The Bay Community Theatre is announcing a new season of Live at the Bay in downtown Suttons Bay this spring featuring a lineup of renowned musical artists in diverse genres.
The Live at the Bay Spring 2025 series is proudly presented by French Valley Vineyard and Hendryx House.
The first event took place Saturday as part of Suttons Bay’s Yeti Fest.
The season continues on March 16 at 4 p.m. with Kennedy’s Kitchen, a crowd favorite delivering pub songs, sing-a-longs, original songs, recitations, stories, and ripping dance tunes from the deep tradition to the newly composed. Band leader John Kennedy is not just a musician; he’s a storyteller who connects with the audience, making every performance an intimate gathering. The human voice, fiddle, whistles, the almighty tenor banjo, the guitar, bouzouki, bodhran, and bass are the band’s instruments (and every now and again, the kazoo). Celebrating 25 years of laughter and tears, Kennedy’s Kitchen delivers the best of “Irish Kitchen Music from the home, the hearth, and the heart.” Doors open at 3 p.m.
The next event in the spring 2025 series takes place on Saturday, May 3 at 7 p.m. with Harry Manx, who has been dubbed an “essential link” between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the blues with the depth of classical Indianragas. Histimespentliving in Europe, Japan, India, and Brazil — and five-year tutelage with Grammy- winning Rajasthani Indian musician Vishwa Mohan Bhatt — was the catalyst for Manx to forge a new path with his now signature eastmeets- west style of music. A successful touring performer, Manx has performed his solo shows across Canada, the USA, Australia, and Europe. He has appeared at many prestigious festivals, world-class theatres, concert halls and blues clubs around the globe. Playing the Mohan Veena, lap steel, harmonica, stomp box, and banjo, Manx quickly envelops the audience into what has been dubbed “the Harry Zone” with his warm vocals and the hauntingly beautiful melodies of his original songs. Manx is a prolific artist, releasing nine albums in an eight-year span with no signs of stopping. He has received seven Maple Blues Awards and honors from the Canadian Folk Music Awards, Vancouver magazine Georgia Straight, and the South Australia Blues Society. He received CBC Radio’s Great Canadian Blues Awards for 2007, and his albums have garnered five Juno nominations. Doors open at 6 p.m.
The spring 2025 season of Live at the Bay continues on Sunday, June 1 at 4 p.m. with Sturtz. Sturtz’s music stands out for its distinctive, soothing instrumental and vocal harmonies. NPR’s All Songs Considered described the band as “a reassuring breath of fresh air that pulls me back to simpler times.”
The acoustic quartet – Andrew Sturtz (vocals, guitar), Courtlyn Carpenter (cello, harmonies), Will Kuepper (bass, harmonies), and Jim Herlihy (banjo, harmonies) – is serene and folksy, with melodic vocals soaring over the lower string instrumentals. Sturtz released their debut album “You’ve Done This Before” in August 2021, followed by the acclaimed new album “Hyacinth” released in late 2024.
Doors open at 3 p.m. The spring 2025 season of Live at the Bay concludes on Saturday, June 21 at 7 p.m. with John Primer.
Primer has undisputedly helped build the sound and style of Chicago blues as we know it today. A three-time Grammynominated artist and Blues Hall of Fame member, Primer has been given two Lifetime Achievement Awards, been awarded the “Muddy Award” for being a Traditional Blues Icon, and won several Blues Music Awards and Blues Blast Awards. Taught by many of the original blues masters, Primer toured with Willie Dixon and the Chicago Blues All-Stars Band, played with Muddy Waters, and traveled the world opening for the Rolling Stones. After Waters’ untimely death in 1983, Primer joined up with Magic Slim & The Teardrops for the next 13 years. In 1995, Primer began leading his own band – The Real Deal Blues Band – and has recorded more than 100 albums, with 17 albums in his own name. He has written and produced more than 55 songs on more than six record labels including his own, Blues House Productions. Coming from humble beginnings, Primer has risen to become a blues icon and takes pride in mentoring many incredible musicians today, keeping the blues tradition alive and well. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Tickets to all Live at the Bay Spring 2025 shows are general admission and on sale now to the public. All shows except for Doc Probes and the Riptides are $25 in advance/$30 at the door ($5 discount for certain Bay membership levels). Tickets for Doc Probes and the Riptides are $15 in advance/$20 at the door. Ticketing, event, and membership information is available at TheBayTheatre.com. The Live at the Bay series is another valueadded offering by the nonprofit Bay Community Theatre to provide community entertainment and programming.b
