The 2026 Concert List
The Summerfest lineup was announced, so that means my first half of 2026 is all but scheduled.
We started the year out with a dud. Brian Regan was one of the least enthralling comedians I’ve ever seen perform for someone that was once “big time.” Aries Spears was stellar. Hilarious, quick-thinking, and even tipped me $100 for taking photos in his post-show meet and greet line. So what, I’m biased.
Got back into he flow of things in early February with a country show that was … slow. The opener, Trenton Fletcher, wasn’t memorable as I keep confusing his name (and even had to scroll down to remember it while typing), but he did have a nice sticker design. Meloy had the same merch since the last time he was here, and was selling posters that didn’t even have the GR show date on them.
I took a few laps during the Kompany show. I’m a sucker for seeing how middle-of-the-floor EDM shows happen. Ran into an old colleague at the bar, so that was nice, but left about half an hour into the set. I’m trying to appreciate the noise music.
Highlights so far include both The Offspring and Frank Turner, as I thought they would. I wasn’t expecting the level of theatrics from The Offspring, but they wowed both me and my dad, and we are not emotive people. Descendents never cannot bring in solid openers, even though they’re just okay most of the time. And hey, nobody shit in the pit, so that’s a win.
I have an eclectic roster coming up, so it should be fun. I know I’m going to absolutely get tired along the way, as 130 shows last year was exhausting, and there’s 56 on the books for this year before adding anything beyond July.
But like, look at July. Holy shit most of that is within one week. Insanity.
C = Comedy
123 = Indicates ranking at the time of the show, not overall standing. Click to see the full running list.
January
C. Brian Regan [Gary Brightwell]
We did not start the year off right. This was a bad night from two performers that were not in cahoots with their audience. The laughs were tepid, at best. Whatever he “had” in the past, wasn’t there anymore.
C. Aries Spears [Andy Steinberg]
Absolutely crushed. Night and day difference from the first comedy show of 2026. And no, it’s not because of the $100 Spears slipped me for taking the photos in his post-show meet-and-greet.
February
336. Josh Meloy [Trenton Fletcher]
Fletcher had a good sticker, 90s dixie cup style. Yeah, that’s about it.
HM. Kompany
Always entertaining to see EDM sets in the middle of the floor. Rans into a lot of friends at this show, but ultimately the music doesn’t hit me in the same way it does them.
59. The Offspring [Bad Religion]
Americana was heavy in the rotation of my late-90’s memories, and this show brought them all back. Likely the best show I see at Van Andel all year, barring any late-game adds to their schedule, The Offspring blended a perfect mix of noise and surprise (although some banter went a bit long). I wasn’t quite sure how Dexter Holland’s voice would hold up but that went away real fast. Really liked all the stage setup — graphics, inflatables, confetti … baby grand piano. Was not expecting a full-force ‘Hey Jude’ cover but it worked. Bad Religion as an opener is also an incredible flex.
166. Descendents [Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Nobro]
Descendents continue to be loud and in your face, but can’t carry a headline time slot. The youth are alright, as demographics were gameboard-eqsue (8 to 80), but everyone needed to focus on one band and that was Frank Turner.
469. Shane Smith & The Saints [Ken Pomeroy]
255. Badflower [Point North, Olive Vox]
Another viral clip. I was pressured, I swear.
495. Kameron Marlowe [verygently]
311. Ole 60 [Southall]
I think we almost set a record for ejected minors from 20 Monroe.
262. Nothing More [Catch Your Breath, Archers, Doobie]
The barricade latch support snapped off early into the show. Naturally it happened right in front of two small children, a girl who I’ve warned at other shows to stop dropping to the ground every time I point, three adults under 5-foot-6, and a woman who wouldn’t stop crying. We survived, however.
Also don’t let Instagram lighting fool you. Jonny Hawkins is just Josh Katz with muscles. You would honestly be surprised how many of your favorite lead singers are the size of Tom Cruise.
March
452. Stephen Wilson Jr [Stephanie Lambring]
Started late, went over. Did an interesting escort through the venue (and into the men’s room) during the 13-minute long version of Gary.
524. Our Lady Peace [The Verve Pipe]
Unfortunately, we didn’t see Raine Maida’s best, and now we know why. From sound check to the in-house feed, you could hear something was off all night. Within the crowd, the music took the edge off the vocal miscues, but when you work in a building and can hear the cleaned-up feed, it was rough. I checked other tours and they sounded near album quality. A coworker remarked how one of their Detroit shows was a must-see. So, maybe a return trip is in order once everything heals up. This was also the best I’ve heard the Verve Pipe play in our venue, just not enough to save the whole nught.
481. Josiah Queen [Jervis Campbell, Gable Price]
Another case of not listening to the music. Expected country, got Christian. Nothing wrong with it, just crowd control in a sold-out room and constant eyes on the water refilling station.
302. The Floozies [Too Many Zoozs, Bray Radbury]
HM. Sam Barber [Clover County]
270. Erra [Currents, Caskets, Aviana]
HM. Riff Raff
112. Gary Numan/Mammoth [10 Years, Tremours, James and the Cold Gun]
156. Boys Like Girls [IDKHOW, Arrows in Action]
April
HM. Dirtwire
265. The Devil Wears Prada [Four Years Strong, Split Chain, I Promised the World]
130. zzzahara [Bleary Eyed, LoudFoxCult, Heat Above]
74. Kishi Bashi [Bayonne]
Stavros Halkias
The Wedding Present
In Color
Lorna Shore
Hail the Sun [Foxy Shazam]
The Midnight
Avatar
May
Juvenile
Phoneboy
Dayseeker
La Dispute
An Evening with The Joy Formidable
Silversun Pickups
Nate Smith
Dance Gavin Dance
Highly Suspect [Dead Poet Society]
Tech N9ne [E-40]
Alpha Wolf
Kid Cudi [MIA, Big Boi]
Prince Daddy and the Hyena
Comedy Bang Bang
June
Augustana [Phantom Planet]
The Bends
**Tash Sultana
Deer Tick
Panic Shack
State Champs
**Hot Mulligan
**Amyl and the Sniffers
Trapper Schoepp
The Juliana Theory
Flipturn
**The Academy Is…
Goldfinger [Mustard Plug, The Suicide Machines, Five Iron Frenzy, Catch 22, The Boy Detective, sullvn]
July
Father John Misty
Upheaval 2026 Day 1 [Gojira, Poppy, Story of the Year]
AC/DC [The Pretty Reckless]
Metric [Broken Social Scene, Stars]
August
September
Rufus Du Sol
TLC [ Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue]
Mumford and Sons
