Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
2024’s first roundup of Michigan releases at Local Spins ranges from singer-songwriter charm to hip hop glory to funk to rock fervor, from Southeast Michigan’s Annie & Rod Capps to Holland’s Lost Magic. Check out the reviews; listen to the music.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Top 10 Lists
Today, we reveal the Top 10 songs of the year by Michigan bands and solo acts, based on airplay at Grand Rapids’ WYCE (88.1 FM). View the Top 10, listen to the music and this week’s radio show podcast.
Audio · Best Music of the Year · Videos
Music of every ilk burst out of the gates in early 2023 and never stopped turning heads. Today, the first round of Local Spins writers reveal picks for the best albums and concerts of the year, from international stars such as Paramore to local faves like Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers.
Concert reviews · Local Spins Rewind · Top Stories of the Year Countdown
‘Young, Wild & Free’ fans were primed to ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ for Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa during a July tour stop in Grand Rapids — Local Spins’ 17th most popular story of the year.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Beyond a flurry of football, the long Thanksgiving weekend cooked up a buffet of rock, hip hop, bluegrass, Americana and jam-band charm at venues from Grand Rapids to Holland to Kalamazoo.
As Thanksgiving approaches, Local Spins unfurls its takes on a half-dozen new releases by artists from across Michigan, covering Americana, hip hop, folk, jazz and electronic music. Check out the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the releases.
This November round-up features new releases by several acclaimed Michigan artists, from Feeding Grizzlies to Kitten & The Tonics, covering diverse music hatched in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Allegan and beyond. Check out the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the featured releases.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins’ week-in-review concert photo roundup also features the big Bass Country Halloween show, Ernest, Bad Religion and The Stray’s ‘Night of Ambient Music.’
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
Local Spins is back with another batch of reviews covering 2023 releases by regional artists, including Heart Dreams and After Ours. Check out the reviews, listen to selected tracks from the releases.
Michigan’s songbird soared to No. 1 with her latest album. Get the back story on Pretoria’s chart debut and see what other Michigan artists made the Top 5 for September. Plus, listen to tracks from all of the releases at Local Spins.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
This early October roundup of 2023 releases by Michigan artists boasts a diverse mix of genres and artists, including new music by The Bloody Pickups and Round Creek String Band. Check out the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the releases.
The ambitious week-long showcase of Michigan bands unfurls at eight different venues, plus some busking stations. Get the background, schedule and a playlist at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From an appearance by a legendary hip-hop act to massive crowds at Eastown Streetfair to captivating performances in Lowell, Muskegon and Kalamazoo, it was a hyper-active mid-September week. Photos, videos at Local Spins.
Local Spins previews this weekend’s festival on Rosa Parks Circle that will feature the pioneering hip hop group Sugarhill Gang, local faves Avalon Cutts-Jones, Lady Ace Boogie and more. Get the schedule, a playlist and other details.
Amid crazy high expectations, the Lions launch their 2023 National Football League campaign tonight in Kansas City. And Local Spins has the musical soundtrack to spur Michigan’s heroes to glory. We think, maybe … Anyway, it’s Local Spins publisher John Sinkevics’ annual column exploring the plight of the silver and Honolulu blue.
The August chart representing the regional albums that received the most radio airplay at WYCE (88.1) covers a lot of musical territory. Check out the chart, listen to tracks from all the releases.
Concert reviews · Summer Festivals · Weekend Photo Gallery
From The Baseball Project super-group to a battle of up-and-coming bands, the post-storm weekend of wondrous weather unfurled rock, bluegrass, hip hop, soul and polkas for big West Michigan audiences. Local Spins was there to capture it in photos and video.
The busiest summer ever for live music and festivals captivated the attention of Local Spins devotees. Today, we reveal the Top 10 concerts and festivals that enthralled our readers. Revisit all of the biggest shows of the summer.
As summer begins to wane, live music continues to heat up stages from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. Revisit eight shows from the past week in images at Local Spins.
Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The weekend commemorating hip hop’s 50th birthday also boasted the Sparta Celtic Festival, Rogue River After-the-Blues Series, plus shows by Railroad Earth, Moon Orchids, The Concussions and more, recapped in photos at Local Spins.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Summer Festivals · Videos
Today’s Local Spins on WYCE podcast travels the state to showcase new music from Michigan artists performing at several August festivals. Plus, get details — and links — for nine festivals taking place this weekend, with a chance to win tickets to one of them, and watch Local Spins publisher John Sinkevics recap the August festival lineup for TV8’s EightWest.
On Saturday, Monk Matthaeus co-hosts the family-friendly One Peace Hip Hop Festival at a Grand Rapids park to mark the genre’s 50th anniversary. Today, he tells his hip-hop story, in his own words and lists the Top 6 things that inspire him about the genre. Plus, get more information about the festival and the event schedule, along with details about Sunday’s breakdance battle.
The city’s weekend celebration of the genre’s half-century mark starts with a star-studded, hip-hop show at The Pyramid Scheme hosted by Sixman. Get the lowdown at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Summer Festivals · Weekend Photo Gallery
The jam-packed weekend of live music across West Michigan also featured performances by The Cornfed Girls, Charlie Millard Band, a farewell show from Pink Sky and more. Revisit the celebrations in colorful images at Local Spins.
‘Young, Wild & Free’ fans were primed to ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ for Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa’s High School Reunion tour Tuesday in Grand Rapids along with Ying Yang Twins. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The July music train kept rolling across West Michigan this week, with a new GR music festival, national tour stops and local star fervor aplenty, from Domestic Problems to Stephen Marley to Steep Canyon Rangers — all captured in photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Throngs of thousands cheered country stars in Comstock Park, a Michigan-bred bluegrass powerhouse at Pine Knob and Modest Mouse at GLC Live at 20 Monroe — just a smidgen of the live music lighting up the region this week, captured in Local Spins photos.
Mammoth national tour stops dominated the weekend, from Quinn XCII in Grand Rapids to Taylor Swift in Detroit. Revisit Quinn XCII’s Saturday romp in words and photos.
For the third time, the special Kent District Library streaming platform will accept music submissions from local and regional artists. The lowdown at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts · Videos
Staged at Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids, the eight-show outdoor series kicks off with Tank & The Bangas on July 12 and also features local faves The Crane Wives and The Verve Pipe. Get the full schedule at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Various musical milestones marked concerts at several West Michigan venues over the weekend, recapped in photos at Local Spins. Check out images of Granger Smith, Tunde Olaniran, The Bootstrap Boys, The Arcadian Wild, Rittz, Prof and more.
Album Releases · Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
New recordings by Y-Not, Rob Jordan, Pink Sky and John Lamb also pump up this late March round-up of reviews of fresh music by Michigan bands and solo artists. Listen to tracks from all of the releases.
Concert reviews · Features · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Talk about a robust week of live music in West Michigan: With an early start to the weekend, it was all about the fans at shows packing venues big and small across West Michigan, including album-release concerts by Michigan artists. The recaps and photos from 10 shows at Local Spins.
Local Spins at SXSW · Upcoming shows
With a fundraising show this week in Ferndale to help cover their expenses, more than two dozen Mitten State acts are gearing up to play the much-ballyhooed SXSW. See which Michigan acts are on their way to Austin next week and learn more about the showcases they’ll play.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids band releasing a new album tonight was featured for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Jack Droppers, The Accidentals, Oxford Fields, Sage Castleberry and more. Learn more about Y-Not and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
The multi-Grammy-winning Christian music artist plays Van Andel Arena on Sunday with Grand Rapids’ own hip-hop artist George Moss joining him on stage. The back story at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
West Michigan music lovers gathered in huge numbers at The Intersection on Friday night for the 23rd edition of the Jammie Awards, with 19 acts firing up three stages. Photos, video highlights and more at Local Spins.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
With Earth Radio’s Justin Avdek playing with three different artists at Friday’s Jammie Awards, Local Spins asked the multi-instrumentalist to reveal albums that have impacted him most. Check out his picks and listen to tracks from all of the albums.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
Amid Black History Month and with hip hop celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, Grand Rapids rapper, songwriter, producer and DJ Blaze Bryant reveals recordings that have impacted him most, along with a current favorite. Check out his picks and listen to the music at Local Spins.
Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
This weekend recap of West Michigan’s live music ranges from the neoclassical zest of Detroit’s BLKBOK to the enduring fan favorites of Sublime and some psych-rock fervor — all covered in images at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
Fifteen West Michigan acts representing a cross-section of styles will compete on March Saturdays with the finals on March 25. Tickets are on sale now; view the lineup.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
The wildly creative keyboardist who turns classical music on its ear plays Grand Rapids’ Midtown Thursday. Learn more about this Michigan phenom and watch a video at Local Spins.
Audio · Emerging Artists to Watch · Hot Top 5
With a wildly diverse musical background, the Grand Rapids producer and drummer has made waves with his infectious tracks. See what else made the Hot Top 5 Chart for January, with four new local/regional entries. Plus, listen to songs from all of the releases.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
With the 50th anniversary of hip hop commemorated later this year, Local Spins will occasionally ask Michigan artists to comment on the importance of the genre and albums that shaped them. Today, we feature Last Gasp Collective’s Jay Jackson. Explore his hip-hop journey and listen to tracks from all of these classic albums at Local Spins.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
Another January round-up of fresh releases by artists from across the Great Lakes State also includes our takes on new offerings from Flint’s Heat Above and Detroit’s Superego. Check out our takes on these releases and listen to tracks from all of the recordings.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
More than 20 regional acts will perform during the Feb. 24 celebration at The Intersection, described as the ‘premier music event of the season.’ View the lineup and get reactions from some performers, plus a link to the list of award nominees and the public vote for album and artist of the year.
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.
Audio · Features · Hot Top 5 · Videos
The soulful, Kalamazoo hip-hop ensemble soared to the top of the December chart, with several new Michigan entries right behind. See which albums made the latest Hot Top 5 Chart and listen to tracks from all of the releases at Local Spins.
With Christmas just ahead, we review six new Michigan releases you might want to add to your shopping list, including fresh collections from Silver Creek Revival and The Dangling Participles. Delve into the recordings and listen to tracks from all of the releases.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo, December rolled in with a musical wallop — from national touring acts to local stars playing a smattering of venues. View the photos at Local Spins.
