The alt-rock/pop band returned to the outdoor amphitheater to captivate a sold-out crowd with a big assist from the Grand Rapids Symphony on Wednesday. The review and photos at Local Spins.
Robust Catalog, Ultra-Devoted Fans: Guster brought both to Meijer Gardens on Wednesday. (Photo/Veronica Ann Dearborn)
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Temperatures as blazing as a Tarik Skubal fastball were no match for the coolness of Guster teaming up with the Grand Rapids Symphony in a sold-out show Wednesday at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
The irresistibly melodic alt-rock band brought out legions of its faithful fans for a two-hour set featuring 22 songs covering the breadth of its 34-year career, backed by this city’s first-rate orchestra.
Its stirring strings added depth and drama to Guster’s eminently hummable tunes, repeatedly bringing the packed crowd to their feet to dance in place, sing to the sky and generally work up a joyful sweat.
It’s hard not to do that with a band that dishes out such smart songs as “Satellite,” its smooth-groove hit from 2006’s excellent album, “Ganging Up on the Sun,” and the jubilant, “Do You Love Me?,” which practically dares you to try and stay seated.
Hot Night: The amphitheater and a full stage. (Photo/Veronica Ann Dearborn)
The golden vocals of Ryan Miller and Adam Gardner overlaid a shimmering sheen to their infectious tunes, like the mellow opener “Ramona” and the rambunctious rocker “Fa Fa,” which closed the first half with percussionist Brian Rosenworcel banging furiously on his beloved bongos.
Along with fellow band member Luke Reynolds and touring drummer Dave Butler, the Guster crew continually switched instruments, displaying their versatility and penchant for playfulness. They nimbly performed an eclectic mix from their nine-album catalog, from as far back 1997’s “Goldfly” to “The Elevator” from last year’s “Ooh La La.” (View the set list online here.)
Guster’s third concert at the Gardens brought them together with the symphony, which hit its marks brilliantly after a single run-through earlier in the afternoon. Conductor Steven Jarvi went toe-to-toe with frontman Miller in the don’t-curb-your-enthusiasm department.
Guster has paired with more than a dozen other orchestras, including the National Symphony Orchestra last March at The Kennedy Center – a gig the band struggled with after President Trump took over the hallowed venue as chairman. Miller said it was “one of the most emotional shows” the band has played, after having explained the band’s decision to go through with it in an April Reddit post.
A DEVOTED FAN BASE THAT FOLLOWS GUSTER ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Steve and Kim Reschak, of Clarkston, went to the Kennedy Center concert, as well as having seen them play with the Colorado Symphony at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre — a measure of their devotion to the band. So was their trek from the east side of the state to see them at the Gardens along with their daughter, Hannah.
Joining the Fans: Guster’s Ryan Miller near the end of Wednesday’s show. (Photo/Charley Honey)
“I grew up listening to them,” said Hannah, 19. “It’s a very warm feeling whenever I listen to Guster.”
Logan Cook of Rockford has seen the band a dozen times and wasn’t going to miss them playing with the symphony. “They always have fun playing,” he said. “They’re not just going through the motions.”
They certainly were having fun Wednesday night, and so were the couples embracing and parents dancing with their kids. Ryan Miller, an animated chatterbox, delighted at the sight.
“What a happy bunch of people. You folks are so fun!” he told the crowd, before wading into said crowd with his signature wayfaring tune, “Doin’ it by Myself”: “Let’s feel alive, feel alive,” he sang, and we all did.
The band closed the night with “Happier” – a happy melody wrapped around a bitter tale of abandonment – and the beautifully dreamy “Come Downstairs and Say Hello,” launching their faithful homeward with pounding joy.
One fan was still singing it as he got into his car.
NEXT UP AT MEIJER GARDENS: Dinosaur Jr., Snail Mail and Easy Action perform at 6:15 p.m. Sunday (July 27). Tickets, $55 for non-member and $53 for members, available online here.
PHOTO GALLERY: Guster with Grand Rapids Symphony at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Veronica Ann Dearborn
