Home-Grown Band on Grand Bend Beach August 28

Monday@Mikes brings back their Big Beach Party

Popular local band Monday@Mikes will be back on Grand Bend’s main beach on Wednesday, August 28, at 7:00 p.m. for the final concert in this season’s Wednesday Familiar Favourites Concert Series.  This is the fifth concert of familiar music this year, organized by the West Coast Lions Club of Grand Bend.

Monday@Mikes is made up of Grand Bend talent.  The band, which has been performing for about five years, is made up of Jordan Grainger on guitar, John Goodwin on bass, Dave Grainger on bongos and congas, Randy Menard on keyboards, Don Mehagan on drums, Jos Bervoets on harmonica, mandolin and percussion, and Mark Stegall on saxophone.  Almost all of them provide vocals.

The group includes a father-and-son team.  While Dad Dave Grainger is keeping rhythm on bongos, son Jordan Grainger is playing guitar.  Drummer Don Mehagan points out that there is a 50 year age difference between himself and Jordan, who at 24, is the youngest member of the band.  This is a testimony to the fact that the music they play crosses generations and erases any age differences, with its enduring appeal. “The songs are recognizable and everyone knows the tunes.  We play everything from rock and blues to reggae,” Jordan says.

One member of the group retired recently.  Mike McCann, the Mike for whom the band was named, decided it was time to hang up his guitar.  The seven remaining members decided to keep the group’s name in his honour.

Monday@Mikes popularity continues to grow.  “We play at the Legions at Grand Bend, Exeter and Goderich frequently, of course, we enjoy a chance to perform at the Colonial,” says Dave.  The group rang in 2019 by performing at the Grand Bend Legion’s Levee, which Grainger said was a highlight.

At the Levee, some “special guests” joined Monday@Mikes on stage, and Grainger hinted that those two guests will return at the beach concert, but he was unwilling to share names.  “We want it to be a surprise!” he added.

The concert is part of the “Wednesdays’ Familiar Favourites” concert series, organized and presented by the West Coast Lions Club of Grand Bend. “We put bands on the stage playing music everyone knows and loves,” says organizer Mary Alderson. “Sadly, this is our last concert for 2019 in the Wednesdays’ Familiar Favourites Series. But if we can get the same support from our sponsors next year, we’ll be back again.  We are so pleased with the community sponsorship and the huge crowds that have come out to support our concerts.  And I want to give a shout out to my fellow Lions Club Members who work hard to put it all together.”

The West Coast Lions bring their popcorn cart to the concerts, selling bags of delicious, aromatic, freshly popped corn, with proceeds going to local community services or the Dog Guides Foundation.

The Lions have several reasons for organizing the concerts: They are a great outing for Grand Bend’s residents as well as cottagers and campers who spend their summers here.  The concerts also offer an opportunity for area seniors to get out and socialize.  Plus they serve as an economic development tool, attracting tourists to Grand Bend mid-week, which benefits the village’s restaurants, bars and pubs.

Alderson reminds concert-goers to bring their own lawn chairs as well as their wallets.  “These are ‘Pay-What-You-Can’ concerts, so we hope everyone will contribute.”  Lions Club members will be circulating before and after the concerts and during intermission, seeking donations in their colourful beach buckets.

While the ‘Pay-What-You-Can’ buckets are necessary to bring in top quality entertainment, the Lions Club is also grateful to their other sources of funding.  Grants were received from the Cordelia Power Vibrancy Fund, the Municipality of Lambton Shores, Lambton Creative County Grant Program, and the Grand Bend Community Foundation.

In addition, there are Golden Sunset Sponsors – Grand Bend Legion Branch 498, Geo-Teck Heating & Cooling, Physiotherapy Alliance, and Tourism Sarnia-Lambton.  The Silver Sparkling Lake Sponsor is Bluewater Windows and Doors, and the Bronze Sandy Shore Sponsors are Robert Q Travel, Denny’s Drive-In, Hoffman Funeral Home, UBU Fashions, Prosper’s Garage, Hair Bend’rs, Paddingtons Eatery & Ale House, The Iron Barn, and the Gallery on Main Street.

Parking is free on the beach after 7:00 p.m., and after 5:00 p.m. on Main Street, on weekdays.