WRKR-FM (Kalamazoo, MI)

If you missed Big Boy as it rolled through Indiana in June, you've got one final chance to see the world's largest operating steam locomotive as it wraps up its cross-country tour honoring America's 250th anniversary. Big Boy No. 4014 Returns West After Indiana Visit: Union Pacific's "Big Boy" has been causing quite a stir as it’s made its way to Philadelphia and back on a historic coast-to-coast tour for Fourth of July celebrations.

The summer of 2026 is shaping up to be a legendary one as far as live music goes in the state of Michigan. Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston has its usual slate of amazing concerts, as do Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill in Sterling Heights, Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, and Ford Field in Detroit. 2026 also marks the inaugural year for the new Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids, which is set to host nearly 50 concerts this season.

Is the use of AI slop harming the image of businesses in Southwest Michigan? One of the hot-button topics and debates that have been going around social media is the use of AI and AI data centers in general. No doubt by now you’ve heard of the conflicts that people have with these data centers and the concerns that people have when it comes to the well-being of our environment.

George Clinton debuted a new mothership during Parliament-Funkadelic's Sunday night performance at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. Roughly an hour into the set, Clinton's group was rocking through a rendition of their classic tune "Mothership Connection (Star Child)." As you can see in the YouTube video from D.S. Craighead below, bright lights, extraterrestrial noises and a plume of fog engulfed the stage as the metallic vessel descended from the rafters.

AC/DC's legendary vocalist Bon Scott would have been 80 years old in 2026. Though he's been gone for more than four decades, his legacy continues to grow. The annual Bon Scott Birthday Bash will once again happen in the New York City area at the Cutting Room on Thursday, July 9 with an all-star band featuring numerous guests, including Living Colour's Corey Glover and former Guns N' Roses drummer Frank Ferrer.

Mick Jagger expressed hopes that the Rolling Stones will play live again, and said he was still writing songs for the band. They’ll release their 25th studio album Foreign Tongues on Jul. 10, with a range of guest appearances including Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Robert Smith and others. In a recent interview with NME, Jagger was asked about the Stones’ future, including whether they’d play the Glastonbury festival again. That led him to reminisce about their 2013 appearance.

Southwest Michigan is looking at a pretty solid start to the week — warm, sunny, and the kind of July weather that makes you want to be outside as much as possible. Below, you'll find the weather forecast for the week of Monday, July 6th, 2026, through Sunday, July 12th, 2026, for the following Southwest Michigan counties: Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren. (Source: National Weather Service) Monday: Mostly sunny skies. High 82. Monday Night: Mostly clear skies. Low 58. Tuesday: Mostly sunny skies.

Should fireworks be illegal after the Fourth of July in Michigan? I think this is a question that anybody with a dog or an early morning job considers when people continue to light off fireworks into the night. The Fourth of July season always seems to bring more and more fireworks tents to our neighborhoods every single year. This year in particular, I noticed more firework tents around than ever before.

Spring is here, and that means that summer is right around the corner. It also means that West Michigan is gearing up for the summer concerts at Frederik Meijer Gardens. Meijer Gardens announced its full Summer Concert Series lineup this morning, and it truly has something for everyone, no matter what your musical tastes are. This year's lineup includes old favorites, newcomers, up-and-coming artists, and everything in between.

There's a certain kind of Michigander who ends up disappearing into the woods each spring. And yes, I'm talking about hunting. But, probably not the hunting you're thinking of... I'm talking about hunting for morel mushrooms. Morel mushrooms are an earthy and delicious and sought after mushroom that tends to be hard to find. Hence the thrill of the hunt — and their price if you decide to buy them. They are rather hard to find, but not impossible. Think of it like a treasure hunt but edible.