Burn ‘Em Brewing’s The Back Room pulsed with the eclectic sound waves of doom, metal, and psychedelic rock for its Psychfest music festival on Saturday, June 7. Over 10 local bands packed the space starting in the afternoon through the late evening to keep music lovers of all ages jamming on their feet all day long at the Michigan City restaurant and brewery.
“A lot of the styles of music we have today, like metal and psychedelic music, don't really have a home to play in for this area like some of the bigger cities,” said Burn ‘Em Owner, Steve Murray. “Burn ‘Em has been really trying to clear the way for that. We’re trying to give a place for this kind of music, for this community, and for these local and regional bands, all mixed in with our art style.”
The festival came with a stacked lineup, which included Disappearing, Voidclass, Massasauga, Evil Waves, TINY TREE, FICUS, CAVEMAN, Modern Vultures, Cairo Jag, and Bronson Arm. Roxy Music, the event’s sponsor, also featured its student bands performing in between some of the acts to showcase their talent for the local community. Tyler Grace, vice president and marketing director of Roxy Music, loved watching his students rock out on stage while the crowd cheered both groups on throughout their entire setlist.
“They’re awesome, they're doing great. They worked really hard for it,” Grace said. “We really pride ourselves on helping the kids learn to play.”
The Hydrosonic Light Show added an additional psychedelic flair to the performances with its hypnotic lights, captivating audience members in an enthralling trance as their favorite bands rocked out on stage. Live Painter, Clinton “Clint” Worthington, was additionally in attendance to capture the emotion and ambiance behind the performances in real time through his artwork. Those at the festival even had a chance to enter a raffle for his paintings, which were given away to the winners at the end of the night.
“It's really special to have something like this and to have my friends and their bands join,” Murray said. “We have regional bands from places like Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Indianapolis come out. I've also watched the kids in some of the bands grow up, and they're 13 now. It's really cool to see that kind of thing while also having this sense of community.”
Blake Vissing, lead singer of Modern Vultures, has played a pivotal role in Psychfest both on and off the stage. In addition to performing with his band at the event, he also helped to coordinate it altogether alongside Murray. As a planner full of creative ideas, Vissing helped to coordinate aspects of Psychfest such as scheduling the lineup as well as the stage layout in the back room.
“I mainly kept coming to Steve with these ideas,” Vissing said. “I said ‘Hey, we should do this, and, oh! What if we did that?’ He's then always been the one to actually make those ideas happen. I like to think of myself as an idea guy, but I also help out when I can. I moved some stage pieces around and things like that, too.”
With months of prep, planning, and puzzle piecing having paid off for the main event, Vissing was ecstatic for Psychfest to fully come to life and for the community to get a glimpse of the local metal scene.
“Today has been a blur,” Vissing said. “There’s been so much anticipation, and then now that we're here and doing it, seeing it all makes me so happy. I keep looking and looking and running around thinking, ‘I want to see that, and I want to go look at those things.’ It's just so cool to finally see all the planning come together.”
While there may not be an official “home” for the heavier music scene in the area, especially for those of a younger age, Vissing, Murray, and the Burn ‘Em team want them to know they are always invited to their Michigan City stage. They noted Northwest Indiana is full of talented musicians of all genres, and no matter their style, age, or anything in between, Burn ‘Em is always excited to welcome them anytime with open arms.
“There are people out there doing original music, and they deserve a following, and especially like a little bit heavier and more alternative type stuff,” Vissing said. “There's kids who are doing these kinds of things, and we can share a room. They can play with bigger bands, and we can all do this together. There’s always a place here in Michigan City, at Burn ‘Em for them and for this kind of a festival to be successful.”
Burn ‘Em Brewing is keeping the party going all summer long with live music each weekend, so visit burnembrewing.com for more information on upcoming events. The team can’t wait to rock out with you there!
