These Michigan Musicians Had Shows, Tours Cancelled. Hear Their Latest Songs.

These Southeast Michigan artists were preparing for album releases and tour launches that were cancelled in response to COVID-19. Here’s their latest efforts.

Photo via Trevor Naud
Photo via Trevor Naud

Welcome to “Milo Minute,” the 60 seconds (or thereabouts) you need to find a local show or fest to attend this weekend. 

Unfortunately, most pubic events have been cancelled under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s orders that have banned assemblages over 50 people to blunt the spread of the novel coronavirus, which leads to the disease COVID-19.

Pitchfork has an updating list of concerts and tours that have been cancelled nationally. Locally, the impact was just as big. 

Longtime Detroit music journalist Jeff Milo spotlighted a few artists whose shows or tours got cancelled due to coronavirus.

Click on the player above to hear CultureShift’s Amanda LeClaire and Jeff Milo talk missed release shows and tours.


Double Winter – “Hot Stones”

Album: “It’s About Our Hearts”

Originally scheduled for March 26 at the UFO Factory.

This is a very melodic turn for a trio that used to be a dark, post-punk quartet. There’s warmth in the chiming guitar riffs and some serious road-trip vibes to the drums and the chorus.

 

White Bee – “Borough of Churches”

Album: “Psychedelic Flight Attendant”

Originally scheduled for March 26 at the Outer Limits Lounge.

This song, from Shannon Barnes, has an instantaneous groove. It has the sharp angles of something like Dirty Projectors, but you have Barnes super jazzy guitar styles just flourishing elegantly under her amazing voice. Barnes said she is hoping to reschedule this album release for May. 

 

Loose Koozies – “Hills”

Album: “Feel A Bit Free”

Originally scheduled for March 27 at the Outer Limits Lounge.

Loose Koozies were a quartet that grew to be a quintet, and you’ll hear the newest member particularly shining on this ditty, because it brings in the metallic coiling purr of a pedal steel guitar. This band started out a little more than four years ago fitting into what you might call alt-country, but this toe-tapping tune feels almost fully into the country genre.

 

Anna Burch – “Party’s Over”

Album: “If You’re Dreaming”

Originally scheduled to release April 3rd. Supporting tour postponed.

Anna Burch’s debut full-length “Quit the Curse” made a definite splash in the national indie scene; she was part of the Polyvinyl label roster and went on a big national tour. The singer/songwriter has a dulcet toned voice that’s soft, subtle and spellbinding, and the jangly guitars on this track make it feel like it’s from late 60’s, early 70’s Laurel Canyon. 

 

Sam Austins – “Wings”

First single released for TIDAL

Just canceled a Spring 2020 tour, as well as a show last week.

Sam Austins is a rising talent from the Detroit scene, sprung from the Assemble Sound collective. “Wings” is his first single for the TIDAL Unplugged series. This is a beautiful song that feels really cathartic, not only because of the emotion put into the performance, but because there’s the grit and coarseness of the distortion and modulated vocals that curtain the recording. It’s a ballad.

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Authors

  • Amanda LeClaire is an award-winning host and producer of CultureShift on 101.9 WDET-FM Detroit’s NPR station. She’s a founding producer of WDET’s flagship news talk show Detroit Today, and a former host/reporter for Arizona Public Media. Amanda is also an artist, certified intuitive and energy healer, and professional tarot reader.
  • Jeff Milo inside the WDET studio.
    Jeff Milo is the host of "MI Local" on 101.9 WDET. He's a longtime music journalist documenting the Michigan scene for 20 years.