Gwen to Light up Vegas

Modern Rock

By Kristi Kates | May 26, 2018

Gwen Stefani will step on out to Las Vegas for her special Just a Girl Las Vegas residency, in which she’ll play an ongoing run of live performances in June, July, and December 2018, plus February and March 2019 at the Zappos Theater in Planet Hollywood Resort. Stefani said in a press statement that growing up in Anaheim, California, she never would have imagined she’d have her very own Vegas residency someday, so she’s planning quite the spectacle for the shows …

The Beaver Island Music Festival might not have quite as large of a fan base yet as Up North’s favorite folk music festival, Blissfest — but that doesn’t mean it’s not well on its way to catching up. The under-the-radar event on Beaver Island is bringing in an amped-up lineup this year, with headliners Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band of Indiana leading the 2018 festival roster, which also will include The Gasoline Gypsies, Jesse Ray and the Carolina Cartfish, Slim Gypsy Baggage, The Grizzly Boys, and popular locals Big Brother Big Sister. The fest is up to about 2,000 in annual attendance, with plenty of room for camping and additional fun. Get your tickets now: $30 per day or $95 for an adult weekend ticket at bimf.net …

In other festival news, Incubus and Jack Johnson will share headlining duties for the first Sea.Hear.Now Festival taking place in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Sept. 29–30. The fest will also include performances from Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Milky Chance, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Kaleo, and ’70s disco-pop legend Blondie. On the opposite coast of the U.S., California’s Kaaboo Del Mar Festival, also in September (14–16), has announced its initial lineup, which will include sets from Katy Perry, Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons, N*E*R*D, Jewel, TLC, and more, plus comedy from Craig Ferguson, Chris Hardwick, and Craig Robinson …

And Scottish-slash-Midwestern alternative rock band Garbage will be celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Grammy-nominated second album, Version 2.0, with a deluxe reissue that will hit outlets June 22. The revamped album adds 10 B-sides and will also be available in a special vinyl version. To accompany the album’s revitalized release, the band will kick off a short run of anniversary shows celebrating the set in September, with the initial dates starting in the U.K. and more to be announced …

LINK OF THE WEEK
If you love music and you’re heading to Detroit this summer, coordinate one of your trips with the 2018 Chene Park Jazzy Nights series, a standout roster of nighttime performances of jazz, hip-hop, and R&B along the Detroit River. This summer’s performers include Babyface, Erykah Badu, Bobby Brown, David Sanborn, Branford Marsalis, and more. Get all the details at cheneparkdetroit.com/eventcategories/jazzy-night-series …

THE BUZZ
Jack White’s Third Man Records has just issued a four-LP set called Supreme Rarities, which will feature a selection of Supremes songs never before issued on vinyl …

Grand Rapids funk-rock outfit Melophobix is in the middle of working on a new album, which it expects to release late this summer or early fall…

Fellow Grand Rapidian Bob Nixon, a saxophonist and Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra co-founder, has been named the West Michigan Jazz Musician of the Year for 2018 …
And The Roger Brown Band will kick off downtown Fennville’s Tuesdays in the Park music series on June 12 in Memorial Park. Expect additional performances this summer from Fauxgrass, Karizma, and Mulebone … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

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