February 2023 Circle Centre Series Performances
Free Live Music Concerts Every Week!
Musical Family Tree provides opportunities for local performing artists. Come check out our Circle Centre Series in the MFT Lounge (3rd-floor dining pavilion area at the Circle Centre Mall) . Every Tuesday from 5-7pm a different local artist performs. There is a large variety of artists and musical styles curated to provide free entertainment to anyone who wants to join us!
While many mall shoppers stop through when they hear the music playing, some artists have a following and their fans, friends, and family come to listen. It’s great to be able to gather weekly for a free concert and enjoy some live music together. Join us next week and follow along on our calendar to see who is playing next!
Check Out These Great Artists Who Performed in February!
Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters
The first band to perform in February was southern Indiana country and Americana trio Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters. The band includes singer-songwriter Nick Dittmeier on guitar and vocals, JD Mackinder on bass, and Josh Bradley on drums. Their newest album Heavy Denim was released last summer. You can catch them playing all over the city and at festivals throughout Indiana. They are also getting ready to go on an international tour. It’s exciting to see an established Indiana band playing and sharing their music originally and internationally!
The Terminally Unique
A newer Indianapolis-based group performed the 2nd week in February at the Musical Family Tree Circle Centre Series. They’re called The Terminally Unique. The duo includes Aaron Lipp on guitar and vocals along with keyboardist Terry Valdee and they were very excited to perform the Valentine's Day concert on Tuesday, February 14th.
Bandleader, Aaron Lipp is a singer-songwriter who enjoys collaborating with other musicians and is an avid music supporter. He also has another group called Apple for Eve. You can catch him at acoustic open mics and at various events around the city. Aaron is both a family man and a musician.
He says “I write a lot about situations people find themselves in. A lot of times these are things that they feel hopeless about getting free from. This uniqueness that we feel can be fatal. I want someone who feels alone, different, and uncomfortably unique, to hear the song and know that they are not alone. Secrets and uniqueness are silent killers.
When asked about his writing process, Aarom said “I couldn’t write a song if I tried! What I mean is, I feel like the lyrics come to me when I am calm and welcoming of them. If I hear them in my head and I like them and want to keep them, I have to write them down. Because if I don’t, they will blow away as quickly and effortlessly as they came. If I ever sat down with the plan or the intention of writing a song, it would never happen.”
Aaron Lipp of the Terminally Unique says …”I don’t really consider myself to be a musician. I don’t really know what I am doing on the guitar. I am more of a poet or lyricist. I don’t know any cover songs. I just play original stuff because it is therapeutic. That is why I do it. The people I play with add a lot to the songs too!”
He continues to say…”I have been really fortunate to be able to work on my songs with some very talented musicians over the past few years. They have given me a lot of confidence in my music and they have taught me a lot. The fact that they are willing to play with me has been a real gift.”
The Ortwein JazzTet
The next group to play at our Musical Family Tree weekly series at Circle Center Mall is The Ortwein JazzTet. They played on Tuesday, February 21st. This is a jazz quartet led by a very talented Indianapolis musician you should know.
Over the last 20 years, Mark Ortwein has performed in many different musical projects including professional recordings, musical theater, chamber ensembles, jazz, and R&B groups, and he is currently assistant principal bassoonist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He has performed all over the world in many different venues, ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Grand Ole Opry and MTV. He is a versatile performer and plays all the saxophones, clarinets, flutes, and bassoons. Mark Ortwein is the owner of Ortwein Woodwinds, he is a Yamaha Saxophone & Bassoon Artist, and He is also an Adjunct Music professor at the University of Indianapolis.
Evan Shine
The last artist to play at our series this month was an Indianapolis artist, who is originally from Fort Wayne. Evan Shine played Tuesday, February 28th. Evan is a dynamic improv-based guitarist who is constantly learning and evolving his technique and organic style. He is greatly influenced by jazz music and enjoys learning new jazz standards as well.
He has played with many local bands but is currently performing as a solo artist, with upcoming dates showcasing his original material. Evan has a following of local musicians who play with him and support his art. He has worked to perfect his skills using a loop machine to play over the top of his own backgrounds and it is really neat to see how he builds his songs and sounds.
Listen to Indiana Artists!
If you missed any of these performances, MFT invites you to listen to the archived stream of MFT on WQRT Episode #178 which featured all of these February artists. Listen to their tunes and learn more about them. This episode is hosted by Kati Taylor and it originally aired on Thursday, February 16, 2023. Enjoy!
An Opportunity for Existing and Emerging Local Music Talent
There’s an enormous amount of talent in Indiana. And, Musical Family Tree celebrates that! Some artists who played our Circle Centre Series in February are seasoned and others are starting to get out there more and share their music. MFT wants to provide a safe space and professional performance opportunity for all Indiana artists.
Anyone looking for a gig is encouraged to reach out to us. While the schedule is filled up through the fall of this year, we would love to hear what all artists have to share. If you or your band want to get on the schedule, please reach out to us!