Meet Luna Pier

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luna Pier. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Out of a completely randomized process, guitarist Dexter Kaufmann and drummer/pianist Alex Calderwood were placed as roommates in their freshman year at the University of Michigan. Quarantining from Covid-19 led to lots of jam sessions, allowing a musical partnership to form. 

Joey Shuster joined to fill out the band on bass guitar, and Marcus Hoh was added for his rhythm guitar and songwriting talents. All four musicians are multi-instrumentalists with a knack for songwriting as well. Their partnership allowed these talents to flourish in both recordings and live performances. The first of these live performances was at Michigan’s Artscapade festival, where Luna Pier headlined. Since then, Luna Pier has performed at the Blind Pig, Sanctuary Detroit, and many more shows and festivals. These venues allowed Luna Pier to embrace their affinity for punk-rock in a setlist that combines originals, with mosh-pit classics from bands like Nirvana, Devo, and MCR. 

Since their inception, Luna Pier’s catalogue of originals has grown, with their debut single “On Nails” being available now on all streaming platforms. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest obstacle we’ve faced was also the reason Luna Pier was formed. Before we decided on that name, we were in a band called Groupchat. When Groupchat was offered a spot in a university-wide festival, our (former) manager declined it without anyone else in the band’s input. When we learned of this, we pleaded for him to accept, but he still said no. Finally, the rest of the band decided to play the show anyway, with massive success. Despite gaining a new college fanbase, the manager fired the band, allowing Luna Pier to rise from Groupchat’s ashes. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Luna Pier is the loudest band from Ann Arbor since the Stooges. We specialize in putting on the rowdiest, most unique live show possible. Each show, our goal is to display the vast musical talents of each member. Our upbeat punk songs allow Alex to display his drumming talents, along with his powerful vocals. Our original song “Jewish Cowboy” allows Dexter to show his harmonica skills and country guitar chops. This eclectic combination of genres allows Luna Pier to stand out, and leave a lasting impression on any audience member. 

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
The most important part of our musical journey is growing an organic fanbase through our live performances. We’re eternally grateful for our fan club of “Luna Pier Lunatics”, who have supported us whether we were performing in our friend’s basement or the Blind Pig. Going viral on social media would be great, but writing fun songs for our fans to dance (or mosh) to has always mattered more. 

We also owe a lot to the musical foundation that is already in place. Ann Arbor has an amazing music history, but most of the current bands fall in the pop/funk scene. Our music intends to fill in the gaps of every other genre, like punk, country, surf-rock, and everything in between. 

Contact Info:

• Website: http://shallot-chameleon-ybx3.squarespace.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunapiermusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100074951937359
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCLxNN-sPk-6z7pWWW1INJQ
• SoundCloud: https://open.spotify.com/track/14cmEok09UJwm1vogzI35x?si=a9d0f9fc7bdf439e&nd=1
• Other: https://www.michigandaily.com/music/luna-pier-bring-exciting-indie-punk-to-ann-arbor/

Image Credits
Ikeya Kosuke
Zoe Turner
Evan Deng
Lila Turner