Community Concert: Distant Stars & The Marsupials

Distant Stars –

Distant Stars: A group of inter-dimensional beings that have been sent by the rock n’ roll gods to bring infinite love & shenanigans to the people of Earth. Join the unfolding journey. Jakey T is your standard, flamboyant front-man: scantily-clad, late for everything, women’s size 2. At a young age, Jakey tripped and fell into a rabbit-hole and has since had the desire to show everyone what’s inside- infinite love and a little bit of madness. Tai is a hair-flipping, guitar-shredding, drink-per-hand wild child with an unapologetic love for jazz fusion. He enjoys speaking gibberish, photo collaging, and hosting dinner nights with friends. (And playing an unplugged electric bass on your couch at 3am.)Andy – the quiet and mysterious one. Is he listening to Billie Ellish in his headphones? Does he have a complex tier-system for rating the gas stations he’s visited? Can he somehow manage to put a vibraphone track into a rock n’ roll song? We may never know… but one thing is certain: that synth solo he just played was S I C K. Al is kind of a dad: He likes tinkering with vintage synths and drum machines in the garage and sampling vintage Sears shopping music. He likes jazz, classic rock, and hip hop. He probably doesn’t see the point in this description- he’s here to bang on the drums and play some freakin’ music.

The Marsupials –

Old but new; unknown yet familiar. The cosmic brotherhood that forms Michigan based band, The Marsupials have evolved their sound into a searing hot, dance-infused journey of chaotic poetry & ethereal grooves. Unified by a singular purpose to create music, the four members have spent their lives soaking in records, CDs and live recordings from a smörgåsbord of artists. Their ‘no rules apply’ approach to music has resulted in a signature sound unique to them. Expect the unexpected, with rock, funk, blues, ska, reggae and even Hungarian gypsy finding its way into their productions. The themes within their music are abstract and dreamlike, evoking what many fans describe as being otherworldly. Spiritual and esoteric subjects entangle themselves throughout their poetic lyrics — topics such as self-actualization, manifestation and the collective unconscious make for an experience suited for the brain and the booty. Formed in 2014 by Tai Jaxx Drury and Alex Riesenbeck, they have teamed up together with bass player Trevor Pinney and keyboard wizard Jimmy Olson to combine their wealth of talent and experience. As individuals, years were spent performing and traveling across Michigan in various groups, with all those years of musical knowledge coming together in the form of their 2017 debut album, ‘Mellow Emergency’. Up next for The Marsupials is the release of their single, ‘Relic’. With the release planned for October 30, followed by a full length LP a month later, it perfectly encapsulates the signature sound that has helped them carve out a name for themselves across countless festivals and concerts throughout their history.