Live Music is Back, Kalamazoo

Downtown Kalamazoo is the place to be for live music as Beats on Bates and Music on the Mall bring back free live music and summer fun. Here's the 2021 lineup.

Everyone is starving for the return of live music and you can get your fix Wednesdays and Saturdays from June through September as two concert series return to downtown. Beats on Bates and Music on the Mall are set to revive the vital local music scene in Kalamazoo with weekly performances covering all styles and genres of music.

Beats on Bates takes place each Wednesday from 5:30-8:30 in Bates Alley, parallel to E Michigan Ave, between Portage St. and South Edwards. The eclectic lineup begins on June with Out of Favor Boys and concludes with a three week stand by Kalamazoo Academy of Rock at the end of September. Music on the Mall takes place on Saturday afternoons, from 3-6 on the South Kalamazoo Mall. Regional acts are booked from June 2- September 29. Here's a more in-depth look at the lineups:

Beats on Bates

June 2 | Out of Favor Boys | original contemporary blues

June 9 | Kandace Lavender | hip-hop

June 16 | An Dro | Celtic based, globally-infused world-beat music

June 23 | Zion Lion Reggae Band | island music from this Kalamazoo marathon favorite

June 30 | LaSoulfulRock | soulful saxophone and flute

July 7 | Blueback | 1930s & '40s Blues and roots rock

July 14 | Yolanda Lavender | gospel, R & B, hip-hop and jazz-influenced soul music

July 21 | Grupo Latin Soul | salsa

July 28 | Jenuine | the greatest hits

August 4 | Coffee with Friends |  acoustic pop/rock

August 11 | Lana and the Tonics | rockabilly

August 18 | Tony Fields & Doug Decker | R & B, soul, funk

August 25 | Big Trouble | blues

September 1 | Jazz & Creative Institute | local students (think Kalamazoo Academy of Rock, but jazz)

September 8 | Grayson Nye Experiment

September 15, 22, 29 | Kalamazoo Academy of Rock | three weeks to showcase local up & coming talent

Music on the Mall

June 12 | Kevin Collins | African

June 19 | Allie Garland | 17 year old multi-instrumentalist/singer

June 26 | J.Cam.G | a new wave blend of music, influenced by R&B, Afro-beat, hip-Hop, soul, gospel, and a capella

July 10 | T-Music | n/a

July 17 | Cool Lemon | 9-piece band with horns, playing Motown, power-pop, jazz, blues an Latin music

July 24 | Lisa Can't Sing | '80s covers

July 31 | Kanola Band | New Orleans dixieland, zydeco, blues, funk and brass band

August 7 | James Reeser & the Backseat Drivers | West coast and swing style blues

August 14 | Hurricane | n/a

August 21 | Rozlyn Heart | "feel good" music

August 28 | The Mainstays | "industrial grade' funk, rock and soul

September 4 | Airtight | R & B, soul

September 11 | Dog Patch | n/z

September 18 | Pinter Whitnick | indie folk

September 25 | Trio Desino | n/a

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So, get ready to head downtown and take in the sounds as live music returns to Kalamazoo in 2021 with Beats on Bates and Music on the Mall.