Rocking stages from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Howell, Michigan’s holiday weekend gave music devotees plenty to celebrate, with dozens of bands performing at venues large and small.
Welcome Home: Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers uncorked a triumphant show in Kalamazoo this weekend. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
Music devotees of all stripes found the perfect way to kick off the summer.
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West Michigan's music scene
Memorial Day holiday weekend gave them almost countless options for live music splendor in the Great Lakes State.
In Grand Rapids, The Pyramid Scheme on Friday unleashed “Local Showcase No. 14” with sets by Major Murphy, Bet on Rats, Great Black Night and How to Live Together. And on Saturday, the nightclub hosted the CD-release party for Lazy Genius and its new studio album, “Holographic,” with Lambo and Sleep Cheaters also on the bill.
Spring Lake’s Seven Steps Up, meanwhile, boasted an appearance by Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) and Dominique Arciero on Thursday — a special evening for the intimate listening room.
PHOTO GALLERY: The Pyramid Scheme photos by Katy Batdorff
Seven Steps Up photos by Joy Photo
BLED FEST 2017
The festival took place in Howell on the east side of the state, but plenty of West Michigan bands — and fans — were on hand for the latest installation of the day-long Bled Fest. Nearly 70 bands, including popular West Michigan acts such as La Dispute, Bike Tuff and others, packed the Hartland Performing Arts Center on Saturday for non-stop punk, post-hardcore and more.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bled Fest 2017 photos by Kendra Kamp
(Bear Vs. Shark, Diet Cig, Fall of Troy, Into It. Over It., Jashua, Jesus Piece, Koji, La Dispute, Man Mountain, Parkway Columbia, Petal, Ratboys, Slingshot Dakota, The Flatliners, Vagabonds)
KALAMAZOO
Kalamazoo certainly had no shortage of diverse, exhilarating shows over the weekend, including the return of Michigan’s Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers to Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Cafe. The band has been crisscrossing the country in support of its latest studio album, “Pluto.” Grand Rapids’ Desmond Jones opened the show.
Bell’s actually started the holiday weekend early on Thursday with performances by Kalamazoo’s own Cold Mountain Child and Portland, Ore.’s The Shook Twins, and followed up Friday’s jam-packed Rainbow Seekers show with a concert by Big Dudee Roo.
HopCat Kalamazoo, meanwhile, has impressed audiences with its new outdoor patio series which has featured Double Strung, Libby DeCamp and Delilah DeWylde among others.
And Shakespeare’s hosted a Chris Kauffman Tribute Show, which included sets by Reggaeloution, Strange Country and others.
PHOTO GALLERY: Kalamazoo photos by Derek Ketchum
