With a reputation for spectacular live performances, the genesis of multi-platinum artist The Verve Pipe can be traced back to the early 90s when the principal members of two rival Michigan bands joined forces. After releasing two independent albums, I’ve Suffered A Head Injury and Pop Smear, the group quickly garnered a regional following for its textured rock songs distinguished by innovative arrangements, soul-searching lyrics and layered vocals.
Born and raised in South Florida to a Jamaican father and Barbadian mother, brothers Malcolm and Umoja honed their violin skills through South Florida’s public school system before attending Dillard High School for the Performing Arts. Now known as Sons of Mystro, they blend reggae classics, American pop hits, and original compositions with their signature violin sound, backed by a DJ and drummer.
On the night of the Fourth of July, fireworks over Mei Semones' Brooklyn block were competing with something more primal. Up and down the street, dogs answered each burst with a long, ragged howl of their own. Semones, alone in her apartment with her guitar while the rest of the city celebrated outside, found she didn't mind the solitude. The howling struck her less as a cry for help than as a kind of greeting: proof that she was never really by herself, not with music always keeping her company. By morning, she had the seed of the title track for her sophomore album, Howl.
The Majestic Theatre
4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan, United States
For as much as Sammy Rae & The Friends may be a band, this collective of dreamers and artists considers themselves a family first. That all-for-one and one-for-all camaraderie ignites their unforgettable and can’t-miss live shows, which serve as a catharsis for both the musicians and their fervent audience. Fronted by singer/songwriter Sammy Rae and honed through years of touring, the group is capable of flourishing in any spotlight thanks to its signature blend of palpable chemistry, deft virtuosity, and vocal fireworks.
Royal Oak Music Theatre
318 W 4th St, Royal Oak, MI, United States
Cory Wong is a Grammy-nominated guitarist, composer, and producer celebrated for his explosive live energy, razor-sharp funk grooves, and boundary-pushing collaborations across genres. Known for blending the technical precision of jazz with the infectious spirit of funk, pop, and soul, Wong has carved out a singular space as one of modern music’s most dynamic and joyful performers.
Michael McDermott’s brand of rock n’ roll brims with the kind of well-honed style and wisdom that can only come from a career on the road and a pedigree in the studio. Effortlessly blending natural folk sensibility, pop hooks, and honest rock, McDermott’s music is as much for the outcast as the congregation. It’s an exploration of the dark corners of life’s journey and it resonates middle class truths through the passionate filter of a kid that grew up on Chicago’s Irish South Side.
Lisa LeBlanc has been dropping musical plot twists for 15 years. This includes a platinum-selling francophone folk album, an electrified English-language rock album, a multi-award-winning disco record and a live album with the Québec Symphony Orchestra. She’s earned multiple Félixes, three Juno nominations, and two Polaris Prize shortlist nods. For 2027's Patchwork, she went back to the jam session, diving into 60s and 70s folk and rock’n’roll while adding a hint of swamp pop, soul and a dash of traditional Cajun and Acadian influences.
Masonic Temple Theatre
500 Temple St, Detroit, MI, United States
In the spring of 2025, just a few short months after playing their near-sellout first show at Madison Square Garden, and earning their first GRAMMY® nomination for 2024’s Good Together, the members of Lake Street Dive - vocalist Rachael Price, bassist/background vocalist Bridget Kearney, drummer/background vocalist Mike Calabrese, keyboardist/vocalist Akie Bermiss, and guitarist/background vocalist James Cornelison - gathered to work on new music for what would become their very first independent release, and ninth album, What About Flamingos?.
With a commitment to the accurate reproduction of The Beatles' repertoire, The Fab Faux, featuring Jimmy Vivino, Rich Pagano, Frank Agnello, Jack Petruzzelli and new member, Jim Boggia treat the seminal music with unwavering respect and are known for their painstaking recreations of the songs (with emphasis on the later works never performed live by the Beatles).
