The Sanctuary in Hamtramck, Michigan used to be one of my favorite venues to see a live show at in the Metro Detroit area. They’ve recently shut down their location and moved to a larger space in Detroit that used to be a church. Since music is basically my religion and ska punk is my gospel, it was fitting the first show I saw in the newly renovated main event area at the new Sanctuary was Big D and the Kids Table.
Hailing from Boston, these ska punk vets have been putting out quality music since 1996.
This year, as the band turned 30, they also released their best album to date, The Good Ole American Saturday Night. To promote and support the record, Big D stopped in Detroit on Tuesday, October 20th. In what could only be described as a Good Ole American Tuesday Night, Big D and the Kids Table spoiled the crowd with a special two-plus-hour set spanning 35 songs across their entire discography.
This wasn’t a normal occurrence with their set. Detroit got it for a bummer of a reason. The tour’s opener, Devon Kay and the Solutions, blew a tire in their van making it impossible to make it to the venue in time for the show. In a classic case of “The show must on,” Big D took it upon themselves to give the fans an extra-special night.
The band was firing on all cylinders out the gate with five songs from the new album.
It’s a pretty bold choice to front-load a set like this. Since the crowd might not be familiar with the new songs, waiting until the sixth song to insert the hits could be risky. Big D And The Kids Table has every right to be confident. Their latest album is that good, and the new songs translated wonderfully live. From the danceable groove of “Allston Storm” to the more hardcore punk feel of “Slop,” David McWane and crew had the audience engaged from the word go. After the opening block of newness, we only got one additional new song.
The rest of the set was a journey through the Big D And The Kids Table discography.
Aside from the planned setlist, the band also played five requests from the crowd. Most of the requests came from Strictly Rude, making that album the most played of the evening. Additional highlights include the dub reggae melodica usage (with assistance from the metal show next door) on “Strictly Rude.” McWane even ended the main part of the set with a tribute to Lou Koller, who recently lost his battle with cancer. I didn’t even consider hearing the possibility of hearing a Sick of it All cover that night. It was a fitting and touching tribute from a band with a lead singer who is in remission to a band and scene who just lost an icon to cancer.
I left the show exhausted, filled with joy, and completely satisfied.
I’m sure there were some folks in the crowd who were bummed out to miss Devon Kay (thankfully, I’ve seen them twice this year). In my opinion, Big D And The Kids Table did everything they could to make sure everyone had fun. The set didn’t feel like two hours. It flew by because the energy, vibes, band, and crowd were just completely in sync.
The band took it upon themselves to put on a hell of a show and they delivered in spades. They left it all out on that stage. Even a minor audiovisual issue couldn’t derail the train. It was a magical night that I’ll remember forever. At the end of the set, the band mentioned they would be more touring in the future. I’ve always thought Big D put on a good show before Tuesday night. After, I’m willing to label them as an essential, don’t-miss band in the ska punk scene.
Enjoy this Spotify Playlist of the setlist, including the five requests.
All photography by Dane Jackson.
