A happy, hefty and enthused Intersection throng greeted the Grand Rapids ska maestros who kicked out fan faves and new songs from the band’s “Can Contain It” album.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Ah, that magical time between Christmas and New Year’s was filled with, well, rock ‘n’ roll, captured in images at Local Spins.
This Local Spins column originally ran on Labor Day and generated more comments than any other story in 2013. So, do you know how little your favorite local musician or band is probably being paid?
The rootsy singer-songwriter is back in Michigan and back with The Wildfire, playing Rockford Brewing Friday. A European tour and new studio album lie ahead.
Just in the St. Nick of time for 11th-hour Christmas shopping, another batch of Local Spins reviews of albums by Michigan artists.
‘Twas the weekend before Christmas and the house was rocking around Grand Rapids, as evidenced by the photo and video roundup at Local Spins.
Submit your picks for 2013’s best albums and get a chance to win a gift card to a local brew pub — and the admiration of friends and Local Spins readers. And check out WYCE’s Jammie nominees for best local music.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows
More than a dozen years in the making, “the glendanles brand” album gets unveiled for the first time in Thursday night shows at Louie’s Bar & Rocket Lounge. (Podcast, video)
Brian Lorente and his band, the Usual Suspects, open for country star Tyler Farr on Thursday night. (Podcast, video)
Breaking music news · Features
After scoring two No. 1 active rock singles from “Onyx,” the hard-rocking, hard-touring West Michigan band plays a homecoming show at The Intersection Friday with guest Michael Crittenden.
Breaking music news · Commentary
Fans can decide for themselves whether it’s a magna cum laude class, but Cat Stevens, Hall & Oates, Nirvana, KISS, Linda Ronstadt and Peter Gabriel make an intriguing mix of stars.
Check out images from a rocking weekend in West Michigan: From twists on Christmas music to retro strains that made folks forget about the bluster outdoors
The Outer Vibe rolls and gets rocked with “Princess of Sin,” while Mowery earns International Blues Challenge nod for “Account to Me.”
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
Musicians rally to support Benzonia’s Tim McKay, who insists he’ll soon be back playing bass for the Grand Rapids bluegrass band, though his shoemaking business is on hold. See how you can help.
The Grand Rapids trio channels The Cavern Club-era Beatles and early ’60s British beat bands with one rule of thumb: If it came after 1965, it doesn’t get played. (Podcast, video)
Breaking music news · Features
West Michigan acts continue to make a splash beyond the region, from Nashville to Europe. Get the lowdown in this Local Spins December music news update.
The mercury plummeted outside but things heated up indoors on the live music front with hard rock, bluegrass, vintage rock, country and indie-dance music.
Starting with saxophonist Phil Denny’s holiday jazz gem, Local Spins’ Christmas shopping list of new releases includes Gifts or Creatures, Knight and Guild, Maybe Next Time and Lazy Genius.
Grand Haven’s School Zone hopes its series might expand to broadcast TV. Vander Ark debuts songs from the show next Wednesday at Grand Rapids’ Wealthy Theatre.
Three members of Grand Rapids’ Glean Infusion jam band have reunited to form a rootsy trio, with a new studio album already in the works. They play Rockford Brewing Thursday.
Nine bands duked it out at Sunday’s finals at The Intersection. But another battle of the bands on Saturday at Billy’s Lounge was scrapped after four acts were no-shows.
John Mayer and Grandmaster Flash got the weekend started on the biggest bar night of the year and Drew Nelson closed it out with some Americana charm.
Welcome to the revamped Local Spins website, with a brighter, bolder way to offer the music news you want. And there’s more to come in 2014.
Bassist Mike Smith’s battle with melanoma has inspired creation of The Free and Clear Foundation, which will benefit from tonight’s ‘Black Friday’ reunion show at The Intersection.
The “Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving Day spirit” was evident everywhere across Grand Rapids on Wednesday night.
The Thanksgiving edition of the Local Spins music news roundup is a real feast, with tasty nuggets about The Appleseed Collective, The Soil & The Sun and Star Darts.
Lynch says it was “thrilling” filming the band’s music video for “Nowhere Now,” a debut locally produced and filmed in a barn on a fan’s property. Kari Lynch might[…]
The Wine, Beer and Food Festival at DeVos Place drew thousands for taste-testing and tunes by a half-dozen West Michigan acts, but elsewhere fans also reveled in hip-hop.
Exactly 50 years ago, an assassin gunned down President John F. Kennedy, the same day that The Beatles released their second album. The world would never be the same again.
New releases by Uncommon Road, Roger MacNaughton, Breathe Owl Breathe, Love Fossil, Don Middlebrook, Lazy Genius and Make No Heroes in this batch of fall Local Spins reviews.
A solo artist who also performs with Jen Sygit and the rootsy Americana band Lincoln County Process, Corbin is a vibrant product of Michigan’s folk music scene.
CD releases by West Michigan artists Kelsey Rottiers, Karisa Wilson, UV Hippo, The Impact Band, Roger Brown, Bowery, Steve Talaga
Sun, rain, snow, falling leaves, wind, thunder, sleet. It’s that wacky time of year, and the same sort of wildly varying live music descended on West Michigan.
Breaking music news · Features
The song by Bowles and the band Bennett debuted this morning. Fans can download it with a donation to the Salvation Army’s Christmas campaign; get the link here. Free Baker[…]
With its effervescent, pop-tinged indie-rock, Bowery has hit the re-set button with a new lead singer and a new EP that gets released this week. (Podcast, video) Happenstance. Fate.[…]
Local Spins’ November news update: Kalamazoo’s Hitchcock signs with Nashville booking agent, Crane Wives and Appleseed Collective get Ann Arbor Folk Fest love, and Local Spins’ Sleigh Bells concert photo[…]
Want your music preserved for posterity? West Michigan artists can submit CDs to the district library so patrons can literally check out their music. By Elizabeth Slowik LocalSpins.com The[…]
A guitar god, a groundbreaking alt-metal band, some Michigan roots heroes, a bracing modern percussion trio, a garage rock legend and monstrous metal: All part of Local Spins’ image-laden roundup[…]
Frustrating sound glitches aside, the opening night of St. Cecilia Music Center’s Fresh Folk series turned the tables on folk-rock and put a Nashville couple in the spotlight.
The award-winning Grand Rapids band unveils its debut EP recording with a full-blown rock concert production at Allegan’s Griswold Auditorium on Saturday. (Podcast, video) Uncommon Road guitarist Sean Louis[…]
The second year of St. Cecilia’s Fresh Folk series opens by spotlighting the Americana duo from Nashville and Grand Rapids’ own Troll for Trout in an unplugged setting. Win tickets[…]
From nightclubs to a fine arts center to a listening room to Eastown basements, West Michigan bid adieu to October and hello to November in rocking fashion, captured in photos[…]
Friday night’s opening house concerts in three locations jammed living rooms and basements for sets by The Soil & The Sun, Lasso, Kellen & Me and more. (Photos, video) […]
Playing at this weekend’s Lamp Light Music Festival in Grand Rapids with Cobalt Mexican Wolves, the well-traveled British-born singer-songwriter finds camaraderie, inspiration in the Double Phelix collective of musicians. […]
The seasoned, award-winning troubadours’ duo tour made a Grand Rapids tour stop on Wednesday, filling the evening with anecdotes and acoustic artistry. (Photo gallery, review) One dynamic roots duo[…]
Once the bane of musicians, DJs/house music producers have dubstepped, trance’d and techno’d their way into the limelight, selling out shows coast to coast and regularly lighting up venues in[…]
Halloween descended several days early, with wild and woolly costume- and EDM-driven events in downtown Grand Rapids, plus tour stops by diverse acts from here to the lakeshore. (Photos, video)[…]
The award-winning bunch of Grand Valley State University and Grand Rapids Community College students has high hopes and wise-well-beyond-their-years jazz chops. (Podcast, video) At first blush, growing up on[…]
A tale of two DJ-driven pre-Halloween dance spectaculars with thousands of dollars in cash prizes to boot. A howlin’ good time awaits on Saturday. More and more people are[…]
Starting with award presentations to the five winners of the ArtPrize/St. Cecilia song contest, West Michigan’s musical weekend ranged from EDM revelry to acoustic alt-rock to a Feedback spectacular, captured[…]
