Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Set to be staged for the first time since 2019 and for the first time in southern Kent County, the Camp Greensky festival is set to unfurl this weekend with Greensky Bluegrass, Little Feat, Steppin’ In It and more. Get the back story on what it takes to create a festival on a working cattle farm and view the schedule at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
A cool but welcoming atmosphere returned to Camp Blodgett for Buses by the Beach’s first Memorial Weekend festival since 2019. The recap and photos at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Patty Pershayla, Roosevelt Diggs, Nicholas Thomasma, Elijah Russ, Nathan Walton, Josh Rose and more will heat up the lakeshore for the resumption of the popular festival. View the schedule and get details at Local Spins.
Special Offers · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Local Spins celebrates its 10th anniversary with seven shows in six days at a half-dozen Grand Rapids venues in mid-May. Oh, and we’ve got groovy new merch to unleash and Local Spinsation Ale, too. Get the lowdown and see how you can win tickets to a Local Spins Week concert.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The early June festival at Shagbark Farm south of Grand Rapids will feature Greensky Bluegrass, Peter Rowan, The Wayword Sons and more. Plus, Memorial Day weekend’s Buses by the Beach has revealed its lineup of regional stars, too. Get the lowdown and ticket information at Local Spins.
The highly rated, family-friendly music festival at Circle Pines Center south of Grand Rapids will fire up with more than two dozen regional artists after a two-year COVID hiatus. See the initial lineup at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
‘All roads lead to Blissfest’: The festival near Cross Village resumes July 8-10 for the first time since 2019 with a robust roster of artists. Get details and view the lineup.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The 2022 edition of the northern Michigan music festival will also boast appearances by Lindsay Lou, May Erlewine, Larry Keel Experience, Mark Lavengood, Full Cord, Airborne or Aquatic and more. Learn more at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
Michigan’s summer festival season shapes up as the busiest since 2019’s pre-COVID days. Check out lineups for three returning festivals, plus details about applying for June’s Festival of the Arts.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
After previously being held in northern Michigan, the festival hosted by Greensky Bluegrass will relocate to “a stone’s throw from Grand Rapids.” Get the lowdown at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
After a two-year hiatus, the diverse three-day festival on Shagbark Farm near Caledonia will also feature Tunde Olaniran, Desmond Jones, Lady Ace Boogie, Dixon’s Violin, Sophistafunk and dozens more. View the lineup and get more details about the final edition of Cowpie at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Summer Festivals
After two years of cancellations due to COVID, the intimate August festival north of Grand Rapids has lost its momentum, citing the unvaccinated and a ‘never-ending’ pandemic. Details at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Festivals · Summer Festivals
While COVID concerns remain, more than 50 Michigan festivals plan to resume later this year, including the uber-popular, the traditional and some new events, too. View the comprehensive list at Local Spins.
Albums that Changed the World · Summer Festivals · Top 12 Stories Countdown
No. 7 in our countdown is a combo affair: The much-ballyhooed story of Greensky Bluegrass’ debut at Shagbark Farm in July and mandolinist Paul Hoffman’s picks for ‘Albums that Changed His World.’ Revisit these stories and browse a photo gallery from the mini-festival.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Perrin’s day-long Backyard Bash highlighted a weekend of crowd-pleasing shows from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo — captured in images at Local Spins. Relive the action in seven photo galleries.
Concert reviews · Top 10 Lists
Fall has arrived, so Local Spins columnist John Sinkevics offers up his Top 10 favorites shows or live music events that he attended this summer. We also list some readers’ picks of best concerts. What are yours?
Grand Rapids’ Desmond Jones, celebrating a new album, closes out the party that will also boast a headlining set by The Hacky Turtles, plus appearances by Flexadecibel, Melophobix, Nathan Walton & The Remedy and the Polyphonic Element. Get the full schedule for this event that was forced to take a one-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Local Spins columnist Todd Ernst encourages West Michigan electronic music fans to skip down to the Windy City over the holiday weekend for an inaugural ARC Music Festival that he says is ‘pulling out all the stops.’ The preview and performance schedule at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The opening day of the first Breakaway celebration in two years brought sunshine, heat, electronic music stars and gyrating throngs to the Grand Rapids park on Friday. The Local Spins recap, photo gallery and some video highlights from Day 1, with Day 2 on tap Saturday.
Commentary · Looking for the Perfect Beat · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Local Spins’ authority on electronic music, DJ Todd Ernst, chimes in about this year’s lineup for Belknap Park’s Breakaway Music Festival, which gets unleashed Friday and Saturday in Grand Rapids. Check out his take, listen to a Breakaway playlist and browse the weekend schedule at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The two-day festival descending on Grand Rapids’ Belknap Park this weekend brims with some top names in electronic, hip hop and pop, including several Michigan faves. Get the preview and full festival schedule at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Not surprisingly, multiple performances by Michigan-bred bluegrass hero Billy Strings topped the roster of memorable moments at a northern Michigan festival that returned after a one-year hiatus. Browse the weekend highlights, pore over the photos and view videos from an action-packed Hoxey.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Memories of Farmfest 2021 – the final edition of the northern Michigan festival – will linger for a long time after a utopian weekend of music. Relive some of the festival highlights in words and images at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Photos
Hundreds of fans strolled the streets on Grand Haven’s East Side on Saturday in the return of the popular one-day festival which raises funds to assist young musicians. Recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
Just a month away from the festival’s return to Remus, the Wheatland Music Organization today pulled the plug on Wheatland 2021 due to ‘practically unmanageable’ efforts to stage the event safely. The story and the reaction at Local Spins
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows · Videos
It’s back for 2021 in the Manistee National Forest this weekend with national headliners and regional favorites, including a bluegrass singer who adores Hoxey and all it entails. An interview with Lindsay Lou, along with the festival schedule.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Unfurling with more than 40 bands east of Gaylord this weekend, organizer Stacy Jo Schiller says her last Farmfest shapes up as a safe and ‘high-energy’ celebration on the farm. The preview at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
After taking 2020 off due to COVID, Saturday’s afternoon event will boast performances by 46 bands in ‘some pretty unconventional places.’ Get the preview and schedule at Local Spins.
In-Depth Report · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Growing concerns about the delta variant as Michigan enters its busiest stretch of concerts and music festivals this summer could spark vaccination mandates or mask requirements for some shows. The in-depth report at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Last weekend’s cozy music festival in northern Michigan featured regional bands and solo artists playing on two stages amid a laid-back vibe. Check out the Local Spins recap and photo gallery.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Act Casual, Chirp, Mark Lavengood, The Whiskey Charmers, The Hacky Turtles, Lighting Matches and more are part of the 2021 lineup at the northern Michigan festival taking place July 23-25. Get details and the full festival schedule at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
“Rock music is back!” Despite some early rain, throngs of head-bangers cheered their hard-rocking heroes as festival performances — featuring several Michigan acts — returned to Grand Rapids. Read the review, browse the photo gallery and watch video highlights from the first day of Upheaval Festival.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Playing the first of three nights at the Caledonia-area ranch, the Michigan-bred progressive bluegrass powerhouse earned a rousing welcome from fans. The Local Spins review, with photos and video highlights from Night No. 1.
Artist Spotlights · Summer Concerts · Summer Festivals · Videos
The progressive bluegrass powerhouse with roots in Kalamazoo plays three nights at Shagbark Farm south of Grand Rapids starting Friday. The Local Spins interview with banjoist Michael Arlen Bont, plus videos and ticket links.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows · Videos
The remote, cozy festival in northern Lake Michigan will feature a host of Michigan stars this weekend, including The Gasoline Gypsies, Hacky Turtles, Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps, The Founding and more. Learn more about this year’s event and watch videos of some of the featured bands at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
West Michigan’s 2021 Independence Day weekend proved to be far busier music-wise than the pandemic-impaired 2020, and Local Spins was there to capture the concert action in photos.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
’Finally, the music is back.’ The inaugural festival in Trufant reveled in good weather, camaraderie and the return of live performances. Get the recap, photos and video highlights at Local Spins.
Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
Canada’s Brass Transit plays Bay View outside Petoskey on Saturday, kicking off a hectic month of concerts across northern Michigan. Learn more about this band and view a full schedule of “up north” shows.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows · Videos
After a silent 2020, the iconic, three-day music festival this weekend at Eaton County Fairgrounds has organizers and fans ‘super-excited.’ Learn more about this event and view the full performance schedule at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Unable to pull off Camp Greensky in June, the national bluegrass powerhouse instead will regale fans July 16-18 with Railroad Earth, Steppin’ In It and Sierra Hull. Details at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
The pandemic-inspired alternative to GR’s Festival of the Arts will celebrate ‘all things art in a slightly different way this year.’ Details and a list of performers at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
After taking 2020 off due to COVID, the granddaddy of Michigan music festivals plans ‘as near normal a regular festival as possible’ this year. The September festival will be slightly smaller in terms of attendance. Get details at Local Spins.
Summer Concerts · Summer Festivals
While Interlochen is still assessing prospects for staging concerts this summer, a brand new festival and a fourth-year ‘micro’ event will bring live music to northern Michigan’s great outdoors. Get the lowdown on these events at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Summer Festivals
Hopes for an August edition of the celebration in Rothbury were dashed due to the continued impact of COVID-19, organizers stated. It’s one of several Michigan festivals which canceled this week. But the city of Grand Rapids will move ahead with numerous ethnic festivals this summer and fall.
Announcements · Breaking music news · Summer Festivals
Two intimate, much-beloved Michigan festivals with a devoted fan base — one in late May and the other in late August — will take a hiatus for the second year in row. Get details at Local Spins along with information about a third festival that announced a postponement this week.
Breaking music news · Concert announcements · Summer Festivals
The brand new, two-day festival hosted by Dobro whiz Mark Lavengood will limit capacity and feature sets by ‘a stronghold of West Michigan greats’ playing on a site with plenty of space for social distancing. Get details, ticket information and the full lineup at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Summer Festivals
With pandemic restrictions still causing uncertainty, the iconic music festival near Harbor Springs has made ‘the difficult decision’ to skip the July event again, looking ahead now to 2022. Learn more about the ‘heart-wrenching’ move at Local Spins, along with the cancellation of an Upper Peninsula music festival.
In-Depth Report · Upcoming shows · Videos
The latest “Comeback Road” video focuses on The Pyramid Scheme, plus we update other outlets getting state grants and some places — including Grand Haven — where outdoor concerts are planned. And see how some venues and organizations plan to use state assistance to move forward.
Breaking music news · In-Depth Report · Summer Festivals
Several Michigan music festivals have canceled summer events for the second year in a row. But others are moving ahead in 2021, barring a coronavirus resurge. The lowdown on the state’s upcoming festival season at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Guest Column
The second installment in the Local Spins series recounting our critics’ most bizarre concert experiences continues with tales of outlandish musical misery, courtesy of the one and only John Serba — from a Motley Crue debacle to jam-band hell.
