The Lippies roar, Valley Girl and Reg Legs shine: Photo gallery

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West Michigan’s week of live music featured a rousing CD-release party, a rambunctious homecoming, an epic pop-meets-rock show and the fifth anniversary of a unique listening room. Check out all the photos and some video highlights.

Punk Power: Tonia Broucek led The Lippies in a triumphant set Saturday. (Photo/Anna Sink)

At one point during The Lippies’ brash, fist-pumping, crowd-surfing, fan-appreciating, uber-exaltant album-release show at The Pyramid Scheme, singer Tonia Broucek was crowned queen of the stage, tiara and all.

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It was a fitting moment for one of the bands that’s rapidly ascended to punk royalty in Grand Rapids thanks to its infectious and rebellious, powerful and woman-affirming music — and due to its singularly rowdy and wholly entertaining live spectacles.

Saturday night’s show was no exception, with a happy mosh pit full of exuberant fans and a set full of The Lippies’ aggressive new material. And that performance followed equally as compelling sets by Grand Rapids’ Sleep Cheaters, Five by Five and Charlie Darling.

Check out the photo gallery here, with video highlights of Saturday’s show below.

PHOTO GALLERY: The Lippies, Sleep Cheaters and Five by Five photos by Anna Sink
Earlier in the week:

• Valentiger celebrated its return to Grand Rapids from an out-of-state tour with their debut appearance at SpeakEZ Lounge as part of the Local Spins Wednesdays series, with outlaw country’s The Bootstrap Boys opening the evening (which also included members of both bands tearing it up on the small stage together). The Bootstrap Boys even baked a cake for Valentiger’s homecoming. Really.

• Grand Rapids’ Valley Girl and Red Legs drew large and enthusiastic cadres of devotees for their sets at The Pyramid Scheme on Thursday, part of show that mixed edgy rock with pleasing pop. Grand Rapids’ Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and Lansing’s Lights & Caves also were on the bill. (Read more about Red Legs in this Local Spins Artist Spotlight.)

• Seven Steps Up in Spring Lake marked the fifth anniversary of its Pin Drop Concerts series with a performance Friday by Rivers and Rust, featuring Kyle Cook from Matchbox Twenty.

GO ONLINE HERE FOR A SEPARATE LOCAL SPINS PHOTO GALLERY AND VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF THE KALAMAZOO FRETBOARD FESTIVAL

WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY
Valentiger, Bootstrap Boys photos by Anna Sink
Valley Girl, Red Legs, Jesse Ray photos by Anthony Norkus
Rivers and Rust photo courtesy of Seven Steps Up