Bad Suns Brought Warmth and Fun to Detroit’s Majestic Theatre Along With Little Image and Kid Bloom
Written By | Lindsey Sobkowski
Bad Suns brought their California-styled pop-rock to Detroit with the Apocalypse Whenever Tour. The tour celebrates the release of their fourth album of the same name. Little Image and Kid Bloom were brought alongside in the lineup, making for a stacked night for those in attendance.
After doors for The Majestic Theatre opened at 6 p.m., everyone hurried inside to escape the frigid temperatures of Detroit’s Midtown. Promptly at 7 p.m., the band Little Image took the stage with a brooding ambiance that had heads turning. Lead singer Jackson Simmons began their set with mysterious vocals manipulated with vocal effects. He pleadingly sang lyrics like “I loved you. Did you love me? Did you ever love me?” Even with the occasional scream within songs, Simmions matched the mood being created by his bandmates drummer Troy Bruner and Bassist and Keyboardist Brandon Walters. Bruner’s booming drums and Walters’ deep and intricate basslines keep the audience bobbing their heads to the tunes.
They ended with their song “Worth It” which featured soundscapes that wanned in and out while Simmons’ manipulated vocals carried throughout. The song metamorphosized from light and laidback to crescendoing and synth-heavy. It ends with Simmons repeating, “Everyone wants to feel like they are heard. Everyone wants to feel like they are worth it.”
Kid Bloom soon came on and brought the grooviness out with him. Funky basslines filled the room and the stage was immediately his. For his first time being in Detroit, it was clear he had a pre-existing following. When he wanted the crowd to jump, they jumped. His tunes had an easy-going vibe, which made listeners want to hold onto someone they love and sing along. The synthesizers gave the songs a 70’s flair with modern aspects strewn within.
The mid tempo song “I Fell in Love Again” featured graceful harmonies and a sultriness that made it applicable to Valentine’s Day which was two days around the corner. The song features a hazy guitar bridge with falsetto lyrics of the song’s title being sung over and over. He stop throughout that and many other songs to make quips to the crowd such as “that’s cute” to couples dancing together and “you’re awesome” to especially excited fans.
Kid Bloom wrapped up his set with a song that could transport you to a summer drive along the West Coast. Everyone turned on their phone lights for it, and those who did not had their arms up to the ceiling, swaying along. The guitar traveling through the air, building and building to a satisfying jam session amongst Kid Bloom and his touring band. He left the audience stirred and ready for something more to come their way.
Finally, Bad Suns took the stage and fans were ravenous for their performance. Seconds into their opening song, fans were already leaping and screaming in excitement. They opened with a song from their new album called “Peachy”, which is an upbeat bop that discusses the feeling of being in love with someone as dreamlike.
Lead singer Christo Bowman then took a moment to talk about his girlfriend of ten years to whom their anniversary was that day. He had the crowd on the count of three say “We love you, Valarie!” The crowd enjoyed it, and the band soon carried on to the next songs.
“We Move Like the Ocean” was off of their 2014 album Language & Perspective. It was a hit when it was released and still remains so amongst fans. Everyone was dancing to the nostalgic tune which remains a quintessential West Coast summer song. Drummer Miles Morris keeps the mid-tempo beat alive while Ray Libby overlays it with upbeat guitar. The upbeat, happy-sounding songs continued on through the whole night, especially for the closing song “Daft Pretty Boys”. “There’s a dangerous kind of cool about you” was sung loudly by the crowd. Everyone wanted their last moments to be filled with high energy.
The crowd was not satiated enough, as Bad Suns came out for two more songs as an encore. They played the lesser-known fan favorite “20 years” of off their 2013 Transpose EP. After was the drum-driven “Heartbreaker”, which put a seal on the night as a great closer. This was Bad Suns’ first headline show since 2019, and they knew how to make a cold winter’s night a night of warmth and reunion for all Bad Suns fans.
Photos By | Lindsey Sobkowski