Mid-Week Marvels: Black Veil Brides, St. Paul, Sounds of the Zoo, Lighting Matches (Photos)

It was a hump day unlike any other with fist-pumping affairs at GLC Live at 20 Monroe and Kalamazoo State Theatre, plus the launch of Local Spins Wednesdays and Sounds of the Zoo’s Day 3.

 

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Led by singer Andy Biersack, the California-based Black Veil Brides unleashed its hard-rocking, gothic metal for fans at Grand Rapids’ GLC Live at 20 Monroe.

Just down the street, at the cozy SpeakEZ Lounge, two of Grand Rapids’ own rock purveyors — Lighting Matches and The Fabulous Vans — kicked off the fall edition of the Local Spins Wednesdays series.

The same night — about 50 miles to the south — Alabama Southern soul outfit St. Paul & The Broken Bones brought their “Angels in Science Fiction” tour to Kalamazoo State Theatre, with opener Abraham Alexander.

And just down the street from that theater, the third night of Kalamazoo’s Sounds of the Zoo festival fired up at Old Dog Tavern with sets by three West Michigan acts — Nathan Walton & The Remedy, Kait Rose & The Thorns and Hannah Rose Graves.

Clearly, it was a Wednesday night unlike any other during September’s final week and Local Spins was there to capture the action in photos. Browse the galleries below.

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PHOTO GALLERY: Black Veil Brides at GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Photos by Joshua Tufts

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PHOTO GALLERY: St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Abraham Alexander
Kalamazoo State Theatre
Photos by Derek Ketchum

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PHOTO GALLERY: Lighting Matches, The Fabulous Vans at SpeakEZ Lounge
Photos by Anna Sink

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SOUNDS OF THE ZOO – DAY 3

Sounds of the Zoo’s Day 3 showed no slump in musical action.

At Kalamazoo’s Old Dog Tavern, a rootsy lineup of West Michigan bands laid out a drinking night to a bar filled with people to the point of lining the walls.

Grand Rapids singer Hannah Rose Graves’ sultry but passionate voice took the first hour, a special occasion for her as she prepares to release a new album next week: “I love Kalamazoo, and it’s been about four or five years since I played here.”

Kalamazoo’s Kait Rose & The Thorns received applause louder than the band, which rolled out a full slate of harmonies. Saxophonist Aaron Stinson was even drowned out by enthusiastic clapping before finishing his solos.

Nathan Walton & The Remedy delivered a soulful set of rock ‘n’ roll, with Walton’s rasp adding the necessary backwoods sensibility. They bought party–through songs like their “Bare My Soul,” and an instrumental groove that morphed into a several-minute-long drum solo during which drummer Zach Dubay impressively hit a vape.

Perfectly suited to a tavern — chill but simultaneously full of people and excitement — the night chased a twang and caught it proudly. – By Cassandra Kipp

NOTE: Sounds of the Zoo continues today (Thursday) with performances at KNAC and Rugger’s Up and Under. View the schedule below and get more information online at soundsofthezoo.com.

PHOTO GALLERY: Sounds of the Zoo (Day 3) at Old Dog Tavern
Hannah Rose Graves, Nathan Walton, Kait Rose
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker and Cassandra Kipp

SOUNDS OF THE ZOO 2023: THE SCHEDULE

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