Bunkbed Nights @ the UICA, 01/18/06

Bunkbed Nights was an indie folk-rock band from Grand Rapids known for their unexpected house show performances.

History

Formed in 1999, the group morphed from alt-country trio to seven-piece rock outfit, eventually swelling to a thirteen-member micro-orchestra and choir. This bizarre metamorphosis proved too much to withstand, and they disbanded in 2006. Their last two shows were performed at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts and Calvin College.

Their triumphant show at the UICA on January 18, 2006, found the group at their most ambitious. The stage performance included three scavenged Christmas trees, a tent, hand-painted papier-mache boulders, smoke machine, a campstove mulling apple cider, a hose misting the entire audience with water, a DJ spinning ambient nature sounds, a choir, two violins, two guitars, percussion, bowed guitar, ambient pre-recorded cassettes, and amused audience participation in the form of flashlights and umbrellas. The performance was curated by the songwriter, Ben Scott-Brandt, and harnessed such talents as a costumed Adam Wolpa, Erika Hanson as crowd-mister (spraying a garden hose through a box fan into the audience), and Matt Poole as DJ.

Related musical projects

Members of Bunkbed Nights have played in many other groups in Grand Rapids including, but not limited to:

Trivia

Memorable and oft-discussed occasions in the Bunkbed Nights saga include Juan's crushing a handful of El Matador tortilla chips in the back of his banjo during an entire song at an early show.

Members

Juan Garcia, Peter J Brant, Anne LaGrand, Patrick Schaafsma, Sarah Jean Kooy, Ben Scott-Brandt, Cliff Reppart, Joe LaGrand, Peter LaGrand, Rebecca Rodriguez, Matt Jensen, Mary Jakab, Sheri (Galla) Richards, Jon Brandt, Tim Brandt, Mark DeRoo, Sarah Scott-Brandt, Jeff Zwart, Steve DeRuiter.

Discography

  • 1999 Bunkbed Nights cassette
  • 2000 Our Secret Choreography CDR
  • 2001 A Last Look Behind CDR-EP
  • 2001 Crickets and Moths CDR-EP
  • 2002 Halos For Martyrs/Bunkbed Nights – split cassette EP on DBSS
  • 2002 The Old Hotel cassette EP on DBSS
  • 2003 Collected Works CDR
  • 2003 All the Leaves Are Now in Snow cassette EP on DBSS
  • 2004 I Miss the Comfort in Being Sad cassette EP on DBSS
  • 2004 ie kiaaro n’tsao (Kilimanjaro) CDR
  • 2004 Water from the Lake CD
  • 2006 Last Show CDR
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