Kathy Lamar, The Go Rounds, Here Come the Mummies, Skankadank, Fable the Poet: Weekend Photo Gallery

This live music roundup ranges from The Lacs’ country rap to the Mummies’ funk to Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish’s rockabilly to the Go Rounds’ rootsy-but-danceable vibe to Kathy Lamar’s jazz and more.

 

Yes, it’s been “a long, cold lonely winter,” but as The Beatles also proclaimed, “Here Comes the Sun.”

Of course, in the case of this week’s live music, spring also brought Here Come the Mummies, who returned to The Intersection on Saturday for their usual bandage-wrapped, lively display of funk, getting help from Grand Rapids’ own Jim Shaneberger Band.

But there was plenty more to dazzle music lovers around town:

• Grand Rapids jazz singer Kathy Lamar celebrated release of her new album, “Songs for Elsa,” for an ardorous, approving crowd of well-wishers at One Trick Pony on Thursday night, lighting things up impressively not only on vocals, but with the rousing musicianship of pianist Steve Talaga, bassist Warren Jones and drummer Scott Veenstra. Album producer Tommy Schichtel and a host of other local musicians were on hand to cheer the veteran singer on.

• The Lacs — aka Clay “Uncle Snap” Sharpe and Brian “Rooster” King — brought their country rap approach to The Intersection on Thursday for an audience of folks who were “Kickin’ Up Mud” and, yes, drinking plenty of beer.

• Grand Rapids’ Skankadank and Mount Pleasant’s Big Sherb had things jamming at Founders Brewing on Thursday, with the revamped lineup of Skankadank filling the room with its soulful, horn-enhanced charm.

• Fable the Poet led an eclectic mix of performers at the appropriately titled, “Everything Under the Sun,” at Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill on Friday night, with Jesse Ray & the Carolina Catfish, Lady Ace Boogie, Zac Quist, DJ Andre Skeezus Ford and Rachel Gleason in the lineup.

• Saturday night also saw the return of Kalamazoo’s The Go Rounds to The Pyramid Scheme, with Chris Bathgate and The Antivillains appearing as part of the three bands’ Michigan mini-tour. A solid crowd embraced the groups, with Go Rounds frontman Graham Parsons taking the stage with all three bands. Read more about The Go Rounds, their tour and upcoming new studio album in this Local Spins Artist Spotlight (along with a video of their recent radio performance).

LOCAL SPINS WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY: March 22, 2015
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Kathy Lamar photos by Tori Thomas
The Lacs photos by Eric Stoike
Skankadank photos by Tori Thomas
‘Everything Under the Sun’ photos by Anthony Norkus
Here Come the Mummies photos by Eric Stoike
The Go Rounds, Chris Bathgate, The Antivillains photos by Anthony Norkus

Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC