Northville summer concert series will have more shows, different schedule
David Veselenak
More changes are on deck for the ambience of downtown Northville this summer.
The city is adding a few more concerts this year after seeing changes the past several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s also changing performance days.
The larger band performances that took place once a month last summer will instead take place twice a month. And instead of Friday performances, these shows will take place on the second and fourth Saturdays from June through September. They will take place in the Town Square downtown.
“Now that the pandemic is over — well, waning, hopefully over — the DDA is changing the concert series to reintroduce what we call ‘stage band concerts,’ in Town Square,” said Lori Ward, the director of the Downtown Development Authority. “The stage bands perform just as they sound like: on our old stage, which has not been hosting concerts the last couple of years.
“This would formalize the use of that stage again.”
The acoustic music performed as visitors stroll the downtown will return as it has since 2020 when it first began. Those performances, meant to create an atmosphere as people eat, shop and spend time downtown, will take place Friday nights and Saturday nights when larger performances are not happening. Larger, big band shows were canceled in Northville during 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic, replaced with the acoustic sounds on both Main and Center streets.
The city council recently approved a new contract with Wixom-based JAG Entertainment for $32,800, an increase from the previous year’s contract. Ward said the increase helps cover increased payments for larger bands.
“We have raised the amount that we are paying for the stage bands up from $1,500 to $2,000, which is more competitive in the area,” Ward said.
Acoustic acts will still be paid $600 a night. All shows will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
That acoustic music has been a benefit to downtown, especially farther away from Town Square, said Mayor Pro-Tem Barbara Moroski-Browne.
“It really activates Center Street, having it both ways as well,” she said. “Actually, the sound almost carries better over on Center.”
Moving the larger shows to Saturdays allows Northville to attract a wider range of musical acts, especially since there’s a high demand in other communities for Friday night shows.
Ward said she expects the concert series will be mostly funded through donations.
“We’re already about halfway there,” Ward said. “We are confident that we will have success in that.”
Contact reporter David Veselenak at dveselenak@hometownlife.com or 734-678-6728.