This week’s radio show focused on Sunday’s Water Festival and fetching new music from Bello Spark, plus the debut of tracks by Diff & Dudley, Plain Jane Glory and Nicholas James & The Bandwagon.
Returning to the Grand River Water Festival: Dede & The Dreamers will perform Sunday at Riverside Park. (Photo/Tori Thomas)
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Bruce Ling (Photo/Local Spins)
Bruce Ling can relate volumes of them off the top of his head, from the tales behind creation of traditional folk songs dating back centuries to the peculiar habits of various creatures who make their home along the Grand River.
The Grand Rapids musician and environmentalist also makes a convincing case for attending Sunday’s seventh Grand River Water Festival, which not only offers up educational opportunities for attendees to learn more about protecting Michigan’s natural resources but also happens to boast performances by top-drawer regional acts.
“It’s growing every year,” Ling said of the event “that brings education, music, good food and good times to everybody” during his appearance with Becca Ling from Hawks & Owls this week for Local Spins on WYCE.
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“We’ve got some real heavy hitters. Rachael and Dominic John Davis – Dominic just got done recording all the bass tracks on Beyonce’s new album – and we’ve got Grammy Award winner Peter ‘Madcat’ Ruth and his Madcat Midnight Blues Journey, Seth Bernard and May Erlewine, Fauxgrass, the list goes on.”
Indeed, that list also includes several other notable Michigan acts, not to mention environmental speakers, kids’ activities, earth-friendly artisans and, for the first time, a beer tent. See a full schedule to the right.
Get more details about the Grand River Water Festival online here. The event takes place from 11:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Sunday near the Guild Street entrance to Riverside Park off Monroe Avenue NW.
Listen to the entire interview with Ling, along with his on-air performance, in the podcast from this week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE.
PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE with Bello Spark and Hawks & Owls
That podcast also featured in-studio performances by atmospheric Americana group Bello Spark, which releases its debut album on July 9 at Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids. Rob Jordan, Tory Peterson and Cole Hansen delivered gorgeous live renditions with striking harmonies on two songs – “Good Things” and “Traveling Companion – from the band’s upcoming “Among the Lights” album.
Read more about Bello Spark next month at Local Spins.
The June 24 episode of Local Spins on WYCE also featured the premiere of new songs by vintage country group Diff & Dudley (which performs July 13 at SpeakEZ Lounge), Nicholas James & The Bandwagon (which hosts a CD-release show Saturday at Founders Brewing in Grand Rapids), Kalamazoo’s Red Sea Pedestrians (which stages its album-release Saturday at Bell’s Brewing in Kalamazoo), Sligh (from his album, “Sligh Boulevard”) and Plain Jane Glory (the title track from the duo’s new album, “Grace of Hours”).
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