When Clare “Mac” McKenzie first opened
Mac’s Bar in the 1940s, he probably never imagined that his small saloon at 2700 East Michigan Avenue would eventually become one of the premier heavy metal venues in the United States.
Today, when it comes to live music in Lansing, most area rockers agree on one thing: “If you play in Lansing, you pretty much play Mac’s,” says Ryan Jurado, drummer of the East Lansing band the
Dastardlies.
Mac’s Bar, on Michigan Avenue in Lansing, has been the place to see live music in the city for more than 20 years. “Every style of music is catered to, from folk to hip-hop to metal to emo,” says head sound engineer and Lansing native, Seth Newton.
Substance takes precedence over style at the small, dimly-lit venue on Lansing's Eastside. Newton believes this look gives the venue a more authentic, rock n' roll feel. “Patrons like Mac’s for being a hole-in-the-wall,” he says.
Nikki Motson, a Lansing resident and former
Impact 88.9 disc jockey, believes Mac’s plays two vital roles in the Capital region music scene: “It’s important to support local music, as well as have somewhere to bring national music to the area,” she says.
EvolutionAccording to current owner Chuck Mannino, Mac’s was just another ordinary bar for the first fifty years of its existence. This changed in 1996 when then-owner Paul Feta complained to regulars Ken Knott and Norman Zebrowski about lack of business at his bar. Knott and Zebrowski published
ETCH, a magazine about Michigan rock music, from 1995-2000.
“We told him [Feta] about our contacts with touring and local bands, so he let us try a few shows,” recalls Knotts. “It worked—although the bar regulars complained about our $3.00 cover at the time—and it has endured and become the primo spot for bands.”
Since then, national acts who have played at Mac’s include
Mastadon,
Captured! By Robots, and
Zombi.
“Bands often skip Detroit and play Mac’s because of its reputation,” says Mannino. “You can see original bands from all across the nation and world. You can come in on a weeknight and see a band from Texas or France.”
Several times a week, Mac‘s hosts an all-ages afternoon show before the 18-and-over main show. According to Newton, these early shows attract the high school crowd, exposing them to original live music that they wouldn’t get an opportunity to see otherwise.
Mannino, who grew up just outside of Detroit, first discovered Mac’s as a
Michigan State University (MSU) student in the early 1990s. He didn't take over until four years ago, when he was working as a Realtor and landlord and heard rumors that his favorite bar was for sale.
“I stepped up to the plate,” he recalls. “I bought Mac’s because I loved it.”
Under Mannino’s ownership, Mac’s has stayed true to its heavy metal and punk roots, while expanding to other genres such as pop, folk and hip-hop. With both the early and late shows, Mac’s hosts up to 40 concerts a month.
In response to the recent popularity of live disc jockeys and electronica music, Mannino added Neon Tuesday to Mac’s lineup. Once a week, six local disc jockeys take turns playing tunes.
Phil Leslie, a.k.a.
DJ Moses, has played at many Neon Tuesdays. Leslie, a recent MSU graduate and East Lansing resident, got his start deejaying at college parties. “I just showed up and they put me on,” he says about his first experience with Neon Tuesdays.
Neon Tuesdays weren’t an immediate hit. “For the first month it was pretty rough,” says Leslie. But thanks to word-of-mouth promotion and coverage in The State News, the crowd grew. These days, the dance floor overflows with music lovers from both the MSU and local Lansing community.
“Now it feels like a Friday night,” says Leslie.
Lansing resident Ken Orlich, an engineer at Lansing's
WLNS TV, is one of Mac’s many loyal customers. He says that the energy at Mac’s has changed. “It’s a lot more positive, somehow, than I remember it from a few years ago.”
Local and NationalFirst and foremost, Mac’s Bar is a showcase for local talent. “New sound is what Mac’s is all about,” says Mannino.
“Mac’s has a really good reputation for playing local bands,” says Jurado of the Dastardlies, an MSU blues rock band that spent more time playing East Lansing venues like
(SCENE) Metrospace and
The Small Planet.
Playing venues in the city of Lansing is admittedly a change of pace for the college-based boys of the Dastardlies. “Not enough people appreciate Lansing music,” says guitarist Andy Sommerlot.
Mannino agrees with this sentiment. Both he and the Dastardlies believe that the divide between East Lansing and Lansing is too great.
“MSU students don’t like to leave campus,” says Jurado. He suggests that they take advantage of the excellent service provided by the
Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA), “If you got 60 cents, you can make it to Mac’s,” he says. Route 1 stops right in front of the bar.
Members of the Lansing heavy metal band,
Wastelander, on the other hand, are veterans of Mac’s stage. “Of all the places I’ve been at, the people here are the most into their music,” says bassist/vocalist Matt War.
War admits musicians may have it easier in places like Chicago, but local musicians won’t leave Lansing for anything. “It’s hard and wonderful at the same time,” War says of the Capital region music scene.
Guitarist Xaphan describes Wastelander as a “DIY band” whose members believe that playing live is still the best way to get their music out. “We try to keep the old school spirit of metal alive,” he says. “In an age where it’s easy to download, we like to give you the real thing.”
Wastelander’s latest album,
Wardrive, is currently available from
Planet Metal, a record label started by another Lansing native, Chris Black.
“We want to show the rest of the country what Lansing has,” says War.
Looking AheadIt's hard to find any musician who has played Mac‘s and didn‘t have a positive review.
All About The Fire, a pop rock trio from Royal Oak, played Mac’s for the first time this past January. “I learned it’s the place to play in Lansing,” says vocalist/guitarist Paul Bastian.
Alternative rock group
The Grey Level from Detroit has been playing the Lansing area regularly; bassist Brandon Washington is a senior at MSU. They've played Mac’s three times, and it's one of their favorite venues. “Mac’s is pretty cool,” says vocalist/guitarist Mike Wright.
The band
Frontier Ruckus won MSU’s Battle of the Bands competition in 2006, and has since received moved on to national acclaim. Mannino lists them as one of his favorite local acts
“I like how Mac’s is the epitome of unpretentiousness,” says Frontier Ruckus' trumpet player, Zach Nichols.
Keeping true to those roots while also growing, Mannino says future plans for Mac’s include the addition of an outdoor deck, as well as a kitchen that serves “delicious and natural food.”
And, as always, Mannino will continue to be on the lookout for “new blood.” He encourages any interested musicians to contact him at sciencebooking@gmail.com.
[Note: As of press time, the Dastardlies have disbanded due to creative differences. The individual members of the group have plans to continue to pursue various musical endeavors in the area.]
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Sandra Miska is an MSU grad and freelance writer from East Lansing.
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of Trumpie Photography.
Photos:
The band “What Happened in Vegas” play at Mac's
Chuck Mannino
The Mac's crowd
DJ Erebus (Casey Phear) spins on a Neon Tuesday
Mac's
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie