The Albion duo of Michael and Tanya Trotter — The War and Treaty — has impressed critics with its new album, which led the way on a chart that also featured four more new entries, including Peace to Mateo and Joshua Davis. Listen to tracks from all five releases.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
National stars may get top billing, but plenty of local favorites — from Nicholas James Thomasma to Steppin’ In It — aim to make Wheatland 2018 a festival to remember this weekend. See the schedule at Local Spins.
The September Local Spins segment spotlighted new releases from a veteran, in-demand singer, an electronic music duo and an emerging indie-rock/pop band. Listen to the “Stateside’ podcast with new songs from Jen Sygit, Pink Sky and Tiger and Frame.
Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The week started with another sold-out Lyle Lovett concert at Meijer Gardens, with plenty of fan-pleasing shows to follow in the warm-up to Labor Day. Browse the photos, videos at Local Spins.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
We Banjo 3, Cole Swindell, Shoreline Jazz Fest, Holler Fest, Pink Sky, Benjaman James, The Rockit King, The Accidentals, Hop Along, Insane Theatre, Earth Radio and more fill out the week. Get the complete concert lowdown at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
A solid first-day crowd at the music festival in southern Kent County reveled in impressive sets by May Erlewine, Hyryder, Mungion, Olivia & the Aquatic Troupe and more while reveling in a groovy new second stage. Check out the story, photos and video in this Local Spins exclusive.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
With new stages, enhancements and a robust lineup, the three-day ‘granddaddy’ festival on a cattle farm in southern Kent County this weekend shapes up as the best yet. Get the preview, full weekend schedule and forecast, plus a festival playlist at Local Spins.
The August Local Spins segment gazed northward, showcasing three Northwest Michigan artists aiming to make a splash with their new albums. Listen to the “Stateside” podcast and new songs by Davis, Allen and Brotha James.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival makes waves on the lakeshore, Ribfest heats up Kalamazoo, Joywave washes over GR, SuperPartyWonderDay closes the week out. Check out all of this week’s West Michigan concert selections and Under-the-Radar Picks. Plus, win tickets to see Save Face or Flynt Flossy.
Concert reviews · Photos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The hip hop legend brought N.W.A., Ice-T, Tha Dogg Pound and more to Van Andel Arena during a busy week of tour stops and local shows in front of enthused West Michigan audiences. Concerts included Rayland Baxter, Erasure, The Beach Boys and Jake Kershaw & Melophobix in a special Walk the Beat event. The Ice Cube review and five photo galleries exclusively at Local Spins.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Dispatch, L7 and Frank Turner launch a week that boasts local faves, Farm Block Fest showcases and tour stops by Between the Buried & Me, Against Me!, Blue Oyster Cult and many more. And win tickets to this week’s Farm Block showcases.
Another potent week of live music brought Michigan fans some iconic hip hop, country, heavy metal, indie-rock and regional stars Seth Bernard and May Erlewine. Check out the recaps in vibrant images by Local Spins photographers.
There’s nothing like it anywhere. The Beaver Island Music Festival is a musical experience and escape unlike any other this summer. Get the lowdown — and a festival soundtrack — at Local Spins. Listen to the playlist of festival acts, get background on this unique Michigan celebration.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
With top-notch talent, a family-friendly atmosphere and the beauty of northern Michigan nature, Blissfest has been a favorite of music fans for 38 years. Get a preview of this weekend’s star-studded, sold-out festival at Local Spins and check out the jam-packed schedule.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
July continues to heat up with Flame Fest, Louie’s 100th Anniversary, Picnic Pops, The Temptations, The Red Elvises, GWAR, Brad Fritcher’s farewell show, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and more. Browse all of this week’s live music picks, plus see how you can win tickets to Saturday’s big Flame Fest in Hudsonville.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Podcasts
The July Local Spins segment spotlighting West Michigan artists gave “Stateside” listeners a sampling of dream pop, well-crafted Americana and harmony-laden indie-folk. Listen to the podcast and featured tracks by all three artists, including the brand new single by Major Murphy.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
The holiday week also features the kickoff to the Tuesday Evening Music Club series, Pedro’s Pig Roast in Grand Haven and, of course, Grand Rapids’ Fourth of July fireworks show on Saturday starring local bands. See all of this week’s featured concerts, along with our Under-the-Radar Picks.
Singer-songwriter Nathan Kalish has spent years honing his craft, playing 200-plus gigs every year across the country and working as a musician full-time. What does it take to leave your day job behind? Listen to the RSVP Music Chat podcast to find out.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Grand Rapids’ Bello Spark debuted two new songs on the air, Ling hawked his Grand River Water Festival that takes place Saturday and the show premiered new tracks by The Gorgeous Oranges, Pink Sky and Barrel Bones. Listen to the podcast, watch a video of Bello Spark’s fetching in-studio performance.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
The Charlotte Bluegrass Festival, Lanco, Shawn Mullins, Rebirth Brass Band, Priests and Tip Top Deluxe’s seventh anniversary show are all part of this week’s live music lineup. Check out all of the West Michigan concert picks, including Langhorne Slim with The Accidentals and Roosevelt Diggs at St. Cecilia Music Center.
Concert announcements · Playlists · Summer Concerts
The Thursday night series on the Grand Rapids Art Museum terrace boasts seven weeks of performances by Michigan stars, including Yolonda Lavender, Organissimo, Fauxgrass, Earth Radio and others. See the full schedule at Local Spins and check out a Spotify playlist of songs from GRAM on the Green artists.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Summer festival season is in full gear, plus there are riveting shows this week featuring Reverend Horton Heat, Trevor Hall, Davina & The Vagabonds (this week’s Local Spins ticket giveaway), some terrific local music showcases and the kickoff of several outdoor concert series. Get the lowdown on this week’s West Michigan concerts, plus some tantalizing Under-the-Radar Picks.
Audio · Breaking music news · Hot Top 5 · Videos
Four of the five local and regional artists on the May chart were also on the list for April, with only Michigander breaking into the Top 5 for the first time. Browse the Top 5 and sample music from all of the featured artists.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
The popular Grand Rapids folk-rock heroes kick off Sparta’s Concerts in Rogers Park series on Wednesday night and play East Lansing and Allegan later this week — part of a busy summer touring schedule for the band. Get the latest about The Crane Wives and watch their videos.
The Portland folk-rock heroes enthusiastically powered through an engaging set of old hits and new at Meijer Gardens on Monday, in spite of frontman’s recent vocal strain. Read the review and ogle the photo gallery at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Breaking music news
The Albion-based duo’s meteoric rise on the national music scene also brings festival appearances at Camp Greensky, Bonnaroo, Telluride and Newport Folk Festival. Read the inside story of their Nashville recording sessions and how they met Emmylou Harris for the first time.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows · Videos
The Go Rounds play this weekend’s inaugural Camp Greensky in Wellston, with frontman Graham Parsons touting his Upper Peninsula Farm Block Fest & Reunion come July with an “improbable” roster of stars. Get the lowdown and lineups for both festivals at Local Spins.
This weekend’s Festival of the Arts will pack downtown Grand Rapids for regional music on a half-dozen stages. And once again, Local Spins asked musicians and writers to spotlight some must-see acts. Use the ‘Best of Fest’ picks as a starting point to guide your Festival exploration.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
This week’s packed lineup also features Andrew McMahon, Gladys Knight, Phillip Phillips, The Menzingers, BoDeans and more, plus win tickets to see the Gin Blossoms and Valentiger. Get the complete lowdown in this week’s Big List, plus some riveting Under-the-Radar Picks.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The Memorial Day weekend music fest in West Olive hosted by Buses by the Beach kicked off Friday with gorgeous weather, eclectic music and VW bus camaraderie. Get the recap and browse the photo gallery at Local Spins, where you can also find the music schedule for Saturday and Sunday.
Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Temperatures are heating up and so are outdoor concerts in communities across West Michigan. Here’s the latest Local Spins roundup of schedules for several free series starring regional acts from the lakeshore to Lansing.
Concert announcements · Kalamazoo · Summer Concerts
Local Spins’ latest round-up of free community concert series across West Michigan puts the spotlight on outdoor shows in the Kalamazoo area. Take a gander at the diverse band lineups, then grab a lawn chair and go.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
The week leading up to Memorial Day is jam-packed with music and fun in the sun, from Evidence Jazz to Earth Radio to I Believe in Julio to Michigan Rattlers to the Local Spins Summer Kickoff outside HopCat in Grand Rapids. Get the scoop on all of this week’s live music highlights, plus some stellar Under-the-Radar Picks at Local Spins.
Saturday’s event in Whirlpool Centennial Park dodged the rain to entertain a big crowd with sets by Yonder Mountain String Band, Albert Cummings, Pokey LaFarge, Appleseed Collective and The Grascals. Read the recap, check out the photos at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
The Accidentals, The Ragbirds, Appleseed Collective, Mark Lavengood, May Erlewine and many more regional stars have been booked to perform along the shores of Lake Leelanau in northern Michigan. See the full summer schedule of concerts at this picturesque resort.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows · Videos
West Michigan-bred Nathan Kalish was cited this week by Rolling Stone as one of ‘10 new country artists you need to know.’ Read more about Kalish and his reaction to the acknowledgment at Local Spins; watch a video of a song from his new album.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The all-day free event outside Cedar Springs this weekend boasts an eclectic lineup of young and experienced Michigan acts. See the full schedule and get details at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows · Videos
The Milk Carton Kids have been added to the lineup at Grand Rapids’ St. Cecilia, which previously announced its upcoming jazz and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center concerts as well as the first Acoustic Café show for next season. Get the lowdown on all of the upcoming shows at Local Spins and listen to new music from The Lone Bellow.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The first-year festival outside Stanton has delivered sets by dozens of Michigan bands. Browse the Local Spins photo gallery and check out the video of the festival site.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
The free weeknight music series showcase a wide range of regional bands. See and save the schedules for several community concert series in cities along the Lake Michigan shoreline. It’s Local Spins latest round-up of summer shows.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
The weeknight series starring regional acts will also feature Kathy Lamar, Lipstick Jodi, Hollywood Makeout, Six-Pak, Eric Engblade, Watching for Foxes and more. See the full schedule at Local Spins and find out why bands love playing this series.
On the eve of Jack White’s buzzed-about Grand Rapids show, the Local Spins “countdown” assesses his bold new album, along with regional releases by a diverse mix of Michigan artists. Read the reviews, listen to audio samples from the albums.
Artist Spotlights · Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
The iconic Michigan band of musical “brothers” featuring Joshua Davis and Jack White bassist Dominic John Davis will relive its glory days in Lansing and more during a seven-night run of shows. Get the back story at Local Spins and see where Steppin’ In It will be performing, plus get some insights into White’s tour and new album.
Album reviews · Audio · Videos
Get an earful of compelling music in this April round-up of new releases by local and regional artists, featuring a mix of genres from folk to hip hop to hard rock to bluegrass to indie-rock to R&B. And listen to tracks from the new albums along with some select videos.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
This week’s live music recap showcases concerts at 20 Monroe Live, The Intersection’s Elevation, The Pyramid Scheme, Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Cafe, SpeakEZ Lounge and the third annual Starkbierfest at Cedar Springs Brewing. Ogle all the images, including shots from performances by Reggie & The Full Effect, Delilah DeWylde, Lipstick Jodi, Tambourina, Fauxgrass, Cardboard Highway, The Mushmen and more.
Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Summer is approaching and communities across West Michigan are set to host free weeknight concerts starring regional acts, from May Erlewine to The Soul Syndicate and much more. See the lineups for five of them at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Videos
The 38th annual edition of the July festival in northern Michigan combines internationally acclaimed artists as well as regional acts such as May Erlewine, Luke Winslow King, Mark Lavengood and more. Check out the Blissfest lineup and ticket details at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Videos
The charming July 19-21 festival in the middle of northern Lake Michigan continues to grow, blending national acts with Michigan stars for its 2018 event. See the lineup at Local Spins. Advance tickets are on sale now.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Listen to this week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE, which showcases an hour of local and regional music every week including the premiere of several new tracks by Michigan artists.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The first wave of headliner announcements boasts some traditional mainstays as well as emerging roots artists. Tickets for the September festival go on sale to members on April 2 and to the general public in May. See the lineup thus far, with more to come.
