You could feel the joyful bliss radiating with May Erlewine and Kate Peterson at Sonic Lunch.
May Erlewine and Kate Peterson at Sonic Lunch
We are huge fans of Kate Peterson from both her solo work and with Nervous But Excited. The opportunity to catch her with May Erlewine made seeing this Sonic Lunch concert irresistible. When we arrived, there was a large crowd, and it was growing by the minute. I could have imagined it, but there seemed to be an air of joyful hope and anticipation. Was it the thought of music to come? Was the bubble machine kicking out some fairy dust, giving us all an endorphin bump? Or did these musical artists radiate an aura of positive vibes that was synergistic?
Kate Peterson
After a warm introduction by Matthew Altruda (Host of Tree Town Sound on Ann Arbor’s 107one), Kate Peterson began her set of enchantments. Every time I hear Kate’s music, I’m taken back to the first time I experienced it. The warmth, vulnerability, and hopeful resonance of her voice, the percussive guitar accented with ringing grace notes, the compelling magic of her songwriting comes flooding back.
Kate started noting the irony with a smile before playing her first song, “Lansing,” a love song to a city and its people. Like much of Kate’s music, you can apply the thoughts and emotions she provides in each tune to the snippets of your life.
For the next half-hour, Kate shared her thoughts on how she can contribute to the world on the song “Roots.” Touching deeply upon the thoughts of love lost, “Said and Done” always hits hard. She wrapped up her set in a bundle of positivity with the cover of Pop Staples “Friendship.”
May Erlewine
I’ll be honest seeing and hearing May Erlewine at Sonic Lunch was a revelation. I knew her name but not her music. I became a fan just after noon as she started her set with “Anyway.” Her vibrant and poignant voice is sensational. The way that she engages with the audience emanates feelings of togetherness. Her passion for the music comes through loud and clear with her expressive and emotive songwriting. I’d say she is the modern equivalent of a Bruce Springsteen and Lucinda Williams bundled with a bit of Bonnie Raitt and Tom Petty.
Joining May on the stage was Eric O’Daly (guitar), Joe Hettinga (keyboards), Michael Shimmin (drums), and Max Lockwood (bass). All of them are exemplary musicians, and together, they amplified the powerful emotions within the music. One look at each of their faces revealed the shared happiness that permeated the stage.
In addition to May’s latest single, “Most Of My Time,” she unveiled a couple of new songs as a treat for the audience. For the new song “Animal,” May shared that the inspiration is that voice of wisdom that seeks to protect you from making a bad decision. Uptempo and exuberant, this song rocks. The other new tune which explores avoidance is called “Running.” This song is well-paced and captivating.
I was particularly moved by the song “That’s My Home,” a protest against those seeking to burn down our hopes and dreams. May then shared a story about TBA (Tender Bad Ass), which is a program she champions where people make bracelets that say “TBA.” These tokens aim to raise awareness for those dealing with hardship and injustice. Recently, they raised $9000 to help the people in Gaza.
Joining May on stage for a couple of songs on banjo was David Jones of Frontier Ruckus. May wrapped up her set at Sonic Lunch with the song “Good Feeling,” where she encouraged us all to sing along. I definitely had a good feeling at the end of Sonic Lunch. Hell, it was a great feeling. A feeling of overwhelming joy and gratitude for my life and the musical performances that I was gifted with. Many thanks to all the great volunteers as well as Bank of Ann Arbor and 107one for a fantastic Sonic Lunch.
Photos
There are more photos of Kate Peterson and May Erlewine in our gallery.
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