Concert in the Park: Drednot: ‘Unexpected acoustic rock’

By Samantha Meyer
Beacon Correspondent

For Drednot, an evening of acoustic music is about more than simply playing songs. The four-member band brings years of experience, unexpected acoustic arrangements and plenty of humor to its performances. 

Drednot will take the stage at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, as part of the Alger Parks and Recreation Concert in the Park series at Bayshore Park. The band features Jason Brisson, Kris Morrison, Rochell Olarte-Blixt and Tom Hoholik. Although Drednot has ties to the Munising area, Brisson is currently the band’s only member living in Munising. Morrison is also originally from Munising but now lives in Manistique. 

The members have plenty keeping them busy outside of music, making rehearsals difficult. Brisson said the group has continued to learn and perform new material despite the members’ full-time jobs and other commitments. 

“We’ve all got full-time jobs, so we don’t have to practice,” he said. “We’ve all been playing long enough where we really pick out songs, and then we show up and play them.”

While the band tries to add new songs to its setlist, Brisson said it can take some time to work new material into its performances. 

The band’s set includes familiar songs along with selections that audiences may not expect to hear in an acoustic setting. Brisson said the group enjoys the challenge of taking music typically associated with a louder, full-band sound and finding a way to make it work with acoustic guitars.

Brisson described the band’s sound as “unexpected acoustic rock.”

“It’s all music people recognize,” he said. “We’re a cover band, but we’ve all had backgrounds in rock bands, like full rock bands, you know, standing up playing loud. We play acoustic guitars now, but I guess it is best described as unexpected acoustic rock.”

The acoustic format provides its own challenges, with the band sometimes having to determine whether a song will work without the larger setup of a full rock band. 

“Usually you’re figuring out how to make it sound neat and make it sound like something people want to listen to. So that’s part of the challenge,” Brisson said. 

For Drednot, however, music is only part of the experience. Brisson said the band is also known for interacting with its audience and keeping the atmosphere light. 

“Half of our show is really just bantering with the audience or making fun of each other,” he said. “You know what I mean? It’s a really bad comedy act with some acoustic guitars in it.”