Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
The veteran tunesmith plays Midtown on Tuesday, aiming to ‘keep the singer-songwriter tradition alive’ as he tours behind his latest album, ‘Moving Through America.’ The Local Spins Q&A with a music video of the title track from Steve Forbert’s new record.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins crisscrossed the state for this recap of national touring artists, regional stars, two fundraisers and a competition featuring emerging acts. The images from ten different shows at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Upcoming shows
Well-known for his work with May Erlewine, The Verve Pipe, Joshua Davis, Jeff Daniels, Stevie Wonder, Millish and more, Phillips has released his first solo project. Get the back story; listen to the single.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Photos · Videos
Saturday’s free event at Kalamazoo Valley Museum drew hundreds of fans, luthiers and musicians, including guitar virtuosos Fareed Haque & Goran Ivanovic. The recap, photo gallery and video at Local Spins.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
Starting their Michigan run with two shows at Grand Rapids’ Midtown, the indie-folksters join Georgia Middleman, Gary Burr and Mary Bragg for the latest iteration of their ‘in-the-round’ concerts. Learn more about the tour and listen to a new Accidentals single at Local Spins.
It’s been three years since the Kalamazoo Valley Museum has hosted the festival as an in-person event. Get the lowdown and the performance schedule at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Jam-packed concerts rolled out as the primary theme across West Michigan this week at venues in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. View the photos and videos; revel in the reviews at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The West Michigan artist appeared on this week’s Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by May Erlewine, Singing Lungs, John D. Lamb, Cody Robert DeWindt and more. Learn more about Rob Jordan’s musical journey and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Festivals · Traverse City · Upcoming shows
Interrupted for two years by COVID, the unique indoor event will boast more than 40 performances by folk-hued artists on several stages later this month. The lowdown and schedule at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Festivals · Upcoming shows
West Michigan music fans have a couple of fresh events to embrace this winter: Stovepipe hosts the first singer-songwriter show next week at The Pyramid Scheme and Kalamazoo Valley Museum returns with its Fretboard Fest in early March. Details at Local Spins.
Festivals · Playlists · Upcoming shows
Songwriter, banjoist and Michigan native Rachael Davis joins Valerie June at The Ark ahead of Saturday’s folk fest with Ani DiFranco, Patty Griffin, St. Paul & the Broken Bones & more. The preview and a festival playlist at Local Spins.
Our second January roundup of new albums and EPs by Michigan artists ranges from hip hop to jazzy indie-folk to rock, including Kings of Strings, Nathan K. and Big B & The Actual Proof. Listen to tracks from all of the releases.
Festivals · Playlists · Upcoming shows
Eleven diverse bands will play two stages at The Intersection in the first Winter Wheat fest since early 2020. The back story, the schedule and a playlist at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Led by mandolinist Jason Wheeler, the new band was featured this week by Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Vulfpeck, Ada LeAnn, Myron Elkins, Laddermatch, Moss Manor, Steve Leaf, Nathan K. and more. Learn more about Round Creek String Band and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
As Christmas approaches, live music continues to rev up audiences from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to the lakeshore. Revisit the action in photos at Local Spins.
Celebrating a great final ‘adventure’: The Spring Lake listening room hosted its last concert on Saturday, an emotional sold-out affair staged now that the building has been sold. Check out the recap and browse photos at Local Spins.
Features · Photos · Upcoming shows · Videos
After 11 years in Spring Lake, owner Michelle Hanks will close the much-beloved listening room following sold-out shows Friday and Saturday, ending a too-brief era of memorable live music. The back story, videos and photos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Songwriter Taylor Hottenstein basks in the Artist Spotlight and is this week’s special guest for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuts tracks by Moss Manor, Dangling Participles, Sebastian & The Mood, The Shouting Bones, Josh Rose and more. Learn more about Daisybox and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Melding varied rock styles, the husband-and-wife team released its debut album earlier this year, inspired in part by their northern Michigan surroundings. The back story and video at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows
Michigan-born Sargon Isho and the renowned vocal group from Indiana University bring their 25th anniversary tour to DeVos Performance Hall this weekend. The interview and back story at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The veteran West Michigan artist unveiled tracks from the release for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted music by Billy Strings, Citizen Keen, Cal in Red and more. Learn more about Josh Rose’s new music and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows · Venue Spotlight
After a pandemic-driven hiatus of nearly three years, the popular Fennville restaurant returns with Kate Pillsbury, Kyle Rasche and Kait Rose playing Sunday. Get details with the full concert schedule at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
House and bass music stars, rousing prog-metal bands, country crooners, indie-folksters and more delivered an eclectic week of live music to remember across West Michigan. Browse the photos from eight concerts at Local Spins.
Features · Photos · Upcoming shows
COVID ravaged the region’s open-mic scene. While some venues still haven’t joined the fray, many open-mic nights are back and rocking stages. The lowdown at Local Spins, along with a link to a listing of dozens of area open-mic sessions.
The early November round-up of Michigan releases not only covers a wide swath of genres, but artists from Grand Rapids to the Detroit area to Petoskey. Listen to tracks from all of the recordings.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Hot Top 5
New releases by the West Michigan artists joined recordings by Djangophonique and Ficus as the most-played local/regional releases at WYCE (88.1 FM) in October. Listen to tracks from all of the charted releases at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
The venue north of Grand Rapids hasn’t hosted regular concerts since early 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The back story at Local Spins.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
This early October round-up of releases by Michigan artists features new collections covering rock, pop, hip hop, jazz and Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Cameron Blake’s return to the violin. Check out the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the releases.
Award-winning acoustic stars hailing from touring acts that include Punch Brothers and Bruce Hornsby will host workshops starting Thursday at Camp Blodgett along Lake Michigan. Learn more about the camp and view the full roster of instructors.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Photos
From Spanish-infused rock to soul to folk to hip hop, the inaugural music festival reveled in good weather and an upbeat vibe. The recap and photo galleries at Local Spins.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
After an insanely busy summer, Local Spins is back with a batch of reviews of 2022 releases by Michigan artists, from dark rock to folk to Gypsy swing to jam-band glory, plus a look at projects by Wild Honey Collective and Jeremy Ensley. Learn more about these diverse recordings and listen to tracks from each release.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The kickoff to autumn 2022 had it all: country, folk, symphonic metal, Americana, soulful pop and German party music. Local Spins revisits the action in words and photos.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The return of the beloved Wheatland Music Festival for the first time in three years outside Remus last weekend electrified fans and bands alike. Revisit the action in words, photos and video.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
For the first time since the pre-COVID days of 2019, the beloved Michigan festival revs up next weekend with revered touring acts and Michigan stars. The preview, main stage schedule and a playlist at Local Spins
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The Upper Peninsula offers a remote but unique setting for a surprising variety of music festivals, worthy of a trip across the bridge. Here’s a look at this U.P. experience, with previews of upcoming events.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Hot Top 5
The indie-folk artist credits the work of his producer and studio musicians for enhancing his milestone new recording. View the rest of the chart at Local Spins and listen to tracks from all of the regional releases.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists · Summer Festivals
Northern Michigan’s Dunesville Music Festival unfurls this weekend in Interlochen, so Local Spins asked the event’s co-director to reveal three albums that have impacted her most, along with a current favorite. Listen to tracks from all of the albums and find links for the festival lineup and details.
Breaking music news · Venue Spotlight
The highly regarded Spring Lake concert venue which opened 11 years ago has hosted hundreds of concerts by iconic artists and will stage its final show in December. The back story at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Photos
The world music trio topped Nathan Walton, Elijah Russ and Melophobix in the “friendly competition” that raised $3.700-plus for ShelterBox on a gorgeous, sun-splashed Saturday in Rockford. Get the recap and photos at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
The upcoming season of the Acoustic Café Folk Series at the Grand Rapids venue will feature stars spanning generations and styles. Get the details at Local Spins.
Saturday’s long-awaited gala paying tribute to Michigan’s music scene boasted more than 20 performances on several stages, along with an outdoor pre-party. The recap in words and photos at Local Spins
The beloved Phish frontman-composer-guitarist delivered nearly 2 hours of jam-band-informed, solo acoustic rock to an adoring crowd. The review with photos from two concerts: Trey Anastasio at Meijer Gardens, Big Head Todd, 10,000 Maniacs at Grand Haven’s waterfront stadium.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The emerging, award-winning West Michigan band in the Artist Spotlight and featured for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Michigander, Aspen Jacobsen, The Fever Haze and more. Learn more about Whorled, watch one of their performances and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
After a long COVID hiatus, the much-beloved Mio festival featuring more than 30 regional acts kicks off Friday. Get the preview, the inside story and the full schedule at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The first Festival of the Arts since 2019 kicks off Friday in downtown Grand Rapids with more than 140 performances on five stages. Get the lowdown and the full performance schedule at Local Spins.
Packed with fans, the downtown Grand Rapids church offered up a unique setting for NEEDTOBREATHE’s Tuesday tour stop. The concert review and photos at Local Spins.
Local Spins closes out April with another round-up of new releases by Michigan artists — ranging folk to hip hop to soul to robust rock. Listen to tracks from all of the albums and see where some of these artists will be performing in coming weeks.
Artist Spotlights · Photos · Videos
Local Spins revisits the Michigan native and bluegrass star, as writer Enrique Olmos and photographer Loren Johnson join Lindsay Lou for a sunny afternoon of thrift shopping and songwriter talk in Nashville. The Artist Spotlight and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
This week’s concert photo roundup covers the gamut from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo: Haley Heynderickx, Low, Tre Burt, Carly Pearce, Electric Six, Full Cord, Dizzybird Records’ anniversary, Nathan Kalish & a benefit for Ukraine. Browse all of the photo galleries at Local Spins.
It’s an uber-diverse, early April roundup of new Michigan albums, from blues to rock to hip hop to adventurous classical music and compelling gems from Annagail and Brian Koenigknecht. Check out the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the releases.
