It was a hole-in-the-wall with several …. well, holes in the wall. The Blind Pig, a music venue established in 1971, is a widely known destination of downtown Ann Arbor. Expecting nothing less than sticky floors, unidentifiable smells, and a room with wall-to-wall people, The Blind Pig did not stray far from my preconceptions. The only indicator that it wasn’t indeed the 70’s was the number of iPhones in the locus recording Snapchat videos and capturing photos of inebriated friends.
The band Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers blended right into this timeless, nonconformist setting. Before their performance began, they handed out 3 ft long fake flowers to audience members. The stage was an amalgamation of rose-tinted glasses, floral patterns, and psychedelic lighting.
When Joe Hertler sang, I was immediately drawn to his voice. It possessed a familiar-sounding quality while being entirely new to my ears. The music itself crossed the lines of a number of genres, including: funk, rock, Americana, and folk. The group was eclectic and spread their euphoric energy among the crowd. Much of the audience was dancing along to their grooves and singing the words to their songs. Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers had a faithful following.
Normally when I check out a band I have never seen, I’m not overly bothered by not knowing every lyric or not knowing at least some of the words. However, regarding Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, if you plan to attend one of their performances, I would recommend listening to their music ahead of time. From my observation and conversation with another attendee, those that were there knew Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers; they knew their lyrics, the members, their history, and upcoming performances. As a newcomer, it took a few songs to process their presence and style. Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers are an authentic and lively bunch.
