Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

See ya soon

Published by NOISE! Staff on August 29th, 2011 - in Uncategorized

If a week of inactivity on the web site wasn’t telling enough, here’s an announcement we’ve done what we could to avoid. Effective immediately, West Michigan NOISE! will be taking an indefinite hiatus from its coverage of local music. What’s the old cliche? Life gets in the way? Well, it does and it’s unfortunate.

Yes, it certainly does not take a lot of time and/or money to post stuff online. It could be a free hobby and is to many. But that’s never what we intended for this to be, and seeing it merge into that territory, we’ve found it best to step away for a bit a recharge our batteries for the first time in the last couple years.

This certainly doesn’t mean we’re tired of the vibrant music scene in West Michigan. If anything, it gives us more time to support all the amazingly talented artists the old-fashioned way – buying a ticket to the show and listening/enjoying. There were certainly a good amount of skeptics out there, claiming we weren’t doing anything unique and that publications like ours have come and gone throughout the years. Well, by closing up shop, maybe we proved them right. But with hundreds of thousands of hits, countless articles and sparking conversation about the local scene, hopefully we accomplished some things.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible.

Fes2Val shows it only takes two

Published by NOISE! Staff on August 21st, 2011 - in Featured, News, Uncategorized



George Michael said sex is best when it involves two people (one-on-one, to be exact). Well, music isn’t too shabby for bands that are two strong, either. The fellas in Grand Rapids-based math rock duo Charles The Osprey is putting some of the area’s top acts on display.

The third annual Fes2Val: It Only Takes Two is a one-day festival celebrating bands in a variety of genres that share one common element: each band has two members. The show is slated for Saturday, Aug. 27 beginning at noon at the Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids.

Held each year in a non-traditional music venue, Fes2Val is an all-ages event. Sponsors this year include The Meanwhile Bar, Vertigo Records and REVUE West Michigan magazine.

Tickets are $5 (advance) and $6 (day of show). Beer will be available for 21+. There will be an official after party for Fes2Val at the Pyramid Scheme, which will be hosting the Still Remains reunion show the same evening.

Here are the bands on tap
- Charles The Osprey, Grand Rapids
- Jowls, Grand Rapids
- Beast In The Field, Mount Pleasant
- Brontosaurus, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- Bangups, Grand Rapids
- Bram N Dexous , Grand Rapids
- Noblesville, Grand Rapids
- Between Brains, Grand Rapids
- Lost Coves, Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Good News, Kalamazoo
- The Kincaids, Mount Pleasant
- Stagnant Pools, Bloomington, Ind.
- Whee, Detroit
- Back Alley Knife Show, Grand Rapids
- Boy with Mace, Grand Rapids

We are officially inside the dog days of summer (subtitle: why is it so @#$%ing hot outside?)

Published by NOISE! Staff on July 21st, 2011 - in News, Uncategorized



West Michigan NOISE! appropriately presents sizzling local music talent to accompany the stifling late-July heat. Beat the dog days of summer with Dog Days of Summer Local Music Festival, a two-day concert event at the grounds of the Old Dog Tavern — 402 E. Kalamazoo Ave. — in Kalamazoo on July 29 and 30.

Both nights kick off at 6 p.m. and feature an indoor and outdoor stage. The ages 18+ event costs $6 per night, or $10 for a two-day pass. Tickets can be purchased at the host venue or through bands performing.

Dog Days will present talent from Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, South Haven and Chicago, running the musical spectrum from rock to hip-hop to folk.

Bands confirmed for the event are as follows.

Friday, July 29, 2011
Killing Faith (Kalamazoo/alternative rock), Sevin (Battle Creek/alternative rock), Star Destroyer (Kalamazoo/rock), The Mushmen (Kalamazoo/ska), The Clydesdale Scale (Kalamazoo/punk), Synergetic (Kalamazoo/hip-hop), Thirty Steps To Forward (South Haven/folk), Chasing The Sky (Grand Rapids/pop rock), Fly Paper (Kalamazoo/blues rock), Jake Simmons and The Little Ghosts (Kalamazoo/indie rock), Jess Godwin (Chicago/singer-songwriter), Brad Radtke (South Haven/singer-songwriter), Alejandra O’Leary Rock ‘n’ Roll Band (Ann Arbor/rock ‘n’ roll), Number The Stars (Grand Rapids, pop rock)

Saturday, July 30, 2011
Three Cents Short (Grand Rapids/ska punk), Elm Street Riot (Kalamazoo/rock), Fishlips (Kalamazoo/pop rock), No Stars In Brooklyn (Grand Rapids/pop rock), Midwest Skies (Grand Rapids/pop rock), Relapse (Grand Rapids/rock), This Haunted City (Kalamazoo/alternative rock), Day Lewis (Kalamazoo/rock), Pleasant Drive (Kalamazoo/psycadelic rock), Plastic Fantastic (Kalamazoo/rock), Guru^garzaH (Kalamazoo/dub step), 12-Track Radio (Grand Rapids/pop punk), Wires and Lights (Paw Paw/acoustic rock).

FREE @#$%: William Elliott Whitmore

Published by NOISE! Staff on July 12th, 2011 - in Uncategorized



William Elliott Whitmore (Photo // David Black)


Fusion Shows ain’t ever happy unless they’re giving free stuff away.

So let’s make them happy.

Those gents want you to see William Elliott Whitmore at The Strutt on Friday for zero American dollars. All you have to do is shoot us an e-mail to get entered in the drawing.

Since the show is Friday, we’re going to be picking SOON. So get entered now.

E-mail westmichigannoise@gmail.com with the subject line “Fusion Shows is the cat’s pajamas”. We’ll contact you via e-mail if you have won.

To stay on top of all the fantastic concerts Fusion has on tap, visit fusionshows.com.

Also, read our interview with the man.

NOISE! appearing in the Battle Creek Enquirer beginning in July

Published by NOISE! Staff on June 21st, 2011 - in Uncategorized



For all those that have been having withdrawals from reading NOISE! on good ‘ol fashioned paper (known by ancient Egyptians as papyrus), this one is for you.

Starting in July, members of the NOISE! crew will be penning a bi-weekly local band spotlight/column for the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Needless to say, the Enquirer just became the raddest, baddest paper in the Mitten. The ball’s in your court Kalamazoo Gazette and Grand Rapids Press.

We’ll have plenty more details in the coming weeks and will alert everyone on what we’re running and when. In the meantime, music fans of Battle Creek, let us know what tickles your pickle these days (enjoy sentiments like these, they won’t be allowed in the newspaper).

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