The first two concerts for Local Spins Week at Listening Room attracted an all-ears attitude from fans enamored of the performers’ story-telling charm and top-shelf musicianship. Recaps, photos, videos.
Telling Tales: Julio Gomez of I Believe in Julio during Tuesday’s ‘Songtellers’ show. (Photo/Eric Stoike)
NEXT UP FOR LOCAL SPINS WEEK: Earth Radio and The Concussions play a free show at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) at SpeakEZ Lounge in Grand Rapids, followed by a ‘secret’ late afternoon pop-up performance in downtown Grand Rapids on Thursday and an 8 p.m. Thursday hip-hop showcase at The Pyramid Scheme.
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View the full Local Spins Week lineup celebrating our 10th anniversary and get tickets here. Scroll down for photos, videos from Monday and Tuesday’s concerts at Listening Room.
MONDAY
Luke Winslow-King & Roberto Luti (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
THE SHOW: Luke Winslow-King with Roberto Luti, Ralston Bowles with Justin Wierenga, Daniel Lutz
HIGHLIGHTS: It’s impossible to fully describe and appreciate the incredible tone and percussive prowess of Robert Luti’s guitar-playing as an enhancement to Luke Winslow-King’s top-shelf songwriting and infectious vocals, especially on fresh material from the newly released, “If These Walls Could Talk.” And the rousing standing ovation from what Winslow-King later called the best crowd on his U.S. tour thus far, inspired an even more impassioned encore rendition of “Thought I Heard You” that displayed Luti and Winslow-King at their blues-fired best. Winslow-King — a Cadillac native who now resides in Spain — clearly reveled in the warm welcome for his Michigan homecoming. And Bowles’ opening set with pedal-steel guitarist Justin Wierenga showed why he’s one of West Michigan’s consummate songwriters, despite an unexpected exchange with a drunken fan who even attempted to join Bowles on stage.
PRICELESS WORDS: “They’re in my pocket. That’s where I keep my picks. It’s my pickpocket.” – Ralston Bowles
THE VIBE: The solid, enthusiastic crowd of fans on a Monday night even proved their fervor after the show, with a long line of attendees purchasing merch, chatting with Winslow-King and Luti, and even getting their purchases — and a resonator guitar — autographed.
PHOTO GALLERY: Luke Winslow-King, Ralston Bowles, Daniel Lutz at Listening Room
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker
TUESDAY
Nicholas James Thomasma (Photo/Eric Stoike)
HIGHLIGHTS: The atmosphere for the entire, intimate evening was a highlight, thanks to the refreshing honesty of each songwriter who spilled the beans in confession-like fashion about the inspiration for certain songs. Of course, the night featured plenty of chuckles, thanks to gentle ribbing about Olmos’ fashion sense and quips related to guitar tuning and marijuana. And while the performers and attendees genuinely missed the presence of Kalamazoo hip-hop cellist Jordan Hamilton, who had to cancel at the 11th hour due a positive COVID test, the evening didn’t miss a beat when it comes to entertaining tales, humorous anecdotes and some top-notch songwriting by performers representing a wide range of genres. The show ended with an impassioned — if a bit ragged — “full-band” take on Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Goin Nowhere.”
PRICELESS WORDS: “Sometimes songs just come to you like that. It’s almost like there’s a muse out there and you just sort of reached out and grabbed it. Other times, you have to sit with it and it might not happen. Sometimes, it’s the one that got away.” – Eric Engblade
“I enjoy your free spirit and your free feet.” – Enrique Olmos (referring to the barefoot Thomasma)
THE VIBE: A small but rapt and engaged crowd clearly felt like they were in these musicians’ living room as they shared their musical camaraderie, often playing new, freshly written or obscure tunes.
PHOTO GALLERY: Local Spins Edition of “Songtellers”
Photos by Eric Stoike
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