Sharon Van Etten wsg Shearwater
Ladies Literary Club, Grand Rapids / Feb 15, 8 p.m.
$15 public, $5 with Calvin ID / calvin.edu/sao, (616) 526-6282

Whoever says heartache's only for skinny boys with skinny guitars has not met Sharon Van Etten. She's the sort of righteous indie-folk chick whose childhood probably involved picking up an instrument and a lined notebook over a Polly Pocket set or a denim scrunchie collection. On her debut album, Because I Was In Love, Van Etten rasps with heartbreaking intensive about -- you guessed it -- the trials and tribulations of trying to make a love deep and true work in a world that gives record high ratings to "Divorce Court." And if common sense is love's most high-profile victim, then Van Etten is its persistent pied piper. As Matthew Murphy writes in Pitchfork: "Unlike some low-key vocalists who prefer to sing as if nobody were listening, Van Etten instead sings these songs as though she had an audience of one, with nearly every lyric directed straight to some unnamed ‘you.'" On the heels of her third studio release, Tramp, Van Etten is set to continue an uninterrupted winning streak set to folksie rhythms, personable, introspective lyrics and exact, minimalist instrumentation. Given what we've already seen of this roots-loving newbie, chances are music enthusiasts are about to look at the phrase "super Tramp" in a whole new way.

Photo: Dusdin Condren

Good vs. Evil: An evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert DeVos Performance Hall, Grand Rapids Feb. 19, 7 p.m. $32.50-$125 devosperformancehall.com, (616) 742-6500

Anthony Bourdain is one of those rare polarizing, divisive figures who manages to simultaneously electrify and horrify audiences the world over. He is perhaps as well known for his smart mouth as for his smart cooking — after all, he didn't earn the "bad boy of cuisine" moniker by helping old grannies bake pink cupcakes. As an author, Bourdain has overseen the publication of seven hugely popular books, including Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook. As a television host, he helms the Travel Channel's top-rated "No Reservations" program. And as a chef, well, let's just say there isn't enough space here to publish all the possible "puts his money where our mouths are" puns. Joined by fellow celeb-chef Eric Ripert, host of PBS's "Avec Eric," these two top chefs have an evening in Grand Rapids set in their spatula-shaped gun-sights, and one can be certain that the fat will fly in every possible sense of the phrase. Miss out on this one and expect a lifetime full of regret and cold beans out of a can.

ENTER TO WIN TICKETS! Revue is giving away a pair of tickets to this event — contest starts Feb. 7. Details here.

Gaelic Storm
The Intersection, Grand Rapids / Feb. 22, 7 p.m.
$18, $20 at the door / sectionlive.com, (616) 451-8232

Typically the words ‘Gaelic rock band' conjure up blurry memories of St. Patrick's Day parties or images of Michael Flatley doing that funky Irish dance, but Gaelic Storm's goal is to move Irish rock out of the realm of seasonal tunes and into the mainstream musical scene. To those who think "Gaelic Storm? Who?" Perhaps you'll recognize the band from a little film Jimmy Cameron made a while back called Titanic. Its appearance as the Irish band in the third class cabin catapulted Gaelic Storm from a steady diet of bar gigs in Santa Monica to worldwide notoriety. Nor did the members of Gaelic Storm rest on their laurels, but they have completed eight studio albums while maintaining an ambitious touring schedule throughout North America and Europe, and not just around St. Patty's day. The band's albums have routinely performed well on the Billboard top 200 and world music charts, assisted by such strident songs as "The Night I Punched Russell Crowe" and "Crazy Eyes McGullicuddy." Rowdy and raucous times are in order for the attendees at the Intersection this February. Bring your best brogue and stomping boots, and be ready to let the whiskey flow.

Here's to you, Evan Dando. The 44-year-old frontman and only remaining original member of Boston-based rock band, The Lemonheads, has endured countless lineup changes and a six-year hiatus en route to the band's 20th anniversary in 2012. The band's admirable cover of Simon and Garfunkel's iconic tune, "Mrs. Robinson," helped launch The Lemonheads into the mainstream and pushed 1992's It's a Shame About Ray to No. 3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Lead singer Dando, with his greasy, shoulder-length locks, even found a spot on People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People of 1993" list. The mellow, acoustic guitar-driven band released four albums from 1993 to 2009, with an extended hiatus after the first two releases, but never managed to reclaim the popularity it enjoyed in the early ‘90s. The Lemonheads' upcoming album, a 47-track double-disc compilation titled Laughing All the Way to the Cleaners: The Best of the Lemonheads, is scheduled to drop on Jan. 2. Check out the band when it comes to Grand Rapids on Jan. 19 for the "It's a Shame About Ray Tour," in which the members will play the album in its entirety.