Lyons put on an absolutely killer local show at The Loving Touch on Friday, May 27th. Lyons headlined the show, with drive safe! opening the evening and Unknown Neighbors sandwiched between the two. These three alternative rock bands are all local to the Metro Detroit area, so they were right at home performing in Ferndale. This show was one fans and band members alike will be buzzing about for a long time.
drive safe! took the live stage for only the second time, kicking off the memorable evening. I would have never guessed that this was drive safe!’s second gig, had I not known prior. They started the show with an impeccable stage presence, making themselves known to all attendees, even those who’d never heard of drive safe! before. The frontman, Kevin, interacted with the crowd, giving background to song titles and meanings and giving comedic, yet progessive, monologues. Kevin was also, obviously, accompanied by his iconic sunglasses. drive safe! played their hit tracks “Zen,” and “You’re Almost There!”, as well as some unreleased tunes like “Mister 1 6,” and “Coup De Grace.” They also performed “My Friend, The Ocean” live for the first time. What was released as a beautiful, acoustic, solo performance song, became a whole ensemble masterpiece. Slowly, all instruments accompanied Kevin’s voice, with noticeably beautiful chords and riffs from lead guitarist, Zack. Acoustic songs can sometimes get muddy, and the simplicity of the quiet instruments and vocals can be overplayed by louder ones, but that was not the case during “My Friend, The Ocean.” The bassist, Dan, and drummer, Jake, accompanied the peacefulness of the acoustic song tastefully, enhancing the slow song and taking it to a new level that can only be heard live right now. Of course, the drive safe! set would not have been complete without copious amounts of dancing from the crowd and dueling instruments on stage from the band. Sadly, drive safe! said goodbye to their bassist, Dan, at the end of this set, since he’s moving all the way to California. Dan will be replaced by Nathan Gonzales, who performed with Lyons this same evening. drive safe! set the mood for the evening, putting the crowd in good spirits and radiating good vibes from an immaculate set.
Unknown Neighbors played their third show of 2022 and their second one with Lyons ever. As someone that has attended every Unknown Neighbors show to date, I can say with full confidence that this was definitely their best set ever. Unknown Neighbors commanded attention, drawing a massive crowd that went all the way to the back of the venue. Their stage presence was undeniable and the energy was fierce. They performed their hit singles “Green Light,” “Frontline,” and “Lost,” which the crowd knew every single word to. Unknown Neighbors also performed some never before heard tracks; “I Don’t Think of You” and “Sanctuary.” “Sanctuary” highlighted the vocals of lead singer Zach, combining soft and delicate verses with high energy, melodic choruses. “Sanctuary” also highlighted a grittier side of Unknown Neighbors’ vocals, from guitarist Zack. No, your eyes did not deceive you, Zack of Unknown Neighbors is the same Zack of drive safe!. “I Don’t Think of You” put the spotlight on guitarist Mike, the definitive hype man in Unknown Neighbors. Mike never stopped moving and let the crowd feed off of him, refusing to let the energy die. The intricate and hard hitting drumming coming from the drummer, Charles, could be felt by everyone, and was the backbone of the song. The entire band was mixed beautifully, and the lighting accompanied each of their tracks perfectly, adding to the atmosphere. Unknown Neighbors couldn’t let their fans leave without merch, releasing the cutest space cat design specifically for this gig.
Lyons played their first gig of the year, headlining a packed Loving Touch. As soon as they took the stage, you just knew people were there for Lyons. The crowd roared when they started playing; the love for Lyons was unmistakable. The Loving Touch resembled a 1950s sock hop during Lyons’ set. From front to back, the whole venue was moving and grooving. Lyons kept up the catchy beats the whole time they played, playing nearly the entirety of their available discography, many of which could be found on their CD they were selling at the gig. The band also re-released their EP, The Local Lothario, on streaming services before the show so the crowd could learn some tunes and sing along. The lead singer, Mark, put on a show during the Lyons set. He ditched the guitar for some songs and was a modern day 1950s music icon: dancing, interacting with the crowd, and setting the tone for the remainder of the evening from the moment he walked on stage. Nathan took over on guitar when Mark was wooing everyone as a strict frontman, and certainly did Lyons justice. He was an excellent addition to the already existing trio, his sound blending in seamlessly with the rest of the ensemble. The drummer, Jack, was the foundational rhythm of Lyons all night long, driving every song and keeping the energy of the music up with the energy of the crowd. The bassist, Thomas (also known as Tomcat), was the heart of the band for the evening. He kept the groove in every tune, especially with his signature stand up bass. Lyons ended the night with the same energy and good vibes that it started with.
The Lyons, Unknown Neighbors, and drive safe! show will be one that no one in attendance will be forgetting for quite some time. All three bands played exciting and memorable sets, with equally smooth sounds, high energy, and good vibes. If you have a chance to catch any of these bands live, do not miss out!
Keep up with all three bands’ future gigs and new music by following their Instagrams:
Lyons – @rollwiththelyons
Unknown Neighbors – @unknownneighborsmi
drivesafe! – @drivesafetheband