Labor Day weekend’s last blast of summer gave hip hop fans plenty to applaud in downtown Grand Rapids, with the Studio Park piazza show heating up the city’s month-long “The Bridge” celebration. Get the recap at Local Spins and browse the photo gallery from Saturday’s concert.
Summer Concerts · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The summer has been mostly silent, but September fires up a bevy of unusual concerts across West Michigan – from drive-in shows to online festivals. See the roster of options 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.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Labor Day weekend approaches in what’s been the oddest summer ever, especially when it comes to live music. But The Big List has a roster of shows across West Michigan to check out. Browse the lineup with links to more information.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The project created remotely during the pandemic by the Kalamazoo producer and Grand Rapids-bred rapper was spotlighted for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks from other Michigan artists. Read more about the project and Last Gasp Collective’s future plans, plus listen to this week’s full radio show podcast.
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.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
As part of our series focused on West Michigan concert venues, Local Spins asked Pyramid Scheme co-owner Tami VandenBerg to compile a soundtrack of her favorite performers at the club. She came up with a diverse roster of robust acts. Check out the videos and Spotify playlist at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
If nothing else, the COVID summer of 2020 has created opportunities for unique outdoor live music experiences. Today, Local Spins recaps a smattering of outdoor August concerts across West Michigan in images and videos.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The Grand Rapids hip hop artist lit up the stage outside Studio Park on Thursday for her final concert on a resplendent August night, with Lokella and SuperDre also on board. The review of the sold-out show, plus a photo gallery and some video highlights at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
The popular Grand Rapids hip hop artist is calling it quits for now, performing her last show outside Studio Park on Thursday while releasing a star-studded new album. Learn more about her decision and listen to a Local Spins exclusive — a track from her final studio album.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Officially, the odd summer of 2020 enters its final month this week — just as live music options ramp up to take advantage of the warm Michigan weather. See what’s on tap via this week’s show listings 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.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Videos
The Grand Rapids rapper, who combines traditional hip-hop with a new-school vibe, is working on a new EP while creating a collaborative team of local artists. Listen to his music, watch a music video and get his back story at Local Spins.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
August rolls on with the usual outdoor deck and patio shows, plus a few bigger concerts, including the kickoff to a new drive-in series in Southwest Michigan. Browse this week’s live music guide at Local Spins.
Check out this robust bunch of genre-spanning music videos by Michigan artists — plus a video plea to support bills that would help rescue concert venues ravaged by COVID-19.
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.
Freedom has never seemed more important than it does today: July 4, 2020. Local Spins has compiled an Independence Day soundtrack that will uplift you and make you think, from Common and John Legend to Neil Young and Jimi Hendrix.
Audio · Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
The keyboardist for West Michigan’s Earth Radio and frontman for Blushing Monk unfurls a Top 10 soundtrack featuring Khruangbin, Anderson .Paak, Cory Henry, Brother Gabe and other timely, ‘feel-good grooves’ — some inspired by recent events. Check out his picks, watch the videos and listen to the full playlist on Spotify.
Spanning the state, this roundup of new releases by Michigan artists ranges from hip hop to pop-rock to post-hardcore to indie-rock to soothing, healing AC music. Check out the reviews and listen to music from each of this week’s featured artists at Local Spins.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
The frontman for Kalamazoo’s The Go Rounds rolls out a compelling — and fun — soundtrack for our times featuring D’Angelo, Sly & The Family Stone, Fiona Apple, Last Gasp Collective, Run the Jewels, Emily King and more. Find out why these are his Top 10 tracks and listen to them all at Local Spins.
This video roundup also features northern Michigan students performing an Andy Grammer classic and a peek at the first live concert in the Grand Rapids area in three months. Watch the videos, along with background information about the projects.
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.
Local Spins writer Jason Clark unfurls this week’s playlist on Blackout Tuesday — a Top 10 soundtrack of hip hop gems. Check out the videos, listen to the tracks 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.
The Jammie Award-winning Kalamazoo hip hop/soul ensemble delivers a thought-provoking, boundary-pushing roster of faves to pump up the week at Local Spins. Listen to the tracks, watch the videos.
Features · Weekend Photo Gallery
Today’s entry in our series spotlighting Local Spins photographers focuses on Nathan Purchase, with his favorite concert photos of artists such as Umphrey’s McGee, Tame Impala, Billy Strings, My Morning Jacket, Greensky Bluegrass and, of course, Desmond Jones. View the photos and get the stories behind his classic shots.
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.
May’s second round of Local Spins album reviews focuses on artists from across the Great Lakes State, from Grand Rapids hip hop and electronic acts to singer-songwriters in Detroit, Saginaw and Petoskey. Scrutinize the reviews and listen to song selections from each featured artist.
Audio · Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
Popular Grand Rapids jam band Desmond Jones whipped up a Top 10 roster of group members’ favorite songs during the current coronavirus pandemic, from D’Angelo to Thundercat. Watch the videos, listen to the Local Spins playlist on Spotify.
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.
This week, we asked Jammie Award winner and Local Spins’ Emerging Artist of the Year Jordan Hamilton to give us his top songs to get through the COVID-19 quarantine. An intriguing roster of tunes to be sure, from hip hop to jazz and more. Watch the videos, listen to the Kalamazoo cellist’s playlist on Spotify.
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.
With Earth Day approaching, Grand Rapids singer and multi-instrumentalist Patty PerShayla created a special soundtrack of songs to get us contemplating the state of our environment. Welcome to Tuesday’s Local Spins Playlist. Watch the videos, listen to the riveting songs at Local Spins.
Round 2 of Local Spins’ spotlight on the amazing work of its concert photographers continues with Jamie Geysbeek. Browse some of his favorite photos, including images of Skillet, Black Veil Brides, Chris Thile, NF, Slash, Lauren Daigle and more, with stories behind the shots.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
Several weeks into this COVID-19 crisis, we need some tension-relieving music. And Michigan artists — new and old — supply the perfect soundtrack to lift our spirits, courtesy of this week’s Local Spins playlist. Check out the songs by the likes of Bob Seger, Aretha Franklin, May Erlewine, Jack White, The Accidentals and The War & Treaty, and why they made our Tuesday list.
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.
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.
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.
Announcements · Breaking music news
With hundreds of concert cancellations and today’s statewide bar closure order dealing a blow to bands, the new relief fund is seeking donations which will help Michigan musicians who qualify via applications to recover some financial losses. The lowdown at Local Spins, with links to donate or apply for assistance.
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
The inaugural May 8 event at Covenant Fine Arts Center comes after a committee of students pored through applications from 64 West Michigan bands. Get more details and watch videos by the featured performers at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Videos
The festival moves to Detroit’s Historic Fort Wayne Park for the July 25-26 weekend with Kaytranada, Purity Ring, Doja Cat, Phoebe Bridgers, Orville Peck and more on board. Pre-sale passes go on sale Friday. See the full lineup and watch new videos from some of this year’s featured performers.
Buoyed by airplay related to February’s Jammie Awards, many of the regional acts who got the most airplay at WYCE-FM last month were among the most-played artists of 2019. View the chart, listen to the music.
This February roundup of new releases is a potpourri party, not only covering the mainstream but pushing the experimental envelope with releases by bands and artists from mid-Michigan to Muskegon. Check out the reviews; listen to the music.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
West Michigan concerts by regional stars That Beatles Thing, Moto, Cousin Avery, Delilah DeWylde, Isaac Ryder and more were also part of the mix spotlighted in photos at Local Spins. Ogle all of the galleries from shows in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The two-day festival at Belknap Park will now be one of six Breakaway festivals nationwide, promoters announced today. Get details at Local Spins.
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 · Photos · Videos
Thousands filled The Intersection on Friday to celebrate the best regional music of the year with impressive performances on three stages. Browse highlights from the big night in words, photos and a star-studded video.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Videos
West Michigan’s biggest night of music packed The Intersection with performers and fans on Friday night, with awards presented to the best releases of 2019. View the full winners’ list at Local Spins along with a photo gallery from the big event.
Artist Spotlights · Breaking music news · Videos
The Local Spins award for 2019 goes to the Kalamazoo hip hop cellist who’s turned heads everywhere he’s played. Learn more about Jordan Hamilton’s meteoric rise in this Artist Spotlight and watch a video from a recent performance at Grand Rapids’ Listening Room.
Artist Spotlights · Playlists · Upcoming shows
Two dozen artists will rev up Friday’s Jammie Awards at The Intersection. Listen to them and learn more about these acts in Part II of Local Spins’ preview, which includes a full schedule of performances that you can save on your smartphone to take along for the big event.
