Name: Ticketed: Folkroom
Start: 2026-02-21T19:00:00-05:00
Location: 4253 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI, United States, Michigan 49548

$15 Advance or $20 at the Door
Performances begin at 7pm
All-Ages
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Join Folkroom for an evening of music featuring performances from Michigan-native songwriters Emilee Petersmark, Loren Johnson and i.am.james; solo & together, with surprises and special guests throughout.
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Emilee Petersmark
Emilee Petersmark has been a member of the beloved Grand Rapids band the Crane Wives for 15 years now, but parallel to that career she has worked as an acclaimed visual artist, producing original artwork as well as commissions for such musicians as the Accidentals and Melophobix. She also has a collection of songs that felt too personal for the Wives' ever-growing sound, exploring the depths of adoption trauma and the experience of being a queer Korean adoptee growing up in the Midwest. Those songs will grace a solo record set to release in fall of 2026, offering listeners a peek into the soul of a fierce and restless heart.
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Loren Johnson
Hailing from West Michigan’s vibrant creative scene, Loren Johnson has made her mark as a photographer, musician and performer; and is most recognized for her distinctive vocals and bright finger-style guitar. Between traveling and attending university, Johnson released a string of demos before publishing her first EP “Sleepsick” in December 2016, which rose to iTunes Top 10 best new singer-songwriter releases that January.
Spring 2020 was set for the release of “Into the Morning” - Johnson’s second EP, which coincidentally was released the same week that the COVID-19 pandemic hit the US. Touring plans scrapped, she dove deeper into her creative community and further honed her song-writing. In January 2021, she debuted an evolved new sound with the release of her first single “Patterns”. Johnson’s debut full-length album How to Change was released April 2023.
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i.am.james.
i.am.james. is the indie-folk project of Leelanau County-born singer-songwriter Sierra Cassidy, blending contemporary folk, indie rock, and alternative pop. A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and Berklee College of Music drop-out, Cassidy spent her early twenties performing across Nashville and Northern Michigan- both as a solo artist and fronting a trio. In 2022, she released a series of singles written and recorded in Nashville that earned several big playlist placements and features on indie blogs being noted as “heartache to dance to.”
After a brief stint living and performing in New York City, she returned to her Northern Michigan roots in 2023 and began recording her debut full-length album, The Garden, with Michael Dause of TreeTone Studios at the helm of recording and engineering. Released on August 8, 2025, The Garden is reflective of the contemporary folk and indie rock sound i.am.james. honed while on a 2024 summer tour with the i.am.james. trio, including performances at major Michigan music festivals like Bliss Festival and Wheatland Music Festival. Whether performing solo or with a full band, i.am.james. invites you into carefully articulated moments in time, delivered with both a softness and intensity.
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The Stray is a music and arts cafe located in Grand Rapids, MI. In addition to our craft beer, coffee and wine selection, our kitchen will be open serving our full dinner menu until 9pm! Get here early to snag your favorite seat and grab a bite to eat before the show begins. Save money by getting discounted tickets online in advance.
The Stray curates a listening room style venue, where performers are front and center, not background entertainment. We frequently ask attendees to silence their phones and keep conversations low out of respect to performers and other audience members.