It was a weekend of dynamic performances, some by West Michigan bands The Soul Syndicate, Murder Party, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and a dozen bands at the Bona-Who? fest. (Photos, videos)
Guitars as Weapons: Seether pumped up a sold-out Orbit Room on Saturday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Indie-rock phenom Of Montreal wasn’t the only band to play to an effusive, capacity crowd this weekend, though certainly the group’s theatrical show at The Pyramid Scheme was a stunningly “weird” and engaging affair. (Read more about the show and view a photo gallery in this Local Spins review.)
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There were plenty of rousing stage spectacles:
Manchester Orchestra at The Intersection. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
• Buzz rock band Reignwolf, aka guitarist Jordan Cook, unleashed a high-energy set before playing a long encore after moving all the gear — guitar, bass and drum kit — into the middle of the crowd. At the same time, heavy metal’s Geoff Tate and Queenryche pounded it out in the main showroom of The Intersection.
• The nightclub followed that with another jam-packed concert: Atlanta indie-rockers Manchester Orchestra played to a hepped-up Friday night crowd, touring in support of their new album, “Cope.”
• A host of Latin-flavored bands played the first-ever Downtown Fiesta at Rosa Parks Circle on Saturday, with everything from traditional foods and drinks to a Mariachi band and dancing horses. “What this is, is a celebration of Latino culture in West Michigan,” Emily Evers, of festival organizer The Arena District, told Local Spins’ David Specht. By late afternoon, about 1,000 people had gathered in the sunshine to listen to the likes of Son de Mexico and Los de Afuera.
• Seether returned to The Orbit Room for a sold-out show of enthused alt-metal, post-grunge fans. The concert also featured the hard-rocking bands Black Stone Cherry and Skindred.
Dancing to the Beat: Downtown Fiesta on Rosa Parks Circle. (Photo/Tori Thomas)
• Grand Rapids’ newest band, The Soul Syndicate, made its public debut on Saturday night at The Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, uncorking its horn-enhanced vintage R&B strains for a standing-room only audience of fans who embraced the Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Motown classics uncorked by the seven-piece band led by powerful lead singer Diego Morales. It proved to be a triumphant debut for an outfit that hits the sweet spot when it comes to the soul revival movement, cranking out bona fide, sweat-drenched R&B passion that impressed the crowd.
• Like a rolling stone that keeps on rolling, Founders Brewing Co. hosted its seventh annual Bob Dylan Tribute Show, with sets by Nicholas James & The Bandwagon, The Jukejoint Handmedowns, Devin & The Dead Frets, Ian Gorman and Josh Rose, with Dylan fans young and old singing along.
• Despite the cool weather, a dozen bands performed during Bona-Who? on four acres near Cedar Springs, with as many as 400 people — on and off — attending the day-long outdoor festival, pig roast and bonfire, according to organizer and property owner Joel Gordon. Bands performing included Hi-Ker, Phantom Ivory, Conklin Ceili Band, Big Organ and more.
In addition, Kalamazoo alternative/blues/rock band Flypaper and Americana duo Jen Sygit and Sam Corbin made stops at Rockford Brewing, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, Murder Party and Josh ‘Lil’ Brother” Leonard fired up a small crowd at the Tip Top, Donna the Buffalo got its “Herd” of fans smiling and moo-ving at The Intersection, Wild Ponies, aka Doug and Telisha Williams, kicked up their heels at Spring Lake’s Seven Steps Up, and The Honeytones made their annual appearance at One Trick Pony.
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Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
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