On the night of Friday, October 8, 2010, we had exceptionally good weather.

We also had day two of Barking Tuna Fest as the Strutt. With a distinctly diverse bill, we started the night off with a local(ish) band called Stepdad, a 3 man group comprised of guitar, synth & keyboard, and vocals. Hailing from our sibling music scene of Grand Rapids, these dudes took the stage and the crowd took the floor. They sent people into a dancing frenzy with some wicked beats and catchy melodies.
Next up was Tree City, a four man hip-hop group from Ann Arbor. Not being a huge fan of hip-hop, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself nodding to the beat and listening intently to their lyrics. It was somewhat refreshing to hear lines that actually rhymed and didn’t use a tremendous amount of profanity. Definitely was thoroughly enjoyable for something that I don’t particularly subscribe to.

Then was Child Bite, one of my current local favorites. These Detroit natives blend together  fascinating assortment of music genres including (but not limited to) bits of indie, experimental, borderline pop at times, and straight rock. The vocalist/key/guitarist put on an exceptional performance, at one point busting out a joystick controller and making noise, and never standing completely still. All of the members were very passionate about the music they were playing, which is exhilarating to witness from the perspective of a frequent show-goer. A definite must-see if you’re into this type of music.

Lastly, and most certainly not least, was the Dan Deacon ensemble. Two words: blown away. This twelve-piece took the stage and did not give it up until about an hour and a half later after completely and entirely captivating the whole crowd. The two times that people weren’t dancing to the mesmerizing experimental dance beats was when Dan called for a gap in the middle of the crowd and announced a dance contest, and when a member of the band went to the middle of the crowd and everyone mimicked his actions. Not having heard this group before, I was extremely pleased and felt quite fortunate to have experienced such a spectacle.

All in all, this show is probably one of the top 3 I’ve attended all year. Was a great time. Hope to see you kids out there!