Arts and Entertainment

Online journal fosters local music, poetry tour

By Elijah Brumback GVL Staff Writer
11/4/2009

Online national literary arts review Fogged Clarity, in association with the West Michigan REVUE, will bring their Midwest music and poetry tour to the Wealthy Theatre in downtown Grand Rapids.

Fogged Clarity creator and Editor-in-Chief Ben Evans has been working in collaboration with the West Michigan REVUE for several months in preparation for the event.

Nationally-recognized singer-songwriters Strand of Oaks, Samantha Farrell and White Pines are to perform along with several West Michigan poets. The tour recently returned from New York with much praise and has several stops ahead including Muskegon, Chicago and northern Indiana.

Evans started Fogged Clarity after some time spent working abroad. During that time he endured daily panic attacks, which in turn gave his work a new sense of urgency.

"I wanted to start a journal where the work seemed necessary," Evans said. "The whole site is based on the need to create."

Being from West Michigan, Evans has an endearing sentimentality for the Midwest and his hope for the current tour is it generates recognition for the region.

In a hyper-stimulated world, Evans said, "People need to be compelled to recognize art."

The intimate nature of art is very close to Evans's chest and the idea for the tour is to manifest what Fogged Clarity does online -- live.

"We have no constraints or boundaries on the site," Evans said.

This is an integral translation for Evans in what he wants to showcase.

Strand of Oaks principle figure Timothy Showalter also approved of the setting for the tour.

"Ben (Evans) and I have a lot in common in that our Midwestern roots bring a lot (of) familiar ground," Showalter said. "Not everything has to happen in large scenes like New York and so on."

Showalter believes the arts, and music in particular, are a very social experience and there is a lot of good stuff out there; it just takes someone to hear or see it. The tour, he said, is a perfect instrument for this capacity.

Showalter's music touches deep human emotions and Rolling Stone reviewer J. Edward Keyes touted the lothario's first album, "Leave Ruin," as filled with "devastating, gorgeous songs about loss and heartbreak."

Performer Samantha Farrell said she became acquainted with Fogged Clarity through the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. Evans' interest in her started with what he described as the sheer beauty of her voice.

Farrell's music is hybrid of numerous genres, with prominent jazz and R&B inflections. Since her last performance in Muskegon, Farrell said she is excited to return to Michigan.

White Pines, also featured, includes West Michigan native Joe Scott.

Riding sidecar to the cavalcade of music, the show will also feature a slew of notable West Michigan poets, including Evans.

"It's taken a long time to organize," Evans said. "I can guarantee inspiration for anyone that comes."

The event will be held on Saturday.

Tickets are $15 or $10 for students with ID, $20 and $15 for general admission the day of the show or in advance. Tickets can be purchased at either 711 Bridge St. (1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the second floor) or 1130 Wealthy St. (Wealthy Theatre) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Tickets can also be purchased online at http://www.grcmc.org or by calling (616) 459-4788 extension 131.

To find out more about Fogged Clarity visit http://www.foggedclarity.com.

ebrumback@lanthorn.com

Comments: