Michigan Rattlers Amplify Roots Rock Sound in Detroit’s Biggest Show Yet at Saint Andrew's

When the Michigan Rattlers started their most recent album project, they chose to mix things up a little.

The band hailing from Petoskey formed a quartet that stood out among the newer musical acts in Michigan over recent years. They received well-deserved praise both from music critics and fans who appreciate roots music and Americana. The group garnered recognition particularly for their poignant songwriting and acoustic style, which blends elements of heartland rock as much as it does influences from the '90s alternative country scene.

For "Waving from a Sea," which came out in August, Graham Young and his team decided to explore fresh soundscapes with assistance from someone based in Michigan. Taking up the role of producer was Dominic Davis, who has been the longstanding bassist for the Lansing group Steppin' In It. Additionally, Davis has deep roots in the music scene connected to Jack White, as they grew up together in southwestern Detroit.

Begin your day with more knowledge. Receive all essential news directly in your mailbox every morning.

Struck by his contribution to an album from the Michigan-based group Greensky Bluegrass, the Rattlers enlisted Davis to assist in realizing a fresh musical path influenced by musicians like the War on Drugs, Kurt Vile, and the 1975.

The outcome was an album that keeps the Rattlers' foundational elements rooted in tradition while boldly integrating indie-pop nuances and classic-rock embellishments, with Young’s emotive songwriting remaining central throughout. (You can listen to the album.) here .)

Following three months of touring across North America—where the band’s dynamic performances have become legendary—the Michigan Rattlers will conclude their journey with a performance at Saint Andrew’s Hall this Friday. This event marks their most significant hometown gig to date.

Young chatted with the Free Press over the phone while traveling about their new album, stage energy, and band development.

QUESTION: You all have definitely been traveling hard over the past several months, and now you're approaching the final leg. How’s the tour going?

ANSWER: Things have mostly been fantastic. There has been lots of enjoyment, and having fresh content to perform has been terrific. In the past three months, we've practically toured all over the place.

St. Andrew’s simply felt like the perfect choice for the final show, making it a suitable conclusion to our trip.

We performed at this venue a couple of years back, even though things were quite unusual due to COVID. However, our go-to spot for shows in the Detroit region has always been the Magic Bag. Now, moving up to play here represents an upgrade in terms of capacity, which makes us very enthusiastic about it.

Q: The performances that people often bring up when they talk to me are the ones where you played alongside Bob Seger at Pine Knob back in 2019. I believe those two evenings made a significant impact on an audience that might not have been acquainted with you previously. Do you view these events as pivotal moments for establishing yourself within this community?

A: We likely would have needed to perform for an entire year just to reach as many spectators as we did over those two evenings. Reflecting on this now, with nearly seven years having passed since then, it seems amusing. At the time, we believed we understood our role and felt thrilled about taking center stage. However, revisiting that period makes me realize how naive we were; honestly, those performers really didn’t know what they were getting into onstage. (Laughs)

Q: You've often mentioned Seger as a significant inspiration, and you had the chance to be part of his world for a few evenings.

A: It was truly a dream come true. To describe it simply: When you’re a child lying in your room dreaming up the most amazing scenario possible, this would be it. Coming from Michigan, performing at Pine Knob during summer and opening for Bob Seger is something special.

It was incredibly amusing to drive our small van and park at a large loading dock surrounded by numerous semi-trucks and tour buses.

Q: For those who haven't caught your performances live, could you explain how your stage presence differs from what listeners hear in recordings and how the music evolves during shows?

A: Our approach to music comes directly from performing live shows. We honed our skills through constant live performances rather than studio recordings. Others might have developed their abilities in home studios, focusing heavily on recorded work. However, for us, it involved gathering in basements, rehearsing tunes, and subsequently searching for venues to perform these pieces publicly.

Moreover, paying homage to that rock 'n' roll heritage through artists like Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty—aiming to deliver an authentic rock performance in terms of high-energy excitement and passion, as though you're watching a group of four men on stage who truly love what they do.

I believe some of our recordings are somewhat restrained. Therefore, we certainly aim to enhance them even further, not intending any wordplay. It’s simply a fun approach—playing an electric guitar on tracks originally done acoustically to truly amplify their impact.

A: Your music also has a strong '90s American vibe to it.

A: Absolutely. Back when I was 13, I gravitated towards classic rock. However, once I became more involved in songwriting and discovering my own style around age 18, 19, or even 20, the music that had the biggest impact were those '90s alternative country tunes from bands like Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Wilco, and the Jayhawks. Ryan Adams also played a significant role during this period. At that time, I was actively seeking out the guiding lights within songcraft that resonated with me.

Q: Discuss the development of the new album. The music has a slightly more polished feel to it. Was this concept premeditated by you, or did it emerge naturally during your time in the studio with Dominic?

A: This album took quite a while to finally get into the studio and start recording properly. Many of these tracks originated during the height of the pandemic, hence they had been floating around for a few years in one form or another. We spent considerable effort demoing material, something we hadn’t extensively explored previously, which significantly broadened our sonic palette: “I’ve come up with a new tune—what interesting elements could spice things up? What if we incorporated an unusual synth line? Or perhaps a peculiar harp effect? Maybe even an unconventional guitar texture?”

Ultimately, at the core of things, our main concern is for the song itself. Even when you remove all the layers, it should remain strong enough to stand alone accompanied only by an acoustic guitar. In earlier albums, we felt less confident in the recording process and lacked a clear understanding of what we were doing.

I believe the concept of exploring new sonic territories... was something we aimed to achieve from the start. When Dominic joined us—and we had an excellent engineer named Josh (Smith)—they fully supported this vision and significantly assisted in guiding our direction.

A: You've been residing in L.A. for several years now, while the others remain in Michigan. It's fair to assume that not many well-known acts have emerged from Petoskey (a city with a population of 6,000). How has your reception been there?

A: It’s wonderful being part of such a close-knit community from a place as intimate as our town. A small environment where everyone can proudly embody and showcase our roots in Petoskey and northern Michigan. Each one of us wears the Petoskey and northern Michigan emblem with honor.

Yeah, people know who the band is, and the local brewery has a Michigan Rattlers lager that people like. From day one, since we were kids playing the coffee shop down the street and City Park Grill, it has just always been a really supportive place to be. As we've grown and gotten to play bigger shows in the area, people always show up. Some of the most fun shows we ever play are the ones we get to do Up North.

Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.

Michigan Rattlers

With Joe Hertler

7 p.m. Fri.

Saint Andrew's Hall

931 Congress St. E., Detroit

$27-$54

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: The Michigan Rattlers are set to bring their roots rock style to Saint Andrew's for what will be their largest Detroit performance so far.