The Mother Hipswith Mike Miz
Thu, 8 Oct, 7:30 PM CDT
Doors open
6:00 PM CDT
3rd and Lindsley
818 3rd Ave. S, Nashville, TN 37210
Description
Hope. Warmth. Companionship. Few things in this world can conjure up such sensations quite like the sight of a glowing lantern in a darkened window.
“The glowing lantern is a universal symbol for sanctuary,” says Mother Hips co-founder Tim Bluhm. “That’s what we wanted this album to be: a warm safe place to get in out of the dark cold night.”
Written and recorded through the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, Glowing Lantern is indeed a work of great comfort, even as it grapples with the profound anxiety of these troubling and uncertain times. The songs here are weighty, abstract ruminations wrapped in unflagging optimism, bittersweet streams of consciousness delivered with a jaunty confidence in better days to come. Bluhm and fellow co-founder Greg Loiacono produced the album themselves, and the juxtaposition of darkness and light in their stark lyrics and buoyant arrangements reflect a tension familiar to anyone who’s ever struggled to find their footing or make sense of the inexplicable. At the heart of it all, though, is a distinct sense of camaraderie, a feeling of closeness and brotherhood that the band has ironically only come to rediscover as a result of the past year of isolation and lockdowns. Glowing Lantern is as collaborative a record as The Mother Hips have ever made, and it’s impossible not to feel the joy, gratitude, and friendship radiating out of it like a beacon in the night.
Founded nearly 30 years ago while Bluhm and Loiacono were still just students at Chico State, The Mother Hips caught their first big break before they’d even graduated from college, when legendary producer and industry icon Rick Rubin signed the band to his American Recordings label. In the decades to come, the group would go on to release ten critically acclaimed studio albums and cement themselves as architects of a new breed of California rock and soul, one equally informed by the breezy harmonies of the Beach Boys, the funky roots of The Band, and the psychedelic Americana of Buffalo Springfield. Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as “one of the Bay Area’s most beloved live outfits,” the group’s headline and festival performances became the stuff of legend and helped earn them dates with everyone from Johnny Cash and Wilco to Lucinda Williams and The Black Crowes. Rolling Stone called the band “divinely inspired,” while Pitchfork praised their “rootsy mix of 70’s rock and power pop," and The New Yorker lauded their ability to “sing it sweet and play it dirty.”
Event Information
Age Limit
All Ages
Alternative Rock
The Mother Hips
The Mother Hips
Alternative Rock
San Francisco, CA: The Mother Hips are back with a new album, When We Disappear, a compelling new studio album set for release January 27, 2023 on Blue Rose. Based in Northern California, the Hips headed to New Mexico, spending time at Ghost Ranch before settling in at Jono Manson's Kitchen Sink studio in Sante Fe in late 2021 for the sessions. Self-produced, When We Disappear features nine new tracks co-written by co-founders Tim Bluhm and Greg Loiacono — a collection of lit-psych rock songs Inspired by psychology and literature — as well as a raw, garagey cover of Buffy St. Marie’s 1964 addiction song “Codine.”
Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as “one of the Bay Area’s most beloved live outfits,” The Mother Hips' headline and festival performances have became the stuff of legend, finding them sharing stages with everyone from Johnny Cash and Wilco to Lucinda Williams and The Black Crowes. Rolling Stone called the band “divinely inspired,” while Pitchfork praised their “rootsy mix of 70’s rock and power pop,” and The New Yorker lauded their ability to “sing it sweet and play it dirty.”
Americana
Mike Miz
Mike Miz
Americana
Michael Mizwinski, known better as Mike Miz, is a songwriter and guitarist from the Wyoming Valley of Northeast Pennsylvania. Raised in a family steeped in music and art, Mike was immersed in creative influence from a young age. His father, a guitarist and music major, taught him his first chords at the age of 7, while his mother introduced him to a wide range of artists—from Doc Watson to Bonnie Raitt. Early concert experiences with the Allman Brothers and the seeing Grateful Dead in 92 & 95 as a child, left a lasting mark on his musical direction.
By 15, Mike was performing in local bars and festivals with his first band, the Appalachian Barnhouse Band, penning early originals like “Canyon Echoes Glow” and “Pinegrove Stomp,” which remain in rotation to this day. His guitar chops and stage presence quickly gained regional attention. After playing an opening set for Gongzilla—an offshoot of the cult European fusion band Gong—he was asked to join the group. He made his debut as a member during a NAMM jam at the iconic Troubadour in Los Angeles, performing alongside members of The Mothers of Invention, Umphrey’s McGee, and moe.
In 2010, Mike launched his own project, MiZ, fusing Americana, rock ‘n’ roll, jam band energy, and vintage songwriting. The band’s debut album, East Hope Avenue, produced by Bret Alexander (The Badlees), featured guest appearances by Buddy Cage (New Riders of the Purple Sage / Bob Dylan) and Jon Graboff (The Cardinals). After receiving a pre-release copy of the album, Garth Hudson of The Band joined MiZ onstage for their release show. Two songs from the record were later featured in the FX series Sons of Anarchy.
Over the years, Mike has shared the stage with a wide range of artists, opening for Jason Isbell, Derek Trucks, Jakob Dylan, Lukas Nelson, Shawn Colvin, Chris Isaak, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Blues Traveler, America, Southside Johnny, Peter Wolf, Paul Cauthen, and many more. These opportunities have helped shape his sound and strengthen his roots as both a performer and a songwriter.
After relocating to Nashville in 2019 to deepen his focus on songwriting, Mike quickly earned the respect of the city’s music community. His playing, writing, and work ethic led to collaborations with artists such as Andrew Farriss (INXS), Billy Ray Cyrus, Paul McDonald, Tania Elizabeth (The Avett Brothers), and a new project with Grammy-winner Forrest O’Connor. He has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and recorded in some of Nashville’s most revered studios, including Blackbird and Zac Brown’s Southern Ground.
Mike's first Nashville release - the single “Virginia” was featured in Rolling Stone and described as “a monster of a jam rocker.”
In April 2023, he released Only Human, his first Nashville album under Blackbird Record Label, followed by Maybe Moonlight in December 2024. Both records received praise from outlets like Relix, Paste, and The Bluegrass Connection.
Known for his soulful, high-energy performances and heartfelt songwriting, Mike continues to tour extensively—averaging over 200 shows a year—and released "Sometimes by Surprise" his newest album in September of 2025.