FLINT, Michigan — For the past four decades, the Flint Local 432 has been a local staple for up-and-coming musicians, nationally-touring bands, and a gathering place for community. The all-ages, non-profit, substance-free independent music venue is celebrating its
40th anniversary kick-off at Factory Two on Saturday, April 12 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Founder Joel Rash says The Local grew out of an active ‘hall show’ scene that developed across the state in the ‘80s, when rental halls typically used for wedding receptions turned into concert venues for local and regional acts. The first regular space was at the Capitol Theatre’s basement, on the main stage or in the lobby, with The Local hosting shows from 1987 to 1993. From there, the venue moved to the old Economy Shoe Store in 1994, followed by different spots around Saginaw Street.
“In 2012, we opened the ‘new’ Local at 124 W. First St., a former stock brokerage renovated from the ground-up to host the venue,” Rash says. “In that time, the styles of music changed, along with the hairstyles and clothes of the bands and fans, but at the core, The Local has the same goal — to make sure young people in Flint and beyond have a safe and welcoming space to perform.”
Flint native Chris Everson grew up on the South side of town, and frequented shows at the Capitol Theatre downtown during the ‘80s. When Flint Local 432 opened its doors in 1985, he had a brand-new spot to hang out at shows and meet folks.
Everson is considered one of the ‘OG’ crew of the Local’s legacy, and has done everything from audio, lighting, and cleaning toilets at the venue. In between touring the road to play music, he even managed The Local when Rash took a break.
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Courtesy photoPromotional flier for The Local 432's 40th anniversary kick-off.“The cool part was the diversity of the Local,” Everson says. “It wasn’t just metal heads, it wasn’t just punk kids or goth kids, everybody was hanging out. You’d see goth kids at metal shows, or metal kids at goth shows. Everybody supported everybody else, and it was a really cool music scene. Even if you didn’t know the band playing, you could just come hang out and it was as social as anything. You’d see if your friends were going to be there, or you might meet somebody new you hadn’t met before.”
Everson has witnessed the venue grow from a ‘fly-by-night, barely legal, $5 a night thing’ to the professional, functioning nonprofit that it is today. He’s also witnessed the DIY punk rock venue open its doors to other styles of music like hip hop.
“Now it’s more hip hop based, reflecting more of the culture of Flint, which is cool,” he says. “Young people doing what they want to do is what it’s all about. Not any type or style of music, just young people making music. That’s been cool to see.”
Before the internet, Everson enjoyed the ‘wild west’ surprise of discovering bands live at the show for the first time, rather than a Spotify playlist or viral Youtube video. He’s proud to be part of hundreds of volunteers who have donated their blood, sweat, and tears to the venue.
“I feel like we’re all a part of it,” he says. “From cleaning toilets after a show or helping people get rides home after a show, we all did our part to just keep it rolling and make it fun,” he says. “It’s cool to see years later those kinds of things still happening. It’s cool to see different generations hanging out, just chilling and talking to each other on the sidewalk. The Local is music, but it’s also about people meeting people and realizing we all have a lot of common threads. That’s a big part of what an all-ages music venue is, it brings people together.”
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Courtesy photoOne of many live performances at the Flint Local 432 in downtown Flint.Today, Everson remains solidified in the arts and culture scene of Flint, with his current role as Technical Director of The Capitol Theatre and Whiting Auditorium.
Maiya LeGardye, current Flint Local 432 general manager, started her career as a 19-year-old intern with Ashley Peacock’s recording studio above the venue. At the time, she didn’t know what Flint Local 432 was or its local legacy.
“The more and more time I spent around Ashley, he brought me in and taught me more about the Flint Local,” LeGardye says. “He even introduced me to his old buddy and Flint Local Founder, Joel Rash. From there, I spent about four years interning and working there on weekends and fell in love with The Local. One day I got a call from Joel asking if I’d be interested in taking over as manager, and the rest has been history.”
One of the longest-running all-ages venues in the nation, the space has hosted thousands of bands of all genres, including punk, indie, rock, metal, hip hop, Americana, and more. Over the years, bands including Fugazi, Superchunk, Less Than Jake, My Chemical Romance, Coheed and Cambria, The Black Dahlia Murder, Chiodos, Mustard Plug, Avenged Sevenfold, Yellowcard, Motion City Soundtrack, Greta Van Fleet, and The Swellers have played on the Local’s stage.
LeGardye describes the venue as an all-inclusive creative community hub with a strong focus on the arts.
“The Local is where creativity, community, education, and opportunity all meet,” she says.
She attributes the local mainstay’s longevity to the willingness of venue owners, staff, and volunteers to adapt to the community needs. Creating the space for the community, and allowing it to grow with the community, has enabled the venue to last four decades, she says.
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Courtesy photoPromotional flier for The Local 432's 40th anniversary kick-off.
“I personally believe one of the biggest reasons the Local has survived after 40 years is because Joel has never been afraid to let the space evolve,” she says. “One of the first things he told me when I took over as manager was that he reached a point where he wasn’t in the ‘in crowd’ anymore or essentially that he wasn’t one of the young kids in the city anymore, and he had to find someone who represented the times and knew what the music was, and could understand what the space needed in that time. He told me that one day I’d reach a point where I wasn’t in that ‘in crowd’ either, and when that moment came, I’d give it to the next young person to mold and shape into their own.”
Rash considers his role very small these days, but is proud that young professionals like LeGardye are behind-the-scenes running the show. While he mainly writes the grants for the non-profit, he leaves the producing, sound engineering and promoting to LeGardye.
Since her time there, LeGardye has been proud to implement upgrades to the space, including a new PA system, lighting rigs, and other needed renovations. One of her most proud moments took place during Flint Local Fest in 2023.
“There was a moment that I was watching an artist by the name of Jerne perform, and I looked up at him, and he smiled and I smiled. I looked around the packed-out room of people from all different backgrounds and said to myself, ‘Wow, we really did this!’”
LeGardye hopes to see the Local continue to grow and bring in new, younger people into the space. A diverse lineup of events awaits attendees throughout 2025 and 2026 alike.
“We just formed our Advisory Committee that is coming together to help shape the next few years and I have to say there are a lot of exciting things on the horizon,” she says. “I’d say to everyone to look forward to more events and bigger events and that includes concerts, fashion shows, plays, poetry slams, dance battles, the whole nine. We are entering a season of growth and expansion.”