to pull off a great show for the city crowd at Ah-Nabe-Wan Park in front of the Ford Museum. Great fireworks and great crowd! We rolled out new songs and featured the 10 piece version with full horns and Bill and Terry joining on guitars. A fun night for everyone.

Ball Game Fun - Thanks to everyone for coming out to another beautiful night under the stars at 5/3's ballpark on June 19. Unfortunately, our West Michigan Whitecaps lost, but MLC had a great time playing for 10,076 fans under the fireworks. We even got a chance to jam with Whitecaps Manager Matt Walbeck on guitar after the game. Again, many thanks to Micky Graham and his wonderful staff for such a great job. We also had fun at the ballpark later that week playing for the Catholoc Social Services Celebrity Softball match which came off despite a 6th inning rainstorm. Thanks to everyone for their hospitality.

Rampage Football Game - Sorry to everyone who showed up for the rained out pre-game party before the Rampage game. The street party was cancelled, but MLC got moved into the arena and we got to play an hour long pre-game show inside Van Andel Arena. Unfortunately, 6500 fans watched the Rampage lose to the Detroit Fury. Better luck next year!

Summer News - Lots of fun MLC events this summer! We will be back for an encore performance at a White Caps game in June - Details are being worked out for a 4th of July show - stay tuned. July also links us up again with WLAV for the annual Road Rally Party. August brings the big Cattle Baron's Ball at Cannonsburg. We look forward to seeing the Friends Of The Band (FOB's) at all the great private parties, weddings and events also scheduled throughout the summer. Watch the website for specific details on each upcoming event.

Wealthy Theater Mid-Life Crisis Party Is A Huge Success - WOW! What a great party, thanks to all of our friends. MLC has some of the best friends around, and we really appreciate how much fun you make these parties. MLC played to a sell-out crowd (over 700 ticket requests had to be turned down) in the beautifully restored, historic Wealthy Theater. It was a great night to welcome our newest member, Walt Gutowski, and rock the house in MLC style. Big thanks to theater manager Andy Sheneman and his wonderful staff. They did a wonderful job of putting on the show, lighting and security. For those of you who have not visited the Wealthy Theater, you should do so - it really is beautiful. MLC hopes to perform there again.

 

Though many of our bookings are private parties, we are trying to make an effort to book occasional public appearances for our fans to come see us. Watch our website for upcoming gigs, or email us to hire us for your party.

Take it easy!