The War and Treaty with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Frederik Meijer Gardens Ampitheater, Grand Rapids Michigan, August 1, 2025.

From the moment Michael Trotter Jr. & Tanya Trotter hit the stage, they aim to overwhelm. Treading tested paths blazed by their forebears — classic soul duos like Ike & Tina Turner come to mind — even the name of their act — The War and Treaty — zeroes in on their music’s target — the ups, downs, triumphs and tribulations of life as lovers, together or apart. Having built an intense local following from their indie start in Albion, Michigan through their current major label success, the Trotters took no prisoners on this summer night; backed by their tight seven-piece band and supported by an orchestra for only the second time, they delivered their core message to a willing, welcoming crowd throughout two engaging sets of shock, awe and ecstasy.

A typical War and Treaty tune like “Stealing a Kiss” or “Teardrops in the Rain” (both from their latest release Plus One) starts at a low simmer: Michael or Tanya take the first verse, building the tension inherent in whatever tale they’re spinning; their partner turns up the heat with an answer verse. By the time the pair hit a harmonized bridge, they’re coming to a boil; all that’s left is a steamy duet chorus to take themselves and the audience even higher. Whether song is about meet-hot attraction (“Carried Away”), break-up regrets (“Reminiscing”), or even post-messup healing (“Home”) it’s a sure-fire approach that pulls you right in. Anchored by Michigan native Max Brown on guitar and driven by brothers Terrence “Slim” Holmes on organ and Johnathan “Bam” Holmes on drums, every song was driven by a potent, bluesy groove laced with down home touches; responding to conductor Duo Shen’s deft baton, the Grand Rapids Symphony furnished sweetness and spice as required — whether from silky strings, plaintive woodwinds or smoky brass.

Not that The War and Treaty couldn’t stoke the flames on their own; sending the orchestra on a break, the Trotters and their band consolidated their hold on the crowd with a handful of tunes never before heard in the States. The uptempo scat-swing of “Crazy”, the drop-beat reggae of “Bare Knuckles” and the confessional ballad “Hey Judith” (a song for Tanya’s late mom) testified to the couple’s omnivorous taste and impressive range — and the band’s intense jamming provided flexible, sturdy support for even more intense vocal flights of fancy.

One costume change (and the return of the Symphony) later, it all came to a head in an exhilarating final run — gathering momentum with “America the Beautiful” sung and arranged a la Ray Charles’ classic version, then slamming into the double-time, tambourine-whacking gospel of “Call You By Your Name” and the call-and-response finale (complete with audience participation) “Can I Get an Amen”. Though Nashville is their current base of operations, you can tell that The War and Treaty think of West Michigan as home; returning for the second local gig of their biggest year to date, they came, saw, and conquered, leaving a transported crowd hungry for more.

— Rick Krueger