Local artists get Live downtown

The downtown Lansing music scene will be a little livelier this summer.

Lansing Live, a new concert series featuring local artists, kicks off May 20 on Washington Square, while Citadel Broadcasting prepares to launch a revamped version of the Blues on the Square series.

The Lansing Live series is co-produced by ad agency Traction and Urban Feast, the restaurant management firm behind Tavern on the Square and Troppo.

Performances start around 4 p.m. and wrap up about 9 p.m. on the 200 block of South Washington Square, and all shows are 21-and-up. The lineup so far includes:

May 20 — Scott Seth opens up at 4 p.m., followed by the blues sounds of Root Doctor from 6 p.m. on.

May 27 — Matt Foresman starts the show at 4 p.m., followed by the classic rock of Showdown at 6 p.m.

June 10 — Nidal takes the stage at 4 p.m., with Celtic rockers The Lash taking over at 6 p.m.

June 17 — Dan McLoghlan starts the evening at 4 p.m., with the new-age rock of Remedy coming in at 6 p.m.

For updates, visit www.lansinglive.org.

Although the Blues on the Square series is not returning this year, Citadel Broadcasting plans to launch a music series on the site of the old City Market. Details will be announced at a press conference today, although Jason Kildea, director of commercial development for the Gillespie Group, indicated Tuesday that Citadel was planning to rechristen the blues series as Blues on the Grand and relocate it to the riverfront site.

The Gillespie Group owns the former City Market property where the concerts will be held.

"We think it’s a very positive thing," Kildea said. "It’s something that will be good for Lansing and will also give a boost to the City Market as well."