Saturday night’s benefit for Sullivan Field drew a robust crowd for Joe Hertler and The Hacky Turtles. Plus, view photos from concerts by Thomas Dolby, SoDown, YDG, Ghost Bunnies and more in our roundup.
Pointing the Way: Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers on Saturday night at The Big Room. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
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Efforts to preserve and restore a historic ballfield took a pop-hued, funk-fueled and rock-charged turn on Saturday night.
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Michigan’s Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers and The Hacky Turtles rounded the bases musically in charming and spirited fashion for an enthused crowd at The Big Room in Grand Rapids, a fundraiser for Sullivan Field on the city’s West Side.
Heating up an engaged audience with energetic renditions of “Grace,” “Overloaded” and more to launch the evening, The Hacky Turtles even brought a member of The Rainbow Seekers, saxophonist Caleb Elzinga, on stage for part of their set, before Hertler and crew delivered their much-adored mix of uplifting pop, soul, rock, funk and jammy romps to the stage.
The benefit hosted by Fans of Valley Field, which has spearheaded renovation of the 88-year-old baseball park that’s become a concert venue and community gathering space, drew more than 600 people, many of them experiencing The Big Room venue next to Silva on Ottawa Avenue NW for the first time — a restored space in its own right that opened in late May after millions of dollars of investments to restore part of what was once the Berkey & Gay Furniture Co. factory.
Saturday’s concert also gave attendees an improved sonic milieu, with recent investment of $30,000 in acoustic treatments to the walls and ceiling of the sprawling concert hall — a welcome addition to the emerging venue that’s gaining traction in downtown’s Monroe North district.
Learn more about the Sullivan Field restoration and donate online here, and check out the back story on The Big Room in this Local Spins feature. – John Sinkevics
PHOTO GALLERY: Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, The Hacky Turtles at The Big Room
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker
CONCERT PHOTO GALLERY ROUND-UP
From Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo, browse photos from shows and tour stops at several different venues — including ’80s icon Thomas Dolby’s sold-out show at Bell’s Brewery Back Room, saxophonist Bobby Watson’s sold-out appearance at Crawlspace Theatre and electronic music artist and saxophonist SoDown bringing his “On the Air” tour to The Intersection’s Elevation.
PHOTO GALLERY: Thomas Dolby at Bell’s (Saturday)
Photos by Derek Ketchum
PHOTO GALLERY: SoDown at Elevation (Saturday)
Photos by Eric Stoike
