Ziggy Marley, Bonnie Raitt, Gavin DeGraw, O.A.R., Toto, Lake Street Dive, Grace Potter, America, even Jay Leno are part of 30-show series, with tickets on sale to Meijer Gardens members on April 30.
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From established music icons Diana Ross, Gregg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, The Beach Boys, America, Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne to contemporary stars Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Ben Folds, Of Monsters and Men, Grace Potter, Gavin DeGraw, Lake Street Dive and O.A.R., the 2016 summer series at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park covers a lot of territory.
And that doesn’t even count intriguing tour stops by the likes of Fitz & The Tantrums, Tears for Fears, Toto, Ziggy Marley, The Decemberists, Femi Kuti, WAR , Seal and, yes, Jay Leno – all part of the 30-show lineup announced today by Meijer Gardens, which puts discounted 2016 tickets on sale to Meijer Gardens members on April 30.
When Art Garfunkel played the first official amphitheater concert at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park back in June 2003, no one could have predicted that this modest venture would bloom into a 30-concert summer series with dozens of sold-out shows every year.
I certainly didn’t, and I was there on that opening night amid a relatively subdued but happy crowd as Garfunkel serenaded fans with some laid-back gems.
I’ve attended nearly 200 of those concerts since, watching as the eclectic series has booked familiar legends and up-and-coming stars, pumped up capacity crowds for some of the summer’s most inspiring shows, and weathered the ups and downs of audience tastes and ticket-sale hubbubs.
Yes, there’s been some inclement weather (although not often) and at least one entertainer tantrum (Ray LaMontagne).
Luckily, the only tantrums on this year’s schedule – which kicks off on June 6 with ‘80s band Tears for Fears and winds up with Gavin DeGraw/Andy Grammer on Sept. 7 – appear to be Fitz & The Tantrums, an entertaining L.A. indie-pop/soul outfit that’s slated to play the amphitheater on June 26.
2016 TICKET PRICES RISE SLIGHTLY
As for the affordability of this series that’s grown in stature at the 1,900-seat amphitheater over the years, public tickets range in price from $38 for Lake Street Dive on Aug. 24 to $100 for Motown diva Diana Ross on July 25.
Overall, this year’s average ticket price is $62.50, an increase over the $61.23 average for 2015. (By the way, these prices don’t include handling and convenience fees of $5.25 per ticket and $3.50 per order, so budget accordingly.)
As for the popularity of the 2016 series, that will be determined by the number of sellouts that take place during the pre-sale period to Meijer Gardens members that begins at 9 a.m. April 30 and ends at midnight May 13 – and believe me, hundreds of folks will be in line at Meijer Gardens in the wee morning hours of April 30 in hopes of snagging tickets to their preferred shows.
Public sales begin at 9 a.m. May 14. (Tickets will be available online at startickets.com, by phone at 1-800-585-3737 or in person at the Meijer Gardens admission desk.)
The full schedule is below, but here’s a rundown of some 2016 shows of note in various categories.
NEW BLOOD
Millennials — and music devotees in the know — will likely smile and pump their fists to see a number of rising stars in this year’s lineup, including Fitz & The Tantrums, indie-hippie rock ensemble (and festival fave) Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, old-timey folk/bluegrass powerhouse Old Crow Medicine Show, reggae icons Ziggy Marley and Michael Franti, pop-rock’s Gavin DeGraw and Andy Grammer, and trendy piano man Ben Folds, not to mention Of Monsters and Men and The Decemberists (previously announced for the series). The majority of these artists have never played Meijer Gardens before.
NOSTALGIA NIGHTS
Get ready for some baby boomer sing-alongs and hip-swiveling, what with The Monkees, America, Jackson Browne, Greg Allman, Diana Ross, WAR, Toto, Beach Boys and even an ABBA tribute on the roster this summer. And somewhat younger fans will be doing much the same with the likes of Goo Goo Dolls, Tears for Fears and Seal.
FAMILIAR FACES
Thirteen of this year’s acts have played Meijer Gardens before, including perennial amphitheater favorite Lyle Lovett, who has jokingly been referred to as Meijer Gardens’ ‘house band.’ Other repeaters include Bonnie Raitt, Beach Boys, O.A.R., Grace Potter, Ben Harper, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Michael Franti.
THE 2016 MEIJER GARDENS SERIES LINEUP AND SCHEDULE
Tears for Fears, June 6 ($75 presale, $78 member, $80 public)
An Evening with The Monkees, June 8 ($52 presale, $55 member, $57 public)
America, June 12 ($47 presale, $50 member, $52 public)
Of Monsters and Men, June 13 ($45 presale, $48 member, $50 public)
Ziggy Marley, June 15 ($43 presal, $46 member, $48 public)
Tedeschi Trucks Band, June 17 ($72 presale, $75 member, $77 public)
Michael Franti & Spearhead, June 22 ($40 presale, $43 member, $45 public)
Fitz and the Tantrums, June 26 ($40 presale, $43 member, $45 public)
An Evening with Jackson Browne, June 27 ($68 presal, $71 member, $73 public)
Gregg Allman, June 29 ($48 presale, $51 member, $53 public)
Ben Folds with yMusic, July 10 ($48 presale, $51 member, $53 public)
The Decemberists, July 11 ($45 presale, $48 member, $50 public)
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, July 13 ($68 presale, $71 member, $73 public)
Old Crow Medicine Show, July 14 ($45 presale, $48 member, $50 public)
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, July 17 ($38 presale, $41 member, $43 public)
Femi Kuti & The Positive Force Band, Bombino, July 20 ($35 presale, $38 member, $40 public)
An Evening with Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, July 24 ($63 presale, $66 member, $68 public)
Diana Ross, July 25 ($95 presale, $98 member, $100 public)
Goo Goo Dolls, July 27 ($85 presale, $88 member, $90 public)
Jay Leno, July 28 ($94 presale, $97 member, $99 public)
Grace Potter, August 3 ($42 presale, $45 member, $47 public)
WAR & Los Lonely Boys, August 10 ($49 presale, $52 member, $54 public)
Toto, August 14 ($50 presale, $53 member, $55 public)
ABBA the Concert: A Tribute to ABBA, August 17 ($43 presale, $46 member, $48 public)
An Evening with The Beach Boys, August 21 ($64 presale, $67 member, $69 public)
Lake Street Dive, August 24 ($33 presale, $36 member, $38 public)
Seal, August 26 ($90 presale, $93 member, $95 public)
Bonnie Raitt, Richard Thompson, August 31 ($86 presale, $89 member, $91 public)
O.A.R., September 1 ($55 presale, $58 member, $60 public)
Gavin DeGraw & Andy Grammer, September 7 ($67 presale, $70 member, $72 public)
Get details and more ticket information online at meijergardens.org.
Copyright 2016, Spins on Music LLC