The second annual ‘GIG: The Art of Michigan Music’ conference takes place Saturday at Art 634 in Jackson with displays by 24 visual artists and concert photographers, as well as performances by three Michigan rock bands. The lowdown at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Features · Upcoming shows
Call it “Cadillac Rock City.” Townspeople and KISS fans plan to “Rock and Roll All Nite” and more this weekend to commemorate the legendary rock band’s surprise 1975 high school homecoming concert. Get a rundown on all of the action, from a KISS-themed drone show to a tribute concert and more at Local Spins.
Features · Summer Concerts · Summer Festivals
Staff and fans offered a long list of summer 2025’s most impressive shows, including Billy Strings, Blissfest, The Revivalists, Alison Krauss, Wheatland, The Accidentals and more. View their picks; add your own.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Photos · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
A weekend celebrating the West Michigan bluegrass star kicked off Thursday with a vendors’ market and jamming in Ionia, with much more to come. Check out the recap, photos and video. Plus, listen to this week’s Michigan Music Showcase radio show podcast that kicks off with a Billy classic and features new tracks by Larry McCray, Phabies, Carbon Decoy and more.
Features · Photos · Playlists · Top 13 Lists
Birthdays only come around once a year, so Local Spins marks its 13th anniversary today with its top playlists, top Michigan albums of 2025 and a photo recap of Wednesday’s birthday bash at SpeakEZ Lounge. Check out some amazing and unusual playlists, and see whic
Grand Rapids and Ionia will host special pre-shows, performances and vendor lots before the bluegrass superstar’s Van Andel Arena concerts May 30 and 31, organized by devoted fans and artisans who follow Billy Strings across the country. The details at Local Spins.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
The label’s 11th anniversary party takes place at The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids on Friday with Heaters, Gringo Star, Hollywood Makeout and Crystal Trench. Learn more at Local Spins, view the show schedule and check out videos of all the artists.
This weekend’s second Music Econ Summit in Grand Rapids drew attentive musicians and songwriters for guidance in career development from industry experts across Michigan. It continues to today with ‘Vendor Day’ featuring merchandiser and information from a variety of music-related organizations.
For 25 years, The Honeytones hosted this benefit concert to aid the hungry in Kent County until COVID hit. Now, it’s back with The Soul Syndicate and Money Soup to party for a cause.
Breaking music news · Features
The mid-March blaze destroyed more than $100,000 in gear, furniture and more at the Adrian recording studio. Musicians and friends are pitching in to assist in recovery efforts. Get the story at Local Spins.
The second annual Michigan music business conference taking place April 11-13 boasts a who’s who lineup of industry experts, speakers, panelists and performers. The lowdown and registration links at Local Spins.
From naked fans to fiery tips to bitten violists to narcoleptic dogs and keyboard players, the anecdotes from amusing live music events are, indeed, memorable. View many of them at Local Spins and add your own tales to the roster.
Friday night’s mammoth show on all three stages at The Intersection in Grand Rapids will feature 18 bands and numerous award presentations. View and save the full schedule at Local Spins.
With the popular downtown Festival pulling the plug after 55 years, Local Spins asked its readers to recall their favorite highlights from the iconic Grand Rapids event.
Features · Live-Stream Concerts · Upcoming shows
WYCE’s lunchtime radio show with live performances will go on location to Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge at noon Thursday, with future stops at Garage Bar and AllArtWorks Studio. Get details and see who’s performing this week.
Features · Looking for the Perfect Beat · Upcoming shows
From the Great Lakes State to the Great Wide Ocean, Jason Beukema has done the unimaginable: His Groove Cruise this month will unleash seaborne sets by 100-plus DJs for thousands on board. Get the back story from Local Spins columnist Todd Ernst on this international sensation developed by a Wyoming native.
The nonprofit Michigan program that’s performed for 80,000-plus students over the years is back in “a discovery phase,” seeking schools eager to get their kids excited about live music.
Contests · Features · Festivals · Venue Spotlight
On Thanksgiving week, readers and music lovers were most thankful for more than a dozen Michigan music festivals and 30-plus concert venues. Check out their responses. SCROLL DOWN FOR[…]
Features · Local Spins Rewind · Podcasts · Videos
The bluegrass guitarist’s fans traveled from across the country to catch a wild 2023 Grand Rapids concert that folks are still talking about. This year’s Halloween spectacle was epic, too. Check out a video clip from this year’s concert affair and listen to the 2023 Local Spins on WYCE radio show featuring interviews with diehard fans and more.
Today’s mammoth and grueling Iceman Cometh Challenge bike race in Traverse City boasts riders from Team Local Spins. We have a bike- and race-hued playlist to send them on their way.
Local Spins’ recent ‘Questions of the Week’ have generated some of the most robust and interesting responses in the history of our ‘Amplified’ newsletter. Check out all of the reader comments and respond to our latest ‘Question of the Week.’
Artist Spotlights · Features · Videos
With the 2024 NFL season kicking off for Detroit tonight, Ryn Scott, aka West Catholic High School alum Ryan Scott, has released a rollicking tribute to the boys in silver and Honolulu blue. Listen to the track and watch the video at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Features
Kent County voters go to the polls next week to decide the fate of a proposed hotel tax increase that would affect a new concert amphitheater and soccer stadium. Local Spins today answers key questions about this proposal and its impact.
Local Spins readers responded in droves in relating their biggest live music disappointments, ranging from sloppy performances to horrible sound to even more horrible fans. What concerts frustrated you?
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
A Local Spins on WYCE interview with Rich MacKeigan, a key player in a new GR amphitheater, raised names of potential venue performers, from Grand Rapids Symphony to The War & Treaty. Listen to the chat, read more about the amphitheater and check out new music from Michigan artists — Phabies, Kait Rose, Overdrive Orchestra and more. Plus, make your picks for artists you’d like to see play the 12,000-seat outdoor venue.
Breaking music news · Features · Upcoming shows
Two district libraries are seeking tracks by artists from the Grand Rapids and Traverse City areas for special streaming services that showcase Michigan music. Details at Local Spins.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
Hosted by Ruben Martinez and Lady Ace Boogie, Saturday’s Grand Rapids performances at Midtown by a dozen regional artists will be filmed for videos at aimed at elevating Michigan talent.
Features · Local Spins Fest · Summer Festivals
Leading up to Local Spins Fest later today (Saturday), we offer another profile of area academies and schools of rock that tutor the next generation of musicians. Learn more about Kalamazoo Academy of Rock, with advice about how to best encourage youthful talent.
Features · Local Spins Fest · Summer Festivals
To help preview Grand Rapids’ Local Spins Fest 2024 on Saturday, Local Spins continues to examine the importance of mentoring young musicians. Today, we focus on Girls Rock! Grand Rapids.
Commentary · Features · Local Spins Fest
As part of our lead-in to Local Spins Fest 2024 in Grand Rapids on Saturday, Local Spins explores the importance of mentoring young musicians. Today, we focus on New City Kids Grand Rapids.
When Al-Saadi and Kingfisher rock Milliken Auditorium on April 13, they’ll do so with a big assist from Northwestern Michigan College students handling every aspect of the concert experience. The back story at Local Spins.
Features · Local Spins at SXSW · Upcoming shows
March always signals a pilgrimage of musicians and singer-songwriters from across the globe seeking exposure for their art at Texas’ South by Southwest, with dozens of them from Michigan. The lowdown and the lineup at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Part of a global trend, Sofar doesn’t announce concert lineups or details until the day of the show. Learn more in this story and today’s Local Spins on WYCE podcast — a podcast hat also previews the Jammie Awards and debuts tracks by Steven Malcolm, Von May, The J Hawkins Band and more.
Created by Opera Grand Rapids, Tuesday night’s first-ever production will star DJ Chuck, a string ensemble, dancers and an ‘authentic’ vibe. The back story and more at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Features · Upcoming shows
Nearly four years after the jazz jams were silenced by COVID, drummer Randy Marsh brings the ‘special’ tradition back to Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge on Sunday night. The back story at Local Spins.
Announcements · Commentary · Features
Today, your favorite online music magazine posts a little year-in-review after wrapping up our 12th year as Michigan’s go-to music website. Help keep our coverage spinning.
Presenting our guide to 2024 Michigan music festivals and kickoff to festival fun, a New Year’s Day tradition at Local Spins. We’ve got tips for festivalgoers and the state’s most comprehensive festival listing.
Features · Top Stories of the Year Countdown
Many fans say the beloved Michigan-bred guitarist has changed their lives. Our October feature digging into unprecedented ardor for the superstar soared to No. 2 in our top stories of the year. Plus, view a new photo gallery of fans and more from Billy Strings’ October concert.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
The symphonic rock spectacle that lights up the holidays every year returns to Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena the day after Christmas. The interview and preview at Local Spins.
The country and Americana artist has organized Saturday’s benefit show in Caledonia, with more than a dozen West Michigan acts performing and raffles to support Mel Trotter Ministries. View the lineup and learn more about this special concert at Local Spins.
Formed last summer by Andrew Teed and Ryne Clarke, the new West Michigan record label already has signed several bands to its roster. Learn more about this new label at Local Spins.
Dec. 8 marks 43 years since the world lost John Lennon of The Beatles to a brutal assassination. The world still reveres his music, still mourns his loss — with The Beatles even recently releasing one of his songs for the Fab Four’s final track. Listen to Local Spins’ Ultimate John Lennon Playlist.
A couple of years removed from the worst of the devastating COVID crisis, Local Spins asked Michigan musicians what they’re most thankful for as 2023 draws to a close. See what they have to say.
In 2023, Local Spins asked readers a ‘Question of the Week’ about favorites in a lot of categories. Here are the top questions and responses. Plus, we’ve got fresh year-end queries that could score you a gift.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE
Josh Kaufman has steered Local Legend’s work with a growing number of high-profile regional acts, from Hannah Rose Graves to Nathan Walton and many more. Learn more about the studio in this Local Spins profile and Local Spins on WYCE podcast, which also debuts tracks by Megan Dooley, PARALLELZ, Free Hat, Chris DuPont and more.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The bluegrass guitarist’s fans traveled from across the country to catch his wild Grand Rapids concert this week. Local Spins on WYCE spotlights their ardor, Billy’s music + tracks from other Michigan acts. Get the back story and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Features · Traverse City · Upcoming shows
When the city’s new listening room The Alluvion hosts its jazz night on Thursday, fans will be treated to a world-class performance, something that’s become a regular event in the region. Learn more in this special Local Spins feature.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
Seven years after the bluegrass guitarist parted ways with Julin, the Traverse City musician still marvels at Billy’s talent and says he deserves all of his fame. Plus, see what other musicians say about Billy.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Upcoming shows
In an interview with his mom, Deb Apostol, Local Spins digs into the Ionia County-bred bluegrass guitarist’s childhood, teen rock years and his rise to super stardom.
From pins and posters to vintage clothing and a snazzy board game, home-grown entrepreneurs have built a marketplace community that will fire up for Tuesday’s big arena concert. Learn more at Local Spins.
