Breaking music news · In-Depth Report · Summer Festivals
Several Michigan music festivals have canceled summer events for the second year in a row. But others are moving ahead in 2021, barring a coronavirus resurge. The lowdown on the state’s upcoming festival season at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
Leaders of the July festival starring The 1975 and Khalid join live music event organizers in other Michigan cities – Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Rockford and Niles – in pulling the plug on summer musical celebrations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Videos
The festival moves to Detroit’s Historic Fort Wayne Park for the July 25-26 weekend with Kaytranada, Purity Ring, Doja Cat, Phoebe Bridgers, Orville Peck and more on board. Pre-sale passes go on sale Friday. See the full lineup and watch new videos from some of this year’s featured performers.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The Detroit music festival wrapped up Sunday night after two days of fun in the sun for thousands of concertgoers. Revisit the action in this Local Spins recap and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The opening day of the 2019 festival in West Riverfront Park blessed thousands of attendees with sunny weather and a cavalcade of pop, hip hop and indie-rock. Get the highlights, browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
Audio · Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The seventh edition of the annual festival on July 27-28 will also boast sets by Kali Uchis, Lizzo, King Princess, The Story So Far, Noname and more. Tickets go on sale Friday. Check out details and listen to a playlist of Mo Pop artists at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
An odd, abrupt finish by Matt Berninger and The National wrapped up the spirited, eclectic Detroit festival in “an iconic place.” Check out Local Spins’ review and photo gallery of a second day that featured St. Vincent, Daniel Caesar, Portugal. The Man and Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The first day of the music festival in Detroit’s West Riverfront Park boasted summer sun, thousands of attendees and a diverse mix of acts, closing with the enigmatic and powerful Bon Iver. Check out the Day 1 recap, photos and video at Local Spins.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Now a proven festival attraction, Mo Pop is set to roll out Bon Iver, The National, St. Vincent and Michigan favorites like Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers. Mo Pop takes over downtown Detroit this weekend. Preview some highlights and a festival soundtrack.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
Tickets go on sale Friday for the sixth annual festival being held in late July with performances by 22 acts, including Michigan’s own Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers. See the full lineup at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The Detroit riverfront festival seemed to hit its stride last weekend despite intense heat and some technical glitches. Check out Local Spins picks for the best and most surprising sets from the weekend, plus a fresh photo gallery by Anna Sink and images by Tony Norkus.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The Detroit riverfront festival’s second day saw diverse, intense sets by M83, Matt and Kim, Father John Misty, Shakey Graves and The Head and the Heart to close things out in triumphant fashion. Read the review and browse the photo galleries from the most successful Mo Pop yet.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Crowds grew during the day for Saturday sets by Haim, G-Eazy and West Michigan’s own Borns, who helped deliver ‘electric music solid walls of sound’ along the river. Browse the photo galleries from Mo Pop’s Day 1 at Local Spins.
Features · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
‘Better than I imagined,’ the Grand Haven native says of the ‘Electric Love’ he’s received from fans across the globe as he prepares to play his only Michigan show in Detroit this weekend. Local Spins revisits the Michigan-bred singer and rising star. Read the interview and check out the video from a live performance.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The music festival sets up this weekend in the Motor City’s West Riverfront Park with acts ranging from Seattle’s The Head and Heart to Michigan’s own Borns and Tunde Olaniran. See the full schedule and save it on your smartphone for the weekend.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
New releases from Michigan artists Cody Robert DeWindt, Story Cafe and Adam Main are also part of this Local Spins roundup of reviews. Check out Local Spins takes and listen to tracks from all of the recordings.
Concert reviews · Features · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Talk about a robust week of live music in West Michigan: With an early start to the weekend, it was all about the fans at shows packing venues big and small across West Michigan, including album-release concerts by Michigan artists. The recaps and photos from 10 shows at Local Spins.
Beyond a revved-up full house at The Pyramid Scheme, the weekend launched with a Kalamazoo tour stop by Ani DiFranco, a jazz duo at St. Cecilia and a music release by Second Hand Drugs. View the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Local Spins’ Question of the Week (March 3, 2022) Which artist’s overwhelming popularity mystifies you the most? This week’s winner: Email subscriber Kristine Carpenter, who responded to the Question of[…]
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
‘All roads lead to Blissfest’: The festival near Cross Village resumes July 8-10 for the first time since 2019 with a robust roster of artists. Get details and view the lineup.
Local Spins’ Question of the Week (Feb. 24, 2022) What once-popular West Michigan band would you most like to see reunited? This week’s winner: Email subscriber Lisa Oldham, who responded[…]
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Propelled by four veteran musicians, the band has released two EPs and a single, with more on tap. They made their debut for Local Spins on WYCE, which also aired new music from several Michigan acts, including Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps, Kanola Band, The Epitones, La Furia Del Ritmo, Whiskey Hunter and Grace Theisen.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
“Rock music is back!” Despite some early rain, throngs of head-bangers cheered their hard-rocking heroes as festival performances — featuring several Michigan acts — returned to Grand Rapids. Read the review, browse the photo gallery and watch video highlights from the first day of Upheaval Festival.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
As 2019 morphs into 2020, the live music train rolls with outdoor and indoor spectacles, plus riveting local shows by Brandino Extravaganza, Robin Connell, Overdrive Orchestra, May Erlewine, Pretoria and much more. Plus, check out this week’s Under-the-Radar Picks and concert ticket giveaways.
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
Show announcements include the April return to Elevation of Jake’s Music Festival and the summer 2019 Picnic Pops lineup, featuring acts ranging from pianist Rich Ridenour to Nashville songwriters. Get the details and full lineups at Local Spins.
The Detroit singer reveling in a breakout year on the pop scene brought his “From Tour With Love” to 20 Monroe Live in Grand Rapids, beguiling enthused fans with “Straightjacket,” “Sad Still” and other hits. Check out the review and photo gallery, exclusively at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids musician was this week’s guest for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted new tracks by Joshua Davis, How to Live Together, Tiger and Frame, Syd Burnham and more. Learn more about Jes Kramer’s latest project, watch the in-studio video, listen to the full radio show podcast.
Artist Spotlights · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows · Videos
Friday’s special season-ending concert at Cannonsburg Ski Area will boast a Grand Rapids Symphony collaboration starring the boundary-pushing power pop pianist and a rising classical music star. Read the Local Spins interview with Jacomo Bairos and check out videos of both featured performers.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Building on the success of its full-length debut album, Lipstick Jodi went acoustic in performing in-studio for this week’s radio show, which also featured the debut of tracks by Chain of Lakes, Olin Clark, Antighost and more. (Video, podcast)
Detroit hosted the fifth annual MoPop Music Festival at West Riverfront Park over the weekend, drawing thousands for national and regional stars over a sun-splashed weekend. Browse the images at Local Spins.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
The Beach Boys, a “Women Rock” Picnic Pops tribute, Mike Mains, Farm Block Fest and The Menzingers also fire up the week. And check out the splendid Under-the-Radar Picks.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows · Videos
The fifth annual, two-day MoPop music festival held along the Detroit River kicks off Saturday with a mix of national and regional stars. Check out the full schedule and see what Michigan acts have in store for fans.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows
The group featuring Jane Finkel, Brian Spencer, Mike Sord and Matt Milowe has redefined its sound, and will unfurl that for a Grand Rapids audience when it plays 20 Monroe Live on Saturday, opening for Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers. Read the Local Spins Artist Spotlight feature on this emerging Kalamazoo band.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows
With Flint Eastwood returning to Grand Rapids tonight to play the first-ever Blue Bridge Music Festival, Local Spins revisits a story about Detroit’s dynamic Flint Eastwood, fronted by Jax Anderson.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
A rock band’s farewell tour rolled into West Michigan, plus some bracing indoor and outdoor rock, blues and folk shows dominated the landscape in the Grand Rapids area this week. Check out the concert recaps and photo galleries.
Local Spins contributor Hunter Gamble creates an “optimistic and poignant” pop soundtrack to help soak up the season of the sun. Listen to the pop-flavored songs, watch the videos and check out a Spotify version of the Top 10 in this July edition of the Local Spins series.
With a powerful, poignant and catchy new EP inspired by her mother’s death, Jax Anderson is ready to take her ultra-collaborative, attention-getting Flint Eastwood project to a broader regional and national audience. Read the Local Spins interview with this compelling Detroit artist.
Friday night delivered two Grand Rapids concerts that couldn’t have been more different, but were every bit as satisfying for their respective throngs of fans. Check out the review and photo gallery from shows featuring Pop Evil and Vince Gill.
Artist Spotlights · Podcasts · Videos
Downie’s CD-release show on Friday at Grand Rapids’ Wealthy Theatre will celebrate iconic female songwriters as well as original material from her third album. (Podcast, video)
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
After years on Monroe Avenue near Rosa Parks Circle, the New Year’s Eve party settles on the roomier Calder Plaza with Grand Rapids’ The Outer Vibe adding to the celebration.
Artist Spotlights · Podcasts · Videos
The fun-loving bunch plays two high-profile shows this week, starting with Founders Brewing tonight, and has its sights set on releasing its sophomore album next year. (Story, video, podcast)
Artist Spotlights · Podcasts · Videos
One of da Silva’s songs has been licensed for use by ESPN during World Cup coverage and the singer is finishing up her third album. She plays The Pyramid Scheme on Friday. (Podcast, video)
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
The 97 LAV Budweiser Blues on the Mall launches its 23rd year in Grand Rapids with blues guitar phenom Kelly Richey on June 18 and includes an early August tribute to Walter Trout.
Ted Nugent’s Midwest Rock ‘n’ Roll Express kicked off the week, but the weekend offers up way more rock with a Pop Evil CD-release, Active Commute Week celebration, a Dylan[…]
Looking for the Perfect Beat · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Local Spins’ ‘Looking for the Perfect Beat’ columnist Todd Ernst previews the electronic music festival firing up Memorial Day weekend with international stars. Get the lowdown on must-see acts and view the full schedule at Local Spins.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
This May roundup of new releases by Michigan artists also features a look at recordings by Signal Quartet, The JR Band and Wowza in Kalamazoo. Listen to tracks from all of the releases and find out where these artists are performing.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts · Videos
Staged at Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids, the eight-show outdoor series kicks off with Tank & The Bangas on July 12 and also features local faves The Crane Wives and The Verve Pipe. Get the full schedule at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
The much-admired Pink Floyd tribute band returns to DeVos Performance Hall on Monday. The Local Spins interview with the group’s frontman and a look at why tribute bands have soared in popularity.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
Kicking off June 12, the popular free series will feature a host of jazz favorites, including Mary Rademacher, Steve Talaga, Big Band Nouveau, Andrew Rathbun and more. Get the full schedule at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The flurry of summer music festival news continues, with Michigan boasting celebrations covering everything from metal to folk to blues to jazz and more. Details at Local Spins with links to Phil Denny’s Jazz Fete, Battle Creek Caribbean Festival, Battle Creek Music Fest, Smiling Acres, Local Spins Fest and more.
