West Michigan is known as a weekenders’ haven, an avenue for the arts and an artists’ retreat. Summer brings music festivals and an upswing in nightlife events from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids and the lakeshore. Venues such as The Pyramid Scheme and The Intersection attract national caliber rock and pop acts.
When Grand Rapids-based musician Jake Stilson decided to turn to crowdfunding as a means of recording his 2013 release, Stilson Shmilson, he found himself as one of many artists -- locally and nationally -- trying out the relatively new method.
An intriguing mix of American and Brazilian influences mark the work of singer/songwriter Mónica da Silva. A native of both Grand Rapids and Belém, Brazil (and a dual citizen of both), da Silva’s aural creations are aptly described by her as “Indie Nova”: a rich blend of traditional bossa nova of idie pop.
Muskegon’s Infinite Design is one of those bands, serving up classic technical/progressive death metal in fresh new ways. More Between the Buried and Me than Pig Destroyer, the band’s particular blend of hooky riffs, mosh-happy breakdowns and furious blastbeats have an invigorating gleam of originality to them, with a smattering of Dream Theater-style noodling and tempo shifts that keep you guessing (and impressed).
Representing Kalamazoo, Lasso serves as a sonic snapshot embodying the city and its musical direction. Lasso’s latest album, Golden Lasso, was released from Andy Catlin's Double Phelix record label, which houses a Kalamazoo-based collective of artists. On Golden Lasso, Catlin welcomes in various guest musicians to create an effortless mix of vocals and live instrumentation, ideal for a summer afternoon.
Shneal isn't just a rapper in the local Kalamazoo hip-hop scene — he's also an ambassador for the genre. The 24-year-old artist puts arguably as much sweat into growing the scene as he does his personal endeavors, and it has paid him back with an already fruitful résumé.
It's no secret that the best metal bands are apt to get rowdy both on and off stage, but in the '90s, New Orleans-based sludge metal outfit Eyehategod put other bands to shame.
Voluptuous Panic knows how to keep a nice thirst for new music good and quenched. Featuring the Grand Rapids duo of Brian J. Bowe and Gretchen DeVault, the group is steadily releasing new, whimsical tunes online over the course of the year.
For many, summer festivals are a road trip occasion. You pile in someone's car, have little to no leg room (you don't care, though, because the destination is WORTH IT) and belt out songs at the top of your lungs. As long as you're in good company, the details don't really matter. But it's the details, however, that help make a road trip less than a trip and more of an adventure. Here is what you need for a successful road trip:
Buzz Osborne (aka King Buzzo) is an artist who has certainly earned his royal moniker. For 30 years he's been the frontman and principal songwriter for legendary sludge-rock outfit The Melvins, a band famous for its unpredictability genre-defying sound and heavy riffs. What's more, Osborne has embarked on his first truly solo project, King Buzzo, this year.
So you’re sitting out the music festivals this year because although your heart is telling you yes, your wallet is crying no. Music festivals are expensive, so you’re not the only one staying home.
Preparing for a music festival is somewhat of an art form. The festival should be looked at as a marathon, not a sprint and you need to employ some key survival tactics if you plan on making it through the weekend without dehydration dry heaves. (Trust me, it happens.) Here are some essential items for festival survival:
Festivals can be overwhelming events. You want to fit in but also stand out. Here are some dos and donts that will help you acclimate and keep your individuality.
In one of the most popular plays of all time, Juliet Capulet asked, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Though it is doubtful if Juliet were around today, she would have asked that same question about Nashville punk rock outfit Diarrhea Planet.
