Letter from the Editor

Whether you know it or not, West Michigan is practically overflowing with music.

I don’t just mean the venues like 20 Monroe Live and Frederik Meijer Gardens bringing in huge national acts — I mean the local bands, of which we have hundreds, all pumping out music for their own reasons.

For some, the dream is to travel the nation, playing for a country-wide fanbase. For others, it’s a creative outlet, a need to put some sort of art out into the world. And for others still, it’s just about getting up onstage, having fun and entertaining a bar with covers of classic jams.

Even as our music scene has shifted — the days of Skelletones (R.I.P.) are long past — the community has only grown larger and more diverse. We have killer hip-hop, folk, post-rock, indie, metal, electronic and so much more playing at venues of all sizes, all over the state.

All that to say, if you somehow didn’t know all this was going on in your own backyard, it’s high time you found out. Of course, that’s where we come in!

In this issue, you’ll find profiles of local musicians from all over West Michigan, including Lady Ace Boogie, Winnow, War & Treaty and more. We also have 10 artists you should be listening to right now, spanning the gamut of genres.

Plus, check out our hard cider tasting, an interview with The Front Bottoms, and a guide to this summer’s local festivals, including an interview with David Abbott, the new executive director of The Festival of the Arts in Grand Rapids.

Just remember, if you don’t find your new favorite local band in the pages ahead, keep looking — there are hundreds more.

’Til next time,

Josh Veal, Managing Editor

On the Cover: Lady Ace Boogie. (See Page 20.)

Feature: The Music Issue. (See page 19.) 

Music: The Front Bottoms

Dining & Drinking: Michigan-made Cider Taste-off, Little Bird, Last Call: The Sovengard

Revue Arts

On the Cover:  SCA's Industrial Nature

Musical Monument: Feast or Famine remembers the victims of avarice

All's Fair in Art and Crafts: Time to hit the lakeshore for fine art fairs throughout the summer

Glass from the Past: Global Glass explores the art form over the years

Reuse, Reuse, Reuse: Industrial Nature saves common objects from a lifetime in the landfill

More than a Show: America's Music Company provides a unique blend of theater, music and pop culture

Sitcom Onstage: Olive and the Bitter Herbs is more than a rerun

Stories of Power: ATGR holds local playwriting festival

- May 2018
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- January 2018: Revue turns 30
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