Doobie Brothers, Pink Martini, The Legal Immigrants, Nathan Kalish & The Lastcallers: Weekend Photo Gallery (June 30-July 5)

The weather cooperated beautifully during the holiday week for shows large and small, including sets by Mid-Life Crisis, Rusty Wright Band and bands at the Fourth of July celebration downtown.

 

The holiday started early this week.

Not only did a fair number of people take advantage of an extra day off to extend their vacation weeks and revel in beer, barbecues and basking in the sun, but bands took advantage of terrific weather outside – relaxed audiences inside – to showcase new albums and fan favorites.

The celebrations of new music drew enthused, if moderately sized, crowds at Founders Brewing on Saturday for The Legal Immigrants and on Thursday for Nathan Kalish & The Lastcallers.

• Grand Rapids’ The Legal Immigrants detonated music from their sophomore album, “Drugs to Roses,” with a hard-rock volley that was part Jack White and part Led Zeppelin, led by frontman and songwriter Joe Bockheim and his Robert Plant-like head of hair (and with new lead guitarist Ben Taber). That set followed a rollicking opening by Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, who wowed the crowd with a wall of sound that belied their two-piece attack.

• Earlier in the week, it was vintage country and Americana (with a rockabilly soul) courtesy of Nathan Kalish & The Lastcallers, who officially debuted their new album, “How Am I Supposed to Get Home,” then promptly hit the road across the Midwest to play those new songs as well as tunes crafted for a follow-up album that will be recorded in Kansas City in about a month. Grand Rapids’ Benjamin Riley and North Carolina’s Mike Blair and the Stonewalls opened the Founders show.

• The same night that The Legal Immigrants were creating fireworks of their own on Independence Day, the Amway Family Fireworks drew throngs downtown, including about 20,000 people at Ah-Nab-Awen Park along the Grand Rapids. Bands performing before the pyrotechnics included the Holland American Legion Band, Upstage Crew Blues Band, Tyler Howe Band and Pop Cult, followed by a colorful fireworks show. The park and the bridges were packed tight for the fun-for-all-ages event filled with music, sweet treats and a positive atmosphere.

• Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s summer concert series also entered its busiest stretch of the season. Portland, Ore.’s Pink Martini returned to the outdoor amphitheater on Friday taking the 1,250 or so in attendance on a journey around the world, musically speaking, with lead singer China Forbes singing in English, French, Greek, Croatian, German and Turkish as part of the 13-piece band’s eclectic jazz-fueled approach. At different points during the first set, she even invited fans on stage to sing along on what was an absolute perfect evening weather-wise.

• On Sunday night, another return performer, classic rock’s The Doobie Brothers, regaled a sold-out crowd of 1,900 for Meijer Gardens’ eighth show of the summer series, amid stellar weekend-ending weather. California singer-songwriter and Tom Johnston’s daughter, Lara Johnston, kicked things off for the packed house with a powerful performance that got more than just a few people out of their chairs and onto their feet. The Doobie Brothers took the stage with “Jesus Is Just Alright” and forged ahead with a 90-minute set, finishing off the night with three encores, one of which had Johnston returning to the stage to sing with the group.

• Earlier in the week, Grand Rapids’ own classic rock fave, Mid-Life Crisis, revved up the Garage Bar Block Party on Ottawa Avenue NW on Wednesday night for a few hundred happy fans and bikers.

• And the Flint area’s Rusty Wright Band – promoting a new album, “Wonder Man” – cranked out an evening of blues, led by Wright’s scintillating guitar work, for a large crowd in downtown Rockford, part of the Rogue River Blues Series.

LOCAL SPINS WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY: June 30-July 5

The Legal Immigrants, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish. Nathan Kalish photos by Anna Sink
Fourth of July celebration photos by Taylor Mansen
Pink Martini photos by Anna Sink
Doobie Brothers photos by Taylor Mansen
Mid-Life Crisis photos courtesy of Charley Honey and Mid-Life Crisis
Rusty Wright Band photos by John Sinkevics

Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC