Ypsilanti-based band The Vagrant Symphony brings its psychedelic folk extravaganza to the Blind Pig Thursday.
Band members have come and gone since the group came together in 2003 at Eastern Michigan University, but core members Christopher "Chewy" Anderson, Joe O' Dell, Alexis King and Bennie Phinisee remain.
“We wanted to call it a traveling symphony or mobile symphony, then we came across ‘vagrant,’ which was like a random thesaurus find,” Anderson told the Eastern Echo recently.
The idea of The Vagrant Symphony is to stray away from the conventional notion that you need a bass player, singer, drummer, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar to have a successful band. The members of this group don't play the same instrument from song to song.
Besides Bob Dylan, The Vagrant Symphony takes inspiration from Motown music, Pink Floyd and The Doors.
B.S.R.B. (Booty Shakin' Rhythm Beats), which includes some of the same members as Vagrant Symphony, will also perform. Y.S.M. and Capricorn are also on the bill.
The Vagrant Symphony plays Thursday, Aug. 8 at the Blind Pig, 208 S. First St Tickets are $5-$8. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. Details at www.blindpigmusic.com or 734-996-8555.
