Artist Spotlights · Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
After ‘a great run’ of 15 years, the popular West Michigan acoustic cover band will play its farewell show Saturday night at One Trick Pony in downtown Grand Rapids. Read the back story and watch a video at Local Spins.
Announcements · Upcoming shows
The amphitheater this week revealed four shows for its 2016 lineup, with remaining concerts to be announced in mid-April. Tickets go on sale to Meijer Gardens members on April 30. Check out details and dates in this Local Spins story.
Features · Local Spins on WYCE · Upcoming shows · Videos
Industry honchos descended on the Grammy Awards in L.A. this week, but the really big show for West Michigan music takes place Friday at The Intersection in Grand Rapids. And it’s no contest which is better. Check out the full schedule and a list of ‘acts to watch’ at the 2016 Jammies hosted by WYCE.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Go back stage with The Legal Immigrants, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and Brother Adams as they played a West Michigan mini-tour. Plus, bluesman Bobby Rush & Joe Louis Walker, EDM’s Black Tiger Sex Machine, Lowdown Brass Band, Marianas Trench, Hollywood Makeout and more heat up this week’s Local Spins photo galleries.
The iconic British guitarist with a star-filled resume played the first of two sold-out concerts at Spring Lake’s Seven Steps Up and proved he hasn’t lost a step. Check out the recap by Matt Marn.
Announcements · Breaking music news · Videos
Local Spins’ February music news update reveals a star-studded lineup for the upcoming Jake’s Music Festival at Wealthy Theatre, new life for what was once McFadden’s Restaurant in downtown Grand Rapids and another robust Feedback benefit planned for Founders Brewing this spring.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The 75th edition of Local Spins on WYCE featured an in-studio performance by The Bootstrap Boys, tracks from a host of Jammie Award nominees and new music from Rip VanRipper and Reviving the Era. Listen to the radio podcast and check out an exclusive performance of a new, unreleased song by The Bootstrap Boys.
Breaking music news · Features
With nearly 70 Michigan and national acts — Taking Back Sunday to Fine Fine Titans — on board, the Flint musician who launched the digital project aims to raise money to help affected children with ‘diversity and dynamics.’ Read about the “shock and anger” that rallied bands to the cause and how you can purchase the recording.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
Once a member of Kalamazoo’s Funktion, Elk Rapids musician Jeremy Reisig spent years and thousands of dollars to perfect his one-man band act, Brotha James, and audiences love it. He plays SpeakEZ Lounge on Wednesday. Read the story about his journey and watch a video that displays his live-looping technique.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
With 50-plus years on the road under his belt, the British-born Albert Lee has a U.S. band, a devoted audience from ‘way back’ and plans for another studio album. Read the Local Spins interview with this iconic musician who boasts a star-studded history.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Grand Haven, February’s first week delivered diverse performances, including shows from Joshua Davis, The Accidentals, Black Jake, The Bangups, Watching for Foxes, Roosevelt Diggs and a superstar tribute to David Bowie. Check out the photos at Local Spins.
Announcements · Breaking music news
Hundreds of bands, dance groups and other performers fill stages downtown every year at Festival. But the application deadline is fast approaching. Get details here, with a link to the online application form.
The avant garde rock spectacle on Tuesday played the first of two nights at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids with ardent fans ‘moving, laughing and reacting’ to the Blue Man Group’s colorful hijinks. Read the review, check out the photos.
West Michigan faves Borns, The Accidentals and Pop Evil have boosted their exposure with songs used in current television commercials. In the New Millennium, placements in commercials, movies and TV shows are a growing and ever more important part of a musician’s arsenal. Read the story behind this trend and check out the commercials.
Features · Upcoming shows · Videos
After 35 years, heavy metal mainstays Anthrax are still on the road and play Grand Rapids’ Orbit Room on Sunday night with headliner Lamb of God. The band also has a new album on the way. Check out the interview by Local Spins writer Brian J. Bowe.
Breaking music news · Features · Photos
Michigan native Andrew Tkaczyk, 28, of metalcore band The Ghost Inside, leaves Grand Rapids’ Mary Free Bed today after rehab for leg, spinal, nerve and shoulder injuries sustained in a November crash in Texas. Read the remarkable story of this musician’s perseverance after a traumatic accident and check out the photo gallery.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
This week’s Local Spins on WYCE in-studio guests gave things some punk wallop in Studio X, plus new tracks from Public Access, Dede & The Dreamers, Miriam Pico, Blue Water Ramblers and much more. Read the story, listen to the radio podcast, check out the exclusive video of I Believe in Julio’s on-air performance.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
This week’s musical potpourri spanned every genre imaginable, with contributions from Willy Porter, Valentiger, Less Is More, Mark Lavengood Bluegrass Bonanza, Stovepipe Stover, Katy Needs a Band and others. They were all part of the photo roundup. Plus check out video highlights from an unusual edition of Music in the Stacks.
The Grand Rapids area is becoming a mecca for music partly because its musicians relish backing each other in so many ways. And that bodes well for the future. Read the Local Spins commentary by editor and publisher John Sinkevics.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
New and familiar West Michigan venues hosted spirited performances over the past week by the likes of Bigfoot Buffalo, Lady Ace Boogie, Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe, Dead Eye Zack, Mavericks & Monarchs and Dear Tracks — documented in Local Spins photo galleries.
Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Episode No. 70 of Local Spins on WYCE featured from Kalamazoo singer-songwriter Megan Dooley with bassist Jason Walker, plus Rick Chyme chatting about a new project and the debut of fresh regional album tracks. Listen to the complete podcast at Local Spins.
Features · Playlists · Top 10 Lists
When influential and legendary rock star David Bowie died Sunday, musicians across the globe responded with shock and sadness. Three West Michigan musicians offered Local Spins their playlists of Top 10 favorite Bowie tunes. And listen to Local Spins’ Top 10 David Bowie Playlist on Spotify.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
It was a week of legends, legendary performances and coming-out parties for new ventures and future legends in their respective genres across West Michigan, captured in images at Local Spins. View several different photo galleries from shows in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Grand Haven.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins Live · Podcasts · Videos
With his band finishing up its third album, Jake Kalmink also brings other artists’ “vision to life” in the studio. He debuted a new song live on the air this week for Local Spins Live. Check out the video and podcast; The Fever Haze plays Grand Rapids on Thursday night.
Concert reviews · Features · Weekend Photo Gallery
From Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to the lakeshore, jam-packed venues ushered in 2016 with some of West Michigan’s most popular bands and DJs — The Crane Wives, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, Billy Strings and more — captured in colorful images at Local Spins. And The Go Rounds with Seth Bernard revved up Founders the day after New Year’s.
Artist Spotlights · Breaking music news · Features · Videos
Vox Vidorra’s “Promise Land” and Hardin’s “Magnolia” showcase different genres, but both boast brilliant songwriting, performances and production to top a banner year for West Michigan music. Read the story behind these recordings, then check out videos and audio samples from the award-winning albums.
Album reviews · Local Spins on WYCE · Top 10 Lists · Videos
Last week, it was the Local Spins critics’ picks. This week, West Michigan musicians and bands present their choices for the best music and concerts of 2015, both local and national — with audio and video clips from the selected artists. Some of the picks will surprise and inspire you.
Commentary · Features · Upcoming shows
Local Spins writer Brian J. Bowe recalls his late friend and uber-fan of metal who died suddenly earlier this month. Bowe joins a host of West Michigan bands and musicians in playing a benefit Wednesday at Holland’s Park Theatre.
Another busy year for music gave fans much to celebrate, with Local Spins spotlighting a fast-growing scene that’s producing stellar talent – some of it basking in the national spotlight.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Holiday hoopla and homecomings: West Michigan’s music scene was full of both this weekend as Christmas approached, with the story told through images at Local Spins. Check out the local and regional stars in the weekend photo gallery.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE
Check out the in-studio performance by this new super-group of musicians from three different bands, plus new tracks from Kris Hitchcock, Loren Johnson, The Soul Syndicate, Dalinian and more.
With only 10 shopping days left till Christmas, Local Spins has the ideal gift for the music lover or musician on your list: Two different calendars featuring Michigan artists in colorful photos taken at concerts by Local Spins photographers.
Announcements · Breaking music news
Looking for the perfect gift for the music lover on your list? For the first time ever, Local Spins is offering snazzy wall and desk calendars featuring 24 Michigan musical artists and five talented photographers. Get details in the Local Spins gift shop.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
A vintage bluesman, West Michigan hard-rock fave, up-and-coming Detroit pop star and emerging alt-country/rock band strutted their stuff this week — captured in compelling images by Local Spins photographers.
Breaking music news · Features · Upcoming shows
Check out the early December music news roundup at Local Spins, with a couple of popular West Michigan bands ready to uncork high-profile holiday shows and an annual reminder to musicians that Festival 2016 is right around the corner.
Concert reviews · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Weekend Photo Gallery
Three of the most memorable rock bands from West Michigan’s music scene joined forces Friday for a post-Thanksgiving extravaganza to ignite fans who traveled from afar for the Grand Rapids show. Check out the photo gallery and radio podcast from that day’s Local Spins on WYCE show featuring DP’s Andy Holtgreive.
Local Spins spotlights music venues across West Michigan, unique settings that feature local and regional acts. Check out the first music locale in our series and take a video tour.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From the lilting folk of Sweet Water Warblers and singer-songwriters at the Fall Flannel Folk Fest to the searing jam-band spectacle of UV Hippo, it was another groovy week to remember, captured in images at Local Spins. And check out the video from a hectic Saturday night: Five shows at five venues in less than two hours.
With the holidays approaching, Local Spins rolls out Phase One of its year-end roundup of albums released by regional acts, featuring some intriguing projects from An Dro, Megan Dooley, The Bootstrap Boys and more. Check out the reviews, with audio samples to boot.
Artist Spotlights · Podcasts · Videos
Members of the Grand Rapids band are still stretching outside their ‘comfort zones’ with dynamic songs that they’re now releasing as singles one at a time. They play New Holland Brewing in Holland on Friday. Read the story and check out the new videos of this distinctive West Michigan group.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
Frontman Tyler Bradley talks about his music and unveils two new songs during this week’s Local Spins on WYCE, which also features new tracks by Bennett, Lipstick Jodi, Rival Maps and more. Listen to the radio podcast and check out the video of Bradley performing a new song.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
There’s no shortage of colorful oddness, passion and down-home charm in the roundup of recent concerts across West Michigan, from The Orbit Room to Bell’s Brewery to Seven Steps Up. Check out the photo galleries and show recap.
Commentary · Concert reviews · Photos
The first two days of 2015’s Eastown house concert event have boasted jam-packed crowds and buoyant optimism about Grand Rapids’ musical future. See the photo gallery from the first two days, and check out the Sunday schedule.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The week in live music leading up to Halloween covered funk, jazz, bluegrass, R&B, hip hop and folk. And that eclectic mix was captured in images at Local Spins. Check out the photo gallery, with more to come from Halloween night.
For Local Spins readers, 13 is a lucky number. With the harrowing holiday falling on a weekend, we’ve picked a baker’s dozen of Halloween bashes to haunt your Saturday night. Check out the full list, then pull out your craziest costume.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The string of eclectic shows started with Tav Falco’s Panther Burns and included Jars of Clay, Of Montreal, Brad Fritcher’s MOODS, Mipso, Shawn Mullins, Youth Lagoon and much more. Check out all the images from a week of scintillating live music in West Michigan.
Local Spins opens up its screening room to showcase a diverse collection of videos by Michigan artists with plenty to offer for the eyes as well as the ears. The Go Rounds, The Verve Pipe and Kari Lynch lead the way with compelling new videos, boasting some familiar settings and faces. Check out this October video roundup.
Check out the updated Local Spins Weekend Photo Gallery, including images from the Dizzybird Records anniversary show. When it comes to live music, October’s midway point sparked some gems, with local and regional artists getting into the act, too: Organissimo, Lucas Wilson, Mid-Life Crisis, Josh Rose and others.
In a ceremony Thursday at St. Cecilia Music Center, 10 Michigan songwriters and bands were honored in five categories of the competition, which included dozens of “busking” performances by contestants. And check out the photo gallery of some of ArtPrize 2015’s musical moments.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
ArtPrize dominated the entertainment landscape in its final week, but there was some boffo music to be found in the Grand Rapids area if you knew where to find it. Local Spins did. Check out the photo gallery from this week’s live music spectacles.
