February romps to a close with star power, not to mention local must-see shows by Neil Jacobs, Asamu Johnson, An Dro, Serita’s Black Rose and some sweet under-the-radar picks.
Riding the Wave: Adam Levine leads Maroon 5 into a sold-out Van Andel Arena on Monday night.
Maroon 5, Neon Trees, Owl City
7:30 p.m. Monday
Concert is sold out
Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids
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The Oscars and Grammys are finally behind us, the days are growing longer and, hopefully, those snowpiles will start shrinking. It’s still too early to store away those snow shovels, but I’ve already got visions of sun-splashed beaches and white-capped waves dancing in my head. Oh wait, that was just a beer commercial.
Speaking of waves, Adam Levine and his Maroon 5 bandmates are riding quite the wave of success with a sold-out arena tour that includes Monday night’s show at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena. Having seen the band in concert previously, I can attest to its high-energy, pop-infused spectacle and I’m told this tour in particular has made a splash, boosted I’m sure by Levine’s popularity as a judge on TV’s “The Voice.”
Electronica phenom Adam Young’s Owl City and alt-rock’s Neon Trees open the show. Basking in the glow of their 2012 single, “Everybody Talks,” from the album, “Picture Show,” the Neon Trees will play a special acoustic free show at 2 p.m. Monday in The Stache, aka The Intersection’s front lounge. But you can only get in with tickets given away by Channel 95.7 FM, so tune in or visit the station’s website.
Electrifying: Mark Wood performs with his band at Forest Hills Fine Arts Center. (Photo/Kevin Pacetti)
Mark Wood Experience
7 p.m. Thursday
$15
Forest Hills Fine Arts Center, Grand Rapids
Electric violin wizard Mark Wood, who’s performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, brings his lively band and show to the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center, performing with the Forest Hills Northern Chorale, Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble in what promises to be a mini-TSO-styled spectacle.
Wood is in residence this week conducting workshops for two days at Forest Hills Northern. Tickets are available at the door; all seats are general admission. For tickets, you can also email the FHN Music Boosters at olives5@comcast.net. Get details online here.
And learn more about Wood and his “electrify your strings” education programs at his website.
Pointing the Way: Country’s Dustin Lynch plays Grand Rapids this week. (Photo/Steve Hostetler)
Dustin Lynch, Brian Lorente & The Usual Suspects,
Kari Lynch Band
7 p.m. Thursday
$15.93 advance, $18 day of show
The Intersection, Grand Rapids
This B-93.7 show will really crank your tractor, to borrow a line from one of Dustin Lynch’s hit singles.
This emerging country star released his self-titled debut album last summer and scored a Top 10 country hit with the single, “Cowboys and Angels.”
And to further excite the screaming female country fans at Thursday night’s show, a couple of popular West Michigan acts will open the show: Brian Lorente & The Usual Suspects and the Kari Lynch Band.
Roster McCabe, Sophistafunk
9:30 p.m. Thursday
Free
Serita’s Black Rose, Me3Mind’s Joel Rydecki & Friends
9:30 p.m. Saturday
$5
Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids
Serita’s Black Rose
Get funky, get dancing, get rocking because Minnesota’s electronic- and reggae-propelled Roster McCabe is waltzing back into Grand Rapids as part of a hectic Midwest tour. New York’s Sophistafunk will now open the show, added to the bill this week.
And don’t stop dancing: Saturday brings the blues/R&B/soul/rock of Serita’s Black Rose to Founders Brewing for the first time, a CD-release show for the Grand Rapids band’s debut EP which just won a Jammie Award for best short form release from WYCE-FM (88.1). If you haven’t yet heard Serita Crowley unleash her vocals, you’re in for a real treat.
Read more about her and watch a video of a recent Local Spins Live performance in this Spins on Music feature.
Parental Pop: Stepdad returns to The Pyramid Scheme this weekend with special guest Alexis.
NTS: The Palindrome Infection Comedy Hip-Hop & Live Art Showcase
7 p.m. Friday
$7-$10
Stepdad, Alexis, Flint Eastwood
8 p.m. Saturday
$8
The Pyramid Scheme Grand Rapids
Here are shows that pack a one-two punch. And a punch line. First, the “Twiz Presents NTS: The Palindrome Infection Comedy Hip-Hop & Live Art Showcase” on Friday night at The Pyramid Scheme boasts a boatload of fast-rising Grand Rapids hip-hop acts (including Dante Cope, Block Alumni, J. Patt and more) plus a bevy of stand-up comics (Leonard Banks, Corey Tucker, Jim Hollister and more). Not only that, but four visual artists – Andy Holmes, Sam Mendez, John Pine and Kristin Monique – will create live art during the show. Get ticket information and details here.
On Saturday, it’s one of the winter season’s absolute must-see local shows, full of delicious pop, electro-lavishness, campy fun and dance-all-night wonder when Grand Rapids’ own Stepdad and Alexis, plus Detroit indie-dance outfit Flint Eastwood, do their number on The Pyramid Scheme. Stepdad’s still reveling in the glory of its “Wildlife Pop” album and Alexis is working on what promises to be its best release yet. Get the ticket lowdown here.
Driving Music: Mutemath cruises into GR for a show at Calvin College.
Mutemath, Midnight Faces
8 p.m. Friday
$25 ($10 for Calvin students)
Calvin College Covenant Fine Arts Center, Grand Rapids
After playing Calvin College this week, New Orleans’ Mutemath is headed abroad to play dates in Singapore and Australia, and I’m guessing they’ll wow audiences overseas, too. The Grammy-nominated alt-rock band’s most recent album, 2011’s “Odd Soul,” made it to No. 24 on the Billboard 200 chart on the strength of electronic-hued musical gems such as “Prytania.”
Get more information and tickets at the Calvin College website.
Peaches Staten (Photo/Goina.com)
Asamu Johnson
9:30 p.m. Friday
$5
Peaches Staten
9:30 p.m. Saturday
$10
Billy’s Lounge, Grand Rapids (Eastown)
It’s a blues double-header of sorts. Grand Rapids blues maestro Asamu Johnson, who once fronted the popular Fatt Lapp Blues Band, is now steaming ahead as a solo artist with his own band. He’ll also be my guest this week on Local Spins Live on News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW) at 10 a.m. Wednesday to talk about his music and his solo album. (Originally, the legendary Magic Slim was on the bill for this date, but the Chicago singer and guitarist passed away last week.)
On Saturday, the West Michigan Blues Society’s Cabin Fever Blue Series continues with Peaches Staten, a Chicago blues/soul/R&B/Zydeco singer and her band, renowned for their live shows. Learn more about her here.
(And if you haven’t yet checked it out, you can wrap up your blues weekend by stopping by HopCat, 25 Ionia Ave. SW, in downtown Grand Rapids for Jimmie Stagger’s new Sunday night blues jam. The first session drew a fabulous mix of local blues icons.)
The Turnips
10 p.m. Friday
Free
New Holland Brewing, Holland (66 E. Eighth St.)
Big Rapids-bred folk-rockers The Turnips concoct their own brand of Americana-infused rootsiness, honed by performances with the crème de la crème of Michigan’s thriving folk scene. Get more information about the band at its website.
Guitar Virtuoso: Neil Jacobs plays Spring Lake’s Seven Steps Up.
Neil Jacobs
8 p.m. Saturday
$18 advance, $20 day of show (sofa and table seating also available)
Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake
Having had the splendid opportunity to watch Neil Jacobs play his guitar from about two feet away, I can tell you that there really is some eye-popping magic that goes on when this West Michigan instrumentalist kicks into gear.
And in the acoustically pristine environment of Seven Steps Up, it’s a sure bet that guitar geeks, acoustic fans and just plain music devotees will walk away impressed after Jacobs’ Saturday night show. Learn more about the internationally renowned 12-string guitarist in a Spins on Music spotlight here, along with a video of his Local Spins Live performance.
Get tickets at pindropconcerts.com.
Guitarist Extraordinaire: Eric Johnson makes a tour stop in Grand Rapids on Sunday.
Eric Johnson
7 p.m. Sunday
$20 (seated show)
The Intersection, Grand Rapids
While on the subject of those guitar geeks, above, I’m pretty confident the audience at The Intersection will be full of them when Eric Johnson uncorks his wizardry on stage. Perhaps best known for the legendary, Grammy-winning guitar-driven “Cliffs of Dover,” the Austin, Texas native’s instrumental prowess has been on display for the world to see and hear since the late 1960s.
He’s released more than a half-dozen solo albums over the years, but made guest appearances on countless releases and compilations. Get ticket information at The Intersection website. And read an exclusive interview with Eric Johnson at Spins on Music here.
UNDER-THE-RADAR PICKS
Cinderella’s Tom Keifer playing a solo show at The Intersection, 7 p.m. Tuesday, $17 advance, $20 day of show – Yes, the Cinderella-ite who churns out surprisingly old-school Rod Stewart-like vocals is on his first-ever solo tour, singing songs from his “The Way Life Goes“ album as well as Cinderella classics.
Delilah DeWylde & The Lost Boys at Rockford Brewing Co., 8 p.m. Thursday, free – This popular rockabilly trio makes its first-ever appearance upstairs at Rockford Brewing, so you can expect the beer and the good times to be flowing freely.
Noto’s Jazz Jam with Steve Hilger at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining, 7 p.m. Thursday, free – Guitarist Steve Hilger encourages high school and college musicians to join in and jam with his talented band twice a month at Noto’s. Catch some of the area’s up-and-coming talent up close and personal. Not only that, but GRandJazzFest announced this week that jazz-performance students can audition for the 2013 festival lineup Aug. 17-18 during these TrioJazz sessions featuring Hilger, drummers Randy Marsh or Evan Hyde, and pianist Steve Talaga at Noto’s. Hilger, who’s on the festival’s artist selection committee, said organizers are seeking “the top student talent from the region to showcase at GRandJazzFest. Those students who are selected will be invited to participate in a special performance that we are including in our festival lineup.” A great opportunity, indeed, and a way for the festival to add an educational component and “broaden awareness of jazz,” says festival founder Audrey Sunstrom. Students should come to the jams with a parent.
An Dro
Tom DeVries playing Grill One Eleven in Rockford, 6 p.m. Friday, free – This guitarist-singer’s most recent album was nominated for a Jammie Award. A fine, intimate spot for his songs.
The Moonrays, The Cheeztones and The Lazy Hands playing the Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, 8 p.m. Friday, $5 – Feeling a little nostalgic for some retro-surf, atomic rock and cosmic blues? Well then, this is the show for you.
An Dro playing Saugatuck Brewing Co., 2948 Blue Star Hwy., Douglas, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, free — Grand Rapids’ An Dro – Michelle Venegas, Fred Willson, James Spalink, Carolyn Koebel – is one of Michigan’s leading instrumental Celtic/world music groups, with a dynamic new album, “Storyteller,” which snagged a Jammie Award last week.
Email: jsinkevics@gmail.com
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