Concert reviews · Festivals · Photos · Videos
Our weekend concert recap focuses on Saturday’s inaugural downtown street fest that also boasted sets by Kari Lynch, Melophobix and more. Plus, view photos from Joe Satriani’s tour stop Friday at State Theatre in Kalamazoo.
Beyond a revved-up full house at The Pyramid Scheme, the weekend launched with a Kalamazoo tour stop by Ani DiFranco, a jazz duo at St. Cecilia and a music release by Second Hand Drugs. View the photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Photos
From Spanish-infused rock to soul to folk to hip hop, the inaugural music festival reveled in good weather and an upbeat vibe. The recap and photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Friday’s Van Andel Arena show was a tribute to The Judds, part of a West Michigan weekend that included Sounds of the Zoo, Horizen Fest, the third-to-last show at Seven Steps Up, Lower Leisure Class, Opiuo, Larry Fleet and more. The photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Photos
The first-year festival pumped up three different Kalamazoo venues Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday — and Local Spins was there to capture the action in words and photos.
Nashville’s Wildermiss and Grand Rapids’ Phabies joined the indie pop-rock band for Tuesday’s concert at Calvin University. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Revisit more than a half-dozen live shows in vibrant images at Local Spins, including Joe Hertler, Overdrive Orchestra, DJ Mel V, Lipstick Jodi, Melvins and more. Photo galleries you’ll only find at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Photos · Videos
Hailing from Bath, Mich., the fast-rising country singer made a splash on the NBC show Tuesday and will advance to the next round. The story, video and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The return of last weekend’s Earthwork Harvest Gathering festival outside Lake City after a COVID hiatus was a Michigan-bred, music-filled celebration of love and community. The recap, photo gallery and video highlights, exclusively at Local Spins.
Playing amid mild temperatures and regaling a sold-out crowd, classic rock’s Foreigner delivered the outdoor amphitheater’s final punch of summer. The review, photo gallery and set list at Local Spins.
GR Symphony opened its season with passion, a premiere and one of the final concerts for a beloved percussionist, on the same night that iconic songwriters held court for a new series in Forest Hills. The concert reviews and photo galleries at Local Spins.
Rolling out big hits such as “Iris,” “Slide” and “Black Balloon,” the New York rockers fired up a capacity crowd Thursday in the next-to-last Meijer Gardens concert of 2022. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The return of the beloved Wheatland Music Festival for the first time in three years outside Remus last weekend electrified fans and bands alike. Revisit the action in words, photos and video.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
September hasn’t seen any slowdown in concert fervor across West Michigan as Local Spins’ weekend photo galleries prove. Revisit the live music action in words and resplendent images.
Artist Spotlights · Emerging Artists to Watch · Upcoming shows
With an eclectic sound, DIY roots and a new album on the way after signing with a Detroit record label, the Grand Rapids indie emo-punk band plays Wealthy Annex on Saturday. Learn more about this emerging outfit and watch one of their videos.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The week leading up to Labor Day brought a diverse mix of artists — national and local — to area stages. Local Spins was there to document the late-summer revelry in photos.
Legendary country and Americana singer Emmylou Harris returned to Grand Rapids on Thursday with renowned singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter opening the show. Browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
The Miami rapper, singer and pop artist Pitbull delivered a dance-happy set on Tuesday night, along with Australian hip-hop artist Iggy Azalea. Browse the action-packed photos at Local Spins.
Last weekend’s cozy music festival in Free Soil left attendees raving about the regional bands and solo artists, as well as the atmosphere of the third-year event. The recap at Local Spins.
The South Bend-bred prog-fusion band that got its start playing small West Michigan venues proved its fan-fueled, instrumental mettle in a sold-out show at Meijer Gardens on Wednesday. Revisit the evening via the Local Spins review, photo gallery and set list.
From enduring hits such as “Lido Shuffle” and “JoJo,” Boz Scaggs made the most of his amphitheater debut, with guitarist-singer Robert Cray and singer-songwriter Jeff LeBlanc also on board. The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Thousands of revelers embraced the rootsy, bluegrass-hued festival in the Manistee National Forest over the weekend. Local Spins has highlights, a photo gallery and a video recapping the action.
Concert reviews · Summer Festivals · Weekend Photo Gallery
Hit-and-miss weather over the weekend impacted some live music but other concerts — indoors and out — revved up West Michigan, including Devil Wears Prada, Lucius Fox, Vince Gill, Fest of All and more. Photos.
The return of The Decemberists ignited a sold-out crowd at the Grand Rapids amphitheater with the indie/alt-rock band unleashing songs old and new on Wednesday. Local Spins asked a member of The Crane Wives — who were inspired, in part, by The Decemberists — to offer her take on the show. The review, photos and set list.
Led by octogenarians Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, The Beach Boys made a familiar summer tour stop in Grand Rapids Monday, revving up familiar hits for fans intimately familiar with the legendary band’s catalog. The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Photos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The Irish singer-songwriter with a new album set for release next month played a rescheduled Sunday night affair at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. The review and photos, plus galleries from three other weekend West Michigan concerts, including Fake Baseball, Ballyhoo, Incantations and more.
The shows leading up to another weekend of musical merriment in West Michigan boasted soulful pop, bluegrass, ska and vocally impressive songwriting powerhouses, lighting up venues from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. Browse the photos and show recaps at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
High heat and humidity didn’t hamper a flurry of live music in the great outdoors, from Latin rock on Calder Plaza to hip hop at Cowpie to the choral allure of an iconic South African group and a five-year anniversary for Bass Country. Videos and photos at Local Spins.
Along with opener Meshell Ndegeocello, the virtuosos sharing the bill on the delayed ‘Outside Problems’ tour enchanted a sold-out crowd on Friday. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Photos · Videos
The celebrated keyboardist who’s transcribed Phish and Grateful Dead jams for piano is lovingly termed the ‘sixth member’ of Greensky Bluegrass while also fronting Ghost Light. The Local Spins interview with this budding star who boasts West Michigan roots.
Led by Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley, the band bathed a sold-out Meijer Gardens crowd in nostalgia on Wednesday with a bevy of familiar hits. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Summer Festivals · Weekend Photo Gallery
Michigan’s music weekend ramped up with 40,000-plus country revelers at Faster Horses in Brooklyn, a capacity crowd at Bell’s Beer Garden, the debut of White Lake’s Walk the Beat, an outdoor Elton and Buble tribute in GR and the debut of the unique ‘Whatzit Hour’ in Kalamazoo. View the action-packed photo galleries at Local Spins.
Thursday’s passing storm that caused temporary evacuation of the Meijer Gardens amphitheater didn’t prevent either seasoned artist from regaling fans with career-spanning selections. The review, photos at Local Spins.
Wednesday’s tour stop at Meijer Gardens with a hefty assist from the Grand Rapids Symphony proved Rick Springfield still has rock-star power as he rolled out his cavalcade of hits. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The Accidentals, Hannah Rose Graves, The Ragbirds and more delivered a 20th anniversary edition of the festival that attracted new fans as well as returnees. Recap, highlights and photos at Local Spins.
Reggae/rock/pop/fusion singer Franti & Spearhead delivered an uplifting, introspective 135-minute set to a packed Meijer Gardens. Review, photos from Thursday’s amphitheater concert, plus view images from Spin Doctors & Sister Hazel in Grand Haven.
The ‘Listening Lawn’ show in downtown Grand Rapids on an exquisite night displayed Earle and band at their best. Check out our in-concert conversation between two Earle buffs, plus a recap — with photo gallery — of Five for Fighting’s sold-out show with Grand Rapids Symphony at Meijer Gardens.
Touring behind “Lucifer on the Sofa,” the Austin band proved its mettle and more Tuesday in one of 2022’s most compelling concerts to date. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
The legendary rock band brought its 50th anniversary tour (at long last) to Van Andel Arena on Sunday night. The Local Spins review, photo gallery and set list.
Although not without minor glitches, ‘that little ol’ band from Texas’ rolled out thunderous classics with its revamped lineup, keeping much of the Meijer Gardens crowd on its feet all night. The Local Spins review, photo gallery and set list from Thursday’s concert.
It was a sweet Michigan homecoming on Wednesday for The War and Treaty who got right into the crowd amid perfect weather that carved out an ideal evening for 1,200 summer concert series attendees. The Local Spins review and photo gallery.
The much-respected instrument retailer and repair shop celebrated its 50th anniversary in Lansing’s Old Town on Tuesday with live music, workshops, axe-throwing, food trucks and more. The recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Summer Festivals · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Smiling Acres Music Festival wrapped up three days of live music over the Fourth of July weekend, but there were also crowd-pleasing concerts in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. View the photos at Local Spins.
Sunday night’s tour stop at Meijer Gardens was Sheryl Crow’s second Michigan show in as many days and she delivered a bevy of her most popular songs for a packed amphitheater with Allison Russell opening. The Local Spins review, photo gallery and set list.
Friday’s opening salvo of the Trufant festival had folks smiling thanks to sets by Barbarossa Brothers, Nathan Walton & The Remedy, The Bootstrap Boys, Local Commuters and more. The recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Closing out a jam-packed string of sold-out amphitheater shows, the banjoist — along with Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush — brought his ‘Bluegrass Happening’ to Grand Rapids on Monday. Check out the review, photos and set list at Local Spins.
Sunday night’s return of the legendary Motown group to Meijer Gardens proved to be full of soulful nostalgia and classic, enduring songs. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Meijer Gardens’ amphitheater hosted a Big Easy-themed party on Friday with New Orleans acts spanning the ages and getting fans involved (and on stage). The review and photos at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Uncategorized
An appreciative Meijer Gardens audience soaked up Southern charm from the always-enthusiastic, twangy, bluegrass, country & Americana act in its return to Grand Rapids on Thursday. The review and photo gallery.
The beloved Phish frontman-composer-guitarist delivered nearly 2 hours of jam-band-informed, solo acoustic rock to an adoring crowd. The review with photos from two concerts: Trey Anastasio at Meijer Gardens, Big Head Todd, 10,000 Maniacs at Grand Haven’s waterfront stadium.
