This pre-Christmas batch of regional releases covers a lot of ground, with some much-anticipated new albums in the mix. Read the reviews, listen to the music.
For the third year, Local Spins calendars are spotlighting emerging Michigan acts with a national buzz in its calendars, not to mention Michigan music festivals. Get the lowdown on these unique Michigan-made artifacts and order yours by Tuesday to ensure delivery by Christmas.
The Grand Rapids rock band enlists a gang to help them out of a jam and shootouts ensue. See what happens in Slumlord Radio’s new video as part of Local Spins’ West Michigan Video of the Week series.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
This week’s guest talks about his acclaimed new album and performs with his band on a show that also featured the debut of tracks by hi-ker, Dori, Andy Baker, Bruce Matthews, Charles the Osprey and Talismans. Listen to the podcast, watch the video.
For this month’s Michigan Radio segment on “Stateside,” Local Spins spotlights a few bubbling-below-the-surface West Michigan releases you might have overlooked: The Turnips, Cosmic Knot and The Zannies. Listen to the full statewide radio podcast.
Artist Spotlights · Audio · Upcoming shows · Videos
The long-running northern Michigan band with a jam, funk, rock and bluegrass vibe makes its Local Spins Wednesdays debut this week at Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge. Get the back story on Soul Patch, listen to the band’s music, watch the videos.
Features · Top 10 Lists · Videos
The ‘Top 10 Rewind’ series wraps up with Local Spins’ top story of 2017: the fun June night when drummer Chad Smith made the rounds on stage at the three Grand Rapids venues, some 24 hours before the Chili Peppers’ sold-out show at Van Andel Arena. Relive the evening in this story and videos from Local Spins.
Announcements · Breaking music news
West Michigan musicians can now apply online to perform at Festival 2018 next June. The applications, with a $15 fee, are due by the end of February. Find the links to the online form at Local Spins.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
A legendary Grand Rapids blues band performed live in-studio and an emerging instrumental rock band previewed two new tracks on Local Spins on WYCE, which also boasted new music from The Outer Vibe, Bob Seger, The Fever Haze, Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions and more. Listen to the podcast, watch the video.
Artist Spotlights · Concert reviews · Photos · Top 10 Lists · Videos
The ‘Local Spins Rewind’ series continues with another one of the most-read Local Spins stories of 2017: A look at a young band from Frankenmuth that’s become Michigan’s hottest hard rock export. Revisit the concert review, photo gallery and video from September’s sold-out Grand Rapids show, and see what national media outlets are saying about this buzz band. Greta Van Fleet plays another sold-out show at The Intersection in late December.
Local Spins’ recap of the Top 10 stories of 2017 takes a look back at Record Store Day 2017. The No. 4 story on the list notes that no arrests were made, but Dodds’ Record Store Day celebration was cut off by authorities mid-stream. Still, most of the day across West Michigan shaped up as a vinyl lover’s dream. Check out the photo gallery and video from an unusual day.
Features · Kalamazoo · Top 10 Lists
Check out the latest entry in the “Local Spins Top 10 Rewind Series,” recapping the biggest stories of 2017. This feature about Kalamazoo’s Heritage Guitar aiming to restore the luster of the Gibson factory to make it a destination for devotees of handcrafted guitars drew lots of attention from musicians and history buffs. And find links to follow-up stories, too.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
There’s plenty to be thankful for this week as the live music scene explodes around the holidays with special shows, both national and local, starting with a Monday jazz show. And check The Big List for your chance to win tickets to Friday’s Billy Strings show.
This November batch of recent regional releases will make many folks thankful for Michigan’s music scene. Check out the reviews and listen to the music. Then stay tuned for Part II later this monrth.
Breaking music news · Features · Videos
The special exhibit curated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Newseum opens Tuesday night in Grand Rapids with compelling videos and rock artifacts. Take a video tour and find out more about this display at Local Spins.
Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Regina Spektor’s sold-out show at 20 Monroe Live was just part of an inspiring week that spotlighted regional and national acts from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. Check out all of the photo galleries and videos.
The unique Grand Rapids house concert festival will showcase 29 acts over three days in three Eastown neighborhood homes, spotlighting emerging and well-known acts from across the region. Get the lowdown on this weekend’s festival and a schedule at Local Spins.
For this year’s Halloween roster of haunting songs, Local Spins turned to Tip Top Deluxe co-owner — and vintage horror devotee — Ted Smith to create a scary-soundtrack for the creepy holiday. Ogle the vidoes, listen to the playlist on Spotify.
Suffice to say, beloved power pop piano-pounder Ben Folds soared during his concert for a capacity crowd at 20 Monroe Live on Sunday night with a career-spanning set list and lively stage banter. Read the show recap and ogle the photo gallery, only at Local Spins.
This weekend’s galleries are awash in early Halloween celebrations which mixed costumed craziness with DJs and bands providing the musical backdrop to haunt venues from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. But there were also some special shows beyond that, including Dinosaur Jr. and a Domestic Problems reunion. See all the images at Local Spins.
With the media deterred from covering the legendary Bob Dylan’s concert at Van Andel Arena on Saturday night, Local Spins asked some fans to offer up their takes on the 76-year-old icon’s tour stop.
The October music news roundup at Local Spins checks in with the latest Walk the Best contest winner, Kid Rock’s faux political campaign and Bob Seger’s recovery.
Thursday’s tour stop at 20 Monroe Live unleashed the band’s rousing, genre-melding attack while attracting a throng of devotees, including one Grand Rapids fan who was seeing 311 for the 67th time. Relive the show with this Local Spins review and photo gallery; browse the set list.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
With Jake Kershaw hosting a Grand Rapids album-release show Thursday, Local Spins asked the 17-year-old musician to share his favorite, most influential tunes — from John Mayer to Cream to Tommy Castro. Watch the videos, listen to the Spotify playlist.
Longtime fans got an impressive earful of jazz-rock faves from the Donald Fagen-led ensemble during Monday’s tour stop at Van Andel Arena. Check out the review, photo gallery and set list at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Rock ‘n’ roll, folk, gospel-fired and soulful Americana, EDM, you name it: West Michigan’s live music lineup was an impressive one this week. And the Local Spins photo galleries prove it. Browse the galleries, read a review of Noah Gundersen’s Grand Rapids concert at The Pyramid Scheme.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
The influential rock band brings its North American tour to Grand Rapids’ 20 Monroe Live on Saturday. The Local Spins interview with “frustratingly cool” guitarist Joey Santiago.
Playlists · Top 10 Lists · Videos
In the wake of Monday’s death of rock icon Tom Petty, Local Spins asked West Michigan musician Jack Leaver — who fronts a Petty tribute band — to list his top Petty tunes, with Local Spins publisher offering up his under-the-radar picks of Petty classics you might not know but should Watch the videos, listen to the Spotify playlists.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Local Spins’ week-in-review photo galleries covered a lot of fan-frenzied ground inspired by national and local stars at venues indoors and outdoors, from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo.
The brand new music festival on a Sidney farm will features performances by a dozen regional acts, including Red Legs, Nicholas James Thomasma, Eric Engblade, Patty PerShayla, Deerfield Run, Stovepipe Stover and more. Learn the details about this inaugural event at Local Spins.
In what was also a homecoming for West Michigan native and bassist Johnny Bradley, Clark electrified an appreciative crowd with his bluesy rock attack at 20 Monroe Live on Tuesday night. See what critic Ricky Olmos had to say in the Local Spins review, with photos by Anthony Norkus.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Bonamassa, Maria Muldaur and William Elliott Whitmore get a week started that also boasts big shows by Wayland, Lipstick Jodi, Organissimo, Deerfield Run, Mustard Plug, Nick Fradiani and more. Get the full lowdown and Under-the-Radar Picks in the Local Spins Concert Guide.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Audiotree Music Festival lit up the day and night in Kalamazoo, with national tour stops by hard-rocking stars in Grand Rapids and a harvest festival in Rockford. Browse all of the colorful, action-packed images at Local Spins.
If the Detroit rocker really is ready to ‘Turn the Page’ on his career, he left West Michigan devotees on Tuesday with an upbeat, heyday-spanning memory of a lifetime. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Kalamazoo · Weekend Photo Gallery
The last blast of summer (officially) arrived in many musical forms and in a slew of different venues across West Michigan. And Local Spins has the photos to prove it.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
On the cusp of Seger’s Grand Rapids tour stop, Wilson chats with Local Spins about dancing with Seger, her excitement about Roadcase Royale’s new album and the uncertain future of Heart. The Local Spins interview.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The hard rock band from Frankenmuth — Michigan’s hottest new rock export these days — fired up a sold-out Stache inside The Intersection on Thursday. Read the review, browse the photos, watch the videos.
Touring behind the album, “Villains,” the California rockers delivered wall-to-wall crowd-pleasers at a sold-out 20 Monroe Live in Grand Rapids on Sunday. The action was captured in a Local Spins review and photo gallery.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Outdoor parties boasting regional artists, national tour stops and an album-release show highlighted West Michigan’s musical weekend. Ogle more than a half-dozen photo galleries in this Local Spins roundup.
The Michigan rock-rapper with a country bent delivered a career-spanning show — along with some political fervor — at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena on Wednesday. Read the review and browse the photo gallery at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins Live · Upcoming shows · Videos
The genre-straddling Grand Rapids band will kick off Saturday’s big anniversary party at Perrin Brewing after opening for country star Tucker Beathard the night before. Read more about the band, listen to the radio podcast and watch a video of the band playing the B93 Birthday Bash.
Local Spins’ annual Labor Day column spotlights the financial plight of local musicians. For many, the unseen time and labor behind a band’s typical road gig means working 10-12 hours for $10 to $15 a day. Most bands will do it happily time and again. But is that fair?
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The late August round-up of live music features concerts and festivals from Grand Rapids to the lakeshore to Brooklyn — from Emma Loo & Sam’s cutting-edge spectacle at The Pyramid Scheme to Michigan music on the farm. Check out all the images in Local Spins’ week-in-review recap.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Gov’t Mule and Galactic get one of the busiest weeks of the summer started, with Lil’ Ed, Ian Anderson, Tribute on the Grand and a birthday bash for Creston Brewery also in the mix. Get the lowdown on all of the big shows and under-the-radar picks.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Expanding this year to three days, Thursday’s opening night of Cowpie Music Festival on Shagbark Farm in southern Kent County oozed musical charm with sets by UV Hippo, Grasshoppah, Covert and White Rabbit. Check out the first-day recap, photo gallery and video.
Local Spins Live · Podcasts · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
More than 20 bands and thousands of festival-goers will descend on Shagbark Farm in southern Kent County for an expanded three-day celebration of regional music. See the full weekend schedule and save it on your smartphone to take along.
For more than two decades, Bell’s Brewery has been a go-to spot in Kalamazoo for beer and live music. Get the lowdown on this popular hot spot, take a video tour and ogle the photo gallery.
The rock bands’ co-headlining summer tour made a stop Monday at a sold-out Meijer Gardens amphitheater. Check out the show recap and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
Blistering rock dominates this weekend’s roundup of images from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo, but there was also the fetching indie-folk of Kalamazoo’s Thunderbolt & Lightfoot at an inspiring CD-release show.
The British band led by septuagenarians Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey returned to Van Andel Arena on Tuesday and proved their mettle with a night of timeless rock classics. Read the review, browse the photo gallery.
