On May 9, 2025 I headed out to Novato, California to the Hopmonk Novato. KC Turner hosted a show by Michael Glabicki and Dirk Miller of Rusted Root, with the supporting act being Stroke 9. This was an awesome show and a great time was had.
Stroke 9 was up first, and they are a band with roots in Marin County. Tonight, they performed as a stripped-down three-piece acoustic group, yet they rocked the stage nonetheless. They kicked off their set with “Tail of the Sun”, handling the performance as if they had always played acoustically. The crowd swayed along to “Frisco Bay”, and the energy was infectious.
Next, they played “Letters”, “9 am”, and “Stumbling In”, captivating everyone in attendance. When they launched into “Little Black Backpack”, they truly amazed the crowd with its powerful lyrics. Following that, they introduced a new song titled “One Day at a Time”. Although the band seemed a bit nervous about this track, the audience’s enthusiasm turned it into a hit as they powered through the performance.
As the set continued, they played “Lake” and “Do It Again”, creating an incredible atmosphere where both the band and the crowd were having a great time. The song “Washin’ and Wonderin'” was up next, and they delivered an outstanding rendition. It really rocked the set as they built up to the finale.
For their final song, they performed a cover of MNMT‘s “Time to Pretend”, and they did an excellent job. This acoustic set was so impressive that it’s hard to believe it wasn’t their regular style. I can’t wait for them to return and play a full set at the Outside Venue!
Follow Stroke 9 band members on social media
Luke Esterkyn – guitar/vocals
Greg Gueldner – percussions
John McDermott – guitar/vocals
Setlist
1). Tails of the Sun
2). Frisco Bay
3). Letters
4). 9 AM
5). Stumbling In
6). Little Black Backpack
7). One Day at a Time (new song)
8). Lake
9). Do It Again
10). Washin’ + Wonderin’
11). Time to Pretend (MGMT cover)
Michael Glabicki and Dirk Miller of Rusted Root were up next, and they did not disappoint. These talented musicians are also wonderful people. They kicked off their set with “Hands Are Law”, which immediately captivated the audience. Following that, they performed “Food & Creative Love”, a song that had the power to lift anyone’s spirits. Though the crowd was already energized, this song added an extra boost.
Next up was “Rain”, which was performed flawlessly and flowed beautifully. When they launched into “VooDoo”, the crowd was right there with them, fully engaged and having a great time. It was invigorating to see the audience so excited, and the band had just begun.
They then played “Heartache” and “Man Not a Machine”, both written by Michael Glabicki, and the crowd thoroughly enjoyed these well-interpreted songs. After that, they covered “Cinnamon Girl” by Neil Young, and their rendition was outstanding—Neil would have been proud of their performance, which was rich in substance and tone.
Following “Cinnamon Girl”, they played “Heaven”, a beautiful song that resonated with the crowd, evident from the stunning round of applause at the end. Michael introduced “Scattered” by mentioning his aversion to cloning, but playfully suggested that if it were possible, we should clone KC and place one in every city for good music.
The next song was “Martyr”, which was an instant hit with the crowd. This enthusiasm carried over into “Beautiful People”, a soft yet dramatic song that quieted the audience momentarily before lifting their spirits once more.
Then came “Send Me on My Way”, and if the crowd was engaged during the previous songs, they were absolutely electrified during this one. From the very first lyric to the last, everyone was rocking out. The performance even featured Dirk showcasing his skills on the penny whistle, which was a delightful addition.
Finally, they wrapped up the set with “Ecstasy”. Before starting this last song, they mentioned that they would be available afterward for autographs or pictures, since they didn’t have any merchandise with them. What great guys! They also announced that they have a new album coming out soon, and I definitely plan to pick it up.
Follow Michael Glabicki and Dirk Miller on social media
Michael Glabicki – guitar / vocals
Dirk Miller – guitar / pennywhistle / backing vocals
Setlist
1). Hands Are Law (Rusted Root cover)
2). Food & Creative Love (Rusted Root cover)
3). Rain (Rusted Root cover)
4). VooDoo (Rusted Root cover)
5). Heartache (Michael Glabicki cover)
6). Man Not a Machine (Michael Glabicki cover)
7). Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young cover)
8). Heaven (Rusted Root cover)
9). Scattered (Rusted Root cover)
10). Martyr (Rusted Root cover)
11). Beautiful People
Encore
12). Send Me On My Way (Rusted Root cover)
13). Ecstasy (Rusted Root cover)
Follow Stroke 9 on social media
Follow Michael Glabicki and Dirk Miller on social media