'Michigan Loves You': The Accidentals revel in spirited homecoming shows

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After a Western tour, the band’s album-release shows in Kalamazoo and Muskegon Thursday and Friday were exuberant displays featuring guests such as The Crane Wives and Rick Chyme. (Photos, video)

Good to be Home: The Accidentals on stage at Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)

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If the first two nights of The Accidentals’ four-date Michigan homecoming are any indication, the Traverse City alt-folk band has further cemented its status as a beloved Mitten State marvel.

Tales from the Road: Savannah Buist and Michael Dause during Thursday’s show. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)

In the midst of a two-month tour promoting their latest release, “Odyssey,” The Accidentals were clearly stoked to return home for the first Michigan show in the weekend run, laying Bell’s Brewery in front of a decent-sized crowd in Kalamazoo on Thursday night.

The Accidentals weren’t the only Michiganders to return home however, as Nashville-based, Detroit native Stephie James (formerly of Blue Mountain Belle) got things rocking with her four-piece band not long after Grayling native Jake Allen kicked things off with a soulful solo set of his own.

Allen, who has been opening up for The Accidentals on their album release tour for the past month-plus later joined the Traverse City-based trio for the remainder of the night, lending his talents on keys and guitar as he has been since jumping on tour with the band.

Kalamazoo Power: The Accidentals were greeted warmly at Bell’s. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)

Shouts of “Michigan loves you” from the crowd made Savannah Buist blush as the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist expressed her gratitude for all the support the band has received from their home state over the years. Buist’s partner in musical crime, Katie Larson, echoed those sentiments later on, acknowleding how good it was to be back with their home folk.

Drummer Michael Dause, with some help from Buist and Larson, regaled the crowd throughout the night with multiple tales of the road, which included a total of eight breakdowns in 40 days. (You can read all about The Accidentals’ Western tour which began in Nashville and carried them west through 10 states and one province here in a road diary for Local Spins.)

The show was highlighted with a number of tracks off the new album, including the title track, “Memorial Day,” ”KW,” “Crow’s Feet,” “Arizona Stars,” “Stitches and Seams,” “The Sound a Watch Makes When Enveloped in Cotton” and “In the Morning.” The band also got the crowd fired up with a rousing cover of Vulfpeck’s “Back Pocket” and a guest appearance from Grand Rapids’ hip hop artist Rick Chyme on “Parking Lot.”

Other highlights included a Dause-sung cover of Andrew Bird’s “Capsized” and a feel-good sing-along encore of The Accidentals’ staple “Michigan and Again.”

COLLABORATIVE MUSKEGON CONCERT

On Friday night, the Frauenthal Center in Muskegon also proved to be the site of something special, with the iconic and historic venue hosting a different but equally engaging evening of Accidentals-induced charm.

Frauenthal Frolic: Sav Buist performing on Friday night. (Photo/Jeff Brinn)

Allen opened the evening, impressing the crowd with originals as well as unique twists on familiar tunes. His finger picking, percussive use of his guitar, and pedal looping helped layer his sounds into a crowd-pleasing set.

Up next, Grand Rapids’ own The Crane Wives took to the stage, lighting up the Frauenthal and moving the audience to clap and cheer along with favorites from their prior albums, as well as a first run of new material. The folk-rock band finished its set by inviting The Accidentals on stage to play with them for their last number, “Sleeping Giants,” which brought everyone in the house to their feet. (Check out the video below.)

Finally, celebrating the release of “Odyssey,” the band of the evening took it from there, keeping the crowd cheering the rest of the night.

The Accidentals – along with Allen and Chyme – played new songs from “Odyssey,” as well as favorites from prior albums. And along the way, the band opened up with stories from their cross-country tour, as well as the inspiration behind their songs – some funny, some powerfully moving and all of it creating an album-release show worth celebrating.

The band will close out its Michigan run in Bay City tonight and Detroit on Sunday before spending the next month back on the road, traveling through the Midwest and Northeast.

PHOTO GALLERY: The Accidentals at Bell’s Brewery (10/26/17)
Photos by Derek Ketchum