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Local Spins’ final look back at the year that was, reliving the excitement, controversy, emotions and pageantry that West Michigan’s music scene sparked in 2014
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Pop singer-songwriter once known as Garrett Borns performs hit single, “10,000 Emerald Pools,” with his band. He kicks off a national tour next month with a Michigan stop in Detroit March 1.
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The ethereal Grand Rapids rock band’s latest album tabbed as best regional album of the year, with the acclaimed group eyeing another recording project for 2015.
The folk-rock band’s longtime banjoist played his final show with the group at Founders on New Year’s Eve and is pursuing a new musical project dubbed Great Lakes Natives as well as working with a new nonprofit group.
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The pre-Christmas music news update at Local Spins checks in on Seger’s “Ride Out” tour, takes a gander at a plucky banjo project and finds more local albums nominated for honors.
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After playing 230 shows in 2014, the teenage indie-folk phenoms from Traverse City continue to tour and record ceaselessly as a break-through act. They return to One Trick Pony tonight. (Videos, podcast)
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Grand Rapids radio station WYCE-FM (88.1) reveals the roster of local and regional acts nominated for top honors during February awards show at The Intersection; 88-plus acts will vie for album of the year.
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WYCE has revealed its final performance lineup with Legacy Award winner The Verve Pipe, Micah Ling, Nicholas James Thomasma, Tom Hymn and more now part of the evening-long entertainment on two stages. Dozens will be honored with awards in several categories. See the full list of performers.
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The Grand Rapids jam band’s final Michigan show before a long hiatus takes place Friday at The Intersection with three full sets and special guests. And might the break spawn an Electric Light Orchestra tribute band?
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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.
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Two veteran Grand Rapids bands are losing key members in coming weeks, with the acoustic groups planning to continue performing without them.
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The November music news round-up at Local Spins focuses on area concert venues: an old one on the auction block, a new one firing up and a fresh local music series.
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Local Spins premieres brand new tracks from Kalamazoo’s Red Sea Pedestrians and Grand Rapids’ Murder Party. Both bands officially release new recordings on Friday but you can hear ’em here first.
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This week’s music news round-up at Local Spins revisits a well-known West Michigan performer who’s back from a Western stint and updates the status of a pair of recording projects.
Pop’s American Wi-Fi, classical composer Matthew Fisher and folk’s Channing and Quinn also snag $2,000 awards as determined by ArtPrize 2014 voters. Listen to the winning songs here.
Lend an ear to some brand new music – and unusual projects – from some of West Michigan’s most compelling artists, exclusively at Local Spins.
Dec. 8 marks the last show currently booked at the venue; Smith takes over band booking for HopCat in the Motor City and will continue to oversee Grand Rapids’ Tip Top Deluxe.
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The accordionist and keyboard player for the platinum-selling Colorado folk-rock band played an unscheduled concert for a packed house Monday at Hideout Brewing.
Mid-September’s music news roundup at Local Spins covers the gamut, including northern Michigan’s Lexi Schaub getting a chance to make a splash at Comerica Park and Greensky Bluegrass hitting the CMT spotlight.
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Michigan’s longest-running professional studio is celebrating completion of renovations to a building near the Grand River, with a renewed emphasis on recording bands and music projects.
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The co-producer of the chart-topping new folk compilation helped assemble an all-star cast, including Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian and some Michigan faves.
Hard-touring Grand Rapids jam band to call it quits for awhile in hopes of re-energizing shows and music; up-and-coming teen duo gets boost from big names Marshall Crenshaw and Stewart Lerman in New York.
The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts curator will trade visual arts for music when he takes the helm of the community radio station, succeeding longtime manager Kevin Murphy.
Check out the new video for the first single from the lovable Grand Rapids pop duo’s forthcoming album. The song’s radio debut comes on the first “Local Spins on WYCE” show today.
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The first-year, two-day festival at the Ionia County Fairgrounds will spotlight regional bands in hopes of raising money to replace Whites Bridge in Ionia.
Starting Aug. 29, John Sinkevics, of Local Spins, will host a one-hour radio program on WYCE-FM that spotlights the best in local and regional music.
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Fountain Street’s “Jazz in the Sanctuary” series kicks off with Robin Connell and Bill Huyge playing “magnificent” grand pianos; Intersection ramps up employment for hectic concert season.
At long last, those in-demand Local Spins T-shirts are now available online. Make a fashion statement while spreading the word about the site that spotlights West Michigan’s music scene.
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The day-long Sept. 13 party in also boasts sets by Michigan’s Joe Hertler, Jesse Ray & the Carolina Catfish, Thickest Thieves and Soul Club of Grand Rapids.
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Malian singer-guitarist Vieux Farka Toure kicks off WYCE-FM’s four-concert fall series on Sept. 8. See the full schedule; tickets on sale now.
After eight years at the helm of the community radio station, the avid supporter of Grand Rapids’ music scene and ‘Barry Sanders of station managers’ is going back to the land. (Video)
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Several West Michigan bands will be part of the revamped Celebration and Independence Day festivities in early July in downtown Grand Rapids.
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The Celadon Summer Concert Series is back, adding to a long list of free outdoor summer shows across West Michigan. And today’s the deadline for bidding on some bracing house concerts by acclaimed Michigan bands.
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Tickets for the second of three straight August concerts planned for the ballpark north of Grand Rapids go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday.
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After computer issues caused some delays in notifying acts, the Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts has finalized the performance schedule for June 6-8 and it’s now online.
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The summer of live music gets ever more jam-packed in the Grand Rapids area. Check out the lineup for GRandJazzFest, Freedom Cruise and Jazz at the Zoo.
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Two music festivals with major aspirations return this year to Kent County — one to the south, the other to the north — with Cowpie’s two-day affair aiming to feature 15 local and regional acts.
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The June 1 Santana concert led the way in sales on a crazy first day as several hundred concertgoers lined up early to ensure they’d land spots for popular acts. Sixteen shows have now sold out.
Returning to Fifth Third Ballpark in 2013 after losing money on its downtown festival, Rock the Rapids continues to look for ways to bolster its finances and find an appropriate site.
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St. Cecilia won’t host an ArtPrize musicians’ showcase this fall, but more busking stations will be added for performers.
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The two-month celebration of Michigan music starts with Afro Zuma and a kid-interactive “Family Appreciation Night” and wraps up in August with Ralston & Friends.
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The keyboard ace for bands such as Jive at Five and Blue Molly who died Saturday of an apparent heart attack remembered as a terrific friend and versatile musician.
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The unique Interlochen venue in northern Michigan hosts more than two dozen stars – from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Buddy Guy – with tickets on sale April 18. And Hoxeyville returns in mid-August to the Manistee National Forest.
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Returning will be CAKE, Lyle Lovett, The Beach Boys, O.A.R., Five for Fighting and Sheryl Crow, but most acts are new to Meijer Gardens. See the full schedule; ticket presale for members begins April 26.
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This Local Spins music news roundup goes metal in a female-fronted way, electronic with “Synesthesia” and folk with a dynamic trio of bands playing together for the first time.
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The mammoth, summer-starting street party expects to draw 6,000-plus folks for beer and sets by Lettuce, Charles Bradley, Break Science, Budos Band, The Giving Tree Band, Fauxgrass and Valentiger. Advance tickets on sale April 18.
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Local Spins’ early April news update shines a spotlight on two well-known Michigan music icons: trumpet player Max Colley III and sound expert Bill Chrysler, owner of Redwall North. […]
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The debut of the Freedom Cruise June 25-29 will feature custom car and bike shows, a “Freedom Rocks” concert and a special edition of WLAV’s “Blues on the Ball.”
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With hundreds of acts scrambling to get noticed, West Michigan’s own Stepdad, Rick Chyme, The Soil & The Sun and Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers dive into the “zoo” that is SXSW. Watch an exclusive Local Spins video of Chyme’s performance Thursday.
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Since 1987, the beloved pub in Conklin has brought universally acclaimed Irish performers to its stage as well as Celtic musicians from across Michigan. Fenian’s could host its final St. Patrick’s Day parade on Monday.
