Thousands braved bitter cold to drink beer and listen to music outdoors while others stayed in for EDM, soul, hip hop, blues and world music. Check out the full photo gallery and some video snippets.
Un-Brrrr-idled Beer Enthusiasm: Thousands of beer devotees endured the cold at the Winter Beer Festival. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
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GRAND RAPIDS MUSICIANS’ COLLECTIVE
Anytime someone floats a new idea or musical venture, there’s some understandable trepidation about whether audiences will respond favorably.
Upbeat Camaraderie: Drummer Kevin DePree was part of a solid crowd of musicians who attended the collective’s inaugural night. (Photo/Tori Thomas)
Well, when it comes to the new Grand Rapids musicians’ collective, the music community responded enthusiastically. The gathering assembled Thursday night at The Stache inside The Intersection by harmonica player Craig “Griff” Griffith (of The Verve Pipe and ElectroCats) drew more than 200 people, most of them musicians, who rubbed elbows, shared stage time and exchanged contact information — and hopefully, ideas — during the upbeat evening.
Indeed, musicians from a host of genres — rock to blues to metal to country — flocked to The Stache, boding well for the future of the collective, which will meet and perform again in March, and hopefully, continue into 2015. And if these gatherings can add educational components or other constructive elements to enhance musicians’ ability to thrive, all the better.
Griff, naturally, was thrilled with the turnout, and he brought a slew of musicians on stage with him during the blues-hued evening, including Dave Menzo, Hannah Rose Graves, Jim Shaneberger, Kevin DePree and others. Read more about the musicians’ collective in this Local Spins story.
WINTER BEER FESTIVAL
Snowy Surf Rock: The Concussions had beer lovers dancing to keep warm. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Another impressive turnout over the weekend came at the 10th annual Winter Beer Festival at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, with thousands enduring bitter cold temps in the teens to sample beer outdoors from more than 100 Michigan brewers and listen to music by the likes of The Concussions, DJ Snax, The Moxie Strings, Rick Chyme and more.
On Friday, the weather got so cold that some beer lines froze causing issues at certain booths and The Concussions could barely keep their fingers warm enough to playing their guitars for an entire set. “It was brutal, but we love it,” insisted Concussions guitarist Dick Chiclet. So did all the beer drinkers, as you can see from Local Spins photographer Anthony Norkus’ images of the revelry.
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ELSEWHERE:
Vibrant Vox: Vox Vidorra, led by Molly Bouwsma-Schultz, performed several times this weekend. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
• Kansas electronic music duo The Floozies electrified a capacity crowd at The Intersection on Friday — a lively bunch that included fans in bunny costumes and LED hula hoopers — powering up a very late set after performances by Russ Liquid and Filibusta.
• The Muteflutes, who recently won a Jammie Award for best contemporary folk album, played a show at Rockford Brewing Co. in Rockford on Saturday.
• Grand Rapids soul-rock band Vox Vidorra had a busy week, playing the “HopCat presents Local Spins Live at River City Studios” podcast/concert on Thursday night, Mitten Brewing on Friday and Founders Brewing on Saturday, a show that was headlined by hip hop’s Rick Chyme, with AOK and Venson Dix also on the bill. (Check out the full video and podcast of Vox Vidorra at River City Studios next month at Local Spins.) Chyme also had a busy week, performing at the beer festival and appearing Friday on Local Spins on WYCE. And as usual, the Founders show was an ultra-collaborative, hyper-energetic affair in front of a packed house.
• A hectic Sunday schedule of live music included the final stop of the Michigan Global Roots Music Festival at Grand Rapids’ One Trick Pony, with performances by An Dro, the Bhraonain School of Irish Dance, Wisaal, Villalobos and more, as well as the West Michigan Blues Society’s 25th anniversary show at Billy’s Lounge with Jimmie Stagger and The Kinsey Report. (A hearty Local Spins congrats to the WMBS for 25 years of shining a spotlight on the blues in the Grand Rapids area.) And the evening wrapped up with JJ Grey & Mofro at The Intersection, with The Wailers, Rusted Root and The Accidentals firing up The Orbit Room.
• Grand Rapids indie-folk-rock/Americana outfit Mat Churchill & The Backyard Town made their Local Spins Wednesdays debut at SpeakEZ Lounge, delivering distinctive, singular and fetchingly moody selections for an attentive mid-week crowd. Check out some video snippets below.
THE LOCAL SPINS WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY (Feb. 28, 2015)
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GR Musicians’ Collective photos by Tori Thomas
Winter Beer Festival (Friday) photos by Anthony Norkus
Winter Beer Festival (Saturday) photos by Michael Carpenter
The Floozies, Russ Liquid photos by Jamie Geysbeek
The Muteflutes photos by Kristine Carpenter
Vox Vidorra, Rick Chyme, Venson Dix, AOK photos by Anthony Norkus
Global Roots Music Festival photos by Kristine Carpenter
Jimmie Stagger, The Kinsey Report photos by Tori Thomas
JJ Grey, Wailers photos by Aris Hampers
GRAND RAPIDS MUSICIANS’ COLLECTIVE: SOME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
MAT CHURCHILL & THE BACKYARD TOWN: LOCAL SPINS WEDNESDAYS
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