The kick-off concert of the Max and Emily’s Summer Concert Series featured American Idol Winner Kris Allen, and on July 11th the streets of Downtown Mount Pleasant welcome the Ragbirds.
The Ragbirds, slated to take the stage at 8pm, will perform a free concert, but cash donations can be made to the Red Cross Infant Food Pantry, for all those who enjoy good music and a family friendly night out.
This one of a kind band will bring their unique blend of folk-rock music back to Mount Pleasant. This will be the third year they are featured in the concert series. “People always ask us if they’re coming back and they always ask us to book them, so we do,” said Chris “Elmo” Walton, one of the Concert Series’ planners and Manager of Max and Emily’s Eatery.
The Ragbirds are a 5-member, folk-rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan. They use a variety of traditional and non-traditional instruments in their performances, such as African drums and a Celtic fiddler’s bow, to create their unique sound, which is enjoyed everywhere from small crowds to large music festivals across the country. Erin Vindle, the band’s lead singer, also plays nine different instruments during the show. She also married fellow band member Randall Moore in 2006, and they are expecting their first child this summer.
Their debut album, Yes Nearby, was released in 2005, when the band was working in Ypsilanti. In 2007 they relocated to Ann Arbor and continued performing and recording their original music. Their second album, Wanderlust, was released in June of 2007 and went on to become the number one selling album on the Homegrown Music Network by the fall of 2008. That hit record was quickly followed up by Finally Almost Ready in 2009 and, most recently, We Belong to Love, an album composed of the Ragbirds’ live performances.
The Ragbirds began touring in 2006, traveling extensively through Michigan and Ohio. Since then they have traveled to, and performed in, over 25 states and have been featured in many of the Mid-West’s largest music festivals. In 2008 The Ragbirds traded in their old tour van for a new Ford diesel Van, which they converted to run on Vegetable Waste Oil. This process allowed the van to become more environmentally friendly with what they call, Eco-Touring.
So don’t miss The Ragbirds, July 11th at 8 pm, in Downtown Mount Pleasant, brought to you by Isabella Bank, Downtown Mt. Pleasant, Central Michigan University, and Max and Emily’s Eatery. Stay tuned for more info about the performers who are part of the 5th Annual Max and Emily’s Summer Concert Series.
