New website hosts music festival, showcases local bands

By Katie White
Western Herald

Kalamazoo’s music scene is booming and one website is attempting to aid the cause.

Kalamazoo NOISE! is a new website devoted to local music hailing from everywhere in Kalamazoo, from Vine Neighborhood basements to Papa Pete’s gigs.

The website, http://kzoonoise.com, hit the Internet in February.

Being a West Michigan musician himself, creator Munson Haver found it helpful to have a website that was devoted solely to the local music scene.

He wanted something that brought all local music information together, but knew it would take dedication to keep one up and running.

“I’ve been playing music for I can’t even remember how long,” Haver said.

“Back a few years ago there was a blog called westmichiganmusic.com,” Haver said.

“It was like a message board. It was a pretty popular website and a useful tool as a musician. But then the creator began to not update as much and then the site got taken down.”

“[With Kalamazoo NOISE!] I’m going for what that website went for back in the day – a way to bring everyone together.”

NOISE! is quickly becoming the go-to site for music news, interviews, reviews and events in Kalamazoo, which has surprised Haver since he started it himself with hardly anything on the site.

There is no “staff” except for a few regular music-loving contributors.

Haver encourages anyone and everyone to submit, with the exception of bands that want to glorify themselves on the site, he said.

“It gained popularity right away and people started coming out of the woodwork and liked what I was doing,” Haver said.

“There is a loose list of help but we take all kinds [of contributions]. To see everyone coming to help was encouraging.”

The site has been an out-of-pocket experience for Haver.

To get a website, Haver had to pay for it himself and the advertising on the site has been on a smaller scale but with no major local advertising.

Haver said that he hopes that as the site grows in popularity, more advertising will come.

For now, though, every little dollar amount made goes right back into the website.

Haver also said that there are plans on being able to have more sponsored events to bring in money.

But for now, they’re more interested in the music scene.

“It’s still relatively early and I can’t say that I have one specific vision for what I hope will happen to it,” Haver said.

“If things ever panned out and we got some actual advertising, we’d like to eventually get to cover a bigger area.”

“We’d like to keep building the name up and talking to cool musicians and having more events.”

The first big event Kalamazoo NOISE! has planned is a launch party at The Strutt on April 29.

The event will feature 16 bands, all from the Kalamazoo area that will share two stages.

The site creators know it’s a few months late for a launch party but see this is a great way to earn exposure with the college crowd because the show date is the last full day of final exams.

A few of the bands playing include Please Promise, Branden Mann and the Reprimand, Dead Scene Radio, Elm Street Riot, Brena, Trixy Disco, The Sedgwyck Agent, and the Crash City Saints.

“I’m really excited, there are actually a few bands that I like a lot and haven’t seen live yet,” Haver said.

“We worked hard to get a good mix. Me and a couple of guys are actually playing in it but I think I’m more excited to see the other bands live.”

The Kalamazoo NOISE! launch party will cost $5 at the door and is an 18-year-old and up event. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Haver may be reached at KalamazooNoise@gmail.com.

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=16948

Posted by bbohlen on Apr 21 2010. Filed under A & E, Weekend Scene. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Bethany Bohlen
Bethany Bohlen is the Photo and Art Editor for the Western Herald, Western Michigan University's student newspaper, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She has worked for the Western Herald photography department since 2009, and was promoted to an editorial position. She also worked for the Alpena Community College Crosscut from 2008-2009. http://www.westernherald.com