New ArtPrize musical offerings range from The Eddy outdoor venue to Michigan House’s intimate indoor performance space, plus more than 150 busking performances in five locations around the city. Check out the robust lineup of live music offerings during ArtPrize in this Local Spins roundup.
It’s a one-two punch of regional music in Grand Rapids. On Saturday, Eastown Street Fair boasts sets by 15 bands on two stages. Meanwhile, Tip Top Deluxe hosts a Sunday showcase of hip hop, funk and R&B. Get the full schedules here at Local Spins.
Features · Playlists · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
This weekend’s folk festival amid rural splendor boasts international roots music stars, but also showcases top-notch Michigan acts such as Joshua Davis, Lindsay Lou and Gifts or Creatures. Read the story and save the performance schedule on your smartphone to take along to Wheatland. And if you’re unfamiliar with some of the artists, check out the Local Spins playlist of songs by featured acts.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Videos
The 22-year-old singer-songwriter who grew up on the West Side has generated a major buzz for his recent single and video, with more to come as he works with a Grammy-winning recording engineer in the Windy City. Check out the video for his first single.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos · Videos
The Accidentals, with help from singer-songwriter and Michigan native Marshall Crenshaw, stole the show during the final Tuesday Evening Music Club show of the summer at Meijer Gardens. Check out the photos and video highlights from a night that celebrated regional music.
“Girls can do anything” was the mantra for over two dozen girls last week at GR!GR with instructors’ encouraging positive motivation and empowerment for the budding musicians. Read the story and check out the photo gallery.
Features · Playlists · Upcoming shows
The acclaimed soul/funk guitarist relishes ‘great’ Michigan connections while touring the globe and finishing up a new album. His band makes two Michigan tour stops this week. Read the Local Spins interview and check out Randolph’s playlist of favorite songs.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Upcoming shows
The chart-topping rockers unleash their new album at The Intersection’s “Rock the Lot” on Friday and recently released “Ghost of Muskegon” single in a hometown nod. Read about the band’s hard-gigging journey and watch the video for “Footsteps.”
Concert reviews · Features · Photos · Videos
The Detroit area’s Third Degree Burns and Grand Rapids’ Roosevelt Diggs win the grand prizes in the unusual competition and music showcase. Read the story and check out the photo gallery and video from an event described as “music’s ArtPrize.”
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Concert reviews · Features · Photos · Summer Concerts
Stars such as Mike Frost Project 2.0, Grupo Aye, Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra, Brian Simpson & Jackiem Joyner and Paul Brown & Nate Harasim heated things up in Grand Rapids on Saturday. See the full Sunday schedule here. Read the story and ogle the complete photo gallery.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
With 60 bands vying to win a grand prize worth $10,000-plus, the Saturday afternoon bonanza of music takes over the lakeshore town. Get details and see how the second annual event has upped the ante.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
“We love us some Hoxey!” One of Michigan musicians’ favorite summer festivals heats up Manistee National Forest this weekend on two stages for three days and 30-plus performances. Starting small all those years ago, Hoxeyville has grown up but remains a “special place” for bands such as Greensky Bluegrass. Check out the full daily lineup.
Bars of Gold, Bong Mountain, The Reptilian and dozens more will rev up Shakespeare’s Pub for this annual rock fest that’s growing with ‘mesmerizing,’ diverse talent. Read the story about this Kalamazoo event and check out the full schedule.
Features · Live at River City · Podcasts · Videos
One of West Michigan’s fastest-rising vocal talents and her band spent an electrifying hour at a Grand Rapids studio earlier this summer, playing songs new and old while revealing their special chemistry. Read the story, listen to the interview and watch the riveting video. Only at Local Spins.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
National act Bill Kirchen and local faves Luke Warm & The Not So Hots, Rochelle & The Spoilers, Tony LaJoye Trio, Macpodz, Rootstand, Legal Immigrants, Big Dudee Roo, Afro Zuma and more will light up this weekend’s farm bash. Get the full schedule and details here.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos
Two of Michigan’s most popular folk-driven acts crossed paths Thursday on tour, playing two New York City clubs within spitting distance of each other in a remarkable coincidence on their tours out East. Local Spins was there to capture it in photos. Check out the full gallery.
Breaking music news · Features
St. Cecilia Music Center plans to amp up its annual ArtPrize music competition with juried prizes in five categories and a benefit show featuring ‘The Voice’s’ Joshua Davis. Get the details in this Local Spins story.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
Check out the latest visual treats from a diverse bunch of West Michigan bands, all of whom are firing up stages this summer from Grand Rapids to Traverse City to Los Angeles. It’s Local Spins’ version of MTV, only better.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows · Videos
The Ragbirds, Josh Garrels and Bill Kirchen might have escaped your notice but they shouldn’t. Local Spins takes a closer look at three shows flying below the radar this week in the Grand Rapids area, with links to their music and videos.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
The iconic, genre-defining bassist and songwriter plans to unleash an acoustic-driven, career-spanning show at the Tip Top Deluxe with an innovative Detroit jazz group. Read the intriguing Local Spins interview by Brian J. Bowe.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Well-known regional acts Heartsick, Flint Eastwood, Joshua Davis, Steve Rivers, B. Sykes and more boost the six-day festival that kick off Tuesday. See who else is playing and check out the full Common Ground schedule.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Tuesday’s “Family Night” kickoff will feature interactive performances of music and dance by An Dro, Michigan Hiryu Daiko, Leah Ivory & the Rhym Life Collective, Igor Houwat and more. See the full series schedule for 2015.
Features · Playlists · Upcoming shows · Videos
In an interview from the road, the band’s longtime keyboardist talks to Local Spins about the current U.S. tour and playing the classics at sold-out shows, and even offers up his 11 favorite Rolling Stones songs of all time. Find out what he views as the highlights from the tour and what he considers the greatest rock song of all time.
The Grand Haven native who’s made a splash in Los Angeles and beyond, returns to Michigan for a couple of summer shows in his home state. Before that, he shared a playlist of favorite songs with Local Spins. Get an update on the buzz he’s created, and check out his Top 10 roster of tunes, related videos and a Spotify playlist.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos
Descending once again upon the tiny community of Rothbury, north of Muskegon, 40,000 wild and exuberant fans from across the globe created a special vibe on Thursday as the four-day festival kicked off in glorious fashion. Check out the amazing photo gallery by Anthony Norkus of Local Spins and come back all weekend for more coverage.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows · Videos
It’s an exceptional collection of acts on tap Sunday for the festival at Riverside Park: Peter “Madcat” Ruth, Fauxgrass, Drew Nelson, K. Jones & The Benzie Playboys, Seth and May and much more. Read the story and see the complete schedule, which you can save on your smartphone.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
‘Mind-blowing’ West Michigan festival led by String Cheese Incident and Bassnectar creates ‘strange wonderland’ starring select regional acts, with Grand Rapids’ Rick Chyme set to join The Accidentals on stage. Read the story and check out the weekend performance schedule for The Accidentals, The Ragbirds and Flint Eastwood.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
Playing with West Michigan’s Junior Valentine and Hank Mowery in the ’90s helped set the stage for the Austin-based musician’s fortuitous relationship with Clark, who stops at Meijer Gardens Wednesday. Read the exclusive Local Spins interview with Bradley, who’s spent the past five years in Clark’s band.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
Set in an out-of-the-way camp between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, the three-day fest boasts sets by Billy Strings & Don Julin, The Crane Wives, The Accidentals, Alexis, Maraj, Brown Rice Family, That 1 Guy, Sparky & Rhonda Rucker and more. See the full schedule and save it on your smartphone.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
With hundreds of West Michigan performers jamming stages in downtown Grand Rapids this weekend, Local Spins spotlights some must-see acts in this guide to “the best of Fest,” courtesy of Local Spins writers and some well-known local musicians. See who’ve they’ve picked.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos
Invigorating sets by The Accidentals, Fauxgrass and Bigfoot Buffalo – plus a display of all those vintage VW buses – capped Saturday’s timeless entertainment. Read the re-cap of Saturday’s big day along Lake Michigan, check out the Local Spins photo gallery and listen to audio from Friday’s set by Roosevelt Diggs.
Breaking music news · Features
In a Local Spins interview, the northern Michigan singer-songwriter says it’s ‘really good to be home’ and planning his next move after a star-studded experience on the NBC show. But would he do it all over again?
The death of the legendary bluesman earlier this week is being mourned by Michigan musicians influenced by his music, including Jimmie Stagger, Greg Nagy, Jim Shaneberger and more. Read their tributes.
Breaking music news · Commentary · Features · Videos
Traverse City’s Joshua Davis was saved on Tuesday, after a week in which he also sparked more attention for West Michigan’s burgeoning music scene. See what other regional roots acts are on the cusp of a national breakout.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
LaFarge brings a national tour with his band in support of a new album, “Something in the Water” – and his vintage, stylistic authenticity – to Grand Rapids’ Pyramid Scheme this week. Read the Local Spins interview with Brian J. Bowe.
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
With so many “killer” grooves and “mind-blowing” sounds shaped in a Kalamazoo studio, the Grand Rapids folk-rock band decides to drop not one but two CDs, with first out in late August. And check out a video for their new song, “Turn Out the Lights.”
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
Viewers voted Tuesday to send both singers on to the next round after Frederickson soared up the iTunes chart with a May Erlewine song and Davis scored big with The Beatles. Read the back story and watch the video.
Breaking music news · Features
Update: Song soars up singles charts. Erlewine joins Joshua Davis as Michigan’s second Earthwork Music singer-songwriter spotlighted by the NBC show, with Fredericks getting special permission to perform the tune. Read the back story about how the tune was chosen and what it means to Michigan’s music scene.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Episode 36 of Local Spins on WYCE brought an in-studio chat with harmonica player and singer Hank Mowery who talked about his new album, with two new tracks spotlighted on the air. The show also featured songs from JOE, The Rockit King, Dante Cope and more.
Fronting a top-drawer band a week after Earth Day, Lynch will play two West Michigan shows, including a benefit for protecting the Great Lakes basin. And she hopes to start work on a new studio album later this year. Read the Local Spins interview.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Episode No. 35 of Local Spins on WYCE was a rollicking double-header with in-studio performances by The Appleseed Collective and Moxieville, plus a chat with Craig “Griff” Griffith of the GR Musician Collective. The show also debuted a song by his duo, The ElectroCats, Grand Rapids jazz singer Kathy LaMar and northern Michigan’s Crazy Chestur. Listen to the entire podcast and check out a video of The Appleseed Collective’s performance.
A founding member of the celebrated Carolina Chocolate Drops plays Grand Rapids on Friday, touring behind her solo album, “Tomorrow is My Turn.” Read the Local Spins interview and listen to her incredible interpretation of a classic song.
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
After performing a Tom Petty tune on Tuesday, Traverse City’s Joshua Davis moves on to the Top 8 after an “instant save” by America. Earlier, he publicly thanked his Michigan fans. Read the story and information about watch parties being held Monday in Grand Rapids and Lansing.
With an L.A. producer, two singers and a light show in tow, this is not a greatest hits revue but a tour touting Rundgren’s new ‘Global’ album and ‘collective consciousness.’ He plays a sold-out show at The Intersection Thursday. Read the Local Spins interview with Rundgren by Brian J. Bowe.
Grand Rapids music mavens and record buffs came out in droves Saturday, snapping up special vinyl releases and embracing live local music at Vertigo Music, Dodds Record Shop and Corner Record Shop. Local Spins columnist Brian J. Bowe provides his take on the phenomenon. Check out the photo gallery and video.
Breaking music news · Features
The Traverse City singer-songwriter takes the next big step this week on the NBC show. Check out the video and links to Monday night watch parties in Grand Rapids, Lansing, Portage, Leland, Bellaire and Frankfort.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Upcoming shows
Update: The internationally acclaimed experimental post-hardcore band from Grand Rapids plays a sold-out show at The Pyramid Scheme on Tuesday night. Read the remarkable story about rock ‘n’ rollers with a mission.
Breaking music news · Features
The northern Michigan singer-songwriter took the next step in the TV reality show competition, continuing to wow judges with his vocals. He’ll now move on to the live performance round. Read the post-show Local Spins interview with Davis and watch the video from Monday’s show.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The 30th edition of the radio show that spotlights West Michigan’s music got up close and personal with the rootsy, Dead-like Bigfoot Buffalo from Grand Rapids, who made their in-studio, on-air debut. And it debuted new tracks from several regional acts. (Podcast, video)
This week’s mammoth SXSW music conference in Austin, Texas, is one of the music industry’s biggest events. Several West Michigan bands have made the trip to make their mark and soak it all in. Local Spins asked some of them to provide their impressions in “diary” entries. Here are two of them. See who they’ve been rubbing elbows with thus far.
