The days of outdoor shows in Michigan are numbered, so the final week of September features some of the final concerts and festivals at various locations across the region. The lowdown on The Big List.
Playing Downtown GR: Kalamazoo hip hop cellist Jordan Hamilton will play the African American Art & Music Festival at Studio Park. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
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As we enter the final full week of September, some live music events are celebrating their last hurrah after one of the strangest summers ever.
Things get started early with the West Michigan Jazz Society presenting the Mary Rademacher Quartet (singer Rademacher, pianist Tom Hagen, bassist Elgin Vines and drumer Cherie Lynn) in the parking lot outside Noto’s Old World Dining from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Folks can order a jazz picnic meal for $18 by calling (616) 493-6686. Get details wmichjazz.org, with orders online here.
Grand Rapids stays busy with a pair of drive-in concerts at Belknap Park: Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers with Desmond Jones in a sold-out show on Friday night, and The Legal Immigrants with Melophobix on Saturday. Tune in to Local Spins on WYCE (88.1 FM) at 11 a.m. Friday when Joe Bockheim of The Legal Immigratns will be the special guest. (The Rainbow Seekers also play The Deck on the Beach in Muskegon on Saturday, making up for a rained-out show earlier in the month.)
Grand Rapids’ month-long “The Bridge” celebration features a Circle Theatre Pop-Up Concert with Ellie Frances at Aquinas College’s Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Tuesday; more swing and line dancing instruction at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Rosa Parks Circle; Heartside artists doing pop-up performances on Monroe Center at lunchtime on Wednesday and Friday, and around dinner time Thursday and Friday; Michigan Indian Day Celebration taking place noon-4 p.m. Friday at Rosa Parks Circle, featuring a “mini-powwow”; Opera Grand Rapids hosting a $250-per-person benefit on the Blue Bridge at 6 p.m. Friday, with music from 2BaysDJs, Detroit Youth Choir (who finished second on “America’s Got Talent”) and the winner of the expanded Collegiate Vocal Competition; and from 4-10 p.m. Saturday, the African American Art & Music Festival unfurling at Studio Park, a multi-cultural event that includes performances by Jordan Hamilton (5 p.m. and 8 p.m.), Entyce (5:30 p.m.), and AzzIzz (8:30 p.m.), $35 per ticket, with four-person blocks required.
Hal Beveridge: A festival in his name takes place Saturday.
Also in Grand Rapids on Thursday, Listening Room’s “Listening Lawn” series outside Studio Park features the Tom Petty tribute band The Insiders at 8 p.m.
The legacy of the late Hal Beveridge (Beveridge Brothers) will be honored at Eastern Avenue Hall from 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday, with 12 bands performing and proceeds going to support the new Hal Beveridge Memorial Scholarship Foundation, aiding music students. Performing at the socially distanced event will be: Grassland, Weezil Malone Band, Price Project, Gorgeous Nightmare, The Rockit King, Dennie Middleton, Nathan Walton, Moto, Chuck Bob Carnes, Whiskey Bound, and yes, the Beveridge Brothers Band. The hall will be limited to 50 percent capacity to meet state guidelines. General admission is $25; VIP seating, $50; get tickets online at https://www.halbeveridgemusicfestival.com/.
And in downtown Rockford, a pared-back Harvest Festival for 2020 takes place all day Saturday.
To close out the weekend, Benton Harbor’s The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College hosts its final drive-in concert of the season at 6 p.m. Sunday featuring Alex Holycross of The Native Howl and Erin Zindle of Erin Zindle & The Ragbirds, along with blues musician John Latini and singer-songwriter Mike Talbot. Tickets are $10-$50 per vehicle; get details and tickets online here.
In Hudsonville, Jake Kershaw plays the parking lot for The Underpass at The Pinnacle Center, 3330 Highland Drive in Hudsonville, 4 p.m. Sunday, $15, tickets online here
THE BIG LIST CONCERT GUIDE (Sept. 21-27)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to changing conditions and unexpected closures, check with the restaurants or venues on this list before you make plans to attend a show to make sure they’re still open.
MONDAY
• Great Scott Band outdoors at The Score, 5301 Northland Dr. NE in Grand Rapids, 6 p.m. Monday
TUESDAY
• Mary Rademacher Quartet playing Noto’s Old World Italian Dining, 6600 28th St. SE in Grand Rapids, 5 p.m. Tuesday, $15, call (616) 493-6686
• Astro Jackson outdoors at The Score, 5301 Northland Dr. NE in Grand Rapids, 6 p.m. Tuesday
• The New Standard jazz jam at Dee Lite, 24 Washington Ave. in Grand Haven, 6 p.m. Tuesday
• Swing and Line Dancing Instruction and Dance at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids, 7 p.m. Tuesday (masks, social-distancing required, 100-person maximum)
• Ellie Frances in a Circle Theatre Pop-Up Concert at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center in Grand Rapids, 7 p.m. Tuesday
• Ed Santarelli playing at Ludington Area Center for the Arts, 107 South Harrison St. in Ludington, 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday, $5, details here.
WEDNESDAY
• Heartside Artists Pop-Up Performances at Monroe Center in downtown Grand Rapids, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday
• Lana Hoffman and Steve Kamerling performing at Bates Alley for “Beats on Bates” in Kalamazoo, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday
• Blue Jay Bridge outdoors at The Score, 5301 Northland Dr. NE in Grand Rapids, 6 p.m. Wednesday
• Evening Jam Session at Ludington Area Center for the Arts, 107 South Harrison St. in Ludington, 6 p.m. Wednesday
• Six Gun Report at Cedar Springs Brewing in downtown Cedar Springs, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
• Matt Moore playing a youth concert at Ravenna First Reformed Church, 3327 Mortimer St. in Ravenna, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
THURSDAY
• Earth Radio playing Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids for “Relax at Rosa,” noon Thursday
• Live music as part of The Bridge GR and East Hills Council of Neighbors’ “Cherry Hills Live” at Cherry Park, 725 Cherry St.SE in Grand Rapids, 6-9 p.m. Thursday
• Oxymorons outdoors at The Score, 5301 Northland Dr. NE in Grand Rapids, 6 p.m. Thursday
• The Insiders tribute to Tom Petty as part of Listening Room’s ‘Listening Lawn’ series outside Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, $90 for a pair of tickets online here.
• “Oh What a Night II” featuring Mason Street Warehouse singers and musicians playing outdoors at Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver St. in Saugatuck, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, $49
FRIDAY
• Michigan Indian Day Celebration taking place from noon to 4 p.m. Friday at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids
• Sofie Yang Duo, followed by Bill Cessna Jazz Trio, playing “Live from the Marquee” at Kalamazoo State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick Ave. in Kalamazoo, 4 p.m. Friday
• Randy Johnson playing outdoors at Sandy Point Beach House, 7175 Lakeshore Drive in West Olive, 5 p.m. Friday
• Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers and Desmond Jones playing the “Belknap Drive-In” at Belknap Park, 30 Coldbrook St. NE, 6 p.m. Friday, SOLD OUT
• Opera Grand Rapids’ “Night with the Opera: Tokyo” on the Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, with music from 2BaysDJs, the Detroit Youth Choir (who finished second on “America’s Got Talent”) and the winner of the expanded Collegiate Vocal Competition, $250
• Livin’ the Dream outdoors at The Score, 5301 Northland Dr. NE in Grand Rapids, 6 p.m. Friday
• James Wolf & Band playing the Music in the Garten series at Third Nature Brewing Co., 7733 Childsdale Ave. NE in Rockford, 7 p.m. Friday
• Brandon Ward playing Wicks Park Bar & Grill, 449 Water St. in Saugatuck, 7 p.m. Friday
• Pickin’ with Peers & Beers on the patio at Pincrest Bar & Lanes at 6571 Airline Road in Fruitport, 7 p.m. Friday
• “Oh What a Night II” featuring Mason Street Warehouse singers and musicians playing outdoors at Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver St. in Saugatuck, 7:30 p.m. Friday, $49
• Kindred at Smash Wine Bar & Bistro, 415 W. Western Ave. in Muskegon, 8 p.m. Friday
• Three’s a Crowd playing River City Saloon, 1152 Leonard St. NW in Grand Rapids, 9 p.m. Friday
SATURDAY
• Chip & Dolly playing “Music in the Vineyards” at Fenn Valley Vineyards, 6130 122nd Ave. in Fennville, 2 p.m. Saturday (reservations required, details here)
• African American Art & Music Festival taking place 4-10 p.m. Saturday at Studio Park piazza in downtown Grand Rapids with Jordan Hamilton, Entyce and AzzIzz, $35 per ticket, with four-person blocks required, details and tickets online here.
• Coty Bouchard playing outdoors at Sandy Point Beach House, 7175 Lakeshore Drive in West Olive, 4 p.m. Saturday
• The Legal Immigrants and Melophobix playing the “Belknap Drive-In” at Belknap Park, 30 Coldbrook St. NE, 6 p.m. Friday, $60 per car, details here
• Trilogy at The Score, 5301 Northland Dr. NE in Grand Rapids, 6 p.m. Saturday
• Gabrial James playing the Holiday Inn-Spring Lake, 6 p.m. Saturday
• John Shea Trio playing Noto’s Old World Italian Dining, 6600 28th St. SE, 6:30 p.m. Saturday (Call for reservations)
• Carl Webb and Tom Hull at Smash Wine Bar & Bistro, 415 W. Western Ave. in Muskegon, 7 p.m. Saturday
• Sweet J Band playing Wicks Park Bar & Grill in Saugatuck, 7 p.m. Saturday
• Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers and Kaitlin Rose playing The Deck on the Beach, 1601 Beech St. in Muskegon, 7 p.m. Saturday, $10-$37 (rescheduled from a rainout earlier in the month)
• “Oh What a Night II” featuring Mason Street Warehouse singers and musicians playing outdoors at Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver St. in Saugatuck, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, $49
• Sounds Familiar playing River City Saloon, 1152 Leonard St. NW in Grand Rapids, 9 p.m. Saturday
• Tombo Bryant playing Itty Bitty Bar, 1136 Ottawa Beach Road in Holland, 9 p.m. Saturday
SUNDAY
• Toby Bresnahan at Cedar Springs Brewing in downtown Cedar Springs, noon Sunday
• Jake Kershaw playing the parking lot for The Underpass at The Pinnacle Center, 3330 Highland Drive in Hudsonville, 4 p.m. Sunday, $15, tickets online here
• Brena outdoors at The Score, 5301 Northland Dr. NE in Grand Rapids, 6 p.m. Sunday
• Alex Holycross of The Native Howl and Erin Zindle of Erin Zindle & The Ragbirds, plus John Latini and Mike Talbot playing a drive-in concert at The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College, 1100 Yore Ave. in Benton Harbor, 6 p.m. Sunday, $10-$50 per vehicle; get details and tickets online here.
• “Oh What a Night II” featuring Mason Street Warehouse singers and musicians playing outdoors at Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver St. in Saugatuck, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, $49
Have a show to add to The Big List? Email john@localspins.com.
Copyright 2020, Spins on Music LLC
