Mills & Mills Memorial Park hosts live concert series with a spirited vibe

You’re no doubt familiar with music in the park, summer outdoor concert series that happen — COVID-19 regulations permitting — pretty much all over the place.

But how about music in the memorial park?

That’s the idea behind The Music Mill, a series of Sunday afternoon concerts being held in an open field at Mills & Mills Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Tumwater.

“A cemetery shouldn’t be such a taboo place, only associated with death and Halloween,” said Michael “Mic” Werkmeister, who’s organizing the series, which continues this Sunday, June 13, with a performance by singer-songwriter Tela Rose. “It’s much more than that, and I find it holds a lot of special energy. It’s sacred grounds.”

The series kicked off June 6 with a show by The Hinges. Though the afternoon rain was often heavy, more than 80 people attended — and there was a lot of enthusiasm. Possibly one reason for that: The rolling canopies used for funerals provided ample shelter for the band and audience.

“People were telling me, ‘This is a beautiful space to do this,’ ” Werkmeister told The Olympian. “ ‘The spirits here are probably loving it.’ ”

“I heard people say, ‘I never thought I’d be listening to live music in a cemetery’ and ‘I want to be buried here,’” said Jay Hall, a grounds specialist at Mills & Mills.

Of course, he added, the concerts aren’t actually happening in the cemetery but in an open field near the cemetery’s Garden of Honor.

The Music Mill’s mission, according to the series’ Facebook page, is to “celebrate life and to encourage regular visits to Mills & Mills Public Memorial Park in veneration of our ancestors and those who have passed on.”

In fact, the idea for the series began when the funeral home’s staff was brainstorming ways to encourage people to visit the park. It was Hall who came up with the idea to host a music series.

“I raised my hand and I suggested that we have live music,” he told The Olympian. “And then I ran with the idea by getting in touch with my friend Mic. I don’t think anyone really expected it to become a summer-long event within a matter of weeks.”

That’s exactly what happened, though. Werkmeister, who also produces concerts through Ecstatic Productions, has scheduled nearly every week of the series, which will run through the end of August.

And, so far at least, he’s not getting any money for the free events, which include post-show drum circles.

“I love producing shows,” he said. “I was doing it before I even had the idea of starting a company. That was an afterthought. I’m totally just doing this for fun.”

The Music Mill Summer Sunday Series

• What: The outdoor concert series brings live local music to the Mills & Mills Memorial Park.
• When: 2-7 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 29, with concerts from 3 to 5 p.m. and a drum circle from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Where: Mills & Mills Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 5725 Littlerock Road SW, Tumwater
• Tickets: Free, with tips for musicians appreciated
• More information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themusicmillsummersundayseries/

Schedule

• June 13: Tela Rose (singer-songwriter and Grateful Dead devotee) and guests
• June 20: The Jacked Lords and guests (surf music), plus Moon Scooter
• June 27: Space Whales (funky improvisational rock)
• July 4: Dub Collective (reggae)
• July 11: Trace Dehaven Duo (blues and folk) plus The Purple Shadows
• July 18: Lisa Ramsauer (singer-songwriter) with guests
• July 25: “The Organismic Sound Spell,” described as a musically electrifying happening with various acts
• Aug. 1: DnA (acoustic)
• Aug. 8: Mudcat (roots and blues)
• Aug. 15: Straw Hat Revival (bluegrass)
• Aug. 22: Black Satin (retro pop)
• Aug. 29: To be announced