Episode No. 122 boasted on-air performances by artists playing big benefit shows on Saturday, and also featured songs from Diff & Dudley, Jeremy Ensley, Carolyn Keobel, Lady Ace Boogie and Public Access.
‘Phenomenal’ Event: Drew Nelson, right, and Brian Morrill will play Saturday’s Winter Wheat. (Photo/Local Spins)
This week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE really was a study in contrasts – spotlighting a veteran Americana artist with 15-plus years of experience and hundreds of performances under his belt as well as a young, up-and-coming singer-songwriter who fronts a “garage, fuzzy, punk-influenced” band.
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Lena Trinket (Photo/Local Spins)
Consider it a microcosm of West Michigan’s eclectic music scene.
First up, the Jan. 13 show focused on participants in Saturday night’s “Plan B: A Benefit for Planned Parenthood” at The Pyramid Scheme which features several top-notch, female-fronted acts from the Grand Rapids area: AOK, Lady Ace Boogie, Lipstick Jodi, Prudence, Molly Bouwsma Schultz, Lena Trinket and Tonia Bug will all deliver sets in an evening organized by Hot Capicola Records co-founder Luke Schmidt.
“I wanted to do something positive, so I thought let’s do a charity event and I wanted it to be led by strong female acts,” Schmidt said of the “unbelievable lineup” for the event that benefits Planned Parenthood of Michigan.
Trinket, a member of the Grand Rapids band Flushed (nominated for Jammie Awards for its most recent recording, “Care Less”), will play a solo set at the event which starts at 8 p.m. Saturday. She previewed that by performing during Local Spins on WYCE. Get more information about Saturday’s event online here. Listen to the entire Local Spins on WYCE podcast here.
PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE with Lena Trinket, Luke Schmidt and Drew Nelson
The second half of this week’s show featured performances by well-traveled, Americana singer-songwriter Drew Nelson with percussionist Brian Morrill. Both will play Saturday’s day-long Winter Wheat benefit at The Intersection in Grand Rapids with 13 acts playing two stages starting at 12:30 p.m. in a benefit for the Wheatland Music Organization.
Drew Nelson (Photo/Local Spins)
On the bill this year: Nelson and Highway 2, Stella, K. Jones & The Benzie Playboys, Cabildo, Madcat Midnight Blues Journey, Olivia Mainville, Fauxgrass, Hawks & Owls, Stella, Blue Water Ramblers, Palooka Brothers (who’ll also play a set with the Costabella Cloggers), Mark Lavengood’s Bluegrass Bonanza and more – giving them all a chance to rub elbows and check out each other’s sets.
“It’s phenomenal. When I was traveling a lot I never got to hang out with anybody a whole lot because I was gone all the time,” Nelson said.
“So, Winter Wheat and the Jammies and things like that are really important to our community because we all get to hang out together. And I’m really proud of this year’s Winter Wheat because I’m actually on the committee … and I got to help pick out some bands. I’m really proud of our lineup this year. There’s something for everyone.”
Read more about Winter Wheat and check out the full schedule in this Local Spins story.
To help preview Winter Wheat, Nelson performed two songs in Studio X at WYCE with Morrill on cajon.
Listen to the podcast above, and check out the video here for their rendition of “Lessons” during Local Spins on WYCE (which also featured the debut of new songs by Jim Shaneberger Band, Lake Effects, Carolyn Koebel, Diff & Dudley and Jeremy Ensley, plus music from Public Access and Lady Ace Boogie).
VIDEO: Drew Nelson with Brian Morrill, “Lessons” (Local Spins on WYCE)
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