Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Bluegrass phenom Billy Strings fired up The Intersection in Grand Rapids on Friday, the same night that Greensky Bluegrass wowed fans at Kalamazoo’s State Theatre. Both do it all again Saturday night. Check out a recap of both shows, along with photos at Local Spins.
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band kicked off their “final tour” at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena on Wednesday, once again regaling fans with his classic tunes on Thanksgiving Eve. And they’ll be back in January for what’s billed as a final, final Grand Rapids show. Michigan’s own The War and Treaty opened Wednesday’s concert. The review and photo gallery, exclusively at Local Spins.
The Grammy-winning British rocker returned to Grand Rapids Saturday for a show at 20 Monroe Live that was heavy on songs from the first and latter part of his career. Check out the review, photo gallery and set list, exclusively at Local Spins. And browse photo galleries from other West Michigan tour stops by The Tallest Man on Earth and Danity Kane, plus Pillar to Post and a Folklife Organization benefit in Kalamazoo.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
This week’s West Michigan photo roundup covered the gamut, from national tour stops by acts such as Turkuaz and Andy Frasco to rousing local shows featuring Roosevelt Diggs, Lower Leisure Class and much more.
Moving this year from living rooms in Eastown homes to Wealthy Theatre and other venues, Lamp Light 7 has charged up stages with an eclectic blend of regional and national artists. Check out the recap, photo gallery from the first two days of this Grand Rapids festival.
Two nights before Halloween, the 70-year-old shock-rock pioneer brought his ever-entertaining, creepy rock show to DeVos Performance Hall. Check out the review by Troy Reimink and photo gallery by Anthony Norkus of Monday’s musical mayhem, along with a set list from the show.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The country superstar’s crowd-pleasing show at Van Andel Arena was part of a music week that also featured the likes of Clutch, Dave Bruzza, Insiders, Big Something and much more. The images and recaps at Local Spins.
Held along Lake Michigan south of Grand Haven, last weekend’s classes, workshops, performances and jams by all-star musicians at the Great Lakes Music Camp brought a rootsy flavor to Camp Blodgett and raised money for a good cause. Check out the recap and a photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The weekend brought country, rock, blues, hip hop, alt-rock, electronic music and more to West Michigan, captured as usual in Local Spins photo galleries and videos.
Concert reviews · Kalamazoo · Photos
This show “Missed the Boat” and it shouldn’t be blamed on “The Dance Hall.” Sound issues made songs unrecognizable, some fans left early and one reviewer wished he’d run “Out of Gas.” But the light show was groovy. Get the lowdown and a photo gallery from Tuesday’s Wings Stadium concert at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Big Dudee Roo, May Erlewine, Chris Dorman, Jordan Hamilton and more were among highlights cited by musicians and attendees for one of the final, treasured festival blasts of the season. Relive the weekend in words and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Photos
Day 2 of Kalamazoo’s Audiotree Music Festival drew even bigger crowds who cheered the likes of Grand Rapids’ Major Murphy plus Chicano Batman, Real Estate, Slow Mass, Blitzen Trapper, REZN, Lume and headliner Father John Misty. Read the Local Spins review, ogle the photo galleries from Sunday’s finale.
This Local Spins week-in-review set of photo galleries features one of our photographers’ favorite bands to shoot ever, and tons of other rocking concerts across West Michigan. On Tuesday,[…]
The MC5 anniversary tour stop at Grand Rapids’ 20 Monroe Live drew a curiously, half-full house Saturday but the powerhouse band led by Wayne Kramer still proved its influential, rock ‘n’ roll mettle. Check out the exclusive review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Just ahead of a big homecoming show in Chicago, Fall Out Boy delivered fan faves and more at Van Andel Arena on Thursday with child-like vigor, pyrotechnics and dizzying lights. Check out the review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
With a bevy of Michigan performers, last weekend’s Holler Fest in Jackson County powered up another musical showcase to remember and treasure. The Top 5 recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
The second-year festival at Grand Rapids’ Belknap Park wrapped up late Saturday night with a rousing set by Khalid, following a day of electronic music and hip hop. Relive it in Local Spins photos.
Friday’s sold-out Meijer Gardens concert proved the instrumental and vocal mettle of the beloved prog-pop band. The show review and photos, exclusively at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The first day of the second-year music festival brought bigger crowds and bigger names to Grand Rapids’ Belknap Park, with another robust lineup unfurling Saturday. Check out the review, photos and video highlights at Local Spins.
Live at River City · Photos · Videos
Michigan bluegrass guitar hero Billy Strings and his band made a stop in Grand Rapids on their way back to Nashville on Monday, electrifying a small audience at River City Studios. Watch the video, browse the photo gallery from this week’s in-studio set.
The Michigan alt-rock heroes and California kids brought nostalgic ’90s magic and more to Meijer Gardens for a fan-pleasing, sold-out show on Sunday. The review and photo gallery, exclusively at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
It was another lively week of concerts across West Michigan, with country courtesy of Kip Moore and others, hard and soft rock, electro-pop and the music of tomorrow’s stars just part of the story. Ogle the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
One of GRandJazzFest’s biggest crowds ever pumped up Rosa Parks Circle on Saturday for a diverse assortment of regional and national stars. Check out photos and a video.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Local Spins asked Desmond Jones drummer John Nowak to reflect on highlights of last weekend’s action- and camaraderie-packed Cowpie Music Festival. Here’s his take on the beloved affair, with photo galleries by Anna Sink and Nathan Purchase.
Touring behind his latest album, “American Utopia,” the ever-fetching David Byrne brought a just-as-fetching cast of musicians to DeVos Performance Hall on Wednesday for a theatrical, one-of-a-kind evening. Check out the epic review by Troy Reimink with photos by Anthony Norkus.
The iconic rock band’s return to The Pyramid Scheme on Thursday unleashed noise-ridden, Black Sabbath-meets-Capt. Beefheart charm with Spencer’s own brand of minimalist rock opening the show. The Local Spins review by John Serba, with photos by Katy Batdorff and Derek Ketchum.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
An odd, abrupt finish by Matt Berninger and The National wrapped up the spirited, eclectic Detroit festival in “an iconic place.” Check out Local Spins’ review and photo gallery of a second day that featured St. Vincent, Daniel Caesar, Portugal. The Man and Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers.
Concert reviews · Photos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The hip hop legend brought N.W.A., Ice-T, Tha Dogg Pound and more to Van Andel Arena during a busy week of tour stops and local shows in front of enthused West Michigan audiences. Concerts included Rayland Baxter, Erasure, The Beach Boys and Jake Kershaw & Melophobix in a special Walk the Beat event. The Ice Cube review and five photo galleries exclusively at Local Spins.
Live at River City · Photos · Videos
The latest live-streamed performance at River City oozed artful, original blues-edged music from the Grand Rapids band which is getting ready to release its next studio album later this year. Watch the video of Conrad Shock + The Noise’s in-studio session and check out the photos at Local Spins.
Local Spins music critic John Serba absorbed the brutish, beautifully ‘apelike rock’ of the iconic L.A. punk/metal/grunge band that rattled The Pyramid Scheme on Monday. Read his take on the rock ‘n’ roll assault along with photos by Katy Batdorff — only at Local Spins.
Another potent week of live music brought Michigan fans some iconic hip hop, country, heavy metal, indie-rock and regional stars Seth Bernard and May Erlewine. Check out the recaps in vibrant images by Local Spins photographers.
Country-pop superstar Shania Twain made a grand entrance at Van Andel Arena, then unleashed a spectacle that was flamboyant as well as fan-interactive. The concert review, photo gallery and set list from Wednesday night’s show at Local Spins.
At 74 years young, Patti LaBelle fully engaged fans during her first Grand Rapids appearance in three decades, unfurling everything from “Lady Marmalade” to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” The review and photo gallery, exclusively at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins’ weekend concert photo roundup kicks off with Janelle Monae’s crowd-pleasing tour stop at 20 Monroe Live, with throngs also flocking to Saturday’s Fourth of July bash in Grand Rapids, plus Kalamazoo fun with PHoffman and Joshua Davis at Bell’s Brewery and pianist Nat Zegree’s homecoming show at Bronson Park.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The L.A.-based pop star originally from Grand Haven unleashed an impressive homecoming set at the Lansing festival, which also boasted appearances by country stars Kip Moore and Hunter Hayes and pop/rock’s The Aces and Judah & The Lion. Check out the review and opening night photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Two weekends of musical marvels in the woods of Rothbury, Michigan, came to a close last weekend. Relive some of the highlights in Local Spins photos and a video, with links to Electric Forest coverage here and elsewhere.
Tuesday night’s sweltering heat couldn’t temper audience enthusiasm for impressive outdoor shows: Tuesday Evening Music Club’s 2018 kickoff at Meijer Gardens and the Rogue River Blues Series in Rockford. Check out the show recaps and photo galleries exclusively at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Local Spins writer Ricky Olmos plunged into the magical world of the music festival in Rothbury, caught up with the Michigan Rattlers at their Forest debut and got high, literally, in a hot-air balloon. Relive the weekend in words and photos at Local Spins.
Saturday’s Grand River Water Festival at Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park served up sets from a diverse range of Michigan acts while celebrating and promoting efforts to improve water quality. Get the recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
From the wild, fan-involving antics of Andy Frasco to the throbbing beats of Green Velvet and Keys N Krates to the lengthy jams of host String Cheese, it was a memorable opening day and night in Rothbury. Browse the photo gallery, take a video tour of Electric Forest as it morphs from day to night and check out the list of top Local Spins highlights from Day 1.
The sold-out amphitheater crowd basked in high heat and the gorgeous vocals and fiddle-playing of the Grammy-winning artist touring behind her latest album. Read the Local Spins review, browse the photo gallery from Sunday night’s concert as well as images from another weekend bluegrass show at Perrin Brewing starring Steep Canyon Rangers, Mark Lavengood and Seth Bernard.
The rock-oriented, summertime “Ryne Shyne” LowellArts series assembled by young Lowell entrepreneur Ryne Clarke boasts a special atmosphere with shows captured on video and broadcast on radio. Read more about the series and check out a photo gallery of recent performer Bet on Rats.
Browse images from Wednesday’s sold-out concert starring the iconic Jackson Browne with his band and check out a set list from the Meijer Gardens tour stop.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Hosted by Greensky Bluegrass, which played all three days with all-star sit-ins from Billy Strings, Mike Gordon and others, the inaugural northern Michigan festival hit all the right notes with festival-goers. Relive the weekend in a Local Spins recap by writer Ryan Boldrey, and photo gallery and video by Anna Sink.
The Portland folk-rock heroes enthusiastically powered through an engaging set of old hits and new at Meijer Gardens on Monday, in spite of frontman’s recent vocal strain. Read the review and ogle the photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The week after Memorial Day brought a slew of summer musical marvels to West Michigan, including the kickoff to outdoor concert series in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo and tour stops by national touring acts. Browse 10 photo galleries — from Kalamazoo’s HippieFest to Grand Rapids’ Festival of the Arts — at Local Spins.
Tied up or out of town for Memorial Day weekend? Here’s a recap of some musical magic you may have missed, courtesy of Local Spins and media outlets elsewhere across Michigan. Check out links to coverage of Movement, Bled Fest and more.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The Memorial Day weekend music fest in West Olive hosted by Buses by the Beach kicked off Friday with gorgeous weather, eclectic music and VW bus camaraderie. Get the recap and browse the photo gallery at Local Spins, where you can also find the music schedule for Saturday and Sunday.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins’ week-in-review photo roundup also features images from the Bona-Who? fest outside Cedar Springs, Chain of Lakes, Brian Koenigsknecht and Kate Pillsbury playing SpeakEZ Lounge, another Local Showcase at The Pyramid Scheme, the Barley BBQ & Beats event at Van Andel Arena, Bigfoot Buffalo at Tip Top Deluxe and more. Check out all the photos from a lively week of music at Local Spins.
Live at River City · Photos · Videos
The Southern rock-fueled Grand Rapids band fired up the latest edition of the studio series. Watch this week’s performance, listen to the interview, browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
