Monday proved to be an enchanting evening for devoted fans of two established, much-beloved artists whose tours made stops at different Grand Rapids venues. The recaps and photos at Local Spins.
A nearly 90-minute storm delay and venue evacuation didn’t entirely put a damper on the acts’ sunny outlooks, with Black Violin’s soaring strings and hip hop closing out an unpredictable evening, The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Grand Rapids-area music fans embraced a mix of audience-engaging concerts, including a triumphant tour stop by O.A.R. at Meijer Gardens and the final Blues on the Grand show of the summer. Browse the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Four Nashville songwriters and Rockford’s Daniel Terry kicked off the inaugural two-day event Friday at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont. The recap, photos and video highlights at Local Spins.
The engaging singer-songwriter deftly managed an unexpected fan on stage during his set and a balance of new and old songs during Wednesday’s Meijer Gardens concert. The review, photos and set list at Local Spins.
Summer Concerts · Weekend Photo Gallery
The holiday weekend brought out some regional favorites for outdoor celebrations and a West Michigan tour stop by a songwriting legend. The concert recaps in photos from Local Spins.
New Orleans-born-and-bred multi-instrumentalist Troy Andrews and the effervescent Orleans Avenue band enraptured a sold-out Meijer Gardens on Wednesday with virtuosic musicianship and Big Easy spirit. The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
The ever-engaging Americana/bluegrass/country Nashville-based, Virginia-bred band enthralled a sold-out Meijer Gardens audience in its welcomed return to Grand Rapids on Sunday. The review, photo gallery and set list 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.
The acclaimed songwriter unfurled the first major concert at DeVos Performance Hall since early 2020, a rescheduled show heavy on material from his band’s latest album. The review, photo gallery and set list at Local Spins.
The former Men at Work frontman dipped into ’80s pop hits, extensive solo catalog and classic covers for an energetic, well-received evening of entertainment. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
The band that made a splash as part of the ‘second British invasion’ in the 1980s delivered its best-known hits and more during its Grand Rapids tour stop, with Jeffrey Gaines opening. The review, photos and set list at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
West Michigan blues fans got an earful, with Ana Popovic revving up WLAV’s Blues on the Grand Thursday and a host of stars at Kalamazoo’s Old Dog Tavern Saturday. Plus, Keller Williams made a SW Michigan tour stop. Revisit the action in these exclusive photo galleries at Local Spins.
The ’80s rock band’s first-ever show at the amphitheater felt like a race to reviewer Lorilee Craker, but the capacity crowd did get to hear some fan favorites. The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Wednesday’s sold-out show amid hot and muggy conditions brought a doubleheader of fan favorites to the outdoor amphitheater. The recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
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.
The two veteran acts played vastly different Grand Rapids venues on Friday night with vastly different approaches. Get the recaps and photo galleries at Local Spins.
The band formerly known as Mandolin Orange unfurled fresh songs from an album due out next week during its Meijer Gardens tour stop on Thursday. The review and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Features · Weekend Photo Gallery
For artists such as Joshua Davis and Troll for Trout, the return to stages in Grand Rapids this summer after more than 16 months of COVID silence has created a peculiar but welcome feeling. Get the back story of their experiences and recaps of their shows, along with photo galleries that also include images of Djangophonique at Grand Rapids Art Museum and Pink Martini with Grand Rapids Symphony at Meijer Gardens.
“Falling in love with the process”: Muskegon photographer Nathan Purchase helms the Music Portrait Project, a film-camera series showcasing regional music industry professionals. Learn more about this endeavor and browse a photo gallery at Local Spins.
Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and Via Mardot pumped up a capacity crowd for this week’s edition of the Tuesday series at Meijer Gardens, demonstrating the power of local and regional music. The recap and photos from this week’s concert.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Live music matched the weather this week: Sizzling and sweaty, from The Go Rounds at Studio Park to Collective Soul at Meijer Gardens to Bill Kirchen, The Concussions and more at Jerry Palooza — plus, Grand Rapids Symphony, Melophobix and Brian Koenigknecht played shows across West Michigan. We’ve got the photo recaps.
The Michigan alt-rock band played a summer homecoming show on Saturday that checked a lot of boxes and featured the return of Brad Vander Ark. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
The legendary and celebrated New Orleans act partnered with Grand Rapids Symphony on Sunday night for an upbeat mix of jazz and classical performed under clear skies and with perfect temps. The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
One of the busiest music weeks of summer 2021 brought big crowds to venues across West Michigan, including the second day of revelry at Belknap Park and Shagbark Farm. The photo galleries, festival recaps and video highlights 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 · Videos
Thursday night in Grand Rapids unfurled as a tale of two outdoor milestones: the first ‘Blues on the Grand’ show headlined by the Eric Gales Band and another full house at Studio Park with sets by Michigander and Lipstick Jodi. Check out the show recaps, browse the photo galleries and watch video highlights at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From Grand Rapids to the lakeshore, bands and fans celebrated the return of live music to packed venues, many hosting their first concerts in more than a year. Browse the images from The Intersection, The Pyramid Scheme, Burl & Sprig, Listening Room/Studio Park and Grand Haven’s Waterfront Stadium at Local Spins.
Thursday night’s return to live music at the Grand Rapids nightclub filled its Elevation venue with dance-happy fans of Tropidelic and Snacks & Five. Revisit the celebration in a review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The first Tuesday Evening Music Club show in nearly two years filled the amphitheater for sets by The Accidentals and Roosevelt Digs. Get the recap, view the photos and video exclusively at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The state’s outdoor concert and festival flurry took an unexpected turn with the week’s unceasing rain and even tornado warnings, but indoor shows flourished at Listening Room and Tip Top Deluxe, along with a few outdoor sets across the region. Browse the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
With release of the band’s third full-length album, “Dad Rock,” Droppers opens up about getting in trouble while growing up in Florida, being a new father and crafting a record during a pandemic. Learn more about the project, view the videos and browse a photo gallery from the band’s recent record-release show.
Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins celebrates the first day of summer and Father’s Day with a photo gallery of live music that heated up outdoor stages in Lowell, Grand Rapids, Three Rivers, Jackson and Rockford. Browse the images and a video from these concerts.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
It was the first big week of live music in the great outdoors across West Michigan with nightly offerings of regional stars from Kalamazoo to Allegan to Grand Rapids to Rockford. Relive the performances in images and a highlights video at Local Spins.
This weekend’s debut of outdoor live music events in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo had music lovers basking not only in the sunshine and heat, but finally getting a taste of what the rest of summer 2021 has in store. The event recaps and photo galleries at Local Spins.
A happy crowd of mask-less concertgoers gathered in the courtyard of Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids to cheer a diverse trio of Grand Rapids acts thrilled to be back on stage. The recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Photos · Upcoming shows · Venue Spotlight
One of Grand Rapids’ newest music venues emerges from the pandemic with four nights of shows each week, including open-mics hosted by Melophobix and Raven Griffin. The venue spotlight at Local Spins, with a photo gallery and listing of upcoming shows.
Concert reviews · Local Spins Rewind · Photos · Videos
Today’s Local Spins Rewind feature looks back to May 2019 when classic rock icons The Who opened their North American tour with help from Grand Rapids Symphony musicians. Fans are still arguing over this one. Revisit the review and an interview with The Who’s creative director, browse the photo galleries, video and set list.
Five years ago, long before COVID, mid-April rocked West Michigan as musicians and fans packed record shops, Wealthy Theatre, Pyramid Scheme, Intersection and Billy’s Lounge. Revisit the special weekend in words and photos in this Local Spins Rewind feature.
Nine months after a band last played the stage at Grand Rapids’ Tip Top Deluxe with a live audience on hand, The Moonrays brought their surf-rock charm to the West Side venue Friday. Local Spins has the photos from a milestone evening after a ‘year of COVID,’ with Myron Elkins set to fire up the stage on Saturday night.
Concert reviews · Live-Stream Concerts
The opening-day salvo of Michigan artists performing for the live-streamed Spread the Music Festival attracted thousands of viewers for compelling sets. Check out some first-day highlights and photos, along with picks for other must-see acts at the festival which runs through Sunday.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
After a mostly silent winter, two popular West Michigan bands revved up tunes new and old for live audiences in Grand Rapids and Holland on Friday. Find recaps of both shows in words and images at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · In Memoriam · Local Spins Rewind · Photos
One year ago — before the pandemic erupted — West Michigan not only cheered a tour stop by mandolin whiz Chris Thile but mourned the unexpected death of beloved local musician Eric Soules. Local Spins revisits both events in today’s ‘Rewind’ feature.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Over the past week, three West Michigan establishments hosted live music in different ways — with and without audiences, and with pandemic restrictions in place. Local Spins captured it all in photo galleries featuring King Biscuit Trio, Rufus Ferguson and other local musicians.
Concert reviews · Features · Photos
After a year of COVID, the Portage brewery’s second anniversary party boasted performances by Lexi Adams, St. Joe Jack and more — with limited capacity, regular sanitization and new brews. Check out the recap and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Ralston Bowles and Michael Crittenden kicked off St. Cecilia Music Center’s virtual folk-and-blues series on Thursday. Local Spins was there to capture the unusual vibe in an empty auditorium with two veteran West Michigan musicians.
Local Spins Rewind · Photos · Videos
Held at The Intersection exactly one year ago today, the 11th annual benefit for the Wheatland Music Organization boasted more than a dozen performances on two stages in spite of wintry weather. Revisit the event in words, photos and video.
Artist Spotlights · Photos · Videos
The Grand Rapids collective has stayed safely active during COVID-19 with socially distanced shows and virtual performances while promoting a new EP and workshopping new material for the next one. Delve into the creative world of August in this in-depth Artist Spotlight and watch the video of a performance of a song from the band’s latest EP.
Concert announcements · Concert reviews · Photos
Halloween weekend amid 2020’s coronavirus crisis is not what West Michigan has come to expect, with closed venues and canceled shows. But Grand Rapids hip hop artists still fired a final musical salvo at Studio Park on Friday. Get the holiday weekend update, see what shows are still happening and browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
A year ago this week, country, pop, jam band, rock and folk fans were in the thick of memorable West Michigan performances and events — oblivious to the approaching COVID pandemic. Relive the week in words and photos courtesy of Local Spins Rewind.
