Articles by Tamaryn Tobian
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Documenting Decay
Ever wonder what might be lurking in that empty hotel in your town? Or that old, forgotten, high rise? Urban Explorers do, but they take their curiosity to a whole other level – passing "No Tresspassing" signs and traversing the halls of old, abandoned ... -
Jamin’ on the Jibs at Rail Jam
When you think of snowboarding, Michigan probably isn’t the first place you think of, even though it's where the sport started. Michigan snowboarders will take to the snow anyway they can – even in the middle of downtown Grand Rapids. And that's just ... -
Have a Haunted Halloween
Every year, All Hallow's Eve brings with it costume parties and the chance to gorge yourself on chocolate. However, some brave souls go in search of ghostly legends and devilish tales. Like Ichabod Crane, these thrill seekers run into some Headless Horsemen ... -
Stocking Up on Indie Fun
This past weekend, the little festival that could, Comstock 09, rolled into Grand Rapids, bringing with it Motocross madness, music and hot dogs – lots of hot dogs. Presented by Spearia, Comstock was a mash-up between a debutante ball and a ... -
Sweet Japonic Grows Up
The Midwest has a long history of creating sensational music. From Motown's sweet sound to the Chicago blues scene, to Detroit "rock city," Midwesterners just have a knack for producing soul-stirring hits. Today, indie band Sweet Japonic is right in the ... -
Dune Busting in Michigan
Squeezed between Silver Lake and Lake Michigan in Silver Lake State Park is over two-thousand acres of sand dunes. These aren't the baby dunes that come up to your knees. These monster dunes are over a hundred feet tall and built for adventure. There are ... -
Surf's Up! Michigan Waves You In
The last place you'd think to ride the waves is on a lake. The common perception is that lakes are small and calm. Or are they? Natives of America's high-five, Michigan, (it's the state that's shaped like a mitten) know a secret, you can catch big waves ... -
The Dead Shake Up ROTHBURY
Deadheads flocked to ROTHBURY on Independence Day to the tune of 30,000. Everywhere you looked, and at every show, there were tie-dyed shirts, Grateful Dead patches, The Dead Flags, Dead tattoos, Grateful Dead Face Paint, Dead body paint, and even ... -
Willie Nelson's Low Key Family Hoedown
Legendary hippie-cowboy and Grammy winner, Willie Nelson, took the Odeum stage the closing night of ROTHBURY and serenaded the crowed for a little over ninety minutes. With his trademark braids and his ol' guitar, Trigger, Willie lead the crowd ... -
Saints and Begorra! Flogging Molly Infects Rothbury
If you were near Rothbury, Michigan on July 3rd and considered dancing an Irish Jig (bonus points if you actually did) you might have been exposed to the cross-Atlantic airborne epidemic known as Flogging Molly. Symptoms include spontaneous Jig dancing, ... -
Umphrey's McGee Insights Group Love
Saturday night at ROTHBURY, The Dead played two long jam-tastic sets. The sun set late. And when it did, fireworks lit the sky. Through it all, the crowd danced, cheered and felt the Independence Day-love. That love kept on going long after The Dead ... -
Giant Pandas Kick it with Reggae
Typically when you think of reggae, giant pandas, however cute, are not the first things that pop into your mind. That is, until you've had the chance to catch the Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad in action. The furry creatures were in full ... -
Groovin' Right Along to John Butler
John Butler seemed right at home as he made his ROTHBURY debut on the Ranch Area stage late afternoon on Independence Day. Known widely for his finely sharpened acrylic nails (to allow for hybrid picking on his guitar and banjo) and being the lead of the jam ... -
Stay Up Late and Shake with STS9
Sound Tribe Sector 9 didn't just play one late, late night show at ROTHBURY, nope these nocturnal music maniacs played two shows. The first took place in the Ranch Area stage July 3rd and didn't get started until 1:10am. It lasted over ... -
Zappa Conjures Zappa at ROTHBURY
As tribute bands go, it doesn't get much better than having a band member with a birthright to play the music. But that's just one of the things that makes Zappa Plays Zappa one of the crown jewels of tribute bands. The other things is it's ... -
Feeling the Good Vibes with Guster
Guster's sound is reminiscent of the 50s but their diehard fans are as modern as they come. At their ROTHBURY show, audio recorders and video cameras were out in full force as fans tried to capture the mania that is Guster. Humorous quips are a ... -
Will the Real Keller Williams Please Stand Up?
When people talk about Keller Williams they usually refer to him as a one-man jam-band. This conjures the image of a guy wearing a base drum on his back, playing the accordion and striking cymbals between his knees. That is not Keller Williams. Through ... -
Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley & NAS Bringing Sweet Family Beats to Rothbury
During the 4th of July weekend, lucky Rothburians were treated to an exciting, live performance featuring the joint efforts between reggae artist Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and rapper Nas. The performance served as a preview to the upcoming ...
