Some legendary names in the world of rock and Americana make West Michigan tour stops this week, and there are some scintillating Under-the-Radar Picks, too. And read below to win tickets to two of these shows.
Living Colour plays The Pyramid Scheme this week. (Photo/Karsten Staiger)
Todd Carey
THE BIG LIST: Nov. 4-10
TODD CAREY, CURTIS PEOPLES
When: 7:30 p.m. Monday
Tickets: $23
Where: Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake
In some ways, it’s roots week in West Michigan, with plenty of rootsy, Americana-flavored acts rolling into the area. But there’s also a legendary hard rock band, Living Colour, in the mix, along with bushels of rock and hip-hop and some intriguing under-the-radar picks too.
Promoting a new single, “Nintendo” – from his upcoming “Future Throwback” album – New York-based pop singer-songwriter Todd Carey is embarking on his “8 Bit Heartbeat Tour” with a show in Spring Lake, bringing along California pop-rock artist Curtis Peoples (whose latest album is “The Fight”). Raised near Chicago, Carey has shared stages with the likes of John Mayer and Jason Mraz, so the folks at Seven Steps Up are thrilled to have him in the house. Get tickets online at pindropconcerts.com.
Ghost Brothers of Darkland County
GHOST BROTHERS OF DARKLAND COUNTY
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Tickets: $39.50-$69.50 ($20 for college students)
Where: DeVos Performance Hall, Grand Rapids
Local Spins doesn’t single out many musicals or theater productions, but this one also happens to feature an absolutely titillating collaboration of talent: best-selling author Stephen King, award-winning roots-rocker John Mellencamp and much-lauded producer-musician T Bone Burnett. The rock concert/drama set in Mississippi is in the midst of its inaugural national tour, with a Grand Rapids native, Joe Jung, part of the production. Read John Serba’s MLive.com feature about that online here. And get ticket information at devosperformancehall.com.
Steve Vai
STEVE VAI
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Tickets: $22.50, $32.50, $49.50
Where: The Intersection, Grand Rapids
OK, so this guitar god will certainly draw a bevy of guitar geeks to The Intersection on Thursday night, and for very good reason: the former Zappa bandmate has won multiple Grammy Awards and released eight solo albums that have sold 15 million-plus copies over a 30-year solo career. Steve Vai’s eye-popping guitar wizardry spans metal, prog-rock and experimental strains. Get more details about tickets (which range from standing to VIP seated) online at The Intersection website.
Also, The Stache in The Intersection’s front lounge that night features a hip-hop show led by Huey Mack, with Kurt Rockmore, Timmy D, Ajax Stacks and Nate Paulson also performing. The show starts at 8 p.m.; tickets are $10 advance, $13 day of show, $35 VIP.
Rachael Davis and Dominic John (Photo/Local Spins)
RACHAEL DAVIS & DOMINIC JOHN
TROLL FOR TROUT
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Tickets: $20 ($10 for students)
Where: St. Cecilia Music Center, Grand Rapids
When Michigan’s Rachael Davis and Dominic John moved to Nashville awhile back, it seemed the logical next step for a pair of rootsy musicians with prodigious talent and unlimited potential. As a singer-songwriter, Davis has started her own publishing company, collaborates with other Nashville songwriters and has a new album due in 2014.
Her husband plays bass for the renowned Jack White, performs with Rachael and continues to do session work for other artists. Together, they’re a truly dynamic Americana duo. And they’ll make their debut at St. Cecilia Music Center’s Royce Auditorium this week in the kickoff to this season’s Fresh Folk series hosted by St. Cecilia, Mackinaw Harvest Music and Local Spins. Grand Rapids’ own Troll for Trout will open with an “unplugged” acoustic-styled set.
Tickets are $20 and available online here or at the door at St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NE, in downtown Grand Rapids. The ticket price includes a post-concert reception. And the first person who emails me at jsinkevics@gmail.com with “Rachael and Dom” in the message field wins a free pair of tickets to Thursday night’s show.
May Erlewine and Seth Bernard (Photo/Local Spins)
EARTHWORK MUSIC COLLECTIVE TOUR
SETH & MAY, LINDSAY LOU & THE FLATBELLYS
When: 9:30 p.m. Thursday
Admission: Free
Where: Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids
This makes the perfect (albeit noisier) post-concert concert for those taking in the Rachael Davis/Dominic John show above. Earthwork Music brings its fall tour to Grand Rapids, showcasing a host of the rootsy artists that are part of this Michigan collective: Seth Bernard and May Erlewine, Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys, darleneYa, Dede & The Dreamers, Joe Reilly, Strawberry Heritage and Sam Cooper. Impossible to go wrong here. The tour also stops Wednesday at The Ark in Ann Arbor, the Kalamazoo First Congregational UCC in Kalamazoo on Friday, Avenue Café in Lansing on Saturday and Milliken Auditorium in Traverse City on Sunday. Details online at the Earthwork Music website and at the Founders website.
Meanwhile, Fauxgrass and The Northern Skies will keep that folky vibe rolling at Founders on Saturday night, $5 (following up the brewery’s sold-out “Breakfast Stout Breakfast” event that runs 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday).
Jamaican Queens
JAMAICAN QUEENS, FLINT EASTWOOD
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $10 ($5 Hope College students)
Where: Park Theatre, 248 S. River Ave., Holland
The Hope College Concert Series dubs this a “Detroit showcase.” The Jamaican Queens are a fast-rising act whose “Wormfood” debut mixes “trap-rap beats with experimental, reverb-drenched pop,” earning it kudos as the “coolest album of 2013” by New York’s The L Magazine.
Detroit indie-dance/rock’s Flint Eastwood and “groove” band Five Pound Snap also share the bill. Get more information online here.
Uncommon Road playing at the Rocktagon Throwdown. (Photo/Local Spins)
UNCOMMON ROAD, ENDLESS WAREHOUSE
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $8 advance, $10 day of show
Where: Griswold Auditorium, 401 Hubbard St., Allegan
This hard-rocking, wildly entertaining Grand Rapids band won the first-ever WGRD Rocktagon Throwdown battle of the bands at The Orbit Room earlier this year. Now Uncommon Road will celebrate release of a dynamic new EP; the ticket price includes the band’s debut CD. Endless Warehouse and Chinese Baseball also perform on Saturday.
And tune into my Local Spins Live show at 10 a.m. Wednesday on News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW) when Uncommon Road will be in the studio talking about their new EP and performing a song on the air.
Living Colour
LIVING COLOUR, EQUAL PARTS
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $27 advance, $30 day of show
Where: The Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids
When Living Colour unleashed its “Vivid” debut album in 1988, this African-American, politically charged funk-metal/hard rock band almost immediately ascended to legendary status. Now, Vernon Reid and company are back on tour playing “Vivid” from cover to cover, making this a much-buzzed-about show. The 25th anniversary tour with Reid, Corey Glover, Will Calhoun and Doug Wimbish is wrapping up a Midwest run this month; the guys head overseas to Australia in 2014. Get tickets online here.
Eddie Spaghetti
EDDIE SPAGHETTI (of The Supersuckers)
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $10
Where: Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, Grand Rapids
Bloodshot Records’ recording artist Eddie Spaghetti is billed as “one quarter of the greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world,” aka The Supersuckers, which took the world by storm with its twangy, punky, garage rock-fueled explosiveness starting in the late 1980s. Well, lead vocalist and bassist Spaghetti is touring behind his first solo album, “The Value of Nothing,” described as distilling “everything he’s learned in his career-long, over-the-top and tongue-in-cheek adoration of all things rock and roll into a genre-scoffing dose of snarling country rock, full of pop hooks and wise-guy humor delivered with a brain, a heart and a beer.” The Lazy Hands are also on the Tip Top bill for what promises to be a rollicking evening.
Details online at this Facebook event page. And better yet: The first person to email me at jsinkevics@gmail.com with “Eddie Spaghetti” in the subject field wins a pair of tickets to Saturday’s show.
Jonny Lang
JONNY LANG
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $35, $50
Where: State Theatre, Kalamazoo
Guitarist and singer Jonny Lang has oozed blues and soul since he was a teen phenom. Since then, he’s shared stages with stars ranging from Buddy Guy to The Rolling Stones.
Now 32, Lang is touring behind his latest album, “Fight for My Soul,” which has charted on blues, Christian and the Billboard 200 charts. As a stellar, passionate singer and guitarist, his stage show is one not be missed.
Ellis Paul
ELLIS PAUL
When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $25 advance, $30 day of show
Where: Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake
With more than a dozen studio albums to his credit, Boston folk-pop icon Ellis Paul has won a staggering number of awards for his work, many of them Boston Music Awards. He has a new album slated for release in 2014 (for which he’s seeking funding help from fans), but before that, his U.S. tour makes a West Michigan stop at this vibrant Spring Lake listening room. Get tickets online at pindropconcerts.com.
The Crane Wives
THE CRANE WIVES & FRIENDS
When: 8 p.m. Sunday
Admission: Free
Where: Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids
How’s this for an intriguing show to wrap the weekend? Grand Rapids folk-rock faves The Crane Wives play a rare Sunday evening concert at Founders “in celebration of our Founders’ open-mic roots,” getting help from Nicholas James Thomasma and the Bandwagon, who will host a six-act open-mic session to kick off the evening before The Crane Wives take the stage.
As banjo player Tom Gunnels puts it, “We got our start at Founders. Their open-mic night was our first chance as a band, so we thought it would be fun to highlight the awesome thing that Founders Open Mic is to the music community by inviting people to come open for us, in a sense.”
UNDER-THE-RADAR PICKS
Heather Maloney and Darlingside playing The Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill in Grand Rapids, 7 p.m. Wednesday, $8 – Singer-songwriter Heather Maloney from the Boston area is a real fireplug and a tremendous vocalist, appropriately describing her music as “adventurous folk.” Another Massachusetts product, indie-folk’s Darlingside is also on the bill for this mid-week show. Details online here.
Laura Steltmann CD-release show at Schuler Books & Music on 28th Street in Grand Rapids, 7 p.m. Thursday; LVNMUZQ playing Schuler Books & Music on 28th Street, 7 p.m. Friday, both free – Laura Steltmann, retired principal cellist for the Grand Rapids Symphony, unveils music from her new album with the help of the interpretive dance of Laura Armenta. Schuler’s follows this up on Friday night with the urban folk of LVNMUZQ, aka Liz Snavely and crew.
Mutrix and Steve Swift playing The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids, 9 p.m. Thursday, $13 advance, $16 day of show – Seems like every week another up-and-coming EDM star rolls through town to fire up electronic music fans. Cincinnati native Mutrix, aka James Ruehlmann, will dubstep his way into the hearts of Pyramid Scheme stalwarts, along with GR’s own Steve Swift.
David Nail playing The Intersection in Grand Rapids, 8 p.m. Friday, $16.93 advance, $20 day of show – Country music singer David Nail, touring behind the single, “Whatever She’s Got,” and with a new album, “I’m a Fire,” set for release next year, headlines this show hosted by radio station B-93, with West Michigan’s own Union Guns and Nashville’s Brothers Osborne also on the bill. By the way, Grand Rapids’ own Kari Lynch Band plays the Grand Woods Lounge a block down the street the same night so you can make this an all-night hoedown.
Grieves, Rick Chyme and Philthy playing The Stache (The Intersection’s front lounge) in Grand Rapids, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, $13 advance, $15 day of show; The Devil Wears Prada playing The Intersection’s main showroom, 7 p.m. Saturday, $20 advance, $23 day of show – Seattle’s Grieves brings his alternative hip-hop strains as part of his “Back on My Grizzly” tour to Grand Rapids, with the GR’s own Rick Chyme and Philthy adding to the evening’s intimate vibe. Meanwhile, in the bigger front room, Christian metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada unleashes its rock assault, touring behind its latest album, “8:18,” which not only topped Christian charts upon its release but also made it to No. 20 on the Billboard 200 chart. The Ghost Inside, Volumes and Texas in July heat up the rest of the bill. Details about both shows online at sectionlive.com.
GWAR
GWAR playing The Intersection in Grand Rapids, 7 p.m. Sunday, $20 advance, $23 day of show – Not sure what needs to be said about this humor-infused monster/metal show because those who know GWAR know their scary-movie approach to thrash metal. Whitechapel, Iron Regan and Band of Orcs will also attempt to peel the paint off the walls of The Intersection.
Wisaal playing Salt of the Earth in Fennville, 7 p.m. Sunday, $12 – This “Mediterranean fusion” band from the Lansing area brims with amazing instrumental talent. An ideal, intimate venue to embrace this innovative outfit. Details online at saltoftheearthfennville.com.
Randissimo’s Sunday Night Jazz at SpeakEZ Lounge, 7 p.m. Sunday, free — This week, drummer Randy Marsh brings in guitarist Carlos Melendez and keyboard whiz Mark Kahny, which will certainly make for a sweet night of jazz, indeed.
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2013, Spins on Music
The post Steve Vai, Rachael Davis & Dominic John, Living Colour, Jonny Lang, Eddie Spaghetti: The Big List Concert Guide appeared first on Spins on Music.