Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and Via Mardot pumped up a capacity crowd for this week’s edition of the Tuesday series at Meijer Gardens, demonstrating the power of local and regional music. The recap and photos from this week’s concert.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Last weekend’s cozy music festival in northern Michigan featured regional bands and solo artists playing on two stages amid a laid-back vibe. Check out the Local Spins recap and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Live music matched the weather this week: Sizzling and sweaty, from The Go Rounds at Studio Park to Collective Soul at Meijer Gardens to Bill Kirchen, The Concussions and more at Jerry Palooza — plus, Grand Rapids Symphony, Melophobix and Brian Koenigknecht played shows across West Michigan. We’ve got the photo recaps.
The Michigan alt-rock band played a summer homecoming show on Saturday that checked a lot of boxes and featured the return of Brad Vander Ark. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
After a silent 2020, Beaver Island last weekend again hosted its unique music fest with The Hacky Turtles, Benzing Graves Collective, Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps, The Gasoline Gypsies and other regional stars. The Local Spins recap in photos — and in the words of the performers themselves.
The legendary and celebrated New Orleans act partnered with Grand Rapids Symphony on Sunday night for an upbeat mix of jazz and classical performed under clear skies and with perfect temps. The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
One of the busiest music weeks of summer 2021 brought big crowds to venues across West Michigan, including the second day of revelry at Belknap Park and Shagbark Farm. The photo galleries, festival recaps and video highlights at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
“Rock music is back!” Despite some early rain, throngs of head-bangers cheered their hard-rocking heroes as festival performances — featuring several Michigan acts — returned to Grand Rapids. Read the review, browse the photo gallery and watch video highlights from the first day of Upheaval Festival.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Playing the first of three nights at the Caledonia-area ranch, the Michigan-bred progressive bluegrass powerhouse earned a rousing welcome from fans. The Local Spins review, with photos and video highlights from Night No. 1.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Thursday night in Grand Rapids unfurled as a tale of two outdoor milestones: the first ‘Blues on the Grand’ show headlined by the Eric Gales Band and another full house at Studio Park with sets by Michigander and Lipstick Jodi. Check out the show recaps, browse the photo galleries and watch video highlights at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From Grand Rapids to the lakeshore, bands and fans celebrated the return of live music to packed venues, many hosting their first concerts in more than a year. Browse the images from The Intersection, The Pyramid Scheme, Burl & Sprig, Listening Room/Studio Park and Grand Haven’s Waterfront Stadium at Local Spins.
Thursday night’s return to live music at the Grand Rapids nightclub filled its Elevation venue with dance-happy fans of Tropidelic and Snacks & Five. Revisit the celebration in a review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The first Tuesday Evening Music Club show in nearly two years filled the amphitheater for sets by The Accidentals and Roosevelt Digs. Get the recap, view the photos and video exclusively at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
West Michigan’s 2021 Independence Day weekend proved to be far busier music-wise than the pandemic-impaired 2020, and Local Spins was there to capture the concert action in photos.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
’Finally, the music is back.’ The inaugural festival in Trufant reveled in good weather, camaraderie and the return of live performances. Get the recap, photos and video highlights at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The state’s outdoor concert and festival flurry took an unexpected turn with the week’s unceasing rain and even tornado warnings, but indoor shows flourished at Listening Room and Tip Top Deluxe, along with a few outdoor sets across the region. Browse the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
With release of the band’s third full-length album, “Dad Rock,” Droppers opens up about getting in trouble while growing up in Florida, being a new father and crafting a record during a pandemic. Learn more about the project, view the videos and browse a photo gallery from the band’s recent record-release show.
Concert Listings · Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Free community concerts boast a special vibe, with regional bands connecting with fans, families. Local Spins captured Tuesday’s James Reeser & The Backseat Drivers show in words and photos. Plus, view schedules for more outdoor series recently added to the summer lineup.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
It was the first big week of live music in the great outdoors across West Michigan with nightly offerings of regional stars from Kalamazoo to Allegan to Grand Rapids to Rockford. Relive the performances in images and a highlights video at Local Spins.
This weekend’s debut of outdoor live music events in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo had music lovers basking not only in the sunshine and heat, but finally getting a taste of what the rest of summer 2021 has in store. The event recaps and photo galleries at Local Spins.
A happy crowd of mask-less concertgoers gathered in the courtyard of Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids to cheer a diverse trio of Grand Rapids acts thrilled to be back on stage. The recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Friday night’s inaugural show at the baseball stadium on Grand Rapids’ West Side drew more than 100 people who soaked up the live music and unique outdoor atmosphere. The concert roundup and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Local Spins Rewind · Photos · Videos
Today’s Local Spins Rewind feature looks back to May 2019 when classic rock icons The Who opened their North American tour with help from Grand Rapids Symphony musicians. Fans are still arguing over this one. Revisit the review and an interview with The Who’s creative director, browse the photo galleries, video and set list.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Live-Stream Concerts · Photos
The second-year, five-day virtual festival hosted by Michigan Music Alliance drew thousands of viewers and $10,00-plus in donations to aid Michigan musicians. Peruse festival highlights and ogle photos at Local Spins.
Nine months after a band last played the stage at Grand Rapids’ Tip Top Deluxe with a live audience on hand, The Moonrays brought their surf-rock charm to the West Side venue Friday. Local Spins has the photos from a milestone evening after a ‘year of COVID,’ with Myron Elkins set to fire up the stage on Saturday night.
Concert reviews · Live-Stream Concerts
The opening-day salvo of Michigan artists performing for the live-streamed Spread the Music Festival attracted thousands of viewers for compelling sets. Check out some first-day highlights and photos, along with picks for other must-see acts at the festival which runs through Sunday.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
After a mostly silent winter, two popular West Michigan bands revved up tunes new and old for live audiences in Grand Rapids and Holland on Friday. Find recaps of both shows in words and images at Local Spins.
The series revealing the oddest, most miserable or embarrassing concert experiences in our music critics’ past brings us to Troy Reimink’s recollections of Pearl Jam, Built To Spill, Phil Collins and a band he still knows absolutely nothing about.
Concert reviews · Guest Column
The second installment in the Local Spins series recounting our critics’ most bizarre concert experiences continues with tales of outlandish musical misery, courtesy of the one and only John Serba — from a Motley Crue debacle to jam-band hell.
Concert reviews · In Memoriam · Local Spins Rewind · Photos
One year ago — before the pandemic erupted — West Michigan not only cheered a tour stop by mandolin whiz Chris Thile but mourned the unexpected death of beloved local musician Eric Soules. Local Spins revisits both events in today’s ‘Rewind’ feature.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Over the past week, three West Michigan establishments hosted live music in different ways — with and without audiences, and with pandemic restrictions in place. Local Spins captured it all in photo galleries featuring King Biscuit Trio, Rufus Ferguson and other local musicians.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos
After a year of COVID, the Portage brewery’s second anniversary party boasted performances by Lexi Adams, St. Joe Jack and more — with limited capacity, regular sanitization and new brews. Check out the recap and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Local Spins Rewind · Photos · Videos
Thousands filled The Intersection on Valentine’s Day 2020 to celebrate the best regional music of the year with impressive performances on three stages. With this year’s edition of the Jammie Awards indefinitely postponed due to COVID, browse highlights from last year’s big night in words, photos and video.
Concert reviews · Features · Venue Spotlight
Open for just two weeks at restricted capacity, the city’s latest entry in the bar and venue scene has turned heads with its atmosphere and its regular live jazz offerings in spite of COVID. Learn more about the ‘amazing’ vibe of this new hot spot at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Live-Stream Concerts
Friday and Saturday’s unprecedented online benefit for The Ark boasted a record number of performances by local and international musical heroes who offered up 11 hours of intimate, touching sets. The review at Local Spins. The festival continues with a special John Prine tribute tonight.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Ralston Bowles and Michael Crittenden kicked off St. Cecilia Music Center’s virtual folk-and-blues series on Thursday. Local Spins was there to capture the unusual vibe in an empty auditorium with two veteran West Michigan musicians.
Concert reviews · Local Spins Rewind · Photos
A year ago this week, Local Spins published one of the most-read stories of the year — featuring emerging Michigan country artist Sadie Bass — and hailed the long-awaited, official opening of Listening Room. Check out reviews and photo galleries from those November 2019 events, plus several major West Michigan tour stops.
Concert announcements · Concert reviews · Photos
Halloween weekend amid 2020’s coronavirus crisis is not what West Michigan has come to expect, with closed venues and canceled shows. But Grand Rapids hip hop artists still fired a final musical salvo at Studio Park on Friday. Get the holiday weekend update, see what shows are still happening and browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
Buoyed by splendid October weather, Tamarack Camp hosted a mini-festival of sorts on Saturday, featuring sets by several popular West Michigan acts. Browse the photo gallery, watch the video at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Local Spins Rewind · Photos
When live music was still at the entertainment forefront (pre-Covid) October 2019 boasted memorable highlights of the local and national variety, from sold-out tour stops to big announcements. A look back at a busy week in words and photos.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Live music has unfurled in some unusual places in West Michigan as fall settles in — from the marquee at Kalamazoo State Theatre to a parking lot at Cedar Springs Brewing to John Ball Park in Grand Rapids. Browse the images at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Glorious late-September weather provided the perfect setting for several high-profile outdoor shows in Grand Rapids, from Earth Radio to Melophobix. The recaps, photos and video highlights at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Belknap’s first-ever drive-in show on Friday impressed fans and bands alike with socially distanced fun and music that reverberated through the neighborhood just north of downtown Grand Rapids. The Local Spins review with photos and video highlights.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Musicians have made the most of a pleasant September after a COVID-impaired summer of live music. Sadie Bass, Jake Kershaw, Edison Kitt, Hayes Griffin, Josh Rose, Kyle Rasche, FlyLiteGemini, Out of Favor Boys, Jack Leaver and more light up our weekend photo galleries.
Concert reviews · Summer Concerts · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Bands and fans had to dodge raindrops at times, but the the busiest live music week of the season had lots to offer, from Grand Rapids to the lakeshore. Ogle the images and photo recaps at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
A busy September lineup of concerts after a mostly quarantined summer kicked off over Labor Day weekend with small but vibrant shows from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. Browse the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Labor Day weekend’s last blast of summer gave hip hop fans plenty to applaud in downtown Grand Rapids, with the Studio Park piazza show heating up the city’s month-long “The Bridge” celebration. Get the recap at Local Spins and browse the photo gallery from Saturday’s concert.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins’ search for live music amid a pandemic took it to ‘new’ venues in Rockford and Paw Paw, plus some familiar concert spots in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. Browse the photo galleries in this exclusive show roundup at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
On another pleasant summer evening, The Verve Pipe frontman regaled fans Thursday with songs new and old as part of Listening Room’s ‘Listening Lawn’ series in downtown Grand Rapids. The review, photo gallery and video highlights at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
If nothing else, the COVID summer of 2020 has created opportunities for unique outdoor live music experiences. Today, Local Spins recaps a smattering of outdoor August concerts across West Michigan in images and videos.
