West Michigan native Collin O’Brien returns home with the Chicago keyboardist-singer, opening for Amos Lee at a sold-out Meijer Gardens amphitheater on Friday. The Local Spins interview, plus a music video.
Lots of Firepower on Stage: Neal Francis and band. (Publicity Photo Supplied by Band)
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To say drummer Collin O’Brien has come a long way since playing in the Little Blue Band as an East Grand Rapids third-grader would be an understatement of the highest magnitude.
Honing his chops as a kid with pals Phil and Laura Stancil (Potato Moon, The Lollipops, The Morning Yells), he transitioned to the regionally popular Quadraphonic in middle and high school.
After graduation, O’Brien moved to Chicago where he’s helped propel an eclectic range of musical projects, including Otis, Low Spark, Mano, Cycles, Grateful Dead cover bands and more.
“There were years when I couldn’t say no to a gig, which got me into some double-booking trouble,” he concedes.
Thrilled to Play for a Hometown Crowd: Drummer Collin O’Brien (Courtesy Photo)
But nothing has focused his talents and inspired him more than recording and touring with keyboardist and songwriter Neal Francis, a much-buzzed-about artist whose work ranges from New Orleans-inspired R&B to “Midwest and Michigan rock funk.”
“This band has been all-encompassing,” says O’Brien, who joined Francis full-time in 2019 and hunkered down with the band to record its latest album, “In Plain Sight,” in a church parsonage during the pandemic.
“They are my brothers. We’ve done some truly epic s–t and have also been to hell and back. I’m loving every minute of it.”
O’Brien also is loving the opportunity to play Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park with Francis on Friday, opening for Amos Lee in a sold-out concert at the outdoor amphitheater. The band has been touring the country with Lee for several weeks.
“I’m so excited to play Meijer Gardens. It feels like a long way from playing Billy’s, Rocky’s, Louie’s, Jukes Bar and all the places that this music journey began with Little Blue Band and Quadraphonic years ago,” O’Brien says.
“I’m so darn grateful for those awesome nights. To come home and play again, after hundreds of shows and miles of cross-country travel, is really special and I look forward to showing the dudes around town. I’m looking forward to seeing my family and friends from growing up. It’s been too long!”
PLAYING LEGENDARY VENUES AFTER AN ‘AMAZING’ STUDIO EXPERIENCE
The current tour – which O’Brien describes as “amazing” – kicked off in Los Angeles.
“The shows keep getting more fun,” he insists. “We’re getting to play some pretty legendary rooms, and the hang is great.”
Neal and O’Brien are joined in the band by guitarist and Holland native Kellen Boersma (part owner of Chicago Electric Piano Co.) and bassist Mike Starr.
“Neal is an instrument purist. We cart around a Hammond A100, Leslie, CP70, MS20 and a custom clavinet equipped with a whammy bar. Our guitarist Kellen Boersma is a jack-of-all-trades multi-instrumentalist. He has a wild assortment of vintage gear,” O’Brien notes.
‘New-Sounding, Psychedelic Nostalgia’: The vibe of Neal Francis’ latest album. (Courtesy Photo)
“Mike Starr, our bassist, is a secret weapon, the way he can support a song and groove is unmatched, and his virtuosic ability on the bass is really the bedrock of the band, he also plays a vintage P bass. I’m on an early ’60s Slingerland kit. They don’t make ’em like they used to.”
O’Brien said the process of recording the new album in the church parsonage was “an amazing experience,” with band members tracking 24 hours a day, cooking meals together and listening to records.
“I’ll never forget that time,” he says. “We continue to record and write, and have a lot of fun things pending release.”
O’Brien describes the band’s music mélange as “new-sounding, psychedelic nostalgia. There are some points that feel very (Allen) Toussaint-inspired, some songs lean more toward Pink Floyd, some go more toward Fleetwood Mac, or WAR. We have done a ton of work together on our groove, time feel and tones.”
That said, the band’s live shows are “a different animal,” he suggests.
“We are able to fully let loose and take these songs for a drive. There’s a-lot of firepower on that stage. Neal’s also been kind enough to entrust me with writing the set lists, and composing the medley arrangement we are doing for the Amos run. There is an open, collaborative energy that I really enjoy.”
Friday’s sold-out show at Meijer Gardens begins at 7 p.m. More details online here. And come back for the Local Spins review and photos from the show on Saturday.
VIDEO: Neal Francis, “Prometheus”
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