Breaking music news · Features · Videos
The 37-year-old Traverse City singer-songwriter talks to Local Spins about Monday’s “blind audition,” his national TV debut and moving on to the next round of the competition. And he has lots of good things to say about his L.A. experience. Watch a video of his performance.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
The family-oriented festival held in mid-June at Circle Pines Center will expand with more stages, national acts such as Brown Rice Family and local faves The Crane Wives, Alexis, The Accidentals and Seth & May. See the entire lineup thus far with information about early bird ticket sales.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Ghost Heart, Seth Bernard, Hannah Rose Graves & Justin Wierenga, Dante Cope, Alexis and Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish shared the award spotlight during a jam-packed Intersection show on Friday. See the full list of winners, photo gallery and videos.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
The teaser announcement of three 2015 concerts for the outdoor amphitheater boasts big names, with the full schedule revealed in mid-April. Tickets go on sale to Meijer Gardens members on April 25.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Videos
GVSU students create a short and impressive documentary celebrating the players, venues and studios which boost the region’s burgeoning music scene. Watch the video here. And Rhiannon Giddens is launching a tour behind her new solo album and will play Grand Rapids April 24 with singer Bhi Bhiman.
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
The Grand Rapids rock band hosts an EP ‘giveaway’ show Friday at The Intersection after enlisting a renowned California producer for its new recording. And check out the band’s latest video, filmed at St. Cecilia Music Center with local performers and celebrities.
Breaking music news · Features
UPDATE: Two West Michigan blues bands competed alongside 140-plus acts in the international competition this week. Read more about their Memphis experience.
Breaking music news · Features
Organizers say this year’s all-online application system will make it easier for bands and performers to apply, and speed up scheduling. But the entry fee has doubled to $10.
Breaking music news · Commentary · Features · Photos
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
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
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.
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
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.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Features
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.
Breaking music news · Features · Podcasts · Videos
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)
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
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.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
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.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
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?
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
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.
Breaking music news · Features
Two veteran Grand Rapids bands are losing key members in coming weeks, with the acoustic groups planning to continue performing without them.
Breaking music news · Features · Upcoming shows
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.
Audio · Breaking music news · Features
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.
Breaking music news · Features
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.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Videos
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.
Breaking music news · Features
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.
Album reviews · Breaking music news · Features
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
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)
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
Several West Michigan bands will be part of the revamped Celebration and Independence Day festivities in early July in downtown Grand Rapids.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
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.
Breaking music news · Features
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
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.
Breaking music news · Features
St. Cecilia won’t host an ArtPrize musicians’ showcase this fall, but more busking stations will be added for performers.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
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.
Breaking music news · Features
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.
