BLED Fest, Class of 2019

Big Love's Education Festival came to an end in May, with one final show across six stages in the Hartland Performing Arts Center in Howell. Here are the bands I saw, all of which you should check out, but most importantly the ones that I type about in Bold Text possibly paired with CAPS.

Here's Baggage! He was in The Swellers! You should listen to both of them. 

This is the Sonder Bombs. Here's a link to their new video for Atom

This is Kississippi. She's wonderful and her backing band was basically three other bands that also played that day. You should see her soon. She might come to your town with Prince Daddy and the Hyena. 

TIME FOR ME TO GET UP ON MY APPLE CRATE ABOUT SPANISH LOVE SONGS.

THIS IS SPANISH LOVES SONGS. YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO THEM. 

ARE YOU LISTENING YET?

NO REALLY YOU CAN TAKE A BREAK FROM READING MY POST TO LISTEN TO SPANISH LOVE SONGS. 

PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS BAND.

THIS IS HOW YOU WILL FEEL WHEN YOU LISTEN TO SPANISH LOVE SONGS. LISTEN TO THEM. THEY ARE VERY NICE AND HARDWORKING PEOPLE. 

Hey I got to see Worriers again. They opened for The Hold Steady last summer during one of the Philadelphia shows. 

First time seeing Free Throw and it certainly won't be my last. 

One sneaky side-stage shot is not what Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties deserve, but this narrative created by Dan Campbell of the Wonder Years, who literally becomes Aaron West for the show, was a sight to behold. When I met him at the merch table after, he remained Aaron; a character whose experiences have meant a lot to me over the past several years. I highly recommend listening to all his work. 

world's greatest dad have been featured on this blog before and are still amazing. Unfortunately, Maddie had strep throat and could barely sing, so the set was short and all guest vocalists. Here's help from Willow Hawks of The Sonder Bombs, with all the necessary jumping.

The Dangerous Summer played this show just before releasing a Fantastic New Album that you should listen to right away, beginning to end. 

The Wonder Years closed the show! Farewell, BLED Fest. 

If you're wondering why something like this doesn't exist in your town, you should make it happen. I tried to be a promoter once and book shows, but my dad threatened to cut me off (I was 19 and in college). So, in an act of self-preservation, I gave up on a major dream of mine. Don't do the same. (Am I happy now as an educator? Sure. But I do get to wonder what could have been if I went full force at 19 and charted a less-safe path. Choices, you know? Choices.) 

World's Greatest Dad at The New Dodge Lounge, Hamtramck

First time shooting in Hamtramck since I used to do the Music Fest (and will be back there for a Ben's Encore finale in the fall), and a new location -- New Dodge Lounge. Taking the design of a stage at the front to catch the eye of the street, the view of the neon sign behind the bands lent itself perfectly to several shots.

World's Greatest Dad captured my ear thanks to a feature on washedupemo.com, whom I trust implicitly. I was certainly the old guy in the room, but it felt good to support a scene with the local openers, throwing me back to the hall show days of my high school years. I wrote a review, but I don't feel like editing it right now, after doing photo edits all morning. So, here's the bands:

Opener 1: Get Tall, album on bandcamp, twitter

Opener 2: The Doozers, facebook

Headliners! World's Greatest Dad from Atlanta, GA. twitter, official website

LISTEN TO THIS BAND. BUY THE ALBUM. THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE. 

Criminally underattended and absolutely wonderful. Also, yes, this is the first post in forever, and I've been to another national park since, so I'll handle that post soon.