Spruce Peak UNPLUGGED: Deer Tick

Join us for an evening with Deer Tick, the acclaimed indie rock band known for their raw, heartfelt performances and genre-blending sound, celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their first record. Expect an electrifying night filled with hits and fan favorites.

Enjoy a short acoustic set before the show from Vermont folk-singer, Troy Millette, of Troy Millette and the Fire Below. 

What’s in a song? A dash of creativity, a few fresh rhymes, and a full serving of heart are the recipe for success according to singer/songwriter Troy Millette, who alongside his band the Fire Below has gained recognition as one of the region’s most engaging live acts. Since emerging on the local circuit in 2009, Millette’s emotive and relatable lyrics have made him a staple of dives, clubs, and festivals across the northeast United States and Quebec. In March 2022 he was invited to showcase his talents at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. That same year, the Fire Below received the title of Vermont’s “Best Folk Group” at the Seven Daysies Awards.

Founded by McCauley in 2004, with the lineup solidified in 2009, Deer Tick partly attribute their unfaltering chemistry to a shared sense of humor. To that end, the album takes its title from an inside joke regarding potential aliases for the band. “We were saying that if we had to play a secret show under a fake name, we could be The Hitmen and dress in pinstripe suits like Prohibition-era gangsters. Then we decided, ‘Let’s just release an album as The Hitmen—we’ll call it Emotional Contracts, like contract-killing on an emotional level,” says McCauley. “But the title connects here with each song somehow–every song is about a deal you’ve made with yourself at some level.” But as a phenomenally rowdy live act who once averaged 250 shows a year, Deer Tick mainly credit their deep-rooted connection to a mutual love for the unpredictability of the musical impulse. “I feel very lucky that we all ran into each other at some point pretty early on in our lives,” says McCauley. “From the start, I just wanted to find other musicians that would somehow all stick together, which definitely isn’t easy. But we all have a real fascination with music, and that desire to never limit ourselves or repeat ourselves is something that we all very much
continue to share.”

*Special Offering: Spruce Peak Arts Members VIP Box
As a token of our appreciation, Spruce Peak Arts members can purchase tickets in the exclusive VIP Box and have an intimate viewing experience with complimentary drinks offered during the show. To reserve your tickets, please contact Development Manager Kush Sharma at ksharma@sprucepeakarts.org today!