Keeping the spotlight on talented West Michigan bands and the burgeoning regional concert scene: That’s been a mission of John’s since becoming a lead music critic and entertainment writer for The Grand Rapids Press 15 years ago. As publisher of Local Spins, that’s continued with news updates on Grand Rapids-area musical happenings, guest columns, photo galleries, concert reviews and weekly features on different artists who appear on radio on Local Spins Live.
John holds an honors degree in journalism from the University of Michigan and is co-founder of The Honeytones, once described as “the deans of Grand Rapids’ pop-rock scene” and a band that stages an annual Feedback concert to benefit Access of West Michigan’s food pantries for the needy. He’s also a diehard fan of the Detroit Tigers and, especially, the Detroit Lions, proudly wearing a “Rebuilding Since ’57” T-shirt which, sadly, has proven to be the case year in and year out for this underachieving NFL franchise.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Photos
The Mainstays, DC, DJ Boogie and The Incantations made it a manic Monday at Bell’s Brewery, kicking off the inaugural Sounds of the Zoo with an eclectic blast. View the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
The Ann Arbor chanteuse playing next week’s Sounds of the Zoo fest debuted a single for Local Spins on WYCE, which also aired new music by Last Gasp Collective, Martyr for Madison, Conklin Ceili Band, Keith Hall & more. Learn more about Dani Darling and the Kalamazoo festival, watch the singer’s new music video and listen to this week’s full radio show podcast.
The free, second-year event at Grand Rapids’ Studio Park aims to unify art, music and technology for a multi-dimensional weekend experience. Get the lowdown at Local Spins and watch videos of the artists who’ll be playing music showcases.
Breaking music news · Photos · Videos
Hailing from Bath, Mich., the fast-rising country singer made a splash on the NBC show Tuesday and will advance to the next round. The story, video and photo gallery at Local Spins.
GR Symphony opened its season with passion, a premiere and one of the final concerts for a beloved percussionist, on the same night that iconic songwriters held court for a new series in Forest Hills. The concert reviews and photo galleries at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Emerging Artists to Watch · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
The emerging Lowell band spotlighted new singles for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Future Misters, DL Rossi, Chris Bathgate, Djangophonique, The Kings of Strings, Samil and more. Learn more about Prior Noon and Sullivan Field’s upcoming concerts.
Breaking music news · Features
The Michigan artists landed major awards on Wednesday night in Nashville. See what prestigious honors they walked away with and their reaction at Local Spins.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows · Videos
After a COVID interruption, the long-running Irish music spectacle kicks off tonight and runs through Sunday. Get the preview and festival map, playlist and videos at Local Spins.
A Friday concert and Saturday songwriting ‘master class’ at Forest Hills Fine Arts Center will launch the expansion of Festival’s mission to spread arts across West Michigan. Learn more about the weekend event and watch videos of the featured artists.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
After a three-year COVID hiatus, 85 acts will play a more subdued festival on Earthwork Farm outside Lake City next weekend. See what attendees can expect in this Local Spins preview and view the lineup for this year’s festival.
The brainchild of Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert, the week-long affair at several venues in downtown Kalamazoo will boast vastly diverse performances and a collaborative vibe. Learn more about this first-year event, view the full schedule and listen to a playlist of performers.
Concert reviews · Summer Concerts · Top 10 Lists
Based purely on reader traffic for our concert reviews, Local Spins presents a fun Top 10 of this summer’s most memorable shows. Plus check out our editor’s Top 3 picks of the summer and fan comments on other favorite shows of the season.
