Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids is Michigan's second-largest city, and the largest city on the west-side of the state. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 188,040. With city-wide events such as Art Prize, and Festival of the Arts, GRAM on the Green, Blues on the Mall, Relax at Rosa, Local First, and Lamplight -- Grand Rapids caters to the creative community, especially musicians. The city developed a folk niche in the 2010s, and had a strong punk scene during the early 2000s.

Anthony Keidis, was born in Grand Rapids, and resided in the city with his mother until he was 12 years old.

Michigan Music Wiki Endorsements:

* Best GR Ultra-High Capacity Venue: The Deltaplex
* Best GR High-Capacity Venue: Frederick Meijer Gardens Amphitheater
* Best GR Mid-Range Venue: The Pyramid Scheme
* Best GR Band: The Crane Wives

***[Could use pages on the GR punk scene in the early 2000s, and the folk movement in 2010s].***

## Venues

### *Ultra-High Capacity Venues*

These are the ultra-high capacity venues in Grand Rapids, Michigan that hold above 5,000 people.

* The VanAndel Arena (10,834 Capacity)
* The Deltaplex (7,000)

### *High-Capacity Venues*

These are the high-capacity venues in Grand Rapids, Michigan that hold between 1,000 and 4,999 people.

* Frederick Meijer Gardens Amphitheater (1,900)
* The Orbit Room (1,800 Capacity)
* 20 Monroe Live (1,700 Capacity)

### *Mid-Range Venues*

These are the mid-range venues in Grand Rapids, Michigan that hold between 100 and 999 people.

* The Intersection (835 Capacity)
* St. Cecelia Music Center (650 Capacity)
* The Pyramid Scheme (420 Capacity)
* The Wealthy Theater (400 Capacity)
* The Stache (The Intersection Front Room) (400 Capacity)
* Billy's Lounge (250 Capacity)
* Mulligan's Pub (100 Capacity)

### *Small Venues*

Small venues with below 100 person capacity that regularly host live music in Grand Rapids include:

* 36th Street Lounge (Wyoming)
* Creston Brewery
* Elk's Brewing Company
* Flamingo Lounge
* Grand Rapids Brewing Company
* Harmony Hall
* Ladies Literary Club
* Monarch's Club
* One Trick Pony
* Rocky's Bar and Grill
* Tip Top Deluxe
* The Woods

### *Closed Venues*

* Skelletones

* MXTP
* The Venue (Standale)
* Keith's Theatre/The Empress (1,900 Capacity) (Operated from 1914-1962)

## Major Acts

These are the musicians and musical acts from or based in Grand Rapids, Michigan who have or still do operate on an international level, have been signed to a major label, or have national or worldwide notoriety.

* Born
* The Crane Wives
* DeBarge
* Del Shannon
* The Good Luck Joes
* Jefree Star
* Kevin Max, of DC Talk
* La Dispute
* Mustard Plug
* N.F.
* The Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Sleeping with Sirens
* Still Remains
* The Verve Pipe
* Whirlwind Heat

## Recording Studios

Each studio should be contacted for a list of artists they've recorded (to include on the studio page, and to create an artist page).Studios contacted for artist list include: Mackinaw Harvest Studios.

* Mackinaw Harvest Studios
* Amber Lit Audio
* Stone House Recording
* River City Studios
* Cold War Studios
* The Foxboro
* Sound Post Studios
* Skull Studios
* Knavish Audio
* Centennial Sound

## Grand Rapids Albums (To Get Its Own Page Soon)

* 2002 - Slant (Middlefield): "The Right Amount of Rock"
* 2004 - Middlefield: "Back Yard All-Stars"
* 2005 - Christopher Andrus: "Cut to the Quick"
* 2006 - AG Silver: "Wake Up and Smell Reality"
* 2006 - The Mines: "Metropolis"
* 2007 - Bless You Boys: "Armed to the Teeth"
* 2007 - Shotgun Sally: "DEMOBaby"
* 2008 - Bless You Boys: "The Still Life"
* 2008 - AG Silver: "Love Keeps No Score - EP"
* 2008 - The Mines: "People Music"
* 2008 - Karisa Wilson: "Little Girl"
* 2009 - Lake Miniscule: "In All Her Glory - EP"
* 2009 - Lake Miniscule: "North of the Bridge"
* 2009 - Sleeping With Sirens
* 2010 - Chasing the Sky: "The Empty Chair - EP"
* 2010 - Christopher Andrus: "The Glass Man"
* 2010 - Lake Miniscule: "When We Get to Heaven"
* 2010- Number the Stars: "Unfair
* 2010 - The Redlights: "This is Control"
* 2011 - Big Dudee Roo: "Listen to Your Discontent"
* 2011 - The Crane Wives: "Safe Ship, Harbored"
* 2011 - Karisa Wilson: "Sing for the Children"
* 2011 - Lake Miniscule: "[Au + Ag]"
* 2011 - The Mines: "Fear is Easy"
* 2011 - Convotronics Industries: "Convotronics Industries"
* 2012 - Bitter Apples: "Bitter Apples"
* 2012 - The Crane Wives: "The Fool in Her Wedding Gown"
* 2012 - Convotronics Industries: "Planet Convo"
* 2012 - The Juno Blacklist (under JuxTApose): "World of Trouble - EP"
* 2012 - Fine Fine Titans: "Arms - EP"
* 2012 - Karisa Wilson: "Stronger"
* 2012 - Number the Stars - "Excuses, Excuses" (Single)
* 2013 - The Dockside Fever & Lake Miniscule: "The Lighter of Two Sleepers"
* 2013 - Romance for Ransom: "Five Ways to Keep a Secret - EP"
* 2013 - Uncommon Road: "One by One - EP"
* 2014 - The Lippies: "The Lippies - EP"
* 2014 - Fine Fine Titans: "Omega - EP"
* 2014 - Vox Vidorra: "Live from the Living Room - EP"
* 2015 - Big Dudee Roo: "HEAVY DUDEE"
* 2015 - Bigfoot Buffalo: "Bigfoot Buffalo"
* 2015 - Bittersweet: "I Hope You Find What You're Looking For - EP"
* 2015 - Bittersweet: "Summer's End - EP"
* 2015 - The Crane Wives: "Coyote Stories"
* 2015 - The Crane Wives: "A Very, Very Crane Wives Christmas"
* 2015 - Lipstick Jodi: "Good Not Great - EP"
* 2015 - The Mines: Singles Project
* 2015 - Red Legs: "Influencer"
* 2015 - Vox Vidorra: Promise Land
* 2016 - Big Dudee Roo: Dudee Free
* 2016 - Bigfoot Buffalo: "Thanks Y'all
* 2016 - Bet on Rats: "Easy Now - EP"
* 2016 - Bet on Rats: "Braille"
* 2016 - The Crane Wives: "Foxlore"
* 2016 - Lake Miniscule: "Death of an Annual"
* 2016 - The Lippies: "The Lippies"
* 2016 - Lokella: "The Worst Of"
* 2016 - Lotus Powers: "What I Wanted - EP"
* 2016 - Lotus Powers: "Swamp Monster"
* 2016 - Red Legs: "Combative Words"
* 2017 - Bigfoot Buffalo: "The Sun is the Moon"
* 2017 - Christopher Andrus: "Rare Earth Elements"
* 2017 - Chasing the Sky: "King of the Losing Side"
* 2017 - A Hella Skitchin Compilation (Featuring Bet on Rats, ... more)
* 2017 - Lokella: "Shedding Skin"
* 2017 - Lipstick Jodi: "Lipstick Jodi"
* 2017 - Lotus Powers: "Spring Cleaning - Demos and Rarities"
* 2017 - The Quirk: "The Quirk - EP"
* 2017 - Reggie: "Chills & Thrills Demo"
* 2018 - Lotus Powers: "Bad Memories - EP"
* 2018 - The Quirk, Reggie, Minkus: "Neapolitan Split"
* 2018 - Vox Vidorra: "Vox Vidorra"

## Grand Rapids Music Timeline:

Keep album releases separate, we can combine them eventually. This is for anything else.

* 1914 - The Empress (Keith's Theatre) opens
* 1927 - Racial segregation in venue seating and admission in Michigan is outlawed, thanks to a lawsuit based in Grand Rapids.
* 1962 - Keith's Theatre is demolished.
* 1976 - The Intersection opens.
* 1991 - Mustard Plug begin playing.
* 2002 - Still Remains begin playing
* 2004 - La Dispute begin playing.
* 2006 - Monarch's Club opens
* 2009 - Sleeping With Sirens, who absolutely live in GR, despite nobody knowing anything about them, begin playing in Orlando.
* 2010 - The Crane Wives begin playing.
* 2012 - The Pyramid Scheme opens
* 2018 - The Vandenbergs buyout The Pyramid Scheme

## Out of Print Albums to Seek Permissions To

These are albums by Grand Rapids artists which are now rare or out of print and difficult to locate. As part of the Michigan Music History Initiative, we are seeking locations of these songs and permission to share for free or for profit as a donation to charity.

* Christopher Andrus - *Cut to the Quick*
* Kate Pillsbury - *Solo Demo*
* Middlefield - *The Right Amount of Rock* (released under the band name Slant)
* The Juno Blacklist - *Original Demo*