The Revivalists, Band of Horses pony up shimmery, Southern-tinged, rootsy rock
West Michigan fans got a sold-out dose of nearly three hours of high-energy indie-soul/roots-inspired rock at Meijer Gardens on Monday. The review and photo gallery.
Category: Photos
Fastball revels in spirited summery rock; The Death Grips, Regrettes rev up sold-out shows
More than just ‘The Way,’ the Austin rock/pop band delivered a weekend-ending romp that had a small-but-enthused crowd on its feet at downtown’s Studio Park. Meanwhile, Grand Rapids boasted two sold-out shows the same night: The Death Grips at GLC Live at 20 Monroe and The Regrettes at The Pyramid Scheme. Browse all three photo galleries.
Amos Lee skirts rain and gets soulful with the Grand Rapids Symphony
Wednesday’s summer squall abated in time for a captivating performance amid picture-perfect weather in Meijer Gardens’ sold-out amphitheater, The review and photos at Local Spins.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Revisiting Beaver Island Music Festival 2023: Reveling in ‘island music’ and communal vibes
One of the Michigan music festival scene’s most unusual settings hosted a boatload of performances by regional bands ranging from Sponge to Adrian + Meredith. The Beaver Island Music Fest recap in photos and video.
Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa light up Van Andel Arena with smokin’ hot rap assault
‘Young, Wild & Free’ fans were primed to ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ for Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa’s High School Reunion tour Tuesday in Grand Rapids along with Ying Yang Twins. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
‘Like a Preacher,’ Melissa Etheridge lifts devotees higher in return to Meijer Gardens
The rock-fueled, veteran singer and guitarist delivered plenty of hits and fan favorites during Monday’s Grand Rapids tour stop. The photo gallery and review at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Dunesville Music Festival 2023 Revisited: Free spirits, face-melting sets, late-night jams
The 2023 edition of Dunesville unfurled outside Interlochen last weekend with a bevy of impressive regional acts and late-night drum kivas. The Local Spins recap and photo gallery.
Andy Grammer oozes joyful positivity, crowd-inciting charm in Grand Rapids tour stop
The pop star’s return to a sold-out Meijer Gardens amphitheater on Sunday abounded with ‘golden retriever vibes’ and an upbeat flair. The review and photo gallery.
First Aid Kit fills Meijer Gardens amphitheater with healing folk-pop harmonies
Delivering several songs from their latest album, the celebrated Swedish duo and their band impressed fans Friday during a Grand Rapids tour stop. Check out the review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Thursday Delights: Ben Folds, The Soul Rebels, La Furia Del Ritmo perk up Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids audiences got a taste of three distinctly different concert experiences on Thursday, from symphonic pop to soulful funk to dance-inspiring Spanish language charm. The photo galleries at Local Spins.
Crescent City’s Trombone Shorty regales W. Mich. fans with energetic, funky spectacle
Meijer Gardens favorite and trombone/trumpet player extraordinaire Trombone Shorty kept the capacity amphitheater crowd on its feet Wednesday with an entrancing set of funk/jazz/blues. Review and photos at Local Spins.
Faster Horses 2023: A country music festival photo stampede from Local Spins
With the likes of Luke Bryan, Shania Twain, Zac Brown Band, Dustin Lynch and Dwight Yoakam, last weekend’s Faster Horses festival in Brooklyn, Mich., was a country music party unlike any other. Browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Upheaval Fest belts it out at Belknap Park on opening day of metal-mania
The hard-rocking Grand Rapids festival returned to Belknap Park on Friday, with more than a dozen bands — some of them local — turning up their amps to 11. The recap, photo galleries and Saturday schedule at Local Spins.
Soggy Strains: Tommy Emmanuel’s dazzling guitar virtuosity powers through rain
Fans endured incessant rain at Meijer Gardens on Wednesday. But at Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapidss, the storms forced the summer’s first Listening Lawn show featuring Tank and the Bangas to move indoors. The recaps, photo galleries at Local Spins.
The Beauty of Blissfest: Molly Tuttle, The Crane Wives, Gina Chavez & more 2023 highlights
The 41st Blissfest electrified fans in northern Michigan last weekend with dozens of sets on eight stages. Browse the photo galleries and check out the festival highlights at Local Spins.
Jenny Lewis brings joy, ‘Essence of Life,’ fiery triumph during Grand Rapids tour stop
The singer-songwriter’s Monday concert at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park delivered a hefty dose of songs from her new studio album. The review, photos and set list.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Ludrock waves hearty goodbye with gleeful crowds, sunshine, Michigan music
Ludington’s 10th — and possibly final — two-day music festival at Waterfront Park raised money for a good cause and rocked thousands along the lakeshore. Photos, video.
Umphrey’s McGee creates psychedelic midsummer night’s dream for GR fans
The popular Midwest jam band returned to Meijer Gardens on Sunday night for an improvisation-heavy, sold-out show. The recap, photo gallery and set list at Local Spins.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Smiling Acres Music Festival sizzles on opening day with regional rock, folk, bluegrass
The holiday weekend festival outside Trufant boasted performances by more than a dozen bands on Friday, with two more days of music ahead, including The Accidentals and May Erlewine. The recap, photos and video, exclusively at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Greensky Bluegrass finds sunny, exhilarating home-state welcome at Meijer Gardens
The Kalamazoo progressive bluegrass powerhouse Greensky Bluegrass brought its summer U.S. tour to a familiar venue, enchanting a sold-crowd Wednesday at the Meijer Gardens amphitheater. The review, photo gallery and video at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Electric Forest 2023: Unforgettable sets, radiant festivalgoers, dust and rain
Whether you were there or just wanted to be there, experience Rothbury’s resplendent four-day festival in words and in multiple Local Spins photo galleries displaying the people, the performers and the unmatched West Michigan setting.
Michigander revs up Tip Top Deluxe’s 12th anniversary weekend blast of shows
The Michigan-bred anthemic pop band closed out a rousing anniversary blast for the West Side club which also hosted weekend shows by The Supersuckers and The Hi-Jivers. The photo galleries at Local Spins.
Loud, proud and legendary: Buddy Guy bids adieu with blues salvo at Meijer Gardens
A capacity amphitheater crowd reveled in the iconic blues guitarist’s farewell performance in Grand Rapids on Friday. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos · Videos
Electric Forest shines on Day 1 with upbeat vibe, rollicking music, throngs of revelers
‘Nobody cares what you do here.’ That was the theme as Electric Forest returned to Rothbury with wildly garbed attendees and bass-heavy romps. The Day 1 recap, photos and video.
Peter Frampton at 73: ‘Never say never’ attitude, dazzling guitar work launch U.S. tour
The once curly-haired, golden boy of rock ’n’ roll returned to Meijer Gardens for a sold-out, tour-starting show Monday – nearly five decades after his first West Michigan appearance. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Buttermilk Jamboree 2023 Revisited: Rock, rap, blues, folk, jazz, world music & fellowship
Local Spins recaps highlights from the weekend music festival at Delton’s Circle Pines Center in words and photos – from Max Lockwood to Jordan Hamilton to Selwyn Birchwood and more.
Rootsy, eclectic Wood Brothers close out picture-perfect Father’s Day weekend
The New York trio, plus show openers Shovels & Rope, struck the right chords at the sold-out Meijer Gardens amphitheater show on Sunday. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Day 1 of Buttermilk Jamboree revels in diversity, community, Michigan flair
The mid-June music festival at Circle Pines Center in Delton basked in sunny, cool weather and kept things churning with upbeat performances on Friday. Get the recap, browse photos and view the Saturday-Sunday schedules at Local Spins
Tegan and Sara: Positivity, inclusion and gorgeous harmonies at Meijer Gardens
The Canadian twin sisters and pop stars offered a smorgasbord of popular hits and deep cuts spanning a 20-plus-year career in their Grand Rapids tour stop Friday. The concert review and photos at Local Spins.
Michael Franti, Alejandro Escovedo: Thursday’s uplifting night of music in Grand Rapids
Michael Franti captivated a sold-out crowd at Meijer Gardens, the same evening that Alejandro Escovedo told musical tales amid an illustrious career at Midtown. The Local Spins reviews and photo galleries.
Fleet Foxes unfurl intoxicating vocal glory for packed house in Grand Rapids
The second stop on the band’s U.S tour delivered lush harmonies, horn enhancements and plenty of fan favorites on Wednesday at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. The recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Quinn XCII basks in Van Andel Arena homecoming love with pop vigor
Mammoth national tour stops dominated the weekend, from Quinn XCII in Grand Rapids to Taylor Swift in Detroit. Revisit Quinn XCII’s Saturday romp in words and photos.
‘Bejeweled and Enchanted’: Taylor Swift unleashes pop spectacle at Detroit show
Friday’s opening salvo of a two-night stand at a sold-out Ford Field featured “The Eras Tour” debut of two songs. The recap, photo gallery and set list at Local Spins.
Nickel Creek rolls out ‘big time’ of bluegrass and folk to launch Meijer Gardens series
’Nights like these are the best,’ mandolinist Chris Thile proclaimed. And many fans at the sold-out, sun-splashed Grand Rapids Township amphitheater on Thursday would agree. The concert review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Grand Rapids’ Festival rocks downtown stages, streets on Day 1 amid scorching temps
The three-day Festival of the Arts launched Friday amid sunny, 90-degree weather with more than two dozen performances on five stages. Browse the recap with photos and view the Saturday-Sunday schedule.
Chris Stapleton, The War & Treaty, Marcus King bring soulful heat to Van Andel Arena
Friday’s Grand Rapids tour stop matched the scorching temperatures outside with sizzling sets that included a homecoming welcome for the Michigan-bred War and Treaty. The concert review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Meijer Gardens’ Tuesday Evening Music Club launches with vibrant, multi-cultural affair
One fan called it the ‘best place to be on a Tuesday night.’ Singer Sarena Rae and Motherland Cultural Connections proved that with crowd-pleasing sets on a sunny, warm night. Read the recap, browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Buses by the Beach Bus Benefit spawned ‘super chill’ vibe for holiday weekend of music
The Memorial Day weekend festival along Lake Michigan in West Olive boasted performances by more than a dozen Michigan acts amid glorious summer-starting weather. A photo gallery and video highlights at Local Spins.
Bus Benefit revels in ‘great start’ for Memorial Day weekend of music and ‘hippie vans’
The Junky Swinger and Nicholas James Thomasma & The Bandwagon got the festival started on Friday amid sunny skies and upbeat vibes. The recap and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Empowering, energizing, gratifying: Local Spins Fest launches summer of music
Celebrating Local Spins’ 11th birthday and the power of Michigan’s female artistry, the second annual festival drew enthused crowds Saturday for sets by six regional bands: In the Valley Below, Earth Radio, Sarena Rae, Kari Lynch Band, Lokella and Grace Theisen Band. The recap, photos and a video at Local Spins.
Photos · Upcoming shows · Venue Spotlight
Welcome to Muskegon’s Starlight Room: State-of-the-art sound, live recording venue
With a capacity of 100 to 205, the new listening room – with unique offerings for concertgoers and bands – officially opens on May 19. Learn more about The Starlight Room’s approach and take a photo tour.
Night of Heavenly Voices: The Lone Bellow and Lindsay Lou cast spell at St. Cecilia
It was a night of captivating vocals in Grand Rapids on Thursday, as well as heartfelt stories and inspiring songs. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Father John Misty portends ‘Next 20th Century’ in lush, seductive Grand Rapids tour stop
The Maryland indie-rock/folk-rock singer-songwriter played to a capacity crowd at GLC Live at 20 Monroe on Tuesday, part of his tour with Butch Bastard. The photos and set list at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The ‘church’ of The War and Treaty delivers uplifting musical sermon in GR homecoming
Electrifying a jam-packed Stache inside Grand Rapids’ The Intersection on Thursday, the duo with a top-shelf backing band rocked the house in emotional fashion. The review, photos and video at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Djangophonique, Kayla King, Accidentals, Molly snag wins at Michigan Music Video Awards
The Saturday celebration at Marshall’s Franke Center for the Arts also produced wins for Josiah C. Baker, Willy FoTang and several other Michigan acts, with performances by Baker, Lokella, Phabies and Kait Rose. View the winners’ list, check out their videos and browse a photo gallery at Local Spins.
Snarky Puppy daringly jazzes up Kalamazoo + Queensrÿche, Protomartyr, Los Elegantes
The Grammy-winning outfit gave fans at State Theatre a visually enhanced dose of boundary-pushing charm, plus check out our photo recaps of weekend shows ranging from heavy metal to EDM to post-punk and more. The Snarky Puppy review and concert photo galleries at Local Spins.
Brass Transit gets fans ‘Feelin’ Stronger’ about Chicago at GR Symphony concert
Saturday’s greatest hits display by the Chicago tribute band uncorked old favorites from the platinum-selling classic rock group in symphonic fashion. The concert recap and photos at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Photos · Videos
Groovy, funky Short Panic wins The Stray’s 2023 Battle of the Bands
The band formed by Grand Rapids Community College music students outpolled West Michigan’s Cordero and Pocket Watch during Saturday’s finals to take home the crown. The recap, photo gallery and some video highlights at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Photos · Videos
The Rebel Eves super-group: Creating ‘heaven’ and acceptance with ‘killer harmonies’
The vibrant combination of Michigan songwriters Grace Theisen, Katie Pederson and Jilian Linklater is turning heads with a mission of empowering women in music. The Local Spins Q&A with the up-and-coming trio, a video and photo gallery.
St. Patrick’s Shenanigans: Snowy Irish on Ionia in Grand Rapids draws throngs of revelers
Temps in the 20s, snow flurries and stiff breezes didn’t thwart thousands of attendees from packing the return of downtown’s Irish on Ionia, which also boasted chilly, jig-inciting sets by Celtic bands and DJs. View the photo gallery and video.
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