Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Orchestral power, indie-folk charm, country crooning, alluring electronic music, rock and pop zest and mummified funk: All on display this past week and recapped at Local Spins in resplendent images and words.
Kicking off the season on Friday with Serita’s Black Rose and Kait Rose, the free, four-concert series at Alger Park Church will spotlight folk, world music, soul, classical, blues and more. Learn more about the series and view the schedule at Local Spins.
With her new release, ‘Time Traveler,’ making waves, the Charlevoix-based singer-songwriter opens up to Local Spins about her music and her love of northern Michigan. Get the back story on Rae’s musical voyage and watch two of her latest music videos.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Videos
Led by Rachel White and Matt Plessner, the Grand Rapids rock band releases ‘Past Forward’ next week. The back story on the group’s new album, a video and the latest Local Spins on WYCE podcast.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
This early October round-up of releases by Michigan artists features new collections covering rock, pop, hip hop, jazz and Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Cameron Blake’s return to the violin. Check out the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the releases.
Award-winning acoustic stars hailing from touring acts that include Punch Brothers and Bruce Hornsby will host workshops starting Thursday at Camp Blodgett along Lake Michigan. Learn more about the camp and view the full roster of instructors.
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.
Artist Spotlights · Breaking music news · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The anthemic pop band frontman reveals details about his latest calamity while debuting a new track for Local Spins on WYCE, which also showcased fresh music by several other Michigan artists. Get the back story, watch Michigander’s new music videos and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
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.
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.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The kickoff to autumn 2022 had it all: country, folk, symphonic metal, Americana, soulful pop and German party music. Local Spins revisits the action in words and photos.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
The Ann Arbor chanteuse playing next week’s Sounds of the Zoo fest debuted a single for Local Spins on WYCE, which also aired new music by Last Gasp Collective, Martyr for Madison, Conklin Ceili Band, Keith Hall & more. Learn more about Dani Darling and the Kalamazoo festival, watch the singer’s new music video and listen to this week’s full radio show podcast.
The free, second-year event at Grand Rapids’ Studio Park aims to unify art, music and technology for a multi-dimensional weekend experience. Get the lowdown at Local Spins and watch videos of the artists who’ll be playing music showcases.
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.
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.
Breaking music news · Features
The Michigan artists landed major awards on Wednesday night in Nashville. See what prestigious honors they walked away with and their reaction 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.
A Friday concert and Saturday songwriting ‘master class’ at Forest Hills Fine Arts Center will launch the expansion of Festival’s mission to spread arts across West Michigan. Learn more about the weekend event and watch videos of the featured artists.
The brainchild of Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert, the week-long affair at several venues in downtown Kalamazoo will boast vastly diverse performances and a collaborative vibe. Learn more about this first-year event, view the full schedule and listen to a playlist of performers.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Upcoming shows
The Bellaire-based singer-songwriter talked about his love of northern Michigan and shared new music for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Bond Girl, Crossword Smiles, Michael Waite, Michael Varverakis, Trickified and more.
New releases by a diverse group of Michigan artists all made their Local Spins Hot Top 5 Chart debut in August and captivated listeners as well as radio programmers at WYCE (88.1 FM). View the chart, listen to music from all of the releases at Local Spins.
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.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
For the first time since the pre-COVID days of 2019, the beloved Michigan festival revs up next weekend with revered touring acts and Michigan stars. The preview, main stage schedule and a playlist at Local Spins
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
Boasting a more exploratory approach, the Grand Rapids band debuted new tracks for Local Spins on WYCE, which also premiered music by Pretoria, Cal in Red, Rick Chyme, Chris Canas, The Legal Immigrants, Matt McAlpin, Super Future, Lucius Fox and more. Dive into the Melophobix back story and listen to this week’s radio show podcast at Local Spins.
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.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The emerging Rockford indie-folk/pop artist with a release show next week lit up Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted new music by Cameron Blake, Low Phase, Martyr for Madison and much more. Learn more about Izubel and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
The Frontier Ruckus co-founder sat down with Local Spins writer Enrique Olmos to explore his passion for Detroit, and balancing music creation with a financially secure day job. He plays a Detroit festival on Sept. 10.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Launched six years ago and inspired by a similar event in Grand Haven, this weekend’s Walk the Beat will light up Albion’s downtown area with performances by more than two dozen regional acts. Get details at Local Spins.
Features · Playlists · Upcoming shows
The second-year West Michigan Songwriter’s Festival hosted by Rockford singer-songwriter Dan Terry takes place this weekend in Belmont, starring several respected Nashville tunesmiths, including Grammy winner Steve Leslie. The details and a playlist at Local Spins.
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.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists · Summer Festivals
Beyond high-profile festivals this weekend such as Hoxeyville and Breakaway is northern Michigan’s LivelyLands, oozing ’boutique’ intimacy. Learn more about it and see which albums have most influenced founder Emily Lively.
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.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Despite rain and unseasonable temps, The Crane Wives played their first show in more than two years in Grand Rapids, while on the east side of Grand Haven, solo performer Ryan Lynch won a wet edition of Walk the Beat. Get the recaps, browse the photos and watch the videos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Upcoming shows · Videos
The singer-songwriter with an album-release show tonight was featured for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by DL Rossi, Matisse Zuzu, Upon Wings, Leif(kolt), FINKEL, Steven Malcolm and others. Find out more about Kait Rose, watch her new music video and listen to the full radio show podcast.
Amid weather that could only be described as “perfect,” three outdoor shows and one indoor spectacle lit up Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo on a summer Tuesday. The recaps and photo galleries from a busy night 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 · Audio · Hot Top 5
The indie-folk artist credits the work of his producer and studio musicians for enhancing his milestone new recording. View the rest of the chart at Local Spins and listen to tracks from all of the regional releases.
Albums that Changed the World · Podcasts
This week’s special edition of the radio show focuses on Michigan music with a twist: We play tracks from albums that a dozen local and regional artists say have influenced them the most, from Kanye West to The Beatles. Get the back story and listen to the full radio show podcast.
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.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
With Desmond Jones, Bootstrap Boys, Cosmic Knot and more West Michigan acts on the bill, next weekend’s cozy affair has ‘cute and endearing’ written all over it — part of a trend toward intimate regional music festivals. Learn more about the origins of the Tamarack and view the lineup at Local Spins.
Grand Rapids Art Museum and WYCE (88.1 FM) review the popular free series this week. The weekly, four-concert affair also will feature Andrea von Kampen, Brie Stoner, Rachel Brooke, Jesse Ray and more.
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.
Breaking music news · Venue Spotlight
The highly regarded Spring Lake concert venue which opened 11 years ago has hosted hundreds of concerts by iconic artists and will stage its final show in December. The back story at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Dominated by a packed heavy metal spectacle in Grand Rapids, the West Michigan weekend also boasted shows by Chloe Kimes, The Insiders, The Verve Pipe, Chuck Mead and more. The photo galleries and recaps at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Upcoming shows
The upcoming season of the Acoustic Café Folk Series at the Grand Rapids venue will feature stars spanning generations and styles. Get the details at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Playlists · Upcoming shows
With Steve Earle & The Dukes playing a much-anticipated show for ‘Listening Lawn’ at Grand Rapids’ Studio Park on Wednesday, Local Spins compiled a ‘transcendent’ soundtrack of songs spanning his remarkable career. Learn more about Earle, with details about this week’s concert.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The Petoskey native who now lives in Grand Rapids was the featured guest for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Desmond Jones, Seth Bernard, The B-Sides, The Blueflowers, The Wild Honey Collective, The Soods and more. Get Sean Miller’s back story and listen to the full radio show.
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 multi-lingual Grand Rapids singer-songwriter topped the June chart of regional releases earning the most radio airplay at WYCE-FM. View the entire chart, listen to tracks from all of the artists.
