Article Contributed by Dan Ward
Published on 2026-08-13
Warner Vineyards | Paw Paw, Michigan | photos by Dan Ward
The magic of summer is in full swing. Hot days turn to warm nights, too hot to sleep but perfect for staying up and reveling under the stars. Tonight, in Paw Paw, Michigan, Warner Vineyards is presenting a show too good to miss: three excellent bands sure to please a broad spectrum of musical interests.
First up, local favorites Desmond Jones. Are they a funk band, a jazzy rock band, or maybe visitors from a distant galaxy? Who knows? But when they play, their fans know it will always be boisterously fun. The band has brought their “A” game tonight as they warm up for two very diverse bands: the unbounded mavens of bluegrass, Kitchen Dwellers, and the eclectic potentate of positivity, Andy Frasco & The U.N.
Desmond Jones appears on stage, and the music begins. The band gets right to the jamming with a jam session that sends shock waves through the trees. Sax man George Falk has come with both his tenor and the mighty bari sax tonight, and he thunders back at the rest of the band during jam sessions. Guitarist Chris Bota sings out mad vocals and trades tight riffs with fellow guitarist Isaac Berkowitz.
Desmond Jones always puts on a great show, and a lot of the enjoyment comes from the band interacting with their fans. They joke and interact with fans directly, adding to the fun factor. Drummer and lead singer John Nowak acts as spiritual guide, laying down the rhythm that keeps them all on track. Bassist Taylor Watson seems unaffected by the mayhem on stage as he calmly lays down super-funky lines.
The band has a short slot and gets to business quickly with “Taco Bell in the Rain,” “Smoke and Ashes,” and ends with a long version of fan favorite “Squids.” They have come to shake up the early crowd and have succeeded. The venue fills to their rocking blues, and the stage is set for a great night.
Kitchen Dwellers appear on stage in a twinkle and get right to the good stuff. Max Davies (guitar), Torrin Daniels (banjo/vocals), Joe Funk (bass), and Shawn Swain (mandolin) are known for tight harmonies and lightning-fast playing. They begin with “Drowning.” Max, Torrin, and Shawn play with such ferocity their hands don’t seem to move. They jam on and move to “Sundown” without a break.
A fan has a medical problem, which sends the band into an extended jam session to allow for medical assistance. The crack local EMTs have the patron stable and transported in a blink. Once it is clear the issue is not serious, the band cracks up the speed again. “Gypsy” feels as fresh and new as the first time I heard it. Torrin’s voice is like a knife cutting through the years; he still thrills each time I hear him.
The band fills an interesting place on tonight’s bill, bridging the jam-band style of Desmond Jones and the eclectic style of Andy Frasco. They are pure old-time musicians—no show, just pure musical magic. They play their instruments with absolute control, each note spot-on and where it should be. The vocals are so tight daylight can’t break through, and most importantly, they look like they are having fun.
“Windbitten” serves as the high point of tonight’s setlist, with every element that makes this band a must-see on display. Joe Funk has his bass so dialed in you don’t hear it, you feel it pulsing away underneath each strain like the heartbeat of some unseen giant. “Pendulum” is served up hot and tasty as each member contributes a solo.
This is the kind of music you can listen to all day; it never tires or grows stale. Torrin and his crew have been picking for almost an hour when they hit “Unwind,” and they look like they just stepped on stage. The music must work the same on the musicians, as they never show any sign of slowing down. The band returns to “Windbitten” to close their portion and give Andy a chance to wear down the enthusiastic crowd.
The U.N. enters like a football team thundering onto the stage to triumphal music. Andrew Cooney (guitar/vocals) and Mike Gantzer (guitar/vocals) enter waving to the crowd as Andee “Beats” Avila jogs in, waving his sticks. Floyd Kellogg (bass) and Sam Kelly (sax, keys, and vocals) enter more hurriedly as they get their gear ready to go. Andy Frasco, the burgeoning legend, enters like the rock star he is—except he isn’t. Andy is the everyman we seem to need in our lives, the unlikely hero. The crowd roars to life as those who know chant and yell, while those who are newcomers take a step back to watch the hoopla.
Andy is not a typical rock star. No false purity here; the ever-present bottle of Jameson and pack of cigarettes are on prominent display. He speaks to the fans like he just stepped away for a minute and now he is back to finish a conversation. He feels real. He acts in the present, the right now. At concerts, he can be seen cavorting with the fans and is never opposed to a photo. He feels close. Whatever is on his mind comes out of his mouth unfiltered and sincere. He is everybody’s crazy friend.
The band sends out some powerful Andy tunes packed with Frasco philosophy: “Try Not to Die,” “God at a Festival,” and a new one, “You Can Count on Me.” These land right on target like a giant truth bomb, leaving the audience pumped up, which is fortunate because the band is in the mood to party with “Let’s Dance.” Bowie gave us a big-city version with fine wine and caviar, while Frasco’s version is straight whiskey and corn chips. Unstoppable and undeniable, Andy doesn’t pose or postulate; this is real-life music for the masses.
During “Struggle,” Andy gets up and storms onto Sam’s keyboard, then takes up the sax. Finally, he grabs Floyd’s bass and starts jamming with the other band members. Humor and musicianship all in one wild ride. This is not a show for the timid. People on stage are unhinged, climbing on the piano and jumping off, running around and having a great time just being entertaining. And the music is the best.
Frasco’s forte is being unconventional while being totally approachable. He has no genre; he has them all. The band launches into their own version of “Teenage Dirtbag,” letting the guitars wail and getting the audience in on the act. Torrin comes out to help the celebration and fits right in with The U.N., taking solos and joking like he belongs.
“Life Is Easy” gets broken up with an interlude of “Blackbird” as the band shifts into another new one, “The Devil You Know.” Now it is time for another truth bomb and one of Andy’s best-written songs, “Ugly on You.” It hits hard because it’s the truth.
We all have troubles, and Andy has been dealing with one of life’s most unfair issues, the passing of a friend. He has bounced back. Instead of pushing the negative down, he lets it out and evokes the crowd to dance the Horah in his friend’s memory. We all join in. Here, then, is the cathartic nature of a Frasco show: he tells us it will be all right, and then he gets us on our feet and makes us shake the bad out and let the good in.
The city has a hard end time, which makes the last set tough. Play to 11, and there is no time for an encore. The U.N. opts to play it to the line and wrap up the night with “Love, Come Down” and “Dream.” The fans don’t mind; no need to waste a moment of their time with Andy. The end of a Frasco show never feels like an ending, but the time to start looking for the next opportunity to catch a show.
This has been one of the best Frasco sets ever, and it is just night one of a tour with Kitchen Dwellers. What an amazing idea, putting these two groups on the same ticket and including locals. Seems like just the thing both bands would like, and the outcome is absolutely wonderful. Get out to a show if you can find tickets.
