The vast majority of shows I’ve covered lately have leaned toward the metal end of the spectrum, but I’ve always had a deep love for punk rock as well. When I heard Laura Jane Grace was supporting Murder by Death on their farewell tour in Detroit, it was a no-brainer. I had to be there.
For over two decades, Laura Jane Grace has been a constant in my listening rotation. I first heard her frantic brand of folk-punk in the early 2000s and instantly felt a connection. That was the music of Against Me!! The last time I saw her with the band was in Grand Rapids back in 2018, so I was beyond excited to catch her performing solo material with this new group of musicians. Referred to as the Mississippi Medicals, the lineup features her wife Paris on backing vocals and hype, Mikey Erg! on drums, and bassist Matt Patton. To be fair, they’re all on “hype” duty.
With only two bands on the bill, the night didn’t feel rushed, but I still made my way near the stage to get settled with my camera. I’ve been shooting a lot of smaller shows lately, so when Laura and the band walked out grinning and ready to play, it almost didn’t feel real. The energy in St. Andrew’s Hall skyrocketed. They opened with “Active Trauma,” and I can’t help but relate to the words “baseline rising every day”, especially with the state of the world.
The first half of the set featured Laura’s solo material, and all four musicians gave it their everything. Standouts for me included “Wearing Black” and “Your God,” which were definitely crowd favorites too. Then the Against Me! songs kicked in. “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong” and “Black Me Out” sent the room into a frenzy. The latter is one of my all-time favorite songs, and hearing it live again, with Paris adding backing vocals, gave it a real emotional punch. Laura stayed connected to the crowd the whole time, talking sincerely about her history with Murder by Death and the weight of this final tour.
After their set, the lull while waiting for the stage to change over seemed longer than usual. But the energy stayed high, and by the time Murder by Death came out, the room was buzzing. I love that this band doesn’t lean into any kind of gothic country mystique. Instead, Adam spoke between songs like he was talking to old friends. His stories about seeing shows at this venue in the early nineties gave the whole night a personal, nostalgic edge.
Each band member brought something special. Sarah’s cello and Emma’s violin added this sweeping, cinematic layer to the entire room. David switched between so many instruments I lost count (that’s me saying it was beyond impressive). Dagan stayed rock solid on drums, anchoring the whole thing with tight, expressive playing.
Murder by Death played a mix of old and new, opening with “Riders” and flowing straight into “Until Morale Improves, the Beatings Will Continue.” They pulled out “Lose You,” a newer song that hadn’t been played live before, and then got spicy with “Pizza Party (At Gloria Estefan’s House).” Before the final song “Alas,” the room was already deep in it. Joy, sadness, and that of understanding you will never witness this again.
We’ll miss you, Murder by Death. This Detroit stop was one of the very first of the tour, so there’s plenty left for you to grab a ticket for. Visit Murder by Death or the Laura Jane Grace tour pages for more info.
And be sure to follow my photography account on Instagram to see more pics from the show!
Biography: Porous has been possessed by heavy music for the vast majority of his life. For a good chunk of it, that love was exorcised by playing metal, punk, and hardcore with other musicians. Nowadays Porous writes/records music mostly on his own, but engages with the community by supporting/encouraging other artists, and one of those ways is through writing! In early 2025 he joined MoshPitNation to contribute album/show reviews, concert photography, and hopefully an infectious love for sincere heavy music. For more photography, visit his digital portfolio.
