Hot Mulligan grew out of Michigan's DIY spaces, blending Midwest emo sparkle with pop-punk punch.

Michigan roots, internet humor

They sharpened that sound across Pilot, You'll Be Fine, and Why Would I Watch, trading jokes in titles for honest, cut-to-the-bone lyrics. There has been no big lineup shakeup or hiatus, just a band that keeps getting tighter and louder.

What likely lands in the set

Expect Equip Sunglasses, Shhhh! Golf Is On, and Feal Like Crab to land early, with I Fell In Love With Princess Peach or Featuring Mark Hoppus popping up for a mass shout. Up front you get kids shoulder to shoulder, while mid-floor holds folks in faded band tees who want the hooks without the push, and the back runs on nods and head-bobs. They switched from No Sleep to Wax Bodega before Why Would I Watch, and their Michelle Branch cover All You Wanted still gets requested by the lifers. Heads up: the set picks and production notes here are educated reads from recent runs, not confirmed details. Under the jokes, the themes are blunt, and that contrast is exactly why a whole room will yell the verses, not just the choruses.

The Hot Mulligan Scene, Up Close

DIY threads, shared jokes

Expect lots of patched denim, skate shoes, soft beanies, and thrifted sports tees, with a few bright hair dyes near the rail. Fans swap favorite lines before the show and sometimes scribble lyrics on their arms as a low-stakes pact to sing them later. Pits tend to open on the biggest choruses, but people post up on the edges to watch and step in only when it feels right. Between songs, someone always yells a title fragment like Shhhh as a wink, and the band usually smiles and tees up the next tune.

Catharsis without the posture

Merch wise, long-sleeves with joke-length titles and clean logo tees go first, with beanies popular in colder months. Older fans hang by the bar and trade stories about when Pilot hit them, while newer fans chase the rush from Why Would I Watch. After the last chord, small groups linger to finish the chorus one more time on the way out, like a pressure valve finally open. It is a community that uses humor to soften the blow, but everyone knows the feelings are the main event.

How Hot Mulligan Sounds Live, Up Close

Hooks built for a room

Tades leans into a tuneful yell that still carries melody, with a bit of grit on the mic so the edges cut through the guitars. Guitars trade chiming leads and tight downstrokes, with one voice often tracing a simple high melody while the other drives the chords. Verses stay clipped and quick so the choruses can blow open, and the band uses short dropouts to make the hits feel bigger. Drums throw quick fills into hooks and keep the snare cracking, while the bass glues the bounce so crowds can jump in time.

Small choices, big impact

Live they sometimes tune a half-step down, keeping the vocals in a strong belt range and adding warmth to the guitars. They often stretch the bridge of Equip Sunglasses so the room can roar a line before the final crash. Color-block lighting and brief strobes follow the downbeats, but the focus stays on the playing, not the rig. Without heavy click tracks, tempos nudge forward in the choruses, and that human push sells the emotion.

If You Like This, You Get Hot Mulligan

Overlapping hearts-on-sleeve bands

Fans of Mom Jeans will recognize the bittersweet lyrics and big, shout-ready choruses, though Hot Mulligan hits a touch harder. Origami Angel connects on nimble guitar runs and playfully titled songs that hide real feelings, a lane Hot Mulligan also drives. Free Throw brings the same basement-born honesty and late-night confession vibe, which overlaps in both sound and crowd energy. The Wonder Years is a natural neighbor if you lean pop-punk but want story detail, as both acts turn diary pages into stage-wide singalongs.

Where sounds align and diverge

For a punchier pit and crisp, modern production, Knuckle Puck sits nearby, sharing the sprint tempos and palm-muted verses. Taken together, these artists speak to the same scene that values heart-on-sleeve words, quick turns from quiet to loud, and a live room that sings the bridge as loud as the hook. If those ingredients land for you, Hot Mulligan is likely already on your playlist.