Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Concerts · Videos
Parking lots and seating areas were jam-packed Friday as Michigan’s Wheatland Music Festival launched three days of folk, roots music and more outside Remus. Read the roundup of the festival’s first day, and check out the photo gallery and video.
Features · Playlists · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
This weekend’s folk festival amid rural splendor boasts international roots music stars, but also showcases top-notch Michigan acts such as Joshua Davis, Lindsay Lou and Gifts or Creatures. Read the story and save the performance schedule on your smartphone to take along to Wheatland. And if you’re unfamiliar with some of the artists, check out the Local Spins playlist of songs by featured acts.
Commentary · Concert reviews · Summer Concerts · Weekend Photo Gallery
CD-release shows and late summer festivals dominated a wet and cool August week, along with a first-time country show in Ionia and a packed Wealthy Theatre tour stop by May Erlewine and The Moonlighters. Check out all the photos at Local Spins.
Summer Concerts · Weekend Photo Gallery
Summer hasn’t started winding down just yet: Music is firing on all cylinders from Grand Rapids to Holland to Jackson County. Check out the images at Local Spins in The Weekend Photo Gallery.
Friday night delivered two Grand Rapids concerts that couldn’t have been more different, but were every bit as satisfying for their respective throngs of fans. Check out the review and photo gallery from shows featuring Pop Evil and Vince Gill.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
With 60 bands vying to win a grand prize worth $10,000-plus, the Saturday afternoon bonanza of music takes over the lakeshore town. Get details and see how the second annual event has upped the ante.
Festival mania swept across West Michigan this week, along with the usual outdoor and indoor concerts, making this one of summer’s busiest weeks. Much of the action was captured in images at Local Spins. Check out the live music roundup and four — count ’em four — photo galleries.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Concerts
Despite overcast skies and stray sprinkles, Shagbark Farm’s celebration of regional music launched Friday with a joyful vibe and stellar music, with more to come Saturday. Read the recap of Friday’s opening volley and check out the photos from this unique festival.
Features · Live at River City · Podcasts · Videos
One of West Michigan’s fastest-rising vocal talents and her band spent an electrifying hour at a Grand Rapids studio earlier this summer, playing songs new and old while revealing their special chemistry. Read the story, listen to the interview and watch the riveting video. Only at Local Spins.
Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
We’ve already told you about Cowpie Music Festival, but there are way more music fests on tap this weekend, from Kalamazoo to Sparta to Gaylord to New Buffalo. And they cover every genre imaginable, from blues to country to punk to folk to Celtic. Check out the lineups and downloadable schedules at Local Spins.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
National act Bill Kirchen and local faves Luke Warm & The Not So Hots, Rochelle & The Spoilers, Tony LaJoye Trio, Macpodz, Rootstand, Legal Immigrants, Big Dudee Roo, Afro Zuma and more will light up this weekend’s farm bash. Get the full schedule and details here.
Playing for a sold-out amphitheater, the singer-songwriter and opener Anderson East charmed fans with their own compelling original material and some delectable covers. Read the review and view the photo gallery.
Breaking music news · Features
St. Cecilia Music Center plans to amp up its annual ArtPrize music competition with juried prizes in five categories and a benefit show featuring ‘The Voice’s’ Joshua Davis. Get the details in this Local Spins story.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Seasoned and emerging national acts made West Michigan tour stops, but local acts basked in summer’s power, too, including Bennett, Roosevelt Diggs, The Go Rounds, Jim Shaneberger, The Sailor Kicks. Check out all the photos in this weekend’s spectacular photo gallery.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Boasting a host of West Michigan connections, the lively Americana-hued trio just released an EP with an album’s worth of material still to come. Check out an exclusive video of a new song performed in the WYCE radio studio and listen to Friday’s entire Local Spins on WYCE show podcast.
Features · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Well-known regional acts Heartsick, Flint Eastwood, Joshua Davis, Steve Rivers, B. Sykes and more boost the six-day festival that kick off Tuesday. See who else is playing and check out the full Common Ground schedule.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The weather cooperated beautifully during the holiday week for shows large and small, including sets by Mid-Life Crisis, Rusty Wright Band and bands at the Fourth of July celebration downtown. Check out the full photo gallery at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Podcasts · Videos
The hard-gigging, honky-tonking country/rockabilly/Americana band plans to fire up Founders Brewing on Thursday night with songs from its new album before heading back on the road and into the recording studio for its next project. Read the story, watch the on-air studio performance, listen to the podcast.
Breaking music news · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Benefiting two charities, the jam at the Ionia Free Fair also will feature Steve Azar, Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys, Kari Lynch, Steve Rivers and Shelby Ann-Marie. Tickets go on sale today. Read more about the inaugural event at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Despite some rainy weather, the shows must go on. And they did, with country’s Jake Owens and more in Martin, regional stars at Circle Pines Center, rock and blues in Rockford, and indoor gems in Grand Rapids. Check out three full photo galleries from all the events and a roundup of the week’s musical action at Local Spins.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Weekend Photo Gallery
The third week in May revved up with Ryley Walker, the return of Nathan Kalish & The Lastcallers, Buses by the Beach and the Local Spins Third Anniversary Celebration at Rockford Brewing with Devin & The Dead Frets, who also appeared on the 39th edition of Local Spins on WYCE. Check out the photos, listen to the podcast.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
Summer and fall concert announcements keep rolling out, with rootsy Michigan acts playing Riverside Park in June, Lynyrd Skynyrd firing up Bike Time, Steel Wheels launching the Acoustic Cafe series, and Martha Reeves and Joshua Davis playing Ann Arbor’s Sonic Lunch. See all the lineups in this Local Spins roundup.
The shock of a Michigan earthquake and temperatures in the ’70s notwithstanding, it was another week of diverse live music, captured in images by Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
The Grand Rapids trio has ‘fun no matter what.’ The band known for its lively shows and story-telling plays SpeakEZ Lounge on Wednesday night as part of the Local Spins Wednesdays series. Read the back story about the group and check out the video.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
Interlochen’s summer of music opens with Michael McDonald in mid-June and wraps up with O.A.R on Sept. 1. Tickets go on sale April 24. See the full lineup.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
To celebrate kickoff of the 2015 spring fund drive, Edition No. 31 of Local Spins on WYCE chatted with longtime WYCE supporter and singer-songwriter Nicholas James Thomasma, who also performed a song on the air. Listen to the full podcast.
Heart boasted the weekend’s biggest show at Van Andel Arena, but there were more stars in the limelight, including local bands Moxieville, The Outer Vibe, Heavier Than Air Flying Machines, Big Dudee Roo, Steve Rivers, Comments of Aether and more. Check out the amazing photos and show roundup in the Local Spins Weekend Photo Gallery.
Breaking music news · Summer Concerts
Live music in the great outdoors is everywhere – often free – across West Michigan every summer. Here are the first few announcements of summer lineups featuring regional acts. See the schedules thus far.
Artist Spotlights · Podcasts · Videos
The up-and-coming Grand Rapids country singer opens for Eric Paslay at The Intersection tonight, with a new album set for release this summer. Read the Local Spins interview, with Rivers’ take on songwriting, collaborating with other artists and performing across Michigan. (Story, podcast, video)
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Fun music aplenty. This weekend’s roundup of live music images ranges from The Lacs’ country rap to the Mummies’ funk to Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish’s rockabilly to The Go Rounds’ rootsy-but-danceable vibe to Kathy Lamar’s jazz and more. Scan the complete photo gallery.
Lambert proved to be the “Fastest Girl in Town” on Sunday night, delivering hits and more with Justin Moore, Sunny Sweeney and Jukebox Mafia also revving up the Van Andel Arena crowd. View the photo gallery and read the review.
Audio · Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The March 6 edition of Local Spins on WYCE (Show No. 28) heralds the debut of Nordlund, a new country project led by RJ Nordlund, plus a bevy of regional music gems. Listen to the podcast, watch the video of the in-studio performance of a brand new Nordlund song.
Features · Playlists · Upcoming shows
Mark Lavengood, Seth Bernard, Dan Rickabus, Michael Beauchamp and Max Lockwood will bring their tribute to four cities in four days: Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Bellaire and Fennville. Read the back story of this first-time tour and check out a playlist of John Prine gems.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Flanking the mammoth Jammie Awards show on Friday which boasted dozens of West Michigan bands were other compelling live shows, from folk to rockabilly to country to bluegrass — all captured in photos at Local Spins.
The CMA Entertainer of the Year ignited a sold-out Van Andel Arena from his fiery opening salvo to the final note of his encore, with help from fellow country singers Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch. (Review, photo gallery)
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
An under-the-radar vintage country act drew an unusual, mammoth crowd in Grand Rapids, but the week also boasted other gems: Elliott Brood, Lady Ace Boogie, The Main Squeeze, AGO, Big Dudee Roo, Dan Rickabus, The Moonrays and more. Check out all the photos and mini-reviews at Local Spins.
Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
From hip hop to atmospheric rock to jazz, West Michigan rolled out shows big and small, including Beast in the Field, The Soul Syndicate, Downie, Fly Paper, Mid-Life Crisis and more. (Photos, videos)
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
The annual Wheatland fundraiser will boast two indoor stages and more than a dozen performances, including Fred Willson’s An Dro finale and sets by Billy Strings & Don Julin, Fauxgrass and more.
Rock, country, bluegrass, folk, jazz and hip hop unfolded in a host of West Michigan venues, from Jon Pardi to the Appleseed Collective to The Beat Suite to Sharkanoid and more.
Some of West Michigan’s most compelling concerts didn’t feature arena-sized superstars, but inventive bands in their respective genres: jazz, psych rock/garage rock, hip hop, EDM and more.
The second concert in the Acoustic Café Folk Series had the singer-songwriter regaling an audience of 400 with tales and laid-back, old-timey-hued musical travails.
Also in this week’s images of West Michigan concerts: The Campanellis, Mac McAnally, Jonathan Edwards, Whitechapel, Sacred Strays, Mat Churchill, The Go Rounds, Lady Ace Boogie and a host of others.
On Wednesday, the Nashville artist won CMA’s musician of the year for the seventh straight time. The ‘exclamation point’ comes Saturday when he plays a Pinnacle Center benefit for music education.
As Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize builds toward its finale, Local Spins asked a performer in this week’s ArtPrize/WOOD TV8/Talsma Concert Series to offer up her playlist of favorites, from Patsy Cline to Coldplay. Check out the YouTube videos and Spotify playlist.
Commentary · Concert reviews · Summer Concerts
On summer’s final day, Local Spins looks back at the rollercoaster ride of perhaps the busiest concert season West Michigan has ever seen, with exhilarating ups and stomach-churning downs.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
A bit o’ rain and an unseasonable chill didn’t deter revelers from Allegan to Grand Rapids this weekend, with Guided by Voices and Wavves heating things up indoors.
Playing country with a Ted Nugent roar, the Grand Rapids band fired up another big crowd Wednesday by opening for Florida Georgia Line at Allegan County Fair. (Photo gallery, videos)
Crow’s return to the outdoor amphitheater for the second year in a row impresses a sold-out crowd and proves she’s now a darling of the popular, record-setting series.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Separated by nine miles, Tuesday’s two outdoor concerts in the Grand Rapids area boasted different vibes but the same enthusiastic crowd support. And T-Pain’s hip hop lit up The Intersection. (Photo gallery)
Rock the Rapids is on hiatus for 2014, but this three-concert series aims to fill the Comstock Park venue with national acts as well as the local flavor of Fled Five.
