REVIEW: Max Frost headlines show with UPSAHL, Mikey Mike at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor


ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Despite being held on a Monday after St. Patrick's Day, a good-sized crowd filed into The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor for a Max Frost headline concert featuring UPSAHL and Mikey Mike.

Most of them appeared to be younger, so it's likely they didn't have to fight an angry hangover from celebrating the night before just to get to the venue.

The concert was held in a relatively small space with aptly placed mirrors that seemed to make it appear larger than it was. Despite the smaller size of the venue, the trio of artists' performances possessed a quality that allowed the space to feel large and exciting.

Max Frost is on his headline tour after finishing off an arena tour with Twenty One Pilots. This tour supports his debut album, "Gold Rush," which features his popular single "Good Morning."

The show began later than expected with up-and-coming indie-pop artist UPSAHL kicking off the show with a sensual set. Despite the slow start, the crowd seemed to be in high spirits, and UPSAHL's performance appeared to be well-received.

She got the group dancing and singing along to her rendition of her songs "Drugs" and "The Other Team." Her artistic and vocal skills were on display during Monday night's live performance.

UPSAHL is touring with Max Frost until April 10 in California.

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Admittedly, Mikey Mike wasn't an artist I had paid much attention to leading up to the show. But seeing him live gave me a new appreciation for his music and the honesty that pours through his lyrics.

He was a character, and I mean that in the kindest way possible. While a bit eccentric, he was charming -- charming enough to encourage an audience member to drink a shot of alcohol out of his shoe.

Mikey Mike also shared a poem he had written. It was well-received by the crowd and spoke to the strength of his writing abilities.

His song "Life on Earth" was a crowd favorite, with many recognizing it immediately and singing along.

Mikey Mike knew how to work a crowd in such an intimate space. He put on a show that I won't soon forget.

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The tension began to rise before Max Frost took the stage. Luckily, there was no pushing or shoving from my position in the crowd, which speaks to the energy of the prior performances and The Blind Pig.

It was instantly clear Max Frost knew how to put on more than just a concert, but also a show. His experience playing in arenas was evident from the recorded introduction and light show during his set.

While it was spectacular to watch, it did feel less intimate compared to the opening acts. Max Frost appeared to have his head in the game for most of the performance, focusing on his music instead of the crowd. 

Despite his attention being on his set, the crowd seemed to be feeling it, and gave the impression that they were connecting with him through the music.

The color-changing lights served as a backdrop for the performance and were incredible to watch. The lighting seemed to be part of the show and only added to the experience.

Near the end of his set, Max Frost seemed to loosen up a little and got playful with the crowd. He told an intentionally terrible joke and recorded the crowd's deadpan reaction for social media. Shortly after, he recorded another video that showed the crowd's excitement.

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