Reintroducing Ann Arbor to live music first-hand 

Image courtesy of www.secondhandserenade.us/tour
Lead singer of The Dangerous Summer Aj Perdomo moving between the crowd at The Blind Pig. Photo courtesy of instagram.com/thedangeroussummer.

Even before the doors to the Blind Pig opened, there was a line forming down the street of ecstatic folks. On Nov. 9 rock/alternative music group Secondhand Serenade played to a full crowd of listeners. 

The act was preceded by multiple openers starting with a solo performance from the band’s guitarist Will Garrett, followed by SayWeCanFly, and finally presenting The Dangerous Summer. The show was marketed as friendly to “all ages” but catered mostly to a teenage and adult crowd. 

Each opening act brought something different to the crowd. Will Garrett provided a deep look into his past with a country-lilt to each verse he sang. This, accompanied with his guitar skills, created a somber but electric mood throughout the room. While all of the acts ultimately provided some context to the songs they were performing, Garrett gave detailed descriptions of the inspirations for his songs which seemed to really engage the audience. 

SayWeCanFly had a similar vibe to Garrett but with a huskier quality in his voice. His lyrics, albeit overall depressing, brought in the audience by considering the complexities of “common” feelings. Even though The Dangerous Summer’s lyrics were on par with SayWeCanFly’s, the group of three provided a rock twist. 

The Dangerous Summer in particular pumped up the audience as their beats and voice was felt throughout the room. The lead singer Aj Perdomo, took time in between the band’s songs to talk about the impact of listening to music live again after the pandemic, touring the country in a bus with the other artists, and the importance of supporting small artists in any way possible. 

When Secondhand Serenade came out with John Vesely on main vocals, Will Garrett accompanying with guitar, Veronica Vesely on backup vocals, and Ross Webb on drums, it felt like the entire room took a deep breath. 

The dynamic beats and vibrant lyrics provided by the group had members of the crowd singing along, screaming, and dancing to the music. Each song vibrated throughout the room feeling like a collective heartbeat. 

Although Secondhand Serenade was definitely the main act of the night, each artist helped everyone in the room remember what it means to be a music-loving community in Ann Arbor. 

Blind Pig  208 S. First Street Ann Arbor, MI  blindpigmusic.com

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