The liveliest Thanksgiving weekend for live music in three years delivered everything from country to rock to electronic music to jamgrass for West Michigan fans. The photos at Local Spins.
A Throng of Pumped-Up Fans: Greensky Bluegrass at State Theatre. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
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When Greensky Bluegrass rolled out the first of two Thanksgiving homecoming shows at Kalamazoo State Theatre this weekend, the atmosphere really felt like a long-awaited reunion of beloved band with beloved fans.
“I really missed you the past year, so it’s good to see you — all of you,” mandolinist Paul Hoffman told fans with a grin early on during a Friday night show that unfurled everything from vintage originals to a Talking Heads cover (“Road to Nowhere”).
What transpired over the next couple of hours and the following evening of progressive bluegrass prowess from the Kalamazoo-bred quintet proved to be the sort of jam-propelled magic that keeps devoted fans coming back for this light-festooned experience night after night, tour after tour and festival after festival.
Two Lengthy Shows: The Kalamazoo-bred band played Friday and Saturday. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
More than two decades into their musical journey, this Southwest Michigan phenomenon continues to display its mushrooming virtuosity while “covering a lot of new ground” in the genre, as Hoffman puts it — from his own blazing solos to those of his bandmates Dave Bruzza, Michael Bont, Anders Beck and Mike Devol.
Of course, when you’re uncorking two long nights of music in a row, there’s plenty of time for on-stage banter, with Beck recalling after a rendition of “Train Junkie” that the band used to compete with passing trains while performing in the past at Bell’s Brewery just down the road — sometimes when playing that particular song.
“That was badass,” he quipped.
The same certainly might be said for this latest edition of this two-night Thanksgiving tradition.
Elsewhere, the long holiday weekend kicked off with another tradition: Grand Rapids jam band Desmond Jones playing an upbeat, celebratory Thanksgiving Eve show at Elevation inside The Intersection, with Patty Pershayla & The Mayhaps and Stormy Chromer also on tap — the same night that dubstep’s Peekaboo revved up The Intersection’s main showroom and Rockford Brewing Co. hosted a jam-packed affair starring Hannah Rose Graves Band and The Gasoline Gypsies. Midtown, meanwhile, rolled out a release show for West Michigan’s Austin Benzing and Grace Theisen.
On Friday, another West Michigan rock/country favorite, Wayland, headlined a roster of regional acts that included Brenden Monroe, Prior Noon and Coldville.
Scroll down to browse all of the photo galleries.
PHOTO GALLERY: Greensky Bluegrass at Kalamazoo State Theatre
Photos by Derek Ketchum
PHOTO GALLERY: Desmond Jones, Patty Pershayla & The Mayhaps, Stormy Chromer
Elevation inside The Intersection
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker
PHOTO GALLERY: Hannah Rose Graves Band, The Gasoline Gypsies at Rockford Brewing
Photos by Anna Sink
