Spring 2026 in Detroit

I’ve had quite a rad spring in Detroit. This past winter was one of the roughest that I can remember, but lots of good came from it. I bought a Gibson SG and decided to start a new band. I rekindled an old friendship with a buddy from my first year of college and asked him if he wanted to jam with me and Pete. He was down. His name is Tyler, and he’s an absolute god on the bass. My cousin Lorenzo decided to swing by as well to play some tunes. The four of us connected almost instantly. We’ve jammed nearly every week since early February and are gearing up to drop our first single this summer. I cannot wait for you all to hear it.

Lots of time has been spent in the city this spring. The Detroit Pistons went on a pretty intense playoff run, and I was fortunate enough to attend three games. It was worth every penny. I may never see another Game 7 in person again. Even though Detroit sports let me down every single year, I still have to root for them because it’s in my blood.

The two highlights of my spring had to do with music, of course. The first was meeting the one and only Jack White, and the second was attending Tied Down, the Detroit hardcore festival.

Meeting Jack White

Getting to meet Jack White was something I won’t ever forget. My lovely girlfriend Annie and I decided, at the last minute, to attend a pop-up vintage clothing festival at the Magic Stick in Midtown. That’s where it happened.

We were browsing the racks of clothes when I felt someone literally bump into me. I turned around, and it was Jack motherfucking White. I couldn’t believe it. I asked Annie if I should say something, and we both agreed that it would be dumb not to.

So I went up to him, introduced myself, and shook his hand. I told him that I also play music and I expressed how big of an inspiration he has been to me. He then asked me what kind of guitar I played. I told him I had just bought an SG.

He told me not to let it take a nose-dive because the neck is so heavy compared to the body. He’s truly a guitar genius. We took some pictures and went our separate ways. Annie and I continued browsing the clothes.

Let me tell you, it was strange and hard to concentrate on shopping when a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is standing right next to you doing the same thing.

Tied Down Detroit

Last year, I attended Tied Down on the Sunday night of the festival. I had never been to a proper hardcore show before, and to be honest, I really only went to see Turnstile. It opened me up to the entire scene and showed me how important it is.

Not only was I able to see Turnstile that night, but I also caught Speed’s, Judge’s, and Never Ending Game’s sets. When the night was over, I was more than ready to attend the festival again.

When this year’s lineup dropped, I was stoked. Lorenzo, my good buddy Pat, and I went on Saturday night, and it was even better than last year. We stayed basically all day and were able to see so many great bands: End It, Pain of Truth, Kickback, Terror, Negative Approach, Walls of Jericho, Never Ending Game, and Blood for Blood.

It was very important to me to catch Negative Approach’s set. They are essentially the founders of Detroit hardcore. Their tunes are powerful, angry, and John Brannon is one handsome fellow.

Never Ending Game and End It were my favorite sets of the day. Needless to say, I purchased records from both bands.

There is a huge and welcoming community in the hardcore scene, especially in Detroit. It may look rough, and you very well might get your ass kicked in the pit, but deep down, all of these folks are kind and simply share a love for the tunes. It’s a beautiful thing.

Life has been killer in 2026, and I am so grateful for everyone who has been a part of it. This summer is going to be even better—there are some big things ahead.

Cheers!