ON THE MUSICAL RADAR

May boasts at least a half-dozen first-time musical events, several with an unusual twist to give spring 2013 added zip. Here's a peek at the uncommon lineup:

West Michigan's Music Legends at We Do Care Charity Extravaganza, noon-8:30 p.m. May 5, free, Knights of Columbus Hall in Wyoming – Starring 17 acts from Grand Rapids' past – from The Eschelons to The Trace to Mona and Kristi Sallie – this benefit for We Do Care (aiding children with cancer) pays tribute to some of the area's most historically important artists. Organized partly by Kim Rush of the West Michigan Music Hysterical Society website, the show reflects "the earliest days of rock 'n' roll," garage-rock, jazz, soul, gospel, classic rock and blues.

Bimini Brothers 30th Anniversary Show, 8 p.m. May 11, $10 advance, $12 day of, The Intersection in Grand Rapids – Incredible as it seems, Dennie Middleton and Nick Lewis have put in three decades as the Bimini Brothers parody rock band: Middleton estimates that since 6thgrade in Sparta, the duo has played their "stupid songs" 4,000 times. "Hell, we've been at this as long as WLAV and AC/DC," he said.

Active Commute Week Celebration, 4:30 p.m. May 17, free, Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids – Organized by the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition (and coinciding with National Bike to Work Day and the Grand Rapids Film Festival), this concert features singer-songwriter Ralston Bowles, rock's The Mines and the debut of the bluesy Jim Shaneberger Band, plus screening of the film,Bicycle Dreams.

World Fiddle Day, 2 p.m. May 18, free, Riverside Park in Grand Rapids – Bows will be sawing and strings bending. Launched by musician Caoimhin Mac in Ireland last year, Remus fiddler Bruce Bauman pulled this Grand Rapids version together with Garry Zack, Jean Neal and Bruce Ling. Musicians representing "all skill levels" can drop in and jam the afternoon away. Violins, violas, cellos, upright basses and other stringed instruments are welcome; no wind instruments or drums.

Bona-Who? Pig Roast and Music Festival, noon-midnight May 18, free, Cedar Springs – Year four of this event designed to give young musicians a platform for performing has grown to feature nine youth and adult bands and a pig roast. Just bring blankets, chairs, beverages. Consumption of alcohol by minors strictly prohibited.

Honor by August playing the Seven Steps Up Courtyard Concert, 2:30 p.m. May 19, $10-$15 ($25-$40 VIP), Seven Steps Up in downtown Spring Lake – This first-ever outdoor concert hosted by Seven Steps Up's listening room features Washington D.C. modern rock's Honor by August and Grand Rapids prog-bluegrass'Fauxgrass Quartet, raising funds for The Little Red House adult care services agency. Organizer Gary Hanks says the courtyard holds 2,000 people, with local food and beer available on site.

Greg Nagy playing at Tip Top Deluxe, May 31; $5. Finish the month by whooping it up in a live recording of Michigan blues guitarist Greg Nagy and band playing two shows on May 31. Come and your cheers could forever be enshrined on CD.

CD RELEASES

The B-Sides
For the generation raised on early rock, the B-sides of treasured 45s by The Beatles, Kinks, Zombies and even an obscure act like The Clique was a thrill unlike any other. Grand Rapids' appropriately named The B-Sides deftly revive that flush of excitement. Its two- and three-minute originals recall the twangy guitar pop, sweet hooks and delicious harmonies of the '60s ("Let Her Go," "Mary Had a Baby," "I'll Be There"), while adding a smidgen of modern garage rock. The B-Sides – Tommy Schichtel, Pete Curry, Christopher Schichtel and David Stanton – have roots in (and share sonic textures with) local retro bands The Concussions and The Fuzzrites. But like the slightly edgy, psychedelic B-sides of old, it all sounds like nothing else on 2013's musical landscape.

Flashing Blue Lights
The Formal Introduction of Flashing Blue Lights
From the opening guitar lines and rich vocals of "I Can't Breathe," it's clear Grand Rapids' Flashing Blue Lights is up to something delightfully rootsy and mighty good on this debut recorded at River City Studios. As songwriter/rhythm guitarist/bassist/co-producer Jason Roy puts it, the band inspired by Neil Young, The Beatles, Ryan Adams and Noel Gallagher set out to make a cohesive, layered album with straightforward lyrics, not just a "willy-nilly" collection of tunes. Roy, his brother/singer Tim Roy, lead guitarist Jordan Stricklen, drummer Luke Rockhold and co-producer Austin Ruhstorfer did that and more in an album that adroitly spans American and British influences, and rock, folk and country, too.
Music critic and entertainment writer John Sinkevics comments on the local and national music scene at localspins.com (Spins on Music), spotlighting artists at 10 a.m. Wednesdays on Local Spins Live at News Talk 1340 AM.

 
Dead Prez

ON THE MUSICAL RADAR

In 2011, the dreams and musical potential of new club/concert venue The Pyramid Scheme were huge. Many hoped it would become a sought-after destination for local bands, as well as national touring acts. As the club celebrates its two-year anniversary this month, many say that's precisely what happened. Staff and management "really take care to make sure the bands, local or touring, are treated with respect," says Jaymes Pyne of Grand Rapids noise rock band Heavier Than Air Flying Machines, which returns to The Pyramid Scheme April 9. "I can only imagine that most touring bands are leaving Grand Rapids and telling others about how great it is to play here, and that's enormously important for the local music scene. Almost any small-to mid-size venue in the city is a bar first and a venue second. But when you walk into the back room of The Pyramid Scheme, it's clear where their priorities are."

Pyne's brother/bandmate Jeremy said the club with a showroom capacity of 425 fills a void as a mid-size venue – attracting independent touring musicians which allows "local bands to jump onto those shows and open their music to people that have never had the opportunity to listen." Of course, as with any business in the music trade, it hasn't always been a smooth ride, although it's turned a profit. "The first two years have been a roller-coaster of ups and downs," said Tami VandenBerg. "We have had some hugely successful shows and we have had quite a few shows that have been poorly attended. My biggest surprise has been just how challenging and complicated it is to run a successful music venue. It is a constant balancing act. But overall, Grand Rapids has been very, very good to us." To commemorate its two-year anniversary, The Pyramid Scheme hosts the return of hip-hop's Dead Prez on April 27.

Weekly blues and jazz jams have come and gone in Grand Rapids over the years, but anytime local legend Jimmie Stagger gets involved, it's a sure bet audiences will listen and a who's who roster of West Michigan blues icons will drop by. Stagger, honored by WYCE-FM with a 2013 Legacy Award, recently kicked off a Sunday night blues jam at HopCat after owner Mark Sellers asked him to give it a try. "I'm excited about it," said Stagger, who hosts the sessions with a three-piece band; select musicians rotate in for a few songs at a time. It represents a return to Sunday jams at HopCat, which hosted drummer Randy Marsh's jazz for more than year before those sessions moved to SpeakEZ Lounge.

CD RELEASES

Deadwood Stone
Ashes

Even when the volume gets cranked up in rafter-rattling, heavy metal fashion, it's still all about the songs and hooks. That's what sets Deadwood Stone apart, evidenced by the Grand Rapids hard-rock band's first full-length studio CD, recorded over two years with David James at Double D Productions. It also helps to have blistering guitars, a full-throated lead singer and a thunderous rhythm section when navigating the soft-to-loud dynamics in this 10-track release from the four-year-old band. Singer Chris Phillips, guitarist Dave Droski, bassist Fred Droski and drummer Nate Bishop put passion into their product, which is likely why they've been tabbed to open for a host of national acts.
Deadwood Stone hosts a CD-release show at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 30, at The Intersection, with Uncommon Road, Bled Life, Society Kills and Gunship Radio ($5 advance, $7 day of show).

Elisabeth Pixley-Fink
Bloodroot

Balancing the sweet with the poignant, melancholy with atmospheric, Kalamazoo's Elisabeth Pixley-Fink has crafted a spellbindingly eclectic and lush Earthwork Music release propelled by grief at the death of a close friend and, as she puts it, "faith in life's persistence." With a vibe ranging from Regina Spektor to Feist to Tori Amos, the classically trained Pixley-Fink – who plays keyboards, guitar, "sycamore logs, jar and spoon" – calls on Ian Gorman and the Red Sea Pedestrians, Macpodz, Seth Bernard, Carolyn Koebel, Andru Bemis and others to help create the rich sounds on Bloodroot (recorded in a Kalamazoo home studio and Ann Arbor's Backseat Productions, co-produced by Patrick Carroll). It's a touching, triumphant solo debut, aided by a Kalamazoo Arts Council grant that also financed a music video for her compelling song, "Red Clover."
Elisabeth Pixley-Fink stages a CD-release concert, with special guest Luke Winslow-King, at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at the Division Avenue Arts Collective, 115 S. Division Ave. ($7).

Music critic and entertainment writer John Sinkevics comments on the local and national music scene at localspins.com (Spins on Music), spotlighting artists at 10 a.m. Wednesdays on Local Spins Live at News Talk 1340 AM.

Fact: Music venues have a hard time staying in business.

An all-ages, alcohol-free venue? Good luck.

Well, that's not a fate Foundry Hall, or its supporters, are willing to accept. The cozy South Haven performance venue has been going strong with a steady diet of local and national acts. All the while, the building has been up for sale, and one local band is making sure it becomes the venue's permanent home.

"We always felt that (Foundry Hall) brings a lot of local acts the opportunity to perform, and even national acts," said Gretchen Powers, half of the folk duo Thirty Steps to Forward. "We read in the paper they were looking to purchase the building. We thought we could do something."

That something is coming in the form of a benefit show on March 22 at 7:30 p.m. Powers and her brother will appear with the Alabama Spanking Machines and Chicago-based Rebecca Rego. Admission is $7 and all proceeds go to the cause.

"We really appreciate the fact that all the artists donated their time for this," Gretchen Powers said.

Gretchen and Seth Powers have long been on the front lines, fighting for Foundry Hall, which is operated by well-known folk artist brethren Andru Bemis. Thirty Steps To Forward was conjured up in the heart of South Haven, making Foundry Hall more or less its home base.

"We definitely play there quite a bit," Seth Powers said. "We like the small atmosphere and it's cozy. It's a nice venue."

Thirty Steps to Forward hasn't played a lot prior to the fundraising show. They shifted their focus to producing their sophomore release entitled "Hinterland".

"We took a break from playing and we wanted to dedicate our time to making the album the best it could be," Gretchen Powers said.

The duo took advantage of the creative leniency recording offers by incorporating a fair share of instruments on the new album. Overall, the album has more teeth than their previous release ("The Bird and The Fool"), but still maintains its whimsical innocence.

"We're looking to play more, now," Gretchen Powers said. "We want to do a CD release tour somewhere around the area, maybe in June."

Syndicated from Spins on Music, localspins.com © 2013

Stop me if you've heard this one: A violin, a cello and a clarinet walk into a bar in Grand Rapids.

That was no joke last week at the SpeakEZ Lounge, which hosted the Grand Rapids debut of Classical Revolution, a movement that aims to release classical music from the traditional concert hall and bring it into taverns and nightclubs.

Rick Robinson, a former bassist for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, fostered a small group of Grand Rapids classical musicians for an evening of chamber music at the 1930s-style pub at 600 Monroe Ave. NW. Robinson, in town to sit in with the Grand Rapids Symphony, brought Classical Revolution to Detroit and is working to expand its reach.

"I'd always been very excited about reaching new audiences for classical music in clubs," said Robinson, who regularly organizes Classical Revolution events at cafes around Detroit.

Dressed-down Classical Revolution chamber concerts began in Europe about a decade ago, and the trend has migrated to locales such as San Francisco, New York City, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boise and Cleveland. Today there are at least 35 chapters, Robinson said.

Leanne King MacDonald, violist in her sixth season for the Grand Rapids Symphony, said she first encountered Classical Revolution in the Cincinnati area in 2006.

"I just thought it was incredible, just – wow," MacDonald said. "Someone found a venue, gathered musicians who had a program ready to play and we just showed up in a bar, and people were really, really excited about it. It is like a chamber music party. We show up, bring our instruments and we all take turns playing parts."

At the Speak EZ debut in February, Robinson gave one audience member honorary musician status by giving him a cowbell to play along with the group. Out came the smartphones, and videos and pictures were quickly posted on Facebook, MacDonald said.

Last week's Classical Revolution Grand Rapids included musicians on violin, viola, cello, bassoon, clarinet, string bass, flute and percussion.

SpeakEZ manager Elinor Frances said she is ready to host Classical Revolution again.

"The house was absolutely packed, and bubbling with excitement. Honestly, I couldn't be happier," Frances said.

Although no additional dates had been set as of mid-February, "we are definitely going to have them back," she added.

The Classical Revolution might never have occurred at places such as the SpeakEZ but for Michigan's 2010 law that bans smoking in bars, restaurants and cafes, Robinson added.

"I knew as long as there was smoking in bars, we'd never get classical musicians to play in clubs," Robinson said. "Fortunately, smoking bans started to hit, state by state. Classical musicians, particularly wind players, have to suck a lot of wind, and while jazz players are used to it, classical players clearly are not. That's just too much of a hurdle."

Robinson stepped away from the DSO after 23 years, following the musicians' strike in 2010 and the death of his father. He now works to spread the Classical Revolution movement, and plays with his two ensembles, CutTime Players and CutTime Simfonica. He also publishes arrangements and original compositions.

MacDonald is a member of the GRSO Community Engagement Committee. She notes that Classical Revolution, while complementing the Grand Rapids Symphony's mission, is a separate and entirely voluntary activity.

"People are asking, and they want more," MacDonald said. "I love this community and I love to see classical music in venues other than St. Cecilia (Music Society) or DeVos Hall, so it's actually where we hang out, where we eat, we drink and socialize. It's a place where you're not going to be shushed.

"The Classical Revolution was started by young musicians that like to, after a concert or even after day of practicing at the university, go out to the bar and hang out. We see people up on stage, rock musicians, and it's like, 'Why can't we do that?' This is the music we like to play and we like to listen to, and these are the places we like to go to. How can we bring this all together?"