Local musician and promoter turns radio DJ in pandemic

Steve Girbach of Manchester (left) and Jackson Smith are neighbors at their vacation homes on Beaver Island, MI. They recently started a new Saturday night radio show, "Songs from the Trail," on WVBI, 100.1 on the island or online at wvbi.net. Tune in at 7 pm each Saturday to learn more (a lot more!) about Michigan music!

It's been a long year for those involved in the music scene.

"The pandemic has definitely put a pause on live events — but it's only just a pause," said Steve Girbach, of Manchester Underground.

The Manchester Underground is Steve's joint project with fellow Manchester friends John Mooneyham and Jason Heinrich, and was just getting under way, with several "underground" concerts on the lower level of the Manchester Mill starting the ball rolling, when this "pause" came along.

"It breaks my heart," he says. "We still have artists calling us; they want to play and people want to listen. The Mill is a killer venue, we love it there. It has changed ownership but Karl has said we can keep it here when we're ready ... it's really going to be a matter of getting people to feel comfortable in that space again. It's small and funky; we want to keep it there but meanwhile we are talking about some outdoor shows."

Manchester Underground did host one outdoor show last summer, which was well received, and held on the pavilion at River Raisin Park. Girbach says that would be an ideal spot to have another outdoor show before they start to try and head back into their previous spot in the Mill.

"We need to, number one, get past this pandemic," he says, "and then we need to get people feeling comfortable with being close to each other again."

In the meanwhile, "with a little time on my hands," Steve and another friend with a huge musical resume, Jackson Smith, have started another musical endeavor that can keep fellow fans entertained on a Saturday night when there are no live music events.

"I have vacation property on Beaver Island," Steve explains, "and as it turns out, he happens to be my next door neighbor. We were talking about our mutual interests in music, especially Michigan-based music, and one thing led to another." Soon they were talking to the station manager of a tiny radio station that serves the island, WVBI (100.1, if you're on the island.)

"Songs from the Trail is all about Michigan-connected music," he continues. "Maybe it's the artist, the songwriter, the producer ... we want to highlight under-the-radar music — things you don't hear all the time."

The premiere show on Saturday night featured plenty of "underground" Michigan musicians and their music, including the Great Lakes Myth Society, Green Sky Bluegrass, and Manchester's own Chef Chris Sirvinskis. Special guest for the show was Vinnie Dombrowski, of the bands Sponge, The Orbitsuns, and Diamondbuck. It also featured a little bit of banter and a lot of fun for those who participated.

Steve says there are already more shows "in the can," and interviews with more Michigan artists are being set up all the time.

"We do our shows remotely — Jackson's in Okemos and I'm in Manchester; and then we're interviewing people with Michigan connections in Nashville and New York, and broadcasting via Beaver Island," he says. "It's really kind of cool, because this isn't something we would probably ever have thought of, if not for the pandemic."

Identifying as a "glass half full" or "silver lining" kind of guy, Steve is looking for the positive in all of this. "It's made me closer to my family," he says. "That's my passion — family, friends, and music. And I'm missing my breakfast club and live music. I can't wait to get back to that point. Meanwhile, I'm trying to stay busy and this project is doing a good job of keeping me in touch with what I'm missing."

He says there's a pent up demand for all of this and he knows it will happen eventually. "And part of the good in all of this is that it's giving us time to think about how (Manchester Underground) can make it better for the listeners and the artists. We're also considering doing a festival of some type ... it may be a little early to think about that but we've got some really good ideas for the future, and hope other organizations might enjoy participating with us, too."

"Right now, I'm just so thankful for Songs from the Trail. I've gotta keep going; if my mind stopped I'd be so depressed. This gives me something to cling to ... and I'm shining a light on all the things that are most important to me."

Listen to Songs from the Trail with Steve Girbach and Jackson Smith, at 7 pm every Saturday by tuning to wvbi.net online. 

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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.