Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
In spite of near-constant snowfall, several West Michigan concerts featuring national as well as regional acts powered through over the weekend. The Local Spins recaps and photos.
As we enter our 14th year, we recap 2025 at Local Spins by looking back at the numbers — our flurry of stories, photo galleries, reviews, podcasts and more that embrace Michigan’s music scene. We haven’t been able to do it without your support.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Saturday’s Winter Wheat festival in Grand Rapids highlighted a weekend of tantalizing live music across the region, from Ghost Bunnies to Hannah Laine to Full Cord Trio. Get the recaps and browse the photos at Local Spins.
Concert Recaps · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins’ first weekend-concert-photo roundup of the year showcases audience-igniting shows at The Pyramid Scheme and Four Star Theatre. Browse all of the images.
Festivals · Local Spins on WYCE · Photos · Podcasts
Today, Local Spins not only recaps New Year’s Eve celebrations across West Michigan in words and photos, but spotlights a memorable Michigan Music Showcase podcast filled with tracks by regional artists.
Concert reviews · Photos · Top Stories of the Year Countdown · Videos
Michigan’s bluegrass hero returned to Grand Rapids in late May for two jam-packed, epic nights at Van Andel Arena, sparking pre-parties, a marketplace and more. Revisit the hubbub in words and images.
Concert reviews · Photos · Top Stories of the Year Countdown
It proved to be The Mavericks’ final Michigan show. Country icon Dwight Yoakam headlined the late March concert at Wings Event Center. Revisit the review and photo gallery as part of our year-end countdown.
Concert reviews · Photos · Top Stories of the Year Countdown
The Detroit-bred guitarist blazed a loud, shapeshifting trail through his career catalog in mid-April for 2,600 rabid fans at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. We revisit the Local Spins review, with photos, as part of our countdown of the Top 10 stories of the year.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Caledonia, Michigan bands celebrated the holidays in their own, inimitable ways. The recaps and photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The Traverse City-bred alt-folk trio The Accidentals brought the Michigan tour behind its new Christmas album to Grand Rapids’ Big Room on Friday, impressing fans with enhancement from an ensemble of young Ohio musicians. Review, photos.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins’ week-in-review roundup of concerts as the weather turned frigid features sizzling hot shows from national stars and regional favorites. Browse the photos and a video, including Sunday’s tour-ending Grand Rapids concert by Soul Coughing.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Winter arrived in Michigan with a snowy bang over Thanksgiving weekend, but bands from Kalamazoo to Traverse City heated up stages in spite of the weather, including Desmond Jones’ traditional day-before-Thanksgiving romp. View the photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Top-shelf songwriting from Brett Dennen, Luke Winslow-King and others — along with stellar musicianship — took the spotlight at several concerts across West Michigan over the weekend. Plus, check out videos and photos from the jam-packed ‘Laurel Canyon II’ tribute night.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Country singer Ryan Hurd, jam band Dogs in a Pile, Here Come the Mummies and more filled up a weekend of live music that also included the second annual GIG conference in Jackson. Browse the photo galleries.
The second annual ‘GIG: The Art of Michigan Music’ conference takes place Saturday at Art 634 in Jackson with displays by 24 visual artists and concert photographers, as well as performances by three Michigan rock bands. The lowdown at Local Spins.
Sunday’s tour stops by artists with new albums featured pop-punk’s All Time Low at GLC Live at 20 Monroe and singer-songwriter Josh Ritter at St. Cecilia. The recaps and photos at Local Spins.
Dressed appropriately for their silver anniversary, Greensky Bluegrass revved up Kalamazoo fans at Wings Event Center on Friday with two sets featuring guests Sam Bush and Lindsay Lou. The Local Spins recap and photos.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Kathleen Edwards, Neon Trees, John Morgan, Lindsay Lou, Lower Leisure Class, Candid Antics, The Local Commuters and Garbage Angel highlighted the week of live music from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids to Traverse City, recapped in Local Spins photos.
The award-winning musician returned to St. Cecilia Music Center on Thursday for a special evening that combined the somber with the upbeat. The review and photos at Local Spins.
A sold-out GLC Live at 20 Monroe was ‘on fire’ when Cage the Elephant returned to the venue to produce what it called one of the best shows of its tour. The Local Spins review and photos.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From Lawrence’s soul-pop at GLC Live, Tauk’s fusion at Elevation and ATliens wild EDM at The Intersection to more intimate affairs at Wealthy Theatre (May Erlewine), Bell’s (Craig Finn), SpeakEZ (Evidence Jazz) and Glow Hall (Cal in Red), it was an upbeat weekend of live music. Get the recaps and browse the photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Call it a weekend to celebrate new albums and fresh music performed by some regional favorites. Molly, Erin Monroe, Abe Savas and Zero Sun provided an eclectic mix for enthused fans. Browse the photos at Local Spins.
Touting their debut studio album, Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble revved up the intimate confines of The Alluvion listening room with two sold-out shows on Wednesday. The review and photos exclusively at Local Spins.
Announcements · Contests · Photos · Summer Festivals
In early June, we asked music fans attending summer festivals across Michigan to submit their favorite photos from their musical jaunts. Today, we crown the winner. Plus, browse photos of all of the contest entries and select galleries from Local Spins photographers from the 2025 summer festival season.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Reflecting the milieu of the entire seven-day music festival, Sunday’s closing salvo at Bronson Park boasted a wide swath of styles amid stellar weather. The recap and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
West Michigan’s live music weekend boasted no shortage of stars — national and regional, from a fast-rising country singer with a multi-talented Michigander in tow to summer’s final blast at Bell’s Beer Garden and more. View the photos and videos, exclusively at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Local Spins on WYCE · Photos · Podcasts · Summer Festivals
The first four days of Kalamazoo’s week-long musical celebration have covered a lot of bases. Get the recap, photos and listen to this week’s radio show podcast featuring tracks by more than a dozen Michigan artists.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Our week-in-review of West Michigan concerts boasts milestone performances and a send-off show for a Grand Rapids singer, plus The Baseball Project, Superchunk, The Bootstrap Boys and more. Get the show recaps and browse the photos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
The Flint-area rock band has released singles this year with more music, shows ahead. Local Spins spotlights the band and debuts tracks by other Michigan artists, including Luke Winslow-King, Whorled, JonPaul Wallace, Hail Your Highness, Hand of Giants and more. Learn more about Heat Above and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Thursday brought three national tours to Grand Rapids at three different venues — pumping up fans for far different live music experiences. Browse the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Concerts
Perfect weather and a sold-out crowd with ‘arms outstretched’ greeted the reunited aughts indie darlings, wrapping up the amphitheater’s summer series. The review, photos and set list at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Weekend Photo Gallery
Music lovers couldn’t have asked for much more: Regional bands at Vibes Fest, Celtic strains in Muskegon, an M-45 Celebration, two album-release shows in Kalamazoo and a tour stop by Soccer Mommy. The photos at Local Spins.
The picture-perfect evening at Meijer Gardens provided an ideal setting Thursday for the Australian folk-pop singer-songwriter’s impressive, sold-out performance. Review, photos.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
One of Michigan’s longest-running music festivals embraced everything from traditional music to rock, funk and more on several stages and amid the woods in Remus last weekend. The Local Spins recap, photos and video.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The early September flurry of concerts and festivals across West Michigan included a long-running Grand Rapids street fair and celebrations in Kalamazoo, plus concerts featuring Jauz, The Nuance, Sunny War and more. Browse the photo galleries and come back to Local Spins on Tuesday for full coverage of the Wheatland Music Festival.
Welcome to our annual examination of the plight of musicians’ seeking a living wage and better working conditions. This year, we take a closer look at the negligible revenue from streaming services. Plus, browse a photo gallery from Sunday’s Gov’t Mule tour stop in Paw Paw.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Labor Day weekend has brought celebrations of varied nature to West Michigan, from homecoming shows for the Motor City Madman to a spotlight on emerging female artists. View the photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The alt-rock/folk band’s sold-out, headlining show at Meijer Gardens on Thursday night was a milestone event for the beloved group with a devoted fan base. The review, photos and a video at Local Spins.
The Texas-born, neo-traditional country singer rode into Meijer Gardens on Monday night to deliver more than two dozen songs from his robust catalog. The Local Spins review and photos.
Concert reviews · Photos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Umphrey’s McGree returned to Meijer Gardens for a weekend-ending, jam-filled, prog-rock-infused spectacle, the day after Greensky Bluegrass finished a bluegrass stint at Interlochen. Plus, shoegaze bands revved up a new Kalamazoo venue. Photos.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Two festivals in different parts of the city attracted fans for a wide variety of music unleashed by Michigan bands amid splendid summer weather. Photos, videos and recaps at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The soulful Americana stars didn’t let rain and a power outage prevent them from delighting fans Saturday with an acoustic performance following the city’s 20-band Walk the Beat fest — with Lowell’s The Nuance winning this year’s competition. Recap, photos, video
The Kalamazoo-bred, progressive bluegrass dynamo unleashed the first of two straight northern Michigan shows at Interlochen on Friday, after revving up fans in Detroit on Thursday. Photos, recap at Local Spins.
The Michigan-based singer-songwriter, actor and humorist regaled a sold-out crowd at St. Cecilia Music Center on Wednesday with all manner of laugh-inducing musical ditties, many of them involving the Mitten State. The review, photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The special five-act romp for Tuesday Evening Music Club came the same night that Rotary Rocks benefit in Rockford boasted sets by Roosevelt Diggs and Nicholas James & The Bandwagon. Recaps, photos at Local Spins.
Music won out over weather Monday when the multi-platinum-selling pop singer-songwriter from California returned to Grand Rapids. The review and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The California rockers returned Sunday to Meijer Gardens, closing out a weekend of electronic mayhem at Breakaway, a goodbye for a GR favorite and Lettuce in Paw Paw. Check out the CAKE review and browse photos from all of the shows at Local Spins.
The opening day of the 2025 music festival in Grand Rapids on Friday sizzled with sets from up-and-coming stars as well as established acts such as Zedd, Gryffin, Disco Lines and more. The recap and photos at Local Spins, along with Saturday’s festival schedule.
The veteran Colorado band that’s long been the “house band” at Michigan’s Electric Forest returned to the region to fire up a capacity crowd at Meijer Gardens on Thursday. A recap and photos at Local Spins.
The classic rock band’s appearance Monday at Meijer Gardens also featured an impressive opening set from Serita’s Black Rose. The review and photo gallery — and the Cheap Trick set list — at Local Spins.
