Playlists · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
On hiatus since 2019 due to COVID, the popular, family-friendly festival south of GR hosts 40-plus regional acts on four stages over the weekend. Get the schedule and preview the music with a Local Spins Playlist.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The weekend was full of surprises, including a giant turnout for City Built Brewing’s Bridge Blast on the 6th Street Bridge with performances by J.Rob, Biomassive and more, plus a Start of Summer tribute to David Bowie, the return of Brie Stoner and eclectic shows in Kalamazoo. Browse the photo galleries, watch the videos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Concerts
The first concert in Meijer Gardens’ largest ever Tuesday Evening Music Club series unfurled under cloudless skies for a big crowd on Tuesday. The recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Playlists · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
The biggest Tuesday Evening Music Club series in Meijer Gardens history kicks off tonight with Jordan Hamilton and Elijah Russ. Today, Local Spins spotlights tracks by Michigan artists playing the 13-week series.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Thursday’s installment of Local Spins’ week-long anniversary bash boasted an unprecedented Beatles tribute on a rooftop in downtown Grand Rapids and a three-act hip-hop affair at The Pyramid Scheme. The recaps, photo galleries and a video at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
Michigan Rattlers, Molly, The Hacky Turtles, The Accidentals, Lazy Genius, Lipstick Jodi, Aramis 616, Major Murphy, Callab & more to rock Intersection. View the full roster of performers at Local Spins.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists · Upcoming shows
Set to play a Local Spins hip-hop showcase on Thursday at The Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids-bred rapper Wuzee today reveals the albums and artists that helped shape his own music. Learn more about Wuzee; listen to tracks from all of the albums at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids band with a hectic 2022 ahead chatted about its unique approach for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Melissa Dylan, Wild Honey Collective, Ben Traverse and more. Learn more about Earth Radio and where it will be performing, watch a band video and listen to the full radio show podcast at Local Spins
Audio · Features · Upcoming shows
As a local advocacy group, the coalition continues to promote artists while providing instruction on the genre through songwriting classes and more as it prepares for Hip-Hop Appreciation Week later this month. Read more about this group and Local Spins’ 10 anniversary hip-hop showcase at The Pyramid Scheme.
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.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Videos
Returning to Grand Rapids’ Belknap Park Aug. 19-20, the 2022 edition of Breakaway leans toward electronic music phenoms along with rappers such as Yung Gravy and Gashi and emerging pop artists. View the lineup and watch videos of selected artists at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
A dozen shows from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo are recapped today in Local Spins photo galleries, including Megadeth, Elijah Russ, Echoes of Pink Floyd, Tambourina, Fake Baseball, Grace Theisen & a tribute to Motown. Browse all of the photos — and video highlights of Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish’s return to the stage — at Local Spins.
Features · Local Spins Rewind · Playlists
It’s only apropos that on a holiday of sorts for many, Local Spins would re-publish its 2021 4/20 Playlist created through a New Standard/Agri-Med contest asking for readers’ favorite cannabis-inspired tunes. Oh, and yes, It’s smokin’ hot.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
The Local Spins series highlighting recordings that most influenced Michigan artists continues with a look at albums that shaped DJ SuperDre of Grand Rapids. Listen to tracks from all of her picks.
Straingth and WiZdumb wrote their recent take-charge anthem with their mother, Stacey Holton, and collaborated with producer Jezreel Santos. The Local Spins Artist Spotlight on an emerging hip-hop duo. Learn more about this Southeast Michigan duo and watch the video for their latest single.
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.
Familiar names populate the March Hot Top 5 Chart, but the resurgence of the Kalamazoo hip hop cellist’s year-old instrumental album also mirrors his comeback from a devastating accident. Get the back story at Local Spins and listen to tracks from all of the charted albums.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Cinematic rock, indie-folk, lively bluegrass, funk-rock: All of it and more was on display this past week in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, recapped in photos at Local Spins.
As an online ‘talent show’ of sorts, more than 40 Michigan bands and solo artists have submitted videos to NPR’s popular annual competition. View the Michigan entries here.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Frankenmuth’s favorite sons in Greta Van Fleet continued their Michigan homecoming assault at DeltaPlex on Saturday, plus browse photos from a diverse set of shows in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, including Lady Ace Boogie, Jordan Hamilton, Cabildo, Djangophonique, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Between the Buried and Me.
Features · Local Spins at SXSW · Upcoming shows
Returning for the first, in-person South by Southwest fest in three years, Michigan’s presence takes on a regional flavor with plenty of Mitten State performers in the mix. Learn more about the pop-up venue in Austin and see which Michigan artists will be performing there this weekend.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
As Lady Ace Boogie prepares for an all-star Kalamazoo show on Saturday, she reveals the albums that have influenced her at key points in her life and career. Listen to essential tracks from the albums at Local Spins and learn more about the weekend concert at Bell’s.
Today, Local Spins takes a deep dive into six recent, varied releases by artists from across West Michigan — Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids to Traverse City to Albion. Listen to tracks from all of the recordings.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
This week, Local Spins probes the intriguing musical influences of the multi-talented Grand Rapids artist Dante Cope, who propels the Les Creatif ensemble. View — and listen to — his picks for recordings that shaped him, along with the latest tracks from Les Creatif.
Several genre-spanning shows — big and small — helped fire up and heat up February in Grand Rapids on Thursday and Friday. The recaps in words and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Emerging hip hop star Steven Malcolm wrapped up his ‘Long Live the Hype Tour’ at a jam-packed Muse GR Saturday, wrapping up a weekend of diverse live music — country, hip hop, funk, rock, folk — captured in Local Spins photos and videos. Revisit shows by Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Niko Moon, Scotty McCreery, The Legal Immigrants, King Possum, Conrad Shock + The Noise, Lisa Can’t Sing and Erin Enderlin.
Super Bowl weekend once again delivers a Local Spins playlist for the ages: A roundup of songs by this year’s halftime performers that tells the tragic tale of the Motor City’s last-place Lions. Hey, things can only get better from here, right?
Local Spins Rewind · Photos · Videos
This was to be the weekend when WYCE’s Jammie Awards finally returned to The Intersection. The pandemic, however, has pushed that back to June. So today, Local Spins revisits the jubilant 2020 awards show in words, photos and video highlights.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
With a new record on the way, ‘Michigan Songbird’ May Erlewine plays St. Cecilia Music Center in Grand Rapids on Feb. 17. Today, she reveals that albums that have influenced her the most. Bend an ear to the recordings, along with songs from Erlewine herself.
Local Spins Rewind · Playlists
This column ran prior to the 2021 Super Bowl, with the wretched tale of the Lions told in hit singles by last year’s halftime performer, The Weeknd. Come back next week when we’ll do the same for the 2022 roster of halftime stars.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
This late January round-up of new releases by Michigan artists ranges from the latest by a national bluegrass powerhouse to the debut of a new Grand Rapids project to a heavy metal fusillade from Detroit. Browse the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the releases at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows · Videos
Rising cases sparked by the Omicron variant led the Grand Rapids community radio station to delay the popular multi-band celebration at The Intersection for four months. Get the details at Local Spins.
Audio · Features · Top 10 Lists
Based on airplay at Grand Rapids’ WYCE-FM, the Local Spins Hot Top 10 list of most-played local and regional songs of the year covers soul, rock, rap, folk and electronic music. Listen to all of the Top 10 tracks at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows · Venue Spotlight
Despite its pending sale, current owner Greg Gilmore tells Local Spins that Live Nation will keep operating the concert hall as it has since early 2017. Learn more in today’s update.
Best Music of the Year · Features · Videos
As always, the annual flood of new music can be overwhelming. But Local Spins writers have sifted through these releases to make their picks for best albums and songs of the year, including Silk Sonic, Kingfish Ingram, Bo Burnham, Deafheaven and more, plus local artists such as Patty PerShayla, Lazy Genius, Seth Bernard and Amoura. Enjoy.
Features · Music and Technology
Created by Kent District Library, the streaming platform launched this fall showcases dozens of West Michigan acts and pays artists an honorarium to boot. Learn more about KDL Vibes and check out its roster of artists.
Breaking music news · Features · Music and Technology
Created by a South Bend tech startup, the innovative app is being embraced by some West Michigan acts as a way of connecting with fans and monetizing their performances. Get the details at Local Spins.
Announcements · Upcoming shows
After a 2021 hiatus due to COVID-19, the community radio station will stage the popular event once again at The Intersection, with fans invited to vote for their “Artist of the Year.” The lowdown at Local Spins.
Local Spins once again is offering unique, Michigan-centric calendars that spotlight concert photos of Michigan artists and 2022 festival dates. They make perfect holiday gifts. Get ordering details and a list of artists featured in the new calendar.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
With new singles and an upcoming Thanksgiving weekend show, Les Creatif’s Dante Cope opened up about the Grand Rapids ensemble’s music for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted new tracks by several West Michigan artists.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
The Local Spins series showcasing music that influenced Michigan-bred musicians continues with hip hop’s Rick Chyme. Check out his picks; listen to tracks from all of the records.
Features · Top 10 Lists · Videos
As music moves indoors, Local Spins offers up lots to ogle while listening to new tracks by Michigan artists, including the premiere of a new song by Cameron Blake, a poignant tribute from Luke Winslow-King, some Halloween-appropriate creepiness and more gems. Plus, check out a couple of bonus videos from Billy Strings and The Accidentals.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
As head of a Grand Rapids rock band and concert booking guru for Calvin University, Jack Droppers has a unique impact on West Michigan’s music scene. And these are the albums that have impacted his life the most. Get the back story and listen to tracks from all of the recordings at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Perrin’s day-long Backyard Bash highlighted a weekend of crowd-pleasing shows from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo — captured in images at Local Spins. Relive the action in seven photo galleries.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
Best known for his work with Jack White and Steppin’ In It, bassist and Michigan native Dominic John Davis boasts an eclectic array of musical influences. He shares those today with readers at Local Spins.
The final week of summer and arrival of Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize brought a blitz of concerts to West Michigan, including Pat Benatar, Andy Shauf, May Erlewine, Alex G, The Deep Stare, Lady Ace Boogie and more. Here are Local Spins recaps and photo galleries.
A nearly 90-minute storm delay and venue evacuation didn’t entirely put a damper on the acts’ sunny outlooks, with Black Violin’s soaring strings and hip hop closing out an unpredictable evening, The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Frontman Caleb John Lawson revealed the backdrop for ‘A Different Gospel’ for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by August, Sterpher, Crooked Spires, The Shook, Steve Rivers, Alfie DaGreat, Feeding Grizzlies and much more. The Local Spins Artist Spotlight feature, plus this week’s radio show podcast.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The two-day festival descending on Grand Rapids’ Belknap Park this weekend brims with some top names in electronic, hip hop and pop, including several Michigan faves. Get the preview and full festival schedule at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The first full week of August was full of live music in a host of West Michigan locations, indoors and out, from the return of Domestic Problems to the electric energy of Jax Anderson, JRob and Lipstick Jodi. Revisit the shows in images at Local Spins.
