The Explore Flint & Genesee blog features local attractions, restaurants, and weekly things to do in and around the county. Here you'll be able to learn more about our area to help you plan your next trip or discover your next favorite attraction or restaurant in Flint & Genesee!
Flint & Genesee is home to great music venues and musical acts that have made their mark. As music has evolved over the years, so too have our local venues. Today, wherever you are watching and whatever music is moving you, you can find a little of everything in Flint & Genesee.
Music Legends
From the early days of rock music, Flint & Genesee has been a part of the scene. Question Mark and the Mysterians and Grand Funk Railroad had hits that brought attention to the area in the 1960s and ‘70s. John Sinclair brought the counter-culture revolution to the world, straight from Genesee County. In the 1980s, Ready for the World had hits with “Oh, Sheila” and “Love You Down,” and in the 1990s, MC Breed and The Dayton Family brought Flint hip-hop to the world. The 2000s had Jon Connor, Whitey Morgan and the 78’s, Tunde Olaniran, Chiodos, The Swellers, and more bringing attention back to the area. Today, you can find Rio Da Yung OG, KrispyLife Kidd, and others bringing attention to Flint and its burgeoning hip-hop scene.
Whether in clubs, bars, the FIM Capitol Theatre, the Machine Shop, or the Flint Local 432, the area has hosted hundreds of musical acts over the years, and that music has inspired today's artists.
Memorable Venues
Flint’s Machine Shop regularly welcomes national, regional, and local acts to the stage playing rock, heavy metal, and country music. They regularly sell out shows and have become one of the region’s most beloved rock venues. The FIM Whiting Auditorium and FIM Capitol Theatre host touring acts, classic performers, hip-hop, Jazz, Soul, and orchestral music. These are the two venues that regularly offer large concerts with shows fans won’t want to miss. A smaller venue like Farmhouse Folk features a more intimate space, welcoming touring folk performers for concerts that capture the homespun magic of that genre. And Flint’s Golden Leaf Club has long established itself as a reliable home for Jazz and Blues music in the area.
Still Moving
Today, music inspires and fuels the city. Spaces like Blackstone’s Smokehouse, Clio Amphitheater, Soothing Tunes Room, Irene's Craft Kitchen + Biergarten, Beale Street Smokehouse BBQ, Churchill’s Food & Spirits, Soggy Bottom, Blondies, and countless other bars and restaurants regularly book live music, keeping the groove alive.
Visit the Explore Flint & Genesee events calendar to find an upcoming live music experience.
