There's nothing quite like it, as Michigan's ultra-vibrant summer festival and amphitheater concert scene has demonstrated again and again. And a decade into its run as Grand Rapids' premier outdoor venue Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has again upped the ante in terms of sheer numbers and breadth of genres represented.
Seth Bernard attended his first folk festival at four years old, which explains his why he's a leading figure of the booming Michigan roots music scene.
The days of having to drive ridiculous distances to camp, party and hear your favorite music are largely over. Now there appears to be a killer music festival somewhere in the country every weekend in the summer.
Thousands gathered on Vandenberg Plaza to commemorate the dedication of La Grand Vitesse by Alexander Calder, one of the first "Art in Public Places" installations in the nation, in 1969.
In the years that have followed, the area became known as Calder Plaza, and an annual event has been luring crowds into downtown, reviving the excitement surrounding public art.
Literary all-stars Kurt Vonnegut, Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike and Margaret Atwood all have one thing in common besides being acclaimed novelists: they all hung out in the little town of Dowagiac, Mich.
May boasts at least a half-dozen first-time musical events, several with an unusual twist to give spring 2013 added zip. Here's a peek at the uncommon lineup, which includes West Michigan's Music Legends at the We Do Care Charity Extravaganza, the Bimini Brothers 30th anniversary show and more.
In 2007, two sets of brothers out of Perry, Mich. got together and decided to make some music. But they weren't reaching for the polished, over-processed sound that saturates the airwaves today. Instead, these four embraced the raw, unrefined style of 1960s garage rock.
It's difficult to just slap an all-encompassing genre on a band, as many pull from a variety of influences to shape their sound. But to not acknowledge New Found Glory as a pop-punk group is to ignore their influence on the genre's rise to mainstream popularity.
The Dillinger Escape Plan has pretty much become synonymous with the mathcore genre, though the members readily admit they never set out to become figureheads of the genre. Still, it only makes sense they have a proven formula for writing songs.
As the cliché goes, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ That seems to be the mantra for Frederik Meijer Gardens’ 2013 Outdoor Summer Concert Series lineup, which has multiple acts coming back to the amphitheater.
The lineup, which was released today and is the venue’s biggest to-date with 30 acts, features returning artists – many that have sold out the venue.
"Neon" is the way Jamie Lidell describes his music. Like the descriptor implies, Lidell's music is bright, vibrant and eclectic. But before he gets too out there, he reels his listeners back in with his voice, creating a fusion he refers to as "post-modern soul."
He creates this mix by modernizing his music influences such as Quincy Jones, Ray Charles and Marvin Gaye with electronic elements.
For more than 20 years, Clutch has been bringing its own unique brand of hard rock to the mainstream. Fusing elements of blues, metal and even punk, the guys know not only the importance of staying true to their own music, but also that of recognizing the influences that have shaped them.
Since 1996, Sum 41 has been unleashing its impenitent punk stylings on the masses, including its highly successful debut album, All Killer, No Filler, which went platinum in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K.
In 2011, the dreams and musical potential of new club/concert venue The Pyramid Scheme were huge. Many hoped it would become a sought-after destination for local bands, as well as national touring acts.
