Chairs on the lawn began to appear in front of the Showboat Stage around the noon hour – a full seven hours before The Accidentals would kick off the 2025 roster of Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts. By showtime, the venue was packed and ready for a great night of musical fun from a trio of Michigan ladies now based in Nashville.
The Accidentals were formed by a duo of multi-instrumentalists who met while playing together in the high school orchestra: Sav Buist played the violin and Katie Larson was a cellist. They met when they both volunteered to play at a music boosters concert.
It is the opinion of this writer, and a host of fans all over the country, that they represent the best thing to come out of Traverse City since the sweet black cherry. These days Katie and Sav swap out instruments (guitars and basses) and take lead vocals with the ease that I change socks. Detroit born Katelynn Corll fills out the trio behind her seat on the drums, but she knows how to handle a bass and a guitar if need be.
If you have never seen or heard this band play, you might be wondering just what the heck a set of drums is doing on the same stage as a violin and cello. One does not have to look far to see artists making the most of a violin by electrifying it and treating it like a guitar, but if you have never seen or heard Katie Larson fill in the bottom end with an electrified cello secured to her body, it is high time you did.
The Accidentals love what they do, and it shows. These ladies are professionals who know how to crank it up for a while and then let the audience recover with a sweet ballad or two.
One of my favorite perspectives of the Showboat concerts is to stand behind the stage in back of the drummer. Being a very amateur drummer myself, I love to watch the professionals. Not only does this vantage point allow me to hear the mix of music through the monitors aimed at the musicians, but it also gives me a good look at the crowd. It was fun to see people singing along with their favorite songs throughout the night. And sing they did.
The energy and enthusiasm The Accidentals toss off toward the audience was given back to them in spades. Claps, whistles, and whoops of excitement were a constant accompaniment to their musicianship.
One of the most powerful weapons this band wields is their constant effort to return the favor. Katie and Sav make it clear that had they not been exposed to The Moxie Strings, a traveling troop of ladies using orchestral instruments to play popular music, they might not have chosen their current career path. They have turned that inspiration moment in their school lives into an ongoing effort through their non-profit Play It Forward, Again and Again (a nod to one of their most popular songs, “Michigan and Again”).
In between their touring and recording, they always find time to encourage and collaborate with young musicians. You can read all about it on their website.
Speaking of “Michigan and Again,” when that song was played at the end of the night, the front of the stage was a sea of fans singing along. All in all, it was a great time for everyone who attended. The crowd demanded and received a wonderful encore.
In closing, I would like to share the highlight of the evening for me. The Showboat is used as a “Green Room” for visiting bands, and I happened to be allowed in during a time when the band was getting ready to take the stage. They were tucked back in the corner working on some harmony parts. For me the icing on the cake of a great night happened when Sav, Katie, and Katelynn worked on a song a Capella. What a treat to hear such heavenly harmonies.
Thanks for coming to Lowell, ladies.
This Thursday, you better get your chairs on the lawn early if you want to sit close to The Insiders: A Tribute to Tom Petty.
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