Dally in The Alley - Performers

Performers

In 1977, an inner city art fair evolved into a performing arts festival on the campus of Wayne State University in the vicinity of W Hancock Street, 2nd Avenue and West Forest. Today it is known as Dally in the Alley. The North Cass Community Union Is the proud sponsor of Detroit’s Dally in the Alley. Proceeds from the Dally events are used to support North Cass projects which improve the quality of life for people who live and work in the North Cass Community. The North Cass Community Union has used Dally proceeds to fund an environmental lawsuit against the City of Detroit trash incinerator, provide roaming security during nighttime hours and grant scholarships to enable neighborhood children to attend the Art Center Music School.

The most recent festival was held on September 10, 2011 and had over 183 applicants competing for 44 performance slots. Music and other performances were held on four stages: The Alley Stage, Forest Stage, Garden Stage and the Electronic Stage. Most of the stage performers have roots from Detroit. The list of performers included the following:

Alley Stage

• Bright Echo
• Macklin Underown
• Gun Lake
• Odd Hours
• Johnny Ill Band
• The Crooks
• The Octopus
• K.I.D.S
• Phantasmagoria
• History of Panic
• Passalacqua

Forest Stage

• The Eeks
• The Good
• Noches Tropicales
• LacyBaby
• The Hounds Below
• The Sixth Generation
• House Phone
• Noman
• Nico Marks
• Bones
• I, Crime

Garden Stage

• Patrick Davy & The Ghosts
• Revoir
• Our Mighty Heart
• RenCen CoolBeanz
• Jesse & the Gnome
• Audra Kuat & Blair Tribute Hour
• Maray Fuego
• Jon Zott
• Phantom Cats
• Body Holographic
• Kelly Jean Caldwell

Electronic Stage

• Watusi
• Super Fucked
• Tour Detroit
• Madis One
• Gin & Tonic
• Kevin Reynolds
• Michael Geiger
• Dethlab & Detroit Fire Guild
• DJ Minx
• Will Sessions

Background information on each of the artists is provided on the event’s website by clicking on the artist’s name. A few are highlighted here.

Macklin Underdown is a University of Michigan Student and bassist for Ann Arbor acts “Gun Lake” & “Chrome Sparks”. He describes his style of music as “a mix between electric and acoustic with lush vocal harmonies.” Bright Echo is a Detroit, Michigan band consisting of five members. On their Facebook page, they describe their music as “a sonic and sometimes dreamy sound usually built around a structure with peaks and valleys and sometimes even real choruses. Somber tones accompanied with up tempo beats throughout.”

Noman is a Detroit trio who explore the history of punk and folk. Woodbrige Records is quoted reporting that they “find their sound somewhere in-between, creating a delicate intermediary with pop hinted melodies through raspy rousing vocals that can both inspire and enrage.” The band is touring in support of their second full length album Broadcast released on Woodbridge Records.

Maray Fuego is a professional Musician, Artist, Rambler, Accordionist, Circus sideshow enthusiast. Her music is described as “a convergence of different influences, including punk, gypsy jazz and smoky lounge music.” Maray Fuego plays the fiddle, guitar, melodica and accordion.

Detroit Fire Guild describes themselves on their website as “a collection of independent fire and circus performers, artists and enthusiasts working together to create safe professional and breathtaking events while benefiting the community at large. Troupe members are proficient in one or more performance and production skills such as hooping, poi or staff spinning, juggling, magic illusions, acrobatics, costuming and make up. Troupe members also teach workshops at open practices.”

These Artists have converged with a number of other primarily Detroit-based performers on the Dally in the Alley art festival in Detroit, Michigan for the one weekend every late summer. They all bring their unique interests and talents to a common stage and have transformed a small-time art fair into a festival of the performing arts. This festival has gone beyond just providing entertainment to the community. Proceeds from the event have made the neighborhoods safer, fought injustice and given the youth a place to chase their dreams and aspirations in the field of art and music.