BJ Walraven and View the band will be performing at Jackson Coffee Company, Friday, July 31 from 7 to 10pm. BJ is making a return engagement to Jackson Coffee Company. BJ grew up in a small town outside of Jackson. There wasn’t much to do out there…so BJ turned to music at a young age, influenced by his best friend Jerry. Some of the first artists he tried to copy included REM, Midnight Oil, and Living Colour.
After high school and through college, BJ’s influences grew to include Toad the Wet Sprocket, Jimi Hendrix, Jane’s Addiction, John Mayer, Jimmy Eat World, the Verve Pipe, and the Pixies. He started writing music, and eventually songs, with his first song (The Key) penned in 1994. It took him another 7 years or so to figure out that if he was going to get his songs performed in a band, he’d have to form one, and someone would have to sing them. That realization led to the formation of View…and since no one else volunteered to sing, BJ got started learning right away…
Before View, BJ has been fortunate enough to play some great shows at venues such as:
The Michigan Theatre – Jackson, MI
The Blind Pig – Ann Arbor, MI
Mac’s Bar – Lansing, MI
The Berkley Front – Berkley, MI
Cricket on the Hill – Denver, CO
Herman’s Hideaway – Denver, CO