The West Michigan hard rock band topped dozens of other regional acts to win Saturday’s sun-splashed event. Get the full story, video and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Strolling Throngs: Music fans came out in droves amid sunny weather on Saturday. (Photo/Matt Marn)
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West Michigan's music scene
It was a great day for music in Grand Haven.
Fans and residents turned out in droves Saturday to soak in strains from 50 bands and performers from across Michigan and beyond as part of the 2026 Walk the Beat festival, taking place along the east side Beechtree Street corridor.
All afternoon, festivalgoers “walked the beat” down that corridor to enjoy — and vote for — artists representing a wide range of genres, styles and experience levels playing at stages set up at businesses and other locations in the district.
At the end of the festival, organizers announced that West Michigan-based hard rock band, Broken Like Me, had won the grand prize, receiving a highly-coveted prize package of studio recording time at Three Toad Studio in Grand Haven (formerly Third Coast Recording Company). They also won a performance slot in the 2027 U.S. Coast Guard Festival parade.
Broken Like Me rehearses in Grand Haven, with all band members living along the lakeshore. The band members – vocalist Joe Kiesgen, rhythm guitar and vocalist Josh Leach, bassist AJ Abrahams, drummer and backing vocalist Steve Brower, and lead guitarist and backing vocalist Russ Ferrell – were blown away not only by the win, but the support from the community which cheered them on.
Broken Like Me (Courtesy Photo)
“Walk the Beat has been such a great organization for West Michigan, and it is amazing to feel this level of support from our community,” said Brower. “The people who show up, the local sponsors, and everyone who keeps local music alive – that is what makes getting voted ‘best band’ mean so much.”
Ferrell said it was the group’s third appearance at Walk the Beat.
“The crowd reaction was amazing,” Ferrell said. “We have been honing our set list, and we feel like we have a very strong choice of high-energy songs that help to get the audience to engage. We also brought and put together a whole stage setup to make it look more like a production. I think that helped us as well. Engaging the audience is what gets the votes. Playing good isn’t enough, you have to put on a show.”
Ferrell said his favorite part of the event comes after the band has set up — when they get to walk around and grab some grub from food trucks.
“It’s a moment of calm, and gives us time to connect as friends, check out the other bands, and get in on the raffles and enjoy the event,” he said. “As far as new fans, that’s always what we hope for coming away from an event like this. It allows us to reach audiences who wouldn’t normally see us play.”
Ferrell said the group has some down time before their next performance in November, so the plan will probably be to utilize that time to write and record new material with the prize package of recording time.
ONE OF WALK THE BEAT’S ‘SMOOTHEST OPERATIONS EVER’
Walk the Beat president Becky Newman said despite the hustle and bustle of festival planning and set-up, she was able to tour the festival twice to hear some of the bands that she and her team had booked for the event.
“This was one of the smoothest operations we’ve ever had, setting up and cleaning up the festival,” Newman said of the event first staged in 2014 as the brainchild of Dave Palmer.
“That’s due to some truly dedicated volunteers. We welcome anyone who might want to help us put on next year’s Walk the Beat.”
Blockhouse Valley: The Metro Detroit band performed in front of Krohn’s Auto Repair. (Photo/Matt Marn)
The festival team added children-focused activities this year, with lots of clever, fun things for kids to enjoy courtesy of Walk the Beat’s participating partners: face-painting, chalk-the-walk and more.
An “Instrument Petting Zoo,” hosted by Music Everyday in Spring Lake, featured kids-sized instruments, from guitars and violins to xylophones, triangles and percussion instruments. The table always seemed full as young members of the community tried their own hands at being the next generation of local musical talent.
Val Letenyei, Music Everyday director and lead piano teacher, said she was so glad the group was able to be at the festival Saturday.
“It’s an honor to be here,” said Val Letenyei, Music Everyday director and lead piano teacher. ”This is a great way to help pass on love of music and learning to the next generation. Music is a journey for all of our students. Start a new thing . . . and see where it takes you.”
Anyone interested in more information about Walk the Beat, including volunteering for the 2027 Walk the Beat Festival, can reach out to walkthebeatbecky@gmail.com.
PHOTO GALLERY: Grand Haven’s Walk the Beat
Photos by Matt Marn
VIDEO: Walk the Beat 2026
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