If August Michigan weather gets any better than this, Local Spins hasn’t seen it. Bracing musical performances just added to the picturesque glory as evidenced by the Weekend Photo Gallery. (Photos, video)
Musical Craic: The Conklin Ceili Band performed for an appreciative crowd at Sparta’s Celtic Festival on Saturday. (Photo/John Sinkevics)
Let’s review the seasonal situation.
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The Detroit Tigers are licking their chops for another post-season run thanks to a big lead in the American League Central Division. The Detroit Lions opened their pre-season schedule with “Kickalicious,” Reggie Bush and Ziggy Ansah added to their roster. And on Monday, high schools across the state will host their first football practices of the season.
Welcome to the Dog Days of Summer, as things transition, ulp, toward the fall.
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Oh sure, that means things haven’t been quite as hectic on the music scene as “Back to School” sales fire up, but there was still plenty on the docket this week: The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park series continued with songwriting icon Randy Newman, Grand Rapids hip-hop outfit Lo Mobb cranked it up at Mulligan’s in Eastown, Valentiger playing Grand Rapids’ new downtown market, Peat in the Creel, the Conklin Ceili Band with Lexi Schaub, dance troupes and more kick-started the Irish jig machine at Sparta’s Celtic Festival, on a near-perfect day in the gorgeous setting of Rogers Park, and 13th Hour entertained fans on the “beach” at The Score with an unusual blend of rock covers.
And while it wasn’t the weekend, I had to include some terrific Anthony Norkus photos of Tuesday night’s performance by the almost mythical Death, from Detroit, rocking The Pyramid Scheme. Just because. As Norkus put it, the band “had a blast playing this show,” showing great appreciation for Michigan fans who smiled and high-fived each other throughout the night.
Much the same could be said for the crowd at Saturday’s Celtic Festival, which featured Liam the Extra Large Leprechaun, 13-year-old singer Lexi Schaub from Northern Michigan (a terrific young singer who recently won her age division in the “Cherry Idol” competition at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City), a Scottish sheaf-tossing competition and dance performances by companies from West Michigan and the Detroit area. Plenty of craic, indeed, as you can see in the photos below and some video highlights.
THE LOCAL SPINS WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY (Aug. 11, 2013)
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2013, Spins on Music
