The Big List (Dec. 24-31): Pop Evil, SunSquabi, Hannah Rose, Lotus, Murder by Death, Mustard Plug, Joe Hertler

Christmas week leads to several nights of New Year’s celebrations, with eRoy, Morgan Foster, Lazy Genius, Willy Porter and much more on the docket. And win tickets to Mustard Plug’s big holiday bash.

 

THE BIG LIST: Dec. 24-31

For an expanded list of upcoming shows at West Michigan venues, check out The REALLY Big List at Local Spins.

Have concert listings you think deserve to be spotlighted? Email date, time, ticket prices, location and details to liz@localspins.com.

To be included in our “Big List of Michigan Music Festivals,” organizers should email liz@localspins.com with 2019 dates, the event location, contact information and any other pertinent details. Watch for the 2019 Big List of Michigan Music Festivals to be posted on Jan. 1.

MONDAY

BIG JAKE’S PICKIN’ PARTY
When: 1-4 p.m.
Admission: Free
Where: Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

Heat up for Christmas Eve with this afternoon jam session hosted by Big Jake Boostrap (Jake Stilson) from Grand Rapids outlaw country outfit The Bootstrap Boys. For “Big Jake’s Pickin’ Party,” Stilson will be “sitting down with a guitar” and “invite friends to come play with him.” All are encouraged to bring a guitar and celebrate the holidays with Big Jake.

And it’s only apropos that Stilson would host this year’s jam because The Bootstrap Boys recorded their live album at Founders. Details online at foundersbrewing.com.

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TUESDAY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! 🎄

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WEDNESDAY

LOCAL SPINS WEDNESDAY:
MORGAN FOSTER AND FRIENDS
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday
Admission: Free
Where: SpeakEZ Lounge, Grand Rapids

Celebrate the day after Christmas with a special show featuring Morgan Foster, formerly the frontman for the rock band Common Shiner, which was a popular Calvin College-bred outfit before moving to Chicago. Foster, who’s now back in Grand Rapids, released a solo album under the moniker Foster in 2017, showcasing his songwriting, powerhouse vocals and sharp ear for pop melodies and hooks.

Foster will be joined by some special guests on Wednesday night, making this a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy an outstanding evening of live music. Local Spins Wednesday shows are presented by Local Spins, SpeakEZ Lounge, Perrin Brewing Company and WYCE, with Michigan beer specials on tap and free parking in the Sixth Street Park lot off Monroe Avenue a block to the north.

THURSDAY

MUSTARD PLUG
WACK TRUCKS
THE POTATOE BABIES
78 REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Tickets: $12 advance, $14 day of show
Where: Elevation inside The Intersection, Grand Rapids

LOCAL SPINS TICKET GIVEAWAY: Congratulations to Local Spins readers Charles Growe and Gage Baggs. They were the first two people to email john@localspins.com with “MUSTARD PLUG” in the message field and won a pair of tickets to Thursday’s show. Check The Big List every week for your chance to win concert tickets.

Hard to believe, but this is the 16th annual holiday show hosted by Grand Rapids ska maestros Mustard Plug, with a lineup of Grand Rapids bands that says “party” in a wild and rocking way. Also playing sets will be Wack Trucks, 78 Revolutions Per Minute and the goofy, always colorfully entertaining Potatoe Babies, led by the Rev. Charles Preston Smith.

Get more information and tickets online at sectionlive.com. Doors for this all-ages show open at 6 p.m. By the way, SQUNTO, Kai Wachi, He$h and Frybread Power play the main showroom of The Intersection the same night at 9 p.m., $25 advance, $30 day of show.

EROY, PAUSE, SANDOSE
When: 9:30 p.m. Thursday
Admission: Free
Where: Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids electronic music producer eRoy (Evan Roy) makes his headlining stage debut at Founders this week with music that’s genre-spanning and experimental (and featured in opening sets for the likes of Big Gigantic and others). El Brandino will also be sitting in eRoy for part of the set.

Also on the bill will be the “dark and groovy moombahton, hip hop and funk” of Pause, as well as a beat temp set by Sandose. Details online here.

FRIDAY

MURDER BY DEATH
WINNOW
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $20 advance, $25 day of show
Where: The Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids

This five-piece indie-rock band out of Bloomington, Ind., just released its eighth studio album, “The Other Shore,” which PopMatters.com described as “a space Western that features plenty for diehard fans and an entry point for new ones.” Murder By Death closes out the year with this show in Grand Rapids, followed by tour stops in Indianapolis and Kansas City.

Also on the bill will be Grand Rapids’ own Winnow, the alt-country outfit starring Joey Frendo and Jared Meeuwenberg. Get tickets and details online at pyramidschemebar.com.

TRIPPIN BILLIES (DAVE MATTHEWS TRIBUTE)
MELOPHOBIX
When: 9 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $15-$25
Where: 20 Monroe Live, Grand Rapids

The longest standing touring tribute to the Dave Matthews Band, Chicago’s The Trippin Billies, brings its vast repertoire of DMB tunes back to Grand Rapids.

Opening the evening will be Michigan’s own Melophobix, a band that deftly weaves a dance-inspiring mix of funk, rock, reggae and more – and a group that’s about to unleash a brand new studio album on the world. Get tickets and details at 20monroelive.com.

SATURDAY

POP EVIL, WAYLAND
HANDSOME PETE
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $25
Where: 20 Monroe Live, Grand Rapids

This is billed as “A Night Made in Michigan,” and it could also be touted as “Another Homecoming for Pop Evil.”

The lineup stars the renowned national hard rock band Pop Evil, who got its start in West Michigan and remains a favorite of area fans, as well as Wayland, from Wayland, and Handsome Pete, from Lansing. Pop Evil’s single, “Waking Lions,” recently soared to No. 1 in the United States and the band finished the year at No. 8 on Billboard’s chart for mainstream rock artists.

Get tickets online at 20monroelive.com where you can also get the lowdown on the venue’s “Resolution Ball” taking place on New Year’s Eve.

FAKE NYE:
JOE HERTLER & THE RAINBOW SEEKERS
DESMOND JONES
BASIC COMFORT
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $25-33
Where: State Theatre, Kalamazoo

It might not be quite New Year’s Eve yet, but it is the last Saturday of 2018 and Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers are ready to ring in the new year anyway with their “Fake NYE” bash at the Kalamazoo State Theatre. No strangers to throwing a party worth remembering, the fast-rising Michigan act is sure to keep bodies moving all night long with its eclectic and uplifting sound.

After a year that saw Hertler and company take the stage at Red Rocks, Mo Pop and more, the band will play its final Michigan show of the year, and one of its biggest shows to date, before scooting off to Tennessee for a “Real NYE” concert. Grand Rapids’ Desmond Jones and Kalamazoo’s Basic Comfort open the show. Tickets can be purchased at the State Theatre box office or online at kazoostate.com.

LOTUS
EL TEN ELEVEN
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $25 advance, $30 day of show
Where: The Intersection, Grand Rapids

Legendary electronic jam band Lotus fires up the holiday weekend with this Grand Rapids tour stop, touring behind a new album and studio documentary, “Frames Per Second.” The band weaves progressive rock, jazz, funk and other styles into its intoxicating music.

Upping the ante for this show ill be L.A.-based experimental/math rock/post-rock duo El Ten Eleven that’s renowned for its looping and double-neck guitar prowess. Doors open for this 17-and-older at 8 p.m. Details online at sectionlive.com.

LAZY GENIUS
THE HOWLERS
I BELIEVE IN JULIO
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: Free
Where: Creston Brewery, Grand Rapids

This troika of incredible Grand Rapids rock bands will pump up the weekend in psychedelic and punky styles. The rock showcase features the psych rock of Lazy Genius (whose most recent EP was one of the most-played releases of 2018 on WYCE-FM) and The Howlers (led by producer extraordinaire Matt Ten Clay) and punk band I Believe in Julio (fronted by the ever-entertaining Julio Gomez).
Get details on Creston’s Facebook event page, where you can also get the lowdown on Friday’s appearance by The Boostrap Boys and Creston’s New Year’s Eve show starring Mark Lavengood Band, Earth Radio and Afro Zuma.

HANNAH ROSE & THE GRAVESTONES
When: 9:30 p.m.
Admission: $5
Where: Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

Singer Hannah Rose Graves has made this holiday-show-and-birthday-party at Founders an annual soiree, bringing her all-star band of musicians to the stage for a night of soul, rock, funk, folk, blues and passion that’s inspiring, dance-sparking and just plain fun to experience. And as a bonus, the event serves as a release party for the band’s new single “Glitter and Dirt.”

Ann Arbor’s Chirp is also on the bill, delivering its own “genre-hopping” blend of progressive rock, funk and jazz fusion, inspired by everything from Led Zeppelin to Snarky Puppy to James Brown to The Beatles. Get more info online at foundersbrewing.com.

SUNDAY

WILLY PORTER
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $25-$35
Where: Seven Steps Up, 116 S. Jackson St., Spring Lake

Over the course of two decades, 10 albums and global touring, Milwaukee’s Willy Porter has impressed fans and critics alike with his guitar-driven music, showcasing songs that “weave a universal perspective about the questions, struggles and triumphs of human existence.” Get more information online here and call Gary at 231-557-7687 for tickets and details.

By the way, “American Idol” star Lee DeWyze plays the Seven Steps Up listening room on Friday.

THE GODDAMN GALLOWS
GALLOWS BOUND
SAINT CHRISTOPHER
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $20 advance, $25 day of show
Where: Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill, Grand Rapids

Rockabilly, psychobilly, punk rock, bluegrass and metal outfit The Goddamn Gallows follow up dates in Chicago and Detroit with this Grand Rapids tour stop at the Tip Top (followed by a New Year’s Eve show at Mac’s Bar in Lansing). The band, originally from Detroit, has a new album, “Trial.”

Get more info on the Tip Top’s Facebook event page, where you can also get the scoop on Friday’s show starring the Four Lincolns and Blue Oddity, Saturday’s appearance by The Divine Evolution and Monday’s New Year’s Eve bash with Bigfoot Buffalo, Conrad Shock + The Noise and Barbarossa Brothers.

SUNSQUABI
When: 9 p.m. Sunday & Monday
Tickets: $25 advance, $28 day of show
(2-day pass – $30 advance, $35 day of show)
Where: Elevation inside The Intersection, Grand Rapids

Usher in the New Year over two days at The Intersection’s Elevation with Denver’s SunSquabi, a trio that describes its music as “a hydro-funk experience” and a place “where jam bands and electronic dance music intersect with rhythm-driven funk.” The “cosmic wonderland” of immersive, mesmerizing music created by Kevin Donohue, Josh Fairman and Chris Anderson makes for the ideal New Year’s Eve-times-two party atmosphere.

Get tickets and more info at sectionlive.com. (On Dec. 31, the main showroom will also host 104.5 WSNX’s “Beats & Bubbly: The Masquerade” party starting at 9 p.m. with Mike On My Radio, Dean Martian and DJ Buck, $15 advance, $20 day of show.)

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NEW YEAR’S EVE PREVIEW

Local Spins presents a few shows to consider on Monday as you usher in 2019.

BOOMERS NEW YEAR’S EVE DANCE PARTY:
THE BOYFRIENDS, MARK LAMM
When: 7:30 p.m. Monday
Tickets: $50 per person, $90 per couple
Where: English Hills, 1200 Four Mile Road NW, Comstock Park

Celebrate the arrival of 2019 with a blast from the past, courtesy of Grand Rapids’ popular 1960s band The Boyfriends, who will help folks “dance the night away” with music from the ‘60s and ’70s, aka “when rock ‘n’ roll was the best.” Also on the bill: singer-guitarist Mark Lamm.

The night features a lavish dinner, a champagne toast at midnight and lots of live music. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., dinner at 8 p.m. and dancing from 9 p.m. until midnight. Get tickets and details online here.

THE DEAD SOUTH
THE CRANE WIVES
HOOTEN HALLERS
When: 8:30 p.m. Monday
Tickets: $37.50, $40 DOS if available
Where: State Theatre, Kalamazoo

If you wind up at the State Theatre on New Year’s Eve, one can bet that “Hell, (you’ll) be in good company.” The Canadian folk-grass rockers, The Dead South, are one of the fieriest of their kind and will no doubt have boots stomping all over the Kalamazoo theatre. Having been described as the Mumford & Sons “evil twin” they definitely make things lively with their tight harmonies and top-tier twang.

Opening the show will be Grand Rapids’ Crane Wives and the high-energy Missouri blues trio Hooten Hallers. Tickets can be purchased at the State Theatre box office or online at kazoostate.com.

THE INSIDERS TOM PETTY TRIBUTE
ZED ZEPPELIN
When: 9 p.m. Monday
Tickets: $35
Where: Wealthy Theatre, Grand Rapids

Usher in the New Year in style by paying homage to Tom Petty and Led Zeppelin. The Insiders, led by Max Lockwood, have become one of the region’s most popular Tom Petty tributes, unleashing classic Petty tunes as well as favorite album tracks. It’s an all-star band that’s dedicated to extending the Petty tradition.

And Zed Zeppelin pays tribute to one of the most influential hard rock bands of all time. Get tickets an details at wealthytheatre.org.

THEATRE BIZARRE ORCHESTRA
PINCH & SQUEAL
When: 9:30 p.m. Monday
Admission: $10
Where: Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

What a party this is shaping up to be. Detroit’s Theatre Bizarre Orchestra is billed as “the greatest masquerade on Earth” – an ensemble that ignites “the ghost lights of vaudevilles past, taking the audience into another dimension where a demon clown is your best friend.”

Pinch & Squeal is also on the bill for this wild New Year’s Eve bash. More at foundersbrewing.com.

SEXY TOXINS
THE HEX BOMBS
THE NIGHT CAPS
When: 10 p.m. Monday
Tickets: Free
Where: Louie’s Trophy House, Kalamazoo

It’s hard to beat a free night of live music on New Year’s Eve, and if you’re a punk fan in Kalamazoo, Louie’s is the place to be. The night’s second act, The Hex Bombs, may say that “Nobody Gives a Damn about Midwest Punk” but one can wager and win that they’ll be making some serious noise to give a damn about to ring in 2019. Joining them will be headlining act The Sexy Toxins and The Night Caps. The event may be free, but there is a capacity so get there early and enjoy your free champagne toast at midnight.

OTHERS:
Mark Lavengood Band, Earth Radio, Afro Zuma at Creston Brewery in Grand Rapids
Bigfoot Buffalo, Conrad Shock + The Noise, The Barbarossa Brothers at Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill in Grand Rapids
SunSquabi at The Intersection in Grand Rapids (more info in the Sunday listings)
DJ Snax, Auto-Pilot, SuperDre, DJ Composition, AB at The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids
BassBin: Kid Enigma, Gettoblaster, Pressed & Proper, Tom Reed at Billy’s Lounge in Grand Rapids
Hillbilly Nightmare, Necophilicons, The Gates at Midnight at Mulligan’s Pub in Grand Rapids

(Scroll down for more New Year’s Eve shows in the Really Big List below.)

UNDER-THE-RADAR PICKS

Kathy Lamar Band playing One Trick Pony in Grand Rapids, 8 p.m. Thursday, free – Singer Kathy Lamar is a favorite at One Trick Pony, uncorking a smile-inducing mix of soul, pop and jazz. And Kevin Jones returns to One Trick on Saturday night. Call 235-7669 for reservations.

Dacia Bridges Project playing Final Gravity Brewing in Kalamazoo, 8 p.m. Friday, free – You might not find a better free show in the area this weekend as Dacia Bridges takes to the stage here. The once German mega-star now calls Southwest Michigan home and is one of the area’s best-kept secrets. Bridges will be joined on the stage by band members Sarah Fuerst (Corn Fed Girls, Thunderbolt & Lightfoot), Cori Somers (Red Sea Pedestrians) and Carolyn Koebel (An Dro).

The Outer Vibe playing Rockford Brewing in Rockford, 8:30 p.m. Friday, $5 – Rock/pop’s The Outer Vibe is back in the Grand Rapids area from Nashville for the holidays and celebrating its homecoming with this special show at Rockford Brewing. Tune in to Local Spins on WYCE (88.1 FM) at 11 a.m. Friday for a preview of the show when the trio makes an in-studio appearance on the show. (Blue Soul Express plays Rockford Brewing on Saturday.)

Merry BASSMAS at Park Theatre, 248 S. River Ave. in Holland, 9 p.m. Friday, $10 advance, $15 day of show – The second annual edition of this “Glow in the Park” party boasts sets by Pause (featuring Jake Walker), EurobeatZ, Kayfluxx, TipskyHo and TL. Doors open for this 18-and-older event at 8 p.m.

Delilah DeWylde playing Old Dog Tavern in Kalamazoo, 10 p.m. Friday, $5 – The revved-up rockabilly sounds of Delilah DeWylde will fill Old Dog as one of West Michigan’s favorite soulful honky-tonkers lays down a bass rhythm sure to get you out of your seats. DeWylde will close out 2018 with shows Saturday in Whitehall and New Year’s Eve at Hops at 84 East in Holland. Tickets for the Old Dog show are $5 at the door.

GR Soul Club on Friday ($6), ‘Old School Hip Hop and R&B’ on Saturday ($10), at Billy’s Lounge in Grand Rapids, 9:30 p.m. each night – Billy’s Lounge gets fired up for the weekend before New Year’s with tunes spun by Grand Rapids Soul Club and special guest Joe Moon on Friday, and “A Night of Old School Hip Hop and R&B” on Saturday. (On New Year’s Eve, BassBin boasts a special party featuring Kid Enigma, Tom Reed, GettoBlaster and Pressed & Proper, $10, 9:30 p.m. Monday).

Last Gasp Collective and After Ours playing Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Café in Kalamazoo, 9 p.m. Saturday, $10 – Hard to believe it’s been two years since Kalamazoo’s Last Gasp Collective won the Fretboard Festival Play-In Competition. Since then, its following has grown in a fashion similar to the way its sound has evolved and new members have been collected. The band, which blends hip hop, soul, jazz and Gospel with a little bit of R&B, will be joined at Bell’s by South Bend’s jazzy After Ours.

The Strapping Owls playing Salt of the Earth at 114 E. Main St. in Fennville, 6 p.m. Sunday, $15 – Chicago’s The Strapping Owls are a lively, tuba-based trio known for churning out “live wire soul,” delivered via original songs and improvisational jams.

THE REALLY BIG LIST OF CONCERTS, PLUS SHOWS ON THE HORIZON

Monday, Dec. 24
Big Jake’s Pickin’ Party (guitar jam) (1 p.m.), Founders Brewing Company
Mike & Noelle Frost’s Christmas Eve Show (6 p.m.), JW Marriott
John Shea, Rockwell Republic
Dueling Pianos, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
Jazz Jam, What Not Inn, Fennville

Tuesday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day)
Mike Frost Trio Christmas Brunch (9 a.m.), JW Marriott
Bill Ellingboe/Cheap Dates, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
Damn Handsome Devil, The Union Cabaret Bar & Grille, Kalamazoo

Wednesday, Dec. 26
Morgan Foster & Friends, Local Spins Wednesday @ SpeakEZ Lounge
River North Jazz, The Old Goat
Tom Hagen Trio featuring Rick Reuther, Noto’s Old World Italian Restaurant, Cascade
The Carl Webb Band, Cedar Springs Brewing Company, Cedar Springs
Ivan Akansiima, Mizu Sushi, Holland
Jake Stevens, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
WMU Jazz Students, The Union Cabaret & Grille, Kalamazoo

Thursday, Dec. 27
SQUNTO/Kai Wachi/He$h/Frybread Power, The Intersection
Mustard Plug/Wack Trucks/The Potato Babies/78 Revolutions Per Minute, Elevation below The Intersection
Kathy Lamar Band, One Trick Pony
As Am I/Another Mans Trash/By Design, Mulligan’s Pub
eRoy/Pause/Sandose, Founders Brewing Co.
Les Creatif/The Insiders/Blushing Monk: WYCE’s GR Live (noon), H.O.M.E. at The B.O.B.
Y-Not, 7 Monks Taproom
JMM Jazz, Noto’s Old World Italian Restaurant, Cascade
Isaac Berkowitz (of Desmond Jones), Rockford Brewing Co., Rockford
Patty PerShayla, Hudsonville Winery-Pike 51 Brewing Co., Hudsonville
Rich Burkholder, Kirby House, Grand Haven
Andy Frisinger/Chris Wiser, Grand Armory Brewing, Grand Haven
Checkers Morton, Sandy Point Beach House, West Olive
Nate Holley, Itty Bitty Bar, Holland
The Diane VandeWater Trio, The Felt Estate and Shore Acres Farm, Holland
Front & Center, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
John Proulx, The Union Cabaret & Grille, Kalamazoo
Melissa Sue & Kaitlin Rose: Homegrown Presents, Old Dog Tavern, Kalamazoo
Styx, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Mt. Pleasant

Friday, Dec. 28
Trippin’ Billies (Dave Matthews tribute), 20 Monroe Live
The Freak Drop/Tropidelic/Rollin’ Zen/Stylee, The Stache inside The Intersection
Class of ‘98 (1990s tribute band), Elevation below The Intersection
Murder By Death/Winnow, The Pyramid Scheme
Kathy Lamar Band, One Trick Pony
Caro Rives/Young Sueyside/AWR/Skizo/Windu Faded, Mulligan’s Pub
GR Soul Club & Joe Moon, Billy’s Lounge
Four Lincolns/Blue Oddity, Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill
The Bootstrap Boys/DJ Ty Beat, Creston Brewery
DC-90, H.O.M.E. At The B.O.B.
Glamhammer, Log Cabin Lounge (Dec. 28-29)
Laurentian Tides/Flesh For The Beast/Heart of Jordan, 741
Edye Evans Hyde, Rendezvous Lounge @ Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Elijah Russ, Garage Bar & Grill
Toby Bresnahan, Bier Distillery, Belmont
Quarter Below, Shots on the River, Belmont
Dueling Pianos, Caledonia Family Tavern, Caledonia
The Outer Vibe, Rockford Brewing Co., Rockford
Trixy Tang, Woody’s Press Box, Wyoming (Dec. 28-29)
In The Blue Jazz Ensemble, Village Inn Pizza Sports Bar & Grill 44th Street, Wyoming
Dave & Connie D, Saugatuck Brewing Company, Douglas
Big Boss Band, Itty Bitty Bar, Holland
Glow in the Park: Merry Bassmas, Park Theatre, Holland
Drew Behringer, Our Brewing Company, Holland
Big Boss Band, Itty Bitty Bar, Holland
Loren Johnson, The Copper Post, Grand Haven
Tim Johnson & Co., Porto Bello, Grand Haven
Lee DeWyze (6 p.m. VIP, 8 p.m. show), Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake
Fool House: 90s Dance Party, Unruly Brewing Company, Muskegon
Silent Bark, McDuff’s Bar & Grille, Wayland
Joe Laureano/Jedi Mind Trip, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
House of Boogie, Back Room @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo
Jeff Mueller (5 p.m.), Louie’s Trophy House, Kalamazoo
Delilah DeWylde, Old Dog Tavern, Kalamazoo
Dacia Bridges Project, Final Gravity Brewing Company, Kalamazoo
Crossroads Blues Band, The Union Cabaret & Grille, Kalamazoo
Brown Cow/Jes Kramer/Katy Needs A Life, Shakespeare’s Pub Lower Level, Kalamazoo
OFB3, The Beacon Club, Portage
Ann Wilson (of Heart), Firekeepers Casino, Battle Creek
Allie Garland, JB’s Whiskey Old Style Grill, Battle Creek
Styx, Silver Creek Event Center @ Four Winds Casino, New Buffalo
Nelly, Chingy & Murphy Lee, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Mt. Pleasant

Saturday, Dec. 29
Pop Evil/Wayland/Handsome Pete, 20 Monroe Live
The Go Rounds/Turtledoves/Nashon Holloway, The Pyramid Scheme
Lotus/El Ten Eleven, The Intersection
Lazy Genius/The Howlers/I Believe In Julio, Creston Brewery
Kevin Jones Band, One Trick Pony
Hannah Rose & the GravesTones/Chirp, Founders Brewing Co.
DJ Composition & Troy Ceaser: A Night of R&B & Old School Hip Hop, Billy’s Lounge
Weekend Mixtape, H.O.M.E. at The B.O.B.
The Divine Evolution/City Kitty/The Road Runners/Dollars To Donuts, Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill
Kari Holmes, Back Forty Saloon
Glamhammer, Log Cabin Lounge (Dec. 28-29)
Hurry Home/Slumlord Radio, 741
Daniel Holland, The Peoples Cider Co.
The New Standard, JW Marriott
Edye Evans Hyde, Rendezvous @ Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Refurbished, Flanagan’s Irish Pub
Chris Clayton, Trail Point Brewing Company, Allendale
Wonder Lush, Shots on the River, Belmont
John Shea, Noto’s Italian Restaurant, Cascade
In The Blue, Castle Brewing Co., Greenville
Great Scott, Rogue River Tavern, Rockford
Blue Soul Express, Rockford Brewing Company, Rockford
NBA Youngboy/Yella Beezy, DeltaPlex Arena, Walker
Trixy Tang, Woody’s Press Box, Wyoming (Dec. 28-29)
Heavy Pine, Ridge Cider Co., Grant
The Barley Saints, Hennessy’s Pub, Norton Shores
Chestnut Grove, Unruly Brewing Co., Muskegon
Full Cord Bluegrass, Grand Armory Brewing, Grand Haven
Dean Allrick Jazz Piano, What Not Inn, Fennville
Lynn Thompson, The Pub @ Saugatuck Brewing Co., Douglas
Jim Shaneberger Band/Jedi Mind Trip, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers/Desmond Jones/Basic Comfort: Fake NYE, Kalamazoo State Theatre, Kalamazoo
Last Gasp Collective/After Ours, Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo
DC-90, The Union Cabaret & Grille, Kalamazoo
Starfarm, Shakespeare’s Pub Lower Level, Kalamazoo
Ashley Simpson & Allie Garland, JB’s Whiskey Old Style Grill, Battle Creek
Inghosts/The Kickbacks, The Music Factory
Echoes of Pink Floyd, Franke Center for the Arts, Marshall
Heartache Tonight (The Eagles tribute), Acorn Theater, Three Oaks
May Erlewine & The Motivations, The Livery, Benton Harbor
Aaron Tippin & Sammy Kershaw, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Mt. Pleasant

Sunday, Dec. 30
SunSquabi/Flats Stanlie: NYE Party, Elevation below The Intersection
The Goddamn Gallows/Gallows Bound/Saint Christopher, Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill
Greg Miller, Sunday Brunch (10 a.m.), JW Marriott
River North Jazz Brunch (11 a.m.), The Old Goat
Robin Connell & Jim Cooper (2 p.m.), Harmony Hall
Randy Marsh & Friends, SpeakEZ Lounge
Eric Engblade/The Zannies, The Peoples Cider Co.
Flatland Grip (noon), Cedar Springs Brewing Company, Cedar Springs
Willy Porter, Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake
The Strapping Owls, Salt of the Earth, Fennville
Nicholas James Thomasma, Hilliards Corner Lounge, Wayland

Monday, Dec. 31
Theater Bizarre Orchestra/Pinch & Squeal, Founders Brewing Company
SunSquabi/Defunk/Flats Stanlie, Elevation below The Intersection
Mike On My Radio/Dean Martian/DJ Buck: WSNX Beats & Bubbly, The Intersection
DJ Snax/Auto-Pilot/SuperDre/DJ Composition/AB, The Pyramid Scheme
Big Foot Buffalo/Conrad Shock + the Noise, Tip Top Deluxe Bar and Grill
Hillbilly Nightmare/Necophilicons/The Gates At Midnight, Mulligan’s Pub
BassBin: Kid Engima/Gettoblaster/Pressed & Proper/Tom Reed, Billy’s Lounge
Mark Lavengood Band/Earth Radio/Afro Zuma, Creston Brewery
The Insiders (Tom Petty tribute)/Zed Zeppelin (Safe Haven Ministries benefit), Wealthy Theatre
Kari Holmes, Back Forty Saloon
Hattrick, Log Cabin Lounge
DJ DiscoBrunch (Trees Beer Hall)/Laura Bennett (Zeppelin Cocktail Lounge), New Holland Brewing’s The Knickerbocker
In The Blue Jazz Ensemble, Long Road Distillers
John Shea, JW Marriott
Entourage, Rendezvous @ Amway Grand Plaza
Tristan, Kava Kasa GR
Blackfront Ink/Bleed The Water, Quinn & Tuite’s Irish Pub
Jaded, Flanagan’s Irish Pub
X-SPOZURE (6 p.m.), Fricano’s Pizza, Alpine
Loosely Tight, Nick Fink’s, Comstock Park
The Next, Red’s Sports Bar and Grill, Middleville
Liquid Courage, Lucky’s Roadhouse Bar Grill, Wayland
Dave Geer’s Classic Jazz Stompers: Great Gatsby New Year’s Eve, Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee
The Barley Saints/Project 90, Unruly Brewing Co., Muskegon
Chris Clayton, Trail Point Brewing, Allendale
Seth Glier (dinner & concert), Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake
Three’s A Crowd, Jack’s Waterfront Bistro + Bar, Spring Lake
Delilah DeWylde, Hops At 84 East, Holland
Rachel Curtis Band, Boatwerks Waterfront, Holland
DJ Rhythm of the Night, New Holland Brewing’s Pub On 8th, Holland
Bob Batastini, Salt of the Earth, Fennville
Jazz Jam (6 p.m.), What Not Inn, Fennville
Global Village/Hairmania/Brena, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
New Year’s Fest of Kalamazoo, various locations, Kalamazoo
The Dead South/The Crane Wives/The Hooten Hollers, Kalamazoo State Theatre, Kalamazoo
DJ Earl Jordan/Folk Yeah!, Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo
The Mainstays, The Union Cabaret & Grille, Kalamazoo
Sexy Toxins/The Hex Bombs/The Night Caps, Louie’s Trophy House, Kalamazoo
Raybone Jones, Shakespeare’s Pub Lower Level, Kalamazoo
Tom Duffield (5 p.m.), Old Dog Tavern, Kalamazoo
Alternate Route, The Music Factory, Battle Creek
The Love Revival Orchestra (New Year’s Eve party), Firekeepers Casino, Battle Creek
Allie Garland & Awesome Sauce (10 p.m.), JB’s Whiskey Old Style Grill, Springfield
Memphis Underground (New Year’s Eve party), Acorn Theater, Three Oaks

ON THE HORIZON: 2019

Wednesday, Jan. 2
River North Jazz (6 p.m.), The Old Goat
Corusco/Paper Lanterns, Rocky’s Bar and Grill
Tom Hagen Trio featuring Rick Reuther, Noto’s, Cascade
Jason Wheeler & Friends, Cedar Springs Brewing Co., Cedar Springs
Ivan Akansiima, Mizu Sushi, Holland
WMU Jazz Students, The Union Cabaret & Grille, Kalamazoo
Dacia Bridge Project, Potters Lounger, Four Points Sheraton, Kalamazoo
Mike McIntosh, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland

Thursday, Jan. 3
Jury Folk/Josiah, Mulligan’s Pub
JMM Jazz, Noto’s, Cascade
Hope College Jazz, Sandy Point Beach House, West Olive
Andy Frisinger, Grand Armory Brewing, Grand Haven
Front & Center, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
Fat Guys in a Little Show & Friends, Shakespeare’s Pub Lower Level, Kalamazoo

Friday, Jan. 4
The Quirk/Carmel Liburdi/Emma Loo/Maggie May:Women Everywhere, The Pyramid Scheme
The Turnips/Ernie Clark & the Magnificent Bastards, Tip Top Deluxe Bar and Grill
Ookay/Bonnie X Clyde/Holly/Mars, Elevation below The Intersection
Wakefire/Paco Higdon Band/Stone Soup and the Broken Teeth, Mulligan’s Pub
Three’s A Crowd, H.O.M.E. At The B.O.B.
Emma Loo & Sam, Creston Brewery
Cooper-Connell Jazz Trio (5 p.m.), Harmony Hall
John Shea, JW Marriott
Entourage, Rendezvous Lounge @ Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Jaded 8, Woody’s Press Box, Wyoming
In The Blue Jazz Ensemble, Village Inn Pizza 44th Street Sports Bar and Grille, Wyoming
The Shagwells, Itty Bitty Bar, Holland
Tim Johnson & Co., Porto Bello, Grand Haven
Toby Bresnahan, Hilliards Corner Lounge, Wayland
Coty Bouchard/The Lepolian Effect, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
Jeff Mueller (5 p.m.), Louie’s Trophy House, Kalamazoo
The Mushmen/DeadSetReady/Paper Thin/Sailor Kicks, Old Dog Tavern, Kalamazoo
Brian VanderArk, The Livery, Benton Harbor

Saturday, Jan. 5
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Van Andel Arena
The Lippies/Turnspit/Ugly Flannel/Pansy, The Pyramid Scheme
Starfarm, Billy’s Lounge
Stormy Chromer/Flexadecibel, Mulligan’s Pub
Rusty Horse/Diff & Dudley, Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill
Mike Frost Trio, JW Marriott
Entourage, Rendezvous Lounge @ Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Cheap Dates, H.O.M.E. at The B.O.B.
Decades, River City Saloon
John Shea, Noto’s, Cascade
The Ryne Experience/The Preservers, LowellArts House Concerts, Lowell
Project 90, Rockford Brewing Company, Rockford
Trilogy, Rogue River Tavern, Rockford
Jared Knox Band, Woody’s Press Box, Wyoming
Ben Kolk, Ridge Cider Co., Grant
Chris Michels Band, Unruly Brewing Co., Muskegon
Charlie Mars, Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake
The Legal Immigrants, Grand Armory Brewing, Grand Haven
Beer For Breakfast, The Kirby House, Grand Haven
Electric Red, Itty Bitty Bar, Holland
Olivia Mainville, Waverly Stone Gastropub, Holland
Dean Allrick Jazz Piano, What Not Inn, Fennville
The Lepolian Effect/JGJ, Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
The Real Fantastics, Back Room @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo
Rock Island Ramblers/Double Strung, Old Dog Tavern, Kalamazoo
The Chuck Jagers, The Livery, Benton Harbor

Sunday, Jan. 6
Mike Frost & Mike Hyde (10 a.m.), Sunday Brunch, JW Marriott
River North Jazz Brunch (11 a.m.), The Old Goat
River Rogues Jazz Band (2 p.m.), Harmony Hall
Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra (5:30 p.m.), Founders Brewing Co.
Randy Marsh & Friends, SpeakEZ Lounge
Kaitlyn Zittel (album release), Wealthy Theatre
Toby Bresnahan (noon), Cedar Springs Brewing Co., Cedar Springs
Grayson Barton, Hilliards Corner Lounge, Wayland

Copyright 2018, Spins on Music LLC