By Olivia Olson

Contributing Reporter

Pontiac’s Crofoot Ballroom hosted a handful of local bands this Saturday, one of which was The Tom Butwin Band, comprised of OU student and singer/songwriter Tom Butwin, drummer David Dionise, and bassist John Garland. 

The theme of the night was rock, which inspired many instances of lead singers pandering to the drunk and disgruntled with warnings before the slower tunes and promises of “speeding it right back up again” afterward. 

Butwin, however, chose a different approach. 

Normally of the Dave Matthews school of acoustic alt-rock, Butwin showcased his musical versatility by covering bluesier tunes and by re-arranging his own compositions to fit more comfortably into the hard rock genre that seemed the general focus of the evening. 

While this can be a dangerous move for many young musicians and can often result in compromising the integrity of the original tune, Butwin’s songs seemed enhanced and empowered by their more electric arrangements. 

The stripped-down and rocked-out version of “I’ll Never Learn From Yesterday” was a particularly impressive improvement. The messier sounds of the electric guitar complemented the purity of Butwin’s vocals, giving it just enough imperfection to pass for rock and roll. 

The most satisfying moments of the performance occurred when the band delved into different genres with their covers. 

The undeniable crowd favorite was the band’s flawless version of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” which was performed with funk undertones that added variety to a mostly hard rock showcase. 

The guitar creatively showcased during their rendition of Otis Redding’s “Mr. Pitiful” hinted at the band’s ability to create The Black Keys-esque blues-based rock, which would be a welcome addition to any future release from the rock outlet. 

The show was another successful event in the Crofoot’s ongoing effort to give exposure to local bands and performers and to improve and encourage the teeming music scene in Metro Detroit.