Riverfolk Thursday night concert series begins with success

Peter “Madcat” Ruth will perform at 7:30 pm Thursday via Facebook Live. Check out the Riverfolk Music & Arts Organization Facebook page to join the fun!

A great beginning to the “Live from Riverfolk” series last Thursday brought the new sounds of Michael Kostowskyj playing the Ukrainian Bandura (live from Santa Cruz, California) and the more familiar (to Manchester fans) string offerings of Grant Flick, a University of Michigan music student who is currently living at home in Bowling Green, Ohio, to the Riverfolk virtual stage.

Both artists received great feedback from the audience that was gathered, and donations to the Riverfolk Music & Arts Organization were also gratefully received by organizers.

This new effort is in response to the need to cancel or postpone scheduled in-person concerts that had been planned, due to the COVID-19 crisis. Reaching out to the Manchester community to continue to provide musical and artistic outlets and resources has become a new focus for the Riverfolk organization, and will continue while restrictions on public gatherings are being upheld. These virtual concerts are scheduled each Thursday through May 28, with two artists each night–one at 7:30 pm and one at 8:30 pm, with a 10-minute break in between. They are presented “live” on the Riverfolk Facebook page at these times, and are also available for playback on the page if you miss the live content.

This week, look forward to the bluesy harmonica sound of Peter “Madcat” Ruth at 7:30 pm and “Mr. B” (Mark Lincoln Braun) playing boogie-woogie piano at 8:30 pm. Both of these popular and talented local artists are well known not only in the Washtenaw County area, but across the state and even the country. And here’s a chance for them to go viral!

Donations to Riverfolk Music and Arts can be made at any time at riverfolkmusicandarts.org, and all proceeds benefit the featured musicians and help to continue Riverfolk’s programs throughout this season and beyond.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.