Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Local Spins has compiled some of the top highlights from the three-day celebration on Shagbark Farm, along with photos and videos. Revisit the final edition of this festival in southern Kent County.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The southern Kent County festival’s final salvo began with a sultry bang on Thursday, featuring standout sets by MonoNeon, Mungion, Desmond Jones, Cosmic Knot and more. The recap and photos, only at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The last roundup for the southern Kent County music fest kicks up its hooves this weekend with MonoNeon, Dopapod, Joe Hertler, Sophistafunk and dozens more. The lowdown and the schedule at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
After a two-year hiatus, the diverse three-day festival on Shagbark Farm near Caledonia will also feature Tunde Olaniran, Desmond Jones, Lady Ace Boogie, Dixon’s Violin, Sophistafunk and dozens more. View the lineup and get more details about the final edition of Cowpie at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The 18th festival in August will be the last under the Cowpie moniker, with a new arts and music festival set to replace it in 2021. See all the artists who’ve been booked for this year’s festival thus far.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The Bootstrap Boys, Fauxgrass, Mark Lavengood, Desmond Jones, Trifocal, Melophobix and more were just some of the highlights from a Cowpie fest that may have been the best yet. Browse the photos, watch the videos, read the recap of the weekend on Shagbark Farm.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The music festival on Shagbark Farm near Caledonia reveled in perfect summer weather on Thursday while firing up stages with music by Sophistafunk, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, Cabildo, Megan Dooley, SlimGypsyBaggage, Mungion, The Legal Immigrants, The Gasoline Gypsies and more. Check out the recap, photo gallery and video only at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Summer Festivals · Videos
The band fronted by David Lowery has weathered the ups and downs of the music business, with help from devoted fans, including many in the Great Lakes State. With Cracker preparing to return to Michigan, check out the Local Spins interview as part of a special Sunday spotlight feature.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Kalamazoo · Photos · Summer Festivals
When all the votes were tallied after Saturday’s semifinal play-in competition, judges and fans at Arcadia Brewing Co. settled on sending Kalamazoo’s Utopian Party on their collective way down the ‘Pathway to the Pasture.’ The foursome netted a close win over Grand Rapids’ Drew Phoria and Bay City’s Barbarossa Brothers and is one step away from earning a slot at this August’s festival in Caledonia.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The August festival in southern Kent County has added 10 acts to the three-day lineup, with many performing Woodstock-inspired sets. And several Michigan bands are still competing for a slot at Cowpie, with Round 3 taking place Saturday at Arcadia Brewing in Kalamazoo.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
More than a dozen Michigan acts will face off in four cities this spring, vying for a performance slot in August’s Cowpie Music Festival. Get the full lineup and contest schedule at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The August music festival in southern Kent County has assembled perhaps its most impressive lineup to date, with a host of regional stars joining Cracker for the three-day affair. Performers will include Joe Hertler, Desmond Jones, Lady Ace Boogie, Jimmie Stagger, Mungion, Don Julin, Motor City Josh and more. See the roster and get more details at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Cowpie Music Festival has finalized the lineup for its summer soiree with UV Hippo, May Erlewine, Desmond Jones, Jake Kershaw and many more. Meanwhile, Jake’s Music Fest in early April will star four Grand Rapids bands playing the city’s newest music venue. Get details at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Expanding this year to three days, Thursday’s opening night of Cowpie Music Festival on Shagbark Farm in southern Kent County oozed musical charm with sets by UV Hippo, Grasshoppah, Covert and White Rabbit. Check out the first-day recap, photo gallery and video.
Local Spins Live · Podcasts · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
More than 20 bands and thousands of festival-goers will descend on Shagbark Farm in southern Kent County for an expanded three-day celebration of regional music. See the full weekend schedule and save it on your smartphone to take along.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Videos
The Aug. 10-12 festival on Kent County’s Shagbark Farm boasts a wealth of regional acts, from jam bands Earphorik and Ekoostik Hookah to local faves Fauxgrass and Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and many more. See the full lineup and links to early-bird ticket sales.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Rain and some delays but didn’t faze fans or acts Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, The Turnips, Mark Lavengood and more who turned Shagbark Farm into a rootsy festival destination. Check out the recap of the opening day down on the farm and ogle the photo gallery and video. Day 2 gets rolling at lunchtime Saturday.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
This weekend’s regional music fest on Shagbark Farm in southern Kent County embraces the tradition of a friendly atmosphere, with more than a dozen acts on stage, including Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, Strange Arrangement and more. See the full schedule and save it on your smartphone.
Breaking music news · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The Kent County festival on Shagbark Farm returns in August with roots music, funky jams, soul, bluegrass and blues. Check out the full lineup and details, with links to photos and a video from last year’s festival.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
National act Bill Kirchen and local faves Luke Warm & The Not So Hots, Rochelle & The Spoilers, Tony LaJoye Trio, Macpodz, Rootstand, Legal Immigrants, Big Dudee Roo, Afro Zuma and more will light up this weekend’s farm bash. Get the full schedule and details here.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
The rootsy August festival returns to Shagbark Farm in southern Kent County with more than a dozen acts and a ‘Stampede Mud Run,’ too. Check out the Michigan band lineup and details.
After a one-year hiatus, a cozier Cowpie uncorked 15 regional bands on a single stage on the cattle farm in southern Kent County, and fans loved every minute. And it’ll be back in 2015. (Photo gallery)
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
Two music festivals with major aspirations return this year to Kent County — one to the south, the other to the north — with Cowpie’s two-day affair aiming to feature 15 local and regional acts.
After booking more than a dozen bands for the Aug. 9-10 event, Shagbark Farm owner John Crissman says organizers “just couldn’t climb the mountain” to proceed with this year’s festival.[…]
Concert reviews · Features · Videos
Expanded Cowpie fest on Shagbark Farm south of Grand Rapids survived rainy opening night; thrives Saturday with fine mix of Michigan bands. Video, photos From Mudpie to Cowpie … just[…]
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Local Spins’ July news update features the Cowpie 2014 band lineup, the scoop on this year’s GRAM on the Green and GR Brewing’s decision to discontinue weekend shows.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The re-branded Cowpie Music Festival will fire up with 14 Michigan bands in early August, boasting no overlapping sets on two stages in southern Kent County. Details, a ticket link and the full inaugural lineup at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
Welcome to another Saturday update to Michigan’s summer music festival season, from Cowpie returning under a new moniker, to Buttermilk and the Grateful Bear Campout lineups and ticket sales info for various festivals.
Want to advertise your event in the Michigan Music Festivals 2023 Guide and sponsor one of Local Spins’ most popular features? Email john@localspins.com. All festivals in our annual guide are[…]
Summer Festivals · Top 12 Stories Countdown
Don’t under-estimate the power and popularity of Michigan music festivals. Our preview of the 2022 festival lineup was the No. 4 story of the year. Come back on New Year’s Day for our 2023 festival preview.
Features · Local Spins Rewind · Summer Festivals · Top 10 Lists
As we dive into October, it’s time to look back at the Local Spins stories and reviews which got the most attention from readers over the summer.
Local Spins’ annual Labor Day column targeting hurdles still faced by working musicians in 2022 focuses on sobering results of a new Michigan Music Alliance survey. Peruse this year’s report and read comments from Michigan musicians.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
High heat and humidity didn’t hamper a flurry of live music in the great outdoors, from Latin rock on Calder Plaza to hip hop at Cowpie to the choral allure of an iconic South African group and a five-year anniversary for Bass Country. Videos and photos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The Traverse City band which lit up Cowpie Music Fest on Friday debuted new music for Local Spins on WYCE, which aired fresh tracks by Act Casual, The Accidentals, Strange Heart, The Aquaerials, Adrian Jay and more. Get the back story on Biomassive and listen to this week’s full radio show podcast.
For your viewing pleasure, Local Spins has assembled some of the most captivating new music videos by Michigan-bred artists covering everything from hip hop to indie-rock to pop and more. Plus, see where some of these artists will be performing in coming weeks.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
With the venue packed to capacity, The Stray Café’s month-long competition involving 15 Michigan acts wrapped up Friday with fan-pleasing performances by finalists Whorled, Epitones and Daisybox. Read the recap, browse the photos and watch video highlights at Local Spins.
Local Spins’ Question of the Week (Feb. 10, 2022) What is your favorite Michigan music festival and why? This week’s winner: Email subscriber Robert Hausler, who responded to the Question[…]
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
After previously being held in northern Michigan, the festival hosted by Greensky Bluegrass will relocate to “a stone’s throw from Grand Rapids.” Get the lowdown at Local Spins.
All festivals in our annual guide are tentative and subject to change. If you’re the organizer of a Michigan music festival and your event isn’t listed here, email details, dates[…]
Breaking music news · Festivals · Summer Festivals
While COVID concerns remain, more than 50 Michigan festivals plan to resume later this year, including the uber-popular, the traditional and some new events, too. View the comprehensive list at Local Spins.
Best Music of the Year · Features · Videos
Last week, Local Spins writers piped in with their “best of” lists for 2021. Today, some West Michigan musicians and Local Spins readers reveal their favorite releases and concerts of the year, from Allison Russell, Nigel Hall and Jon Batiste to Billy Strings, Stratos and Michigan Rattlers. Check out all of the picks and listen to the music at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The brand new, two-day festival hosted by Dobro whiz Mark Lavengood will limit capacity and feature sets by ‘a stronghold of West Michigan greats’ playing on a site with plenty of space for social distancing. Get details, ticket information and the full lineup at Local Spins.
The contagion COVID-19 completely wiped out last year’s Michigan music festival schedule, with large gatherings curtailed or banned across the state. Local Spins continues to check with festival organizers, websites,[…]
FINAL SESSION OF THE SEASON! GET EMPOWERED to rock your music career. Learn about how you can take control over your career as an independent musician. This session series is[…]
Local Spins Rewind · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The good-time vibe of last year’s festival may have made it the best in Cowpie history, thanks to The Bootstrap Boys, Fauxgrass, Mark Lavengood, Desmond Jones, Trifocal, Melophobix and more. COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 festival that would have taken place this weekend, but you can relive the highlights from last year’s celebration in words, photos and videos at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Summer Festivals
Due to COVID-19 concerns, Beaver Island has reversed course and pulled the plug on its July event, joining Dunesville and the Grand Rapids Fourth of July celebration in canceling for 2020. But the Marshall Bluegrass Festival is still a go. Get the latest news at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The Aug. 6-8 music celebration on a Kent County cattle farm has been scrapped due to COVID-19, but a festival the same weekend on a farm east of Gaylord will boast a robust lineup of regional stars with new safety precautions. Get details about both festival announcements at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
Citing assembly restrictions and safety concerns sparked by the COVID-19 crisis, both Michigan festivals canceled 2020 events and hope to host some online alternatives instead. Get the details at Local Spins. It’s “a time of uncertainty,” says performer May Erlewine.
Summer Festivals · Top 10 Lists
A record number of readers responded to our annual poll, with Wheatland Music Festival coming out on top for 2020, followed closely by Buttermilk Jamboree and Nor-East’r. See what else made the Top 10 and our list of honorable mentions, along with festivalgoer comments, festival website links and details about each featured festival.
Features · Local Spins Rewind · Summer Festivals
With interest in Michigan music festivals at an all-time high, the Local Spins 2019 Readers’ Poll put Blissfest at No. 1 — and at the top of our list of most-read stories of the year. Revisit the poll, with a link to Local Spins’ exclusive listing of 2020 Michigan music festival dates.
