See y’all this weekend for a trilogy of shows. Three towns, three different versions of the band, three gatherings or “camps” of our community. Three is a good number. It represents the beginning, middle, and end. The number of completion. The points of a triangle, the strongest geometric shape. The Holy Trinity. Sky, Earth, Underworld. Ménage a trois. Past, present, future. Mind, body, spirit…

1. June 5^th. Mammoth Distilling. Adrian, MI. 7:30pm – 10:30. Anna, Jeremy solo sets.
2. June 6^th. North Star Lounge. Ann Arbor, MI. 9pm. Little Spoon River trio.
3. June 7^th. Iron Bark Brewing. Jackson, MI. 2pm – 6. theillalogicalspoon.

Each show will be very different, displaying the full range of what we have happening here these days at Band Society Records, our record company where we hunt and gather the best tasting songs and share them with everyone in camp. This nomadic weekend will start small and each show will build on the one before. From two individuals doing solo singer-songwriter stuff, to a funky fun trio bringing the party, to a full on punk rock chamber orchestra that is poised to do some serious damage to civilization. But please let us finish our set before pulling the plug on the grid, because it feels good to play loud.

“The Tao gives birth to One. The One gives birth to Two. The Two give birth to Three. The Three give birth to all things.”  – From the Tao Te Ching

Camp #1: The initiation. Meet us in small town America. Pass by the downtown shops until you see us in the window. Come as you are. It’s casual.  Have an old fashioned. Talk with friends. Listen to the tunes we have prepared for you for this occasion. Do whatever you want.  Let the songs begin to enter your consciousness like the dawn chorus of birds waking you up. New songs, debuts, invitations and elements. Songs about how to be a human animal with a soul. Songs that say “lighten up” one moment and “get serious” the next. (Tonight! June 5^th. Mammoth Distilling. Adrian, MI. 7:30pm – 10:30. Anna, Jeremy solo sets)

Camp #2: Meet us in fancy Ann Arbor where we’ll forage for vegan sandwiches and cool beers and open ourselves to feel, feel, feel it all. Don’t be fooled by the bread and circus. This night is about real life. The trio will sing of the most important thing of all: love. This is not a show for small talk, but for big feelings beyond language. Being is communion. All together amidst the flirtatious flowers and fleeting joys, the breakups, hookups, weddings, divorces, births, and deaths… there is a love as fierce as fire. The earth is merciful every morning. Help each other to keep fighting for that one good thing – to live to see another day and the light that fills the world. The ecstasy is worth the trauma of being alive. (June 6^th. North Star Lounge. Ann Arbor, MI. 9pm. Little Spoon River trio)

Camp #3: On Sunday we’ll head to Jackson for some Prison City Hardcore. A wild punk show in honor of our friend Dave. The Big Spoon serving up a ceremony of rage and hope. A time to dance and scream along. To become animal again. The oldest songs of the weekend, tapping into our primal origins. Radical green anarchist critique of industrial society, technological progress, and domesticated/agricultural civilization. Finding hope in forming deep ecological relationships with wild nature and communion with the Spirit-who-moves-through-all-things. As far as the rest – tear it all down to feel Alive, Alive, Alive! Who’s the cowboy now? (June 7^th. (Iron Bark Brewing. Jackson, MI. 2pm – 6. theillalogicalspoon)

“We do not interfere with you, and again you say why do you not become civilized? We do not want your civilization!” –  Crazy Horse

(poster made by Kadi Franson – www.kadifranson.com)

The theme this year is: Love’s Only Border is Love

Celebrate Valentines Weekend this year with house concerts, nature hikes, workshops, discussion groups, food, and lots of fun!

Once again theillalogicalspoon will serve as “house band”. And many other musical friends will perform to entertain and inspire. Including Railcar Grafitti, Wonky Tonk, Fields of Industry, Lisa Wolf, and more…

For more information email: theillalogicalspoon@gmail.com

August 23 – North Star Lounge. Ann Arbor, MI. 9pm
Buy tickets here: https://www.nstarlounge.com/events/littlespoonriver

September 19 – Art 634. Jackson, MI 5:30pm. W/ Billy King, Elisabeth Pixley-Fink, Rachel Neal
Benefit Show for Conservation Cemetery,
Buy tickets here: https://givebutter.com/JQ4caS

The River

By Jim Harrison

Yes, we’ll gather by the river,

the beautiful, the beautiful river.

They say it runs by the throne of God.

This is where God invented fish.

Wherever, but then God’s throne is as wide

as the universe. If you’re attentive you’ll

see the throne’s borders in the stars. We’re on this side

and when you get to the other side we don’t know

what will happen if anything. If nothing happens

we won’t know it, I said once. Is that cynical?

No, nothing is nothing, not upsetting just

nothing. Then again maybe we’ll be cast

at the speed of light through the universe

to God’s throne. His hair is bounteous.

All the 5,000 birds on earth were created there.

The firstborn cranes, herons, hawks, at the back

so as not to frighten the little ones.

Even now they remember this divine habitat.

Shall we gather at the river, this beautiful river?

We’ll sing with the warblers perched on his eyelashes.