Co-headliners Koe Wetzel and Jelly Roll slide into Grand Rapids as The Role Models Tour makes a visit to Van Andel Arena.
Visiting Michigan during the winter months can always be a gamble as you never know what to expect. Just ask Koe Wetzel, Jelly Roll or show opener, Ben Burgess as they tour stop in Grand Rapids during the state’s first major snow storm of the season. Just prior to show time, the city records 22 inches of snow fall in a 48 hour time period at the city’s airport. Due to the weather and road conditions, many concert goers are late arrivals and still seen arriving as Jelly Roll prepares to take the stage.
For those who arrived early and actually stood in line waiting to get into the Van Andel Arena, witness and enjoy Texas native Ben Burgess while he opens the show. Burgess takes the stage with a drummer and guitarist for the short set that covers songs from his debut album, Tears The Size Of Texas that released back at the end of September on Big Loud Records. Songs from the album include “Sick And Tired,” “High Road,” and “Started A Band” along with the title track.
Ben is a singer/songwriter and has written many great hits that date back to 2015 where he got his big break with The Jonas Brothers. Since then, he has added Morgan Wallen, Koe Wetzel, Tyler Rich, Dierks Bentley, Ernest and Hardy to the list. During the evening’s show, he performs “Outlaws” and “Whiskey Glasses” by Wallen. The latter, Burgess describes as being written on the back of a Dixie cup. Burgess also talks of his ride in the truck with fellow singer/songwriter Earnest when they wrote the hit song “Flower Shop” which is also added to the setlist.
With the venue now appearing to be close to full capacity, co-headliner Jelly Roll arrives on stage with an introduction with pyrotechnics coming from the front of the stage. As fire shoots upward toward the ceilings, the show begins with shoutouts to the outlaws, outcasts, whiskey sippin’, and weed smoking with “The Hate Goes On,” “Only,” “Same A**hole” and “Smoking Section.”
While the Van Andel Arena was quickly filling with a haze due to fog blasters and fire balls, a young girl holding a sign emerged and became noticed. As Jelly Roll called for her to join him on stage, he prompted the crowd to help him sing “Happy Birthday” to nine-year-old Sophia.
Honored to be part of country music, Jelly Roll holds the number seven song on country radio with his latest single “Son Of A Sinner.” At the end of the song, the crowd sings the chorus again to the amazement of those on stage.
“I thank you for you spending your hard earned money on overpriced tickets, sur-charges, fees, parking, beer, food and our merch. You have to come early to find a place to park, stand in line early to get in, then cattle march out of here to sit in traffic lines to get out of here and go home. There are 11,000 people here tonight and you sold this f**king place out. On top of that…here you say ‘in a snow storm.’ I am from Nashville, Tennessee. Where I come from, we call it a ‘f**king blizzard.’”
Every night before going on stage, he FaceTimes with his wife and daughter. Right after that, he talks with his best friend Struggle Jennings who sends his love to everyone in attendance this evening. He then sings the song “Cowboy” which he and Struggle wrote and perform together when possible. He then calls the show opener Burgess back to the stage to help sing The Marshall Tucker Band cover “Can’t You See” with him.
Jelly Roll has amassed an extensive library of 17 studio albums, two EPs and five mixtapes. His latest album Ballads Of The Broken features not only the fan favorite “Son Of A Sinner,” but his first number one single on rock radio with “Dead Man Walking.” The Tennessee native is a gifted singer/songwriter that has crossed genre lines in the past venturing into rock, rap and country. He is a songwriter who has a great message about addiction, life lessons, and how to rise above what life throws at you.
Jelly Roll then tells of how Michigan did the right thing by legalizing marijuana and how it helps medically. “But we still need to fight to get the drugs and pills off the streets and away from our children,” he explains. With experience of drugs, addiction, and incarceration at an earlier time in his life, it inspired him to write and perform “Bottle And Mary Jane” along with the set closer, his 2020 debut single “Save Me.”
Next up is the second of the evening’s two co-headliners, Koe Wetzel. Starting the show off strong with his 2022 single “Creeps,” the thunders of bass pound through the speakers and makes you feel as if your heart is ready to take flight from your chest cavity. The band shows they are primed and ready for the evening’s performance as they bounce to the beat and travel back and forth from side to side on stage.After a harder rock beginning, the band softens up a bit for “Something To Talk About.”
Koe Wetzel is a multi-genre singer/songwriter from Texas who has the rebel attitude. He wears that outlaw country rock and rock badge with honor while adding a mix of grunge into some of his country songs. Many try to put him in different musical categories, however, he refers to his style as “Hillbilly Punk-Rock.” Some frown on the fact that he has excessive swearing in his music. Regardless, he has songs that cover sensitive subjects which so many are able to relate to. He has broadened his fanbase with his style, but has also had fans shy away for the same reason. Wetzel doesn’t seem to be bothered by that, as he knows he doesn’t fit to everyone and isn’t going to change who he is to please them.
Since his start in 2015, Wetzel has produced five studio albums, with his last two being on the Columbia Record Label of Sony Music Entertainment. Most of the show this evening is from the previous album Sellout from 2020, while introducing a few from the current 13 track Hell Paso which was released in September. Some from the 2020 national debut are “Sundy Or Mundy,” “Cold & Alone,” “Drunk Driving,” “Good Die Young” and “Kuntry & Wistern.”
After thanking the crowd for coming out and braving the weather, he doesn’t talk much as he let’s his music do the talking for him. Although at one point in his show, he does put everything on halt to break up a fight happening in the pit in front of him. He adds, “if you’re gonna fight, take that sh*t out in the snow. Nobody has time for that….just here to have fun. But, if I see a woman or child get hit, I am going to be your worse nightmare when I jump off this damned stage and kick your ass myself. Now…I am going to play something off my new album” as he and the band perform “April Showers.”
Other songs from the new album include “YellaBush Road” and “Cabo” where he states “after all this we are gonna all get naked out in the parking lot and make snow angels.” Wetzel concludes his show with a more personal song to him with “February 28, 2016” from his 2016 Noise Complaint album.
The show is a hit for many as they are seen throughout the performance dancing and singing along. While many know Koe and his music, others attended his show for the first time. With fog and pyro shooting from the stage and no front lights to see him from, Koe and his band seem to disappear at times throughout the show. As they hoped to be able to get a closer look on the overhead video screens, they were disappointed as the images had become psychedelic and not clearly visible. Just hard to introduce a product to a curious crowd.
Jelly Roll will be releasing a new single “She” on November 30th. Koe Wetzel will be soon preparing for his new The Road To Hell Paso 2023 tour that will start in March.Words by: Leslie Reasoner
Photos by: John Reasoner
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