Category: Concerts

Rite of Passage — Mark Jewett and Jackamo Make Their Ark Debut With July 9 Show

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Mark Jewett and Jackamo are eager to make their Ark debut on July 9.

For both acts, playing the Ann Arbor acoustic and folk music venue is a rite of passage, especially as seasoned live performers in Southeast Michigan.

“I hope about 400 people find that The Ark holds a special place in their heart—that would be nice,” said Jewett, an Americana singer-songwriter based in Plymouth. “I’m really glad that Jackamo was able to take on the show.”

Jewett and his band, The Strategic Advisors, are headlining the show while Jackamo is opening.

“We’ve been to The Ark many times to see many different acts, but we’re really excited about it,” said Alison Wiercioch, who performs in the Detroit indie-folk band with vocalist and sister Tessa Wiercioch and guitarist Jimmy Showers. “It holds a special place in our hearts.”

As a special show, both bands promise engaging, intimate performances with a variety of songs from their growing catalogs.

“You want to show it has some flow and dynamics,” Jewett said. “Typically, you open with something that wakes everybody up, then there’s a steady-state portion, and then things quiet down, and you ramp it up. Hopefully, you close with a bang.”

To learn more, I spoke with Jewett and Jackamo ahead of the show.

Continue reading “Rite of Passage — Mark Jewett and Jackamo Make Their Ark Debut With July 9 Show” →

Sinking Feeling — Checkered Lilies Process a Breakup and Its Aftermath on “Abandon Ship” Single

Kayla, Cesca, and Trie of Checkered Lilies. Photo – John Garrod

Checkered Lilies understand the sinking feeling that comes with a breakup.

The Southwest Michigan band processes that disappointment, uncertainty, and frustration on their latest alt-pop single, “Abandon Ship.”

“It was very autobiographical just because of stuff that has happened very recently,” said Kayla, vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for Checkered Lilies.

“I tried to reframe it into more of a relationship because relationships are super complicated, no matter the nature of the relationship.”

Backed by somber piano, electric guitar, and drums, Kayla sings, “I’m tossed by the current / Buried by the waves / I hope you got that escape you craved / So now you can go / And sail through your bright, clear skies / I’ll be where you left me behind.”

“I think that was my favorite part of the writing process: trying to take this situation, which I don’t think is very easily relatable, and extending it into something that’s more applicable to people wherever they are,” she said.

“Regardless of the type of relationship, any relationship has [its] ups and downs, so people can take it and apply it to their own lives.”

“Abandon Ship” also serves as the debut single for Checkered Lilies, which features oldest sister Kayla, 20, and her two younger sisters, drummer-vocalist Trie, 18, and guitarist-vocalist Cesca, 12.

“Personally, I think one of the biggest things that’s coming up for us is the release of Checkered Lilies in and of itself,” Trie said.

“We’ve done a few originals before, but Checkered Lilies is a whole new big project where we’re really writing songs that we connect with and songs that mean something to us. We’ve got a ton of them lined up starting [this] month and continuing on through the summer, and we’re all very excited about that.”

I recently spoke with the band about their background and latest single ahead of a June 27 show at The Stray in Grand Rapids.

Continue reading “Sinking Feeling — Checkered Lilies Process a Breakup and Its Aftermath on “Abandon Ship” Single” →

Starting a New Chapter — The City Lines Have a Fresh Lineup and Roster of Summer Shows

Victoria Horne, Johnny Scott, Bob Zammit, and Pat Deneau of The City Lines. Photo – Danny Burton.

Victoria Horne, Johnny Scott, Bob Zammit, and Pat Deneau of The City Lines. Photo – Danny Burton.

The City Lines are starting a new chapter.

The Ann Arbor-based alt-rock band recently added two new members, lead guitarist Johnny Scott and bassist Victoria Horne, to their lineup. They join vocalist-guitarist Pat Deneau and drummer Bob Zammit.

“There is a total synergy on the stage now,” Deneau said. “It’s really fun playing these songs closer to the way that we recorded them, with the lead guitar parts and some basslines that are moving a little bit. Victoria and Johnny are bringing energy to the stage that I really feed off.”

The band also recently announced three shows for this summer, including May 30 with Joe Jordan at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, June 25 with Cracked & Hooked and Pillow Princess at Ziggy’s in Ypsilanti, and August 6 with A Thousand Horses at Lager House in Detroit.

The City Lines will perform songs from their growing catalog, which includes last year’s Prescribed Fires album and two prior releases.

“We’re a new band to a lot of people who are maybe going to wonder how we got three records out under their nose and why there are as many listenable songs,” Zammit said. “It’s because we’ve been working really hard on that end of it, and now, through the support of the community, we can support folks and be helpful.”

To learn more, I spoke with the band about their new members and live shows.

Continue reading “Starting a New Chapter — The City Lines Have a Fresh Lineup and Roster of Summer Shows” →

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” →