Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The colorful mid-Michigan ensemble celebrated its new album and kicked off a U.S. tour Saturday with a big boost from Grand Rapids’ The Legal Immigrants and Kalamazoo’s Less is More. Read the Local Spins review, ogle the photos, watch the videos.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Sunday’s seven-hour showcase of West Michigan talent drew hundreds of people to The Intersection to show support for Ralston and Cindy Bowles and help pay their medical bills. Check out the Local Spins story, video highlights and a photo gallery.
Hoping to capitalize on the talent and ‘untapped market’ of West Michigan music, the historic record label’s return could put Sparta back on the map as a creative hub, operators of Fenton Records insist. Read the Local Spins story and browse the photo gallery.
Leaning on its latest album, “Schmilco,” as well as the milestone “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” Jeff Tweedy and band’s return to State Theatre proved to be a special night. Check out the Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Local Spins at SXSW · Photos · Videos
The Go Rounds, Flint Eastwood and other Michigan acts put an exclamation point on Michigan’s House South by Southwest 2017, with Local Spins hosting a musicians’ roundtable, too. Check out the photo gallery and videos.
Features · Local Spins at SXSW · Photos · Upcoming shows · Videos
Tuesday’s Michigan House lineup at Austin boasts loads of potential. Read about the performances and a special Local Spins roundtable that will stream live. Meanwhile, Traverse City’s The Accidentals continue to live up to the hype at SXSW. Read about their first show for 2017 in Austin and check out the premiere of a new Rick Chyme & Nixon video featuring The Accidentals.
Photos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Musical diversity: West Michigan flaunted it with a prog-pop legend, a Memphis rapper, an L.A. folk-soul duo, a Michigan jazz organ trio, a Kalamazoo hard-rock fave and more, all captured in Local Spins images. Check out the recap.
Features · Local Spins at SXSW · Photos · Videos
With SXSW panels probing Michigan initiatives on creativity, innovation, equity and more, Michigan House turned the gym at an Austin church into a Mitten State mecca with Michigan beer, a visit from Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and music from Seth Bernard. Check out the videos, story and photos, only at Local Spins.
Touring behind its latest album, “The Tourist,” the Alec Ounsworth-led Clap Your Hands Say Yeah made folks wonder why they’ve “slept on this band for the past four albums.” At least, that’s the take of Local Spins reviewer Troy Reimink. Check out the review and photo gallery from Thursday night’s concert at The Pyramid Scheme.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Kalamazoo · Photos · Videos
They came, they saw, they strummed guitars and they watched regional acts on four stages at Kalamazoo Valley Museum this weekend. Check out the Local Spins roundup, photo gallery and videos from the 2017 Kalamazoo festival, which attracted thousands of visitors and boasted sets by more than a dozen acts.
Legendary British guitarist Steve Hackett played 20 Monroe Live on Tuesday night, impressing longtime fans. Here are the reactions and reviews from two of them, only at Local Spins, along with a photo gallery of the Grand Rapids concert.
Commentary · Concert reviews · Guest Column · Photos
When The Verve Pipe took the stage at 20 Monroe Live on Friday, singer Channing Lee had already played another gig the same night — at The Intersection for the Jammie Awards. She shared the story of her unusual night with Local Spins. Read her column and browse the photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos · Videos
The 2017 edition of WYCE’s Jammie Awards drew more than 1,500 people to The Intersection in Grand Rapids for dynamic performances by Michigan bands, with plenty of musicians “lovin’ the hell out of each other.” Brows the resplendent photo gallery, watch the video and read the reaction of musicians to the West Michigan music scene’s biggest night of the year.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Photos
Friday night’s crowded awards show at The Intersection honored Michigan’s best albums and songs of the year, with 25 performances on two stages. See the complete winners’ list, photos and more from West Michigan music’s “biggest night of the year” at Local Spins.
The vintage-sounding singer and his band kicked off a Midwest tour at St. Cecilia Music Center on Thursday, playing rock-hued tunes from an upcoming studio album live for the first time. Check out the Local Spins review and photo gallery of Pokey LaFarge’s Grand Rapids show.
With Ann Arbor blues guitarist Laith Al-Saadi opening the evening, Lynyrd Skynyrd made the third concert at 20 Monroe Live a memorable one for classic rock devotees. Read the review and browse the photo gallery from Friday night’s show.
The opening week of Grand Rapids’ newest concert venue continued Thursday with hours of adventurous prog-rock courtesy of Chicago jam band Umphrey’s McGee. Read the Local Spins review, browse the photo gallery and check out the set list.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Downtown Grand Rapids’ newest concert venue earned high marks from a teeming and happy crowd on Wednesday night. Check out the Local Spins review and two photo galleries from the milestone show.
Features · Photos · Upcoming shows · Videos
Get a sneak peek into 20 Monroe Live by taking a video tour of the new downtown venue that unleashes its first concert Wednesday with Trombone Shorty and Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers. Then browse the photo gallery and opening-week lineup of shows.
With much-respected artists Andrew Bird and Margaret Glaspy getting things started, The Lumineers brought their “Cleopatra” world tour to Van Andel Arena on Thursday. Browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The all-day benefit for the Wheatland Music Organization drew fewer people than usual to The Intersection on Saturday, but the performances by more than dozen bands were inspiring. Ogle the photos, check out the videos in this Local Spins wrap-up.
Breaking music news · Photos · Videos
The bands were among 11 acts competing for two slots in the March Fretboard Festival festival at Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Friday’s event drew a packed house and boasted lively performances. Check out the story, photo gallery and videos.
Concert announcements · Photos · Upcoming shows
The first-ever tented event outside Perrin Brewing’s Comstock Park taproom in late January will serve as a preview to the WYCE Jammie Awards show and raise money for Kids’ Food Basket. Get the details at Local Spins, along with a photo gallery from Mustard Plug’s holiday show this week at The Intersection.
Metal-turned-country artist Aaron Lewis brought his “Sinner” tour to The Orbit Room to warm up a sold-out crowd on Saturday, playing songs from his latest country albums plus some familiar hard rock tunes. Read the review, browse the photo gallery — only at Local Spins.
Nicks’ “24 Karat Gold Tour” trotted out some golden oldies as well as some fresh material, not to mention spotlighting two rock ‘n’ roll icons. Read the review and browse the photo gallery from the Thanksgiving eve show.
The first “Acoustic Cafe Folk Series” concert of the season brought Americana/folk-rock artist Langhorne Slim for a solo concert to the refurbished St. Cecilia Music Center stage on Thursday. Read the review and browse the photos.
Concert reviews · Photos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Pop-rock’s The 1975 didn’t disappoint fans in the British band’s first West Michigan appearance. Plus, check out photos from the Kalamashoegazer festival, People’s Blues of Richmond, Bear Vs. Shark and Four Lincolns.
The always-energetic Avett Brothers brought their national tour to Grand Rapids, unfurling a 28-song, career-spanning affair for a non-capacity but enthusiastic audience. Check out the review, browse the photo gallery, scan the set list.
Led by frontman Ben Bridwell, the Seattle-bred rock band brought the tour behind its latest album, “Why Are You OK,” to the Orbit Room on Wednesday. Check out the review and photo gallery, only at Local Spins.
The California DJ and producer unfurled the first of two straight sold-out Halloween weekend shows for a costume-bedecked throng of exuberant fans at DeltaPlex Arena. Check out the wild and resplendent photo gallery from Friday night’s show.
The debut of the Cold Creek Campout on property near Fremont featured nine West Michigan bands bringing their “A-game” on Saturday, playing for a small but enthused cadre of fans. Check out the photo gallery from this new autumn music festival.
In what could be the band’s final salvo for West Michigan fans, the New York alt-rock/emo outfit offered up its own eulogy via dark, crowd-rousing songs. Read the Local Spins review and browse the photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Guest Column · Photos
Singer-songwriter Nicholas James Thomasma packed up his flawed-but-fabulous ’73 VW bus and made the 2,200-mile trek to California to see a half-dozen rock legends. This is his story in words, photos and videos — only at Local Spins.
Hell, yes, the college-age fans ate it up. Ingrid Michaelson brought her “Hell No” tour to Grand Rapids and schooled her devotees in the art of pop flair. Check out the review and photos at Local Spins.
Acclaimed Americana artist Jason Isbell, touring behind his latest album, “Something More Than Free,” left the DeVos Performance Hall crowd mesmerized on Monday night. Read the review, browse the photo gallery and check out the set list at Local Spins.
Weather conditions weren’t ideal for the debut of this two-day festival on a downtown pedestrian bridge, but those ArtPrize visitors who braved the elements were rewarded. Check out the recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
The legendary 82-year-old British bluesman made a rare West Michigan appearance Wednesday, playing the intimate confines of Holland’s Park Theatre. Local Spins contributor Mark R. Smith interviewed the icon and provided this exclusive Local Spins review of the show.
The rescheduled show — and final Meijer Gardens volley of 2016 — started just as raindrops fell, but the capacity crowd stayed “Head Over Heels” and on its feet for the entire concert. Read Tricia Woolfenden’s review of this long-awaited concert and browse the photos by Anthony Norkus.
Commentary · Festivals · Photos
The 16th Earthwork Harvest Gathering unfurled last weekend outside Lake City with what many call a “magical celebration” of Michigan’s collaborative music scene. Musician/singer Megan Dooley describes why it was so special in this Local Spins column, with images by Anna Sink.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The first volley of the three-day festival was an impressive one, with more than two dozen performances and an unparalleled musical spirit. Check out the story, video highlights and photo gallery. Check out the recap, video highlights and photo gallery from the opening salvo of this beloved northern Michigan music festival.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The granddaddy of Michigan music festivals unfurled outside Remus over the weekend, dodged a little rain and fired up fans with help from The Go Rounds, Molly Bouswma Schultz, Mike + Ruthy, drum circles and more. Check out the Local Spins recap and photo gallery.
The next-to-last concert of Meijer Gardens’ summer series started early and ended somewhat abruptly, but not before DeGraw squeezed in some songs following sets by Grammer and Marc Sciblia. Peruse the photo gallery and recap of Wednesday night’s show.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Concerts
The Maryland rock band brought its 20th anniversary tour to Meijer Gardens on Thursday, earning a rousing welcome from the capacity crowd of fans. Check out the Local Spins photos by Anthony Norkus.
The California pop-punk icons’ Van Andel Arena show wasn’t about vocal perfection but about raucously re-living songs that served as anthems for a generation of fans. Read the review and browse the photo gallery from Wednesday’s rousing concert.
The Grammy-winning guitarist and singer wowed a capacity crowd in her return to Grand Rapids, with another legendary guitarist, Richard Thompson, adding to the star-studded, gorgeous night. Peruse the review and the photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Concerts · Videos
Ralston Bowles orchestrated a rousing Grand Rapids variety show of talent for the summer-ending show, including Maurice Townsend, Channing & Quinn, Eric Engblade and more. Peruse the recap and photo gallery from Tuesday night’s show.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
More than five dozen regional acts played over three days at this mid-Michigan festival held on an organic vegetable farm. Check out images from last weekend’s Holler Fest 10.
The English singer had one exuberant fan “over-excited” from the get-go at Meijer Gardens on Friday, with the entire sold-out crowd embracing his engaging set. Grand Rapids’ Karisa Wilson opened the show. Peruse the review and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Concerts
The crush-worthy Boston band’s return to Meijer Gardens was nothing short of an energetic, crowd-pleasing spectacle — amid perfect weather after the threat of storms in a packed amphitheater. Read the review, peruse the photo gallery from another sold-out show.
Michigan’s most famous island offers more than fudge, horses and a rich history. Summertime and early fall boast a hotbed of live music with a unique milieu, some of it after-hours. Local Spins takes a gander at Mackinac music in words, pictures and video.
