Beautiful summery weather set the table for crowd-pleasing outdoor music from Comstock Park to Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. Get the recap and photos at Local Spins.
Country Music Weather: Michigan’s own Sadie Bass got things rolling for a big crowd Saturday at the B93 Birthday Bash at Fifth Third Ballpark. (Photo/Eric Stoike)
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It was a perfect June day for country music, colossal crowds and a poignant salute to a country star in mourning, all part of the 2019 edition of the B93 Birthday Bash.
Saturday’s beautiful, summery weather also created ideal conditions for the second day of Grand Rapids’ Festival of the Arts, for the first-ever Bridge Blast on the Sixth Street Bridge and for the Kalamazoo Pride festival at Arcadia Creek Festival Place — with those events and more captured in images in Local Spins’ weekend photo galleries.
Headliner: Brantley Gilbert on stage Saturday night. (Photo/Eric Stoike)
In Comstock Park, the B93 Birthday Bash rolled out at Fifth Third Ballpark with thousands of country fans gathered amid blue skies, getting things started with Michigan’s own Sadie Bass, winner of B93’s recent Battle to the Bash band contest at The Intersection.
Nashville up-and-comer Jordan Davis followed with an energetic performance, grabbing attention from the crowd by playing beloved covers, including “Hard to Handle” by The Black Crowes.
Next up, Jimmie Allen, whose first single “Best Shot” stayed at the No. 1 spot on country radio charts for three weeks, took the stage to fill in for the originally scheduled performer, Granger Smith, due to a tragic accident earlier in the week that took the life of Smith’s 3-year-old son.
The audience observed a moment of silence and offered up prayers for Smith and his family.
Nashville singer-songwriter Hardy performed just ahead of headliner Brantley Gilbert, playing his most recognizable song, “Up Down,” a tune written for Morgan Wallen and Florida Georgia Line.
The enthused crowd upped the rowdiness quotient considerably as Gilbert took the stage with his grungy country voice and band to deliver a set of rock ‘n’ roll-driven songs, followed by a fireworks display that sent country fans home happy. – Liv Conaty
PHOTO GALLERY: B93 Birthday Bash 2019 at Fifth Third Ballpark
Photos by Eric Stoike
With Grand Rapids’ Festival of the Arts celebrating its 50th anniversary all weekend, Saturday’s sunny skies brought thousands of families and music lovers downtown for live performances on six regular stages and in four pop-up venues. And check out a separate Local Spins story and photo gallery from Day 1: Festival’s 50th unfurls ‘smorgasbord’ of sun-splashed entertainment on opening day
PHOTO GALLERY: Festival of the Arts, downtown Grand Rapids
Photos by Anthony Norkus
City Built Brewing celebrated its second anniversary in an unusual location on Saturday: The Sixth Street Bridge over the Grand River north of downtown Grand Rapids. The first-ever Bridge Blast featured live music by The Bootstrap Boys, Hollywood Makeout and Chicago’s Lowdown Brass Band, along with dog-related activities and vendors.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bridge Blast 2019, Sixth Street Bridge
Photos by Anthony Norkus
