Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Gojira helps get the week started and you can win tickets to the show from Local Spins. And there’s more on the docket: Mushroomhead, Tommy Castro, Mike Gordon, Cousin Avery, Cabildo, Lambo and the Red Flannel Festival. See all of this week’s live music picks on The Big List.
With performances by Yolonda Lavender, The Bootstrap Boys and Michigander, the second-year festival drew big throngs of ArtPrize visitors to the downtown pedestrian bridge over the Grand River. Check out the images.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Vintage Gigs
This week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE featured an in-studio performance by Kyle Rasche and Dana Jackson of Chain of Lakes, plus the premiere of new tracks by Bigfoot Buffalo, Deerfield Run, Organissimo and Cameron Blake. Listen to the full podcast and watch the video.
Artist Spotlights · Festivals · Upcoming shows · Videos
Along with other regional stars, the fast-emerging Grand Rapids hip hop artist on Saturday plays both the Blue Bridge Music Fest and Ladyfest at the Lakeshore as she eyes release of her sophomore album. Read about her new project, watch the video for her new single and save full schedules for both festivals at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The teen guitar sensation made an impressive in-studio visit for Local Spins on WYCE, which this week also premiered tracks by Cruelworld, The Autumnatic, Desmond Jones, Hominian, Jukejoint Handmedowns, Gifts or Creatures and more. Listen to the podcast and check out Cruelworld’s new video.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids band rocked the studio for Local Spins on WYCE, which also boasted new tracks by Cosmonaut, May Erlewine, Cosmic Knot, The B-Side Growlers and more. The Local Spins Artist Spotlight story, podcast and video.
Commentary · Podcasts · RSVP Music Chat
Take 3 of Ralston & Sink’s Virtual Podcast burrows into the thorny thicket of musicians pontificating on politics via social media and in their music. Hear what our resident RSVP Music Chatters have to say on the subject and pipe in with your own comments.
If the Detroit rocker really is ready to ‘Turn the Page’ on his career, he left West Michigan devotees on Tuesday with an upbeat, heyday-spanning memory of a lifetime. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Features
The national music publication praised the Albion husband-and-wife duo for a ‘tense and hypnotic’ performance during the showcase festival and conference. Read more about it and the band’s reaction at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
On the cusp of Seger’s Grand Rapids tour stop, Wilson chats with Local Spins about dancing with Seger, her excitement about Roadcase Royale’s new album and the uncertain future of Heart. The Local Spins interview.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
More than 2,500 attendees reveled Friday in dozens of performances by Michigan stars on opening day of this weekend festival on Earthwork Farm. Watch the video highlights and check out the photos, only at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The hard rock band from Frankenmuth — Michigan’s hottest new rock export these days — fired up a sold-out Stache inside The Intersection on Thursday. Read the review, browse the photos, watch the videos.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
This weekend’s summer-ending festival outside Lake City shapes up as the biggest, most heartwarming assemblage of musicians yet. Get the lowdown on the three-day Harvest Gathering with a full list of performers.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Outdoor parties boasting regional artists, national tour stops and an album-release show highlighted West Michigan’s musical weekend. Ogle more than a half-dozen photo galleries in this Local Spins roundup.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
This week’s in-studio guest performed during the show, which also featured the on-air debut of songs by Wala Gum, Lipstick Jodi, Paradise Outlaw, The War Between and much more. Check out the back story of this emerging band and listen to the show podcast.
Artist Spotlights · Live at River City · Podcasts · Videos
The rambunctious blues and rockabilly duo brings its fiery music to River City for a blistering in-studio session and interview. Get the back story about the band, listen to the podcast, watch the video and browse the photo gallery.
The Traverse City trio’s new Sony Masterworks album was the most-played regional recording on WYCE last month, with other local faves close behind. Check out the chart, videos of the Top 5 acts and a list of new regional releases.
Artist Spotlights · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows · Videos
Wheatland Music Festival’s 2017 lineup this weekend boasts national roots music stars and a strong Michigan contingent, too. Read profiles of two of them and peruse the festival schedule.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins Live · Upcoming shows · Videos
The genre-straddling Grand Rapids band will kick off Saturday’s big anniversary party at Perrin Brewing after opening for country star Tucker Beathard the night before. Read more about the band, listen to the radio podcast and watch a video of the band playing the B93 Birthday Bash.
Local Spins’ annual Labor Day column spotlights the financial plight of local musicians. For many, the unseen time and labor behind a band’s typical road gig means working 10-12 hours for $10 to $15 a day. Most bands will do it happily time and again. But is that fair?
The Grand Rapids singer-songwriter celebrates release of “Tom Hymn’s Tangerine Dream” with an ensemble of musical pals at Fountain Street Church next week. Read the back story, watch the video of his in-studio performance for Local Spins on WYCE.
Announcements · Upcoming shows
Two Grand Rapids concert halls kick off new seasons with touring stars this fall, while the downtown arena continues to make headlines nationally. Check out the lineups and details at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Series host Ralston Bowles showcased a roster of Michigan stars — including Brian Oberlin, Nik Carman and Eric Engblade — for a full Meijer Gardens amphitheater to close out the summer. Check out video highlights, photos and a recap of Tuesday’s show.
Breaking music news · Summer Festivals
Organizer Cameron Strong cites lack of ticket sales and financial considerations for forcing him to scrap the mid-October event. He vows Cold Creek Campout will be back in 2018.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
With sets by Travis Scott, R.L. Grime, Waka Flocka Flame and more, EDM and hip hop acts pumped up Belknap Park on Friday on the first day of the national festival. Read the recap, browse the photo gallery, watch the video from Day 1.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The late August edition of Local Spins on WYCE boasted Laine’s in-studio visit and regional music by The Hacky Turtles, Emma Loo, 78 Revolutions Per Minute, Rick Chyme & Nixon, Melophobix and more. Listen to the podcast and watch a video of Laine’s performance.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins Live · Podcasts · Videos
The emerging West Michigan singer-songwriter plays a CD-release show at Rockford Brewing on Thursday night. Peruse the Local Spins Artist Spotlight story, listen to the podcast, watch the videos.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Travis Scott, Zedd and more play the two-day festival at a site that’s never hosted a music festival before. Breakaway shifts to Ohio in September and North Carolina in October. See and save the full festival schedule at Local Spins.
Billy Strings, Borns, The Accidentals, The Crane Wives and other Michigan acts have found a national spotlight in varying ways as of late. Musician Ralston Bowles and Local Spins publisher John Sinkevics debate the merits and pitfalls of ‘making it’ in music in the second episode of the RSVP Music Chat podcast.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
HopCat and WYCE will join forces to present live music on downtown’s Blue Bridge Sept. 29-30 with sets by Michigander, The Great Ones, Watching for Foxes, Bootstrap Boys, Yolonda Lavender and more. See the full schedule at Local Spins and learn what’s changed for this year’s ArtPrize song contest.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Two Grand Rapids-based bands took home the top prizes in what organizers called the biggest and most successful Walk the Beat ever, with thousands of fans strolling the city’s east side to vote for their favorite performances. Get the details, watch video highlights and browse the photo gallery from Saturday’s event.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
On the same day of its much-ballyhooed Sony Masterworks CD-release, the Traverse City trio lit up the Grand Rapids radio studio with new songs. Watch the video, read the story and listen to the radio podcast, which also features new local and regional music.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Jamming more than three hours of jamming into Monday night’s sold-out show at Meijer Gardens, Gov’t Mule and Galactic created the kind of upbeat, festival-styled milieu for which they’re known. Check out the review and photos from the week-opening concert.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Gov’t Mule and Galactic get one of the busiest weeks of the summer started, with Lil’ Ed, Ian Anderson, Tribute on the Grand and a birthday bash for Creston Brewery also in the mix. Get the lowdown on all of the big shows and under-the-radar picks.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Big crowds cheered The Soul Syndicate, Grasshoppah, Jake Kershaw, Jimmie Stagger, The Crane Wives, Michigander and all manner of Celtic bands in a week that embraced summer’s musical magic. Browse the images 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.
The Michigan native continues to turn heads nationally as he prepares to release a full-length debut album in September. Read more about Billy Strings and listen to a track from his upcoming new recording.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
This weekend’s festival boasts performances by Zoso, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, May Erlewine, That 1 Guy, G-Snacks, Brotha James, Andrew Sturtz, Biomassive and more. Get the lowdown on this northern Michigan event at Local Spins.
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.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Inspired to reunite so they could play next weekend’s Cowpie Music Festival, the popular, one-time Grand Rapids band is revving up its first Michigan shows in seven years. Check out the back story, watch the video, listen to the podcast, which also features new music from Michigan artists such as Nordy, Jake Kershaw, Lushh and more.
Starting today, listen to regular free-wheeling podcasts in which two veterans from different sides of West Michigan’s music scene — Ralston Bowles and John Sinkevics — chat about anything and everything music-related. The first episode of RSVP (aka, Ralston & Sink’s Virtual Podcast) tackles the ticklish subject of concert etiquette. And sign up via iTunes and never miss an episode.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Blistering rock dominates this weekend’s roundup of images from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo, but there was also the fetching indie-folk of Kalamazoo’s Thunderbolt & Lightfoot at an inspiring CD-release show.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The 150th episode of Local Spins on WYCE featured performances by a popular Grand Rapids songwriter and his band, and plenty of new music from Michigan-bred artists. Get the back story on John Sanger, watch the video of his band’s in-studio performance and listen to the radio podcast.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
With beat-up piano Shondra in tow, Adam Weiner and his Philly band return to Tip Top Deluxe this week, riding a reputation as one the best live bands in the country. Read the Local Spins interview; view videos of this emerging rock outfit.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The July 21 episode of the Local Spins on WYCE radio show boasted two in-studio performances and lots of new tracks by Michigan artists. Listen to this week’s podcast and watch the videos.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins Live · Upcoming shows · Videos
Led by guitarist and singer-songwriter Tom Wall, the Grand Rapids-based super-group delivers distinctive music (tuned to 432 Hz), all aimed to ‘make the world a better place.’ Learn the back story about this unusual band and watch the video of its in-studio performance this week.
Costello’s first appearance at Meijer Gardens since 2011 focused heavily on tracks from his 1982 classic “Imperial Bedroom,” but also trotted out some earlier hits and unearthed some rare gems. Browse the photos, read the review.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Another busy summer week of live music saw everything from blues to rock to folk stretching from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Hastings. Check out the images from the Kalamazoo Blues Festival, Grand Rapids on Tap, Mitski, Steel Panther, The Accidentals, Falling in Reverse, David J, Tim Reynolds, May Erlewine and much more.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
With a back story that involves Saddam Hussein’s piano and gospel roots, this Albion duo and backing band are creating a buzz with passionate performances and a new soulful, upbeat album. Plus, the debut of new music by Cosmic Knot, Gifts or Creatures, The Out of Favor Boys and more. Read the story, listen to the podcast, watch the video of The War & Treaty’s in-studio performance.
The singer and multi-instrumentalist rolled out familiar hits and brand new material for a sold-out amphitheater on a sticky summer night. Read the review and browse the photos from Sheryl Crow’s third appearance at Meijer Gardens.
