The Avett Brothers and Everclear topped off a hectic week of live music across West Michigan that also included Rising Appalachia, Miss May I, Full Cord, Smiling Acres fest and more. Reviews, photos at Local Spins.
Heartfelt Songs: The Avett Brothers at Wings Event Center. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
EDITOR’S NOTE: The West Michigan music week that closed out June quite literally had it all: from Michigan-driven festival fun to the metalcore of Miss May I, the rootsy folk of Rising Appalachia, the ’90s alt strains of Everclear and Sponge, the folk-rock of The Avett Brothers, the bluegrass of Full Cord, the country of Wynonna, the Americana of Jason Isbell, the pop-rock of The Fray and the funky electronic milieu of A. Billi Free & The Lasso. Get the recaps, images and links in today’s concert roundup.
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During the show-opening “Laundry Room” on Friday night at Wings Event Center, The Avett Brothers promised to “take you all for a ride.”
They did just that over the course of the two-plus hour show filled with hits, deep cuts and covers that had people dancing, singing in chorus when the band stopped and shedding tears in the emotional moments.
The opening few cuts in the band’s return to Wings were a microcosm of the rest of the evening as the Avetts smoothly went from soft and melodic to uptempo at the drop of a hat. Following “Laundry Room,” the brothers launched into “Talk on Indolence,” before slowing it down a couple ticks with the rootsy “Country Kid” and “Distraction #74.”
Pulling at the Heartstrings: The Avett Brothers (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
The brothers took turns at each performing solo, playing as a duo and with the full band. They pulled at heart strings with “No Hard Feelings,” “I Wish I Was,” “Morning Song” and a cathartic and enchanting “Murder in the City,” the latter of which would kick off a three-song encore.
They also covered Doc Watson’s “Black Mountain Rag,” and the traditional “Farewell to Tryon” while putting Tania Elizabeth’s fiddle on full display in each number.
Bringing the crowd into their world and what felt like their living room, even for an arena show, Scott and Seth Avett told stories on one another and themselves over the course of the night — from one about fighting in gas station parking lots in Adidas flip-flops to good-natured ribbing about wearing their own band merch on stage.
From the first note to the last, they held the crowd in the palms of their hands, showing off their ability to be a pop act, folk band, bluegrass band and rock outfit all at once.
The whistle-along “At the Beach” felt perfect for a Michigan summertime, while the “Head full of Doubt” that followed reminded attendees that “your life doesn’t change by the man that’s elected … decide what to be and go be it.”
From the rocking “Love of a Girl” to the depths of “Rejects in the Attic” to the set-closing sing-a-long, “I and Love and You,” and show-closing “Life,” the Avetts left the collective jaws of attendees successfully on the floor once again. — By Michael Elliot
PHOTO GALLERY: The Avett Brothers at Wings Event Center (Friday)
Photos by Derek Ketchum
SATURDAY
PHOTO GALLERY: Everclear, Sponge at Warner Vineyards in Paw Paw
Photos by Derek Ketchum
View Everclear’s set list at setlist.fm here.
PHOTO GALLERY: Smiling Acres Music Festival in Trufant – Day 2
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker
