It’s an idea that some would consider genius: gather some of the best bands in Southeast Michigan and have them all play under the same roof during the same night. Folk, hip-hop, rock, maybe a touch of blues, with each act playing two to three songs and the production engineered for absolute minimal pause between sets. Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti are, after all, two of the most fertile musical cities on the planet, and an event like this not only shows off the talent at work here, but the strong collaboration and connectivity evident in this restlessly creative community.
Dubbed “Taste of Tree Town Sound,” this first-of-its-kind show will go down at 8 p.m. at the Bind Pig on June 3 – the same day as the annual Taste of Ann Arbor. In conjunction, these two events will make for a summer kick-off that is unlikely to be topped anywhere else. The show owes its name to “Tree Town Sound,” a program on Ann Arbor’s 107.1 that airs every Sunday at 6 p.m. and exists for the sole purpose of delivering the best local music to every radio listener in the area. Many of the artists on the bill for the concert have been in the 107.1 studio at some point, and most have probably rocked the Blind Pig, too.
It’s this kind of local networking that made this show possible. “The musicians involved – we’re all friends, and they all appreciate what I’m trying to do with the radio program,” says Matthew Altruda, host of Tree Town Sound and engineer behind the brilliant lineup we’ll see at the show. “(The radio program) helps to support them, and now they’re all coming out to support me – which is really, really cool.”
For Altruda, who sees Taste of Tree Town Sound becoming an annual event, putting the show together was a true labor of love. It’s a chance to show people the faces behind the names that have been fueling the region’s growing reputation as a hotbed of musical artistry.
Matthew Altruda himself will be hosting, and the lineup features artists such as Chris Bathgate, Erin Zindle of The Ragbirds, Matt Jones and an extremely rare performance by Absofacto, among others who have been building a committed following across the nation. Tickets are a steal – $5 if purchased in advance from the Blind Pig website or at the 8Ball Saloon or $10 at the door.
