The engaging singer-guitarist’s return to Grand Rapids with his reggae fusion band had him mixing with the crowd and bringing young fans on stage for a memorable evening. (Review, photos)
Riding a wave of seemingly unflappable positivity doesn’t mean one can’t also pause to acknowledge the heavy stuff.
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Beloved singer/poet/peace activist Michael Franti has that balance down to a science. Early on in his nearly two-hour, sold-out set Wednesday evening at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Franti took a moment to reflect on the recent massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando.
“No one should ever have to live in fear of violence for being their own true selves,” Franti said, calling for “increased compassion, love and equality.”
“That party (at Pulse nightclub in Orlando) got cut short. Tonight, we celebrate on (the victims’ and survivors’) behalf,” Franti said. “There’s no better time to be alive than today. … There’s no better time to be a difference-maker.”
The reggae/rock/hip hop/dance artist then dedicated “Good to Be Alive Today” (from his newest album “Soulrocker,” released in early June) to the survivors, victims, families and first responders of the deadly attack.
It was a somber moment that Franti tastefully segued into an evening of camera-ready weather — flaunted in the face of predictions of Biblical hail storms and tornadoes, no less! — and an upbeat, nearly 20-song set list spanning a catalog of popular standbys such as “Say Hey (I Love You)” and “11:59,” to name a few, as well as new cuts.
As is standard at a Franti show, the artist spent a good portion of the evening mixing with the audience, wandering up and down the amphitheater hill, hugging fans, sharing the mike with fans and inviting children to hop on stage and sing with him.
The crowd — on its finest behavior, as was the case with Meijer Gardens’ 2015 Franti show — jumped up and down, sang, danced, hugged and laughed its way through the entirety of the show.
Hip hop artist Chali 2na, best known for his work in Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli, warmed up the receptive venue with a 45-minute set that playfully blended sounds from a swath of genres and eras. Like the headliner, Chali 2na (given name, Charles Stewart), graciously mixed with the crowd and paused several times throughout the evening to pose for selfies with fans.
PHOTO GALLERY: Michael Frati & Spearhead at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Anna Sink and Tricia Woolfenden