Lend an ear to a sampling of brand new music – and unusual projects – from some of West Michigan’s most compelling artists, exclusively at Local Spins.
Shining in a New Way: The Outer Vibe.
The flood of new projects seems never-ending on West Michigan’s music scene, so consider this just a quick October ride down the rapids – just a little taste of a burgeoning buffet. Wait, what rapids?
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DAN RICKABUS: AMBIENT HERO?
Dan Rickabus
So it’s no secret that the drummer for folk-rock’s The Crane Wives has been involved with a dizzying number of side projects, from the rock-driven, Seth Bernard-led Airborne or Aquatic? to his own Dan Rickabus & Friends which is “very slowly” moving forward on a full-length album. But how about something completely different – some atmospheric, experimental, keyboard-propelled, ambient, Rickabus-ness?
That’s “Rectangles,” a new song that was “recorded at home, mostly with an old faithful ’90s Yamaha keyboard.” Rickabus tells Local Spins: “I love electronic-ish stuff as well as acoustic stuff, and I really feel like in today’s day and age there are no rules.” Take a listen to the tune here at bandcamp.com: https://danrickabus.bandcamp.com/track/rectangles
THE OUTER VIBE: RE-ENERGIZING WITH A NEW SONG AND VIDEO
The Outer Vibe
With a new drummer, Noah Snyder, on board and a renewed, pop-hued approach, Grand Rapids’ The Outer Vibe is re-branding itself in a way as it works toward release of a new album in 2015 – working with the likes of producer Brad Dollar (The National, Bob Weir) and mastering engineer Joe LaPorta (The Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons, Vampire Weekend).
And as a sneak peek into this revamped TOV, the band – Snyder, guitarist Nick Hosford, singer Sean Zee, trumpet/keyboard player Lisa Kacos and bassist Andrew Dornoff – also linked up with director Tristan Barnard (“The Bourne Ultimatum,” “Mirror”) to produce a music video for an admittedly catchy, brand new song, “Shining Like a Diamond.”
Dornoff said the video was filmed in South Dakota during the band’s summer tour, with a scenic Black Hills backdrop and some dramatic special effects. Check it out exclusively here at Local Spins.
MUSICAL NOTES AND MORE RELEASES
• The Intersection continues to make waves as a club venue, once again cracking the Top 50 in Pollstar’s quarterly rankings for worldwide ticket sales. The Grand Rapids nightclub ranked No. 38 globally, ahead of Michigan’s Royal Oak Music Theatre (No. 58) and the MotorCity Casino Hotel (No. 76), and just behind the Roseland Theater in Portland, Ore. (No. 37). Also, The Intersection this month is teaming up with Will Play for Food to donate a meal to a West Michigan child in need for every ticket sold to every show in October. So far, that’s 4,000 meals with hopes for 10,000 by the end of the month, according to partner/talent buyer Scott Hammontree. “I donate tickets and room rental fees almost weekly, but we have decided to step up and partner with a different charity every month,” he added.
Max Lockwood
• Speaking of new albums, upcoming releases for local and regional bands include: Grand Haven’s SoundIsRed, which uncorks its new EDM album, “Party Bus,” on Wednesday at The Pyramid Scheme; the Grand Rapids guitar-and-flute duo Folias, releasing its new album, “Viewpoints,” at Hope College on Friday evening; Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Max Lockwood of Big Dudee Roo releasing his new solo album, “Outrider,” at The Pyramid Scheme on Oct. 16, followed by the dizzybirds records label “launch party” on Oct. 17 with releases and performances by Grand Rapids’ Heaters and Atlanta’s Gringo Star and A.B!’s “full live album release” on Oct. 18; and the new WilsonWhitley duo (Lucas Wilson and Hannaniah Whitley) hosting a party for release of their debut EP at SpeakEZ Lounge on Oct. 24. (By the way, Max Lockwood will be the in-studio guest for Local Spins on WYCE at 11 a.m. Friday at 88.1 FM.)
And only at Local Spins, here are select tracks/previews from some of those upcoming releases:
SOUNDISRED: “Party Bus”
FOLIAS: “Mariscal Mines”
MAX LOCKWOOD: “Growth”
HEATERS: “Heaven Hill”
WILSONWHITLEY: “Feels Like Love”
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