Sunset Grille bustled with music, dancing, and laughter Sunday, June 26. Tables were packed with smiling faces as people gathered together with their friends and family to share an unforgettable evening.
“Today, entertaining, we have Soulshine. They’re out of Valparaiso and as you can tell, they draw a big crowd,” said Sunset Grille’s General Manager, Julia Krause. “We’re also doing a food buffet that we have been running from 5 to 8.”
Every Tuesday and Sunday Sunset Grille hosts live music, and Sunday’s musical duo Soulshine brought the audience to life with their tunes. Some couples took turns dancing together romantically, while others let loose with their friends and sang along with the band as loud as they could.
For David Reed, Sunset Grille’s Head Cook, Soulshine, and Sunset Grille’s atmosphere reminded him of just how joyful human interaction can be.
“If you bring live music, you bring people out. It’s also something to do. Given COVID, now we can interact with a band instead of just playing music through a stereo. So, it’s more of an interaction with the live band members and the people who are here. They get to sing with them and dance with them, so it’s a great time at a place like this,” said Reed.
Reed demonstrated his love for music when he sang “My Girl” alongside Soulshine’s guitarist Michael Ferri for a song during the set.
“I love that song. And that was huge, right there, being able to sing with the band was a really good time,” said Reed.
Reed was not the only person commenting on Sunset Grille’s friendly, interactive atmosphere and Soulshine’s ability to unite people.
“I love the atmosphere, it’s so comfortable. Michigan City is kind of a sneaky town, it's got nooks and crannies, and this is one I love. I absolutely love it,” said Denise Simpson, CNA Supervisor across Michigan City and Valparaiso.
Simpson and her husband come to see Soulshine whenever they can.
The two traveled from Crown Point to see the band, and Simpson yearned to stay and listen longer. She was not the only one who wanted to listen longer. The audience begged for the band to stay longer after they had already played for well after three and a half hours.
Soulshine is composed of Ferri and vocalist Jerry Scott. Not your traditional musical duo, they use their own voices and musical talents as well as backing tracks and software to wow their audiences and play a larger variety of music styles than they could otherwise. They will be back at Sunset Grille on July 4 to celebrate Independence Day and bring people together once again.
Sunset Grille will also host live performances from Chris Burch on June 28 and Jim St. James Band on July 3. And if tonight is any indication, these performances will continue to excite.
