The Parliament Room at Otus Supply
Ferndale, MI
Words & photos by Kevin Alan Lamb
Otus Supply kicked off its 1 Year Anniversary in epic fashion with a solo acoustic performance from Trampled By Turtles' front man, Dave Simonett. With a weekend of sellout shows awaiting, the universe was intent on giving each guest an experience like none previous in the Parliament Room, so silent one could hear a heavy breath. Since opening its doors in 2017, a performer has never commanded the attention of the crowd the way Simonett did on this particular January evening.
It was his second appearance at Otus Supply, with the first being a Dead Man Winter show last April. Simonett flew in from his Minnesota home for the date, wearing his Twins hat, carrying his guitar, and bearing a smile. With his harmonica around his neck he took the stage promptly at 9:00 PM where he played for the next seventy-five minutes without so much as a pin drop to compete with. Guests gazed around the room at one another in awe; most used to seeing Simonett with Trampled By Turtles in front of thousands, but not on this night. Each strum of his guitar, along with each song sung felt like a gift just for those of us lucky enough to be in the Parliament Room to kickoff the anniversary celebrating a historic year in music, that has forever changed the landscape of the Detroit music scene.
Simonett embraced the silence with a blend of Dead Man Winter and Trampled By Turtles favorites, along with hilarious storytelling of his recent adventures along the Lake Superior Trail where he was chased not once, but twice by a giant moose who placed Trampled By Turtles' manager in his cross hairs and left the group wondering whether he would make it out alive.
It was a special evening and Simonett's volunteered vulnerability and philosophical wonderings were at the center of it. He reminded us all that the path behind us, will not seal the fate of what's to come; and we must all learn to adjust, let go, and continue to build upon the foundation of love. The show was the conclusion of a Spirited Benefit dinner & concert for the South Oakland Shelter, who for over 30 years has been ending homelessness for individuals and families in crisis.
The evening came to its conclusion while most of us had only began to process the lightning that just so happened to be captured in a bottle. Simonett graciously signed Otus Supply 1 Year Anniversary screen prints, gathered his things, and head back to the hotel airport where he would be heading home to see his kids in the morning.
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www.trampledbyturtles.com
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