Our guide to events, goings-on and things to do in Grand Rapids and all around West Michigan for the months of September and October.
9/4
Kalamashoegazer
Bell’s Eccentric Café
355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo
Sep. 4-5
bellsbeer.com
Kalamashoegazer is an annual independent music festival in Kalamazoo, celebrating shoegaze and dreampop. Founded in 2007, it is the longest-running DIY festival of its kind in the United States. This year’s lineup includes No Culture, Cool Heat, Sungaze, Vida Eterna, Brief Candles and more.
9/11
Wheatland Music Festival
7251 50th Ave, Remus
Sep. 11-13
wheatlandmusic.org
Each year, thousands of children and adults converge on a 160-acre festival site to enjoy a wide variety of traditional arts spread across three days. Festival goers take part in workshops, demonstrations, dances, and impromptu jam sessions throughout the site as well as the stage performances, juried arts and crafts, and a wide variety of food.
9/12
Therapy Gecko
Wealthy Theatre
1130 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids
Sep. 12, 8 p.m.
grcmc.org
How to explain Therapy Gecko? Well, it’s an unlicensed lizard psychologist traveling the universe, talking to strangers, of course. He takes calls and talks to people from the crowd, offering up hilariously unqualified “therapy” on everything from relationships and existential crises to the weirdest problems you never knew people had.
Alabama
Van Andel Arena
130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids
Sep. 12, 7 p.m.
vanandelarena.com
Alabama is the band that changed everything, bringing country music to the mainstream. They went from side stage to the main stage with rock style guitars, lights, pyrotechnics and sounds. Hits including “Mountain Music,” “Song of the South,” “Dixieland Delight” and “Love in the First Degree” made Alabama one of the best-selling country groups of all time.
Julian McCullough
The Big Room
975 Ottawa Ave NW, Grand Rapids
Sep. 12
thebigroomgr.com
Julian McCullough is the host of Nate Bargatze’s record breaking Big Dumb Eyes tour, has headlined nationally for years and has multiple recent appearances on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Occasionally he has a night off from the biggest comedy tour in history to spend time with his family, but instead he’s doing his own show in Grand Rapids!
9/14
Whitney + Emma Ogier
The Pyramid Scheme
68 Commerce Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
Sep. 14, 7 p.m.
pyramidschemebar.com
Chicago indie rockers Whitney have built a sound steeped in the golden-hour: warm guitars, gentle grooves, soulful arrangements and Julien Ehrlich’s unmistakable falsetto. The band broke out with 2016’s Light Upon the Lake and has continued blending folk, country, soul and soft rock into something distinctly their own.
9/17
Michigan Irish Music Festival
Heritage Landing
1051 7th St., Muskegon
Sep. 17-20
michiganirish.org
Everyone and everything is a little bit Irish here. Held annually in September, this vibrant festival boasts six dynamic stages of live music, traditional dance, and cultural entertainment. Savor authentic Irish fare at the Celtic Kitchen, raise a glass at The Pub, and browse unique Celtic wares at the bustling market.
9/18
ArtPrize
Across Grand Rapids
Sep. 18-Oct. 3
artprize.org
Every fall, across Grand Rapids, art is exhibited in galleries and storefronts. Parks and museums. In breweries and public spaces and venues of all kinds. As for the prize, they award over $400,000 directly to artists through both popular and juried voting. This year, it’s been extended to encompass 22 days, and is filled with collaborations bringing ballet, opera, symphonic music, children’s programming, fashion and neighborhood-based art experiences into accessible public spaces across the city.
9/19
Eastown Streetfair
Wealthy Street
Sep. 19, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
eastown.org
The Eastown Streetfair is a family-friendly celebration of arts, crafts, food, drinks, music, and the Eastown neighborhood; one of Grand Rapids’ most eclectic districts! The Fun-Filled Fairgrounds features activites for kids all day, including balloon twisting, GRPL Mobile Library, the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, crafts, and more!
9/25
Electric Feels: Indie Rock + Electronic Dance Party
The Intersection
133 Cesar E. Chavez Ave SW, Grand Rapids
Sep. 25, 9 p.m.
sectionlive.com
Electric Feels is an experiential dance party that plays everything from indie rock to electronic dance music, illuminated by big stage production. You can expect to hear music from artists like: Tame Impala, The Strokes, Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club, Daft Punk, Kid Cudi, LCD Soundsystem, Crystal Castles, and many more.
OktoberfestGR
Riverside Park
3061 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
Sep. 25-26
oktoberfestgr.com
Raise a stein to German tradition at Oktoberfest GR, a lively celebration of beer, food, music and all things Bavarian. Expect plenty of brews, hearty German fare, games, live entertainment and festive activities that bring a taste of Munich to GR. This event is free to attend, and open to all ages.
9/26
Wealthy Street Block Party
Corner of Eastern & Wealthy
Sep. 26, 2-9 p.m.
linktr.ee/wealthy_street
The Wealthy Street Block Party is back and bigger than ever! Join for a day of local flavor and festive vibes, featuring live music, food trucks, craft drinks, and a street full of neighbors, makers, and music lovers. As the sun goes down, the party moves to the grass for a special after-sunset showing of Shrek on a pop-up screen.
10/2
Modest Mouse
GLC Live at 20 Monroe
11 Ottawa Ave NW, Grand Rapids
Oct. 2, 7 p.m.
glcliveat20monroe.com
Formed in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1990s, Modest Mouse grew from an influential indie rock cult favorite into one of the genre’s most recognizable bands. Decades into their career, Modest Mouse remains a dynamo live act, and they’re bringing both classic songs and hits from their new album An Eraser and a Maze to Grand Rapids in October.
10/4
Lucy Darling
DeVos Performance Hall
303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
Oct. 4, 7 p.m.
devosperformancehall.com
Award-winning performer Carisa Hendrix stars as charming socialite and cocktail enthusiast Lucy Darling, as she continues her vivacious vagabond voyages with You’re Welcome, a touring variety show featuring her razor-sharp wit, unquestionable advice, skillful magic, and delightful friends.
10/9
Michigan Made Tasting Festival
Battle GR
248 Dodge NE, Comstock Park
battlegr.com
More than 20 Michigan breweries, distilleries, wineries, cideries and beverage makers will come together this fall for
Michigan Made, a one-night tasting festival celebrating the products and people behind Michigan's craft beverage industry.Guests will be able to sample products from Michigan producers including Perrin Brewing Company, Short's Brewing, Long Road Distillers, Iron Fish Distillery, Mammoth Distilling, B. Nektar, St. Julian, Detroit City Distillery, Michigan Moonshine, Wonderland Distilling and more. The evening will also feature Michigan-inspired food, live music, People's Choice awards and staffed axe-throwing lanes.
10/13
The Linda Lindas
The Intersection - Elevation
133 Cesar E. Chavez Ave SW, Grand Rapids
Oct. 13, 8 p.m.
sectionlive.com
Gotta Get Out, the third album from Bela Salazar, Eloise Wong, and Lucia and Mila de la Garza, is the sound of a band discovering itself. Their first two records took them from L.A. Chinatown all-ages scene mainstays to tours with Green Day and song placements in Inside Out 2. But for this one, they wanted something a little different. Gotta Get Out experiments with genre yet stays cohesive as a whole, delivering a new delight at every turn.
10/17
Beth Stelling: Let Me Get Loose
The Pyramid Scheme
68 Commerce Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
Oct. 17, 7 p.m.
pyramidschemebar.com
Beth Stelling has the rare ability to make even the most uncomfortable parts of life feel warm, conversational and very funny. The Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based comedian has appeared on Conan and Jimmy Kimmel Live! and written for shows including Crashing, The Last O.G. and Rick and Morty. Her latest release, The Landlord Special, turns the nightmare of a bad landlord into prime comedy material.
10/20
Dan Tyminski Band
St. Cecilia Music Center
Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m.
scmcgr.org
Dan Tyminski was six years old when his parents began taking him to fiddle contests, square dances, and bluegrass festivals across New England. Throughout his 30+ year career, Tyminski has left his mark in every corner of modern music. His voice famously accompanies George Clooney’s performance of the Stanley Brothers’ classic song, “I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow,” in the film, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? and his vocal collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii on the song “Hey Brother” was a global smash, having been streamed more than a billion times to date.
