Each album in the Glowfriends' extensive catalog tends to hug a central theme, but, the Kalamazoo-based band's vocalist April Zimont insists that this is not intentional.
Future Islands is a band that's not shy about examining the human condition. Since 2006, this synthpop trio out of Baltimore has churned out three albums exploring the complexities of love, the truths found in memories and even the deep emotional scars left behind by breakups.
Call it an obvious fact, but outer space is complex and big; so is the dense, dynamic style of the progressively evolving technical metal group Between the Buried and Me. This past fall, the band toured and played the entirety of its latest album, The Parallax II: Future Sequence (2012). The shows were complemented by imagery contained within the album's booklet, which illustrates and lyrically guides listeners along the spiritual, intergalactic journey.
When you live in Beer City USA, sometimes, you just gotta toast to the weekend. One band is providing an anthem for such an occasion. The band Head, out of Grand Rapids, released their most recent album Three Cheers about a month ago at The Pyramid Scheme. For fans and followers of this local trio, it was a long awaited, highly-anticipated release since the band’s last album back in 2011.
We may still be in the dead of winter, but Frederik Meijer Gardens is thinking summer, with three acts announced for its summer concert series. The series has recently partnered with Fifth Third Bank, and boasts a new title: Fifth Third Bank Summer Concert Series at Meijer Gardens.
Kalamazoo-based Fox is a blues/rock band with history. The band's members (Chris Sinclair, John Lawrence and Carman Goodrich) met in middle school. They took that friendship one step further, adding instruments to their repertoire and creating what is now known as Fox.
Ari Lehman isn't your normal, run-of-the-mill former child actor. After playing the first Jason in Friday the 13th, he's currently in a band playing with the likes of Chimaera, Gwar and even horror movie icons, Goblin. He doesn't just play some lousy guitar, though. Ari Lehman plays his keytar, the Electric Machete.
The Reptilian has been a staple in the Kalamazoo and West Michigan music scenes for, oh, about 300 years (we're estimating). But to be more precise, this band has been around for the better part of a decade.
Many know him from his one-armed performance in Hot Tub Time Machine. Others may remember him as George McFly in Back to the Future. Few know he is an author, musician, filmmaker and has his own touring show. Crispin Hellion Glover (yep, that's his real middle name) has dabbled in nearly every form of entertainment for more than three decades.
Gem your sweaters and dust off your party pants, Leslie and the Ly's are returning to Grand Rapids for a glamorous night of booty shaking and body rolls. Fourteen years ago, before the glitz and glamor of fame took hold, Leslie Hall started collecting and bedazzling gem sweaters.
Before you start thinking, "Schoolboy WHO?" let's take a moment to highlight some of Schoolboy Q's recent highlights. Currently, Schoolboy is all over the airwaves with a guest appearance on recent Grammy-winner Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' latest single, "White Walls."
It's often difficult to translate the sweaty, out-of-control sound of a punk rock basement show on to an album. But, if you have never stepped foot in a house venue and want to know what you're missing, Kalamazoo-based ProConPro gives you a pretty good taste.
They may rap about guillotines, Molotov cocktails and deep-frying CEOs, but anyone who calls The Coup's music angry isn't listening close enough.
The month after the national music community is reinvigorated by the Grammy Awards held in the heart of Los Angeles, the Grand Rapids music community will celebrate its homegrown talent at The Intersection. The Jammies have been instrumental in shaping the musical mosaic that has developed around Grand Rapids.
