With a new album dropping Tuesday, the L.A.-by-way-of-Chicago rock band made a tour stop at Calvin College on Saturday and turned the Fine Arts Center into a confetti-drenched party pit. Sort of.
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Laughing off occasional showers, festival-goers reveled in weekend sets by 100-plus bands on four stages on the site northeast of Lake City. (Story, photo gallery, video)
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
A bit o’ rain and an unseasonable chill didn’t deter revelers from Allegan to Grand Rapids this weekend, with Guided by Voices and Wavves heating things up indoors.
Playing country with a Ted Nugent roar, the Grand Rapids band fired up another big crowd Wednesday by opening for Florida Georgia Line at Allegan County Fair. (Photo gallery, videos)
Playing to a packed house at The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids Monday night, X (the band) plowed through a 24-song set drawn almost entirely from the group’s first three nearly flawless LPs — 1980’s “Los Angeles,” 1981’s “Wild Gift” and 1982’s “Under the Big Black Sun.”
The Eagles reminisce, croon, rock and ban cellphones during Monday’s enjoyable ‘History’ tour stop at Van Andel Arena, and credit a West Michigan DJ for helping put them on the road to stardom.
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From The Accidentals to The Steel Wheels, the folk and roots music festival has turned the rural Remus site this weekend into a ‘village’ of 10,000 very happy Wheatland devotees.
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The holiday weekend launched with a big Thursday of shows and boasted local acts such as An Dro, Scott Pellegrom Trio, David Molinari, Mail Order Monsters and Hannah Rose.
Unlike the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night, these bands plus the Plain White T’s know how to clear the bases and leave fans happy. (Review, photo gallery)
Much to the delight of West Michigan fans, the pop singer’s long-awaited concert spectacle finally landed at a sold-out Van Andel Arena on Sunday night. Check out the Local Spins photo gallery.
After a one-year hiatus, a cozier Cowpie uncorked 15 regional bands on a single stage on the cattle farm in southern Kent County, and fans loved every minute. And it’ll be back in 2015. (Photo gallery)
For the ninth summer in a row, the engaging Texas singer-songwriter sold out his appearance at the outdoor Grand Rapids amphitheater.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
John Butler Trio’s sizzling set at Meijer Gardens launched a weekend of rock and hip hop, from Grand Rapids to the lakeshore where the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival ramped up to a climactic finish.
Whilst short of a sellout, Thursday night’s Meijer Gardens concert boasted an enthusiastic young crowd, passionate performances and double-duty for Dawes as opening act and backing band.
The fun-loving Canadian goofballs inspired sing-alongs, bra-tossing and an upbeat attitude in Sunday’s sold-out show, their first appearance at the outdoor amphitheater. (Review, photos)
A couple of days after Ray LaMontagne’s tantrum and stage walk-off at Meijer Gardens, singer Michael Buble proved that nice guys finish first, playing to an adoring crowd at Van Andel Arena. (Photo gallery)
HOT-FM’s Party in the Park on Wednesday drew thousands of teens and 20-somethings (and a passel of parents) to Fifth Third Ballpark for Hot Chelle Rae, Kongos, My Crazy Girlfriend, Outasight and GR’s own The Outer Vibe.
National tours made mid-summer stops in Grand Rapids, from the country of Jennifer Nettles to the thoughtful indie-rock of Beck, plus plenty more local and regional acts captured in images at Local Spins.
Psychedelic at times and instrumentally bracing, Sunday’s double bill unleashed “extraordinary things” for 1,500-plus fans. (Review, photo gallery)
Grand Rapids hosted a pair of wildly divergent, photogenic shows from opposite ends of the spectrum: Ziggy Marley’s love-hued reggae at Meijer Gardens vs. Alice Cooper’s Michigan-bred shock rock and Motley Crue’s flawed farewell tour kickoff at Van Andel Arena.
The Tuesday night series spotlighting local and regional acts kicked off with a packed Meijer Gardens amphitheater for “Family Appreciation Night.”
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Electric Forest electrified fans with psychedelic fun and fireworks while country star Frankie Ballard reveled in a Grand Rapids homecoming show and Tegan & Sara made their Meijer Gardens debut.
The duo retraces Grammy-winning “Get Up!” in bracing show Thursday at a sold-out Meijer Gardens. The guest Local Spins review by The Crane Wives’ Ben Zito.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Founders Fest jammed downtown streets in Grand Rapids, but compelling shows were also on tap with Needtobreathe at Meijer Gardens, May Erlewine at Wealthy Theatre and more — featured in the Local Spins photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
June’s first weekend may have been the biggest ever for West Michigan music fans with hundreds of bands playing outdoor stages from Grand Rapids to Martin to Kalamazoo.
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Kari Lynch Band, Skankadank, Rick Chyme, Max Colley III, The Muteflutes, Blue Water Ramblers, Conklin Ceili Band, Union Guns and more revved up crowds on Friday. (Photo gallery, video)
The Local Spins Artist Spotlight shines on an award-winning rapper with a basketball teamwork mentality who plays Festival and the Local First Street Party this weekend. (Podcast, photo gallery)
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Local Spins’ David Specht and photographer Tori Thomas experienced Buses by the Beach on Friday, capturing the camaraderie and music of the 13th annual event, held at Camp Blodgett.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
It was a weekend of dynamic performances, some by West Michigan bands The Soul Syndicate, Murder Party, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and a dozen bands at the Bona-Who? fest. (Photos, videos)
Led by the uninhibited androgyny of frontman Kevin Barnes, the glammy indie-rock ensemble energized Grand Rapids fans with a theatrical feast. Review, photos.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The weekend started early with some soulful Fitz and continued with rousing celebrations: Seven Steps Up’s 100th show, GR Songwriters Alliance’s 10th anniversary and Local Spins’ rollicking second anniversary rock show.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From all-out rock shows to soul and funk to EDM to jazz to acoustic guitar wizardry, the weekend unfurled in eclectic fashion across West Michigan, captured in photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The long holiday weekend teemed with music, including Mid-Life Crisis at Forest Hills Fine Arts Center’s 10th anniversary, Granger Smith, Hannah Rose Graves and Breathe Owl Breathe.
Intimate vocals and moving songwriting marked the band’s concert Tuesday night at the Calvin College Covenant Fine Arts Center in a show rescheduled from January.
National tours of note made West Michigan stops, but there was plenty more with a big lineup of regional acts at Jake’s Music Festival plus shows by The Bangups, Seabird, Scott Pellegrom & Kevin Kozel, Nathan Kalish and Teddy Geiger.
The much-praised Cincinnati-turned-Brooklyn band unfurled a bona fide rock spectacle for a well-behaved, enthusiastic crowd at Calvin’s Van Noord Arena on Saturday. (Review, photo gallery)
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
A weekend launched with diverse and bracing folk at Calvin College, St. Cecilia Music Center and Founders Brewing was followed by heavy metal blasts at The Intersection and more as captured in Local Spins images.
Billy Strings & Don Julin, Jill Jack, Rick Chyme, Ralston Bowles and The Northern Skies turned Thursday’s Grand Rapids show into an uplifting and emotional showcase of Michigan’s diverse music.
A Local Spins exclusive: A sneak peek into the Americana-hued five-piece band’s more electric sophomore album, to be unveiled during a Billy’s Lounge CD-release show in May
The buzzed-about Baltimore synthpop band electrified a sold-out crowd at The Pyramid Scheme on the same day that it released its new album, “Singles.” (Review, photo gallery)
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
LadyFest GR with The Blow and more took over The Pyramid Scheme on Saturday, but the weekend also featured Uncle Kracker’s return, Lindsay Lou’s final show for three months and a Traverse City duo igniting One Trick Pony.
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Since 1987, the beloved pub in Conklin has brought universally acclaimed Irish performers to its stage as well as Celtic musicians from across Michigan. Fenian’s could host its final St. Patrick’s Day parade on Monday.
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Ogle rollicking winter fun indoors and out in these photos of the Winter Beer Fest, punk bands at the Tip Top, EDM mania at The Intersection, soulful rock at The Pyramid Scheme, sensitive singer-songwriters and dozens of local bands playing the Jammie Awards.
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WYCE’s 15th annual affair doled out 18 Jammies to regional acts along plus some special Legacy Awards while two dozen bands rocked a full house at The Intersection on Friday night. See the full list of award winners. (Photos, video)
Ogle images and videos from a bevy of West Michigan shows: A Tribe Called Red, Nick Moss, Cooper’s Glen and MAJIC concerts, Withhold the Blood, The Trace Duo, Jim Shaneberger, Billy Strings/Don Julin, Bowery, Equal Parts, Ben Daniels Band, Nicholas James Thomasma.
From the dubstep mania of Datsik to the funky, political hip hop of The Coup to the indie-rock of North Atlantic Drivt to a Tom Petty tribute, Grand Rapids boasted such a busy Thursday/Friday of music that Local Spins had to post this special batch of images.
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Hundreds of bands, dance troupes and theater acts expected to play 45th annual Festival of the Arts in Grand Rapids June 6-8. Get the application details here. A Monday[…]
Local Spins offers a behind-the-scenes view of the adventures of a West Michigan band as it played the prestigious festival with stars of the folk and Americana scene. (Photos, video)
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Seth Glier, Midwest Skies, White Rabbit, Tom DeVries, North Atlantic Drift and The Crane Wives also rock the latest batch of Local Spins concert images. (Photos, videos)
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
A bevy of folk/roots acts played the day-long Wheatland benefit at The Intersection, plus images from Fresh Folk and shows by Heavier Than Air Flying Machines, The Front Bottoms and more.
