The mercury plummeted outside but things heated up indoors on Grand Rapids’ live music front with CD-release shows, hard rock, bluegrass, vintage rock, country and indie-dance strains.
So why do some guys buy their football tickets six months in advance but wait until Dec. 24 to do all of their Christmas shopping? Of course, that’s better than the fellow who was arrested for doing his holiday shopping TOO early — before the stores opened.
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Those taking a break from the mayhem of holiday shopping this weekend found some bright-and-shiny musical gifts: Country star Thomas Rhett playing an elbow-to-elbow and fired-up Intersection (with Adam Sanders and Grand Rapids’ own Kari Lynch Band opening the show) the day after country’s Granger Smith did much the same for an enthusiastic bunch at the nightclub, the hard-rocking Love Fossil and Apostles hosting a double CD-release show at The Pyramid Scheme, surf-rock’s The Moonrays and folk/bluegrass’ Brothers Still playing consecutive nights at Rockford Brewing Co., and New York indie-dance crew Rubblebucket revving up a jam-packed Founders Brewing Co.
Oh, and West Michigan’s The Veloras were among bands playing a special “bartender appreciation” event on Friday night at The Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, after bartender Jackie Martin finished second in a national online contest. (Unfortunately, California retro-soul singer Nick Waterhouse — who was supposed to get flown in for the show — had to cancel at the 11th-hour due to a medical emergency. There’s still hope that appearance will be rescheduled.)
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
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