Tag: Ann Arbor

Wire in the Wood’s ‘All Fall Apart’ Debut Album Moves Full Steam Ahead

“All Fall Apart” album artwork courtesy of Wire in the Wood.

Ann Arbor, Mich.-based bluegrass quartet Wire in the Wood moves full steam ahead with their debut album, “All Fall Apart,” which dropped March 1.

This stunning seven-track album from the self-proclaimed “prog-bluegrass locomotive” fueled by Billy Kirst (vocals and guitar), Kyle Rhodes (vocals and mandolin), Jordan Adema (violin) and Ryan Shea (bass and vocals) pulls listeners along a personal journey while they ride in “psych-folk” boxcars filled with frustration, nostalgia, love and self-discovery.

The journey begins with the energetic title track and captures the frustration of living in an era when “…instead of seeing everyone as sisters and brothers/They started pointing fingers at one another.”

While the lyrics brilliantly capture anger and blame, the band’s acoustic guitar, violin, mandolin and bass harmoniously meld together and instrumentally portray a sense of hope for the future.

That hope is carried through to “Madison,” which features Kirst’s and Rhodes’ lush harmonies coupled with nostalgic lyrics and the fast-paced sonic partnership of Adema’s violin and Rhodes’ mandolin.

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“Samain Night” – Loreena McKennitt Journeys to Ann Arbor

Editor’s Note: My husband Brian writes his third post for The Stratton Setlist about the Oct. 12 Loreena McKennitt show at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Mich.

On Christmas morning in 1994, I opened a gift from my parents that had the unmistakable shape of a CD. As I tore off the wrapping paper, revealing the cover, I was greeted by a woman with a harp, wearing vaguely antiquated clothing, standing on a hill overlooking a lake. It turned out to be “Parallel Dreams” by Loreena McKennitt, an album by an artist I had never heard of.

My dad had heard about Loreena McKennitt on public radio driving home from work one night. He knew that I was interested in Enya and other Celtic and New Age music, so he thought I’d be interested in her as well.

After looking at the hazy album art, I turned the CD over and read through the song titles – “Samain Night,” “Standing Stones,” and “Ancient Pines” among others. They certainly sounded interesting.

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‘Moth to the Flame’ – Chairlift Attracts Ann Arbor, Mich. Crowd with Spellbinding April 4 Live Show

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Chairlift performs at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Mich. on April 4.

I quickly glanced down and typed the words, “Get Real,” into my cell phone.

Not long after I finished, I felt instant pressure being applied to the back of my phone.

“What the …?” I thought to myself.

I looked up and saw the clear heel of Caroline Polachek’s white plastic boot tapping my phone.

The Chairlift frontwoman nonverbally scolded me for being in the phone zone and not watching her band’s performance of “Get Real” on Monday at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Mich. I was standing at the front right corner of the stage, so I should’ve known I wasn’t anonymous.

Continue reading “‘Moth to the Flame’ – Chairlift Attracts Ann Arbor, Mich. Crowd with Spellbinding April 4 Live Show” →