From tour stops by Greensky Bluegrass, Straight No Chaser, Daryl Hall and Todd Rundgren to Thanksgiving eve parties starring Desmond Jones, Hannah Rose Graves and more, it’s a jam-packed week.
Heading Back to Elevation: Desmond Jones on stage during last year’s Thanksgiving week soiree. (Photo/Local Spins)
After a pandemic that took all the fun out of Thanksgiving weekend – especially when it comes to live music – the 2022 holiday season aims to make up for it in epic fashion.
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Take the day before Thanksgiving, which once was regarded as the busiest bar night of the year (though New Year’s Eve might beg to differ): This week’s show lineup pumps up venues and clubs across the region, with everything from an intriguing national tour stop to the return of star-studded rosters of regional favorites to kick off the long weekend.
For instance, Desmond Jones headlines what’s become a tradition for the Grand Rapids jam band with a Wednesday night show at Elevation inside The Intersection that also features sets by Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps (now based in Nashville) and Stormy Chromer (Ann Arbor).
It’s the fourth time the band has hosted a pre-Thanksgiving party at Elevation.
Hannah Rose Graves: Excited to play Rockford Brewing again. (Photo/Bryan Bolea)
“We can’t wait,” said Desmond Jones drummer John Nowak. “We’ve played 31 shows in the last three months and most of them have been out of state. Wednesday will be our 801st show as a band in 10 years. … Having Patty PerShayla & the Mayhaps and Stormy Chromer will make it that much more special.”
Tickets are $10 in advance; $12 day of show. Details about the 9 p.m. show here.
This fall also marked the return of live music to Rockford Brewing after nearly three years, with the Rockford brewery hosting a free Wednesday night bash this week starring The Gasoline Gypsies from the Detroit area and West Michigan’s Hannah Rose Graves Band. Music starts at 9 p.m. as part of the 11th annual Rockford pub crawl that takes place the same day.
Graves said she’s “very much” excited about her return to Rockford Brewing, especially with rock’s Gasoline Gypsies also on the bill along with DJ WITCHCRFTA. More info here.
“The Gypsies are my good friends. They always bring the best energy and are incredibly talented guys,” she noted.
That’s just a sliver of the live music options available on Wednesday, not to mention the rest of Thanksgiving weekend. Here are a few highlights, and view an extensive list in the Local Spins Concert Calendar here.
WEDNESDAY
• Daryl Hall & The Daryl’s House Band wsg Todd Rundgren at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids, 7:30 p.m., tickets/details here. It’s a dream pairing on a unique tour and you can read more about it in our interview with Hall and Rundgren.
Austin Benzing (Photo/Anna Sink)
• Austin Benzing and Grace Theisen Release Show at Midtown in Grand Rapids, 7:30 p.m. – West Michigan singer and guitarist Austin Benzing is set to release his new EP, “Live from Dogtown,” and Kalamazoo singer-songwriter Grace Theisen is officially premiering her new single, “Master of Fire.” Details and tickets here.
• Fire in the Attic at Kirby House in Grand Haven, 8:30 p.m. – This is the live public debut of the new rock band Fire in the Attic, which features young guitarist Avery Jorgensen from Five Strand Fusion, Patrick Lewis of Chordis Bell and Kevin J. Herbert of the Jake Kershaw Band.
Elsewhere, Random Play fires up Holland’s Park Theatre, King Possum roars at Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, Stolen Horses goes country at the Twisted Bull, DJ R2C2 revs up The Pyramid Scheme and Luke Gitchel plays Cedar Springs Brewing.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY
Greensky Bluegrass resumes its annual Thanksgiving weekend run at Kalamazoo State Theatre with two capacity shows on Friday and Saturday, a homecoming for the Kalamazoo-bred band that you can read more about Friday at Local Spins as part of an interview with mandolinist Paul Hoffman. Ticket and event info at kazoostate.com.
• Straight No Chaser brings the 25th anniversary celebration of the a cappella group to Grand Rapids’ DeVos Performance Hall at 8 p.m. Saturday. Details and tickets online here, and read our interview with the band later this week at Local Spins.
Rocking The ‘Section: Wayland plays the club this weekend. (Photo/Eric Stoike)
• Jazz and jam band super-group Monsters’ Impromptu with Lee Heerspink plays Holland’s Park Theatre at 8 p.m. Friday.
• Popular West Michigan rock band Wayland plays The Intersection at 7:30 p.m. Friday along with country’s Brenden Monroe, Prior Noon and Coldville, followed on Sunday by the return of Jackyl at 7:30 p.m. Details here.
• Mark Lavengood and Myron Elkins play Midtown in Grand Rapids at 7:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a solo show from Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Then on Sunday at 7:30 p.m., singer-songwriter Nicholas James Thomasma hosts the return of his “Songtellers” series featuring Sierra Skye Baker and Dylan Tolbert. Details here.
• California comedic glam metal outfit Steel Panther makes a tour stop at GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
Indeed, there’s a flurry of diverse shows throughout the weekend at Grand Armory Brewing in Grand Haven, The Pyramid Scheme, Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, Billy’s Lounge, Mulligan’s Pub and ArtRat Gallery in Grand Rapids, Cedar Springs Brewing in Cedar Springs and much more. View the concert calendar here.
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