August 2nd, 2011
Magic Stick – Detroit, Michigan
Words & Photos By Brandon Picard
It was another random summer Tuesday in Detroit, Michigan. Zack Deputy and opener Rootstand were set to meet some smiling faces....
We arrived to a small crowd of scattered folks outlining the outside of designated stage area in an already TINY bar. They cropped a small section out of the upstairs area and built a makeshift stage. It’s a good thing the show wasn’t on the main stage of the venue with the lack of attendees. Rootstand was doing their thing when we walked in. I’ve said the same thing over and over when it comes to Rootstand. I honestly enjoy the beats and rhythms Rootstand produces. They’re musically sound, but I find the lyrics throughout to be a bit faulty. The mumbled, forced reggae rap put out by the lead singer left me scratching my head (and everyone else’s head for that matter). I did however really enjoy a couple of bluegrass reggae tunes the band rocked instrumentally. With banjo playing and some wild harmonica, Rootstand holds their own. Drop the clusterfuck lyrics and Rootstand has something going.
Zach Deputy hit the stage and was flat out impressive. For me, having little exposure to Zach’s music, my expectations were fairly limited. The danceable first song foreshadowed the night to come. Turning a basic rhythmic guitar
riff into a delightfully funky jam was just what the doctor ordered. I was very pleased to see that although the crowd was anything but big Zach looked as if he were playing for a packed auditorium. His emotions were carrying his soulful tunes.
The dance party was only interrupted briefly for Zach to slow down and showcase his array of musical talents. More Dancing ensued. The show ended with Zach’s version of “Hit the Road Jack” as well as the politically charged song “Chicken Pot Pie”. My friends and I left that night with a ton of other smiling faces. Once again, I was happy to see Detroit throw down, or at least try.
www.zachdeputy.com
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