Falling on a busy Saturday, the 12th annual festival at Grand Rapids’ Wealthy Theatre showcased West Michigan bands of every ilk and raised thousands for charity. (Photo gallery)
The atmosphere backstage Saturday for Jake’s Music Festival said it all.
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Broad grins, warm handshakes and hugs, jovial banter and musical camaraderie was the order of the day — and long evening — as a dozen bands and solo artists covering a myriad of genres lit up the stage Saturday at Grand Rapids’ Wealthy Theatre.
That all of them donated their time and energy to the cause, raising more than $5,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, seemed to just make the 12th annual edition of the festival that much more upbeat and inspiring.
“I love it,” said Joe Bockheim, frontman for The Legal Immigrants right after the band’s rousing early evening set at Jake’s Music Festival and just before the rock group left for yet another Saturday gig.
Indeed, several of the performers — including The Legal Immigrants, Emma Loo, Charlie Darling, JOE and Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish — did double-duty (or even triple-duty) on Saturday, also playing events for Record Store Day at Vertigo Music, Dodds Record Shop and Flamingo Lounge. (Return to Local Spins on Sunday night for a Record Store Day photo gallery.)
A solid turnout of attendees cheered them and the rest of the lineup (Take3, Brother Adams, Nick Arthur & The Habitat, The Sailor Kicks, Fathom 19, Murder Party) on a picture-perfect spring day that left organizers Clay Grueber, Tom Scheidel and Scheidel’s son, Jake (for whom the festival is named) beaming.
“You could feel the energy in the room from the very first band and it just seemed to grow all night,” said Tom Scheidel. “I think the festival went great. The bands were fantastic. Clay did an excellent job of putting together a killer lineup.”
Not surprisingly, he added on Sunday, “Our whole team is pretty tired today.”
Tired but happy.
PHOTO GALLERY: Jake’s Music Festival photos by Anthony Norkus and Taylor Mansen
VIDEO: Nick Arthur & The Habitat at Jake’s Music Festival
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