Julia Burke
Deer Tick brings some country-punk heat to Live on King Street.
After a rowdy Live On King Street session in early August that combined one of the biggest headliners in the series with Great Taste Eve revelry to produce a swarming downtown scene, Friday night's concert was a more manageable affair. Crowds were still thick for this fourth show of the summer, despite the unbearably muggy weather.
The evening started with a warmup set by DJ Nick Nice, Detroit blues act Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas got the crowd moving with its killer blues-rock sound, and The Weeks raised the energy level up a notch with country rock honed in Nashville. Finally, headliners Deer Tick brought their alt-rock and country-punk sound to the stage, even bringing Weeks' pianist Admiral Collier and surprise guest Vanessa Carlton onstage at one point to join them.
