Winter roared in a month early, but that didn’t stop some popular local acts from roaring on stage at CD-release shows and elsewhere, including the International Wine, Beer & Food Festival at DeVos Place.
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Rock ‘n’ rollers find ways to keep warm.
That was certainly true during this West Michigan November snowstorm with:
• Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, with opening act Rio (featuring Alexis Kohns from the Koh Kohs and Tom Gunnels of The Crane Wives), returning to Rockford Brewing on Thursday with their usual rockabilly vim and vigor, not to mention a few new tunes;
• Swedish melodic death metal outfit Arch Enemy cranking up the amps at The Intersection the same night;
• The International Wine, Beer and Food Festival tantalizing showgoers with a dizzying array of wines, beer and cider, not to mention live performances by the Steve Talaga Trio, the Really Keely Acoustic Trio, Sam Corbin, Nickel & Dime, Matt Foresman and Mark Sala, who entertained the tasting troops at various times Thursday through Saturday;
• Skankadank had a big crowd boogeying big-time to its soulful, horn-hued strains at Rockford Brewing Co. on Friday night. Earlier in the day, Tommy and Chris Schichtel from The FuzzRites delivered a rare acoustic performance on the air during Local Spins on WYCE (before headlining today’s 20th anniversary Feedback show at Founders Brewing, which starts at 4 p.m.);
• Singer Hannah Rose Graves and guitarist Justin Wierenga celebrated release of their new album, “Everything We Already Knew,” for a hearty and enthused audience at Billy’s Lounge on Saturday, starting the night with some blistering instrumental jamming before launching into catchy selections from the new CD as well as some blues- and soul-spiced covers. The audience included a fair number of local musicians who came to support and cheer the singer and her top-notch band. Check out some video highlights below, as well as a photo gallery, and read more about Graves and the new album here. Another CD-release show takes place Wednesday night at SpeakEZ Lounge in Grand Rapids;
• Wayland filled The Intersection on Saturday night for a hard-rocking, hometown show (with Devin & the Dead Frets among the openers) that boasted a special stage extending deep into the audience so that some of the band members could get up close and personal with their fans;
• Eastern Michigan’s Black Jake & The Carnies revved up Founders Brewing on Saturday with its energetic “crabgrass” strains along with funkgrass faves Back Forty and Anna Lee’s Company.
THE LOCAL SPINS WEEKEND PHOTO GALLERY: Nov. 20-23
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Arch Enemy photos by Eric Stoike
Wine, Beer & Food Festival photos by Anna Sink
Skankadank, The FuzzRites photos by John Sinkevics
Hannah Rose Graves photos by Anna Sink
Wayland photos by Eric Stoike
Black Jake & The Carnies photos by Anna Sink
Copyright 2014, Spins on Music LLC