The Herbalists are a Battle Creek "collective of three people trying to make something out of nothing," the hip-hop trio's manager Nick Gast says. If there's nothing there, then it's up to local artists to DIY, Gast says he believes.
The Festival of Lit
60 Calhoun St., Battle Creek, Dec.17.
Pop-up shop and art gallery: 5 p.m.-8.
Performances by The Herbalists, We As One, Santino Jones Blvck Sheep and Mindfulness, 8:30 p.m.-11 p.m.
All ages.
"This is a common theme in Battle Creek, where they feel that there's nothing to do for the youth, the city is dead, it's the most boring place, whatever. We realize that it's the people who make the city. We're trying to make a culture where people have something to do, have a great time and make people feel empowered by their creativity."
The Herbalists -- Devon Wilson, Manny Sevastopoulos, Shade Cassidy -- are teaming up with clothing designers of
Battle Creature and OLD (Out Living Death) for pop-up shop/concert
The Festival of Lit, Dec. 17. It will be at an old 1910 brick storefront at 60 Calhoun St.
They hope to be "revising a whole culture of music that was kind of lost in Battle Creek," Gast says. "We're trying to bring back a culture of people respecting music, respecting local talent, dancing, listening to music to heal themselves.... Bring about the positive light of recreation."
This will be their first event in this venue. Gast hopes to do regular events once a season, winter, spring, summer and fall, but they haven't settled on a location.
Justin Andert's Battle Creature and Jarred Strohm's OLD, along with other local designers, will be selling clothing at the pop-up shop, along with art, Gast says. It all fits with The Herbalists' mission, "to make people feel empowered."
Writer: Mark Wedel, Second Wave Media
Source: Nick Gast, The Herbalists
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