This live music week boasted shows by The Accidentals, Fauxgrass, Hey Marco!, Full Catastrophe, Hall & Oates and, yes, a Traverse City homecoming bash for “The Voice’s” Joshua Davis.
Spring Fling Thing: The Bimini Brothers rolled out raucous, ribald rock at The Intersection Saturday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
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These days, The Accidentals might be considered Traverse City’s hottest musical commodity … if not for singer-songwriter Joshua Davis, who’s made a giant splash the past few months on NBC’s “The Voice.”
High-Energy Folk: The Accidentals at SpeakEZ Lounge. (Photo/Anna Sink)
Both headlined special events: Davis playing a “hometown concert” at Traverse City’s State Theatre as part of an NBC show taping, with hundreds of well-wishers jamming the street outside the venue with fans and well-wishers carrying signs, cheering their hero and lining up for autographs from a grateful Davis and his family. He later led an all-star band of Michigan musicians through songs from “The Voice” and his own catalog.
The Accidentals, meanwhile, made their debut at Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge, playing the first Local Spins third anniversary party of the month after performing during the HopCat presents Local Spins Live at Rivers City Studios podcast.
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But there was more:
• Los Angeles pop outfit Metro Station filled up The Stache early in the week;
• Following Jason Aldean’s mega-concert at Van Andel Arena, Michigan’s own Brian Lorente & The Usual Suspects and DeeJay Silver pumped up a dance party at The Intersection on Thursday;
Founders Debut: David Kirchgessner and Mustard Plug on Saturday. (Photo/Anna Sink)
• Fauxgrass (operating as a trio without fiddler Jeffrey Niemeier) returned to Rockford Brewing on Friday to impress a solid crowd with its progressive bluegrass;
• Mike G hosted a bevy of Grand Rapids rappers during the ebullient Hip Hop Heavyweights competition at The Intersection on Friday;
• Hall & Oates delivered an evening of nostalgic, soulful hits at Van Andel Arena on Saturday (check out the full Local Spins review and photo gallery);
• For the first time ever on the Founders Brewing stage, Grand Rapids’ Mustard Plug unleashed its dance-happy ska strains on Saturday night, with Unlikely Alibi on stage just before that;
• Just down the street, The Bimini Brothers rolled out their goofball, scary-male-thong-enhanced, audience-interactive rock ‘n’ roll party machine during the band’s annual “spring fling” at The Intersection on Saturday, with The Denise Brown Connection opening;
• Hey Marco! and Full Catastrophe brought their double CD-release party to the confines of SpeakEZ Lounge the same night, overwhelming the mini-stage with their colorful, vibrant ensembles;
• The weekend finished with a sold-out flourish as rapper Tyler the Creator pumped up a wild crowd at The Intersection on Sunday night.
WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY: May 10, 2015
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Joshus Davis/Traverse City photos by Mike Norton and Ralston Bowles
The Accidentals photos by Anna Sink
Metro Station photos by Tori Thomas
DeeJay Silver photos by Eric Stoike
Fauxgrass photo by John Sinkevics
Hip Hop Heavyweights, Hall & Oates photos by Anthony Norkus
Mustard Plug photos by Anna Sink
Bimini Brothers, Denise Brown Connection photos by Anthony Norkus
Hey Marco!, Full Catastrophe photos by Tori Thomas
Tyler the Creator photos by Anthony Norkus and Eric Stoike
Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC
