The flood of new Michigan music over the past year has been impressive: Local Spins debuted hundreds of tracks & profiled dozens of artists. Get the recap & check out must-see shows for January.
Chicken Scratchings: Just some of Local Spins’ listings of artists with new music over the past year.
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It’s likely just the tip of the musical iceberg, but Local Spins debuted more than 450 new songs by Michigan artists in 2024 as part of its Local Spins on WYCE radio show and weekly ‘Amplified’ newsletter.
The state’s go-to music publication also showcased more than 100 artists via interviews and feature stories, ranging from Kalamazoo’s omnipresent musician Jarad ‘Saxsquatch’ Selner in January to Grand Rapids’ dark-wave Crystal Trench at the end of December, with an eclectic assortment of artists in the 12 months in between.
Listen to all of these new tracks from 2024 via Local Spins on WYCE radio show podcasts online here: https://localspins.com/category/local-spins-on-wyce/
And read all of our “Artist Spotlight” features and interviews — with Michigan bands as well as national touring acts — here: https://localspins.com/category/artist-spotlights/
Of course, 2025 rolls out with plenty more new music and must-see shows, starting with January’s flurry of events, something Local Spins publisher previewed by WOOD TV8’s EightWest earlier this week and recapped here (with the video of his Eightwest segment below).
Heat up your January with live music — much of it created right here in Michigan.
MUST-SEE JANUARY SHOWS (In No Particular Order)
• Local Spins Wednesdays and Fridays at SpeakEZ Lounge – It kicks off Jan. 8 with the folk/bluegrass/string band Round Creek String Band, which is also a warm-up show for the Winter Wheat festival on Jan. 11. View the full January schedule here. February is “Tribute Month” with tributes to Neil Diamond, Neil Young, Jimmy Buffett, Warren Zevon, Linda Ronstadt and Jackson Browne.
• Winter Wheat Festival – Staged as a fundraiser by the Wheatland Music Organization, this Jan. 11 event takes over two stages at The Intersection in Grand Rapids for a day-long festival featuring 10 bands, including The Gasoline Gypsies, Hannah Rose, Benzie Playboys, Lynn & Ian: The Moonshine Runners and more. Details, tickets here.
MaRynn Taylor: One of Nashville’s “Artists to Watch’ (Courtesy Photo/Black River Entertainment)
• Kelsea Ballerini at Van Andel Arena on Jan. 21 – This fast-emerging country star once was an opening act playing The Intersection in Grand Rapids. Now, she’s headlining national TV shows and headlining a U.S. Tour. Not only that, but Rockford native MaRynn Taylor opens this concert which also features Sasha Alex Sloan. Details/tickets here.
• Irene Sterns Day on Jan. 29 at Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo – This fundraising concert for the Sounds of the Zoo fest celebrates Irene Sterns and the women from Kalamazoo who built Gibson guitars during WW II. The concert honors Sterns, who turns 103 on Jan. 29 and is the last surviving member of the so-called “Kalamazoo Gals” who built Gibson guitars during the war. The Incantations, Chris Canas and more will perform, with a video also being shown. Get details/tickets here.
• Ann Arbor Folk Festival — This year’s Ann Arbor Folk Festival boasts one of the best lineups in this event’s 48-year history. The two-day affair takes place at Hill Auditorium on the U-M campus Jan. 24-25 with Waxahatchee, Josh Ritter, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Bruce Cockburn, The Milk Carton Kids, Joy Clark and more. Hosted by The Ark in Ann Arbor. All of the details and ticket info is available online here.
VIDEO: Local Spins on EightWest
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