Local Spins’ week-in-review boasts images from a rock-hued fundraiser, a bass-and-comedy spectacle, the country of Maddie & Tae, a “Reggaefest,” another celebration for The Pyramid Scheme and more.
Rock for a Cause: Hollywood Makeout regaling a Founders Brewery crowd during Sunday’s Feedback. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Hard to imagine a week with more rollicking musical diversity than this: all captured in images at Local Spins.
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SUNDAY: FEEDBACK 2018 AT FOUNDERS IN GRAND RAPIDS
There’s nothing quite like a rock ‘n’ roll show for a cause.
Closing Out the Night: Desmond Jones (Photo/Nathan Purchase, Psychedelic Eyes Photography)
On Sunday, the 24th anniversary Feedback benefit at Founders Brewing in Grand Rapids was just such a show – raising a record-setting $5,190 for Access of West Michigan’s anti-poverty programs while entertaining several hundred attendees with invigorating sets by three Grand Rapids bands: Desmond Jones, Hollywood Makeout and The Honeytones (with special guest Dutcher Snedeker).
The eclectic mix of bands – playing everything from covers to surfy garage rock to funky, rock-hued jams – each attracted its own cadre of enthusiastic followers, each celebrating in its own way, cheering, dancing, roaring and, of course, donating to the cause. And if you couldn’t make it to the show, please donate online here and get information about the Sunday (May 6) “Walk for Good Food,” too. – John Sinkevics
PHOTO GALLERY: Feedback 2018 at Founders (The Honeytones, Hollywood Makeout, Desmond Jones)
Photos by Anthony Norkus, Derek Ketchum and Nathan Purchase
VIDEO: Feedback 2018
SATURDAY: VICTOR WOOTEN AT BELL’S BREWERY IN KALAMAZOO
“Kalamazoo, are you ready for a fun and funk explosion?” hollered famed comic Sinbad to a sold-out Bell’s backroom on Saturday night, as Victor Wooten and his family band launched into Kool & The Gang’s “Hollywood Swinging” to open a two-hour set filled with Motown classics and funk riffs that had attendees getting down all night long.
Lighting Up Bell’s: Victor Wooten and band. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
The legendary bassist, known for his work with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones as well as The Dave Matthews Band, made his stop in Kalamazoo as part of a two-week tour rolling through the Midwest and Southeast. Accompanied by brothers Regi Wooten on guitar, Roy “Futureman” Wooten on drums and Joseph Wooten on keys — along with Sinbad on MC duties and percussion and Bob Francheschini on the sax — the youngest of five Wooten brothers delivered at the highest level, giving the crowd what Sinbad dubbed “jazz you can dance to.”
From James Brown classics such as “Sex Machine,” “It’s a Man’s World” and “Bustin’ Loose,” to takes on Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally,” Barry White’s “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love,” and the King of Pop’s “Billie Jean,” Wooten and company pulled out all the stops, bringing crowd members on stage, throwing down brotherly funk-offs and treating all with nasty, attention-grabbing solos.
The show featured a surprise on-stage appearance by Kalamazoo’s own 15-year-old Kamaria Tilley, who showed off her pipes on Luther Vandross’ “Never Too Much,” as Sinbad, in between “wows,” chided her in a fatherly albeit good-naturedly tone for the song perhaps being a little too mature for her, while simultaneously eyeing the crowd and reminding them of her age.
The comedian was on his game throughout the night, poking fun at Bill Cosby and Kanye, interacting with the crowd and never failing to take advantage of an opportunity to fill a musical gap with his humor. It was his musicianship, however, that may have taken much of the backroom by surprise as many did not know exactly what the comic’s role would be. And while Sinbad showed off mad skills on percussion, it was unquestionably Wooten’s bass that people came to see, and if anyone left disappointed, I can’t imagine it was from the performance delivered on stage.
Wooten went toe to toe with his mentor, brother Regi, and never missed a note even with his bass flying through the air and going behind his head at a few points. It was an old-fashioned funk-off and Wooten and fam brought it hard. — Ryan Boldrey
SATURDAY: THE LILLINGTONS AT THE PYRAMID SCHEME’S ANNIVERSARY PARTY IN GRAND RAPIDS
Photos by Katy Batdorff
SATURDAY: INDIKA REGGAE BAND AT REGGAEFEST AT BILLY’S LOUNGE IN GRAND RAPIDS
Photos by Ryan Miller
