Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Album-release shows and the debut of a new local music festival were just part of a week that also featured a West Michigan tour stop by Yonder Mountain String Band and the kickoff to the Celadon Summer Concert Series. Browse all of the resplendent images from a top-drawer week of music across West Michigan.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
As this year’s Electric Forest enters its third day in the woods and fields of Rothbury, Local Spins takes a look at the cycle of festival hoopla — from morning yoga and lounging in the sunshine to grooving in Sherwood Forest at midnight. Check out the day-and-night video and photo gallery by Ricky Olmos.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Summer Festivals
This week’s radio show focused on Sunday’s Water Festival and fetching new music from Bello Spark, plus the debut of tracks by Diff & Dudley, Plain Jane Glory and Nicholas James & The Bandwagon. Listen to the podcast and save the schedule for Sunday’s festival on your smartphone.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
More than 40,000 festival-goers packed Double JJ Resort in Rothbury for the opening salvo of the hippie-driven, four-day affair. Read the first-day recap, browse the resplendent photo gallery and watch the video.
Artist Spotlights · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The Grand Rapids soul-rock band kicks off the first-ever Sound of the City festival in Grand Rapids on Saturday, followed by regular touring across the Midwest. Read about Vox Vidorra’s growth as a popular West Michigan band and see Saturday’s full festival schedule of performances by regional acts.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins Live · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids group fronted by singer-songwriter Nicholas James Thomasma releases its sophomore album, ‘Tall Tall Tales,’ at Founders Brewing on Saturday. Explore the back story of the new recording, listen to the radio podcast and view the video of Thomasma’s performance inside his VW bus.
Features · Local Spins Exclusives · Upcoming shows
An abundance of West Michigan open mics throughout the week offer performers a chance to ‘find their voice’ — from folk to hip hop to poetry — at dozens of venues which open their stages to fledgling as well as veteran performers. Get a glimpse into the vibrant world of open mics in this feature story by Ricky Olmos and browse the photos of performers.
Local Spins photographer and contributor Anna Sink delves deeply into the groovy world of outdoor music — and many Michigan-bred artists — for this Top 10 list that spotlights bands playing scads of these summer spectacles. Watch the videos, listen to the Spotify playlist.
Concert reviews · Summer Concerts · Weekend Photo Gallery
It was a hot week in West Michigan, indoors and out. Browse images from some sizzling concerts featuring national and regional acts, from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Holland — and from Summertime Blues to the Grand Rapids Pride Festival — in these weekend photo galleries.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins Live · Podcasts · Videos
Inspired by a breakup, the Grand Rapids artist’s impressive ‘Leaving on the Light’ is a full-band project that will be showcased Friday at The DAAC. Listen to the new album now in a Local Spins exclusive “first listen,” along with this week’s Local Spins Live radio podcast. And watch a video of his in-studio performance.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Upcoming shows
In an interview with Local Spins, guitarist-singer Susan Tedeschi talks about touring, musical chemistry and the band’s tendency to ‘mix it up’ on stage. The band returns to Meijer Gardens for a sold-out show on Friday.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The ninth annual street party will pack the area around Founders Brewing and showcase some of the most popular acts that previously have played the brewery’s taproom. See the full schedule for Saturday’s festival.
The surprisingly loud and lush nine-piece indie-folk/pop ensemble from Iceland lit up Meijer Gardens on a gray, overcast evening, with much of the capacity crowd on its feet the entire night. Read the review and browse the striking photo gallery from a special night at the outdoor amphitheater.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Summer wastes no time cranking up the amps for outdoor music across West Michigan. And things were hectic indoors over the past week, too. Ogle all the images in these Local Spins galleries with shows at The Intersection, The Pyramid Scheme, SpeakEZ Lounge, Bell’s Brewery, Spoke Folks’ Crank 2016, Rumsey Street Bazaar, Rockford’s Start of Summer Celebration and more.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The unique festival at Circle Pines Center in Delton hosted headliners The Blasters on Saturday, along with a bevy of top-drawer regional acts. And the best edition of Buttermilk Jamboree yet wrapped up with a real bang on Sunday with The Accidentals, The Crane Wives and more. Read the recap of Saturday’s performances and browse the photo galleries.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The sixth annual festival in a remote area of Barry County reveled Friday in rousing regional music and a family-friendly atmosphere with much more to come. Read the roundup, scan the photo gallery and watch some video highlights from opening day.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids indie-folk band returns home from a U.S. tour — after downsizing — and performs for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted new music by Nicholas James & The Bandwagon, Seth Bernard, The Preservers, Sligh, Kari Lynch and more. Read the story, listen to the podcast, watch the video.
Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Starting this month, communities across West Michigan showcase regional talent in free outdoor concerts that light up almost every night of the week. Browse all of the lineups, embrace the music. And GRAM on the Green returns for its eighth season in July.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
River City Studios engineer Kenton Giar hopes the ‘in-the-round’ sessions in downtown Grand Rapids will help nurture West Michigan’s songwriting scene and build talent. Read more about the new series in this Local Spins story.
The latest in Local Spins’ series of summery soundtracks boasts tracks by Alabama Shakes, Kali Uchis, Blood Orange, Frankie Cosmos and Jonti, who’s seen in a pink furry suit strolling through a dreamy video. Check out all the intriguing picks, along with a Spotify version of the playlist.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Saturday’s wet weather kept throngs away, but those that endured the raindrops were treated to some rousing sets by some intrepid regional bands. It capped a week of rollicking concerts including Greensky Bluegrass’ three-night run at Bell’s in Kalamazoo. Check out all of the show recaps and photo galleries.
Some rabid fans camped out overnight in line for the sold-out Van Andel Arena show and Ohio’s Twenty One Pilots rewarded them Saturday with a show for the ages. Read the review and check out the photo gallery from a wild night.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
‘Loving the vibe and loving the music’: That was the theme of Festival of the Arts on Friday as thousands of attendees jammed streets in downtown Grand Rapids for dozens of performances. Check out the recap and photo gallery from a hectic first day of the 47th annual event.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids folk-rock band rocked Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted new material from Red Sea Pedestrians, The Muteflutes, Dead Eye Zack, Matt Gabriel and more. Read the feature story, listen to the podcast and check out the video of The Crane Wives’ in-studio radio performance.
Artist Spotlights · Live at River City · Podcasts · Videos
The spring edition of HopCat presents Local Spins Live at River City Studios featured an up-and-coming West Michigan band with eclectic, diverse instrumentation and ever-changing rhythms. Check out the interview and performances by this unique ensemble in podcast, video and photos.
Summer Festivals · Top 10 Lists
Summer festival season officially is here, so we’ve rounded up the most captivating musical celebrations in the Great Lakes State – some well-known, some off the beaten path, all worth exploring. And check out the under-the-radar picks, too.
Thousands of West Michigan performers will pack stages in downtown Grand Rapids this weekend. It’s a lot to soak in. So once again, Local Spins asks some well-known musicians and its staff of writers to pick “The Best of Fest.” Check out their diverse selections in this guide to Festival 2016.
Album reviews · Upcoming shows · Videos
After three years, the Traverse City trio finally releases a new studio recording this week. Like the musicians themselves, it’s buoyant and fresh – and will likely earn them even more acclaim. Read the Local Spins review and sample some of the music in new videos from The Accidentals.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Wild, raucous and resplendent all describe West Michigan’s live music assault for the last week of May with national and regional acts firing up stages for big crowds. Check out the Local Spins photo galleries from some of those high-energy shows.
Concert reviews · Features · Summer Festivals
The 14th annual festival along Lake Michigan between Grand Haven and Holland kicked off the holiday weekend with live music, a family vibe and VW buses. Read the story and check out the opening-day photo gallery.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
Grand Rapids’ progressive bluegrass band Fauxgrass unveiled a new original and a new cover in the studio for Local Spins, which also debuted new music by The Accidentals and other Michigan artists. Listen to the podcast, watch the video of an in-studio performance.
Announcements · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The first-time festival at the Harris Building on June 25 will feature Vox Vidorra, The Legal Immigrants, Lady Ace Boogie, Ty Beat, Valentiger and more. Radi8er plans similar events in other cities, too. Read the details and see the full lineup for the Grand Rapids event.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Local Spins Live
On his latest EP, “Fiction,” the Grand Rapids singer-songwriter aimed to “write something different” and he has plenty more compelling material where that came from. He’ll be sharing that music with lakeshore audiences in coming weeks. Read the Local Spins profile and check out his performance schedule.
Seeking the perfect tracks for kiddie-pool beer, hippie camping, crashing weddings, fireworks, power tools, age-inappropriate partners and buying rounds? Well, this Local Spins pundit has you covered. Check out Troy Reimink’s Top 10 songs for the season in words, video and Spotify glory.
Concert reviews · Photos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Metalcore, folk, indie-rock, bluegrass, psychedelic rock, pop and deliciously indescribable music captivated West Michigan audiences over the past week. Check out all of the images at Local Spins, including some special musical celebrations and tributes.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The performers became fast friends after battling each other in a hip hop competition. The duo is releasing its debut album, “The Great Ones,” on Saturday at Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids. Read the story and listen to the Local Spins on WYCE podcast which also includes the premiere of tracks by Bangups, Heaters, Elroy Meltzer, Kari Lynch and more.
Announcements · Breaking music news
After taking the reigns of the community radio station in fall 2014, Paschka is moving on to a new job but expresses love for — and a continued commitment to — WYCE’s mission, much of which includes showcasing the local and regional music scene.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
Not quite sold out after all: A few tickets to see the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ben Folds, Grace Potter and a few other summer series shows available this week. But the opening Tears for Fears show has been postponed altogether after the band announced it was putting off its summer U.S. tour. See which shows still have tickets up for sale.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Summer Festivals
The emerging punk act will share stages with some “heavy hitters” on its current tour, with more big festival appearances and a special vinyl release on the docket for 2016. Read the story about this Grand Rapids band and check out its performance schedule.
The Traverse City singer-songwriter who finished third on the NBC show last year has been following the Ann Arbor blues guitarist’s run and calls his national exposure ‘incredible.’ Read the story about Joshua Davis’ take on another veteran Michigan musician finding success on “The Voice.”
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The Florida metalcore/pop-punk band provoked fan fervor the same week that saw lively West Michigan shows by Mustard Plug Hannah Rose Graves, Graffiti, Vetiver, Small Brown Bike and much more. Check out the show recaps and photo galleries.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The Grand Rapids electronic musician performed and discussed his growth as an artist as this week’s guest for Local Spins on WYCE, which also premiered tracks by Michael Dause, The Soil & The Sun, Sligh and Silverstiles. Read the story, listen to the podcast.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows
With their new album, Channing Lee and Quinn Mathews have added a Great Lakes State perspective to their unique indie-folk — crowd-pleasing material that comes to life next week in concert at SpeakEZ Lounge in Grand Rapids. Read about this couple’s new studio project.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
The popular West Michigan jam band will introduce new guitarist Andy Kirby at The Intersection concert, after Olmsted announces he’s stepping down to pursue other goals. The guitarist tells Local Spins it’s been a life-changing ride.
Longtime Local Spins contributor, reviewer and WYCE ‘New Standards’ co-host Tricia Woolfenden offers up Joy Formidable, INXS, Santigold, Youth Lagoon, Tunde Olaniran and more to heat up the spring. Check out this eclectic roster and videos, along with a Spotify version of the playlist.
Breaking music news · Features
Complaints about alcohol use around the Comstock Park venue sparked a review that revealed the skate park doesn’t have a permit for live music. It will be closed at least through summer and owners might seek a new location that allows concerts.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Cage the Elephant and Portugal. The Man highlighted a week of live music in West Michigan that also featured Aaron Diehl, Big Dudee Roo and others. Check out all the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Led by multi-instrumentalist and singer Ryan Williams, the new Grand Rapids band rocked this week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE, which also featured the debut of tracks by Emma Loo, Graffiti, Darkly, The Eggtones and Downie. Listen to the podcast and check out a video of a song from the upcoming new album by The Change.
The highly acclaimed rock and Americana artist brought his trio and a powerful set of music to historic Royce Auditorium for the final Acoustic Café show of the season. Read the review of Thursday’s show and check out the photo gallery.
Artist Spotlights · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
With a new EP catching fire, the Grand Rapids band talked about its music for Local Spins Live, and performed on the air (and in a bank) as it prepares for Local Spins’ 4th anniversary show at Long Road Distillers on Saturday. Listen to the radio podcast and watch the videos.
