Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows
More than a dozen years in the making, “the glendanles brand” album gets unveiled for the first time in Thursday night shows at Louie’s Bar & Rocket Lounge. (Podcast, video)
Brian Lorente and his band, the Usual Suspects, open for country star Tyler Farr on Thursday night. (Podcast, video)
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.
Welcome to the revamped Local Spins website, with a brighter, bolder way to offer the music news you want. And there’s more to come in 2014.
Bassist Mike Smith’s battle with melanoma has inspired creation of The Free and Clear Foundation, which will benefit from tonight’s ‘Black Friday’ reunion show at The Intersection.
A solo artist who also performs with Jen Sygit and the rootsy Americana band Lincoln County Process, Corbin is a vibrant product of Michigan’s folk music scene.
With its effervescent, pop-tinged indie-rock, Bowery has hit the re-set button with a new lead singer and a new EP that gets released this week. (Podcast, video) Happenstance. Fate.[…]
Playing at this weekend’s Lamp Light Music Festival in Grand Rapids with Cobalt Mexican Wolves, the well-traveled British-born singer-songwriter finds camaraderie, inspiration in the Double Phelix collective of musicians. […]
The award-winning bunch of Grand Valley State University and Grand Rapids Community College students has high hopes and wise-well-beyond-their-years jazz chops. (Podcast, video) At first blush, growing up on[…]
Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys’ resonator guitar whiz was reared on rock but has embraced the beauty of the Dobro and bluegrass music. He hosts a special Bruce Springsteen Tribute[…]
The Grand Rapids Symphony has the new MusicNOW series, the West Michigan Symphony has The Block, and Classical Revolution has the bar scene: All ways that classical music is building[…]
The dynamic Grand Rapids singer won the pop/electronic category in this year’s ArtPrize song contest hosted by St. Cecilia Music Center while promoting her fifth album and crisscrossing the country[…]
Lazy Genius frontman Patrick Wieland adores vinyl, cites The Beatles and Neil Young as influences, tends to mutate musically and thinks of his band as the “Steve Buscemis of rock.”[…]
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[…]
For the third year, St. Cecilia Music Center is hosting a weekend ArtPrize Musicians’ Showcase in downtown Grand Rapids with 50 acts on two stages. Here are highlights from Friday’s[…]
Led by respected, globe-trotting drummer Scott Pellegrom, the fusion trio creates wondrous, no-holds-barred music. The band, nearing completion of a new studio album, plays Muskegon’s Watermark 920 Friday. (Podcast, video)[…]
Grand Rapids hip-hop artist Rick Chyme unveils his ArtPrize entry on Saturday, with plans to freestyle rap throughout the city in hopes of setting a new world record for hip-hop[…]
After hosting an open-mic night for seven years, the acoustic roots performer has established himself as an in-demand solo act across West Michigan. He plays the 40th Eastown Street Fair[…]
Grand Rapids indie-folk singer-songwriter Jake Down and his band are “just having fun and trying to meet people and impact people.” They release their debut EP on Saturday at The[…]
Blending classic rock favorites with original tunes, Grand Rapids’ Mid-Life Crisis is celebrating its 12th year of “playing music with friends.” In some ways, Mid-Life Crisis may be the[…]
The award-winning keyboard player, composer and co-leader of the Mind’s Eye modern jazz quartet has become an in-demand musician amid West Michigan’s lively jazz scene, which includes this weekend’s GRandJazzFest.[…]
With re-emergence of the alt-country band, The Dushanes, Leaver is juggling a robust performance schedule while eyeing new band and solo recording projects. (Podcast, video) He’s one of music’s[…]
In its second year, the downtown festival adds another day of music, touts headliners Nick Colionne and Phil Denny, and gives a boost to West Michigan jazz stars of the[…]
With sibling-like harmonies, Bennett’s “natural, real” approach has caught fire in West Michigan, with the band releasing a new single later this month and a new EP this fall. (Podcast,[…]
With recent release of their hauntingly beautiful debut album, members of West Michigan’s Antrim Dells put vocals at the forefront of their engaging, poetic music. (Podcast, video) Antrim Dells[…]
With its sophomore “Hellcat!” album, the Grand Rapids duo has honed its sound with designs on taking the world by the throat, starting with Saturday’s hometown CD-release show at The[…]
The hard-gigging West Michigan country band gets inspiration from the likes of Waylon Jennings and Don Williams, but ups the ante with its own revved-up musical style. (Video, podcast) […]
With a repertoire of acoustic standards from the 1890s to the 1950s, the Grand Rapids quintet oozes a vintage feel in every performance. Next week, the band plays the Tuesday[…]
From emerging act Spence & Friends to longtime fave Mid-Life Crisis, Festival covers the gamut of musical styles and sounds. But can a 13-year-old steal the show? At 13,[…]
Three emerging bands and several young solo performers will rub elbows with veterans such as Wallace Collective and Conklin Ceili Band at day-long festival and pig roast near Cedar Springs.[…]
Features · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
Take Two of the Local Spins Live Contemporary Folk Series in St. Cecilia Music Center’s historic Royce Auditorium will star two of West Michigan’s most popular bands in precedent-setting performances.[…]
Bob Seger, Michigan’s favorite rock son, had much to say about touring in 2006 after a 10-year hiatus. As he hits the road again, with a ticket pre-sale Thursday for[…]
The Rolling Stones’ longtime keyboard player comments on the legendary band and the excitement of upcoming concerts in an exclusive Spins on Music interview. Lots of smiles, and everyone is[…]
Commentary · Features · Videos
The debut of Randy Marsh’s Sunday night jazz sessions at SpeakEZ Lounge shows great promise as a hot spot for the genre in downtown Grand Rapids. This may be[…]
Commentary · Features · Upcoming shows
For 18 years, the concerts have raised money for Kent County food pantries and spotlighted local acts. Feedback fires up again on Sunday at Founders Brewing. FEEDBACK 2012 4[…]
Live jazz downtown is still kicking: HopCat calls it quits after more than a year, but SpeakEZ to feature Randy Marsh-led jazz beginning next month. Don’t close the book[…]
New West Michigan releases by The Hawktones, The Concussions, Bronk Bros., Roosevelt Diggs, Chain of Lakes, Roger MacNaughton, Eric Kehoe and more. Officially, three weeks of summer remain. Plenty of[…]
Album reviews · Commentary · Upcoming shows
Summer roundup of West Michigan CD releases, Part II: Vertical Bridge, Potato Moon, Delilah DeWylde, Detour, Dave Hardin, Suitcase Just like today’s rain, the deluge of new regional music continues.[…]
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[…]
For the second year, Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize will accept original songs as entries as official artworks in the international competition. And this year, St. Cecilia Music Center is offering $10,000[…]
Singer-songwriter Jonathan Edwards isn’t afraid to speak his mind on stage or in his songs. Starting with his Vietnam War-era hit, “Sunshine,” in the early 1970s, the singer has long[…]
Singer and Grand Rapids native Anthony Kiedis won’t be inside his customized ’58 Airstream trailer when he rolls into Cleveland with his Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates for Saturday’s Rock[…]
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows · Videos
The Fuzzrites, The Boss Mustangs 9:30 p.m. Wednesday $5 Charlie’s Bar & Grille, Grand Rapids This week’s BIG radar-jamming shows will divide fans into two distinct rock camps and ne’er[…]
From pop phenoms to jazz veterans to bluegrass jammers, it’s time for Part II of my quarterly Local Spins roundup of new album releases by local and regional artists. (If[…]
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[…]
