Mitch Ryder Makes My Summer

Blog # 7
July 28, 2008

Mitch Ryder Makes My Summer,
One That's Slipping By Too Quickly

Okay, it’s true. I couldn’t think of a clever name for this blog entry. Meanwhile, the summertime is sneaking past me far too quickly. And it’s hard to stay focused on summer when August is the month when the back-to-school and Christmas seasons begin in earnest for the store. Buyers come in; we stock up; the summer seems to fade. So much for long vacations, wished-for meetings with friends, joining people at the local watering hole or concert venue, and having a perfect garden. I’ll settle for less because I don’t have a whole lot of time to contemplate what I’m missing.

But hey, there are still more than a few weeks of summer to go: if you count the first three weeks of September (and I do) it’s nearly two months to go. So let’s get to the heart of the matter: I’ve already had a great music experience this summer, and I want to savor it: I was lucky, I got to hear Mitch Ryder.

Now understand that I was one of the teenyboppers that his music was aimed at. That said, even though I’m a fan, I didn’t want to act like one. I have had cases of pre-concert buildup followed by a lower level of post-concert satisfaction too many times in recent years. However, Mitch Ryder gave a great show on Thursday night. Every element was there: the turbocharged rhythm section, great guitar work, the wildly exciting energy that they put out into the crowd and then, of course, Ryder’s voice, which sounded brand new.

Let me just put in my standard plug for Detroit here: I think Detroit is arguably the most important location for both R&B and rock, and in the sixties, the distinction between those two was really slim. Using the frantic voice of R&B and Gospel over a flawless band, Mitch Ryder has always been the poster child for the perfect blend of rock and soul music. And that’s only one part of what Detroit contributes to the history of American music, but that blend was alive and well and dancing through the crowd on Thursday night.


So I’m grateful that while summer is coming apart, I got time transported to my younger days, which is worth a lot. If I am not mistaken, there were lots of us there that perfect summer evening, and three cheers for that opportunity!