Stoopfest returns to Lansing’s Eastside 

Hearing live indie music has been a bit difficult these days in Lansing. There was the pandemic, of course, which paused all concerts. Then, The Loft closed permanently, and Mac’s Bar remains temporarily out of service. It’s been tough. While The Avenue Café has nobly kept rolling with a series of gigs, there’s been an unquestionable deficiency in underground music across the city.  

That said, when Stoopfest announced its return to Lansing’s east side, a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Having a festival dedicated to left-of-the-dial sounds offers a much-needed shot in the arm to the local scene. The long, diverse roster of performers includes national headliners Sidney Gish, Screaming Females and Frontier Ruckus. In an effort to be “COVID safe,” all 2022 shows will be outdoors. 

Last month, Stoopfest organizers unveiled its final batch of performers, which boosted the number of musical acts up to 65. Beyond that, the festival will also serve up some comedy, curated by Lansing-based comic Robert Jenkins, at Green Dot Stables.  

This year marks the fifth iteration of Stoopfest, which runs April 22 and 23, with Lansing’s Hunter Park, 1400 E. Kalamazoo St., serving as its home base. Additional performances are also set for the Allen Neighborhood Center’s parking lot, garages and backyards, all within walking distance of park. As a neighborly gesture, Stoopfest is offering free tickets to anyone living on a street bordering Hunter Park. 

Dom Korzecke, the event’s founder and organizer, said the event has steadily grown, even with its unique format. The inaugural StoopFest launched in 2016, featured nearly 100 performances and spanned several genres, including rock, folk, hip hop and stand-up. 

“Each and every performance took place in a living room or backyard, across six houses in Lansing’s eastside community,” Korzecke recalled about that opening year. Since then, StoopFest has expanded to additional spaces, such as dedicated bar venues and the Allen Neighborhood Center. “Now we’re at Hunter Park and are featuring performances all day long — it’s allowing us to bring in some larger acts,” he added. 

For locals who are interested in performing at a future Stoopfest, Korzecke reiterated its openness to all sounds and styles.  

“The fest is truly multi-genre,” he said. “There is no genre we don't consider. Each year, we book about 20 bands we think would be a great fit for the festival and then open up booking submissions to curate the remaining lineup. Hundreds of bands apply each year, and we listen to every submission and select 40 or so to add to the lineup.” 

So how does an indie event of this caliber happen? The Stoopfest team comprises seven to 10 volunteers who share a passion for music and art in the Lansing community.  

“All of us do this in our free time,” Korzecke said. “None of us make any money from this event.”  

Korzecke said for those who’ve never attended Stoopfest, this year’s event is a great way to not only hear an eclectic roster of performers, but also engage in the eastside community. Along the barrage of music, the itinerary also includes a variety of local vendors, food trucks and lawn games. The goal is to create a “fun, family friendly showcase” that’s an also an “inclusive environment” for everyone.  

“You can expect to walk around, enjoy the neighborhood and see performances in spaces you typically would never get to, backyards, garages and parking lots,” he said. “It’s not uncommon to see a band play at one venue and get to hang out with them in the audience over at another house. This year, you can expect to be all outdoors and bigger than ever, while maintaining the same intimate feel the festival is known for.”  
 
Stoopfest 2022 
Hunter Park, Lansing 
April 22-23 
Complete lineup, and tickets, at 
stoopfest.com