Art at The Acorn – Artist Reception for Nathan Margoni - Golden Boy

Tuesday, Apr. 16 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

The Acorn Center for the Performing Arts transforms into a visual art space with our initiative Art at The Acorn. We are proud to welcome our new artist, Nathan Margoni and his exhibit Golden Boy.

The exhibition features a series of drawings and acrylic paintings that feature a character named Golden Boy -- who is part-golden retriever and part-human.

Artist Reception is free and open to the public.

• Light bites | Cash bar
• Artist Talk and Q&A moderated by Janet Davies

Registration for the free Artist Reception is encouraged. Please click the “Get Tickets” button at the bottom of this page to register.

Artist Statement:

My art is a form of self-exploration. I develop characters that represent different aspects of my psyche, and slowly build worlds around them. This process allows me to explore mysterious and sometimes scary parts of my brain in a safe space where I am free to play and take risks. My most recent character – Golden Boy – represents a very wholesome and midwest version of myself, who works hard to be loved by everyone, but has lost touch with his own dreams and vision of success.

About the Artist

Nathan Margoni is currently the Director of Education at Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, MI and Adjunct Faculty at Notre Dame University. He received his BFA in Painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art and his MFA in Sculpture from SUNY Purchase College. He has exhibited work at Schulamit Nazarian (Los Angeles, CA), the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art (Grand Rapids, MI), and attended residencies at Wassaic Project (Wassaic, NY), Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, VT), Millay Colony (Austerlitz, NY) and Kaus Australis (Rotterdam, NL).

The Acorn is hosting a Community Book Drive in celebration of the life and legacy of Dolly Parton! Bring a book to The Acorn throughout the month of April and receive a Dolly Parton themed gift. Bring a book to The Acorn the night of The Music of Dolly Parton on April 27 for $3 off our specialty drink for the night - the Wine to 5! Books should be new and chosen for children of any age - infants through teens! Books will be distributed to River Valley Schools.

Brooklyn Charmers - The Music of Steely Dan

Friday, May. 24 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Brooklyn Charmers is a Steely Dan tribute band comprised of some of Chicago's top players. With masterful precision and obsessive dedication to the music, Brooklyn Charmers injects a new energy into the beloved catalogue; bridging the gap between new and lifelong fans alike.

Steely Dan's blend of rock and jazz, along with their infectious hooks and poignant lyrics, put them in another league in the eyes of critics and fans. Their prolific and consistent output throughout the 1970s cements them as classic rock royalty. Brooklyn Charmers are excited to carry the torch into the new generation.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Flat Five

Friday, Jun. 07 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

The Flat Five is Chicago’s beloved band of in-demand music biz touring and recording ringers - Kelly Hogan and Nora O’Connor (Neko Case, Mavis Staples, The Decemberists, The New Pornographers) Scott Ligon and Casey McDonough (NRBQ, Brian Wilson) and Alex Hall (J.D. McPherson, The Cactus Blossoms.)

About the Artists:

For over 17 years, these shameless harmony junkies have come together in their limited off-time to make their own kind of twisted sunshine pop. Their 2016 debut album It’s a World of Love and Hope scored big with critics and fans alike (including high-profile Flat Five fanatics like Nick Lowe and Wilco) and their 2020 follow-up Another World has kept the flame burning bright.

From the laid-back simple to the oddly romantic to the slightly subversive, there is a spirit of wide-eyed sweetness at the heart of The Flat Five’s music. The charms of this band are manifest — in-the-pocket harmonies, a vastly diverse genre-hopping repertoire, the infectious energy of their sold-out live shows, and their undeniable love for the music and each other.

“Though never nostalgic, the harmony-laden, crisply- arranged results recall the era when popular music was making the switch from AM to FM, and singles to albums. Imagine the Fifth Dimension scoring Twin Peaks... The Flat Five are a song’s best friend.” – No Depression

“Singers Nora O’Connor and Kelly Hogan harmonize with dreamy precision, covering a broad stylistic range with ease, while the top-notch band—drummer Alex Hall, bassist Casey McDonough, and guitarist-keyboardist Scott Ligon— forge a dazzling hybrid of vintage-pop verities... I’m not sure if another record this year has given me more unalloyed pleasure.” – Chicago Reader

“The Flat Five are like a fine cocktail, a perfect blend of the finest ingredients all blending together in an orgasmic experience that leaves you wanting more. In these strange times The Flat Five rise like the sun, giving us warmth and a bright loving feeling.” – Alejandro Escovedo

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

10,000 Maniacs

Friday, Jul. 12 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Acclaimed, multi-platinum selling Alternative Rock band 10,000 Maniacs returns to The Acorn! 10,000 Maniacs has covered plenty of ground in its 40 years, from cult-stardom to international stardom, to their current status as a cornerstone alternative band. But the sound and spirit of 10,000 Maniacs remains consistent.

About the Artists:

The band has covered plenty of ground in its 40 years, from cult-stardom to international stardom, to their current status as a cornerstone alternative band. But the sound and spirit of 10,000 Maniacs remains consistent. The live shows embrace their entire catalogue, and the lineup is still anchored by four of the six original members. Drew, guitarist John Lombardo, and bassist Steven Gustafson co-founded the band in 1981. Drummer Jerome Augustyniak joined in 1982, solidifying the rhythm section. And the two “new” members have long been part of the family: Mary Ramsey toured and recorded with the Maniacs as a viola player and backup singer beginning in 1991 before stepping into the front woman’s role 27 years ago.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $35 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $35 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Sold Out

Jim Messina

Thursday, May. 02 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

An undisputed expert in the fine art of making hit music, Jim Messina’s legacy of musical genius spans five decades, three super groups, a vibrant solo career and scores of producing and engineering credits.

About the Artist:

Few musical artists résumés list membership in a band inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; fewer still can lay claim to being a founding member of the seminal band credited with creating Country Rock; and only one artist can include all the above in addition to being one half of the most successful duos of the 1970s.

A supremely talented guitarist, Jim Messina began working with the legendary band Buffalo Springfield in 1966 as a recording engineer on their second album Buffalo Springfield Again. In 1967, at the request of the group and Atlantic Records founder and president Ahmet Ertegun, Messina was asked to produce the band’s third and final album. Shortly thereafter, he replaced Bruce Palmer, the bass player, touring and recording with the band up until completion and release of their album Last Time Around. In 1968, when Buffalo Springfield disbanded, Messina signed a contract with Epic Records as a producer and a recording artist. Along with fellow Buffalo Springfield member Richie Furay, he formed Poco (originally named “Pogo” after the famous comic strip character). The band’s aptly titled 1969 debut Pickin’ Up The Pieces is the only debut album ever to receive a perfect rating from Rolling Stone magazine; the landmark album laid the blueprint for the then new musical genre uniting country with rock music and it blazed the pathway for future multi-million selling artists like the Eagles.

On the band's self-titled second album, Poco (also released in 1969), Messina both produced and penned the band’s first hit single "You Better Think Twice” which has endured as one of the group’s signature songs. A copy of the Poco album now hangs in the Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville. After producing three albums for the band, Pickin’ Up The Pieces, Poco and Deliverin’ (recorded live in 1970 and released in 1971) - Messina departed and signed on as an independent producer with ColumbiaRecords. In November of 1970, Messina opened up his living room to record a number of compositions for a promising young songwriter named Kenny Loggins. With the songs Loggins presented leaning more toward folk (a style Messina felt could resign Loggins to the “past”), Messina suggested to Columbia Records president Clive Davis that he consider letting Messina “sit in” in much the same way that jazz artists had done in the past, and that Loggins incorporate more upbeat material into his album. Says Loggins: “Right from the beginning, Jimmy was the producer, I was the artist. I’d never made a record. I’d never put a band together. I’d never found a manager or an agent. So, Jimmy was the leader...” Leading the way as producer, arranger, vocalist, and guitarist, and contributing the signature songs “Listen To A Country Song” (subsequently also recorded by country music legend Lynn Anderson who had a #3 hit with the song in 1972) “Nobody But You,” “Same Old Wine” and “Peace Of Mind” (from “Trilogy”) the album Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin' In was released one year later in November of 1971 and an accidental duo was born.

In the next few years, a series of albums would follow in rapid order:1972’s Loggins & Messina, 1973’s Full Sail, 1974’s double-live On Stage, the same year’s Mother Lode, 1975’s cover song set So Fine and 1976’s Native Sons. The Best of Friends greatest hits collection followed later that year and in 1977 another live album fittingly called Finale. When the dust had settled, Loggins & Messina had sold sixteen million albums, become one of rock’s biggest live draws, and cemented their legacy as one of the most successful recording duos ever.

Following the split with Loggins, Messina recorded four critically acclaimed solo albums: 1979’s sublime Latin rock with a touch of jazz album Oasis; 1981’s eponymous Messina featuring guest performances by Jeff Pocaro, Joe Pocaro and Victor Feldman; 1983’s One More Mile; and 1996’s re-imagined retrospective of concert favorites Watching The River Run Revisited. Messina reunited with Poco for the 1989 album Legacy, and established the Songwriters’ Performance Workshop whose purpose, explains Messina, “is to empower the amateur to let go of the fear and embrace the joy of writing and performing their original music.”

Not one to rest on his laurels, Messina’s next musical journey found him releasing the Latin-tinged EP Under a Mojito Moon: Part 1 in 2009 containing new Messina originals recorded only on his Flamenco guitar with sounds reminiscent of Spain and Cuba. Most recently, Messina has released two live albums. In 2010 he released both a DVD and CD entitled Jim Messina “LIVE” at The Clark Center for the Performing Arts. It contains the video and audio performances of his musical body of works, those he performed with The Buffalo Springfield, Poco and Loggins and Messina, including a number of his newest songs such as She’s Gotta Rock and Sinners and Saints.

Messina’s most recent album release, Jim Messina “In The Groove” with special guest Rusty Young, was recorded live in concert at The Clark Center and The Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara. It has been released both on a 12” Vinyl LP, as well as on an 8 gig “Flash Drive” the size of a credit card and is entitled Jim Messina “Access All."

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $35 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $35 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Spring Kick-Off for Paws for Humanity

Saturday, May. 11 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Come together for the third annual Kick-Off benefit concert for Paws for Humanity at the Acorn!

Join us for Paws for Humanity's annual Kick Off concert at the Acorn! We are proud to present an amazing night of local Blues music provided by Bobby Hunt and the Day Drinkers and Harbor Country's very own Resurrection Blues Band! In addition to an evening of music to touch your soul, we will have auction and raffle opportunities provided by area businesses and individual supporters! Come support us to support the Animals! People Helping Animals Helping People.

If you would like to donate directly or sponsor this event or the Paws for Humanity season, please visit PawsforHumanity.org.

About Paws for Humanity:

Paws for Humanity is an animal sanctuary providing socialization and training of animals to work with people in support, therapeutic, and community education programs to the level they are comfortable. People helping animals helping people is their vision and their mission. Paws for Humanity is currently home to alpacas, goats, donkeys, horses, chickens, ducks, cats, and three Great Pyrenees dogs. Their therapy dog Hazel also come to work with them and loves their huge extended family!

About the Artists:

Bobby Hunt & the Day Drinkers are a newly formed group of Michiana blues scene veterans. The band performs original rockin’ blues songs written by singer guitarist Rob Hutt and swingin’ Harmonica based jump blues fueled by the dynamic style of local harmonica wizard “Catman” Ballard. The rhythm section of Brian Reedstrom on Keyboards and electric Bass along with Boris LaRue on the drums completes the picture. The band is regularly featured on local blues radio and have recently released a 5 song EP available for streaming.

The Resurrection Blues Band has been a local Southwest Michigan favorite for many years now. Between Good Times, Bad Times, & the Blues, the Resurrection Blues Band has kept a faithful following throughout the years, and they have no plans on slowing down. With a live concert video available on YouTube to their upcoming EP release, The Good, The Bad, & The Blues set to release in 2024, you won't be sorry to have witnessed the Resurrection & Rise of Southwest Michigan's Power Blues/Rock Trio, the Resurrection Blues Band!

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Mr. Blotto

Saturday, May. 25 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Chicago’s premiere jam band Mr. Blotto returns to The Acorn.

About the Artists:

Mr. Blotto started in 1991 as an off-night musical vehicle for members of other local acts around the Chicago area. In response to repeated fan requests for tapes of shows and the surprise popularity of a series of bootlegs, Mr. Blotto released its debut album entitled “Parking Karma” in August 1992. As the band’s popularity grew, they added another member to play keyboards, specifically the Hammond B-3 Organ. In July 1994, the band released their second album entitled “Bad Hair Day.” With local radio play, they began headlining larger clubs and theaters on consecutive nights. And with the introduction of tapers, the music spread to a larger audience around the nation. The band’s third album entitled “Ancient Face” was released in July 1998.

In 1999, Mark Hague joined the band on lead guitar, and the band continued to tour relentlessly. Mr. Blotto released the “Bootleg” and “Just Did It” series of live albums from these tours. October 2001 brought the release of “Cabbages and Kings.” Paul Emmett described the album as “a delectable collection of the band’s latest song writing efforts… that can stand up to, if not blow away, most efforts put out by similar bands on a national level.”

“Clocking in at a hearty 73:57, it is full of the music that Blotto fans have come to crave. Its release was heralded on WXRT’s Local Anesthetic with host Richard Milne remarking that it was the band’s best release yet and that anyone who had not yet seen the band needed to make a point to do so.”– Publicity Whore Magazine

2004 saw the band release “Bad Hair Decade,” which are live versions of the songs from the “Bad Hair Day” album and a few studio remakes as well. See what 10 years can bring.

“While relatively unknown outside of the Windy City, the blokes from Mr. Blotto have been playing rootsy good-times music for quite some time now. This release (a follow up to the band’s 1994 Bad Hair Day) features more recently recorded live versions of a heap of longstanding originals by these venerable Chicago jamsters. Let it be noted that Blotto can play your favorite Phish, Widepread Panic, Dead, Traffic covers with scads of soul and proficiency. But in addition to being able to rock the time-tested jukebox stuff, the Blotto kitchen serves up its own tasty fare, and that’s precisely what’s on the Bad Hair Day menu. From the groove-heavy shuffling of ‘Dirty Woman’ to the almost radio-friendly and hooky ‘Kiss Me in the Morning,’ the group evokes the gravelly vocal stylings of Widespread Panic, the bluesy southern guitar strains of the Allman Brothers, the clear as crystal licks of Captain Trips Garcia and mucho more, all the while bearing the unique stamp of pure clean Blotto. Add rollicking gospel-inflected numbers like ‘Rock Me in Your Arms’ and ‘Standing in the House,’ and you’ve got one hell of a well-rounded outfit more than capable of putting down the appropriate soundtrack for a fun night out.” – Nick Hutchinson, Associated Content

In 2005, the band introduced a new drummer, Tony Dellumo. The band continued it’s hectic regional touring schedule whilst expanding it’s horizons with shows in Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota and more. The last show of the year on New Year’s Eve saw the final full-time performance by David “B3” Allen with the band. Much to the delight of the fans, David continues to make cameo appearances from time to time.

Steve Ball joined in 2006 on Hammond B3, vocals and keys. In October 2006, the band released it’s critically acclaimed fifth studio album entitled “Barlow Shanghai,” which was written in collaboration with John Perry Barlow (lyricist for the Grateful Dead).

John Metzger of The Music Box wrote “Performing in neighborhood bars can be a thankless job, but for the past 16 years, Mr. Blotto consistently has won over audiences throughout the greater Chicago area by mixing original tunes with an astoundingly lengthy list of cover songs in order to create a sterling soundtrack for a night on the town. Had it opted to tour the country, the ensemble likely would be better known outside the region, particularly within the circles that typically are frequented by jam band addicts. By its own choice, the group humbly has opted to balance family life with career aspirations, thus remaining firmly planted within the Windy City. Its latest effort Barlow Shanghai, however, just might be the thing that forces the band’s members to leave the cozy confines of their homes. Simply put, with the help of former Grateful Dead lyricist John Barlow, Mr. Blotto has made its biggest statement to date, one which ought to inject a bit of perspective into the improvisational rock scene.

Throughout ‘Barlow Shanghai,’ Mr. Blotto effectively uses the many touchstones of its repertoire as a foundation for seamlessly blurring the line between past and present, and the result is that it brings together multiple generations via its journey across the vast landscape of rock ’n‘ roll’s rich heritage. Evangeline, for example, may be deeply indebted to both Ray Charles and Billy Joel, but it also is touched by the southern blues of the Allman Brothers Band as well as by the sort of spiraling, space-born gleams of light that Jerry Garcia once shot across the heavens. Elsewhere, Mr. Blotto fuels That’s What I Said by slamming Phish’s Down with Disease into the heady, guitar-driven blissfulness of moe., while Organ Grinder laces Blues Traveler’s driving funk with the spiritual essence of the Grateful Dead. Granted, Barlow Shanghai isn’t a groundbreaking affair, nor is it the type of outing that will send a series of seismic shockwaves rolling through the blogosphere. Nevertheless, the maturity of Mr. Blotto’s approach has produced a smartly conceived endeavor that succeeds in ways that most of the efforts concocted by those currently working the jam band and indie rock oeuvres don’t.”

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Club Rainbow

Saturday, Jun. 08 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Club Rainbow returns to The Acorn for the 3rd time! Music, drinks, drag, & a whole lotta love!

A Saturday night celebration through dance & divas with drag performances by The Kunty Kittens and DJ Double E on the turntable!

This is a CLUB | DANCING event with standing room only and limited seating.

18 and up.

Pride events at The Acorn are sponsored by Kenwal Steel.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Pride Open Mic Night at The Acorn featuring Dylan Reed Leavitt

Monday, Jun. 03 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

The Acorn is proud to present a very special Acorn Open Mic Night, showcasing LGBTQIA+ performers and Allies. Hosted by the 2020 winner of The Acorn's Singer-Songwriter Competition, Dylan Reed Leavitt.

Where else in Harbor Country can you go for an evening filled with amazing talent? Come experience Harbor Country’s most exciting array of acts, packed into one night on the fabulous Acorn stage with a state of the art, professional sound system.

No Admission Fee, Donations Encouraged

Performer Inquiries: Email openmic@acornlive.org

This activity is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

Pride events at The Acorn are sponsored by Kenwal Steel.

Featured Artist:

Dylan Reed Leavitt is a twenty year old singer-songwriter, haling from Valparaiso, Indiana. Since the age of thirteen, Dylan has deeply involved herself within the local music and theatre scene, and is soon to take her passion for songwriting to Berklee College of Music. Her passion for music lies not only in an appreciation for expression through sound, but in the paramount scope for advocacy that lies within it. Her original style and natural audience rapport has built her a significant following, which she strives to wield as a weapon for change. If you enjoy poignant lyrics and tongue-in-cheek banter, you are sure to enjoy her show.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Open Mic Night featuring The Bisceglia Brothers & Friends

Thursday, May. 09 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Where else in Harbor Country can you go for an evening filled with amazing talent? Come experience Harbor Country’s most exciting array of acts, packed into one night on the fabulous Acorn stage with a state of the art, professional sound system.

No Admission Fee, Donations Encouraged

Performer Inquiries: Email openmic@acornlive.org

This activity is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and sponsored by The Frederick S. Upton Foundation.

About the Artists

Joe Bisceglia is an experienced singer/songwriter/entertainer who has performed solo as well as with many other musicians, artists, and bands, currently with the Bisceglia Brothers & Friends. Despite a demanding “day job” as a prominent lawyer and partner in a large Chicago law firm, he has never abandoned his love of music. Over his long 'second career' in music, he has performed in numerous venues throughout the Chicago area, and in Michigan where he has a second home, including Buddy Guy’s Legends, Lincoln Hall, the Double Door, Phyllis Musical Inn, Jonny Cabs, and The Acorn in Three Oaks Michigan. His powerful vocal and guitar renditions of a wide variety of popular music, both new and old, as well as his original compositions, appeal to all audiences.

​The Bisceglia Brothers & Friends band members are: Joe Bisceglia/guitar and lead vocals; Frank Bisceglia/percussion; Rob Wagner, bass guitar; and John Michael Gutierrez, keyboard and trumpet.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.