Wednesday’s Grand Rapids double-header of high-profile shows featured a powerhouse rapper at a new amphitheater and a jam-band hero with a bluegrass star at Meijer Gardens. The recaps at Local Spins.
Potent Pairing: Billy Strings returned to action with Trey Anastasio while recovering from a broken leg. (Fan Photo/Local Spins)
EDITOR’S NOTE: It was a Wednesday unlike any other, with MGK (Machine Gun Kelly) revving up Grand Rapids’ new Acrisure Amphitheater the same night that Phish’s Trey Anastasio wowed fans at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park by bringing bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings on stage as a surprise guest. Check out recaps of both shows below, along with photos and videos.
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY: TREY, BILLY JAM UNDER STORMY SKIES
Amid a night of progressive plucking, genre-blending and psychedelic bluegrass, Trey Anastasio and surprise special guest Billy Strings had fans swaying and cheering on the lawn for a sold-out show at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
Phish fans and lovers of frontman and guitarist Anastasio braved a gray-sky evening for the show that also featured pianist Jeff Tanski. The guitarist ran through a soundscape that took fans from ’90s Phish favorites to lively Anastasio instrumentals. He kicked off the night playing “Taste” and “Waste,” bringing the crowd in slowly. (View the complete 23-song set list here.)
“It’s good to be back,” he reminisced, before jumping into a lively plucked melody for “Stash,” transitioning to the classic man-with-a-guitar act for “Bathtub Gin.” The crowd sang along, with Anastasio playing call-and-response throughout the set, enjoying the range of old favorites while riffing off the crowd of fans, some of whom would eventually lift up signs with song requests as he joked about bringing out Rihanna.
‘Waer in the Sky’: It held off (mostly) as Anastasio performed with pianist Jeff Tanski. (Photo/Anna Sink)
“This is for brown sign, I didn’t practice this. You guys don’t care, I’ll give it the old college try. I learned something last time I was here from a young person named Jovie who — oh my God, there she is,” he exclaimed, as crowd members pointed at her in front of the stage. “There was a lesson in bravery on my part, watching the way she came up here, so I’m gonna try and play this song with no preparation.”
He launched into “Rift,” with Tanski back on the keys to bring back instrumental storytelling that lasted five plus minutes multiple times throughout the set. Looking around for song requests, he interjected his own, piecing together the instrumental soundscape of “Petrichor,” built underneath the stormy skies, which to him, brought a neat ambience to the night that even the audience was unaware of.
“You guys don’t know how cool you look, you’re backlit by this incredible gray cloud. I get to see how cool you look, you don’t get to see how cool you look, but I do,” he laughed. “It’s giving you a mean vibe — you’re smokey and cool out there.”
Then there was the smooth invite for a superstar Michigan native to take the stage.
Out came Billy Strings, entering on crutches less than two months after breaking his leg in a freak skateboard accident. Together, they dove into a set that blended traditional flat-picking jam band sound with Strings’ often-performed cover of “Nellie Kane” as well as old Phish fan-favorites “Back on the Train,” “Possum” and “Water in the Sky,” all of which had crowds dancing and singing along. They also performed two Billy Strings tunes, “Gild the Lily” and “Love and Regret.”
Together, they riffed through instrumentals and eventually invited Tanski back to stage to close out the night, bringing a bluegrass feel to a stage as the grey clouds began to subside.
As Anastasio opened the show, he told the crowds “thanks for stopping the rain,” and the night had listened, with only slight sprinkles as the lawn filled, waiting for him to take the stage. And it didn’t really rain again until the final notes had been played.
Though the weather seemed grim, fans hadn’t cared, showing up in full-body rain suits and plastic ponchos to enjoy the good vibes of an acoustic night leading up to the solstice. By their cheers and ad libs, and the dancing by the end of the night, one thing about their attitude was clear: Good music is worth the risk of getting a little wet. – By Sara Bagley
PHOTO GALLERY: Trey Anastasio, Jeff Tanaka at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Anna Sink
VIDEO: “Love and Regret,” Trey Anastasio and Billy Strings
VIDEO: “Bug Reprise,” Trey Anastasio, Billy Strings and Jovie
HOUSTON’S MGK PUMPS UP GRAND RAPIDS HOUSE PARTY
Impressive Collaboration: MGK and Wiz Khalifa on stage at Acrisure Amphitheater on Wednesday. (Photo/Joshua Tufts)
MGK turned Acrisure Amphitheater into a high-energy house party on Wednesday night, delivering a two-hour set packed with explosive production, fan-favorite hits and plenty of personality.
The excitement was unmistakable long before MGK took the stage at 9:15 p.m. When the red curtain dropped, it revealed a giant Statue of Liberty head with a blunt hanging from its mouth, and the near-capacity crowd erupted.
Bathed in red light and armed with a cigarette-shaped microphone stand, MGK wasted no time launching into a performance that felt equal parts rock concert and backyard party.
There were plenty of theatrics throughout the set that fueled the crowd’s energy. Flames shot up from the stage during “Fix Ur Face,” a guitar descended from the ceiling before singing “Outlaw Overture,” and sparklers rained down behind the Statue of Liberty during “Goddamn.”
The show balanced spectacle with genuine fan interaction throughout. MGK reminisced about one of his first shows with drummer Rook in Grand Rapids before diving into “Wild Boy,” laughed at himself after briefly forgetting lyrics during “Starman,” and took time to read signs from the crowd.
One of the night’s most memorable moments came when he spotted a 7-year-old fan in the audience and encouraged him to shout an enthusiastic “F— yeah” before launching into “F— You, Goodbye.” Despite joking that “my back hurts” following a recent injury, MGK never slowed down, constantly racing across the stage and even climbing atop speakers during his performance of “I Think I’m Okay.”
The crowd roared when MGK jokingly “lit” the blunt in the Statue of Liberty’s mouth and welcomed special guest Wiz Khalifa to the stage. The two shared strong chemistry throughout their collaborations, with the audience feeding off of the energy. The crowd was treated to fan favorites such as “Girl Next Door” and “Everything Tatted,” keeping the energy high midway through the night (and rattling windows miles away apparently).
Drawing different parts of his career, MGK showcased his versatility by moving seamlessly between rap, pop-punk, alternative rock and R&B influences. By the time he treated fans to an unexpected “Mr. Brightside” cover — an “iPod shuffle moment,” as he called it — the crowd was singing every word back to him.
MGK delivered exactly what fans came for: a loud, chaotic and thoroughly entertaining celebration of his musical evolution in the heart of Grand Rapids. – By Abby Brouwer
PHOTO GALLERY: MGK, Wiz Khalifa, Mod Sun at Acrisure Amphitheater
Photos by Joshua Tufts
