Mustard Plug, Heaters headline Ice Jam

Modern Rock

By Kristi Kates | Jan. 14, 2017

Grand Rapids ska band Mustard Plug is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary as a band, and you can catch the Plug smack in the middle of all this frivolity at the first-ever Ice Jam charity music fest, coming to Grand Rapids on Jan. 28. Ice Jam, which will take place at Perrin Brewing Co. in Comstock Park, will run from 2-8 p.m. in a heated tent that will house an outdoor stage featuring live performances from K-Zoo funk band The Mainstays, Michigan rockabilly duo Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish, local punkers I Believe in Julio, and Grand Rapids psychedelic rockers Heaters. The fest will also feature bonfires, games and a cigar-rolling lounge, and its admission fees will serve as donations to the nonprofit organization Kids’ Food Basket. Get more information and tickets at perrinbrewing.com.

In other ticket news, if you managed to snag tix to the Cool Beats @ The Corner concert series at Rockford’s Corner Bar — well, prepare yourself for a refund instead of a concert. Rockford city officials pulled the plug on the events due to zoning and capacity issues, so Corner Bar is issuing refunds through brownpapertickets.com for the future shows that were scheduled in the series: The Ragbirds on Jan. 28, The Crane Wives on March 4, and Brian Vander Ark on April 22.

Movement 2017, the annual EDM fest that helps kick off summer in Detroit, has revealed phase one of its roster for this year, of which the highlights so far are the confirmation of English house music legend Carl Cox and the appearance of The Belleville Three, the upstart collaboration between Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. Also in the starting lineup are Earl Sweatshirt, River Tiber, DJ Seoul, Factory Floor, Death in Vegas, Adam Beyer, Danny Brown and Carl Craig, so even this early in the game, EDM fans have a lot to look forward to.

In big festival news on the opposite side of the country, the lineup for the 2017 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has been announced, with Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar and Beyonce as headliners. Also on the bill for this spring are Future, The xx, Bon Iver, New Order, The Head and the Heart, Bastille, Justice and Lorde, who is returning after a short absence from the music biz. This year’s Coachella will be happening on two weekends, April 14-16 and April 21-23; tickets and more information at coachella.com

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK

The Meridian Winter Blast in Detroit is moving from its usual February date to Jan. 20-22 to coordinate with this year’s North American International Auto Show in the Motor City. Guests who attend the auto show’s final weekend at Cobo Hall will also be able to snag free same-day admission to Winter Blast, which will offer up DJs spinning tunes, an ice bar and live music (acts to be announced) to around 30,000 people each day. To keep an eye on the lineup and get more information, visit the official site at winterblast.com.

MichiBUZZ

Grand Rapids’ newest concert venue, 20 Monroe Live, is now set to open next month, with several concerts already booked heading into February, including Trombone Shorty (Feb. 1), Umphrey’s Magee (Feb. 2) and Shinedown (Feb. 4). … Detroit rapper Big Sean just announced that he’ll release a new album called “I Decide” on Feb. 3. … Bluesy Bay City singer-songwriter Scott Baker also has a new album out, called “Community Aspire,” which features guest appearances from Andy Reed, Larry McCray and Norah Jones band member Adam Levy. … The 2017 Electric Forest Festival just added two more acts to this year’s roster: Flume will be performing on the second weekend only, and Dillon Francis will throw out sets on both weekends, June 22-25 and June 29 to July 2. … And The Griot Music Lounge has just opened on Forest Street in Detroit, making it the city’s first vinyl-focused jazz bar.

ROCK TRIP

With a brand-new album (“WALLS,” an acronym for “We Are Like Love Songs”) and a brand-new, mysterious video for their single “Find Me,” Kings of Leon are, as Buster Poindexter would say, “hot hot hot,” so now’s a great time to catch their raucous, sharp live show at the Fox Theater in Detroit on Jan. 22.

Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.