Category: Concerts

Visible Recognition — Sammie Hershock Honors Diligent Women on “Gold Sticker” Single

Sammie Hershock. Courtesy photo.

Sammie Hershock recognizes diligent women whose valuable contributions often go unnoticed on “Gold Sticker.”

The Marshall, Michigan, singer-songwriter and pianist pays tribute to women who support family, friends, and community behind the scenes on her new indie-folk single.

“That’s really where the song came from, and originally when I wrote it, I was thinking about my mom,” said Hershock, who’s also a mother of three children. “It just put it all in perspective for me, and it came from realizing how much she actually did.”

On “Gold Sticker,” she sings, “But can she get a gold sticker / Can she get a prize / Or maybe a metal around her neck to reflect the light in her eyes / It took me long enough to see / That in the race of humanity / There is no winner / But can we get a gold sticker.”

“When I play this for people, I can’t even tell you how many people come up afterward and say, ‘I needed to hear that,’” Hershock said. “I almost always play that song, and at the end, I have free gold stickers.”

“Gold Sticker” features an A-list roster of musicians, including Dominic Davis on bass, Mike Shimmin on drums, Spencer LaJoye on violin and background vocals, Kyle Joe on background vocals, and producer Chris DuPont on guitar.

“When I started working with Chris DuPont, I already had amazing musicians on it, and the skeleton of the record was perfect,” said Hershock, whose new single will appear on her upcoming album, Wings. “I loved it, but I just knew that I wanted it to be filled out a little bit more.”

Hershock also recently entered “Gold Sticker” in the Grassy Hill New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters, which is affiliated with the Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, Texas.

She placed as one of 24 semi-finalists for the competition and is traveling to Kerrville this weekend to perform at the festival on May 24.

I recently spoke with Hershock about her background, new material, and upcoming plans.

Continue reading “Visible Recognition — Sammie Hershock Honors Diligent Women on “Gold Sticker” Single” →

Trust and Believe — Nick Behnan Follows His Heart on “When It’s Right, It’s Right” Single

Nick Behnan. Photo taken from Nick Behnan’s Facebook page.

Nick Behnan knows when to trust his intuition.

The Detroit artist and guitarist sings about finding his purpose and following his own path on “When It’s Right, It’s Right.”

“I’ve always had the most success in life and in my career when I follow my own nose, so to speak,” said Behnan about his latest garage rock-funk single.

“I guess ‘following your heart’ is a better way to put it, but it’s focusing on what I know I’m good at and was put on this planet to do.”

Backed by fiery electric guitar and thunderous drums, he sings, “I said go ahead and squeeze me / I tell you, when it’s right, it’s right / But you won’t get nothin’ outta me / I tell you, when it’s right, it’s right.”

“The song was definitely inspired by that mentality that I have, but also I thought the lyrics were fitting for these days with so much left-versus-right division between everyone,” Behnan said. “There does come a point where regardless of your political views, what is right is right. It kinda started there and then moved closer to [the song’s overall theme].”

To learn more, I spoke with Behnan about his latest projects and upcoming plans.

Continue reading “Trust and Believe — Nick Behnan Follows His Heart on “When It’s Right, It’s Right” Single” →

One Track Mind — Kelsey., “Our Eyes”

Kelsey. Photo taken from Kelsey.’s Facebook page.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.

One Track Mind features a Washtenaw County-associated artist or band discussing a single song.

Standout Track: “Our Eyes” from Kelsey., aka Kelsey Detering, an Ann Arbor singer-songwriter, bassist, and pianist. Her latest single examines a new relationship between two people and their shared sense of connection, while also exploring themes of authenticity and validation. “That’s really the core of it, knowing that someone sees you almost chillingly well, that they understand the core of you, and in this case, your music,” wrote Kelsey. in an email interview.

“It’s almost too good to be true, just the connection itself. And what this song is really about is wanting to be the person they see, that they love and believe in. And also the reverse, which is how you see deep inside of them, and how all that is conveyed in just one look. You feel like you’ve truly known this person your entire life.”
Continue reading “One Track Mind — Kelsey., “Our Eyes”” →

Keep It Simple — La La Delivery Adopts Easygoing Mindset on “Enjoy the Journey” EP

James Mitchell, Lindsey Taylor, and Dan Zanetti of La La Delivery. Photo – autumnfalltime.

La La Delivery prefers to keep things fun and simple.

The Lansing, Michigan, trio celebrates being present and adopts an easygoing mindset on its latest EP, Enjoy the Journey.

“At this point, I would say it’s sonically closing a chapter,” said Lindsey Taylor, the vocalist and guitarist for La La Delivery. “After this, we’re in more of our fun era. We have to close that [old] chapter of our lives and move forward. We’re going to be a little sillier from here on out.”

Along with bassist James Mitchell and drummer Dan Zanetti, Taylor takes a lighthearted but intentional approach to La La Delivery’s songs about overthinking life, feeling nostalgic, and overcoming depression.

“There will still be some melancholy that writes its way in there because that doesn’t just go away,” she said. “You can’t control how it comes out of you, because when you write, it’s just gonna be what it is. You just have to let it come out and get it out of your system.”

Enjoy the Journey also reflects the personal thoughts and experiences of all three members since the pandemic.

“A lot has gone on both in the world and individually for all of us,” Mitchell said. “This EP definitely feels like we have gone through so much. We are—like Lindsey said—closing that chapter and headed toward something [new].”

Like the band, listeners can explore those relatable themes and moments through contemplative songs and introspective lyrics.

“Just like anything, it’s a craft, and we just keep building on it,” Zanetti said. We keep honing, finding efficiencies, and learning. It’s just one big learning opportunity and growth for all of us.”

Sonically, the six tracks on Enjoy the Journey come to life through ethereal vocals, vibrant electric guitars, thumping bass, and driving drums. The EP also reflects a variety of styles, ranging from indie rock and shoegaze to post-punk and alternative rock.

I recently spoke with La La Delivery about the inspiration behind Enjoy the Journey.

Continue reading “Keep It Simple — La La Delivery Adopts Easygoing Mindset on “Enjoy the Journey” EP” →

A Closer Look — Ann Arbor’s Mike Green Explores Self-Awareness and Acceptance on “Blind Spot” Album

Mike Green. Courtesy photo.

Mike Green intentionally wrote a song about blind spots.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan, singer-songwriter wanted to explore that concept while working on new material for what would become his second album, Blind Spot.

“I hardly ever do that,” Green said. “Usually, I play with ideas, and it starts to coalesce into something. But then, I have to really craft it. Sometimes, the song ends up being very different from how I started, so I try to follow the creative muse.”

That creative muse led Green to the song, “Blind Spot,” which acknowledges accepting and loving someone despite their flaws.

Backed by carefree electric guitar and organ, Green sings, “You have a blind spot when it comes to all my faults, maybe you don’t just care / I’ve made enough mistakes to fill a goddamn vault, you gotta be aware / So if it’s true, you love me, too, well, that just prove the same thing’s wrong with you.”

“I had a version of the song with a whole verse about Trump,” he said. “And then I had a love song version. I brought it into the songwriting group, and they said the other one is funny, but doing it as a love song, it has more legs to it.”

“Blind Spot” soon became the title track for Green’s new folk album, which features 13 tracks about identifying and understanding different gaps in life.

“A lot of writers will say truth doesn’t have to be factual truth; it has to have emotional resonance,” Green said. “There are a lot of love songs, and I write about [experiencing] joy and depression, paying attention, and [recognizing] the resilience coming through all of that.”

Green easily conveys those truths and emotions through anecdotal lyrics, warm vocals, and earnest instrumentation.

“In a lot of ways, [my songs] start out autobiographical, but I don’t want to write in great graphic detail about my own life,” he said. “I have to draw on what I understand.”

I recently spoke with Green about the inspiration behind Blind Spot.

Continue reading “A Closer Look — Ann Arbor’s Mike Green Explores Self-Awareness and Acceptance on “Blind Spot” Album” →

Audra Kubat Promises Intimate Performance for March 6 Detroit Institute of Arts Show

Audra Kubat. Photo by Miles Marie, aka Nomadic Madam.

Audra Kubat sees vulnerability as her superpower.

The folk singer-songwriter shares that rawness and honesty with people during her live performances.

“When I get done with a set and someone tells me they cried, I think, ‘Yes, I have done it!’” said Kubat, who lives in Detroit’s NW Goldberg Neighborhood. “There are so few public spaces where that kind of release is encouraged, but I believe we so desperately need to have more shared healing opportunities.”

Luckily, that opportunity is right around the corner: Kubat is playing March 6 for “Friday Night Live,” an ongoing music series at the Detroit Institute of Arts that features local artists and other acts.

“The March 6 show will mostly be intimate and stripped back,” she said. “I want the words front and center for the audience, then for the melody to show up, then the supporting music, and finally resonance.”

Kubat’s show will feature new material and past favorites with several special guests.

I recently caught up with Kubat ahead of the show.

Continue reading “Audra Kubat Promises Intimate Performance for March 6 Detroit Institute of Arts Show” →

Rule of Three — Frank White, Newburgh, and P.T.’s Revenge Join Forces for “Triple Threat” Album

Triple Threat features original tracks and covers from three Detroit punk-rock bands.

Ben Wixson is a longtime fan of split albums.

The vocalist-bassist remembers listening to classic splits by bands like Bottomed Out/Before I Go, Wafflehouse/Foredirelifesake, and Rancid/NOFX.

“I’ve always loved split releases,” said Wixson, who performs in Frank White, a punk-rock band from Detroit. “When I was younger, bands put them out all the time, both locally and nationally.”

It wasn’t a big surprise when Wixson pitched the idea of a split album to three other local punk-rock bands: P.T.’s Revenge, Newburgh, and Middle-Out.

“The idea for the Triple Threat LP came from P.T.’s [Revenge] booking their holiday show far in advance,” Wixson said.

A few months before the holiday show, three of the four bands recorded 12 songs for Triple Threat with drummer-engineer-producer John Kowaleski at Stu Stu Studio in Livonia.

“It felt like a great way to revive that tradition,” Wixson said. “Originally, it may have even been a ‘quadruple threat,’ since Middle-Out was invited, but their schedule didn’t allow it this time. Hopefully, that’s something we can revisit in the future.”

On Triple Threat, P.T.’s Revenge, Frank White, and Newburgh each contributed three original tracks and one cover.

“We said, ‘We’re going to produce it, and we’re going to put it on vinyl,’ and it’s a lot easier when you have three bands splitting the bill,” said Kowaleski, who’s also the drummer for Frank White and P.T.’s Revenge.

All three bands appreciated the guidance and expertise Kowaleski provided during the recording process for Triple Threat.

“He played to our strengths as musicians, boosted our confidence in ourselves, and with his years of experience as a songwriter, he really helped us dial in our sound,” said Nic Engler, a vocalist-guitarist with Newburgh.

I recently spoke to Wixson, Kowaleski, and Engler about the album.

Continue reading “Rule of Three — Frank White, Newburgh, and P.T.’s Revenge Join Forces for “Triple Threat” Album” →

Coming Full Circle — Detroit’s Jackamo Returns to The Shelter for February 21 Headlining Show

Jimmy Showers, Alison Wiercioch, and Tessa Wiercioch of Jackamo. Photo taken from Jackamo’s Facebook page.

Jackamo remembers their first show at The Shelter.

It was December 2019, and the indie-folk band had played an opening set at the Detroit music venue.

“We opened for Brother Elsey just right before COVID,” said Alison Wiercioch, one of the band’s vocalists. “That was one of our first times playing as a full band.”

At the time, Wiercioch had performed with sister and vocalist Tessa Wiercioch, guitarist Jimmy Showers, bassist Steve Lehane, keyboardist John Raleeh, and drummer Steve Stetson.

“There’s something special, too, I think about a venue like The Shelter,” said Showers, who makes up the core of the band with the Wiercioch sisters. “I feel like the best place to see a band is at a small club show.”

Now, seven years later, it’s a full-circle moment for Jackamo: they’re gearing up for a February 21 headlining show at The Shelter.

“We said, ‘OK, we want to do a headlining show,’” said Alison Wiercioch. “We want to see what we can do and what type of room we can try to fill.”

The show will feature new music and old favorites from Jackamo, who’s been diligently working on their debut album at Royal Oak’s Rustbelt Studios.

“With the album coming out [later this year], we’re trying to find our sound and what we want to sound like,” said Tessa Wiercioch. “I feel like we almost went back to the basics. We thought, “Well, what are our biggest inspirations, and who are our influences?”

Those influences range from Lucinda Williams and The Staves to The Milk Carton Kids and The Lumineers.

“I was really inspired by The Lumineers’ album, III,” said Alison Wiercioch. “There were all of these music videos with stories, and I was following the storyline—I was enthralled. I looked forward to every time they would release a new music video for the songs. I think we have that idea of interweaving these songs together.”

To learn more, I spoke with Jackamo about their music ahead of the show.

Continue reading “Coming Full Circle — Detroit’s Jackamo Returns to The Shelter for February 21 Headlining Show” →

Round and Round — The Dangling Participles Find a New Direction on “Carousel” Single

Austin Kaufmann, Tamiko May, and Tim Patterson of The Dangling Participles. Not pictured: Noah Cameron. Courtesy photo.

The Dangling Participles embrace change and find a new direction on “Carousel.”

“Sometimes, when we try to make changes in our lives, we feel stuck, helpless,” said Tamiko May about the Lansing band’s new indie-folk single.

“‘Carousel’ explores this idea of how—consciously or unconsciously—we sometimes find ourselves going ‘round and round’ in circles, in a pattern that doesn’t allow for change.”

Backed by contemplative instrumentation, May sings, “Face the fear of losing out / On some dream that’s preprepared / I’m not used to loose reins / And I’m feeling kind of scared / To leave the organ music and / The brass sleeves behind / As we gallop towards a future / That we ourselves define.”

“I wrote ‘Carousel’ a month after my mom died in 2023,” said May, who also plays ukulele on the song. “I had just joined an online songwriting community and had been given a prompt word, which was supposed to be the focus for writing a new song. However, the ‘Carousel’ song kept nudging me to come back to it, and I wasn’t able to focus on the ‘prompt’ song until ‘Carousel’ was finished.”

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Gaining Perspective — Jan Krist Gets Candid About the Past and Present on “Since You Asked Me” Album

Jan Krist. Photo taken from Jan Krist’s Facebook page.

Jan Krist doesn’t mind sharing different perspectives.

The folk singer-songwriter gets candid about religion, politics, history, and relationships on Since You Asked Me.

“It does feel cathartic to be able to go ahead and say some of this stuff,” said Krist about her latest album. “It feels a little scary, too, to say what you’re thinking.”

The album’s title track explores having an honest conversation with an acquaintance about being banished from a church.

“I said, ‘Tell me about your experience with the church,’ and he said, ‘Well, since you asked me …,’” said Krist, who had the conversation at a writers’ retreat in Washington.

“And then he launched into this story about when he was young, he had a relationship with a young woman there in the church, and they both made mistakes. But he ended up getting banished, and he lived in Alaska in a little town. It really was hurtful for him to feel this heavy judgment every time he walked into a local place.”

Backed by somber acoustic guitar and cello, Krist sings, “You can’t claim the higher ground / When you’re pushing people down / And barring mercy’s door / And what are we thinking?”

“I have not had that experience, but I’ve had many experiences being in churches,” said Krist, who recently relocated to South Lyon from Fort Wayne, Indiana. “I’ve been Christian since I was 16, and I was a worship director at a church. And I’ve been to all kinds of churches, from high church to evangelical.”

The title track is one of 17 songs on Since You Asked Me, which features emotive instrumentation, narrative lyrics, and serene vocals. Each track immerses listeners in a different time period and provides compelling characters against a rich backdrop of folk music.

To learn more, I spoke with Krist about select tracks from the album and the creative process behind it.

Continue reading “Gaining Perspective — Jan Krist Gets Candid About the Past and Present on “Since You Asked Me” Album” →