From Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Port Huron, this week’s batch of album reviews covers a half-dozen new releases from Michigan artists covering a wide spectrum of genres. Learn more about these recordings and listen to tracks from each of the featured artists at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Local Spins Rewind · Photos
When live music was still at the entertainment forefront (pre-Covid) October 2019 boasted memorable highlights of the local and national variety, from sold-out tour stops to big announcements. A look back at a busy week in words and photos.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The West Michigan band’s groundbreaking “music with plants” premiered for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by The Crane Wives, The Soods, Deerfield Run, In the Valley Below, Eddie Codrington, Conrad Shock + The Noise, River City Narrative, The Be Colony and others. Learn more about “florganoleptic” music and watch videos of it in action, plus listen to this week’s full radio show podcast at Local Spins.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Milder October weather will greet music fans this week for an assortment of outdoor shows featured on The Big List, including a one-day music festival near Morley and another Cherry Park Live show in Grand Rapids. See the full list of concerts at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Hot Top 5
The Grand Rapids ensemble’s latest project joins releases by Earth Radio, Crispin Campbell and Cameron Blake as new entries on the September chart. View the chart and listen to tracks from each featured album at Local Spins.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Styx, Charlie Daniels, Greensky Bluegrass, Frankie Ballard, Goo Goo Dolls, Styx and more populate this week’s soundtrack courtesy of State Theatre. Check out the videos and listen to the Top 10 playlist on Spotify.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Belknap’s first-ever drive-in show on Friday impressed fans and bands alike with socially distanced fun and music that reverberated through the neighborhood just north of downtown Grand Rapids. The Local Spins review with photos and video highlights.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
The days of outdoor shows in Michigan are numbered, so the final week of September features some of the final concerts and festivals at various locations across the region. The lowdown, as always, on The Big List at Local Spins.
Album Releases · Album reviews · Audio
A busy year for new Michigan releases amid a pandemic gives music fans a lot to savor, including impressive albums by four Grand Rapids artists as well as northern Michigan’s Biomassive and the trio of Pico, Chown & Sears. Read the reviews, listen to music from each of the spotlighted artists.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Upcoming shows
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The Verve Pipe, Waldo, The Bad Plus and more impressive, eclectic acts played Grand Rapids’ Listening Room before the COVID shutdown. Here’s a sampling of the venue’s favorites. Check out the videos and the Spotify playlist at Local Spins.
Grand Rapids guitarist Hayes Griffin held onto the top slot for the third month in a row, but four West Michigan releases made their debut on the chart at WYCE-FM. Listen to tracks from all of the albums at Local Spins.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
This week’s venue playlist comes courtesy of Brian Hoekstra and the folks at Rockford Brewing — a mix of gems from Pink Floyd and Grateful Dead to Weezer, Heaters and Afro Zuma. Listen to the music they brewed up, watch the videos.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
On another pleasant summer evening, The Verve Pipe frontman regaled fans Thursday with songs new and old as part of Listening Room’s ‘Listening Lawn’ series in downtown Grand Rapids. The review, photo gallery and video highlights at Local Spins.
It’s another impressive batch of Michigan releases that pumps up this roundup of Local Spins reviews — from hip hop to rock to soul to Americana — with sample tracks from all of the albums.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The northern Michigan rock band’s sophomore album was featured this week for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted music by Lady Ace Boogie, The Legal Immigrants, May Erlewine and Jessica in the Rainbow. Learn more about the band, watch a video of a new track from their album and listen to this week’s radio show at Local Spins.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Upcoming shows
To celebrate Great Lakes State artists, the Grand Rapids station will exclusively play Michigan music during a special 36-hour drive with a goal of raising funds to make up for a $36,000 shortfall during a COVID-impaired year. Get the details at Local Spins.
Asking Local Spins readers to name their favorite concert of all time was asking for trouble. But the ridiculously difficult task produced some incredible memories from some remarkable shows. Check out the responses in this fun, reader-generated assignment.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
In what would have marked the halfway point in another robust amphitheater series except for COVID-19, Meijer Gardens’ John VanderHaagen offers up a Top 10 playlist of artists who’ve played the summer series — and one act he’d love to see there. Check out the list and listen to songs from each of the featured performers.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
This week’s guest contributor, Calin Skidmore of Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge, tapped a keg filled with drinking songs that fondly recall pre-pandemic days of sharing good times with friends. Watch the videos, listen to the tracks on Spotify.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
A couple of new outdoor concert series fire up in Grand Rapids this week, along with the usual patio and deck shows at various bars and restaurants across West Michigan. Check out this week’s concert offerings at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
Two more August music festivals in Michigan have decided to skip 2020 due to the pandemic, with September’s jazz festival in Detroit turning to an elaborate live-stream and televised event. Get the details at Local Spins.
Audio · Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
With summer temps rising, this week’s Local Spins soundtrack brings a heat wave of diverse tracks courtesy of writer, musician and music maven Nick Moran of GVSU. Check out the videos and listen to the full playlist on Spotify.
Announcements · Breaking music news · Features
The longtime Michigan music collective re-emerges today after a two-year overhaul with a revamped organizational structure, a slate of new artists and some live-stream performances. Get the full story at Local Spins along with some videos of Earthwork artists.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Wicks performed two new songs for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted fresh tracks by In the Valley Below, Steve Rivers, Full Cord, August, Kanin, Stephie James and more. Listen to the radio show podcast, learn more about Dale Wicks and his new album.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
Leaders of the July festival starring The 1975 and Khalid join live music event organizers in other Michigan cities – Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Rockford and Niles – in pulling the plug on summer musical celebrations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Allison was this week’s guest for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted music by Silent Spirit, Andy Baker, The Accidentals, Martyr for Madison, The Ryne Experience and The American Hotel System. Learn more about Allison and listen to the full radio show podcast at Local Spins.
Celeste Allison Trio, Dale Wicks and The Ryne Experience also are part of this early May roundup of new Michigan-propelled releases. Learn more about the albums and listen to songs from each of the featured artists at Local Spins.
Features · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins continues its “concert photo rewind” series spotlighting the stellar work of its photographers, this time focusing on our Kalamazoo live music honcho: Derek Ketchum. Here are his favorite photos and the stories behind these colorful, action-packed shots.
Local Spins rolls out eight new Michigan-bred music videos for those trying to stay entertained during a pandemic that’s quarantined many and gotten us antsy for fresh material — including another COVID-19 parody. Check out the musical action from a diverse set of artists.
Features · Weekend Photo Gallery
The third week of our spotlight on Local Spins photographers focuses on the work of Kendra Petersen-Kamp. View some of her favorite photos and get the stories behind those images at Local Spins.
The current COVID-19 crisis hasn’t silenced West Michigan artists, who’ve been busy releasing new albums. Here are five to check out, including a tour de force from Jake Kalmink’s Further Closer and a much-anticipated sophomore release by Political Lizard. Listen to tracks from all of the featured artists at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Guitarist-singer Bill Chesney’s second album was spotlighted for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Strawberry Heritage, Stormo, Bedroom Ceilings, Dale Wicks and Landsailors. Learn more about Stepladders, watch a video and listen to this week’s radio show podcast at Local Spins.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
This week’s Local Spins playlist inspired by the coronavirus crisis honors the brave doctors, nurses and health care workers who are helping heal the nation under dire circumstances — 16 songs featuring classics by Dr. Dre, Grace Potter, Bush, Jackson Browne, Michael Jackson, Foo Fighters, Motorhead and more. Watch the videos, listen to the Spotify playlist.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The indie-rock/pop group was showcased for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted music by Nathan Kalish, Further Closer, Nathan Walton, Basic Comfort, Bedroom Ceilings, Michael Beauchamp-Cohen & Brian Koenigsknecht, Stevie Reidz and Archie & The One Hits. Learn more about Political Lizard and listen to the radio show podcast at Local Spins.
Smack dab in the middle of a COVID-19 shutdown, Local Spins presents an early April roundup of new West Michigan album releases. Read the reviews, listen to selected tracks from the featured albums.
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
The band wants singers to take video and record themselves as they croon along to a track, then submit their parts as a “virtual choir” for use in the Earth Radio song and a new video. Check out details and sing along to Earth Radio’s song at Local Spins.
It’s actually the perfect talent show contest for a coronavirus pandemic: Hundreds of bands from across the country are submitting videos from their own homes in NPR’s annual competition, with a big Great Lakes State contingent. View more than 30 video entries from Michigan bands and solo artists at Local Spins.
Features · Top 10 Lists · Videos
Due to the current crisis, musicians have a lot of time on their hands. And that means some of them have come up with hilarious takes on our response to the unprecedented situation and witty ways to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. And face it: We all need a chuckle right now.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows · Videos
The coronavirus pandemic that’s canceled hundreds of concerts has sparked a flood of online shows by artists who play for at-home audiences. And Local Spins has started a new calendar listing to spotlight those shows. Get the lowdown on this growing trend and watch some recent live-streamed shows.
With folks self-quarantining and social-distancing — and virtually all live music entertainment shut down — Local Spins asked writer Troy Reimink to supply a stay-at-home soundtrack for the viral apocalypse. Watch the videos and listen to the Spotify playlist.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
This early March roundup of new local and regional releases at Local Spins focuses on a GR keyboard icon, new projects from some notable West Michigan musicians and a Detroit-area indie-folk artist. Check out the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the featured artists at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows
The northern Michigan glam-rock outfit will be strutting through two ‘raw, unpredictable’ GR shows this week. Learn more about the provocative music of Jakey Thomas & crew at Local Spins.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
March roars in like a lion music-wise with Gaelic Storm, Cowboy Junkies, Shiba San, Scotty McCreery, Will Sexton, The Accidentals, Distant Stars and more on the docket. Plus, Local Spins’ Big List has ticket giveaways for three different concerts this week.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
This week’s concert recap focuses on three shows in particular that celebrated the talents — new as well as experienced — of West Michigan artists. But there are images of Raul Midon, Fatoumata Diawara, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Dave Bruzza and more, too.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Upcoming shows
Holland singer-songwriter Via Mardot’s fresh band project hosts an EP-release show in Lansing on Saturday. Learn more about Via Mardot and listen to the trio’s music at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Making its debut at Listening Room for the Local Spins Michigan Mondays series, the Kalamazoo psych-pop/rock band fired up new tunes and old classics for an attentive, enthused crowd. The recap, photo gallery and video of The Go Rounds performing a new tune, only at Local Spins.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
February closes out with We Were Promised Jetpacks, Symphony With Soul, Winter Delights Fest, Dave Bruzza, Excision, The Go Rounds, a much-buzzed-about Rush tribute and much more. Browse our Under-the-Radar Picks and check out the “Big List Spotlight” on a new concert series kicking off on Grand Rapids’ North Side.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
February continues to heat up West Michigan stages with Cheryl Wheeler, Pop Evil, Lindsay Beaver, Christopher Paul Stelling, Diego Rivera, tribute bands, local stars and much more on tap. And check out this week’s ticket giveaways.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
A week spotlighted by the Jammie Awards also boasted a varied set of tour stops: country, metal, pop, hip hop, Americana, singer-songwriter and more. Browse The images at Local Spins, including SupeDre’s Sunday launch party for Fourtifeye that features a host of special performances.
On the eve of the Jammie Awards show, several nominated bands found their way into the Hot Top 5 chart of most-played albums on WYCE-FM. See the full chart and listen to music from each of the Hot Top 5 acts.
