While festival season has started to wind down, Michigan’s September lineup still boasts several big events as well as concerts by national touring acts. A good excuse to revive our ‘Big List.’
Hot September: Quinn XCII, Eastown Streetfair, Lainey Wilson, Sounds of the Zoo are just part of it. (Local Spins & Courtesy Photos)
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It’s no surprise that big tours and major festivals make Top 10 lists here and elsewhere.
But often, the most memorable shows take place at smaller venues such as The Intersection, The Pyramid Scheme, Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill and The Stray in Grand Rapids, Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, The Acorn in Three Oaks, Park Theater in Holland or The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor.
So it’s always good to check schedules for these venues, especially as the outdoor season wanes and indoor shows become the mainstay for music lovers.
All that aside, here’s the Top 10 list of shows and festivals in chronological order for September 2025.
1. Wheatland Music Festival – Friday-Sunday in Remus – It’s hard to beat Wheatland when it comes to its unique environment and its top-shelf talent. While still essentially a “traditional” music festival, the lineups cover an incredibly wide range of musical styles and approaches. Website: https://www.wheatlandmusic.org/; Local Spins preview: https://localspins.com/wheatland-2025-an-unshakeable-force-in-the-scene-with-international-acts-regional-stars/; Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBWOKkX70OA
2. Eastown Streetfair – Saturday in Grand Rapids’ Eastown Neighborhood – Like Wheatland (above), the Eastown Streetfair has a long and colorful history. And when the weather’s good, crowds flock to this unique neighborhood for numerous vendors, the WYCE-FM record and CD sales and performances by nine regional acts starting at noon Saturday. Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1306629214425059
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXW_ZdeO1O0
3. Milk Carton Kids – Sept. 9 at St. Cecilia Music Center in Grand Rapids – This California indie-folk duo with amazing harmonies and a new single, “Ribbon,” returns to Grand Rapids to kick off the Acoustic Cafe Folk Series at St. Cecilia. Website: https://www.themilkcartonkids.com/; Tickets: https://www.scmcgr.org/concerts/the-milk-carton-kids-2025; Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FxZcC0GqTX4
4. Michigan Irish Music Festival – Sept. 11-14 at Heritage Landing, Muskegon – Mid-September means it’s time for the state’s largest celebration of Celtic music — featuring international and regional stars — not to mention an Irish marketplace, pub and more. Website: https://michiganirish.org/; Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68qYTkNLF6Q
5. Rilo Kiley and Dean Johnson – Sept. 14 at Meijer Gardens – So Meijer Gardens closes out its biggest season with band in September, with Alison Krauss & Union Station (with Jerry Douglas) on Friday, Vance Joy on Sept. 11 and finally, the California indie-rock/pop favorite, Rilo Kiley. And to absolutely no one’s surprise, the last show of the season is sold out. Website: https://www.rilokiley.com/; Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw0YeT0nJ3A
Big Jake Bootstrap (Photo/Anna Sink)
6. The Bootstrap Boys – Sept. 17 at SpeakEZ Lounge in Grand Rapids – This is a special kickoff to the fall edition of the Local Spins Wednesdays Concert Series, with this vintage country/outlaw country favorite taking the stage. But that’s just the beginning: Local Spins also will host Live Music Fridays throughout the fall and SpeakEZ will launch regular Tommy Pancy’s Sunday Night Jazz Jams starting Sept. 14 (and continuing whenever they don’t interfere with Detroit Lions games). Website/Schedule: https://localspins.com/local-spins-wednesdays-speakez-winter-2024/; Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toL1cKcttX4
7. Jon Pardi, Jake Worthington and Colby Acuff – Sept. 18 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids – The country star brings his “Honky-Tonk Hollywood Tour” to West Michigan, touring behind his latest album of the same name. Website/Tickets: https://www.vanandelarena.com/events/2025/jon-pardi; Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VywjKxUNgg0
8. Quinn XCII – Sept. 20 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids and Sept. 12 at Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights – The Grosse Pointe native who’s become a major pop/hip-hop/electronic music star is touring behind his latest album, “Look! I’m Alive” which was released in July. Website/Tickets: https://www.quinnxcii.com/; Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VywjKxUNgg0
9. Sounds of the Zoo – Sept. 22-28 at Various Venues in Kalamazoo – This multi-band, multi-venue Michigan showcase festival organized by Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert will once again feature more than four dozen performances over several days. Website: https://www.soundsofthezoo.com/;
Local Spins Story: https://localspins.com/kalamazoos-sounds-of-the-zoo-set-for-fourth-year-of-touting-michigans-musical-magic/; Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIndERK88S8
10. Lainey Wilson, Muscadine Bloodline and Lauren Watkins – Sept. 26 at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Sept. 27 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids – What really makes these tour stops special is that multi-instrumentalist and singer Sav Madigan Buist of Traverse City’s The Accidentals is part of Wilson’s full-time touring band. It will be quite the homecoming. Website/Tickets: https://www.laineywilson.com/tour;
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz0hR8pZdS8
LOCAL SPINS’ SEPTEMBER FESTIVAL/SHOW ROUNDUP ON EIGHTWEST
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