Hot Mulligan | Pontiac, MI
For one night, eleven legendary bands and artists came together at the Crofoot in Pontiac, Michigan for the Ho-Ho-Hot Mulligan show. Traveling from all over the country, 1,100 fans sold out the venue, packing the room for every set. The bands were separated into two stages - Bouquet, Kayak Jones (their final show), Heart Attack Man, Free Throw, Guardin, and Hot Mulligan in the Ballroom; while Forest Green, Worry Club, Extra Large Holiday Card, Sydney Sprague, and Super American filled the Pike Room upstairs. Every band delivered for their final show of the year, creating one memorable night for all fans to remember.
Free Throw got the crowd going wild with old, but strong hits of the past, including “Randy, I Am the Liquor” and “Tongue Tied”. Crowd surfers kept security busy during their set, especially during the band’s last song “Two Beers In”. Though the famed emo band’s set was short, there was no doubt that they had one of the best sets of the night. Not only was the crowd singing every song of the set, but the energy of the band themselves had everyone wanting more.
Next up in the Ballroom was Guardin, who appeared on stage around 9:30 PM. Introducing a different vibe, the crowd was still jumping to the beat, with Guardin supplying the energy as he ran around the stage getting everyone pumped up. Towards the end of the set, he brought out his ukulele to slow it down a bit. Final song “i think you're really cool” had everyone swaying to the beat, letting Guardin’s vocals fill the venue and create a peaceful atmosphere before what was to come.
When Hot Mulligan walked on stage, the crowd erupted into screams and yells, moreso when the beginning of “How Do You Know It’s Not Armadillo Shells?” started to play. The 18 song set allowed no breaks, with hit after hit filling the audiences’ ears. Just as it was with Free Throw, security was yet again overwhelmed as crowd surfer after crowd surfer filled the pit and stage. Mentioning how the night was like no other, Hot Mulligan performed their hearts out, never letting up once. Ending the night with “I Fell In Love With Princess Peach,” tears were shed and smiles were seen everywhere. For their last show of 2023, Hot Mulligan brought together some fantastic bands and artists to deliver a remarkable night.
