Tag: Ann Arbor

Community Climb — Big Sky Company Rallies to Unite People on “Walk Up This Hill” Single

Big Sky Company’s Mike Ward, Annie Bacon, Kristi Davis, and Dave Boutette. Not pictured: Neil Donato and Jim Latini. Photo courtesy of Mike Ward.

No mountain—or hill—is too big for Big Sky Company to climb.

The Ann Arbor-Detroit collective explores that notion on its new folk single, “Walk Up This Hill.”

Featuring singer-songwriters and musicians Mike Ward, Dave Boutette, Neil Donato, Annie Bacon, Kristi Davis, and Jim Latini, the hopeful song serves as a rallying call to unite people and build community in divisive times.

“There are plenty of songs out there that people are writing and singing that are calls to action, but then, the action to me is not always what I’m looking for,” said Dave Boutette, who co-wrote “Walk Up This Hill” with Mike Ward.

“Mike’s songs have a unifying air about them; they have a unifying core, and frankly, that’s why he’s part of this project is because he brings people together, and his songs do that, too.”

Eighteen months ago, Boutette recruited Ward to pen the single after Geoff Michael, the owner-engineer of Big Sky Recording Company, suggested writing a social-commentary song.

“In our local music community, he felt like something was missing,” Boutette said.

“Given the tone of our times, there wasn’t enough social commentary and protest stuff out on the airwaves to the level that he would like. He tapped me to make it happen, and I said, ‘Well, I know the guy who’s going to write the song—Mike Ward.’”

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Outside the Lines — Manchester’s Jonathan Doyle Follows His Own Creative Instincts and Is The GIG 2026 Featured Poster Artist

Jonathan Doyle with wife Brooke Doyle in 2022. Courtesy photo.

Editor’s Note: Lori Stratton is on the board of GIG: The Art of Michigan Music Foundation.

For one of his latest posters, Jonathan Doyle decided to step outside his musical realm.

The Manchester, Michigan, graphic designer and poster artist took an architectural approach and drew a picture of the Chelsea Clock Tower.

“I love that building, so I took a couple of pictures of it, and I just drew it,” said Doyle, who owns JK Doyle Art & Design and creates concert posters for the Manchester Underground Music and Art monthly concert series.

On the poster, he created a majestic blue-and-purple version of the clock tower against a light blue and white mandala background.

“I tried to keep it as fun as possible, and I didn’t want to go full psychedelic because it’s Chelsea,” Doyle said. “But at the same time, I didn’t want to go mayonnaise, so that’s where I ended up.”

Doyle’s artwork is the featured poster for GIG: The Art of Michigan Music, an annual event showcasing the creations of visual artists, graphic designers, and concert photographers who work in music.

This year’s edition of GIG takes place July 24-25 in Chelsea as part of the city’s Sounds & Sights Festival. Doyle is one of 20 artists featured at the event, which is spearheaded by Ann Arbor residents Chuck and Brenda Marshall.

“Being a musician and an artist, I have been in both realms, and it’s the only place I’ve ever seen where those two groups of people are brought together,” he said.

To support that community, GIG includes a gallery of artwork and photography by the featured artists, a music market filled with prints, photos, records, and merch, and workshops focused on mental health, websites, graphic design, and photography.

“I’m kind of a hermit, and a lot of my artist and musician friends are hermits, so there’s nowhere for us to go,” Doyle said. “The community inside the community [at GIG] is really big for me.”

I recently spoke with Doyle about his background and work as a graphic designer and poster artist.

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

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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.

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One Track Mind — Annie and Rod Capps, “Pardon My Dust”

Rod and Annie Capps. Photo – Jen Prouty.

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: No. 2, “Pardon My Dust,” from Annie and Rod Capps. The Chelsea couple’s latest folk album, Never Done, is about self-improvement and the lessons they’ve learned on their journey of personal growth.

On “Pardon My Dust,” Annie Capps sings about self-reinvention and uses construction-based metaphors to show that her work is never done. Those references come from driving back and forth to Chicago over the years. “I think this song in particular is more about how we need to be kinder to ourselves and others who are struggling with life and all the challenges and curve balls it throws us along the way,” Annie Capps wrote in an email interview. “Also, those who have done any kind of therapy will understand that you have to tear down stuff to rebuild something better. Thus, the self-destruction reference. Not all self-destruction is necessarily bad if it reveals what needs fixing.”

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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.

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Time of the “Seasons” — OUT Ensemble’s Debut Album Celebrates Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall With LGBTQ+ Composers

The members of OUT Ensemble stand on stage and hold their instruments in an empty auditorium.
Abby Bracken, David Michael, Alan Cook, Jenna Stokes, and Sophie Bracken of OUT Ensemble. Photo – Da Ping Luo.

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

Now that she’s finished graduate school, Sophie Bracken finds herself longing for past springs.

The University of Michigan alum and Ann Arbor clarinetist channels that feeling when she performs “I cannot meet the Spring unmoved” with OUT Ensemble, a wind quintet composed of LGBTQ+ musicians performing and commissioning the works of queer classical composers.

“I know that I myself am kind of nostalgic in spring for my high school days and some of the things we would do together in high school band,” said Bracken, who recently graduated with a master’s degree in chamber music. “I think it’s just a really interesting way to reflect on spring.”

Composed by U-M alum Nora Farley, “I cannot meet the Spring unmoved” is titled after and inspired by the Emily Dickinson poem of the same name.

“I really like Nora’s interpretation of spring,” Bracken said. “The Emily Dickinson poem, as well, that she’s drawing from has a lot of nostalgia and longing, which isn’t necessarily what you associate with spring—it’s usually a season of renewal and hope.”

The piece also serves as the opening track from OUT Ensemble’s debut album, Seasons of Change, which comes out May 22.

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Ypsilanti Hip-Hop Artist Diont’e Visible Has Raised His Profile With a String of Philosophical Singles and Collaborations

Diont’e Visible. Photo courtesy of Diont’e Visible.

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

Diont’e Visible wants to purge some negativity from the world.

The Ypsilanti, Michigan, hip-hop artist unloads that emotional burden and finds relief on his latest single, “Just Throw It All in the Air.”

“When I wrote this song, I was inspired by the state of the world, or the lack thereof,” said Visible, aka Paris Diont’e Horgrow, about the hip-hop track.

“People need something to be happy about and to look forward to. It’s saying, ‘Let’s get rid of this whole system and just throw it all in the air.’”

Visible adopts that refreshing mindset and then expands “Just Throw It All in the Air” into a springtime anthem while rapping over jazzy beats.

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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.”
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One Track Mind — Sleep Tight Tiger, “Skate”

From left: Ruby Howard, Steve Poeschel, Laura Topf, and Evan Beane of Sleep Tight Tiger. Photo taken from Sleep Tight Tiger’s website.

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: No. 1, “Skate” from Ypsilanti’s Sleep Tight Tiger. The indie-pop band’s debut EP, Plum Something, explores being vulnerable and sharing that emotional experience with others.

On “Skate,” the band sings about feeling carefree and spending time with friends. The members of Sleep Tight Tiger—Ruby Howard, Steve Poeschel, Laura Topf, and Evan Beane—pooled a bunch of their memories together while writing the song. “Those times with friends that arise spontaneously—running into a friend on the street and deciding to walk to the river, or both being homesick at the same time and lying out in a backyard together under the sun—feel easy and fleeting in a way that I hold dear,” writes Topf in an email interview. “There were a couple of roller skaters among the WCBN students that I have fond memories with, who inspired the hook of the song.” (Sleep Tight Tiger members were all involved with the University of Michigan student radio station.)

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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.

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