LAITH AL-SAADI
Friday, June 23, 2023, 8:00pm
Tickets: $30
“Incredible guitar player, incredible singer”—Adam Levine, Maroon 5
Laith Al-Saadi began singing at age four and began playing guitar at 13. At 15 he formed his first blues band, Blue Vinyl. In short order they opened for blues greats like Buddy Guy (to whose work his playing has been compared), Luther Allison, Son Seals, and Taj Mahal and
toured the Netherlands. At the University of Michigan, Laith was a member of the Johnny Trudell Orchestra and freelanced with Detroit greats like Thornetta Davis, Jocelyn B, The Reefermen. Laith is a real road warrior who generally can be found playing at least five nights a week around Michigan and beyond, and Michigan’s secret got out when he made the finals of television’s “The Voice.” If you haven’t checked out this monster Michigan talent yet, you really should!
https://laithalsaadi.com/
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CHRIS KNIGHT (pictured)
Saturday, June 24, 2023, 8:00pm
Tickets: $25
“A storyteller in the best traditions of Mellencamp and Springsteen”—USA Today
“It’s hard to know how people are gonna react,” Chris Knight says of “Almost Daylight,” his ninth album and first new recording in over seven years. “I’ve written songs about a lot of different things going all the way back to my first record, and some folks still think ‘somebody kills somebody’ is all I write about. Maybe that’s why I was bound and determined to get these particular songs on this album. If people like them, then we’ll be fine. But I wasn’t gonna do it any other way.” For the past 20 years, Chris Knight has only made music his own way. He’s released eight acclaimed albums, played thousands of electrifying live shows and built generations of fervent fans from Texas honky-tonks to Manhattan rock clubs. He’s been hailed as “the last of a dying breed…a taciturn loner with an acoustic guitar and a college degree” (The New York Times) and “a storyteller in the best traditions of Mellencamp and Springsteen” (USA Today). Bottom line, he’s hard-earned his reputation as one of America’s most uncompromising and respected singer/songwriters. And now with “Almost Daylight,” Knight delivers the most powerful – and unexpected – music of his career.
https://www.chrisknight.net
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JO & THE LAFAWNDAS //
THE RACHEL BROOKE BAND
Sunday, June 25, 2023, 7:30pm
Tickets: $20
A rockabilly and garage rock turn from a Michigan blues and folk songwriter
Jo Serrapere (sarah-pear), a songwriter from Detroit, Michigan, started playing guitar at 23 when seeking out lessons from Delta blues guitarist Shari Kane. Jo’s music is original while always reflecting her love of American roots music. Her eclectic writing and performance fuses elements of various modern and traditional folk music, classic country, old-time and electric blues, garage rock, surf, swing and alt-country. With her new band, the LaFawndas, Jo’s writing is heavily inspired by the music of Wanda Jackson. She moves from gogo boots to cowgirl boots with a wry social observation of the present times. Sometimes dark and heartbreaking, but mostly fun and satirical, they change up their instruments and musical styles with ease. From classic country to swing to garage rock, Jo’s original material often sounds very familiar, yet with a fresh, smart voice.
Rachel Brooke grew up performing in the family bluegrass band but spent her teen years raging away in an all-girl punk band. An introvert off stage, whose wall-shaking voice has earned her a place at cutting- edge roots music festivals like Muddy Roots, SXSW, and the Rochester International Jazz Festival.
https://www.facebook.com/joserraperelafawndas/ https://www.rachelbrookemusic.com/
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