Locals laid their worries down Friday night as twinkling lights leaped across the curtain wall and folksy bands exposed deep life experiences through lyrics.

“We’re all in this same place together. If the ship goes down, we all do,” opening singer, Matt Miskie, said while introducing his song, “Tiny Little Spaceship,” which is about hydraulic fracturing.

Miskie just released a new acoustic album this year titled, “Rooms of Love.” His songs touched on the issues of politics and the turmoil they are leaving in areas like education and the environment. A lot of his inspiration also came from struggles his family experienced and the bonds that held them together through the years.

As Miskie swayed back and forth on stage with his grey ponytail bouncing, his shadows danced around the room. Slowly, bits and pieces of his life journey were uncovered through his brief backstories of each song. Like how he wrote “The Eight-Sixteen” about his experience waiting at the Elizabethtown train platform to go visit his son with cancer.

Hanover freelance artist, Macy K, wasted no time with introductions. As soon as her sound check was complete her edgy voice and electric guitar transported audience members to memories of past lovers. Macy K immersed herself in each song with her eyes closed tight and the old-fashioned microphone close to her lips. The majority of Macy K’s repertoire came from covers of bands whose style she imitated, like Daughter and their song “Candles.”

Humorous Megan Jean and the Klay Family Band (KFB) took the stage next.

“I would like to dedicate this set to fall…my favorite season because of leggings,” Megan Jean Klay opened up after promptly smashing a mosquito on her cymbal.

As she sat behind her full drum set, she looked like an eager child grinning from ear to ear. Since she is a busy body, she plays multiple instruments.

Jean and the KFB have evolved from a soloist and punk band member, to a banjo playing husband-wife duo. As the name suggest, Jean clearly steals the show. According to her husband, Byrne Klay, Megan Jean writes 90 percent of their songs. Byrne, however, wrote a ballad.

Recently the Klays created their own clothing line called Other Things Trading Co. The collection includes everything from T-shirts to pillows, all with Byrne’s own personal artwork. The couple is also in the works of creating their third album, which is estimated to be released next summer.

Their songs are so upbeat and catchy that it takes every muscle to keep from moving to the beat. Two women in the audience even got up out of their chairs and started dancing.

The evening closed with the band performing its most popular song “These Bones.” While the couple will be continuing their American road trip, they are scheduled to return to The Thought Lot for Banjo Fun Day in December.

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