The Rockit King has experience playing Festival in the rain, but let's hope more wet drumsticks and drummers aren't on tap. Photo by Anthony Nowack.
2012 Festival of the Arts
Noon Friday-7 p.m. Sunday
Free
Throughout downtown Grand Rapids
I literally ran out of gas on my way back into town on Monday, but there’s certainly no shortage of musical fuel in Grand Rapids this week. Welcome to a special Tuesday, post-Memorial Day edition of Spins on Music’s picks of the week, and it’s one worth getting gassed up about, especially with Festival of the Arts and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s summer series firing up.
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(Look for my Festival picks here at Spins on Music later this week.) As for a pre-weekend warm-up: Primus fans might want to check out Minneapolis tribute band Frizzle Fry at Billy’s Lounge, 1437 Wealthy St. SE, at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, $5.
What would Festival be without a little rain in the forecast? More significantly, there’s a continuous string of live music on several stages in the forecast, covering every imaginable genre and style. Grand Rapids’ downtown celebration of the arts gives solo artists and bands from across the region a chance to strut their stuff in front of huge crowds – crowds which swell in size on Friday and Saturday nights when groups such as The Rockit King, Valentiger, The Outer Vibe, AG Silver, The Mines, Union Guns and more swing into action.
You can find the full schedule online at the Festival website here, along with the roster of art exhibits, food booths, kid activities and other attractions. And come back to Spins on Music later this week when I’ll round up a few of my live music picks for 2012 Festival.
Ronnie Dunn plays The Intersection on Friday.
Ronnie Dunn, The Bronk Bros.
Gunnar & the Grizzly Boys
6:30 p.m. Friday
$25, $30, $75
The Intersection, Grand Rapids
After ending his run with what’s considered the most successful country music duo in history (Brooks & Dunn), Ronnie Dunn has taken his Texan cowboy act on the road on his own, touring behind his self-titled 2011 solo debut, which has generated the hits “Bleed Red,” “Cost of LIvin’,” and “Let the Cowboy Rock.” He’ll rock The Intersection on Friday, along with West Michigan’s own The Bronk Bros. and Gunnar & the Grizzly Boys opening the show.
By the way, the same night, The Intersection’s front lounge will host a 10 p.m. show by Belgian garage-rockers The Black Box Revelation, which recently wrapped up a tour with Jane’s Addiction. Special guest for the Grand Rapids show will be The Love Hate. Tickets are $8 in advance; $10 the day of the show. Slightly psychedelic and all raw, energetic rock, BBR is a duo well worth checking out; watch one of their videos below.
The B-52s
The B-52s, Alexis
7 p.m. Friday
Sold out
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids Township
The selection of deliciously entertaining, Grand Rapids electro-pop duo Alexis to open for the party-rock B-52s at Meijer Gardens on Friday makes this a series-opening concert like no other that the outdoor amphitheater has ever seen. “Rock Lobster,” “Love Shack” and “Goldstar” all on the same night? Bring your dancing shoes and a sense of humor. Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Cindy Wilson and the rest of the B-52s crew, by the way, recently starred as the house band for the 2012 TV Land Awards.
Friday’s show represents the kickoff to their summer tour, with the B-52s playing Detroit’s Belle Isle Park on Saturday. And Alexis plays Festival’s Clock Tower Stage at 7:45 p.m. Saturday in downtown Grand Rapids.
Against Me! makes a Grand Rapids tour stop this weekend.
Against Me!
The Icarus Line, Cheap Girls
6:30 p.m. Saturday
$13 advance, $15 day of show
The Orbit Room, Grand Rapids
Granted, Against Me! has gotten more attention lately for lead singer Tom Gabel’s disclosure in Rolling Stone magazine that he’s transgender, having coped with gender dysphoria since childhood. Whether fronting the band as Gabel, or eventually, as Laura Jane Grace, the singer and his band recently began recording their sixth studio album, “Transgender Dysphoria Blues.”
The Florida punk rock band certainly has built an impressive following over the years (2010’s “White Crosses” made it into the Top 40 of the Billboard 200), especially considering its humble beginnings: The group regularly played Grand Rapids’ small all-ages club, Skelletones.
(By the way, The Orbit Room also hosts Georgia rapper 2 Chainz at 8 tonight, Tuesday, in an 18-and-older show; $51. Get details about both shows here.)
Karisa Wilson, Lucas Wilson
9 p.m. Saturday
$5
Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids
I’ve been absorbing Karisa Wilson’s brand new studio album, “Stronger,” with great pleasure: The Grand Rapids singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has assembled a rootsy, insightful gem with some gorgeous vocals. On Saturday, she’ll unveil the project at Founders as part of a dual release show with former Sweet Japonic frontman Lucas Wilson, who also has just taken delivery of his new rock album, which has been in the works for more than 18 months. The snippets I’ve heard are inspiring. This should make a perfect post-Festival stop on Saturday.
Email: jsinkevics@gmail.com
