Chelsea Sounds and Sights filled the streets with music on a picture-perfect summer evening, with Ladyship Warship, Cadillac Cowboys, Devil Elvis, and the Ann Arbor School of Rock.

Chelsea Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights

You couldn’t have asked for better weather this past week at Chelsea Sounds and Sights on Thursday nights. Temperatures in the 70s, a touch of a breeze, and sunny skies set the stage for an evening of music throughout the streets of Chelsea. We had just completed another week of volunteering at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse and made a beeline to Chelsea for our first night of music for the season.

Ladyship Warship

Last year, Chelsea Sounds and Sights unveiled the new Rumpus Room rock stage outside of Jets Pizza and Grateful Crow. In addition to country, blues, American, and some classic rock genres, the Rumpus Room stage offers up music with an edge. Certainly not death metal, but leaning into the heavier side of the spectrum and typically featuring original music as opposed to covers.

Ladyship Warship refers to their sound as swamp rock, which gives you a clue that it is tinged with a bit of delta blues while kicking out the jams. They played two sets featuring a heavy helping of their latest EP, Possum Nova, and their other originals, with a couple of covers thrown in to keep you guessing. EZ’s guitars growled with primal passion as Kristin punched out the rhythm with a potent power you could feel and hear—three cheers to Mike from IQ sound as he had the band dialed in hot and tight.

Cadillac Cowboys

Over on Middle Street, the Cadillac Cowboys had the kids dancing to a selection of roots rock and western swing. The crowd set up an amphitheater of lawn chairs around the band and enjoyed a ride down Route 66.

The Devil Elvis Show

At Palmer Commons, The Devil Elvis Show had a sizable crowd on hand to pay tribute to the King of Rock and Roll. Kicking out the tried and true rockabilly of Elvis with gusto and panache, the Devil Elvis Show took everyone back to a time of sock hops and doo-wops. If they would have been handing out peanut butter and banana sandwiches, we would have been in heaven.

The Ann Arbor School of Rock

I love it when I see a bunch of kids sinking their teeth into rock and blues. The Ann Arbor School of Rock drew a nice crowd at the Clocktower Gazebo. They sounded great for kids getting some of their first experiences playing live. I was especially impressed when they played Roy Hawkin’s “The Thrill Is Gone,” which was a big hit for B.B. King. The Ann Arbor School of Rock put their hearts completely into the music. While all the students were great, the lead guitarist and bass player had some great chops for young kids. Bravo, and keep on rocking!!

More Than Music

While the main draw for many folks is the sounds at Chelsea Sounds and Sights, the sights are fun. I dropped in long enough to watch Eric the Juggler send fiery battens, dancing to the amazement of the audience on the Chelsea District Library lawn. While Devil Elvis was jamming, kids got creative with chalk drawings nearby. Along with tons of great food from local restaurants and sales at just about every store, the sights, and the sounds combine for a most excellent evening in Chelsea. Many thanks to the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce, their army of volunteers, and the great sponsors for making Chelsea the place to be on Thursday night.

Pictures

We’ve got more photos from Chelsea Sounds and Sights on Thursday Night, June 27th, in our gallery. Take a gander!

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