Poetry Lounge Playlist for May, 2025

 Alas, I've fallen behind on this project, but better late than never, I say.

Travelog: Seeing Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in Detroit, MI - "The Motor City"

Lobby of The Siren hotel

I've been there a couple times, but stayed mostly on the outskirts. This time I spent the entirety of my brief sojourn there in the downtown area, which is actually quite nice, although expensive. I was expecting to see more urban blight and abandoned buildings, and it wasn't prevalent in any of the areas I visited. I did see a lot of amazing vintage architecture and many old buildings that were restored and revitalized. For example, I stayed in a boutique hotel known as The Siren, which resides in the Wurlitzer building, and was once in danger of demolition, but it has been renovated into a beautiful and charming hotel in the heart of downtown Detroit.

The Wurlitzer building

One of the highlights of my there was my experience at The Candy Bar cocktail lounge on the first floor next to the lobby. This place requires a reservation, and I thought it curious. Afterwards, I totally understood why. It's a small cozy space, and each cocktail is mixed to perfection by hand. I was not disappointed. It's the perfect place to go on a late-night romantic date.

Potato chips in a silver goblet

The "Double" Negroni - a liquid Negroni on the bottom with a frothy version floated on the top

 

I had another delightful experience at one of the other hotel bars - Sid Gold's Request Room - a speakeasy with the entrance in the alley behind the building. A reservation is not required to sit at the bar near the entrance, but you do need to reserve a seat for the piano karaoke bar. I put my name on the waiting list and had a nice chat with the bartender while I sipped a French 75, but did not get into the piano bar. Oh well, maybe next time.

One thing that I particularly liked about staying downtown was access to multiple forms of free public transportation. The Detroit People Mover is an elevated train loop that runs around the downtown area, connecting various points of interest, such as the sports arenas and music venues with parking garages.

People Mover route

I witnessed this system in action first hand when I went out in search of a restaurant for dinner. A baseball game was happening that evening and I saw people who were wearing team colors, boarding from different locations and then disembarking at Grand Circus Park for the game. I also used the Qline - a streetcar line - to get from downtown to the Detroit Institute of Arts museum and the Masonic Temple. 

Map of the Qline

All of the above modes of transport were completely free, ran on a regular schedule, and were reasonably easy to use. 

Speaking of art, the museum was impressive. It has some very famous paintings that I was surprised to see there, such as:

Portrait of a Noblewoman (1620)
by Rodrigo Villandrando

The Wedding Dance (1566)
by Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Eleonora of Toledo and Her Son (!545-50)
by Agnolo Bronzino and his workshop

Self-Portrait with Straw Hat (1887)
by Vincent Van Gogh

The Three Skulls (1898)
by Paul Cezanne

However, I did not get to see everything, so I must return someday. The primary reason I was in Detroit was for a concert at the Masonic Temple, to see Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds on The Wild God Tour (North America 2025), and here is the video:

Honorable mention: Right next door to The Siren is a record store that also happens to be a bar - Paramita Sound. The records for sale looked mostly like a curated selection of new, high-quality pressings, and they have "open deck" hours where you can play DJ. The bar has a reasonable selection of beer, wine, and canned cocktails, along with non-alcoholic beverages. The vibe was very chill. 

Poetry Lounge Playlist for April 2025

 Lots of great shows coming our way in April. 

Here is the schedule (subject to change). For the latest info, please visit https://www.poetrymillvale.com/events/ . 

THU APR 3

Fabelspout - #indie #folk #alternative #rock #singersongwriter 

https://fablespout.bandcamp.com/ 

Jack Ferrera (Austin, TX) - #indie #pop #garage #alternative #rock #singersongwriter #austin 

https://jackferrara.bandcamp.com/ 

Alan Getto - #indie #folk #alternative #rock #singersongwriter 

https://alan-getto.bandcamp.com/ 

FRI APR 4

Latecomer - #punkrock #powerpop #skaterpunk

https://latecomer.bandcamp.com/ 

MK Ultra - #alternativerock  #powerpop 

https://www.instagram.com/mk_ultra_official

The Redlines- #alternativerock #classicrock #powerpop reminds me of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

https://theredlines.bandcamp.com/ 

God’s Green Apples - #postpunk #alternativerock reminds me of Gaslight Anthem, The Replacements

https://godsgreenapples.bandcamp.com/ 

SAT APR 5

Thot Squad - SOLD OUT; influences - capcakKe, Megan Thee Stallion, Missy Elliot #hiphop #rap #femalerapper 

www.thotsquad.us

Rob Apollo (Detroit) - chaotic alt-rap for the digital age #altrap #hiphop #rap 

https://www.robapollo.com/ 

SUN APR 6

An evening of instrumental mayhem, with local bands

The Outer Limits* - #surfrock #progrock 

https://www.instagram.com/_the.outer.limits_/

The Froods* - #surfrock #progrock #funk 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557354822560# 

THU APR 10

Troy Millette & The Fire Below - Storytelling Americana troubadour; reminds me of Jason Isbell, Kip Moore, or Tom Petty. #indie #folk #altcountry #americana 

https://troymillettemusic.com/

FRI APR 11

Neostem - #alternativerock #hardrock #grunge 

https://neostem.bandcamp.com/ 

Sarah Halter - #metal #alternativemetal #gothicmetal #progmetal 

https://www.sarahhaltermusic.com/ 

Nowhere Wolves - their cover of Respect, was recorded live at Poetry Lounge last year. #punk #glam #postpunk 

https://traffordestate.bandcamp.com/album/nowhere-wolves 

SAT APR 12

Sew Twisted - #grunge #hardcore #grungecore 

https://www.instagram.com/sewtwistedband/ 

Histrionic* - #punk #postpunk #grunge 

https://www.instagram.com/histrionictheband/ 

Missing Signs - reminds me of Cage the Elephant, The Backseat Lovers. #postpunk #grunge #alternativerock 

https://missingsigns.bandcamp.com/track/good-medusa 

MON APR 14

Tom Kurlander - #rock #classicrock #acoustic 

https://tomkurlander.bandcamp.com/ 

THU APR 17

Shel the Philosopher - #alternative #hip-hop #rap 

https://shelphifuego.com/ 

Independence - #alternative #hip-hop #rap 

https://www.instagram.com/Independence412 

Squeezy - #alternative #hip-hop #rap 

https://www.instagram.com/thebxndit/ 

Kid Mara - #alternative #hip-hop #rap 

https://www.instagram.com/kidmara_/ 

Ill Misfit - #alternative #hip-hop #rap 

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ill-misfit 

Ticket Link:

https://tickets.venuepilot.com/e/hip-hop-anonymous-2025-04-17-poetry-lounge-millvale-941d9d

https://www.goodvibebooking.com/SHOWS

FRI APR 18

Greywalker - #deathmetal #melodicdeathmetal #metalcore 

https://www.greywalker.net/ 

MoeMaw Naedon - #alternative #hiphop #rap #altrap 

https://moemawnaedon.bandcamp.com/ 

Arc of Violence - #metal #hardcore #thrash 

https://arcofviolence.bandcamp.com/ 

SAT APR 19

Dereos Roads - record release party #alternative #hip-hop #rap 

www.dereosroads.com 

Jumbled - #alternative #hip-hop #rap 

https://jumbled.bandcamp.com/ 

Sean Zuza* - #folk 

Aarie - #alternative #hip-hop #rap 

https://kida412.bandcamp.com/ 

Bloodmoney Perez

https://bloodmoneyperez.bandcamp.com/ 

SUN APR 20

Curtis Eller’s American Circus - banjo player, songwriter, dancer, and storyteller

https://www.curtiseller.com/ 

#banjoplayer #yodeling #singersongwriter #storyteller 

WED APR 23

JACK (Omaha, NE) - #indie #rock #poprock reminds me of Weezer

https://imofficiallyjack.com/ - I love this website.

Oh Bother (West Middlesex, PA) - #indie #alternativerock #poppunk #punk 

https://ohbother.bandcamp.com/ 

Sunday Complex - #indie #alternativerock #poprock 

https://www.instagram.com/sundaycomplexband 

THU APR 24

Kevin Finn & Friends - poetry and music

Kevin Finn - #acoustic #singersongwriter 

https://kevinfinn.hearnow.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/kevinfinnmusicpgh/ 

Bill Hughes - poet

JamezyBoy - #hiphop 

https://www.instagram.com/the1jamezyboy/ 

Elijah Bennedict Brown - poet

Robin Vote* - #indie #alternativerock #folkrock

https://robinvote.bandcamp.com/ 

FRI APR 25

Brian K & The Parkway - guitar-based, roots-oriented rock, infused with a healthy dose of soul and R&B. #altcountry #alternativerock #rootsrock 

https://www.briankandtheparkway.com/ 

Reliable Child - #indiefolk #folkrock #folkpop #rootsrock #americana 

https://reliablechild.bandcamp.com/ 

Neon Vanadium - #alternativerock 

https://neonvanadium.weebly.com/ 

Beach Boise, ID -  #indie #alternativerock #folkpop 

https://beachboiseid.bandcamp.com/

MON APR 28

Season to Risk (Kansas City, MO)- #grungepunk #skaterpunk #noiserock #experimental #mathrock 

https://robotswin.com/ 

Microwaves - #progrock #experimental 

https://microwaves.bandcamp.com/ 

Low Cunning - #electronic #synth #videogamemusic  

Poetry Lounge Playlist for March 2025 - "You Know the Drill"

First, I ended up creating another YouTube channel just for posting the videos from Poetry Lounge. Now, here's the playlist for March, 2025:

25.3 March - “You know the drill”

This schedule is accurate as I can make it, but is subject to change. Click here for the latest Poetry Lounge schedule of events.

*Indicates artist on the schedule, but I couldn't find them on Spotify, so they aren't on the playlist.

**Band/artist names that I had trouble disambiguating (too many artists out there with same name), so they aren't on the playlist. 

MAR 1

Akronauts (Akron, OH – duh) - #punk #garagerock  

https://akronauts.bandcamp.com/ 

Garage League – the swellest robotic cats #punk #garagerock 

https://garageleague.bandcamp.com/ 

The Pooks – fuzzy rhymes with books #punk #garagerock 

https://thepooks.bandcamp.com/album/ruth

Saturn Rise* – your favorite artist’s favorite artist #postpunk #alternative #rock

https://saturnrise.bandcamp.com/album/the-demos

MAR 2

Three Blue Teardrops (Chicago, IL) - #rockabilly #blues #swing 

https://threeblueteardrops.com/

Special When Lit*

MAR 3

Cardboard People (Bay Area) - eclectic #pop 

https://www.cardboardpeople-music.com/

Lez Paul - #queer #indie #alternative #rock #pop 

https://lezpaulband.bandcamp.com/album/so-damn-happy

Halloway - #indie #alternative #pop 

https://halloway.bandcamp.com/

MAR 7 

In Limbo* - #punk

https://www.youtube.com/@bandinlimbo

The Parishables - #punk 

https://theparishables.com/

Black Wolf & The Thief (Warren, OH) - unique, eclectic #indie #postpunk #alternative #rock #trio 

https://www.bwt-music.com/ 

MAR 12

The Dirty Pretty (Minneapolis, MN) - aggressive, whimsical, and queer-positive racket #alternative #garagerock #grunge #punk #minneapolis 

https://thedirtyprettymachine.bandcamp.com/

Skeletonized* - #experimentaljazz #artpunk #improvisation #noiserock 

https://skeletonized.bandcamp.com/album/space-roamer-ep

Sew Twisted - #grunge #metal #postpunk 

https://sewtwisted.bandcamp.com/

MAR 13

Old Tom & The Lookouts - #indie #folk #country #americana 

https://www.oldtommusic.com/ 

MAR 14

Casino Six - epic #powerpop 

https://casinosix.bandcamp.com/ 

Royal Honey & The Pooks filled in, last minute, and they were awesome.

MAR 15

Symington Reed*

The Seams**

The Freeloaders - #indie #alternative #garagerock 

https://freeloaders.bandcamp.com/ 

Devilish Merry - #Irish and #Appalachian #Folk Fusion

https://www.devilishmerry.com/ 

MAR 16

Funky Lamp - #indie #alternative #punk #folk #funk

https://funky-lamp.com/

Foamer, filled in for Funky Lamp

Mister Strawberry - #indie #punk #emo #posthardcore 

https://misterstrawberry.bandcamp.com/album/its-still-today-tomorrow 

Carini - #jamband 

https://www.instagram.com/thebandcarini/ 

MAR 20

Lesser Care (El Paso, TX) - gloomy #postpunk #shoegaze #darkwave #synthwave 

http://lessercarepittsburgh.brownpapertickets.com

Take Me With You - #postpunk #darkwave #synthwave 

https://tmwy.bandcamp.com/

My Manifesto - #electronic #coldwave #darkwave 

https://mymanifesto.bandcamp.com/

MAR 21

O’Shea The Wicked (Dayton, OH) - #experimental #alternative #hiphop 

https://www.youtube.com/@osheathewicked 

MAR 22

Makeshift Urn* - #metal #doom #sludge #progressive 

https://makeshifturn.bandcamp.com/

Susurrant Void* - #doom #deathmetal 

https://www.instagram.com/susurrant.void/ 

Terminal Intensity - Calculus core meets dork grind

https://www.instagram.com/terminalintensitypgh/

Extortion Cellar - #deathmetal #doommetal #metal #doom 

https://extortioncellar.bandcamp.com/ 

MAR 23

Bummer Camp (NYC) - #grunge #shoegaze 

https://linktr.ee/bummercampband

Natural Rat (Morgantown, WV) - gloomy #indie #rock #shoegaze 

https://naturalrat.bandcamp.com/ 

The Fever Haze (Grand Rapids, MI) - #indie #alternative #dreampop #shoegaze 

https://thefeverhaze.bandcamp.com/track/euphoria 

Brake Run - #experimental #shoegaze 

https://brakerun.bandcamp.com/

MAR 24

Reliable Child - modern #indie #folk #pop #roots #americana #singersongwriter 

https://reliablechild.com/

Thin Lear (NJ) - dreamy #folk #singersongwriter #acoustic #alternative #americana 

https://www.thinlear.com/

Niagara Moon (MA) - #baroquepop #folk #electronic #synthpop 

https://www.niagaramoonmusic.com/

Westinghouse Aton Smasher - #postcountry #folktronica 

https://westinghouseatomsmasher.bandcamp.com/album/pittsburgh-transylvania

MAR 26

Tear Dungeon (Austin, TX) - #punk #doom #fuzz #lo-fi #austin 

https://teardungeon.bandcamp.com/ 

MAR 27

Tucker Muetzal - #alternative #country #folk 

https://www.instagram.com/tuckermuetzel/

Melanie A Davis (KY) - jazzy #indie #folk #acoustic #singersongwriter 

https://www.melanieadavismusic.com/ 

MAR 28

The Stroppers (Kansas City, MO) - #rock #blues #rockandroll #punkrock 

https://thestroppers.com/

ADVANCE TICKET SALES: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-stroppers-poetry-lounge-pittsburgh-pa-tickets-1024492072367?aff=oddtdtcreator

Ejector Crab - #indie #surfrock 

https://www.instagram.com/ejectorcrabband/

Glass Caps - #garage #punk #pop #surf #rock 

https://glasscaps.bandcamp.com/

MAR 29

Theresa Musatto - #indie #folk #acoustic #singersongwriter 

http://www.theresamusatto.com/music/

Shadow Plea (Erie, PA) - #experimental #ambient #avantgarde #psychedelic #folk #drone 

https://shadowplea.bandcamp.com/track/noise-mass 

MAR 31

Casey Catone - #livelooper #singersongwriter 

https://www.instagram.com/casey_catone/

Nick Guckert - #alternative #country #folk #pop #acoustic 

https://nickguckert.bandcamp.com/album/ep

New YouTube Channel!

 I recorded a lot of videos at Poetry Lounge last year, and I mean A LOT. I finally settled on YouTube as the best place to share them, so here it is: The Marvelous Ms. Mirvana's Channel. I am working my way backwards through my timeline, so here are some of the more recent shows I recorded. 

Guns of Brixton, December 2024

Wander Oak, January 2025

I also went to a lot of big shows - concerts, not at Poetry Lounge. Here's what I got from The Smithereens:

February: "Make it Be Spring"

Here is your preview of February bands at Poetry Lounge in Millvale, Pittsburgh, PA! It's going to be kind of a mellow ride through the shortest month. Lots of indie-folk-acoustic type stuff. 

25.2 February - “Make it be spring”

This schedule is accurate as I can make it, but is subject to change. There is also a lot more than just bands going on at Poetry Lounge. Click here for the latest Poetry Lounge schedule of events.

*Indicates artist is on the schedule, but I couldn't find them on Spotify. 

**Band/artist names that I had trouble disambiguating (too many artists out there with same name).

SAT 1
Alternative Agenda* - 90s-00s cover band

SUN 2
Caleb Pogyor & The Soft Wake - Indie Psychedelic Folk Rock
Tory Silver - Indie Bluesy Folk Rock
Joe Pretski*

FRI 7
Ziggy D of C-Level (Cleveland, OH) - Punk/Reggae Fusion Jam Band
Lem* - Lo-fi Joke Folk - https://lemmakesmusic.bandcamp.com/
Two Wolf Moon* - Alt Rock
Trailing Iris* - Indie Garage Shoegaze

SAT 8
Lounna - Indie Folk Pop
Lorelei Paige - Indie Folk Pop
Tai Chirovsky - Acoustic Singer-Songwriter

WED 12
Cindy Carpenter - Alt Pop, Synthpop
Kalie Shorr - Pop, Alt Country, Alt Rock

Zee Machine - Alt Pop, Synthpop

Jenna DeVries - Pop, Alt Country

THU 13
Z-Nemo and The Big Slime - Indie, Alt Rock

Chupaflor - Noise, Experimental Rock

Mr.Dr*

FRI 14
Hearts on Fire**
Shel the Philosopher - Alt Hip-hop/Rap

SAT 15
Kat Steih and the Ferals (Ann Arbor MI) - Singer-songwriter
Dream the Heavy - Alt Rock/Pop
Old Game - Post-hardcore Emo Grunge
Foamer - Indie Psychedelic Rock

THU 20
Veronica’s Picnic*
Favorite Band* - Experimental Jazz Funk Fusion - https://favoriteband.bandcamp.com/

FRI 21
Vireo - Ethereal Folk, Shoegaze
A Go Go (Columbus OH) - Indie Folk, Alt Country
Clear Creek SP (MS) - Southern Country Rock Duo

SAT 22
Slim Forsythe - Outlaw Country, Storyteller
The Boss Stingrays* - Surf Rock

THU 27
Flower Ranger - Alt Pop, Synth

Beach Boise, ID - Folk Pop Rock

Aliquid novi - Electronic Ambient Psychedelic Rock

FRI 28

William Matheny - Acoustic, Singer-songwriter, Alt-Country

Darrin Hacquard - Alt-Country, Honky Tonk