Motion City Soundtrack, Heaters, Popa Chubby, The Accidentals: Week-in-Review Photo Galleries, Concert Recaps

A rock band’s farewell tour, plus some bracing indoor and outdoor rock, blues and folk shows dominated the landscape in the Grand Rapids area. Check out the concert recaps and photo galleries.

 

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Just like the weather, summer is a mixed bag when it comes to music.

Not only do concerts vary widely by venue — outdoors in parks, parking lots and amphitheaters, indoors in small clubs and gaping arenas — and by the musical styles unleashed, but the weather itself can wreak havoc: Rain and heat have caused postponements of several shows the past two weeks.

But in most cases, the shows must go on and this photo gallery and concert roundup is the proof.

TUESDAY

Grand Rapids’ The Soul Syndicate drew a mammoth crowd of 1,000-plus along the Rogue River in downtown Rockford for the United Bank Rogue River After-the-Blues Series on Tuesday, with dozens of happy folks in front of the stage dancing to the vintage R&B and rock ‘n’ roll cranked out by the sweaty band on stage — which this time around shed its usual suits due to the steamy conditions.

WEDNESDAY

The 97LAV Summertime Blues series kept the blues chopper roaring for a decent-sized crowd of fans and bikers Wednesday with the appearance of Popa Chubby in the parking lot outside DeltaPlex Arena in Walker. Amid a sea of motorcycles and lawn chairs on a warm Wednesday evening and with beverages in hand, hundreds of folks gathered at the DeltaPlex to enjoy the 97LAV Summertime Blues concert series. Electric blues musician Popa Chubby played throughout the night with a warmth and comfort to the audience, encompassing them with his soulful, upbeat tunes. “I am Popa Chubby and I am a happy man,” he stated with a grin.

Elsewhere indoors, Michigan guitarist and singer Greg Nagy fired up his own distinctive take on the blues, soul and more with his talented band — Scott Veenstra, Chris Corey and David Uricek — as part of the Local Spins Wednesdays series at SpeakEZ Lounge.

The same night, Goo Goo Dolls regaled a sold-out crowd at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Read a full review and view a separate photo gallery from that show online here.

THURSDAY

JRob, Lady Ace Boogie and Dean Martian started the day Thursday by making a special lunchtime appearance for WYCE’s “GR Live” broadcast at H.O.M.E. in The B.O.B., promoting that night’s hip hop competition hosted by JRob at The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids. Longtime folk-rock favorite Troll for Trout, led by Michael Crittenden, also made an appearance on “GR Live,” previewing the band’s appearance that night at Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, opening for Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts.

Traverse City’s The Accidentals returned to the Grand Rapids area for the second time in less than two weeks, this time for a slightly damp Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts series appearance on Riverwalk Plaza in downtown Lowell (a show that was delayed due to rains that rolled through — conditions that forced Serita’s Black Rose indoors for GRAM on the Green at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the rescheduling of Bigfoot Buffalo’s outdoor community concert in Kentwood to Aug. 18).

In Rockford, Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe unfurled their singular indie-folk at Rockford Brewing, the same night that Kalamazoo’s Megan Dooley & The Last Roots made their debut Thursday night at Harmony Hall on Grand Rapids’ West Side, a venue that’s started to ramp up live music as of late.

FRIDAY

Grand Rapids singer-songwriters Matt Plessner and Rachel White celebrated release of new recordings Friday at The Hideout Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids.

In Eastown, Billy’s Lounge hosted a night of diverse West Michigan talent, with roots rock/jam band Bigfoot Buffalo, outlaw country’s The Bootstrap Boys and rock’s The Legal Immigrants.

And in Holland, West Michigan cover band Strumble Head rolled out some classic hits, including “Just What I Needed” and “Listen to the Music,” for a crowd gathered Friday evening as part of Holland’s summer concert series at Kollen Park.

WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY: Tuesday-Friday
The Soul Syndicate photos by John Sinkevics
Popa Chubby photos by Deshia Dunn
Greg Nagy, The Accidentals, Megan Dooley
Matt Plessner, Bigfoot Buffalo photos by Anna Sink
Serita’s Black Rose photos courtesy of Serita Crowley
Strumble Head photos by Adrianna Walker

SATURDAY

Motion City Soundtrack, the Minneapolis band calling it quits with its “So Long, Farewell Tour,” made a stop Saturday at The Intersection in Grand Rapids, rousing a hefty crowd of ebullient fans. The band later thanked its West Michigan fans on Facebook: “Massive thanks to all who came out to our last show in Grand Rapids tonight. You were an incredible bunch. We will miss you dearly.”

Just down the street at Founders Brewing Co., “Michigan Psych Night” unleashed reverb-laden delights courtesy of Heaters — playing as a four-piece band — Suzies and Trash Hounds, with Darkly also on the bill. It was the kickoff to the Heaters’ “Baptistina Tour” which will take them to Canada, the East Coast, the West Coast and throughout the Midwest. The band officially will release its new album, “Baptistina,” on Aug. 5.

WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY: Saturday
Motion City Soundtrack, Heaters, Suzies, Trash Hounds photos by Anna Sink

Copyright 2016, Spins on Music LLC