Celebrating its fourth year in the DeltaPlex Arena parking lot, WLAV also is seeking local opening acts for the nine-concert, Wednesday night blues series. See the complete lineup.
Heading Back to GR: Guitarist Jake Kershaw was among headliners who revved up the DeltaPlex Arena parking lot in recent years. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS OF SOME FEATURED ACTS
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For the fourth year, the crowd-drawing 97LAV Summertime Blues series will set up in the parking lot outside Walker’s DeltaPlex Arena with national and regional blues stars headlining, and local acts opening the shows.
The 2018 Lineup
The 2018 series kicks off June 20 with an up-and-coming Michigan blues-rock guitarist who drew one of the biggest crowds of the summer last year: 17-year-old Jake Kershaw of Marshall.
“I am thrilled to be headlining the first night,” Kershaw gushed on Facebook after the series was announced by the radio station.
Officially titled the LAV Preferred Credit Union Summertime Blues, the nine-concert, Wednesday night series will also feature returning blues series favorites such as Walter Trout, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials and Larry McCray, plus first-timer Lance Lopez, a Texas blues-rock guitar hero.
Texas Blues: Lance Lopez plays the series on July 18.
Also returning for 2018: “Tone’s Home Grown,” which has WLAV-FM morning show host Tony Gates choosing local opening acts from bands who submit applications and MP3 files of their music. Bands can apply online here. Bands chosen for the series will play 30-minute opening sets on the Scully Statewide Moving Stage.
Since moving to the DeltaPlex parking lot from downtown Grand Rapids several years ago, the mid-week series has attracted thousands of blues fans as well as large numbers of motorcyclists and classic car devotees, who have ample room to park and display their vehicles.
The Walker site at 2500 Turner Ave. NW also allows for beer and food sales. Concerts can be moved inside DeltaPlex Arena in the event of storms or inclement weather.
Get more information online at wlav.com.
VIDEOS
Jake Kershaw
Lance Lopez
Larry McCray
Nick Moss Band w/ Dennis Gruenling
Copyright 2018, Spins on Music LLC
