Mutemath, Canon Blue
7 p.m. Thursday
$20 advance, $23 day of show
The Intersection
Musically speaking, Grand Rapids has really got it going on this week. Take for instance, inventive New Orleans alt-rock band Mutemath, which sets up shop at The Intersection, 133 Grandville Ave. SW, on Thursday. Touring behind a brand new album, “Odd Soul,” the four-piece group sets few limits on its approach, incorporating electronica, blues, rock and pop into an uber-energetic stage show on this tour that the Kansas City Star called “outstanding” with “a stunning visual display.” The Seattle Post-Intelligencer gushed about “the sheer furious energy of their live show.” The rave reviews nationwide – along with being named a VH1 “Artist You Oughta Know” – certainly help put this show at the top of your start-the-weekend-early list. Check for tickets here.
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
Mayday Parade, We the Kings, The Downtown Fiction, Anarbor
6 p.m. Wednesday
$17 advance, $20 day of show
The Orbit Room
Brace for a teen parade at Mayday Parade’s headlining show at The Orbit Room, 2525 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE, on Wednesday night. The Florida pop-punk band brings its The End of the World Tour with We the Kings to Grand Rapids, along with The Downtown Fiction and Anarbor. (In case some band names sound familiar: We the Kings played GR’s Fourth of July celebration last year; The Downtown Fiction performed downtown on New Year’s Eve.) Get ticket details here.
The Twilight Sad, Micah P. Hinson, Ghost Heart
8 p.m. Thursday
$10
LadyFest GR! with Fiona Dickinson, five other acts
4 p.m. Saturday
$8
The Pyramid Scheme
Not that I’d normally link these two shows together, but they’re both at The Pyramid Scheme, 68 Commerce Ave. SW, this week and there is a shoegaze rock element that binds a couple of the acts. First up, Scottish rock/noise/shoegaze band The Twilight Sad brings its U.S. tour to Grand Rapids on Thursday, touring behind its third album, “No One Can Ever Know.” The brooding-but-very-loud outfit has a devoted fan base and it should be noted that West Michigan is fortunate to host these fellows: Their first two U.S. shows in Philadelphia and Washington D.C. were canceled last week due to some visa snafus. Americana singer-guitarist Micah P. Hinson, of Texas, and GR’s own Ghost Heart open Thursday’s show.
U.K. native and Kalamazoo-based singer-songwriter Fiona Dickinson headlines LadyFest GR! at the Pyramid Scheme on Saturday, with her shoegazy, dark and haunting folk strains. Also on this unusually intriguing and eclectic bill will be a who’s who of some fabulous female acts from the Grand Rapids area: The Doctors’ Wives, Nobody’s Darlin’, Jes Kramer, DJ SuperDre, Irawniq. To purchase tickets for either show, click here.
Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings
9:30 p.m. Saturday
$10
Billy’s Lounge
The month-long Cabin Fever Blues Series sponsored by the West Michigan Blues Society and WYCE-FM (88.1) wraps up its winter blues love-fest with a popular, returning favorite: The soulful, horn-infused Blind Pig Records recording act Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings. And you can warm up the night before by catching Louisiana swamp blues guitarist Larry Garner, who plays Billy’s, 1437 Wealthy St. SE, at 9:30 p.m. Friday ($10).
Fareed Haque and MathGames
9:30 p.m. Saturday
$5
Founders Brewing Co.
Virtuoso jazz fusion guitarist Fareed Haque returns to Founders Brewing Co., 235 Grandville Ave. SW, with his electronica jazz-funk groove band MathGames. (There seems to be a mathematical pattern to this week’s under-the-radar picks. Must be time for me to brush up on my algebra.) The Chicago-area musician, who’s well-known for meshing classical and jazz sensibilities in his music, plays a Moog guitar as part of the show, allowing him to expand the group’s unique musical palette.
Email: jsinkevics@gmail.com