Today in Lansing: Loudspace debuts its open jam

Loudspace Open Jam

6 to 10 p.m.

$20 suggested donation/musical equipment also accepted

REACH Studio Art Center

1804 S. Washington Ave., Lansing

Click here for more info

Hammer-ons, power chords, drum fills and general riffery will fill the new expansion of the REACH Studio Art Center.

Loudspace, Inc. looks to be a gym for Lansing’s aspiring and experienced musicians, hosting an event with 12 guitars, multiple drum sets and basses.

“Whether you are a 45-year-old bluegrass fiddler, or a 15-year-old death metal drummer, we want to be an organization promoting all of it and open to everything,” founder and president John Flynn said.

“I thought it would be awesome if you showed up and the equipment was already on stage like an open mic for bands.”

This nonprofit started, because there aren’t many safe and convenient networking options for musicians, Flynn said.

“Your options right now are Craigslist, which can be a really sketchy place,” he said. “There are some programs like the Lansing Public Library’s instrument library, but I think we are pushing beyond that into creating a space where you can perform in a live setting, which a lot of people can’t do.”

There are some supportive jamming options in Lansing bars, like blues jams, but not everyone wants to be in a bar or play blues music, Flynn said. “What if they are into indie rock, punk rock or hip hop? There isn’t an option for those genres of music.”

As a metal guitar player, there are no jams for this genre around town, Flynn said.

This event isn’t a response to bring back the nostalgia of physical instruments in the digital age, he said.

“Guitar sales have actually been going up, higher than they've ever been. If you were into rock music in the ‘70s, the amount of money you'd have to spend to get something that is gig playable was insanely high.”

A standard gig ready guitar and amp costs around $300, Flynn said. Home recording software is democratized and incredibly cheap, Flynn added.

“We aren't fighting to keep physical music alive, because it is already alive, but how awesome would this be if this could eliminate the barriers of entry for people who are not as privileged?”

Other events in Lansing:

Michigan Chicken Wing Festival

4 to 10 p.m., Adado Riverfront Park, 300 N. Grand Ave., Lansing

Michigan Artist Donna Rey-Taylor: Exhibit of Art

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Library of Michigan, 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing

Labor Day "Death by Chocolate" Event

Aug. 31 at 2 p.m. to Sep. 3 at 9 a.m., Frosty Korner, 1701 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Lansing