On a picture-perfect Friday evening, a sold-out crowd packed the outdoor amphitheater for entertaining sets by both touring artists. The review, photos.
Beautiful Night: Amos Lee on stage Friday. (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
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A homecoming performance, an emotional song dedication and a surprise dragonfly to the face were all part of a picture-perfect Friday at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park as Amos Lee and opener Neal Francis charmed a sunny, sold-out crowd in Grand Rapids.
“It’s gonna be a beautiful night because it’s Michigan in June,” Lee declared appropriately at the beginning of his set.
It was indeed a beautiful night: Mid-70s and sunny. The cheese boards and deli sandwiches were abundant and an exciting energy filled the amphitheater for the second night of a jam-packed summer concert series at Meijer Gardens.
Neal Francis and his band kicked off the night with a precise, high-energy and undeniably groovy 30-minute set that earned the group some new West Michigan fans.
Francis and his band have steadily gained momentum and attention nationally, bringing a well-polished set (too short for avid fans) to the amphitheater stage.
It was a special night for the band drummer Collin O’Brien and guitarist Kellen Boersma, who are from Grand Rapids and Holland. O’Brien had a large group of friends and family in the crowd.
“The whole gang’s here. Everybody came out to support Collin in his hometown,” beamed his cousin, Drew O’Brien.
Added Hannah O’Brien: “He has always followed what he loves to do, and watching it all come to fruition, I couldn’t be prouder.”
‘HAPPY TO BE FEELING NORMAL AGAIN’
The set was smooth, fun and captivating with quick segues and tight solos. Francis started with “Problems” from his 2021 release, “In Plain Sight,” followed by four more tracks from that latest release: “Alameda Apartments,” “Can’t Stop the Rain,” “Prometheus” and “Sentimental Garbage.”
Rocking both vintage instruments and clothing, Francis led the way with 1978 Todd Rundgren vibes. “Changes, Pts. 1 & 2” and “She’s a Winner” off of the Changes album wrapped up an exciting opening set.
Sunny Vibe: Neal Francis and band. (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
“I’m so happy right now to be feeling normal again,” said Mark Strayer of Rockford, who was impressed enough by Francis to buy of a couple of vinyl records and expressed gratitude to be hearing live music again. “Coming to shows in the summer: It’s awesome. It feels great.”
The same goes for Lee, whose last stop at Meijer Gardens in 2019 was a sellout as well. He kindly complimented the crowd at the start of his set: “Grand Rapids, the warmest place in the world.”
Lee and his marvelous seven-piece band performed 17 songs in a 1-hour-and-40 minute-set that spanned his entire career and extensive catalogue, starting with 2022’s “Dreamland.”
Lee’s band was fearlessly led by his long-time rhythm section of James Williams on drums and Jay White on bass guitar and vocals. The energetic band brought a fresh and more upbeat approach than the studio versions of Lee’s popular songs “Colors” and “Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight.”
The quietest and most emotional moment of the evening came when Lee went solo acoustic for two songs that he dedicated to his friend Lily, a young fan from Grandville who Lee met through a foundation and invited on stage the last time he was in town.
Lee called her and her family an inspiration and admitted, “It’s very emotional to play for you.” Then, fulfilling Lily’s request, he sang heartfelt renditions of “Kid” and “Violin” with bassist Jay White surprising the crowd with his own soulful vocals.
Lee showed his compassion for his fans, but also his humor when a dragonfly flew into his face in the middle of a slow song.
“That bug hit me right in the face. Doesn’t that bug know I’m trying to look sexy? That’s hard to do with a bug in your face. But it’s not impossible!”
The crowd was on its feet for the final five songs and even the stone-faced security guards in the pale yellow shirts couldn’t help but crack a smile as Lee and his band roared through crowd favorites like “Southern Girl,” “Flower,” “Arms of a Woman” and “Windows Are Rolled Down”.
The cherry on top was the final song (with no break for an encore) when Lee brought out Francis and his band for a rousing cover rendition of The Band’s “Ophelia” — making for a loud and joyous conclusion to an ideal June night.
PHOTO GALLERY: Amos Lee, Neal Francis at Meijer Gardens
