Traverse City, MI: Billy Strings and Chappell Roan found their voice here
Welcome back, Seeker readers!
Wait – it’s June? That’s kind of blowing our minds.
But admittedly, we should have seen the signs – and by signs, we mean festival posters. This upcoming weekend alone sees the return of CMA Music Festival, Governors Ball and Railbird, plus the Chicago Blues Festival (which is free to attend, by the way).
You can see all of our top picks for June festivals in the U.S. here. And guess what? Another edition of The Seeker, covering our July picks, will hit your inbox this Thursday.
Drop us a line at editor@musicroadtrip.com with any tips, venue additions for the app, or suggestions for towns for The Seeker to cover. And no matter where your travels take you, make sure you have the Music Roadtrip app in your pocket. It’s available for free download on Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
And now as the summer heat sets in, there’s no better time to head way north – Northern Michigan, to a town that values culture and expression, nestled on the shore of one of the world's largest freshwater bays.
Traverse City, Michigan
Before he routinely sold out massive venues from Red Rocks to Bridgestone Arena, you could find future bluegrass star Billy Strings every Thursday night at Little Bohemia, a century-old tavern in Traverse City, Michigan.
Strings is a Michigan native, and after graduating high school in 2011, found himself drawn to this town’s creative spirit. He spent the next five years cutting his teeth on the stages and streets here.
“Traverse City is kind of where it started,” he told Northern Express in 2020.
“…It’s where I met this whole huge, wonderful, supportive community of people who encouraged me. I feel like those were the people who pushed me out on this little boat, and kind of shoved me off, and said ‘OK, go, Billy!’”
Fostering creative talent, in fact, is one of Traverse City's calling cards — along with producing a huge share of America's tart cherries.
There’s a world-famous arts academy down the road, which has helped several Grammy winners find their voices. There’s a local barn that’s a surprising shrine to massive organs, player pianos and other musical contraptions. And as you trace the shore of Grand Traverse Bay, you’ll find a wealth of spots where the next Billy Strings might be tuning up.
Let’s see what (and who) we might discover.
Interlochen Center for the Arts
The summer weather doesn’t just attract your typical tourists to the Traverse City area — it might bring in the next pop superstar. Just 15 minutes from downtown, this boarding school and summer camp has spent nearly a century nurturing the next generation of artists. A teenage Chappell Roan had an early songwriting breakthrough at Interlochen. Josh Groban, Norah Jones, and Grace VanderWaal also spent formative summers here.
Other visitors get to know Interlochen through its summer concert series, which brings major touring artists to the open-air Kresge Auditorium, a lakeside venue where cool breezes drift in from Green Lake and towering pines frame the stage. This summer's lineup includes St. Vincent, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Emmylou Harris and Graham Nash, Brothers Osborne, Joe Bonamassa and Gov't Mule, and David Foster with Katharine McPhee.
And don’t sleep on the school programming — there are literally hundreds of free concerts from students and faculty happening now through August.
The Alluvion
Named for the natural process by which rivers create new land, The Alluvion aims to have the same role in Traverse City's creative community.
Built by musicians and artists inside the Commongrounds Cooperative, the 180-capacity listening room brings serious heavyweights in jazz and world music to northern Michigan: Branford Marsalis, Christian McBride, Bill Frisell, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo have all been in the mix recently.
A big tour stop might be what brings you here, but if you can spare an extra evening, their community nights — like Funky Fun Mondays and the open jam Jazz 4 All — will give you a taste of the collaborative spirit that fuels this place.
Music House Museum
Packed into an unassuming barn a few miles out of town, the Music House Museum celebrates the history of automated music — and no, we’re not talking about Suno.
Before AI could write and produce a hit viral song about Puerto Rico, automated music devices were far larger than a smartphone. The Music House collection spans two centuries' worth of player pianos, orchestrions, nickelodeons, and massive theater organs.
The crown jewel is "Amaryllis," a spectacular 1922 Mortier dance organ originally built for a dance hall in Ypres, Belgium. Equal parts musical instrument, engineering marvel, and work of art, the massive organ has been entertaining audiences for more than a century and remains one of the museum's star attractions.
The Coin Slot
They have walls lined with pinball and vintage arcade machines, and a bar stocking 200-plus beers, cocktails and other refreshments, so obviously, The Coin Slot already had our number.
But then we saw their courtyard, and we straight up fell in love with their scrappy ingenuity. They’ve built an outdoor bar out of a shipping container — cool, if fairly common these days — but then placed a full concert stage on top of said container.
Between the jam bands and DJs rocking out 10 feet overhead, food trucks serving ramen noodles and frozen custard, and defending your high score on the Pulp Fiction machine, we’d imagine the summer nights fly by fast at this place.
RPM Records
Vinyl collectors on Reddit sing the praises of RPM — and if you know anything about Reddit, or how the customer experience at indie record stores can truly run the gamut, you know that says a lot. The shop was founded in 2010 by lifelong collector Greg Walton, and grew from a basement passion project into one of northern Michigan's most respected record stores.
Following Greg's passing in 2020, the store's legacy continues under the stewardship of his son Alex, carrying forward the family's love of music and vinyl culture. For visitors looking to dive even deeper into the local scene, Eugene's Record Co-Op is also worth seeking out. The community-minded shop regularly hosts DIY shows, listening events, and other grassroots gatherings.
More in Traverse City
National Cherry Festival
Eight-day summer festival featuring major concerts, air shows, parades, carnival rides, and cherry-themed events along Grand Traverse Bay.
Little Fleet
Downtown food truck park with outdoor seating, a full bar, and frequent live music throughout the summer.
Eugene's Record Co-Op
Independent record store hosting listening parties, pop-up performances, and DIY shows.
Jacob's Farm
Winery, cidery, and outdoor concert venue known for its summer music series and countryside setting.
Lake Ann Brewing Company
Brewery about 20 minutes west of Traverse City with regular live music and outdoor events.
City Opera House
Historic 1891 theater presenting touring musicians, tribute acts, comedy, film screenings, and community events.
Dennos Museum Center
Museum on the Northwestern Michigan College campus featuring concerts, exhibitions, lectures, and cultural programming.
Red Piano
Popular dueling piano bar known for audience sing-alongs and late-night entertainment.
Lil Bo
Historic Front Street tavern occupying the former Little Bohemia space, where Billy Strings played weekly gigs before moving to Nashville.
Traverse City Tourism
Official destination guide for the region, with event listings, trip-planning resources, and up-to-date information on concerts, festivals, and seasonal attractions.
