Saturday concert brings alumni back to Mount Pleasant to perform

Ann Arbor-based Great Lakes Myth Society will make a homecoming to Central Michigan University this Saturday.

The folk-rock band is composed of former CMU students; singer-guitarists Timothy and James Monger, and CMU alumnus and bassist J. Scott McClintock. The band will be featured along with Mason Proper, Javelins, Frontier Focus and headliners The Hard Lessons.

The group was formed from the ashes of The Original Brothers and Sisters of Love in January 2004. Other members include Gregory McIntosh on guitar and vocals and Fido Kennington on drums and vocals.

“I started playing shows in Mount Pleasant before I even graduated high school,” Tim Monger said. “I would come and play coffee shop shows at places like The University Cup.”

The band’s debut record was released by the Stop, Pop, and Roll label in 2005. They signed to Ann Arbor-based Quack!Media in 2007 and recorded their second album Compass Rose Bouquet.

The brothers find performing in Mount Pleasant a bit of a homecoming. Before the birth of Great Lakes Myth Society, the Mongers and McClintock both spent time studying at CMU.

“Scott is the only one of us who actually graduated from Central, but we have all spent a lot of time in Mount Pleasant,” said Tim Monger. “My brother was at Central for three years, he was the reason I came for freshman year.”

As a band from Michigan, Great Lakes Myth Society brings a Midwest vibe to their music. They write songs and “myths” about Michigan as well as other contemporary work.

“Each band has a specific vibe, I think, connecting them to where they are from,” said Monger. “I feel our songs on a whole connect with the Michigan scene,”

He said the university has played a role in the development of the Great Lakes Myth Society sound.

“I wrote a lot of songs at Central,” said Tim Monger. “And spent a lot of time in the dorms just writing music.”

The historic downtown atmosphere of Mount Pleasant gives a level of excitement to the former student.

“I’m excited to play at the Broadway because I used to see movies there,” said Tim Monger. “It will be fun to be able to go hang out at The Bird afterwards.”

Typically, the end of a tour brings Great Lakes Myth Society back to Mount Pleasant.

“We try to make it up here once or twice a year,” said Tim Monger.

The performance takes place Jan. 24, at the Broadway Theatre, 216 E. Broadway St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

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