PONTIAC, Mich. – The night kicked off with some confusion outside The Crofoot in Pontiac as two lines formed for two very different shows.
PUP, a punk rock band from Toronto, was on their The Morbid Stuff Tour-Pocalypse 2019 tour with Ratboys and Casper Skulls. They performed at The Crofoot Ballroom the same time Matt Maeson and Betcha performed in the much smaller Pike Room.
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As the clock moved toward 7 p.m. people were directed toward the correct lines, shuffled around and into The Crofoot.
Matt Maeson and Betcha performed a sold out show in The Pike Room, an intimate space that can fit a small crowd of up to 250. The room quickly filled up, leaving little space between attendees.
Betcha, an alternative rock band based out of Nashville, kicked off the show with a lively set that got the crowd moving. At the conclusion of the show, they played their latest song "Lucy Lucy." It was clear from the energy in the room that everybody was feeling it. Listen to the song here.
Betcha's expressive show and lively music was a perfect opener for Maeson's set, which carried a more chill vibe.
Betcha finished their set around 8:40 p.m. and the anticipation within the crowd was palpable. After a short set change, Maeson made his way through the crowd and onto the stage around 9 p.m. with loud cheers from the audience.
Despite having to cancel some prior shows, due to straining his vocal chords, Maeson gave an intimate and powerful show Friday night. If he hadn't shared the news on Twitter, it would have been impossible to tell he had been battling illness.
As Maeson's set began the crowd moved in as close as they could get. Maeson connected well with the crowd, many singing along to songs they were clearly familiar with.
Before performing "Me And My Friends Are Lonely," Maeson shared the story of where he came up with the song. He wrote it while on top of a Wendy's restaurant. He fell asleep on the roof that night and woke up with a sunburn on one side of his face.
The small room and low lighting gave the show an intimate vibe that fits with Maeson's sound and powerful vocals.
Maeson stepped off stage after playing his "final" song of the evening. The crowd wasn't having it though and cheered for an encore. This time, when Maeson came back through the crowd and onto the stage, the cheers were louder than ever. He played one final song, clearly putting his heart and soul into it before stepping off stage for the final time of the evening.
After the concert finished, many lingered in The Pike Room to purchase merch or take photos near the stage.
Listen to his most recent release, a stripped version of "I Just Don't Care That Much," below:
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