Grand Rapids Mid-January Concert Guide: All Time Low, Colt Ford, Griffin House, Potato Moon, Bangarang Circus, Jason Ricci

Grand Rapids-area concert offerings are like a three-ring circus this week: country-rap, pop-punk, folk, blues, jam bands, rock and, yes, fire-eaters and a Brew Ha Ha.

 

Colt Ford, Gunnar & the Grizzly Boys, Last Train Out
7 p.m. Thursday
$16.93 advance, $20 day of show
The Intersection, Grand Rapids

This is a calm-before-the-musical-storm week of live music in West Michigan. But there are still plenty of concert options heating things up before a host of giant CD-release shows and one-of-a-kind musical events erupt later this month. But more about that, well, next week …

Hip-hop twang. As Georgia country music rapper Colt Ford proclaims on “Answer to No One,” he’s “a ballroom preacher … representin’ for the country … the people’s champ.” The popular bearded cowboy certainly has got the country-meets-rap thing down, melding traditional country themes with his rhyming through four albums released since 2008. He’s touring behind his most recent, “Declaration of Independence,” which shot straight to No. 1 on the country chart and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. This B-93.7 sponsored show also features West Michigan’s own country charmers Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys and Last Train Out. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for this all-ages show.

Get ticket information at The Intersection website, along with details about Friday night’s Round II of the Heavyweight Championship of Rock battle featuring Flood the Desert, Condition:Critical, Lakeland, Deleted by God, Divided They Fall, Through the Ashes ($5, $7). (Check out fab photos of Round I here.)

The Coop, Glean Infusion
9:30 p.m. Thursday
Free

Back Forty, Covert
9:30 p.m. Saturday
$5
Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

On Thursday, it’s psychedelic mystery, jammy electronica, rootsy fusion. Chicago’s The Coop rolls into Founders with Grand Rapids’ own Glean Infusion for a dreamy night of instrumental noodling, followed by a special weekend show: Ann Arbor funkgrass band Back Forty – spanning folk, jazz, bluegrass, reggae and more – is calling it quits this year, playing its last West Michigan show on Saturday at Founders with Covert. The eclectic five-piece group’s final show ever takes place March 30 at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, so catch ‘em now or else.

Griffin House
8 p.m. Friday
$30 advance, $32 day of show (with sofa and table seating also available)
Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake

Ohio-born and Nashville-based indie-folk singer-songwriter Griffin House’s roster of musical influences ranges from Woody Guthrie to The Who. Perhaps that’s what gives his music such an honest, spirited quality, traced through more than a half-dozen albums released over the past decade. He’s toured the country extensively but it’s safe to say the Seven Steps Up setting for this Pindrop Concerts show is a unique one for fans who want to really hear House’s musical stories. Get ticket information at pindropconcerts.com and watch a video of House below.

All Time Low, Yellowcard, Fireworks
7 p.m. Friday
This concert is sold out
The Orbit Room, Grand Rapids

Pop-punk’s All Time Low is touring behind its fifth album, “Don’t Panic,” which cracked the Billboard 200’s Top 10 after it was released last fall. Florida’s violin-spiced Yellowcard, meanwhile, also has cracked the Top 10 with two of its albums over the past 10 years; its most recent, “Southern Air,” came out last summer.

This high-energy, all-ages show will open with metro Detroit pop-punkers Fireworks. Get ticket information at The Orbit Room website.

Bangarang Circus with WaZoBia Drum Ensemble
8 p.m. Friday
$10 advance, $12 day of show
The Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids

So consider this as a feast for the eyes and ears: fire-eating and fire-juggling performers, aerial arts, hooping, partner acrobatics, drum wizardry, contortionists, stilt-walking. Grand Rapids’ Bangarang Circus turns The Pyramid Scheme into The Big Top on Friday night, with a healthy assist from the inventive WaZoBia outfit which melds traditional African and Afro-Cuban drumming with modern musical magic. The only things missing are the elephants and tigers. Get tickets here.

Jason Ricci, Crossroads Blues Band
8 p.m. Friday
$13
State Theatre, Kalamazoo

The WRKR/Budweiser Blues Series kicks off 2013 with the singularly edgy Jason Ricci, a harmonica-playing blues singer who’s earned some notoriety for his openly gay stance. But he’s also gotten deserved attention for his riveting music, landing awards and nominations for his blistering harmonica work and pushing the boundaries of blues with elements of punk, jazz, folk and world music. And always energetic. told me when I interviewed him a few years ago that his stage show are “approaching almost pure telepathy. It’s very exciting, and it’s never, ever, ever boring.” Get ticket information at the State Theatre website. The next show in the series: The stellar Ana Popovic on Feb. 1.

CANCELED: Kelly Joe Phelps
8 p.m. Saturday
Wealthy Theatre Front Studio/Annex, Grand Rapids (1130 Wealthy St. SE)

NOTE: Phelps’ scheduled Saturday night performance was canceled on Friday after the Grand River Folk Arts Society was notified by Phelps’ agent of a “medical emergency.” Phelps’ Facebook page indicated the show was scrapped “due to an unforeseen medical situation with one of Kelly Joe’s hands. Kelly Joe extends his apologies, and hopes to see some of you out at future shows.” Late Friday, GRFAS announced it would replace the Acoustic Saturday Night concert with a “hootenanny” — an open-mic night that will feature a $5 admission for audience members and performers. Phelps’ Friday night show at The Ark in Ann Arbor also was canceled.

The Grand River Folk Arts Society has landed quite the big fish (in a mammal sort of way) for its Acoustic Saturday Night series. Washington’s Kelly Joe Phelps has long wowed audiences with his bluesy Americana strains and lap slide-guitar prowess. His rich discography, dating back to 1994, is just as impressive; his most recent album, 2012’s “Brother Sinner and the Whale,” inspired by the Book of Jonah in the Old Testament, was described by allmusic.com as “a warm, inviting and brave recording.”

Get more information about the show at the society website and ticket details at the Wealthy Theatre site.

Potato Moon
7 p.m. Sunday
$12
Salt of the Earth, Fennville

I’ve actually had a chance to see Potato Moon deliver its swing- and folk-hued Americana strains inside the intimately impressive setting of this Fennville restaurant and it’s perfect for the harmony-driven songs this family band delivers. Potato Moon, by the way, has once again been nominated for WYCE Jammie Awards for its latest album, “The Ghost Sessions.” Get ticket information at the Salt of the Earth website.

UNDER-THE-RADAR PICKS

The Boss Mustangs and 45 Spider playing Mulligan’s Pub in Eastown, 8 p.m. Thursday, free – If you’ve never seen The Boss Mustangs, let’s just say these West Michigan rockers will rattle your cage with their thunderous, garage-flavored, groovy punkiness. It’s a galloping good time.

The Fox Brew Ha Ha Craft Beer Festival at the DeltaPlex in Walker, 5-11 p.m. Friday and noon-11 p.m. Saturday, $10-$25 – The Bimini Brothers, Yellow Brick Road Dueling Pianos, The Kielbasa Kings and, of course, comedians provide the entertainment backdrop for this craft beer marathon. Get the lowdown at the official 101.3 The Fox Rocks website here.

13th Hour at 8 p.m. Thursday and Lazy Blue Tunas at 8 p.m. Saturday at One Trick Pony, free – Obvious nostalgia-inducing motivations aside, these two bands are as good as any around Grand Rapids in uncorking harmony-filled renditions of rock, pop and folk classics covering the last 50 years or so. Call 235-7669 for reservations because these shows could fill up fast.

James Reeser & The Backseat Drivers at Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. Friday, $5 – Reeser drives this blues band with harp-happy, Chicago-styled passion.

Sam Kenny CD-release shows at The Shallows Art Gallery at 1054 W. Fulton St. in Grand Rapids, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday – This Grand Rapids’ new album, “World War One,” is haunting and ambitious folk, and definitely worth checking out live. Get details about the show at its Facebook page and read a Spins on Music review of the new album here.

Saturday Night Stars Concert at Zellie’s Opry House in Howard City with Kari Anne & Lost Creek, 7 p.m. Saturday, $8 — This promises “a little gospel, a little folk, a lot of fun,” with opening act Gravel Ridge. Doors open at 6. Details online here.

Email: jsinkevics@gmail.com