Secret Friends Fest

PART ONE of an Interview with THE SILENT LIONS

Dean talks about “…really turning up the mud on the vox” and then, when the time was right, “making (vocals) clearer.” Dean sings and plays bass -amid a shuffle of other instruments and pedals, in Silent Lions. He's talking about going “heavier and darker” on their second EP, somewhat in response “to new bands who seemed hesitant to create something heavy, or, at least, be branded as ‘rock’ music, like it’s an un-cool stigma or something.”

Stigmas are a perfect place to start, when we want to talk about the Secret Friends Fest, coming next weekend. There's the stigma of scenes getting cliquey. There's t stigma of scenes being over-glorified as clubs-for-the-cool and just fizzling out before they can realize their potential. There's the stigma that local bands, let alone "the scenes," ever get to realize their full potential...or even tour, for that matter.



The Silent Lions perform on Day Two of this mini-fest, curated by Jason Stollsteimer (of the Hounds Below, and, formerly, of the Von Bondies).

Whereas other annual fests are more about razzle-dazzle or raking in wristbands and beer tickets, Secret Friends Fest set out to put the spotlight squarely on the bands – to the point where it’s less about exciting live music as entertainment for a mass of people – and more about who is making this music and how they can relate to fellow musicians scattered across the state, based in disparate scenes like Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo or Detroit….or in the Silent Lions case, Toledo.

Will there still be revelry, live ‘rock’ music and spirits served at the bar? Sure.

But Secret Friends Fest, as some festivals in the past have attempted, aims to be more of a meeting of minds, a summit of scenes, a bridge-building affair where bands can start thinking of ways they can support each other beyond just joining in on the 2^nd or 3^rd another slot of a another bill for another band on some random weekend show…

"If we didn't get asked to play in so many different cities, we couldn't be on the road as much. We're truly fortunate and lucky to be this far along for a band who's been around for only a year. But sacrifice, our lifestyles at home, time, money, sometimes food...We keep things as simplistic as possible and our stage set up says it all. We've really taken on a very disciplined mentality on tour, almost monastic about it, actually (and, yes, I'm talking about Matt's newly shaved head), and, our van is like our temple. We're only one of many bands living this way..."

Living this way...

"We've found ourselves," says SiLi-drummer Matt Klein, "being lead to the DIY venues in bigger cities like Pittsburgh, D.C. and New York. Whenever we play a club-show, someone there will inform us of the best alternative and house-venues in that area." At those house shows, Klein says, they feel complimented in their performance because they can tell attendees are actually listening...

Hey, Listen! That's the tacit subheading under the banner of Secret Friends Fest.

"The people we've met," says Klein, speaking of more unconventional venues where their music can actually be heard, "remind me a lot of those we've met in Detroit and Toledo: really dedicated to bringing touring bands through and working close with us on getting the word out."

Getting the word out...

"Certainly," Klein admits, "it's a better option for a band just starting out and making connections."

Making connections...

"When you surround yourself with similarly passionate people, then all scenes feel about the same."

So you get the picture...

PART TWO of our Interview with the SILENT LIONS continues later this week:
New EP The Compartments debuts this week

Day One - Jan 10th
9 (side stage) 500 CLUB
9:30 HAUNTED HOUSE
10 (side stage) AUTUMN WOLF
10:30 SHE BEARS
11 (side stage) AFTER DARK AMUSEMENT PARK
11:30 GEORGE MORRIS & THE GYPSY CHORUS
12 (side stage) THE HANDGRENADES
12:30 JOE HERTLER AND THE RAINBOW SEEKERS

Day Two - Jan 11th
8 (side stage) TART
8:30 ODD HOURS’
9 (side stage) KICKSTAND BAND
9:30 THE ILL ITCHES
10 (side stage) ALEXIS
10:30 FAWN
11 (side stage) YUM
11:30 BAD VEINS
12 (side stage) SILENT LIONS
12:30 TUNDE OLANIRAN