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.
“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.
“The questions for the census are tailored to give us an idea, collectively and comprehensively, what the local ecosystem looks like,” said Kevin Kay, founder and CEO of the Detroit Music Collective.
“It’s never been done here before, but the response from everyone so far has been: ‘Wow! This is something that we need.’ Everyone seems to be rallying together for an initiative like this.”
Launched earlier this month, the census is being administered by Sound Music Cities. It’s free to take and open to people 18 and older working in music within a 75-mile radius of the city.
“This is your chance to use your voice,” Kay said. “If there’s something bad, say it. If there’s something good, say it. Please don’t candy-coat it to think that you need to answer everything in a positive way. The only way we make change is if we know there are problems, and that’s what’s happened in all the other cities that have done the census so far.”
Sound Music Cities has previously administered censuses for Cleveland, Nashville, Charlotte, Austin, and Columbus, Ohio.
“Nashville did their census last year, and one of the things coming out of there from the creative sector and the artists were big complaints about how there are no loading or unloading parking spaces at venues, especially if they’re playing downtown,” said Kay, who once worked for Sony Music Nashville.
“They’re parking four or five blocks away sometimes, and if it’s summertime, they’re hauling gear, and they’re sweating. The organization that helped create the census for Nashville took the data, sat down with the city and the mayor’s office, and presented it to them. The city is now working on designating [parking] spots.”
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.
Initially, the Detroit vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist wanted to take a fun and intuitive approach to writing and recording The Idiot Kids’ latest album.
“As I was working on this record, I was running with the initial ideas for the music and the riffs,” said Bartee, who fronts the punk/garage-rock band.
“I thought, ‘Just keep going. Take the demo and run with it,’ but the songwriting ended up being just as introspective and autobiographical as anything else I’ve written. I was trying to have fun with [the album], and then all of a sudden, I was writing more songs about addiction, suicide, and super heavy topics.”
What resulted is a cathartic album that explores acceptance, authenticity, and recovery. The nine tracks on Instants serve as a finite point in time for Bartee to process and heal from past trauma.
“These songs are about … what’s happening with me, or it’s me addressing old feelings, but from the perspective of [last] year. I can look back at it as a time capsule,” he said.
“It was all written here, and everything was finished in [that] year. Almost all of it was recorded in my apartment, and then it was mixed and mastered by me [there as well]. It’s an unintentional, very personal album.”
Outside of his home studio, Bartee brings the songs from Instants to life on stage with Andrew Maslowsky (drums, backing vocals), Jarrett Koral (bass, backing vocals), and Carmel Liburdi (bass, backing vocals). Together, they make up the live edition of The Idiot Kids.
“The Idiot Kids is still a band and not just a solo project,” he said. “Andrew Maslowsky has been with the band since 2017, and the other members rotate live, including Jarrett Koral, Carmel Liburdi, and other guests.”
I recently spoke with Bartee about the album and its creative process.
The show benefits Motor City Mitten Mission, a St. Clair Shores nonprofit that supports the homeless.
“After the success of our 2025 show—raising nearly $5,000—there were so many artists from Southeast Michigan who asked to be part of it if we held it again,” said Mike Ward, a folk singer-songwriter who’s organizing the show with his wife Angie Ward and singer-songwriter Nick Juno. “So it was a no-brainer.”
It will also serve as a collection site for donating winter clothing, food supplies, and other essential items for those in need.
Show attendees can donate any of the following items—hoodies, sweatshirts, shoes, boots, T-shirts, winter gloves and hats, sleeping bags, tents, backpacks, bottled water, beef jerky, crackers, soup cups, utensils, and more—and receive a discounted entry fee of $5 that night.
“Last year, we had no idea how much we could raise,” said Ward, who first hosted the event in 2022. “We honestly thought if we brought in $700 to $1,000, plus donated items, it would be a success in addition to the awareness for the Mission. We sold out and had to turn people away, and ended up bringing in $4,700, plus filled a few vans with donated items.”
People can also make monetary donations at the show or through Motor City Mitten Mission’s website. All donations and proceeds from the show will go to the nonprofit.
To learn more, I spoke with Ward ahead of the show.
The Clarkston musician and entrepreneur met through Wiltsie’s, a pop-up listening room that features live performances from Michigan musicians and doubles as a co-working space.
“I started doing shows for Brandon, both solo and then with One Ton Trolley,” said Arnold, who fronts the roots-rock band.
“Had it not been for Wiltsie’s, Brandon and I probably wouldn’t know each other. My whole network changed as a result of Wiltsie’s.”
Arnold and Still also witnessed the instant connections people started making while attending shows at Wiltsie’s.
“My career has morphed into helping small towns build co-working spaces [like Wiltsie’s],” said Still, who works in economic development and runs The Integrated Life Company.
“Our tagline that we’ve fallen into with Wiltsie’s has been transformational music experiences. It’s transforming the places, it’s transforming the people, and it’s transforming the artists in that they actually get to have a connection with people, too.”
That shared love of music, connection, and community struck a chord with Still and Arnold. By March 2024, they started laying the foundation for Echoes in the Iron, a multimedia project that supports small-town revitalization and builds community through music, storytelling, and entrepreneurship.
The project includes a series of YouTube videos spotlighting small business owners, musicians, and community advocates in Michigan.
“The music is obviously the main focal point for drawing people together and having the emotional spark to get people truly engaged,” Arnold said. “But we want to showcase their town, too, along with the businesses and the history. We want to combine everything … and foster community through all of that.”
I recently spoke with Arnold and Still to learn more about Echoes in the Iron.
The Detroit band features turbocharged instrumentation and explosive vocals on its latest EP.
“We just left it at that,” said Matt Gawne, a vocalist-guitarist for Absentees.
“We did it live. We recorded a second guitar, and then we recorded the vocals. [Engineer-producer] Jon-Mikal [Bartee] came over to my place with a bunch of microphones, and he just set up where we were. It was awesome for him and awesome for us.”
All the Hertz: Volume 1 is an awesome experience for listeners as well. While it’s only 16 minutes long, the punk EP’s scorching electric guitars, thumping bass, and thunderous drums energize fans across seven tracks.
“It all came out great, thanks to Jon-Mikal [Bartee], too,” said John Quillen, the band’s drummer. “He put a nice touch on it, and he knew what we wanted to go with. He gave us a sound with a more modern recording.”
In addition to its edgy sound, All the Hertz: Volume 1 covers a variety of themes, ranging from trauma to toxic jobs to new relationships.
“The most emotional song I’ve ever written is ‘Sensational,’ said Tony Dunn, a vocalist-guitarist for Absentees.
“It’s about somebody close to me who tried taking their own life, and fortunately, is still here. I’ve never written anything that personal … and I think it really shows on that song. Usually, I make up stories, but every now and then, I give a little piece of [me].
Now, Absentees continue to evolve their punk sound with Brandon Manoyian, the band’s new bassist.
“I play on a five-string bass, and I come from another band that plays in a lower tuning,” he said. “Playing with John and playing with everybody else, it’s been a different, but phenomenal experience, and everything flows and goes together.”
I recently spoke with Absentees about their latest EP ahead of a December 6 show at The Rex Theater in Morenci, Michigan.
Olivia Van Goor with her family’s dog, Murphy. Photo – Matt Ryan
This holiday season, Olivia Van Goor is stepping back in time.
The jazz vocalist-composer reimagines Christmas songs from TV specials and movies she loved as a child on her latest album, Waiting for Santa.
“I thought it would be fun to pick some of those songs that you forget about, that aren’t overplayed, or that aren’t overdone,” said Van Goor, who’s based in Royal Oak, Michigan.
“And speaking of Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, if you listen to the full version of ‘Put One Foot in Front of the Other’ at the very end, they go into a section that’s in seven instead of in four. That’s what I did in my recording at the end. I thought, ‘This is so hip [that it’s in] an odd meter. I don’t even remember that when I was a kid.’”
“It was really fun to think about those songs, and they just so easily are turned into a very standard feel in the jazz world,” she said.
“And then going from that, it was really fun to reimagine more stories from those things and write the song, ‘Hermey’s Blues,’ with Mike [Harrison]. Hermey the Elf [from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer] didn’t ever get a song. I loved playing along with those ideas and feeling like I was accessing that part of my childhood.”
While the album’s six covers sparkle, Van Goor truly shines on the seven originals, which include a combination of songs she composed or co-composed with others. There’s also a track composed by bandmate Mike Harrison called “Mrs. Mistletoe.”
“I started coming up with ideas, and I had a bunch of ideas for songs that I thought were missing from the Christmas repertoire,” Van Goor said. “And then I was thinking, ‘I don’t have to do this all alone; I can co-compose with some of my friends,’ and that’s how the album came to be.”
Along with bandmates Reuben Stump (bass, vocals), Dave Zwolinski (drums), and Mike Harrison (piano), Van Goor presents a refreshing Christmas album featuring soulful vocals, nostalgic and festive lyrics, and enchanting instrumentation.
I recently spoke with Van Goor about Waiting for Santa ahead of several live shows in December.
Vince Modern, Steve Nyquist, Mike Richards, and Joe Balbaugh of Adaboy!. Courtesy photo.
Adaboy! embodies the pride and spirit of the Detroit Lions on “Uncaged.”
The Bay City, Michigan band pays tribute to the team’s resilience and success on its latest rock single.
“Have you ever listened to Dan Campbell, the coach?” said Mike Richards, lead vocalist and guitarist for Adaboy!.
“Have you ever heard him speak about his team and the mentality he wants his football team to have? He doesn’t necessarily speak on mental health, but it’s all the nitty-gritty of what it takes to be focused on your mental health.”
Along with Adaboy! bandmates Joe Balbaugh (vocals, bass), Vince Modern (vocals, guitar), and Steve Nyquist (drums), Richards celebrates that mindset through motivational lyrics and fiery instrumentation on “Uncaged.”
He sings, “Take your place / There’s something going on in here / Grit and glory / We’ve been waiting for all these years / Can’t stop, won’t stop / Come on people, get on your feet / It’s electric in the air / We’re the real America’s team.”
“Dan Campbell is putting all of these analogies out there about what his team is gonna be like,” Richards said. “It felt like he was talking to us because Adaboy! has that mentality of saying, ‘You can’t stop us, and we’re gonna fail. We’ve already made our peace with failing. We’re expecting the fail, but it’s how we’ve made up our mind and how we’re going to respond to the failure.’
“We latched onto his messaging of the Lions, and we’ve adopted it. It just aligns with the mission and messaging of Adaboy!.”
To learn more, I spoke with Richards and Modern about the band’s background and music ahead of a November 21 show at JJ’s Roadhouse in Saginaw.
The Stratton Setlist 