They Might Be Giants have always operated on their own terms, a self-contained universe of accordion-driven art-pop and hooks that burrow into your skull for decades. On the second and final night of their two-night stand at Detroit’s Majestic Theatre, the Johns delivered exactly that: a joyful two-set evening celebrating the band’s past, present, and apparently quite urgent desire to revisit their 1988 masterpiece Lincoln. The occasion behind the band’s return to the road is The World Is to Dig, their first studio album in five years. The first set arrived with a delightful gag: the band pretended to be their own opening act. John Flansburgh and John Linnell leaned into the bit with mock-humble banter throughout, as if they were a lesser band warming up the stage for headliners who happened to share their exact faces and catalog. It was quietly one of the funniest sustained bits I’ve seen at a rock show in years. The set’s spine was a deep dive into Lincoln. They opened with “Santa’s Beard” before moving through “Stand on Your Own Head,” “Piece of Dirt,” and “Where Your Eyes Don’t Go,” the latter arriving with a glorious wall of brass: tuba, saxophone, and trumpet filling the Majestic with something richer and stranger than any recording quite captures. “Cowtown,” “Lie Still, Little Bottle,” and “Pencil Rain” continued the immersion, with Linnell switching between piano, clarinet, and accordion, and Flansburgh anchoring things on guitar. Midway through, Linnell told the story of the band’s old Dial-A-Song service, a phone line once run out of his apartment kitchen, predating internet music distribution by a decade. By the time Lincoln was taking off, the line was still active, fielding voicemails from strangers: people complaining about the songs or having passed the number along to someone they were trying to avoid. It was a charming piece of band mythology, and it gave context to the Lincoln-era B-side “I’ll Sink Manhattan,” which followed shortly after. Drummer Marty Beller shone on “Shoehorn With Teeth,” marking out an odd, hypnotic rhythm with what appeared to be a cowbell hung on a rope. “They’ll Need a Crane” came next, its bittersweet melody landing with the crowd like an old friend. Then the set pivoted into new territory: “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” (which is actually a cover of the 1973 Raspberries song) arrived with heavy, overdriven guitar that felt almost jarring in the best possible way. And then came “Wu-Tang.” Flansburgh cheerfully informed the crowd that the band had reached out to the Wu-Tang Clan for permission to use the name and been politely told no (almost certainly a joke, delivered deadpan) and it didn’t matter at all. Half the audience spent the song holding Wu-Tang hand symbols in the air. “Ana Ng” and “Particle Man” (with a brief Neil Young interpolation) closed out Set One. After intermission, the band returned in full headliner mode for Set Two. A quick “Synopsis for Latecomers” caught up anyone who’d wandered in during the break, and then “Birdhouse

Finishing off the last day of classes, students flocked to the Power Center to see Indigo de Souza (they/she) perform in all her glory, the perfect way to end the school year, and more importantly, to start the summer. Opening for Indigo de Souza was Claud and Hannah Boike, both extremely talented artists who helped to make this show captivating and magical. All three sets of the night were acoustic, with the artists’ voices and guitar resonating throughout the entire theater. As they walked on stage with just her guitar in hand, Indigo de Souza prefaced the performance, remarking that she hadn’t played a solo show in many years, when they were much younger and her music considerably less famous. They admitted that playing alone was scary, but they recognized that it was important to face your fears. She started to play her guitar, only to find out that it wasn’t tuned yet (their bandmates typically tuned it for them). As she kept talking to the audience, it felt like conversing with an old friend. The entire night felt intimate and special, like there was a real connection between the artists and each member of the audience. To make the night even more memorable, this was the last show of what had been a long tour for de Souza and their bandmates. Despite starting off a little shaky, throughout the concert one thing continued to amaze me, song after song– her voice. While I have listened to many of her songs online, they do not do them justice. Some artists sound exactly the same in their studio recordings as in concert. However, for Indigo de Souza, listening to her music online felt like a 2D experience, while hearing her live was a 3D one. The tonal quality of de Souza’s voice evoked such complex emotions, sometimes without singing lyrics. There are parts of their songs in which they essentially wail, but rather than just being meaningless noise, they seem to convey universal human feelings which cannot be captured by mere lyrics. This is not to say that their guitar playing and songwriting wasn’t amazing because it was, but her voice enhanced all of those qualities to become ten times better. I could have listened to them sing nonsense and still be enthralled.  One of my favorite songs of the entire night was “The Sun is Bad” off their album I Love My Mom. This song showcases the aforementioned vocals with amazing lyrics that punch your soul. Before starting this song, she talked about the importance of self-worth and leaving toxic relationships behind. Their lyrics highlight this with lines such as “Honey I love you, but I don’t need to have you/ There’s nothing like crawling through a dark room, in the rear view”. Other songs off this album that were played included “Ghost” and “I Had to Get Out”.   Another reason that this night was so intimate was because de Souza themself shared snippets of advice before each song. Especially

Horst Christian Simco, also known as The Vanilla Gorilla, The Cherry Chupacabra, Rap Game Bon Jovi, The Tangerine Tiger, Caucasian Cassius Clay, White Judge Judy, Butterscotch Boss, Iceberg Simpson, Jody Highroller, and most commonly as Riff Raff, performed at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Thursday night. Joining the likes of luminary artists such as Bo Diddley, Joan Baez, and Nirvana to take the stage at this legendary venue, the Texas rapper and Vine icon gave his audience what was to be expected. Danny Dollars opened the show with some base-heavy bravado that set the stage for the unironic absurdity that was to follow. Dressed in a neon sweatsuit and a black balaclava, Dollars warmed up the crowd as it meandered into the room. I wasn’t alone in being unfamiliar with his work, and I’ll admit, I was inclined to head down to 8 Ball for some cheaper drinks and to play some pool before the main event commenced. That’s what I did. After checking out some of his songs this weekend, I can confidently say I made the right choice. After partaking in some billiards, stale popcorn, and an uncomfortable interaction with some frat bros – one of whom, after learning I was a history major, gave me his historical hot take that Abraham Lincoln is the most overrated President – I went back upstairs. As the second opener – a Riff Raff lookalike who goes by Too Stoned – performed, I took note of the demographic makeup of my fellow audience members. Middle-aged white men in oversized Vans hoodies, drug rugs, and designer zip-ups with suspiciously large logos dominated the floor. There was also plenty of neon, camo, and skull emblems filling up a room smelling of sweat, dust, and the faint scent of a weed pen. Scanning the crowd while hearing the repeated line of “I got hoes in different area codes,” I started to question whether the skinny neon-clad culture vultures spitting nonsensical non-sequiturs were a part of an SNL skit. This feeling was only heightened by Too Stoned yelling out, “If you bought some merch, MAKE SOME NOISE – Remember, it’s all about networking.” Still, as I took in my surroundings with a critical eye, I also turned that gaze inward. I tried to reflect on whether I was there ironically or not, and remember thinking that I sure hope I am. Thankfully, The Cinnamon Sandman finally emerged. His getup did not disappoint. Accompanying his dreads and jagged chin-strap beard were his signature Pit Vipers, fluorescent neon football gloves, a neon wristwatch with a bezel, a Fox Racing protector jacket, and undulating camo pants – cue the Riff adlib. I wouldn’t attest to being the biggest fan of his, so I didn’t know many of the songs, but it wasn’t hard to catch up. His lyrics are characterized by a sort of caricature of Southern rap stylings, his unique touch of lyrical absurdity, and references to exotic fashion, pop culture figures, and sporting

When The Ark’s Night Manager Peggy Geeseman asks “Who’s here for the first time tonight?” on Wednesday, dozens of hands shoot up. The crowd, mainly younger women in their teens and twenties, waits with anticipation for headliner Eliza McLamb, who is on tour promoting her sophomore album Good Story. McLamb first made waves as a co-host on Binchtopia (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/867-binchtopia-85475867/about), a podcast analyzing pop culture through sociopsychology that took off during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, McLamb has amassed more than 300,000 followers on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@elizamclamb) posting her original songs. Last year, McLamb decided (https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/interviews/eliza-mclamb-art-of-getting-free) to step away from podcasting to pursue music full-time. Before McLamb graces the stage, Oldstar, an alt-country rock band from Florida, make their Ann Arbor debut. The lead singer, Zane McLaughlin ((https://staticmag.org/shannon/oldstar-interview/), wins the crowd over easily with playful anecdotes about the members buying shrooms—“which are legal here,” he gushes—and catsitting for McLamb before the tour. It feels right that the only physical media the band has for sale are cassette tapes. It’s also no wonder the act finds immediate fans. Although Oldstar hails from the South, their ballads, several about relationships that end before they begin and cross-country road trips, are in kinship with Midwest emo. The band’s set-up balances the sweet nostalgia of folk instruments, like the harpsichord, violin, and harmonica, with the gritty standard rock staples, electric guitars and a five-piece drum set. The members are almost disturbed by the audience’s rapt, respectful attention. “Never played a show where the intention was to listen,” McLaughlin quips. McLamb floats onstage, wearing a white summer dress with her hair newly-dyed black, promptly at 9 p.m. Her band wastes no time launching into “Better Song,” the bass-driven first track off her latest release about the unraveling of a relationship. She sings in a delicate soprano, looking into the distance with some solemnity. The next song, a power-pop anthem to self-pity called “Suffering,” is a completely different story. McLamb is wry and brazen as she embodies a hyper-critical inner voice. With a dramatic eye roll, she belts the tongue-in-cheek chorus, “I get off on suffering, it’s my favorite thing / If I’m without it, I can’t figure out the point of anything.” The change in energy is electric and catches on. With the first notes of “Modern Woman,” a mid-tempo send-up of the feminine ideal, two fans rush toward the stage. They scream and jump, gripping each other at the elbows. McLamb smiles, surprised at their enthusiasm, but it’s clear that many more have been waiting for this moment. When McLamb leads with “Sad girl sings a simple song,” the audience dutifully wails the next line, “And all the others sing alone.” From then on, the pit is a dancefloor, standing room only. In some ways, McLamb calls to mind an early Avril Lavigne. Like Lavigne, McLamb enthralls an audience of mostly young women with catchy hooks, dry humor, and relatable angst. The two reach the mainstream yet proudly represent misfits in a comforting sweet-spot, perhaps confirming

The first night of the 49th Ann Arbor Folk Festival was unique to the festival’s two-night format. Rather than an evening of five performers/bands and an MC, Friday night’s show featured two groups: Junior Brown and Greensky Bluegrass. The departure from past folk festivals proved to be a big hit: the audience cheered on both groups from start to finish.  Junior Brown opened the night with his band’s down-home honky tonk country style. Brown was backed up by three bandmates on upright bass, snare drum, and his wife, Tonya Rae, on acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies. Brown easily went from twangy to bluesy to country on his awesome self-designed instrument, his signature “guit-steel” double-neck guitar, an electric guitar attached to a lap steel guitar. The 10-song set featured songs Brown is known for, including “Highway Patrol,” “My Wife Thinks You’re Dead,” “Secret Agent Man,” “Stupid Blues,” among others. His songs are riddled with his off-beat sense of humor. Brown’s stage presence evokes that of country stars from the 1950s such as Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, from his tight jeans, cowboy boots and white cowboy hat to his smooth performance style. If you missed this show, do yourself a favor and get to the Ark the next time Junior Brown comes around. He’s simply a delight to see live on stage. Following Junior Brown was the evening’s headline act, Greensky Bluegrass. There’s no way the “new grass” bluegrass jam band could have pulled off a short set, as most songs segued from one into the next, each song lasting 15/20 minutes. The audience was dazzled by a psychedelic light show on the theater’s walls and arc ceiling that felt like being in Las Vegas’ Sphere theater. The nearly-sold out crowd was psyched up for a high time in Hill Auditorium! Headed up by Paul Hoffman on lead vocals and mandolin, the Kalamazoo-based band featured Michael Bont on banjo and vocals, Mike Devol on upright bass and vocals, David Bruzza on guitar and vocals, and Anders Beck on dobro and vocals and kind of the band’s MC. Their first return to Ann Arbor since their 2013 Sonic Lunch appearance, Greensky performed 15 songs, including their cover of the Traveling Wilbury’s “Handle With Care” and cuts from their just-released 25th anniversary album, XXV. The show ended with an encore performance of Jerry Garcia and David Grisman’s “Drink Up and Go Home.” After about an hour of non-stop songs, Anders Beck announced “it sure is good to be playing Greensky music in the state of Michigan,” telling the audience the folk festival is their only winter show and that the band was thrilled to be invited to play the festival. To many in the audience, it felt like old-home week, having their favorite contemporary southeast Michigan bluegrass band back in town. Paul Hoffman thanked Zingermans for the backstage goodies, reminiscing that when he spent nine years working at the Food Dance restaurant in Kalamazoo he used to drive to Ann Arbor to pick

Seeing John Prine in person, hearing him sing his brilliant songs live on stage, was a gift cut short by his 2020 untimely death from covid complications at the age of 73. His songs have been covered by many, including locally by a Michigan-based group of musicians who honor John Prine’s legacy with tribute concerts they perform around Michigan and the Midwest. They granted the Ark audience a joyful evening of Prine’s music on Sunday, December 21st. The nearly sold out theater was filled with a wide range of ages, a testament to Prine’s impact on generations of fans. Recognized for his admiration of John Prine’s music, Grand Rapids-area musician and Earthworks member Mark Lavengood has spent the last 10 years traveling with a group of singer/songwriters performing John Prine tribute shows. The group that performed at the Ark featured three solo musicians Jen Sygit, Grace Theisen, Chris Zehnder and the house band: Loren Kranz, Dutcher Snedeker, and Jerry Wenger. The evening began with Mark “Huggy Bear” announcing “It’s Prine Time!”, kicking off the show with “Everything is Cool” from Prine’s 1991 album “The Missing Years.” Mark has a strong twangy voice, is hot on the guitar, and has an energetic and delightful stage presence. Mark then invited to the stage Kalamazoo-based singer/songwriter Grace Theisen for her solo of “Summer’s End.” She exudes confidence onstage, with a sense of humor and a soft, lovely voice. Mark returned to the stage with a slide guitar, joining Grace on a duet of “Angel From Montgomery.” They ended with Prine’s fast-paced “Be My Friend Tonight.” Next up, Chris Zehnder, a powerful singer/songwriter from the band Hatchwing Rider, came out to perform two impressive solos of “Spanish Pipedream” and “Long Monday.” Mark then joined Chris on their riveting covers of “Souvenirs” and “Grandpa Was A Carpenter.” They sounded great together and had a fun rapport with each other. The last solo appearance was Jen Sygit, one third of the Lansing-based all-female string band Stella! With her beautiful dynamic voice, she performed “That’s the Way the World Goes Round” and “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness.” After a short break, Mark brought out his band, made up of musicians from SE and West Michigan, featuring drums, piano, electric bass, and harmonica. They performed “Illegal Smile,” “Please Don’t Bury Me” and, with Mark on a Fender Stratocaster, “Yes I GuessThey Oughta Name a Drink After You.” The band then left the stage, leaving Mark to perform a bluesy solo of Prine’s poignant song “Sam Stone.” Grace came back out to join him on “Fish and Whistle.” Chris Zehnder returned to the stage for two more dynamic solo numbers, “Muhlenberg County” and “Living in the Future.” To end the show, the entire troupe came out for a rousing performance of “Angel From Montgomery,” followed by a crowd-pleasing encore of “Pretty Good.” I’ll say the show was way more than pretty good! Though having John Prine on stage would have been magical, it was a joy to spend an evening hearing songs from his

I had an opportunity to chat with the members of Pure Prairie League before their Ark show Sunday, August 10th in Ann Arbor. The original band was formed in 1970 by singer/guitarist Craig Fuller with drummer Tom McGrail and pedal steel guitarist John David Call, musician friends from Waverly, Ohio. They had their final show in 1988 and a decade later longtime bassist and current manager Mike Reilly formed a new Pure Prairie League. Since then there have been countless iterations of the band with countless band member and instrument changes through the years…..so many that PPL has an impressively detailed and very long Wiki page, covering the decades of the group’s roster of 49 former members. The current group features Scott Thompson, Randy Harper, Jared Carmic, Jeff Zona, and John Heinrich. I asked how the band has persevered and continues to tour after all these years. Randy replied “We’re pretty true to the sound. Technology has allowed us to sound a little more modern but, as has every configuration through the bands’ history, our group and new LP represent ours and the bands’ personality.” From Jeff: “We bring our own personality musically. We’re different writers and different musicians but we stay with the tradition of having several musicians also do the songwriting.” Asking how has the original sound maintained with all the changes, Jeff replied “I’ve been told my vocal sound is reminiscent of the vocal sounds of Craig Fuller and Vince Gill (member from 1978-1982.) Jared’s voice is bluesy and gravelly. Scott’s is more of a country sound with high harmonies. We’re still a harmony-based band, which is one of the main components of the band.” I also asked about the band’s DNA, which Randy replied with “It’s not a physical blood musical DNA, but we’re all here because we want to be in this band. It took me four years to get in. I fought my way in! I’m the first keyboard player since original keyboardist Michael Connor died in 2004.” They all agreed that what’s been part of the band’s longevity is that members have continuously reinvented themselves . . . drawing from the past while going forward, evolving but maintaining consistency. By the fourth record the band had interchanging members, with no original members. They also agreed that fans appreciate this current group speaking to the original sound of Pure Prairie League, that they audience “has no complaints!” The Ark was the place to be the evening of August 10th. The air in the theater was full of excitement, as the sold-out crowd eagerly waited for Pure Prairie League to start their show. That energy grew higher and higher through the one-set show, with fans cheering on old PPL songs as well as new. Though the band’s membership has changed hands, literally 50 times in its 55-year existence, the current line-up did a stellar job keeping alive the sound and energy of Pure Prairie League, as the mostly grey-haired crowd were clearly familiar with. As the

I had the great pleasure of seeing Laufey perform with the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Ross Jamie Collins. She performed at the Blossom Music Center as part of her A Night at the Symphony tour circuit. For those unfamiliar, Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter who is known for her jazz-inspired pop sound. She began as a classically trained pianist and cellist before moving into singing, leading her to become the youngest ever recipient of the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy Award. Going into this concert, I was slightly unsure of what the format would be like. Laufey straddles between the worlds of classical and pop music, and although this tour was marketed as a soloist with symphony orchestra, her audience is typically on the younger side. I didn’t know if people would be standing with their phones up to record, or sitting quietly and clapping politely in between songs. It ended up being a pleasant mix! The concert venue is huge, with a seated pavilion area as well as a lawn seating area. Everyone stayed seated, and although people recorded, their phones didn’t rise above their heads. No one sang along too loudly, and it seemed that everyone was very respectful towards the traditional format of the orchestra performance, which I quite enjoyed. Laufey is a truly spectacular performer. She has an incredible voice, and the raw talent of it is only amplified when you realize she sounds exactly the same live as in recording. In addition to singing, she accompanied herself on guitar, piano, and cello. She played songs from across her repertoire, as well as some traditional jazz covers and singles off her upcoming album A Matter of Time. The symphony orchestra added a beautiful lushness to her songs, particularly to “Goddess” and “Promises” (my favorite song). It was so breathtaking I constantly got chills up my arms! She didn’t talk to the audience much except for a few spontaneous moments, like when she tearfully thanked the audience for showing appreciation to her new song “Snow White”, which is a vulnerable description of her insecurities in the music industry.  The walk back to the parking lot and the three-hour drive in the dark were brutal, but I’d do it all again to see Laufey perform live. She’s a once-in-a-generation talent, and I don’t think her sound could be replicated by anyone else. If you have the chance to see her I highly recommend it!

Michelle Zauner, the woman that you are! I got the chance to see her in Detroit last weekend at the Fillmore, and perhaps it would be dramatic to call the concert life-changing… but I truly can’t think of a better word to describe it. Her fourth headlining tour for her first studio album, The Melancholy Tour is a treat like none other for both longtime fans, first-time listeners, and anyone who can enjoy some modern indie rock. I don’t think this can come as a surprise, as the album was just as phenomenal as the last three, although it definitely had a different tone. For anyone new just tuning in, Michelle Zauner’s Japanese Breakfast is known for her deeply personal, emotional projects. Although her songwriting is exceptional (and her band even more so), what really stands out to me is the lyrics and their relevance somehow both to the specifics of her life and to anyone listening. Her lyrics mostly revolve around her relationship with grief and time passing, especially as she lost her mother to cancer, and a disconnect from her motherland culture in Korea and growing up in America without learning to speak Korean. Not exactly the most broad topic, applicable directly to very few, but many listeners, and myself included, still find solace in her almost-magical way with words. Psychopomp, her first album, was written after her mother’s cancer diagnoses (and is my personal favorite album). Soft Sounds from Another Planet was written after her mother’s passing, as was Crying In H-Mart, her bestselling memoir (with a sequel on the way?!). Jubilee, the album that really made a splash in the industry and shot her to fame, was about finding joy despite and even within all the pain of life and loss. And now, her most recent album, For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women) is, as the title would suggest, a sort of antithesis to Jubilee. Sorrow is beautiful, and inevitable. I truly enjoyed the album’s release and I can’t say I was disappointed in any capacity. It has a very different sound to it, but her voice is consistent through all her projects, both literally in her singing and in her lyrics. My personal favorites are “Mega Circuit” and “Honey Water,” both of which she included in her performance on The Melancholy Tour. As for the actual performance, I really enjoyed her quite large selection of songs. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of songs she had from her past albums, including two from her first solo album, Psychopomp, when I only expected one based on setlists from Spotify (cheating? I don’t think so). The Fillmore was gorgeous, of course, the set was pretty, and the lights were outstanding and really complemented the performance. Zauner was, of course, the star of the show, killing it on the guitar and the keyboard, switching effortlessly between her serenades where she sat perched on her giant oyster, or bouncing around the stage to songs that I was bawling

If you happened to find yourself on Main Street on the evening of Wednesday the 19th, you may have noticed a line stretching down the block from The Ark. What were all those people waiting for? According to the performers themselves, possibly the “stupidest show” the historic venue has ever seen.  Off Book: The Improvised Musical Podcast, is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. In each episode its two talented hosts, Jessica McKenna and Zach Reino, concoct a totally improvised musical with the assistance of a special guest and “pianist of kings” Scott Passarella (as McKenna and Reino refer to him). Currently, the show is on the road, and they made a stop at The Ark to sing about Michigan and birds. They were joined as always by Passarella, and with them for this show was Ann Arbor’s own Jack Harris on drums! The room was full of people and excitement. A group of old improv friends reconnected in the row in front of me. The show started with Reino and McKenna asking for suggestions from the audience for words. They landed on griffins and soup (the latter didn’t come up much), and their conversation spun into a musical about an insecure sparrow trying to be more like an eagle, a group of park rangers, a guy trying to take his boyfriend on the perfect date by pulling words out of a jar, and the spirit of Pure Michigan. You’ll just have to take my word for it– it was amazing. I haven’t laughed that hard in a while.  McKenna and Reino have been making the podcast since 2017, and it’s evident in how they play off of each other. It’s almost as if they can read each other’s minds. The musical talents of Passarella and Harris are not to be forgotten, either– all four are constantly inventing melodies and rhythms on the fly and rolling with whatever gets thrown their way.   For many people, improv is a scary word. As someone who has seen and done their fair share of bad improv, I understand why. There’s a particular kind of torture in watching people “yes, and-ing” each other through something deeply unfunny. However– when it works, it really works. Luckily for all involved, this really worked. 

PJ Harvey and her band, including long time collaborator John Parrish, returned to Detroit this fall. The concert featured mostly music from her newest release, ‘I Inside The Old Year Dying’. Her new material is more contemplative and introspective. The band members are all multi-instrumentalists, switching easily between guitars and keyboards and various types of percussion. PJ herself even brought her autoharp for one song. She was radiant and very much appreciated her audience. She complimented the city of Detroit and the Masonic Temple venue. The sound and the mix was wonderful. The stage set was almost like a play. She moved to different parts of the stage, sometimes sitting. She had a small desk and chair in the center where she kept some small precussion instruments. Toward the end of the show she played some of her more well know songs from the past, including Man-Size, Dress, Down By The River, and To Bring You My Love. The encore featured C’Mon Billy and White Chalk. It was a remarkable preformance and I’m happy I finally got to see her live as I missed her in Detroit in 1995. Review by Mick T.