NISSWA – Five Friday night concerts are scheduled for the Spring 2013 Grassroots Concerts season, which is the 25th year for the all-volunteer acoustic series.
The first concert is at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 25 at the Live Well Nightclub and Coffee Bar in Nisswa, marking a return of the gifted Peter Mayer.
The last 25 years of Grassroots Concerts have given thousands of folks many joyful hours of listening to talented newcomers and accomplished artists. It all began with house concerts in living rooms with musicians sharing mostly original songs and an occasional cover tune.
Today's "home" is the comfortable, casual Journey Church in Nisswa, with its organic, north woods feel.
When musicians accept the invitation to play for this series they often do so as informed performers. They look at the list of fellow artists preceding them: Garnet Rogers, Patty Larkin, James Keelaghan, John Gorka, Carrie Newcomer, Billy McLaughlin, Eliza Gilkyson, Lucy Kaplansky, Richie Havens, Neal and Leandra, and Greg Brown to name a few.
Peter Mayer last performed here in April of 2004 after his local debut in 2001.
He writes songs for a small planet – songs about interconnectedness and the human journey; about the beauty and the mystery of the world. His music is whimsical, humorous, and wonderfully profound.
Mayer began playing guitar and writing songs while in high school. He studied theology and music in college and spent two years in seminary. The priesthood wasn't for him. He took a part-time job as a church music director while performing at clubs and colleges, and writing and recording his music.
In 1995, the creative juices were overflowing. He quit his job and started touring full-time. Since then, Minnesota-based Mayer has gained a dedicated, following from New England to California. He has nine CDs to his credit and independently sold over 70,000 of them.
"He is unafraid of complicated topics and always strives to look beyond the easy sentiment," said Dale Connelly, former MPR Morning Show host. "Peter does nothing less than address the very nature of our existence. Trust me, most songwriters can't pull this off. Peter Mayer does."
The rest of the spring season: Feb. 22, witty guitarist David Stoddard; March 15, step-dancing fiddler April Verch; April 12, multi-instrumentalist Drew Nelson; May 3, evocative songwriter Greg Trooper.
Admission is $10 at the door for adults and $5 for children under 12 with listening attention, when accompanied by an adult. At all shows, seating is first-come, first-served. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 6:30.
The Live Well Nightclub and Coffee Bar, 5459 CR 18, is located next to the school.
Grassroots Concerts are made possible in part by a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council through the Minnesota State Legislature. The series is a 501c(3) non-profit under the Internal Revenue Code.
The concert series welcomes your donations of non-perishable food (or cash) donations to the local food shelf. For information go to www.grassrootsconcerts.org, call (218) 839-4092, or e-mail information@grassrootsconcerts.org
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