Sunday’s fifth anniversary celebration outside HopCat in downtown Grand Rapids drew hundreds of West Michigan devotees — and 5K runners — for a Memorial Day weekend treat.
Flying High: Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish got Sunday’s celebration started with a rock ‘n’ roll bang. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
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The sun was shining on Local Spins.
Band Debut: Singer Hannah Rose Graves and her newly assembled GravesTones performed outside HopCat on Sunday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Not surprisingly, organizers of the HopCat Extra Time 5k Race and post-party, aka, Local Spins’ Fifth Anniversary Celebration and CD-Release Show, had fretted about forecasts that showed the potential for thunderstorms and torrential rains on Sunday afternoon.
And just like all those cliches about Michigan’s ever-changing weather, the rain clouds skirted Grand Rapids, the skies parted for sunshine, and hundreds of runners and revelers basked in energetic sets from Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, Big Dudee Roo and Hannah Rose & The GravesTones — celebrating release of the inaugural “HopCat presents Local Spins Live at River City Studios” compilation featuring tracks by 12 West Michigan artists. See the full list of featured bands and solo acts online here.)
Summer Kickoff: The weather brought out a happy crowd in downtown Grand Rapids. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
The CD-release bash followed the running of the HopCat Extra Time 5K Race on Sunday afternoon. That event drew more than 800 registrants, the most in the history of the event, with spectators and music lovers rolling in for post-race performances that included the debut of singer Hannah Rose Graves’ new lineup of The GravesTones.
The seven-piece band closed out the evening with a crowd-pleasing take on “Whipping Post” in tribute to The Allman Brothers’ Greg Allman, who died Saturday.
Order a copy of the Local Spins CD at the Local Spins’ online gift shop or download tracks via Bandcamp.com.
Sunday’s event was sponsored with support from Leavens, Strand & Glover, The Pinnacle Center, HopCat, Macatawa Bank and Good Pizza Co.
Sunday’s anniversary party was presented with support from Leavens, Strand & Glover, The Pinnacle Center, Macatawa Bank, Good Pizza Co. and HopCat.
PHOTO GALLERY: Local Spins 5th Anniversary/CD-Release Show (May 28, 2017)
Photos by Anthony Norkus
VIDEO NO. 1: Local Spins 5th Anniversary/CD-Release Show
VIDEO NO. 2: Local Spins 5th Anniversary/CD-Release Show
Video by David Specht
Copyright 2017, Spins on Music LLC
