Breaking music news · Top 10 Lists
The hard-touring Grand Rapids’ jam band’s masterfully produced 2013 album was recorded at two different West Michigan studios. It snags the first big award of the year. And check out the Local Spins Top 10.
While thousands braved brisk temps at downtown’s outdoor Hot New Year’s Eve party, others packed Wealthy Theatre and The Intersection for lively, creative shows by the Starlight Six, Greensky Bluegrass and The Crane Wives. (Photos, video)
Just in the St. Nick of time for 11th-hour Christmas shopping, another batch of Local Spins reviews of albums by Michigan artists.
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
Musicians rally to support Benzonia’s Tim McKay, who insists he’ll soon be back playing bass for the Grand Rapids bluegrass band, though his shoemaking business is on hold. See how you can help.
Three members of Grand Rapids’ Glean Infusion jam band have reunited to form a rootsy trio, with a new studio album already in the works. They play Rockford Brewing Thursday.
CD releases by West Michigan artists Kelsey Rottiers, Karisa Wilson, UV Hippo, The Impact Band, Roger Brown, Bowery, Steve Talaga
Sun, rain, snow, falling leaves, wind, thunder, sleet. It’s that wacky time of year, and the same sort of wildly varying live music descended on West Michigan.
September’s Local Spins music news roundup peeks at UV Hippo’s upcoming new masterwork, reveals DJs for the first Halloween on Ionia, says goodbye to a jazz night, and posts exclusive[…]
On a cool August night, things got so hot at the Grand Rapids amphitheater that fans were leaping on stage and getting escorted off by security guards. Talk about rocking[…]
A throng of 20,000-plus at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, including 80 new U.S. citizens, got an eyeful and earful in a vibrant pre-fireworks show by four bands and the Daredevil Circus. (Video,[…]
The virtuosic jam band’s second-ever appearance at the outdoor amphitheater drew a sell-out crowd of mostly 20-somethings who jammed the lower bowl with red, white and blue garb. (Review, photo[…]
With a new album coming soon, Grand Rapids’ own Ultraviolet Hippopotamus will light up Ah-Nab-Awen Park on the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids Thursday, just before the Amway Fourth[…]
By kicking up a wildly entertaining bluegrass dust cloud, West Michigan’s own Greensky Bluegrass launched the final day of Electric Forest in Rothbury on an energetic, smile-inducing note. (Photo gallery)[…]
Thousands attending the four-day Michigan music festival on the Double JJ Resort continued to whoop it up Saturday, with performances on six stages, including The String Cheese Incident and more.[…]
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Day 2 of Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan, unleashed headlining homeboys The String Cheese Incident, plenty of EDM glory, and of course, the psychedelically artsy Sherwood Forest. (Photo gallery, videos)[…]
At night, the rains came to Rothbury for the opening salvo of Electric Forest, but not before thousands of fans enjoyed bands such as A Tribe Called Red and that[…]
Upwards of 20,000 or more concertgoers — along with West Michigan’s own Greensky Bluegrass — will descend on Double JJ Resort in tiny Rothbury for another edition of this singular[…]
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
Ultraviolet Hippopotamus’ eclectic and impressive instrumental display part of the free downtown show that will also feature West Michigan-driven blues, country and Top 40/classic rock. With Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, Blue[…]
With a revamped site in downtown Grand Rapids and a second beer tent, record crowds are expected for Saturday’s festival headlined by G. Love & Special Sauce. Oh, and some[…]
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
With a record-breaking 30 shows on the docket, the Meijer Gardens summer concert series boasts some high-priced big names and emerging acts in a bevy of genres. See the full[…]
April rolls on with an eclectic lineup of national acts, plus Jake’s Music Festival, Art.Downtown, the Beyond Music benefit, We Are the Ink Monkey, Paucity, Kent County String Band, Flashing[…]
Spring is in the air, almost. Live music certainly was in the air around Grand Rapids as March rolled on and the clocks sprung forward. Here’s part of the weekend[…]
Breaking music news · Upcoming shows
In between the yuks of LaughFest, West Michigan’s live music options are sizzling this week, from Bob Seger and UV Hippo returning to Grand Rapids to pre-St. Paddy’s Day revelry[…]
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows · Videos
A bracing week of West Michigan concerts: Grand Rapids’ City Lights Music Festival, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Bonnie Raitt, GRandJazzFest and Hoxeyville top the Spins on Music list. Grace[…]
For four days or so, Electric Forest was an escape from the real world. More than 25,000 jam-band and electronic music fans – the more outrageously colorful and silly the[…]
Everything is different in the dark. Way different. In daylight, Electric Forest sweats with a sun-splashed milieu that sort of celebrates Michigan’s great outdoors – concertgoers gyrating and hula-hoopers hooping[…]
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Videos
Gary Clark Jr. made it all worthwhile. Cranking out the raw blues-rock of “Bright Lights” in the brilliant sunshine at Double JJ Resort in Rothbury with undulating, brightly bedecked Electric[…]
Commentary · Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
It doesn’t have the big-name headliners of Rothbury past – Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Snoop Dogg – but this weekend’s Electric Forest at Double JJ Resort some 24 miles[…]
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
Gov’t Mule 6:30 p.m. Thursday $40 Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Township Gov’t Mule may have started as an Allman Brothers’ side project in the mid-1990s by guitarist Warren Haynes[…]
It was a celebration worthy of John’s Day. No, I didn’t see any guys strolling around with bushy oak-leaf crowns, but I saw plenty of unusual headgear at Saturday’s Founders[…]
Concert announcements · Features · Upcoming shows
As complicated as it may have been to renovate an old, long-dormant tavern and convert it into a keen new music venue, Ted Smith concedes that adjusting and reconstructing attitudes[…]
Vincent Hayes Project Huntington Rogue River Blues Series 7 p.m. Tuesday Free Garden Club Park, Rockford I mentioned the Carnival of Madness tour in a recent post. Well, it’s festival[…]
Shannon Stephens 7 p.m. Friday Free Schuler Books & Music, Grand Rapids (28th Street) Seattle singer-songwriter Shannon Stephens plays a bluesy folk-rock with her “Fabulous Friends” that’s earned attention from[…]
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Upcoming shows · Videos
This summer’s garden party just got a whole lot more interesting. Soul singer and hometown hero Al Green, blues legend Bonnie Raitt (with Mavis Staples), reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, jam[…]
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Upcoming shows · Videos
Today’s anti-summer weather might not scream shorts and hula hoops, but live music’s favorite time of year is on the doorstep as evidenced by this week’s Grand Rapids festival announcements.[…]
WYCE-FM’s Jammies XIII 5:45 p.m. Tuesday The Intersection Free; donations of clothing, non-perishable food accepted Sure, everybody’s still talking about the Grammys, but there’s no time to look back: The[…]
Winter’s returned to West Michigan, but no need to fret (unless you’re a guitarist). Hey, the snow’s slowed down so it’s time to warm up with live music aplenty in[…]
Rusted Root, The Crane Wives 6:30 p.m. Sunday The Intersection, Grand Rapids $15 advance, $18 day of show Singer and musician Michael Glabicki has ably led Pittsburgh’s Rusted Root for[…]
