It’s the perfect talent show contest for a COVID-19 pandemic: Hundreds of U.S. bands have submitted videos in NPR’s annual competition, with a big Michigan contingent on board. Watch their videos at Local Spins.
Tiny Desk Entry: JRob and friends performing in the WYCE offices for their contest video.
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Are you a Michigan act who’s submitted a video in this year’s Tiny Desk Contest but it’s not listed here? Email john@localspins.com with a link to your video and we’ll add it to our roster for Part II of our spotlight on Michigan contest entries.
When the folks at National Public Radio launched their annual “Tiny Desk Contest” that attracts hundreds of video entries from bands and solo artists across the country, they had no way of knowing the world would be in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic that’s essentially shut down live music almost everywhere.
As a result, they’ve extended the deadline for entries to April 27, giving more artists — including many Michigan musicians — a chance to participate in what’s become an uber-popular exercise for NPR Music’s “All Songs Considered.” The winner will play a Tiny Desk Concert at NPR and have the opportunity to join a national tour.
Led by “All Songs Considered” host Bob Boilen, this year’s panel of judges includes NPR Music associate producer Bobby Carter, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee host Tarik Moody, WXPN ‘World Cafe’ host Raina Douris, 2019 Tiny Desk Contest winner Quinn Christopherson, singer-songwriter Brittany Howard and Latin pop singer Gina Chavez.
So far, more than 30 Michigan artists have submitted videos in the competition, which you can scroll down to watch below.
The entries range from Ann Arbor musician Peter “Madcat” Ruth unleashing a dizzying array of instruments in a single video — harmonicas, jaw harp, duck call, crow call, squirrel call, party favors and assorted noisemakers — to Grand Rapids singer Patty PerShayla and her band, The Mayhaps, delivering an inspiring tune that helped bring her “out of a bad place” and could do the same for others during this COVID-19 crisis.
If you’re a Michigan solo artist or band who has submitted a video to the contest and you don’t see it here, email john@localspins.com with “TINY DESK” in the message field. Include a link to your YouTube video and provide the home city of your band or solo project along with a link to your website or Facebook page.
GRAND RAPIDS AREA
JRob, “Black Super Hero”
Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps, “Real Problems”
Chris Clayton Loop, “Father’s Day”
Lybrandt, “Till the End”
Hairless Beards, “Friends”
Often Home, “My Heart”
The Bootstrap Boys, “”Magic Answer”
GRAND HAVEN
Jessica in the Rainbow, “Birdsong”
GRANT
Joel Comstock, “Puddles”
ALLEGAN
Nathan Knuckles, “Burning Bridges”
OTSEGO
Myron Elkins, “Lesley”
KALAMAZOO AREA
Chuck Whiting Jr., “Robots”
Slimknot, “When I Fell in Love With You”
Joel Mabus, “Everybody’s Grace”
Ian F. Norlin, “CEL”
TRAVERSE CITY
The Accidentals, “The Line”
LEIF(Kolt), “Cancel Culture”
PETOSKEY
The Real Ingredients, “Equinox”
Sean Miller, “Take Me Away”
LANSING
Paul Meredith, “Behind the Mask (Wuhan, Jiayou)”
Thom Omar, “My New Dream”
JACKSON
Billy Joe Hunt, “Old Car”
UPPER PENINSULA
Fault Choir, “City Escape”
Rosalita and The Hips, “Polar Bear”
ANN ARBOR AREA
Peter “Madcat” Ruth, “Madcat’s Extravaganza”
Dani Darling, “Stranger”
Rustbelt Angels, “Walk a Rainbow”
Bruce Bielawa, “This World”
Lily Milo, “Sandcastles”
Aaron Mealey, “I Don’t Deserve This”
Claire Bates, “Spiky Shell”
Space Cat, “Blue Cat Voyager”
DETROIT AREA
The Band Mint, “You Don’t Stop and You Don’t Quit”
Ohly, “Wintertime/Stranger”
John Lucksom, “Reminiscence”
Banjolectric, “How We Get Through”
Sold Only as Curio, “6 Feet to Go”
Darneshia Rene, “Nasty”
Caveman & Bam Bam, “Early Man”
Steffanie Christi’an
“Somewhere Inside”
Joe Kidd & Sheila Burke, “Last Time I Looked”
Brian Wood, “Whatcha Gonna Do”
Demetri Politis, “Fake Smiles for Everyone”
Bave, “Grief Mountain”
Jackamo, “Second Best”
ThePicassos, “Wicker Casket”
Ally Evenson, “Not So Pretty”
The Dead Lennies, “Cast Iron Woman”
Bob Ridgway, “Now We’re Together”
If Walls Could Talk, “Fish Talk”
Will Tyler White, “Fake News”
Thomas Pelkey, “Luna”
Madie & Josie Graham, “Euology”
Atmig, “Ah Hah”
Kristian DeLayne, “Flowers”
The Versonics, “Gyspy Vacation”
Birds of Prey, “Chief n Steady”
J. Walker & The Crossguards, “Memories”
The Luddites, “Purple Cab”
The Cult of SpaceSkull, “Blood”
Jeremy Porter, “Letters in Rehab”
One Ton Trolley, “Ghost Garden”
Chrissy Morgan, “In Our Very Own Ways”
The Jay Makin’ Band, “To: Detroit”
FLINT
Gaddy, “Mars”
SAGINAW/BAY CITY
Lauren Nowosatka, “11.27”
Shankool, “Changing My Ways”
OTHER MICHIGAN SUBMISSIONS (CITY NOT LISTED)
In the Green, “Michigan”
Stone Petoskey, “No Tomorrow”
Forest Ground, “Campe Dad”
K.J. Shannon, “Wish You Well”
Brainsyrup, “Bohemian Grove”
Uncle Leonard, “This Gettin’ Old is Gettin’ Old”
Rosedale, “Tenderfoot”
Ben Campbell, “Small Town Skies”
Jeff Patton, “Counselor of Locust”
Mr. Cat, “Forget Me Not”
Evan Marius, “Sentence”
Part Time Small Fry, “Friends of Yesterday”
Jimmy Strebler, “Find Your Fred”
Zombie Jesus and the Chocolate Sunshine Band, “Snuz”
Becca Fisher, “Way Back Home”
Fake Plants, “Hope is not Just a Daydream”
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