Local Spins spotlights the band that plays Grand Haven next weekend, as well as debuting music by Stef Chura, Finding Feathers, Luke Winslow-King and more.
Quinlan Mauer: The Detroit band will play West Michigan for the second time, this time at Grand Haven’s Walk the Beat. (Courtesy Photo)
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As Quinlan Mauer percussionist Chase Higgins puts it, the Detroit jam band lets “the music guide us to unique places.”
As a result, each performance by the five-piece band formed in 2024 rolls out as “an individual experience,” Higgins said.
“It’s really important for us to give the fans that are taking their time out to come see us something unique that they’ll take home and remember. So that’s our goal. There’s definitely improvisation and sometimes the crowd can lead us in places. It’s all a collective in the room together and who knows where we’ll go.”
This year, Quinlan Mauer has been going lots of places – as well as releasing singles, an EP and a live album as the Southeast Michigan band stretches its musical muscles and expands its audience across the state.
After playing Octopus’ Beer Garden in Mount Clemens on Aug. 5 and River’s Edge Brewing in Milford on Aug. 7, the band will travel to West Michigan for the second time to perform as part of Grand Haven’s Walk the Beat festival on Aug. 8, joining 49 other regional acts in the popular summertime event and band competition.
“There’s no better feeling than looking out and seeing people smiling and dancing to our music. It really drives the music to new places and we thrive on the interaction between the crowd and the band,” said guitarist Mat Wilson.
Reveling in Live Jams: Quinlan Mauer at The Shop. (Courtesy Photo)
“We’re looking forward to playing in Grand Haven at the Walk The Beat music festival. Nationally, the west side of the state is quickly becoming a hotbed for live music and they really support the jam-band scene specifically, so we see our show in Grand Haven as a big opportunity.”
The band (Wilson, Higgins, bassist-singer Johnny Zachman, guitarist-singer Brandon Murray and drummer Paul Garvey) cites jam-band favorites such as The Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, Phish, Umphrey’s McGee, Billy Strings, String Cheese Incident, Dave Matthews Band and Widespread Panic as influences, while providing their own twist to songs they create – what they call an “indie jam band blending rootsy songwriting with improvisational energy and a funk-rock backbone.”
“The first key ingredient is writing songs that are well-crafted and stand on their own before any of the improvisation ever starts. We’ve worked really hard putting out quality studio versions of our work,” Wilson said.
EVER-CHANGING LIVE JOURNEYS AND A DIY APPROACH
“The songs serve as a road map to follow on stage. … What happens during that journey changes from show to show and that’s one of the things that makes our music so exciting to see in a live setting. Our music is heavily rooted in the danceable polyrhythms created by Paul and Chase on drums and percussion. When you see us live, you notice right away that we’ve got quite a bit of stage and sonic space committed to the drums and percussion. When you hear us play live, it feels like a freight train rolling down the tracks.”
They embrace a DIY approach, with band members handling “everything from writing the songs to recording them, mixing, mastering, album art and ultimately, the release of the music on streaming platforms. Each step along the way is a collaborative effort.”
In addition to studio recordings, the band recently released “Live from The Shop,” recorded during a performance at The Shop in Hazel Park this spring with a big boost from engineer Mike Boulan. “The Shop has a special energy that is conducive to great performances, and I think we were able to capture that magic in our live release,” Wilson said.
The musicians also appreciate the “mystique” of their enigmatic band name. “Quinlan Mauer can be whatever you want it to be,” said Higgins. “Sure, we’re a singer-songwriter. Sure, it’s a group of individuals. It’s just something that’s unique and hopefully memorable, and maybe sparks some curiosity in people.”
This week’s edition of the Local Spins Michigan Music Showcase spotlighted one of Quinlan Mauer’s new live tracks, “Going to the Beach,” as well as the single, “Change.” The show also boasts fresh music from Michigan artists from across the state: Finding Feathers, Joe & Beth, Luke Winslow-King, Hand of Giants, Stef Chura, The Resurrection Blues Band, Pack$toney, RIINK and James Filkins (with Aaron Dolan), as well as a classic blues track from Hank Mowery, who performs with the Hawktones at New Buffalo’s Ship & Shore Blues and Soul Music Festival on Aug. 8. Listen to the full radio show podcast below.
The Michigan Music Showcase airs at 11 a.m. Fridays and 5 p.m. Sundays on WYCE (88.1 FM) and online at wyce.org, and on Interlochen Public Radio at 7 p.m. Saturdays. Check out previous show podcasts online here.
PODCAST: Local Spins Michigan Music Showcase (7/31/26)
VIDEO: Quinlan Mauer, “Change” (Philmore West, Grand Rapids)
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