From Lawrence, Tauk and ATliens’ big shows to cozier affairs at Wealthy Theatre (May Erlewine), Bell’s (Craig Finn), SpeakEZ (Evidence) and Glow Hall (Cal in Red), it was an upbeat weekend.
Pop Exuberance: Gracie Lawrence on stage at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
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Uncorking big hits such as “Don’t Lose Sight,” “Do You Wanna Do Nothing With Me?” and “Whatcha Want” near the end of their tour stop at GLC Live at 20 Monroe on Friday, New York soul-pop’s Lawrence had the mostly young Grand Rapids audience eagerly subscribing to the band’s No. 1 item on its on-stage “To Do List”: Get funky.
After an opening performance by Jacob Jeffries Band, the horn-infused group led by siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence unfurled a 20-song set that included a trio of tunes (“Promotion,” “The Weather,” “Something in the Water”) performed acoustically midway through the evening.
Down the road the same evening, another New York outfit, progressive rock fusion’s Tauk, returned to Elevation inside The Intersection, touring behind a new album, “Somewhere Between Here and There,” while the red-eyed, chrome-masked electronic duo ATliens revved things up in the main showroom.
Pointing the Way: May Erlewine’s uplifting evening at Wealthy Theatre. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
The night before, in a much more intimate setting at Wealthy Theatre, northern Michigan’s beloved singer-songwriter May Erlewine had devoted fans transfixed in her own inimitable way. Accompanied by guitarist and studio collaborator Packy Lundholm, Erlewine performed enticing versions of “Easy,” Animal,” “Hurricane,” “Days Go By” and more, finishing it all with a sing-along during “Good Feeling.”
Meanwhile, in Kalamazoo, Craig Finn (The Hold Steady) was “Messing with the Settings” at Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Cafe on Friday — part of the tour behind his latest solo album, “Always Been.” Performing the aforementioned song with opening act James Felice, Finn delivered an incredibly jazzy night, with moving performances of his solo work and powerful stories with his three-piece Band of Forgiveness.
The following night, Grand Rapids electronic pop’s Cal in Red made a stop at Kalamazoo’s newest all-ages music venue, Glow Hall in downtown Kalamazoo, a couple of days after wrapping up a West Coast tour clearly making new fans with their set, which was followed by three-piece guitar rock band Loudfeli.
Sunday closed with bracing set of original contemporary jazz courtesy of Evidence Jazz at SpeakEZ Lounge in downtown Grand Rapids, with the all-star group unfurling new music that will appear on an upcoming new album.
Browse photos from all of the shows below.
PHOTO GALLERY: Lawrence, Jacob Jeffries Band at GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Photos by Derek Ketchum
PHOTO GALLERY: Tauk at Elevation
Photos by Eric Stoike
PHOTO GALLERY: ATliens at The Intersection
Photos by Eric Stoike
