High heat and humidity didn’t hamper a flurry of outdoor live music, from Latin rock on Calder Plaza to hip hop at Cowpie to the choral allure of an iconic South African group. Videos, photos at Local Spins.
Rocking Calder Plaza: Tributo a Mana at Grand Rapids Hispanic Festival. (Photo/Local Spins)
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Musical diversity was the name of the game this weekend in the Grand Rapids area.
The Hispanic Center of West Michigan’s Hispanic Festival on Calder Plaza delivered rich and varied performances, including the top-tier Latin rock of Tributo a Mana on Friday night, with more than a dozen other performances throughout the weekend (including local faves Cabildo and La Furia del Ritmo) along with food booths and a colorful market.
View the full Sunday schedule online at hispanic-center.org.
High-Flying Fun: Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Studio Park. (Photo/Elle Lively)
Several blocks away on Friday evening, South Africa’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo, meanwhile, reprised their February 2020 appearance at Listening Room — the last U.S. show they played before COVID canceled their tour — by performing outdoors at downtown’s Studio Park for the Listening Lawn series, enchanting fans with distinctive, smooth harmonies, dancing and a gregarious demeanor.
(Africa also was represented on Saturday at downtown’s Rosa Parks Circle with arts, crafts, music and interactive activities as part of A Glimpse of Africa Festival.)
Some 20 miles away, Grand Rapids hip hop artist Lady Ace Boogie uncorked an energetic set with special guests on Cowpie Music Festival’s Soul Train Stage, about the same time that vintage/outlaw country’s The Bootstrap Boys wrapped up its set on the Midnight Special stage and jam band Dopapod kicked off its psychedelic fervor on the main ‘American Bandstand’ stage on Shagbark Farm. (Come back to Local Spins on Monday for a full recap of Cowpie’s final soiree.)
Another milestone show? Bass Country revved up EDM fervor at The Intersection to celebrate its fifth anniversary.
Yes, the first weekend in August proved to be a resplendent, variegated display despite scorching temperatures and miserable mugginess. View the photos and video highlights here, and check out a full Local Spins review and photo gallery from Friday’s Andrew Bird/Iron & Wine/Meshell Ndegeocello concert at Meijer Gardens.
PHOTO GALLERY: Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Studio Park
Photos by Elle Lively
PHOTO GALLERY: Grand Rapids Hispanic Festival at Calder Plaza
Photos by John Sinkevics
VIDEO: Lady Ace Boogie at Cowpie Music Festival (Shagbark Farm)
Get the first-day recap from Cowpie Music Festival here, with more coverage on Monday at Local Spins.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bass Country Fifth Anniversary at The Intersection
Photos by Eric Stoike
