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.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos
Invigorating sets by The Accidentals, Fauxgrass and Bigfoot Buffalo – plus a display of all those vintage VW buses – capped Saturday’s timeless entertainment. Read the re-cap of Saturday’s big day along Lake Michigan, check out the Local Spins photo gallery and listen to audio from Friday’s set by Roosevelt Diggs.
Breaking music news · Features
In a Local Spins interview, the northern Michigan singer-songwriter says it’s ‘really good to be home’ and planning his next move after a star-studded experience on the NBC show. But would he do it all over again?
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows
The band closes out this weekend’s Buses by the Beach benefit along Lake Michigan, with The Accidentals, Roosevelt Diggs and more also performing. Rootstand releases a new EP this summer, followed by “focused” touring. Read the Local Spins feature and see the full Bus Benefit lineup.
Breaking music news · Commentary · Videos
Michigan songwriter Joshua Davis made an “incredible” run to the finals of the NBC singing competition. Finishing third is actually a plus: He’s now a national star with a bright future. Read the Local Spins commentary and check out a video of Davis’ on-air debut of an original song.
The week started with the Pigpen Theatre Company’s theatrical folk and kept rolling with Brad Fritcher’s MOODS, Pokey LaFarge, Billy Strings & Don Julin, some mid-May festivals and plenty more, captured in images at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Commentary · Features · Videos
Traverse City’s Joshua Davis was saved on Tuesday, after a week in which he also sparked more attention for West Michigan’s burgeoning music scene. See what other regional roots acts are on the cusp of a national breakout.
This live music week in West Michigan also boasted shows by The Accidentals, Fauxgrass, Hey Marco!, Full Catastrophe, Hall & Oates and, yes, a Traverse City homecoming bash for “The Voice’s” Joshua Davis. Check out the full photo gallery at Local Spins.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Episode 37 of the show also featured the debut of songs by Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and Thunderbolt & Lightfoot, with a cover of May Erlewine by Sawyer Fredericks on the “The Voice.” Listen to the entire show podcast.
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
With so many “killer” grooves and “mind-blowing” sounds shaped in a Kalamazoo studio, the Grand Rapids folk-rock band decides to drop not one but two CDs, with first out in late August. And check out a video for their new song, “Turn Out the Lights.”
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
Viewers voted Tuesday to send both singers on to the next round after Frederickson soared up the iTunes chart with a May Erlewine song and Davis scored big with The Beatles. Read the back story and watch the video.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Episode 36 of Local Spins on WYCE brought an in-studio chat with harmonica player and singer Hank Mowery who talked about his new album, with two new tracks spotlighted on the air. The show also featured songs from JOE, The Rockit King, Dante Cope and more.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Videos
Local Spins’ third anniversary celebration in May will feature shows by some of our readers’ favorite bands, all of whom have much-anticipated new albums on the way. See which other Michigan acts ranked high among reader favorites and find out who won our Local Spins gift packages.
The celebrated Michigan singer-songwriter’s return to Calvin College in Grand Rapids on Tuesday focused on his latest album and spotlighted his incisive writing. Read the review by Local Spins writer Tricia Woolfenden and check out the photo gallery by Anna Sink.
Michigan’s favorite musical son advances once again in the NBC singing competition, giving a shout-out to his mother in the process. Read the story and check out the video of his performance this week.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Beyond sellouts by Todd Rundgren, Rhiannon Giddens and Andrew W.K., the week was a musical marvel: Jam-packed shows for Vox Vidorra, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Joe Louis Walker, with Mayer Hawthorne, Big K.R.I.T. and more playing Ferris Fest in BIg Rapids. Check out all the photos.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Episode No. 35 of Local Spins on WYCE was a rollicking double-header with in-studio performances by The Appleseed Collective and Moxieville, plus a chat with Craig “Griff” Griffith of the GR Musician Collective. The show also debuted a song by his duo, The ElectroCats, Grand Rapids jazz singer Kathy LaMar and northern Michigan’s Crazy Chestur. Listen to the entire podcast and check out a video of The Appleseed Collective’s performance.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
Springtime music celebrations get the warm-weather festival ball rolling in West Michigan, with Heaters, The Accidentals and more heating up the Local First bash and northern Kent County’s Bona-Who expanding to two days. Check out the lineups.
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
After performing a Tom Petty tune on Tuesday, Traverse City’s Joshua Davis moves on to the Top 8 after an “instant save” by America. Earlier, he publicly thanked his Michigan fans. Read the story and information about watch parties being held Monday in Grand Rapids and Lansing.
Grand Rapids music mavens and record buffs came out in droves Saturday, snapping up special vinyl releases and embracing live local music at Vertigo Music, Dodds Record Shop and Corner Record Shop. Local Spins columnist Brian J. Bowe provides his take on the phenomenon. Check out the photo gallery and video.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Lippies were this week’s in-studio guests delivering acoustic renditions of their feminist pop-punk, with the show also featuring song debuts by Brother Adams, Vox Vidorra, Black Monuments, Puzzlecuts and more. Listen to the radio podcast, watch the video, read the story.
Breaking music news · Features
The Traverse City singer-songwriter takes the next big step this week on the NBC show. Check out the video and links to Monday night watch parties in Grand Rapids, Lansing, Portage, Leland, Bellaire and Frankfort.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
The rootsy August festival returns to Shagbark Farm in southern Kent County with more than a dozen acts and a ‘Stampede Mud Run,’ too. Check out the Michigan band lineup and details.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
Cheers! Local Spins is turning 3. Check out our big birthday events in May (including the debut of a new Local Spins microbrew), then give us a list of your favorite Michigan bands to win festival tickets, CDs, T-shirts and more.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
There were lots of musical goodies to devour the week after Easter, including Michigan acts Asamu Johnson, E Minor, The Extra Texture, Shane Tripp, Desmond Jones, and a ton of others at Jake’s Music Festival, including PotatoeBabies and Sext Farm. Check out the photo gallery and video.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements
The popular regional music series kicks off for 2015 with world music on July 7 and wraps up with Ralston & Friends, with a host of impressive local acts in between. Check out the full season schedule and some highlights from last year.
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.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
First-time Meijer Gardens acts Gary Clark Jr., The New Pornographers, Patty Griffin are on tap with returnees Steve Miller, Indigo Girls, O.A.R., Bela Fleck and The Doobie Brothers in the mix. Member tickets go on sale April 25. See the entire lineup here.
The Traverse City-based singer-songwriter gets “saved by America” in voting by viewers as revealed on the NBC reality show. Check out the video from his performance in the live rounds. The show resumes Monday.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Upcoming shows
Raised in an ultra-musical family, the singer-songwriter with collaborative ties to Blake Elliott and The Accidentals plays the Grand Rapids area this week. Read the story and check out a video/podcast of her appearance on Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks from several West Michigan bands.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows · Videos
To show support for the Earthwork Music artist, the Grand Rapids Community Media Center has organized a live simulcast of the TV reality show this week, and supporters urge fans to vote for Davis. Get details here.
Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Easter week yielded an intriguing mix of performances around West Michigan, from Darlingside and Tall Heights in Spring Lake to South of Wealthy Trio in Rockford to the Mike G’s birthday bash and the annual LadyFest GR celebration. Check out the photos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Features · Upcoming shows
Update: The internationally acclaimed experimental post-hardcore band from Grand Rapids plays a sold-out show at The Pyramid Scheme on Tuesday night. Read the remarkable story about rock ‘n’ rollers with a mission.
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.
Breaking music news · Commentary · Photos
Traverse City’s The Accidentals made their mark with Billboard magazine and industry folks at last week’s mega-event in Texas, but Local Spins writer Troy Reimink found plenty of other SXSW highlights amid the musical chaos. Check out his report and a SXSW photo gallery.
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.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The 30th edition of the radio show that spotlights West Michigan’s music got up close and personal with the rootsy, Dead-like Bigfoot Buffalo from Grand Rapids, who made their in-studio, on-air debut. And it debuted new tracks from several regional acts. (Podcast, video)
This week’s mammoth SXSW music conference in Austin, Texas, is one of the music industry’s biggest events. Several West Michigan bands have made the trip to make their mark and soak it all in. Local Spins asked some of them to provide their impressions in “diary” entries. Here are two of them. See who they’ve been rubbing elbows with thus far.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Spring arrives this weekend, so Local Spins looks ahead to a few much-beloved warm-weather festivals and concert series. Find lineups for Jake’s Music Fest in April, Buses by the Beach in May and learn why Jazz at the Zoo is now Jazz in Park — at downtown’s Ah-Nab-Awen Park — starting in June.
Breaking music news · Features · Photos
From The Accidentals to Nathan Kalish to Heaters, West Michigan bands are making a splash in Austin like never before at the massive South by Southwest music conference. View the photo gallery and learn more about what Michigan bands are doing in Texas this week.
Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Much of the week’s musical hoopla was about celebrating St. Patrick’s Day early, from An Dro and David Molinari playing SpeakEZ Lounge mid-week to Sam Hunt entertaining a capacity crowd at The Intersection to upwards of 20,000 emerald-clad beer drinkers heating up Saturday’s Irish on Ionia in downtown Grand Rapids. But there was more. Check out the photo gallery and video highlights from Irish on Ionia and other music-driven celebrations.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Grand Rapids’ Fable the Poet talks about major upcoming shows, his spring tour and melding poetry with music on Edition No. 29 of Local Spins on WYCE, plus tracks from a host of local and regional bands. Listen to the full podcast.
Midwest Skies, Valentiger, The Legal Immigrants, SoundIsRed, Maybe Next Time, American Wifi and dozens more play the West Ottawa High School weekend festival which showcases the region’s emerging, diverse talent. See — and save — the full schedule.
Friends say Thunder Chicken bassist Wil Lucy was a loving, ‘kind-hearted guy’ who died unexpectedly. And Davis performed another Dylan tune on “The Voice” with impressive results while his blind audition song hit the Billboard charts. Watch the video.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Society Kills won Saturday’s Heavyweights competition between six heavy metal bands in Grand Rapids, with Local Spins capturing the battle in photos. But there was plenty more on this week’s docket, from Suicide Silence to North Mississippi Allstars to The Carboys.
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.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
With northern Michigan’s Joshua Davis getting a hero’s welcome on his return to Traverse City this week based on his impressive run on “The Voice,” Local Spins revisits the Guest Playlist he compiled just before heading into the Battle Rounds in March. Check out some of his favorite songs, including tunes by local fave Jen Sygit and icons ranging from Joni Mitchell to Bob Dylan to Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
