Ultraviolet Hippopotamus Promotions and Merch!

BEST MySpace Editor MySpace Backgrounds This summer, the Hemlock Park Band shell in Big Rapids, MI will host the Hemlock Park Music Festival on Saturday, July 21, 2007. Our festival is meant to bring the community together to experience an afternoon in the park, free of charge, with musical entertainment for all ages from all over the region; as well as enjoy everything the local businesses of Big Rapids have to offer.------------------------------------------------------ ------ Ultraviolet Hippopotamus , Big Rapids, Mi."Ultraviolet Hippopotamus is a rare happening! You're in for an awesome night when you catch'em from start to finish. All five guys are excellent musicians, and they search out great sounds from all genera. Ultraviolet Hippopotamus uses creative originals and obscure treasures from others... often creations from friends met along the way... to treat you to one remarkable surprise after another! Even when Ultraviolet Hippopotamus breaks into a favorite everyone knows, there's still a 'never been here before' feel to it. They don't cover a song. They re-create it. I've been thinking about that strange name. After hearing them, I realize ultraviolet isn't a color... it's a wavelength. As for the hippopotamus... enjoy the ride." -Bill Beckwith 100.9 FM Big Rapids, Michigan ------------------------------------------------------------ The T-Lo Effect , Kalamazoo, Mi.The roots of The T-Lo Effect can be traced back to the fall of 2003 in the basements and living rooms of Kalamazoo's student neighborhoods. The group decided shortly after to become more serious, and they started writing high energy original material. With a strong focus on musicianship and showmanship, The T-lo Effect is both suitable and adaptable to many environments and in front of a wide range of audiences. The trained ear will be drawn to song structure and composition, while everyday listeners will be drawn to their high energy level and danceable rhythms. The band finds its roots in Jazz, Funk, Rock, and Electronic and isn't afraid to interweave these seemingly contrasting genres. ------------------------------------------------------------ - Four Finger Five , Muskegon, Mi.Hendrix. Soulive. Al Green. Led Zeppelin. All are artists that influence and help comprise the music of Four Finger Five. With the band originally forming in Muskegon, Michigan, Four Finger Five has branched out and become one of the most exciting bands around. With a vast array of original material and also a very select list of covers, Four Finger Five cannot be classified as one specific genre. With each member being trained in different areas of music from jazz and blues, to gospel and funk, to rock and classical, and even hip-hop and R&B, all these musical backgrounds are combined both in the writing process and on stage to create a musical environment that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of their specific musical tastes. A Four Finger Five gig isnt just a concert, it's a musical production that promises to get you on your feet and to leave you craving more. ------------------------------------------------------------ -- Sprout , Saginaw, Mi.A town of working class people who are simply living for their next day off, people whose diary looks like it was made on a Xerox machine and who are desperately searching for that one thing that makes us feel happy, if even for a few hours, these are the people of Saginaw, MI. Out of this Midwestern town, tapping into carefree thoughtlessness, helping us forget jobs, bills and court appearances is Sprout (formerly Sprout and the Orange). A family in their mid 20's, formed in late 1999 after being fed up with cover bands and musicians who were creatively afraid, refusing to conform, and proving that following your heart is the one sure way to communicate music. Centered around undiscovered phenom guitarist Aaron Johnson (who also handles lead singing duties), and rounded out with nimble-fingered Justin Weisenbach on keys and the brotherly duo of Steve and Matt Nyquist (on drums and bass respectively)--put them together and you have a band people cannot turn their backs on or dismiss. Embracing music as a whole, no genre is scoffed at. When any one of the band members remarks that they play everything, they mean it. A single song can touch on blue grass, punk, country, funk and good ole rock *n* roll, while never losing a minute of intensity. The band played every bar, party, festival, and biker rally that was willing to listen in Michigan, and after gaining an incredible following decided to move to Nashville, TN. The band accepted an offer from an independent label only to have it go bankrupt shortly after, leaving hours of material in a Nashville studio. Now spending most of their time on the road and stints in the studio, they are once again based in Michigan, but only land there when the road winds through. This amazing 4-piece band will make a mark, and will not stop until their word is out. Enjoy the music, the proof is in the pudding. ------------------------------------------------------------ -- Jen Sygit , Lansing, MI. A gifted vocalist and masterful songwriter, Jen Sygit has a golden ear and a deft touch on guitar. Her smooth, sultry voice brings just the right timbre to traditional ballads, acoustic blues, torch songs, country music or lighthearted folk tunes. To supplement her solid acoustic guitar playing, Jen often turns to her open back banjo or soprano ukulele performing mountain melodies and timeless jazz tunes further emphasizing her vocal dexterity. A countrified girl with a generous heart, Jen’s songwriting is personal and heartfelt, but always expressed with a universal appeal. Whether writing about the country roads of her childhood or about watching families send their sons and daughters off to war, Jen Sygit represents “the music of front porch America.”------------------------------------------------- --------------- About Michael Anne Erlewine and the Rescue Boys, Big Rapids, MI.--------------------------------------------------------- ------- Russell James , Grand Rapids, MI. Russell James has been involved in music from an early age. First with drums, at age 7, followed by piano at 10. Not discouraged by these disasters, he soon picked up a guitar and never looked back. For 13 of his 27 years Russell has been studying guitar and vocals, including 3 years at the collegiate level. From Pantera to Beethoven, Russell’s musical inspiration has been fed by every genera of song writing. The bluegrass of Tim O'Brien and Darrel Scott, and the intricate progressive rock stylings of YES and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. The well rounded song writing of John Hiatt, and the mind boggling folk guitar of Leo Kottke. These, along with countless others, have helped this local Grand Rapidian’s music mature into a unique blend of percussive, soulful folk that is aggressive, honest and makes no apologies. Once asked what type of sound he was going for James replied, “The musical Integrity of Frank Zappa with the lyrical content of Ani DiFranco, backed by the guitar style of Peter Mulvey...that’d be nice.”. Russell’s self-reflecting lyrics, sung in a smooth tenor baritone, complement his inspired guitar playing and vision. He leaves the listener thinking, as an audience member once asked, “Are you sure there’s only one guitar player up there?”. Russell James lives in Grand Rapids and spends his days working at Galloup Guitars where he builds the instruments that he plays. He is Director and Head instructor of The Galloup School of Lutherie (a school that teaches men and women how to build and repair guitars).--------------------------------------------------- ------------- BALEFIRE, Big Rapids, MI. Balefire is a trio that specializes in the spirited performance of traditional Celtic music. The members are Paula Cronk - whistle, flutes, and percussion, her husband Daniel - guitar, percussion, and keyboards, and Dan Jurakovich - bass, guitar, and percussion. And they all like to sing, too! The members of Balefire bring many years of experience to this band that celebrates the Celtic musical tradition! Visit their website at www.balefiremusic.com