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Local folk duo to perform at 4th annual music festival

February 9, 2011
Lansing resident Brandon John Foote plays guitar as his wife and bandmate Bethany Foote sings during a performance at SCENE Metrospace as the band Gifts or Creatures on Jan. 29, 2010. The fourth annual folk festival will be held this Friday, Feb. 11.
Lansing resident Brandon John Foote plays guitar as his wife and bandmate Bethany Foote sings during a performance at SCENE Metrospace as the band Gifts or Creatures on Jan. 29, 2010. The fourth annual folk festival will be held this Friday, Feb. 11. —
Photo by State News file photo | and Lauren Wood The State News

For Brandon Foote, the best folk songs tell interesting narratives of the world.

Whether it be something he hears on the street or reads in the newspaper, Foote, an East Lansing resident, said the stories of the world he lives in are what inspires the songs he writes.

Foote and his wife Bethany comprise the folk band Gifts or Creatures. They will perform at the fourth annual Folk Festival at (SCENE) Metrospace, 110 Charles St., which will run Friday and Saturday.

Foote, who plays guitar and sings in the band, said he’s excited to perform in the festival and blessed to be a part of the Michigan music scene on display this weekend.

“Folk music is the music of the people — it’s an interactive process,” Foote said. “It’s a powerful thing to make music.”

After Foote gave his wife a Wurlitzer electric piano as a wedding present, the duo started playing keys and singing vocals together.

It evolved into song writing and playing a folk-rock style of music with a distinct twang reminiscent of many classical country acts.

Foote said he and his wife, along with various other musicians, meet weekly in a small apartment to practice and hold a jam session to refine their sound.

Gifts or Creatures released their debut album in September called “Pilot House” and plan to release another album sometime in 2012.

Foote said the band is influenced by underground folk bands, such as the country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers.

He said they also draw inspiration from The Beatles because of their rock sound that they combine with different styles of music.

“The Beatles aren’t twangy, but they have a rock ‘n’ roll thing going on that we admire,” he said. “Once you listen to The Beatles for a while, it’s hard to be creative because they nailed all the corners.”

Bethany Foote, who sings and plays piano in the band, said forming with her husband has been a growing experience. She said she grew up taking piano lessons and is excited to continue her musical career with many other talented musicians in the folk genre.

Bethany Foote said completing a recorded album is something she’s proud of, and she’s excited to perform the band’s completed work before a hometown crowd.

“Every time I play, I feel like I’ve stretched and grown,” she said. “We feel very blessed to have worked with those who shared their talents with us along the way.”

Tim Lane, director of (SCENE) Metrospace, said Brandon Foote has been instrumental in putting the festival together.

Lane said the festival is one of the venue’s most heavily attended and longest events of the year with multiple acts on Friday, including Photographers, Steve Leaf and Ryan Anderson, Nervous But Excited, and Jen Sygit and Sam Corbin. Saturday’s lineup includes Gifts or Creatures, Doug Mains and the City Folk, Small Houses and Chris Bathgate.

He said the festival also is the only event of the year that utilizes two consecutive nights at the venue for a concert series.

“(We’re) always thrilled to host the folk festival and bring the folk festival scene to East Lansing,” Lane said. “It’s part of the puzzle — part of the programming. Our goal is to keep programming as varied and diverse as possible.”

Brandon Foote said he’s looking forward to performing and showcasing the band’s talents on the same bill with other like-minded musicians.

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“To be received when you sing a song, it’s amazing,” Foote said. “((SCENE) Metrospace) is definitely a fantastic room because it’ll be all ears.”

For more information, visit scenemetrospace.com. Tickets are $10 and only will be sold at the door.

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