Tag: Ann Arbor

Cast Away — Ypsilanti’s Premium Rat Finds Connection and Community on Debut Album, “Stranded on Land”

Premium Rat features cinematic instrumentation on “Stranded on Land.” Photo — Levi Hubbel

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

Premium Rat knows they can’t go it alone.

The Ypsilanti, Michigan indie-rocker embraces that mindset while exploring the need for connection and community on their debut album.

“That has been the journey of my life because I’ve always been a very independent person and a person who’s not good at asking for help,” said Mer Rey, who performs as Premium Rat, about Stranded on Land.

“This album tells the story of me learning that lesson—that no person is an island—and I can’t do it all myself.”

Premium Rat follows that story arc throughout Stranded on Land’s 12 tracks, which were curated against a backdrop of multi-genre sounds.

“The idea of Stranded on Land is starting the album feeling very disconnected from the world and people around me, feeling like I didn’t understand or belong in the world, and feeling very isolated and alone with that feeling,” said Rey, who features elements of pop punk, indie rock, dance-pop, indie folk, and Broadway music on the album.

“As the album goes on, it tells the story of me finding community, finding other people who also felt that way, and realizing, ‘Oh, I’m stranded on land, but so are a bunch of other people, and we’re actually stranded together.’ And that is how we [find] our way out and claim our freedom—by doing that together.”

Continue reading “Cast Away — Ypsilanti’s Premium Rat Finds Connection and Community on Debut Album, “Stranded on Land”” →

Tried and True — Ryan Trager Stays the Course on “Don’t Let Them In” Single

Ryan Trager stays true to his vision on “Don’t Let Them In.” Photo by Cybelle Codish

Ryan Trager doesn’t deviate from his path.

The Metro Detroit singer-songwriter follows his instincts and keeps the detractors at bay on “Don’t Let Them In.”

“For me, last year was so nuts with the election and everything. It’s easy to get swept up in all of that. In some ways, it connects back to us,” said Trager about his latest indie-folk single.

“I was thinking about the single and the meaning behind it and staying true to your own beliefs and behaviors. It’s easy to get swept up in the media, and we have so much access to things. You can lose yourself and lose the things that matter to you.”

In response, Trager pledges to keep himself grounded and focused on “Don’t Let Them In.”

Backed by earnest acoustic guitar, cello, and Mellotron, he sings, “They will give you a thousand reasons / And you’ll be tempted to believe them / But all their conviction is just a fiction / Oh please, don’t let them in.”

“I had had enough distance from the song that I needed to hear the message,” said Trager, who recorded the single in 2021. “It’s not letting anything stop you from doing whatever you want to do.”

To learn more, I spoke with Trager ahead of a February 8 show at Trixie’s Bar in Hamtramck, Michigan.

Continue reading “Tried and True — Ryan Trager Stays the Course on “Don’t Let Them In” Single” →

Assembling “Disassemble” — Marty Gray’s Shoegaze Album Was Inspired by the Struggles of Family and Friends

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Marty Gray features a guitar-driven rock and shoegaze sound on “Disassemble.” Photo courtesy of Marty Gray.

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

Marty Gray empathizes with loved ones battling dementia, depression, and other personal challenges on his latest album, Disassemble.

“The whole album is autobiographical, it’s just about the people around me,” said the Ann Arbor singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. “It’s rare that there is a song about me, but I’m telling you how I feel about these people throughout the whole record.”

Gray explores that fragility and the observations of a concerned bystander on Disassemble. The album’s poetic lyrics, ethereal vocals, and cinematic instrumentation convey the emotions he encounters while witnessing family and friends decline.

“There are some songs about my friends and the things that they’re going through,” said Gray, who studied opera at the University of Michigan. “There are friends in my life that are losing the battle with depression. I have a couple of songs about my grandparents; I have one about my opa and one about my [late] oma … and my oma’s dementia and seeing what happened with her brain, her mind, and her life.”

Gray ventures into new sonic territory on his fourth album, too, trading his previous pop sound for guitar-driven rock and shoegaze.

“Part of this story is me falling in love with guitar,” Gray said. “And I’ve never been a fabulously talented guitar player. With shoegaze, you don’t have to be a ripper. If the story calls for it and if the story wants it to be big shoegaze with lots of reverb, lots of distortion, lots of everything … [then] let’s go for it.”

To learn more, I spoke with Gray about Disassemble ahead of a January 8 show at The Blind Pig.

Continue reading “Assembling “Disassemble” — Marty Gray’s Shoegaze Album Was Inspired by the Struggles of Family and Friends” →

“How’d You Write That?” — Bill Edwards and Mike Green Explore the Craft of Songwriting During January 10 Show at Trinity House Theatre

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Bill Edwards and Mike Green will include a mixture of performance and conversation for their show.

Bill Edwards and Mike Green want to demystify the songwriting process.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan singer-songwriters plan to explore the craft and share creative insights during a January 10 show—known as How’d You Write That?— at Trinity House Theatre.  

The show includes a mixture of performance and conversation: Edwards and Green will perform songs from their catalogs, interview each other about songwriting, and take questions from the audience.

“People don’t really talk about the process and talk about the nuts and bolts of how this song came to be or how a song comes to be,” said Edwards about the show’s format at the Livonia, Michigan listening room. “I think this will dig more into that.”

To prepare for the event, the duo sought inspiration from a songwriting group called Song Salon and a past TV show called Inside the Actors Studio.

“We bring in songs in any form and critique them … We just dig in, and we get really deep into the weeds of saying, ‘That word doesn’t work.’ We make suggestions, and my songs are all better as a result of being part of [Song Salon],” said Green, who also works as a booking agent.

“But it came out of that work, and I thought about Inside the Actors Studio and realized people would be interested in this. Trinity House is small enough that we can get a good-sized group of people in there, and it’s a home for many singer-songwriters in Southeastern Michigan.”

During the show, Edwards and Green will each perform 10 to 11 songs, including a mix of new material and past favorites. In 2023, Edwards released his latest album, So Far, and Green released his debut album, Listening for the Bell.

“Mike and I write differently,” Edwards said. “I tend to repeat a lot of the choruses in my songs, and Mike doesn’t so much. I’m interested to hear what influenced him to take that path and why he writes like that.”

The show also serves as a “pilot” for How’d You Write That? and allows the duo to test the waters before launching a regular series in the fall. They would curate the series and include singer-songwriters who are willing to interview each other.

“There’s not that many moving parts to it. It’s just something that we’re both interested in, and we think many people that we know will be interested,” Green said.

“Hopefully, there will be more than the people that we know. Based on the early social media stuff we’ve been doing, many people have said they’re interested.”

Bill Edwards and Mike Green perform January 10 for “How’d You Write That?” at Trinity House Theatre, 38840 Six Mile Road, Livonia, Michigan. For tickets, visit Trinity House Theatre’s website.

State of the Art — GIG Conference Celebrates Michigan Art and Music November 8-10 at Jackson’s ART 634

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The weekend-long conference spotlights Michigan visual artists who specialize in concert photography, show posters, T-shirt designs, and album artwork.

Editor’s Note: The Stratton Setlist is a sponsor of GIG – The Art of Michigan Music.

Eight years ago, Chuck Marshall attended ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and left with a new idea.

The Life in Michigan blogger/co-publisher and Fans With Bands podcaster wanted to curate an art exhibit called GIG – The Art of Michigan Music, which focuses on the visual aspects of music.

“I’d met some great photographers and graphic artists in the local Michigan music scene and wanted to call attention to their work,” said Marshall, who’s from Ann Arbor and is a concert photographer.

“The Ann Arbor Art Center at the time accepted applications for people to curate an exhibit. I thought, ‘Why not?’ I contacted them and they were very helpful and receptive.”

Then Marshall contacted several artists and asked them to join the inaugural GIG – The Art of Michigan Music art show. It spotlighted artists who specialize in concert photography, show posters, T-shirt designs, and album artwork.

“That first show went over really well,” he said. “Over time, folks have asked if I’d do it again, and with work and other projects, I didn’t have time. Last year, my friends at Manchester Underground Music and Art—Steve Girbach and John Mooneyham—said, ‘Hey, you should do GIG again and we will help.’ So I said, ‘OK, let’s do it!’”

The trio quickly expanded GIG – The Art of Michigan Music into more than an art show and assembled a team of local musicians and music supporters to plan the event.

What resulted is a three-day conference packed with art exhibits, educational sessions, a mixer with Jennifer Westwood, live music, and a music market with local vendors.

“It was the rebirth of GIG – The Art of Michigan Music—bigger, better, stronger!” Marshall said. “It is The Six Million Dollar Man of art and music events if you will.”

Now, Marshall will realize his vision for GIG – The Art of Michigan Music November 8-10 at ART 634 in Jackson, Michigan.

I spoke with Marshall about GIG – The Art of Michigan Music ahead of next weekend’s event.

Continue reading “State of the Art — GIG Conference Celebrates Michigan Art and Music November 8-10 at Jackson’s ART 634” →

Best Practices — Kylee Phillips Shares “The Good Parts” of Her Personal Journey on New EP

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Kylee Phillips offers heartfelt tales of resilience and acceptance on “The Good Parts.” Photo – Misty Lyn Bergeron

Kylee Phillips doesn’t need to give herself daily pep talks anymore.

After some deep introspection, the Ypsilanti, Michigan singer-songwriter/keyboardist gained a fresh perspective and wanted to share “the good parts” of her journey on a new EP.

“I feel like the pep talks worked,” said Phillips about The Good Parts, her sophomore release. “It’s encouraging because it’s hard to see yourself grow when it’s happening, and it’s not until you look back that you say, ‘Oh, I made it to the other side.’”

Coming out the other side, Phillips offers heartfelt tales of resilience and acceptance across four honest tracks on her indie-folk-pop EP.

“The songs are about saying, ‘Maybe I need to try a different path,’ but they’re also saying, ‘These are the things I’ve noticed about myself that are not going to change—that I’m not letting go of,’” she said.

“It’s this funny combination of ‘I’m going to have to make some different choices, but I also know better who I actually am now.’”

That authenticity quickly resonates with listeners on The Good Parts, which features reflective lyrics and lush instrumentation.

“I had a friend reach out to me and say, ‘I feel like you wrote this song for me.’ And I said, ‘I wrote it for myself, and now I feel like you need it more than I do,’” she said. “I always write the stuff that I need to hear, but when it’s also what other people need to hear, it feels special.”

Continue reading “Best Practices — Kylee Phillips Shares “The Good Parts” of Her Personal Journey on New EP” →

The Last Hurrah — Riley Bean Hosts Final Groove On Up Festival September 13-15 in South Lyon

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Riley Bean performs as Beanstalk and hosts the Groove On Up music festival. Photo courtesy of Riley Bean

Six years ago, Riley Bean decided to bring a groove-filled music festival to Southeast Michigan.

The producer, drummer, and DJ launched the Groove On Up festival to spotlight local jam, soul, funk, hip-hop, DJ, and electronic acts on his South Lyon, Michigan farm.

“My personal music taste has always been groove-based as have many of the bands that I’ve been a part of over the years,” said Bean, who hails from Ann Arbor and performs under the artist moniker Beanstalk.

“I was just thinking about the amount of talent that Michigan has to offer and trying to have an accessible camping festival experience that folks can attend locally and not have to drive hundreds of miles for.”

This year’s Groove On Up festival, which runs September 13-15 at Bean’s 14-acre farm, features a mix of returning and new acts on three indoor and outdoor stages, including the new Portal stage. Local visual artists, food vendors, and flow artists/fire performers will also be featured.

The music lineup includes Act Casual, Selyna Alvarez, Al Bettis, Beretta Shells, Chill Place, Chirp, Liquid Thickness, Ma Baker, Rik Strange, The Rupple Brothers, Stormy Chromer, Violet Sol, and others.

Continue reading “The Last Hurrah — Riley Bean Hosts Final Groove On Up Festival September 13-15 in South Lyon” →

Release Me — Medicine the Man Provides Outpouring of Emotion and Support on “The Dam” Single

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Nate Jones advocates for healing, rest, and community as Medicine the Man. Photo courtesy of Nate Jones

Nate Jones wants to open the floodgates.

The Nashville, Tennessee singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who performs as Medicine the Man provides an outpouring of emotion and support on his latest single, “The Dam.”

“It was written remembering the moment of wanting to be done, wanting to give up, and being tired of doing everything on my own. There was so much pressure on my life; I was trying to be what everyone else needed from me and rarely asking for help from others,” said Jones about Medicine the Man’s millennium-rock song.

“I was sitting in my selfishness and misery not realizing how much focus had been on me and still never doing anything to change my position. I was finding ways to avoid the problem instead of facing it.”

Surrounded by weary electric guitar, synth, bass, and drums, he sings, “The waters are rising, a surge is coming / Storms on horizon, to purge the violence / Oh, maybe I just let it break / Let this river sweep me away.”

“Writing ‘The Dam’ was a release itself. I was finally admitting what I’d always known—that I couldn’t do this by myself. I need community, and I need a stronger reliance on my Creator and less of a reliance on me,” Jones said.

“I hope that when others hear this song it brings to the surface some of the same feelings we bury. I hope this helps people to be honest with themselves and starts the conversation that says, ‘I need help; I could use support.’”

Continue reading “Release Me — Medicine the Man Provides Outpouring of Emotion and Support on “The Dam” Single” →

Doomgaze into the Abyss — VAZUM Explores the Darker Side of Life on “Western Violence”

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Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm of VAZUM. Photo courtesy of VAZUM

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

VAZUM didn’t expect a Western film to inspire the title of its latest album.

The Jackson duo of Zach Pliska (vocals, guitars, drums) and Emily Sturm (vocals, bass) stumbled upon the phrase “Western violence” while watching The Quick and the Dead.

“We had some of the songs fleshed out and usually we go with a ‘V’ in the name for our albums. We were watching [the 1995 film] by Sam Raimi and the rating was ‘R,’ and it said two words: ‘Western violence,’” said Sturm about the duo’s doomgaze album, Western Violence.

“We said, ‘Oh my god, that’s what we’re writing about,’ and it just summed it up. And then we said, ‘That’s what we’re living in … This is how our society expresses itself now.’”

On Western Violence, VAZUM reflects on the disintegration and disillusionment of our country and provides a social commentary on the personal, cultural, and political events that impact it.

The album’s dozen tracks explore topics ranging from the opioid epidemic to gun violence to a dystopian future to toxic relationships. It also takes inspiration from VAZUM’s past tours through the southern U.S., the U.K., and France.

“We were driving through Georgia and we went through some areas with houses falling apart,” said Pliska, who’s a University of Michigan alum.

“To see the extent of the poverty and those places you’re driving through, it’s still shocking. Our tours in the U.K. and France were eye-opening with just seeing how different the countries are.”

As part of that perspective, VAZUM brings Western Violence’s themes to life through vigilant lyrics, ethereal vocals, and spellbinding instrumentation filled with goth-rock, post-punk, and shoegaze elements.

To learn more, I spoke with the duo about the album ahead of an August 10 set at Ogma Brewing Co.’s Art Pop ‘24 festival in Jackson.

Continue reading “Doomgaze into the Abyss — VAZUM Explores the Darker Side of Life on “Western Violence”” →

Noteworthy Moments — Dexter Multi-Instrumentalist Brad Phillips on His Work With Patti LuPone, University of Michigan, and His Daughter

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Brad Phillips with his daughter, Alyson Phillips. Photo – Hope Shangle.

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

It’s a bittersweet time in Brad Phillips’ life.

“My daughter Alyson is off to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts next month, and I’ve been weeping big dad tears on and off all summer,” said the Dexter singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

Alyson is a singer, and she’ll join her dad for a special show at The Ark on August 8 along with bandmates Chris DuPont, Drew De Four, Brennan Andes, Keith Billik, and Mike Shea.

Brad has also been busy as a lecturer at the University of Michigan, a resident artist at The Purple Rose Theatre Company, touring with actress and singer Patti LuPone, and featuring on her new album, A Life in Notes, playing violin, mandolin, guitar, octave mandolin, and U-bass.

“Patti is an icon and it’s no accident. She’s a legend for a reason and to be on stage with her in front of her adoring fans is electric,” Phillips said. “Summer has been both chaotic, emotional, and wonderful all at the same time! It’s been a big year around here.”

To learn more, I spoke with Phillips about his work and tour with Patti LuPone and his family’s artistic accomplishments.

Continue reading “Noteworthy Moments — Dexter Multi-Instrumentalist Brad Phillips on His Work With Patti LuPone, University of Michigan, and His Daughter” →