Melding a lush wave of distorted guitars with undeniably magnetic vocal melodies is what Silktail does best —and the sonic proof is fully documented. Back in 2019, the band issued its debut EP, “Salt,” and then dropped a limited 7-inch, “Vapor,” in 2021.   more

Arts Night Out, the Arts Council of Greater Lansing’s bi-monthly event in Old Town, returns this week. Celebrate local artists and businesses through live music, curated exhibits, crafts, demonstrations and more. more

Don’t strike out on your chance to try some of Michigan’s best brews. more

The late poet Robert Frost once said, “A poem begins with a lump in the throat; a homesickness or a love sickness. It is a reaching-out toward expression; an effort to find fulfillment.” For local poet Masaki Takahashi, some of that gratifying fulfillment has arrived: he is the Lansing region’s new poet laureate. more

Throughout time, humans have argued about what art is. Whether this piece or that piece is truly art, and about the value — the monetary as well as the aesthetical — of art. Riverwalk Theatre’s latest production, “Art,” employs those debates as three friends battle about a white canvas.  more

Art and technology come together in a space where Lansing creatives can learn and make.   more

Edward Rosick’s first book was on a medical topic — understandably, given he is a Lansing-area physician.  more

Sunny skies, concerts, food and fun will be happening in Traverse City, Grand Rapids and other Michigan communities as festivals return this year after cancellations and limitations in the previous two years due to COVID-19. more

After months of rehearsal and preparation, the Jazz Studies program’s leading ensemble took first place in the nation at the Jack Rudin Jazz Championship at Jazz at Lincoln Center Wednesday (April 20). more

Rent Strike’s frontman and principal songwriter, John Warmb, said the band has been “shaking off some rust” in preparation for the festival.  more

Terry Terry is the first to admit he’ll never get a prize for his musical skills. He plays flute and drums in a jam band that gathers sporadically at his house, called The Other Band.   more

The last Eye for Design was not identified by our readers. The detail — a sheet metal clad window extruding from an exterior wall — belongs to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department building on North Washington Avenue in Lansing. more

While reading longtime Michigan political consultant G.T. Long’s memoir, the name Lee Atwater may pop in your head. Atwater played on the national political stage and was noticed for his aggressive campaigning and political stumping. Long performed a similar role for such Northern Michigan and Upper Peninsula Democratic candidates as Mitch Irwin and Pat Gagliardi in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.   more

Since this issue is dedicated to Greater Lansing’s still booming marijuana market, this week’s Turn it Down! offers up two locally-made 4/20-friendly tracks from our city’s folk-rock past. While both songs are beyond obscure, these “private press” records are highly collectible and fetch a pretty penny on eBay — when a rare copy occasionally pops up. Of course, both 1970s-era tracks are streamed for free on YouTube, for those not wanting to fork over hundreds of dollars for the tangible goods. Read on to learn the backstory of these hazy, homegrown ballads … recorded back when you’d be handcuffed for holding.      more

What makes Xiaoxing (Adele) Han a Lansing Legend is her deep ties to the local filmmaker community. Xiaoxing didn’t study film or own a camera until her early 20s. (She has sidestepped questions bout her exact age.) This year, Xiaoxing was crowned Outstanding Filmmaker at the Beijing Winter Olympics Filmmaker Awards and has a documentary screening at the Capital City Film Festival about a Chinese organ player.   more

The Capital City may soon get a new name: The Capital of Indie Bookstores.  more

Bookstores in Lansing have almost always been around.   more

Two and a half months after Lansing Mayor Andy Schor announced plans to build a downtown performing arts center, the players are still backstage, working out who will own and operate it.  more

From the outside, Koala Tea & Coffee doesn’t look like much.   more

Hearing live indie music has been a bit difficult these days in Lansing. There was the pandemic, of course, which paused all concerts. Then, The Loft closed permanently, and Mac’s Bar remains temporarily out of service. It’s been tough. While The Avenue Café has nobly kept rolling with a series of gigs, there’s been an unquestionable deficiency in underground music across the city.   more