Tally Hall, the Ann Arbor band with a devoted cult following, reunited for its first full-band performance in 15 years last Thursday night, Oct. 22, at the Blind Pig — and the response was so overwhelming that the group has now announced a six-date spring reunion tour that brings it back home to the Michigan Theater.
The secret Blind Pig show sold out in under three minutes, with all 400 tickets gone almost instantly, according to mlive.com. It marked the band’s first show since going on indefinite hiatus in 2011, following its 2002 formation in Ann Arbor. Fans didn’t just come from around the corner, either — mlive.com reports attendees traveled from Europe, Tokyo, and across the U.S. and Canada for the roughly hour-long set, which kicked off just before 9 p.m.
A Setlist Built for the Faithful
The band opened with “Good Day” and “Greener,” both pulled from its 2005 album “Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum,” per the same mlive.com account. The lineup featured Rob Cantor alongside bandmates Ross Federman, Andrew Horowitz and Zubin Sedghi, with longtime collaborators Bora Karaca and Casey Shea rounding out the stage — Shea stepping in for former member Joe Hawley.
The night’s biggest surprise came at the very end. According to Detroit Metro Times, the set closed with the live debut of “Mucka Blucka,” a moment the outlet notes capped off a show where the four core members were joined by Shea and Karaca on stage. Detroit Metro Times also reported that the crowd skewed across generations, with younger fans getting their first-ever chance to see Tally Hall perform live.
Tears, Hugs and a Hashtag Years in the Making
The emotional stakes were evident in the room. Detroit Metro Times described fans crying and hugging friends throughout the night, with one local fan characterizing the gathering as fans from all over, and of all ages, coming together. That sentiment echoed years of online campaigning — mlive.com notes fans had long used #rallyhall on social media to push for exactly this kind of reunion…