Festival 2014: Rev. Marvin Sapp, Rev Charles Preston Smith and the Local Spins live music picks

Grand Rapids’ 45th annual Festival of the Arts boasts hundreds of acts, including two veterans from opposite ends of the musical spectrum. And check out some musicians’ picks for the weekend.

 

By John Sinkevics
LocalSpins.com

Take it from Festival of the Arts veteran – and Grammy-nominated gospel singer – Marvin Sapp, who first sang at the Grand Rapids event as a 10-year-old “with the voices of Alexander School.”

There’s simply nothing quite like the Festival experience.

“Absolutely. Love Festival,” the singer told Local Spins as he prepares to make another Festival appearance at 6:15 p.m. Saturday on the Circle Stage in what’s billed as “Dr. Marvin Sapp presents The Lighthouse Full Life Center Mass Choir.” It’s his second Festival appearance since starting Lighthouse in 2003, after performing for many years at the event with the Bethel Pentecostal Choir.

At the other end of the musical spectrum, there’s Rev Charles Preston Smith and the often irreverent PotatoeBabies, who are every bit as enthusiastic about Festival’s charms. Smith has performed at Festival for 25 straight years and, more remarkably, has yet to get rained on.

“Festival of the Arts is where all my musical dreams came true,” gushes Smith, who’ll play wacky-cool rock with the PotatoeBabies at 5 p.m. Sunday on the City Stage. “I saw my first ‘live’ band. As a teenager, I attended with my first love. As a young adult, I was privileged to perform for the first time.

“Now, 25 years later, all I want to do is give everything I can both musically and physically performance-wise. Festival is pretty much therapy for me. The emotion involved in every performance, restructuring the band each year, dealing with relationships, and all the new people I meet is a rollercoaster I’m happy to ride. Every year, I add a new ‘Festival song’ and we have a few surprises lined up.”

Smith — who now owns Dodds Record Shop on S. Division Avenue — has even printed up “Rev Charles Says Everybody Love Everybody” T-shirts just for Festival 2014.

Another veteran Festival performer, guitarist and singer Tom DeVries, has played the event more than 20 times over the years with a variety of groups, including The Hill People and Blue Water Ramblers.

DeVries calls it a unique “place where you can cut your teeth” as a musician and performer. He’ll play “The Songs of Bob Dylan” at 8:15 p.m. Friday on the Outer Fringe Stage, and will then join the Blue Water Ramblers on mandolin immediately after.

With more than 300 performances on six outdoor stages (and one indoor) – and a weather forecast that bodes well at least for the beginning of the weekend – Festival really does have something for everybody to get excited about somewhere within its eclectic, wide-ranging ranks, from jazz to blues to rock to folk to classical to gospel to cumbia to pop to bluegrass.

And considering there are pretty much continuous performances from noon Friday until 6:30 p.m. Sunday, it’s a daunting schedule to peruse. Hey, there’s everything from the Grand Rapids Accordion Ensemble at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on the Circle Stage to the GR8 Trombone Octet at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

So, Local Spins once again has assembled its list of “Festival Picks” to get you started. We’ve even asked a few local musicians/Festival performers to suggest acts to catch this weekend.

(And here’s an intriguing update: One of Local Spins’ picks from 2013, 13-year-old electric guitar phenom Joe “LittleEdge” Heemstra has joined established rock band Vertical Bridge. Now 14, he’ll play with the band at 7 p.m. Saturday on the Clock Tower Stage.)

Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, so check out the full schedule at festivalgr.org/guide.

MUSICIANS’ PICKS

By Brent Shirey of the Grand Rapids rock/pop band Valentiger, which plays at 3:45 p.m. Sunday on the Clock Tower Stage.

SATURDAY
2:15 p.m. – Ken Bierschbach, Outer Fringe – Ken has been a staple in the West Michigan music scene for over 30 years and there’s a reason why, quoting from his biography, “His music can be found at the place where pop, rock, folk and country meet; Garth Brooks meets Neil Diamond, meets Gordon Lightfoot.” I’m not sure you can argue with that, outdoors at Festival of the Arts on a Saturday afternoon.

SUNDAY
3:30 p.m. – Heaters, City Stage – If you’re looking for your rock n’ roll fix, toss Heaters in the mix. Branded as “West Coast garage and Austin psychedelic,” they fall into my list. Never having heard the band live, I’m intrigued. Check them out beforehand at heaters.bandcamp.com.

5:30 p.m. – The Luke Lenhart Band, Clock Tower Stage – This trio, sometimes featuring special guests, stays true to its acoustic roots, covering Beatles classics in a bluegrass fashion. It’s a perfect way to close down your 2014 Festival of the Arts experience on a Sunday evening.

By jazz singer Edye Evans Hyde, who performs with the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra at 3 p.m. Sunday on the Calder Stage

FRIDAY
8 p.m. – Rick Chyme, Fountain Stage – He’s a multi-Jammie Award winner for his “5iveit LP,” and a hip-hop wordsmith. Rick Chyme is an amazing freestyle and improvisational rapper and he has a great album that I am so honored to be a part of.

8 p.m. – The Max Colley III Quintet, Calder Stage – As the 2014 West Michigan Jazz Society Jazz Musician of the Year, Max Colley III has played trumpet or drums with international jazz royalty. Come hear the best of what West Michigan Jazz has to offer.

By The Jukejoint Handmedowns, who play at 10:45 a.m. Saturday on the City Stage

FRIDAY
2 p.m. – Dale Wicks, Fountain Stage — You may have seen this singer-songwriter hosting open mics around Grand Rapids, but treat yourself to a full set. He’s sincere without being sappy, and smooth without being glossy.

SATURDAY
12:15 p.m. – Nicholas James and the Bandwagon, Clock Tower Stage – Fresh from the ‘Buses by the Beach’ festival and the recent Bob Dylan Tribute at Founders, Nick, Clouds and the Bandwagon are routinely a highlight of Festival weekend. Their good-time music represents a unique brand of ‘Home Grown West Michigan Pride.’

1:45 p.m. – Otis Blueswell, Jr., Clock Tower Stage — Otis Blueswell, Jr. (bearing a suspicious resemblance to long-time local music scene fixture Kevin Murphy) plays with an often-shifting, always-raucous lineup, but the centerpiece is always Otis’ world-class harmonica work, deep-cuts song selection, and a vocal that sounds like it’s coming off a long-neglected 45.

SUNDAY
1:45 p.m. Patty Pierzchala & The Noon Thirties – City Stage – We’ve witnessed the exciting little bundle of energy which is Patty Pierzchala at the Quinn & Tuite’s open mic on several occasions, and we are looking forward to catching her act with a backing band.

LOCAL SPINS PICKS (By David Specht)

FRIDAY
2:15 p.m. – Deep Greens & Blues, City Stage – Since 2001 this Grand Rapids-based eclectic, acoustic trio has been blending blues, country, folk and rock on stages across West Michigan.

7:45 p.m. – Murder Party!, City Stage – Coming from a primarily punk rock background, the three members have been involved with numerous projects in the past and definitely know how to put on a show. By creating tunes that provide a dance-driven experience and combining them with dark themes, this Grand Rapids band puts on a show that is anything but dull.

8 p.m. – Rick Chyme, Fountain Stage – After breaking the world record for freestyle rapping with a 17-hour free-verse rap session at last year’s ArtPrize, the Grand Rapids hip-hop artist will once again bring his socially-conscious rhymes to the downtown area. And if you can’t make Chyme’s Friday performance, you can catch him at Local First’s Street Party on Saturday.

8:30 p.m. – The Muteflutes, Clock Tower Stage – Combining two acoustic guitars, piano, bells, vibe, synth and their voices, this five-piece indie folk band from Grand Rapids has been crafting their sound since 2010.

9 p.m. – Blue Water Ramblers, Outer Fringe Stage – This Grand Rapids foursome uses their special blend of bluegrass, country, folk and rock to share tales of their experiences in the Great Lakes region. And with band members named Banjo-Jim and Bear, you can bet their stories are as authentic as they come.

SATURDAY

1:45 p.m. – Funkle Jesse, Fountain Stage – This five-piece alt pop-rock band not only features harmonica, bass, guitar, keys and drums, but, according to their profile, “sexy dance moves, beard, facial expressions, old man wisdom, and backup beard,” which should make for a rather original live performance.

5 p.m. – Bermudas, City Stage – Focused on pumping out original catchy tracks and maintaining a positive vibe in the local music scene, this trio of ladies have developed their own garage-pop-rock sound that they’ve shared through their 2014 EP “Visit.”

6 p.m. – Jake Down & the Midwest Mess, Fountain Stage – Joined by three talented West Michigan musicians, Jake Down partakes in soulful storytelling via a developed folk rock sound.

8:15 p.m. – The Steve Hilger Band, Calder Stage – Boasting an experienced lineup, this ensemble plays primarily electric blues but at times dip into more progressive blues pieces.

9:15 p.m. – The Legal Immigrants, Clock Tower Stage – Inspired by artists ranging from The Black Keys to The Rolling Stones, this four-piece Grand Rapids band plays what can be described as pure rock n’ roll. After emerging in late 2012 with the release of their self-titled debut album, this group of relatively young musicians has already made a name for itself in the region.

SUNDAY

3:30 p.m. – Heaters, City Stage – This Grand Rapids trio takes West Coast garage rock and throws in handfuls of psychedelic sounds. Having performed regularly around the area, this psyche-rock group has definitely caught West Michigan’s attention.

4 p.m. – Uncle Betty, Clock Tower Stage – “A different bluegrass band” is how this four-man band describes themselves. During live performances, the group rotates the duties of lead vocals, giving each band member a chance to hold the position of lead singer, truly making for a different type of bluegrass band.

5 p.m. – Velcrofibs, Clock Tower Stage – After releasing their debut album, “City in Your Sleep” late last year, this post-rock quintet, comparable to more popular artists of the same genre such as Explosions in the Sky, has begun to establish a bit of a following in West Michigan through playing house shows.

5:30 p.m. – The Luke Lenhart Band, Clock Tower Stage – To wrap up the festival is none other than The Luke Lenhart Band, with an acoustic set comprised of bluegrass, country, gospel and of course – The Beatles.

Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2014, Spins on Music