Lazy Genius, FlyLiteGemini, The Hacky Turtles, Kalamazoo Mall Market: Photo Galleries

If nothing else, the COVID summer of 2020 has created opportunities for unique live music experiences. Today, Local Spins recaps a smattering of outdoor August concerts across West Michigan.

 

SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTO GALLERIES

There’s a certain rustic, hippie charm to Camp Clear Sky near Lowell.

With live music indoors shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic that’s swept the globe, the backyard venue hosted by sound engineer John Wenger on his sprawling property quickly has become a beloved attraction for fans and campers across the region seeking to recapture that vibrant concert experience.

West Michigan bands — including FlyLiteGemini, which performed at Camp Clear Sky on Friday — have embraced that experience, too, with social-distancing and mask-wearing practiced by attendees who bring their own lawn chairs and blankets to the family-friendly shows.

But make no mistake: Despite the wandering chickens and dogs amid the down-home accommodations (with a handful of vendors), the sound quality and professionalism at these outdoor shows is top-notch, making it an uplifting live music alternative with a bright future.

“I wanted to do something to help the (music) community and have you guys get out of your houses and enjoy some live music,” Wenger said Friday before introducing Joe Chamberlin and FlyLiteGemini to the stage and encouraging fans to make donations to the band.

This coming week at Camp Clear Sky, Corrina Wenger plays Thursday night; The Bootstrap Boys on Saturday. National act Dixon’s Violin is on the schedule for Sept. 3.

Check out a photo gallery and video here, the scroll down for a mattering of images from several outdoor West Michigan concerts.

PHOTO GALLERY: FlyLiteGemini at Camp Clear Sky (8/21/20)
Photos by Anna Sink

VIDEO: FlyLiteGemini at Camp Clear Sky (8/21/20)

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Elsewhere on the music front, West Michigan music fans had a chance to see:

⭐ Grand Rapids psych-rock band Lazy Genius, which on Friday kicked off the first “Bands at Blandford” show of 2020 at Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids. (Kalamazoo’s Jordan Hamilton plays the series at 7 p.m. Friday; $20, $35 VIP).

PHOTO GALLERY: Lazy Genius at Blandford Nature Center (8/21/20)
Photos by Jamie Geysbeek

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⭐ Detroit act Pinter Whitnick, which played the downtown Kalamazoo Mall Market on Friday night.

PHOTO GALLERY: Pinter Whitnick on the Kalamazoo Mall (8/21/20)
Photos by Derek Ketchum

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⭐ Grand Rapids’ ever-funky The Hacky Turtles, who played their first live show in 208 days at noon Thursday for “Relax at Rosa” at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids.

PHOTO GALLERY: The Hacky Turtles at Rosa Parks Circle (8/20/20)
Photos by John Sinkevics

For Video Snippet Click Here: https://www.facebook.com/localspins/posts/3335154613212617

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⭐ Lady Ace Boogie, Lokella and SuperDre, who played Listening Room’s “Listening Lawn” show on Thursday evening outside Studio Park. Check out the full review and video highlights of Lady Ace Boogie’s final public performance online here.

PHOTO GALLERY: Lady Ace Boogie, Lokella at Studio Park (8/20/20)
Photos by Anthony Norkus

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⭐ Detroit’s Olivia Dear and West Michigan’s Josh Rose, who played the “Listening Lawn” series last week.

PHOTO GALLERY: Olivia Dear, Josh Rose at Studio Park (8/13/20)
Photos by Kendra Petersen-Kamp

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⭐ Kalamazoo’s The Go Rounds, who performed at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids for last week’s edition of “Relax at Rosa.”
PHOTO GALLERY: The Go Rounds at Rosa Parks Circle (8/13/20)
Photos by Anna Sink

Copyright 2020, Spins on Music LLC