In many ways, the weekend reflected a pre-pandemic flurry of live music with rousing national tours and a sold-out, triumphant Sunday return of a Grand Rapids native and budding star.
‘So Cool’ to Be Home: Chris Renzema and band on stage. (Photo/Katy Batdorff)
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Chris Renzema may have summed it up perfectly for several performers who lit up enthusiastic crowds at concerts across West Michigan over the weekend.
“This is so cool being here,” said the good-natured singer and Grand Rapids native who called his Sunday night show at The Pyramid Scheme his first legit headlining concert locally since he moved to Nashville several years ago.
With a new album at the ready, the singer-songwriter was welcomed by an enthusiastic, sold-out homecoming crowd. In the house were several relatives and friends who recall his musical coming of age here in West Michigan.
It was a show that was a long time coming. Originally, his local tour stop was set for March 30, 2020, at Grand Rapids’ Listening Room. After several COVID-induced false starts, The Pyramid Scheme was included in a re-scheduled national tour this fall.
Renzema and his four band members opened with the first two songs from his latest release, “Get Out of the Way of Your Own Heart,” including the title track.
Of course, his local references delighted the crowd. He introduced one song as a tune originally written “not very far away from here … over on Bridge Street.”
GR References: Renzema had many in a show that was a long time coming. (Photo/Katy Batdorff)
Biblical lyrics also often emerge as the artist’s music stems largely from his Christian faith. (He has a church/worship music background, and is a graduate of Northpoint Christian High School).
Song titles such as “Son of God” and “How to Be Yours” reveal spiritually inspired longings. “Adonai” is an outright musical prayer for mercy, and is sung both agonizingly and reverently.
Renzema’s style is wide-ranging. There are folk, pop and rock elements as he switches from electric to acoustic guitar. But his tight vibrato is most telling on the slower tempo songs such as his set-closing “Springtime.”
Many of the songs were sing-alongs with the audience: “Stronger Love” and “I Don’t Wanna Go” fit that bill.
For his single-song encore, Renzema chose a selection he said was reserved for “special nights.”
All five band members – plus their sound technician – stood close together at the front of the stage. Microphones were turned off, and the voices were accompanied only by Renzema’s unplugged acoustic. All joined in and sang the worship ballad “You’re the Only One,” with the crowd easily singing along on the chorus.
It was a “church” moment in an intimate downtown club, both serene and unifying.
It also represented another song written during his Grand Rapids days, which the 26-year-old is now carrying with him far and wide. – By Terry DeBoer
The Renzema concert closed out a week filled with highlights, including tour stops by Black Pumas, The Record Company, Granger Smith, The Struts, Bob Mould, Robbie Fulks and Carbon Leaf, as well as Grand Rapids’ own Earth Radio and the first-ever Grand Rapids Guitar Festival. Browse the photo galleries from all of these shows below — another Local Spins exclusive.
PHOTO GALLERY: Chris Renzema, Jervis Campbell at The Pyramid Scheme (Sunday)
Photos by Katy Batdorff
Hope or Nostalgia
Get Out of the Way of Your Own Heart
Son of God
Without You
Let The Ground Rest
Stronger Love
Old Dreams
Adonai
17
Old Friend
Just As Good
God Is Love
I Don’t Wanna Go
How To Be Yours
Springtime
ENCORE
You’re the Only One
PHOTO GALLERY: Bob Mould, Jason Narducy at Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo (Sunday)
Photos by Derek Ketchum
PHOTO GALLERY: The Struts at The Intersection (Sunday)
Photos by Eric Stoike
