The singer-songwriter and opening act Judah & The Lion connected with the sold-out crowd all night to kick off the week amid gorgeous weather, leaving folks “Dancing in the Dark.” Check out the Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Banjos-and-bluegrass night at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park on Monday had some legendary, veteran players sharing the bill for a night of jamming and story-telling. Read the Local Spins review and check out the photo gallery.
On the fourth day in the woods of Rothbury, about 45,000 gleeful, radiant and tired hippie-hued music fans continued to celebrate with the likes of Yonder Mountain String Band, The Accidentals, String Cheese Incident and Gramatik before packing up. Check out the final photo gallery and roundup of this spectacle in Rothbury.
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Day 1 at Electric Forest was about the fans. Day 2 was about the bands, with Traverse City’s Accidentals making a significant splash while being awed by the wondrous spectacle of this festival in the woods. Read the story and check out the photo gallery and video highlights.
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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.
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The gracious Austin-based guitarist and his band reflected a “beautiful, amazing” vibe at the outdoor amphitheater on Wednesday, uncorking a show to remember. Read the review and check out the photo gallery at Local Spins.
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Several thousand music and beer fans once again jammed streets outside Founders Brewing on Saturday for sets by Nahko, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Gringo Star, Elephant Revival, Billy Strings & Don Julin, Devin & The Dead Frets, Organissimo and those lovable FBC All-Stars. Read the round-up and check out the photo gallery and video.
Franti and his band, Spearhead, brought their love-infused reggae fusion to an adoring sold-out crowd Thursday night at the outdoor
amphitheater, even serenading fans in the parking lot before the show. Read the review and check out the photo gallery.
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Ignoring a little rain, a hefty throng of blues fans and bikers embraced the relocated Blues on the Mall series, while others cheered a much-beloved Atlanta folk-rock duo at the Meijer Gardens amphitheater on the other side of town. Check out the photo gallery, video and reviews.
Grand weather and happy fans greeted the Mark Farner-less but familiar Michigan bunch, paced by Don Brewer and Mel Schacher. Read the review and check out the photo gallery at Local Spins.
The Grand Rapids taproom’s special Sunday night show packed the place with fans of the celebrated indie-rockers. Check out the photo gallery and roundup of the concert.
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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.
Entertaining in a less disturbing sort of way that might frighten only grandmothers and politicians, the 46-year-old shock rocker brought his Hell Not Hallelujah tour to Grand Rapids on Wednesday night. But he and his fans still make a colorful spectacle. Check out the photos by Anthony Norkus and review by Brian J. Bowe.
The duo brought a boatload of catchy ’70s and ’80s pop hits to stoke the embers of a Saturday night dance party for an audience of about 7,500 at Van Andel Arena. Read Local Spins review by Tricia Woolfenden and view the photo gallery by Anthony Norkus.
The celebrated Michigan singer-songwriter’s return to Calvin College in Grand Rapids on Tuesday focused on his latest album and spotlighted his incisive writing. Read the review by Local Spins writer Tricia Woolfenden and check out the photo gallery by Anna Sink.
Icons representing vastly different genres and musical approaches descended on Grand Rapids Thursday and Friday, and Local Spins was there to document the three sold-out shows. Check out the reviews and photo gallery.
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.
Heart and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts made their final 2015 tour stop together a mostly memorable one, cranking out driving rock hits for a gleefully nostalgic crowd at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena. Read the review and check out the photo gallery.
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Traverse City’s The Accidentals made their mark with Billboard magazine and industry folks at last week’s mega-event in Texas, but Local Spins writer Troy Reimink found plenty of other SXSW highlights amid the musical chaos. Check out his report and a SXSW photo gallery.
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From The Accidentals to Nathan Kalish to Heaters, West Michigan bands are making a splash in Austin like never before at the massive South by Southwest music conference. View the photo gallery and learn more about what Michigan bands are doing in Texas this week.
Lambert proved to be the “Fastest Girl in Town” on Sunday night, delivering hits and more with Justin Moore, Sunny Sweeney and Jukebox Mafia also revving up the Van Andel Arena crowd. View the photo gallery and read the review.
Playing in front of a capacity crowd at The Pyramid Scheme, New York’s legendary post-punkers led by Michael Gira delivered intense, lengthy and improvisational musical pieces. Read the review by Brian J. Bowe, with photos by Anthony Norkus.
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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.
The CMA Entertainer of the Year ignited a sold-out Van Andel Arena from his fiery opening salvo to the final note of his encore, with help from fellow country singers Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch. (Review, photo gallery)
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Saturday’s annual concert at Fremont’s Dogwood Center offers a rare opportunity to celebrate the artistry of local musicians who build stunning acoustic instruments.
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Edition No. 22 of Local Spins on WYCE featured an in-studio performance by folk-rock’s Watching for Foxes, with song debuts by SoundIsRed, Willamena, Downie, The Soul Syndicate and more. And an update on the condition of musician Olivia Mainville, who was injured in a car crash later the same day.
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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
Spring Lake listening room’s first ‘Standing Room Only’ show revs up crowd with fiery bluegrass while The Pyramid Scheme hosts JOE’s CD-release party to draw attention to the DAAC. (Photos, review)
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Despite chilly temps, thousands crowded Calder Plaza for HOT FM’s annual party, with hundreds more celebrating at SpeakEZ Lounge, Founders, Tip Top Deluxe and Wealthy Theatre. (Photos, review)
With fellow ’90s stars Domestic Problems sharing the bill, Saturday night’s annual holiday show delivered nostalgia and just plain fun for a near-capacity audience. (Review, photo gallery)
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For the year-ending edition of Local Spins on WYCE, Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe chats about the band’s holiday show with Domestic Problems and performs a couple of songs in-studio. Host John Sinkevics also uncorks tracks from bands who delivered some of the year’s most compelling live shows.
The second concert in the Acoustic Café Folk Series had the singer-songwriter regaling an audience of 400 with tales and laid-back, old-timey-hued musical travails.
The Michigan icon’s return Tuesday to Van Andel Arena with the Silver Bullet Band boasted the usual greatest hits plus a few new tunes from “Ride Out,” delivered with a feisty sort of energy.
West Michigan musicians, Fenian’s Irish Pub (as it winds down toward the end of an era) and yes, the Detroit Lions, rank high on this Thanksgiving Day roster for 2014.[…]
Sunday’s feel-good anniversary show raised thousands for food and anti-poverty programs with lively, goofy rock sets by The FuzzRites, Domestic Problems and The Honeytones. (Photo gallery, video)
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From Wealthy Theatre to the Tip Top to SpeakEZ Lounge, Grand Rapids’ Wednesday night was firing on all cylinders: The Local Spins roundup and photo gallery.
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Taped for national broadcast, the evening of music lined up by Ralston Bowles boasted up-and-coming Michigan artists as well as national touring acts. (Review, photo gallery, video)
Performing as a duo at Wealthy Theatre, the Grammy-nominated singer reinterpreted soul and blues classics — and her own songs — in impressive fashion.
With a new album dropping Tuesday, the L.A.-by-way-of-Chicago rock band made a tour stop at Calvin College on Saturday and turned the Fine Arts Center into a confetti-drenched party pit. Sort of.
Not just an ordinary side project, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and his drummer son, Spencer, gave Grand Rapids fans a powerful and intimate dose of their new album, “Sukierae,” plus some Wilco faves. (Review, photo gallery)
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Local Spins columnist Brian J. Bowe immersed himself in the Faygo-flinging frenzy of rock-rap’s ICP and its fanatic Juggalos, and found an authentic expression of working-class catharsis. (Commentary, photo gallery)
Dozens of bands and musicians entering songs in Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize competition took their music to the streets this week in hopes of snagging votes for their tunes. Others were, well, just busking for dollars. (Photos)
Concert reviews · Features · Photos · Videos
Laughing off occasional showers, festival-goers reveled in weekend sets by 100-plus bands on four stages on the site northeast of Lake City. (Story, photo gallery, video)
The Brooklyn indie-rockers delivered their raucous, bar-band magic in a career-spanning Pyramid Scheme show on Wednesday; Malian guitarist and singer Toure fired up a small crowd at Wealthy Theatre on Monday.
Playing to a packed house at The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids Monday night, X (the band) plowed through a 24-song set drawn almost entirely from the group’s first three nearly flawless LPs — 1980’s “Los Angeles,” 1981’s “Wild Gift” and 1982’s “Under the Big Black Sun.”
Touring behind their latest album, “Turn Blue,” Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney deliver a brilliantly constructed chronicle of their career during their Grand Rapids tour stop.
Crow’s return to the outdoor amphitheater for the second year in a row impresses a sold-out crowd and proves she’s now a darling of the popular, record-setting series.
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From The Accidentals to The Steel Wheels, the folk and roots music festival has turned the rural Remus site this weekend into a ‘village’ of 10,000 very happy Wheatland devotees.
After a spirited opening set by Lowdown Brass Band, Lake Street Dive delivered one of the true musical highlights of the summer. (Review, photo gallery)
Unlike the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night, these bands plus the Plain White T’s know how to clear the bases and leave fans happy. (Review, photo gallery)
