On a fateful October night (October 5th to be exact) Jonathan Richman blessed all in attendance with a performance that truly embodied his whacky and unconventional songwriting. Richman and accompanying drummer Tommy Larkins were in the middle of a short midwest run, and stopped in Ferndale, Michigan after playing in Columbus, Ohio the night before. When I realized that I would have the opportunity to witness this rare and special night of music, I bought a ticket right away. The Magic Bag was the perfect setting to enjoy this two-man performance. The venue has a sort of magician theme to it, which provided all of the fantastical wonder and whimsy of a traditional magic show. After much anticipation, and an incessant chanting for JoJo to appear, the tenured musical magician emerged with acoustic guitar in hand. Immediately, he launched into an animated strumming of “No One Was Like Vermeer.” His bewildered wide-eyed stare and intentionally-awkward dancing alluded to The Modern Lovers’ iconic TopPop TV performance in 1978. After a short interlude the two started “Let Her Go Into the Darkness,” a raw and wishful telling of lost love. Jonathan wasn’t afraid to abandon his guitar during this one as he danced around while playing various auxiliary percussion instruments. The audience enthusiastically sang along, and were eager to chant “Laundromat, Laundromat, Laundromat!” as the song came to a close. The next song, “Cold Pizza,” is a newer piece in Richman’s massive repertoire about accepting life as it is: often mundane yet subtly joyful (much like the last cold slice in the box). After this one, JoJo paid homage to his mentors in the New York art scene with “They Showed Me the Door to Bohemia.” In this song, he notes his pretentious art-school portfolio and awkward presence upon arriving in New York that helped him shape his artwork into what it is today. The second half of the set contained some of the artist’s most recognized tunes. After a short cover of “Light My Fire” by The Doors, the audience was jamming to “I was Dancing in a Lesbian Bar” followed by “Pablo Picasso.” The night ended with a reprise of “Cold Pizza” and an unaccompanied a-cappella ballad called “I Had to See the Harm I’d Done Before I Could Change.” There are few artists that still perform today who truly represent the early art-punk scene in New York and Boston. We lost Lou Reed in 2013, David Bowie in 2016, and Tom Verlaine just last year. Richman pays homage to these legends that showed him the door to bohemia every time he gets on stage through his unique and animated telling of life’s absurdities. Jonathan Richman is an artist who stands firm in his artistry and writing prose. Seeing him sing and jive on stage was simply captivating for those present. He could’ve gone up there and sang half of I’m a Little Teapot; the crowd still would have went wild.

Last Monday, Vampire Weekend returned triumphantly with the Cults to the Meadow Brook Amphitheatre in Rochester Hills. It’s been ten years since they took that very stage with the Cults as their opener. There’s just something about hearing the music that accompanied your adolescence live: it’s a callback to the emotions and circumstances of every past listen, and a tribute to every future play. The Monday night show was definitely stirring up emotions in the crowd. I spotted a middle-aged mom and her ten-year-old son in the row in front of me–her son’s first ever concert, and she was shouting aloud every lyric of every song. All the way up at the front of the pit, I kept catching a glimpse of my friend Mitch with his wide grin bathed in the blinding lights of the stage. As Vampire Weekend ages out of their college-era youthful prime, they too are reflecting on the past and their place in it in their new album, Only God was Above Us: Who builds the future? Do they care why? I know you’re tired of tryin’ Listen clearly, you don’t have to try … Too old for dyin’ young Too young to live alone Sifting through centuries For moments of your own This was my first time at Meadow Brook, and the approach to the rather hidden venue through the woods while the Cults were striking up their first chords was an exciting experience. The Cults performed a mix of 80’s synth pop and Japanese Breakfast-like vocals which felt a bit out of place on a Monday night with the sun still out, but they definitely succeeded in getting the crowd settled and excited for the main show. Original members of Vampire Weekend (Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, and Chris Tomson) came on stage just as the last of the day’s sunlight filtered through the trees by the amphitheater and kicked it off with the recognizable tones of “Oxford Comma.” After this opener, an entire full band including a second drummer, a saxophonist, and a multi-instrumentalist violinist and keys player were revealed from behind the drapes and the real show began. Hits like “This Life,” “Campus,” “Walcott,” and “Holiday” were interspersed with material from their newest album. Although my favorite album, Father of the Bride, received little love at this concert, all of the picks from this previous album had long and extensive instrumental experimentation which was really fun to witness. A definite highlight of the show was a member of the touring crew coming out to dance emphatically on stage for a few moments during the song “Classical”. An ongoing tradition at Vampire Weekend shows is an encore where the band jams on stage to audience-requested songs. This time around, they gave a fair shot to tracks like Bowie’s “Young Americans” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” These little moments are a true testament to the talented musicality of the band, which was evident the entire night. Vampire Weekend has once again proven themselves to be

The newest iteration of Bad Plus performed at the Detroit Jazz Festival over Labor Day Weekend. In 2021 they changed from a piano based trio to a quartet with guitar and reeds.The newest members are Ben Monder (guitar) and Chris Speed (reeds), both veteran progressive jazzmen. It’s a newer sound for the band and allows for a much wider range of possibilities. Although the original members, Dave King (drums) and Reid Anderson (bass) are the primary composers, Monder and Speed offer some compostions of their own. This was a great return to Detroit for them and they played quite a few few tunes from their soon to be released ‘Complex Solutions’ which happens to be on Detroit’s own Mack Avenue Records. They did bring a few signed copies of the new release on cd of which I was fortunate to get one. The vinyl version won’t be out for another month or so. Historically, they’ve always been adventurous. This is a new chapter and I was impressed by the quality of the new songs and the bands interplay with each other. To be a great musician and improviser, you need to listen. It’s obvious that they do. The original pianists of the band, Ethan Iverson, and then Orrin Evans, are off playing music under their own names. Ben Monder and Chris Speed can be found on many recordings. It’s worth checking all of them out. Review by Mick.

When I walked into Blue LLama Jazz Club last Saturday, I first saw a standard elegant bar setup. Neatly arranged bottles on warm wooden shelves. Pendant lights. A dapper bartender shining a marble countertop. Stuff I knew. But as the host escorted me into the seating area, I felt like I’d been portaled into another world. Indigo light filled the room. Simulated stars winked in the ceiling. A purple striplight snaked with the curvature of the wall. Stagelights, table candles, and sconces added to the symphony of color and mood, and I felt thrilled to be part of it. I was seated at one of the small, round tables by the edge of the stage, where I Shazamed every funky song that blasted through the speakers while waiting for the show to start. Servers garbed in black tended to an audience of big friend groups, families, couples, and solo-goers of all ages. No one wanted to miss out on Grammy Award-winning drummer Adonis Rose and his band, tenor saxist Miles Berry, bassist Max Moran, and pianist Seth Finch. Once the group had settled at their instruments, Rose announced the guest appearance of New Orleans-based vocalist, Phillip Manuel, who wrote their opening song, “Unusual Suspects.” The group’s talent instantly shined. Manuel’s rich voice moved nimbly between styles, from smooth to raspy, sonorous to light, and sentimental to boppy. Rose’s drumming possessed a controlled wildness that enthralled me on its own, but also backboned many of Berry and Finch’s soulful and dynamic solos. Rose and Moran’s constant playing and unrelenting quality served as the core of the quintet’s sound throughout the set. Moran was a performer I kept coming back to. He wore his love for playing on his face, and frequently met eyes with the other artists, nodded at them encouragingly, created moments of chemistry on stage that transcended cohesion in sound. These sparks of camaraderie are what I wanted more of. While no one could deny the sharp technical skill of this quintet, when one of the artists wasn’t playing their instrument, they’d often lose their stage presence. It felt like they were waiting to be part of the performance again – like they couldn’t feel the music in those spaces between playing. During the quintet’s second song, Sting’s “Fragile,” I looked into the audience and saw people more focused on their dinners and side conversations than on the elaborate performance in front of them. Something was missing the mark. But the show grew more spirited as it went on. Between songs, Manuel – looking like he’d just been freed from a spell – said, “woah, I got lost in that for a second.” I believed it. The quintet played the weight of the blues and the joy of bebop; with each song, the audience fell deeper into the spell with them. To keep the momentum going, Rose introduced tap dancer Lisa La Touche, who used the clack of her tapping and the movements of her body to add an

The theme of Judy Collins’ soulful show at The Ark: spellbound. Incidentally, this is also the name of her newest album, her only release of completely original songs in her 60 year career. Collins came out onto the stage at The Ark in a flowy blue dress with a twelve-string guitar hanging on a bedazzled strap. She immediately broke out into her classic hit, Both Sides Now, to much applause from the cozy seated audience. We were astonished at her ability to so deftly cover the range of the song at her age of 85. Collins was accompanied by her music director, Russell Walden, on piano and backing vocals. In a tribute to her childhood spent in Colorado, she performed When I Was a Girl in Colorado off of her new album. This track rivals Rocky Mountain High as a new Colorado state anthem, so I hope that Coloradoans catch on quick! After a few more tracks from more recent albums, we quickly realized that the real stars of the show were the stories and tidbits of her life during the 1960s folk revival scene that she shared between songs. Mentions of Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Peter Paul & Mary, Arlo Guthrie, Leonard Cohen and more were passed around as she recounted the highs and lows of living in New York City while cutting records. A performance of Baez’s Diamonds & Rust was accompanied by a story of how Collins is still good friends with Baez and has some of her art. Similarly, Collins recounted how she first met Cohen in Greenwich Village while he was still just writing poems. Her recordings of some of his poems helped his career take off, most particularly Suzanne which Collins led the entire audience in singing a capella together (one of my favorite moments of the night). Collins has also always been noted for her activism, and although mentions of the suffering in Gaza were not made explicitly, she performed a rendition of Dylan’s Masters of War. This was fortuitous timing, as the night of the show was the last night before the University of Michigan encampment for Gaza was raided and forcefully swept by police. Throughout the evening, Collins deftly moved between emotional ballads and entertaining anecdotes. Her decades of performing showed in her incredible ability to capture the audience. Before the show, we struck up a conversation with the people sitting next to us, who, like many others in attendance, grew up listening to her. Like us, they were impressed to see her still touring. She’s a true star, and it was a privilege to see her in her element. Though she could easily rest on the laurels of a decades-long career, Judy Collins isn’t done yet. As she wryly remarked during the show, “85 is the new 27.”

Last summer I was on a bit of a 90’s nostalgia kick. Even though I’d heard the name before, my introduction to the Violent Femmes’ music was the 1994 film Reality Bites, where a sexually frustrated Ethan Hawke plays an angsty rendition of ‘Add It Up’ to Winona Ryder (my absolute fav). Hawke’s band played in a crowded bar with walls covered in miscellaneous posters and stickers, and a pit full of rowdy 20-somethings. It was exactly the type of environment that most fans at this show saw their first Femmes concert in.  The past 40 years took the Violent Femmes from packed college bars to historic venues like Detroit’s Masonic Temple. We made our way through the venue, snapping pictures of the architecture, and talking to fans both old and new. Suddenly bassist Brian Richey delivered  “PSA” over the loudspeakers  announcing the setlist for the night. The band would play their second album, Hallowed Ground, cover to cover, as well as their 1983 self-titled debut album. Ritchie even mentioned the possibility of an encore. It was clear that this was a show for the fans. Not only did the Violent Femmes keep their sense of humor, but when the band took the stage they had the same twangy folk-punk sound as they always have.  Vocalist and lead guitarist Gordon Gano picked up a banjo, and the band opened with ‘Country Death Song’. (A perfect night to wear my cowboy vest). The trend of band members picking up new and different instruments continued throughout the entire show, as Gano brought out the fiddle for “Jesus Walking on the Water” in true country Baptist fashion. Brian Ritchie switched between a couple bass guitars, including a wacky blue acoustic that he could play like an upright bass, and percussionist John Sparrow drummed on a barbecue grill! .  The beginning Bible quote of ‘Hallowed Ground’ sent the audience into a resounding shout and commotion.  “The prophet is a fool/ the spiritual man is mad/ for the multitude of thy iniquity/ and the great hatred…”  Sparrow’s drumming was expressive and raw, alternating between quiet but unrestful rumination during the verses to the utter anger of the chorus. Gano matched this energy, singing with powerful emotion. The vocalist’s background as a Baptist Preacher’s son heavily influenced the content of their songs, speaking on the conflict and angst that surrounds faith, and belief and unbelief, a topic that has come to resonate well with their audience.  The fan favorite songs ‘Blister in the Sun’, ‘Kiss off’, and ‘Add It Up’ sounded absolutely mind blowing, especially with the BBQ drums. John Sparrow truly channeled the soul of Victor DeLorenzo (original drummer) with his playing. Gordon Gano’s lyrics drip with adolescent maladjustment that VF knows so well. But the most surreal part of the night was when the band played ‘Gone Daddy Gone’. Brian Ritchie made his way from the bass guitar to the xylophone, finishing the song with the elaborate, iconic and vitalizing solo. The Femmes followed

Being introduced to They Might Be Giants through a live performance is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you’re seeing one of the most prolific and unique rock bands of the last forty years. On the other hand, the inevitable visit to their studio albums will probably be disappointing. That’s less a knock to their talent as recording artists, but rather a testament to their performance abilities.  Their talent for putting on a live show didn’t come from flashy visuals, dance moves, or even impeccable musicianship. What makes TMBG stand out is the fact that no other band can do what they do. Sure, a competent band could cover their songs, but they can’t recreate their sense of humor or their creative approach to songwriting and live performance. Each song and its prefacing banter is a brief glimpse into the enduring friendship that has captured the hearts of fans for over four decades.  The show of theirs that I saw was the second night of a sold-out two-night run at the Majestic. The first of their two sets heavily featured tracks from their 2001 album “Mink Car”, including my personal favorite track of the night, “Bangs”. The track seamlessly weaves between 4/4 and 2/4 time signatures and features some killer backing vocals from lead guitarist Dan Miller. Outside of frontmen John Linnell and John Flansburgh, the touring musicians of TMBG perfectly held down the grooves, freeing up the others to incorporate instruments like a wooden staff, euphonium, and John Linnell’s trademark accordion, nicknamed “The Main Squeeze”.    One of the show’s highlights involved the band playing their song “Stillub” backward and then revealing the reversed video before the start of their second set. Another personal favorite was “Don’t Let’s Start”, from their 1986 eponymous album. That song, along with their iconic television theme songs for shows like Malcolm in the Middle and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show that TMBG can make catchy, “normal” songs. However, I can confidently speak for their fans by saying I’m glad they don’t. Their songs are weird, unrelatable, and niche, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’ll have to compete with their die-hard fans for a ticket, but I would encourage any alternative rock fan to check out their live show the next time they come to Michigan. 

This past Saturday Frontier Ruckus held their release party for their new album “On The Northline.” Fittingly, almost seven years ago, they threw an album release for their prior album, Enter the Kingdom–also at the Loving Touch! I was told great things about the venue from friends before attending the show, and it lived up to the hype. The Loving Touch has a great sense of charm, and provides an intimate atmosphere along with friendly staff. It also has more seating than I am used to seeing in smaller venues. I arrived right when the doors opened, which was perfect on a cold southeastern Michigan February night. Fred Thomas came on stage right at 8PM with a welcome heaviness. Each word he sings holds immense depth and you want to listen deeply and attentively. The cadence in his lyrics sometimes sounds like spoken word poetry, which is really unique. My friend who I took with me to the show remarked how poignant his songs are–in the best way. Following up Thomas were the vastly different yet perfectly paired Loose Koozies. They have a more rock n roll sound, and they make you want to get up and dance. On stage there was a slide guitar which added so much to the band’s performance. They are very guitar centered, with quite a few rockin’ solos throughout the set. These were the perfect opening acts for Frontier Ruckus–both acts capture different sides of the band’s style, from Thomas’s poetic lyricism to the Loose Koozies’ groovin’ rock instrumentals. Around 9:30PM it was time for Frontier Ruckus. I saw them a couple years ago at a festival in Lansing, but shortly after getting on stage they acknowledged that they aren’t actively playing too many live shows at the moment, which immediately made the concert feel extra special. The diverse audience made the show special too–folks traveled from as far as San Francisco, Ohio, and North Carolina! The band started the show off with “Swore I Had a Friend” from their new album. Throughout, there was a good mix of new songs and old favorites. The banjo, singing saw, trumpet, and melodica are ever present and seem integral to the band’s sound. My friend remarked that the banjo (played by David Jones) tied all of the songs together. Pete Ballard–the slide guitar player from Loose Koozies–came on stage during the second song, which was a fun addition. On stage it is obvious that this band is happy to play together, and they create a closeness with the audience by how in sync they seem with each other. Ruckus plays and moves around fluidly with each other and it makes the moment of seeing them play so spectacular. The audience was listening and soaking in every moment. The atmosphere created by the band was strong enough to keep me entranced. There were some obvious favorites played, like “Ontario”, “The Latter Days”, and “Orion 2.” From the first chord played of each of these songs I saw

In early February, the Detroit-based band Protomartyr collaborated with the multidisciplinary and experimental duo Lost Souls of Saturn, featuring on the last track of LSOS’s newest album, “Reality.” Melding evolving ambient atmospheres with droning fuzz and frontman Joe Casey’s metrical recitation of lyrics, the immersiveness and entrancing deviation from Protomartyr’s usual sound instantly caught the attention of me and my radio show co-host, Saima. As devoted fans of Protomartyr, we have made it a point to play one of their tracks every Monday since August on our show Monkey Business. While playing “Lilac Chaser” on air, we reflected on our experience at Protomartyr’s December 2nd concert at the Majestic Theatre, which we found evoked a similar excitement as this release. A DJ set from Detroit-based artist Tammy Lakkis opened the show at the Majestic Theater, followed by a performance from the experimental noise duo Wolf Eyes. Having never heard of this group before, Saima and I were immediately fascinated by their live setup. The rhythm portion of their music seemed to be controlled by a drum machine that delivered a minimal beat and guided a bass line pulsing throughout the entirety of the venue. The low end coming from the speakers caused the stage barrier and everyone leaning on it to vibrate, creating a more tactile experience or what Saima described as a full-body dental filling, but in a good way. Wolf Eyes’ experimentation, including an effect-heavy reed instrument and spoken word over noise box improvisations, added an intriguing layer to their performance. After around a 30-minute set, Toronto-based band Metz replaced Wolf Eyes on the stage. The trio began their performance with high energy, blazing through up-tempo rock songs that heavily contrasted Wolf Eyes’ sound. They captivated the audience with a lively stage presence, flailing their instruments and swaying energetically. Throughout their set, Metz interrupted their more traditional song structure with noise intermissions generated by guitar and bass effects. These interludes called to mind Sonic Youth with similarities in their guitar and bass drone improvisations. Metz, however, had a more directional approach as they always ended their noisy deviations by reverting to their high-energy rock songs. I overall enjoyed Metz’s set, with my favorite song being “Wet Blanket.” Protomartyr finally concluded the night with a performance that surpassed expectations, providing Saima and me the long-awaited opportunity to witness one of our favorite bands live. Some concert attendees tend to assess a band by comparing the sound of their studio recordings to their live shows, and it was impossible to ignore how Protomartyr’s set sounded exactly like their records. The band’s playing was tight, and I detected no friction in any of the instrumentation as they consistently flowed through some of my favorite tracks in their discography. Kelley Deal was a fantastic inclusion to the lineup, contributing additional tones to Protomartyr’s live performance. She added backup vocals, as well as synth work and guitar pedal noise, giving a variable to the performance that makes seeing Protomartyr live quite a special

Hill Auditorium was set on fire Friday night, January 26, by the 2024 47th Ann Arbor Folk Festival’s headliner band, Old Crow Medicine Show (OCMS). They rocked the house and brought the audience to their feet with their high energy country roots stringband music. Discovered by Doc Watson in 1998 where they were busking on a street corner in Boone, North Carolina, they proved Friday night just how far they’ve gone since Doc introduced them to the music scene in Nashville. OCMS’s Americana sound encompasses hillbilly, bluegrass, old-timey, folk, country, and loud country rock. On top of their instrumental and singing expertise, they have an exuberant sense of humor and stage presence—they clearly love being on stage, performing skits that evoke the old hillbilly TV show “Hee Haw.” I couldn’t help but notice all the instruments on stage including: two fiddles, an upright bass, several acoustic guitars, several electric guitars, electric bass, at least three different banjos, a mandolin, a baritone ukelele, an accordian, drums, piano and what sounded like a hammond B organ hidden inside a piano, and even a key flute blow organ toy piano called a melodica! All the members are multi-instrumentalists, sharing all those instruments as well as everyone singing solos, duets, and the whole group together. Dynamic and tireless, they performed songs from nearly all eight of their records, released from 2004 through a few months ago, including “Take ‘Em Away,” their wildly popular “Wagon Wheel,” their raucous version of “Cocaine,” my favorite “Tell It To Me,” and covers of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Rollin’ the River,” Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire,” The Band’s “The Weight,” Neil Young’s “Ohio,” and a sweet tribute to Pete Seeger with their own rendition of “This Land is Your Land.” During their bittersweet tribute to the legendary people and musicians who died in 2023, they covered David Crosby’s “Teach Your Children Well, “Gordon Lightfoot’s “Early Morning Rain,” Bobby Osborne’s “Rocky Top,” and even Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville.” Along with their big stage presence, a nearly floor to ceiling back wall of flashing white lights created a throbbing beat to go hand-hand-in-hand with their huge message: WE ARE OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW, cowboy shirts and big Stetsons and all! The evening ended with the band inviting all the musicians from the evening on stage for a heartfelt cover of the Carter Family’s “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Now that I’ve told you about the end of the show, let’s go to the beginning of Friday night at the festival, with a nearly packed house. Actor, musician, comedian, film director, singer/songwriter, and founder of Chelsea’s Purple Rose Theater, Jeff Daniels (who lives with his family in their hometown of Chelsea,) emceed to perfection. Casually dressed like an Ann Arborite wearing a faded blue t-shirt and jeans and an old brown Fedora topping his head, Daniels was absolutely brilliant both nights. He kept the audience entertained between acts, while stagehands moved sets around at the end of each act. Daniels is great

I arrived early to the venue on Sunday night, excited not only to see Kota the Friend live but also to experience my first show at Saint Andrew’s Hall. “Doors 7PM” held true, and my naïveté with the venue meant that I was slightly underdressed for the wait outside on Beaubien Blvd. It proved to be worth the wait, as I quickly warmed up inside as many dedicated fans trickled towards the historic stage onto the main floor. The size and simplicity of Saint Andrew’s lends itself to a perfect balance of known acts in a relatively intimate setting; I have had similar experiences with comparably sized clubs such as Minglewood Hall (Memphis, TN) and Middle East (Cambridge, MA). A rap playlist providing passive entertainment eventually led to an active entertainment with DJ AK mixing for about twenty minutes before Price took the stage. Price put on a great show and overachieved as the opener. He bounded around the stage full of energy, engaging with the crowd. With one very engaging crowd member – a belligerently drunk yet positive Lions fan – Price showed great patience, acknowledging his energy without letting him become too big of a distraction. The rest of the crowd enjoyed the show less demonstrably, but still happily echoed his choruses when called upon. The new single “MANSA MUSA” was a highlight, as were “FLAWS” and “Selfish,” but I enjoyed every song in the set. In the end, Price’s patience paid off: the drunk Lions fan worked his way towards the stage and threw his Barry Sanders throwback jersey on stage as a gift! A fittingly eventful finale to an energetic and entertaining performance. Kota took the stage and was well received by the zealous fans in the audience. Both he and Price noted throughout the show how much energy and love was in the crowd, and it certainly fueled great performances. Kota told a story that his last time performing in Detroit was 2018. For that show, he booked a Detroit rapper as his opener, and when their set was over, only two people in the crowd stayed for Kota’s show! He was motivated and very grateful to be back and receive all of the support. With nearly five more years of music, Kota effortlessly went all across his catalog to treat the audience to a blend of rap, R&B, and pop, from “Summerhouse” to “Fireplace” to “For Troubled Boys,” which he told the crowd he wrote for his kids after Nipsey Hustle’s murder. The last section of the show ratcheted up the energy, as he had the crowd call out places for us to “travel” to based on his song titles. It is a signature of Kota’s to have a place-based song title his albums, so the audience had many places to guess. We didn’t hit every eligible city, but Kota’s music took us to “Hollywood,” “Sedona,” “Long Beach,” and “Colorado” among others. To close the show out, Kota and AK selected fans from the

Ayreon is a hard project to describe succinctly, but then, Ayreon isn’t succinct. It is a musical project where only the complexity of the sound outweighs the complexity to bring the project to the stage. Led by Dutch singer, songwriter, musician and record producer Arjen Anthony Lucassen, Ayreon is a mix of progressive rock, metal and elements of folk and classical music. Arjen will happily tell you on stage that he hates to travel, so rather than tour, he has fans come to him to experience his projects at a venue called the Poppodium 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands. This year’s Ayreon show was the third such series of live shows in Tilburg; the other two being in 2017 and 2019. This year’s iteration was titled Beneath the Waves and it was performed in 6 shows over four days, from Sept 15-17, 2023. This year there were 12,000 fans from over 60 countries collectively attending. This show featured a performance of one of the most ambitious albums that Arjen has made, the album 01011001, with 12 of the original 17 vocalists in attendance, 4 special guests filling in for the 5 who couldn’t attend, 3 backing singers, and a rock band consisting of a keyboardist (Arjen’s musical partner and producer of the show Joost van den Broek, with no less than 5 keyboards including a vintage Hammond), drums, bassist, two guitars, a flutist, violinist, and cellist. There were pyrotechnics, lasers, surround sound speakers echoing certain sounds around the venue and five massive floor to ceiling video screens. As Arjen would tell you, ‘more is more’. It’s a proper 70’s prog show.  This was our third Ayreon trip, having seen single shows in each of the prior iterations. Like those years, this show did not disappoint. We attended both the Friday night and Saturday night shows this year.. The show started with a bang with the first tracks to 01011001, the 11 minute long ‘Age of Shadows’ and the more sedate ‘Comatose’. ‘Age of Shadows’ has most of the talent on stage, with Tom Englund (Evergrey) opening the album, followed by most of the rest of performers; Michael Mills (Toehider), Daniel GIldenlow (Pain of Salvation), Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Anneke van Giersbergen (ex- TheGathering), Brittany Slayes (Unleash the Archers), Damien Wilson (Headspace, ex-Threshold), and John Jaycee Cuijpers (Supersonic Revolution) all made their appearance as various aspects of the Forever, along with the heavy instrumentation that Ayreon is known for, long rock instrumental pieces and solos interspersed with flute, violin and cello. ‘Comatose’ is more sedate as a duet between Damien Wilson and Anneke van Giersbergen. The show carried on from there with a succession of epic tunes, complete with huge solos and choruses like ‘Newborn Race’ and ‘The Fifth Extinction’, split with more approachable tracks, like ‘Connect the Dots’, with Arjen himself singing in the place of Ty Tabor (Kings X), ‘Web of Lies’, a duet with Simone Simons (Epica) and Phideaux Xavier (best known as a director on

At the historic theater The Magic Bag, Desmond Jones and Dogs in a Pile provided an evening full of grooving fun. Michigan Natives Desmond Jones took the stage and I could tell off the bat these guys loved providing a true show. The performance was full of funky swaying instrumentals, with a few comical lyrics mixed in here and there. The band didn’t take themselves too seriously, and the element of humor to their performance suited the crowd well. Their second to last song, “Poor Sylvester” was one of my favorites. I was really impressed with this band’s ability to create tension within the music and then release it. The saxophone and bass created a steady flow. The drums and guitar countered that by ramping up the tempo and releasing the built up tension that was built. This made it so the instrumentals were never background music, even though there were no lyrics people were attentively bopping along and then proceeding to jam out. Then Bryan Murray of Dogs in a Pile came out on stage to join Desmond Jones for my favorite song of their set, “Smoke the Ashes.”  The bluegrass influence really shone through on this track in particular. Throughout the show, I was amazed by how versatile George Falk was on his saxophonist.  After a wonderful start from Desmond Jones, Dogs in a Pile and their almost cult-like fanbase–referred to as the “Dog Pound”–proceeded to fill the venue with energy. WCBN had a chance to interview Dogs in a Pile before the show and the guys were able to provide some amazing insight into their writing process, their origins, and their influences. The band members Jimmy Law, Jeremy Kaplan, Brian Murray, Joey Babick, and Sam Lucid were all interesting and charismatic guys, and the interview made me excited going into the show. The laser displays and space-like orb light structures hanging from the ceiling helped transport me to a new and exciting world as their performance started.  I started out the main show sitting in quite comfortable seats at the Magic Bag where I could still see the band, and then when we were more energized by the music we moved into the crowd by the stage to dance. The range of seating options that the Magic Bag offers is a positive addition to the concert experience. Dogs in a Pile’s show was for the most part instrumental, with a lot of Grateful Dead and Phish influence. They performed an excellent cover of “Apeman” by The Kinks that Jeremy Kaplan led, which was great. My favorite originals were definitely “Samba for Sam” and “Bugle on the Shelf.” I loved the slight bluegrass influence that could be heard in certain songs. By the end of the night I was dancing and having a wonderful time. The Dogs are continuing their North American tour and for any fans of jazz, jam band style or psychedelic rock, or just looking for a good time–I highly recommend checking them out!