Lonestar, Social Distortion, Headband Henny (Photos)

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Today, Local Spins recaps widely varying summer concerts that took place at disparate venues across West Michigan in early July. Browse the photos in this exclusive round-up.

Covering the Gamut: Social Distortion, Lonestar, Headband Henny (Photos/Anthony Norkus/Derek Ketchum/Brayden Flodin)

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Call them studies in contrasts.

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Nashville country band Lonestar kicked off the Independence Day holiday weekend with the biggest show of the summer yet at Paw Paw’s Warner Vineyards, with 2,000-plus in attendance reveling in the band’s hits and songs from a new EP “Iconic, Vol. 1,” that features covers of classics by Adele, Fleetwood Mac and Cyndi Lauper — all of which had the crowd singing along.

Two days later, iconic also could have described California punk heroes Social Distortion, who rocked and rattled GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids with everything from memorable 1990 romps “Story of My Life” and “Ring of Fire” to “Mommy’s Little Monster” and “Another State of Mind” from the group’s latest album released in 2023. They closed out their encore with 1996’s “Don’t Drag Me Down.”

Then there was Tuesday’s Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park debut by Kalamazoo hip-hop/soul artist Headband Henny and Grand Rapids’ pop/soul singer Hannah Laine.

Headband Henny lit up the crowd with his platinum hair and magnetic stage presence on a sunny evening during the fourth concert of the Tuesday Evening Music Club series at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

Wowing the audience with several tracks from his most recent EP, “Henry,” songs like “Here I Go” had much of the crowd singing along and clapping their hands, while “Oak Street” drew cheers and excitement. Headband Henny also performed a handful of melodic tracks from his earlier album, “Purple,” including “Bedroom Pop” and “Ankle Socks.”

Tuesday Evening Music Club: Headband Henny (Photo/Brayden Flodin)

Mid-set, he ventured into covers, delivering a heartfelt rendition of Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” and a smooth take on Leon Thomas’ “MUTT.” At one point, he hyped the crowd by shouting out some favorite local sports teams, but ended the chant with “Go Bears,” referencing the Chicago Bears. The joke didn’t quite land with the crowd, but Headband Henny was able to quickly win them over with a fan-favorite track “Air Force Ones.” The groovy, laid-back track had the audience waving their hands, and Headband Henny shared that the song was made to “instill confidence.” He dedicated the performance to his late friend Jeffrey Lillard, saying, “This was always one of his favorites.”

Showcasing versatility, not with flashy antics but through his strong vocals, engaging presence, and effortlessly cool style, he closed his infectious performance with his track “Iceberg,” followed by a crowd-pleasing cover of The Commodores’ classic “Easy.” The soulful closer had both older and younger fans dancing, singing along and erupting in applause as he left the stage.

Singer-songwriter Hannah Laine’s ethereal voice captivated the audience, opening her set with “Show Up” a song from her new EP, “Unfolding,” and followed that up with “That’s Me,” an anthem about self-confidence and expression regardless of any outside interpretation.

Laine’s set brought a warm, spiritual energy, emphasizing unity and compassion with her song “We Are Light.” Her passionate performance resonated deeply with the crowd, offering a moment of reflection and uplift.

All combined it was a night full of soul, self-assurance and genuine connection leaving the crowd inspired, moved and humming tunes as the sun began to set. – By Brayden Flodin

Separate full review, photos of Monday’s Meijer Gardens concert: The Verve Pipe pairs with Grand Rapids Symphony for electric evening of alt-rock

PHOTO GALLERY: Lonestar, Wayne Hanel at Warner Vineyards
Photos by Derek Ketchum