Dora Levite | March 27, 2026 There's a misconception that a Tiny Desk performance needs to be quiet, stripped back and acoustic. When thinking about how Militarie Gun could pack its explosive-yet-melodic rock anthems into our cramped space, we asked the band to lean into the loud. As a result, lead singer Ian Shelton vibrates in this space, his energy filling it out as gang vocals surround him.
Originally a solo project for Shelton, who also fronts Regional Justice Center, Militarie Gun's hooky and punky songs brim with empathetic, vulnerable and often self-effacing lyrics. As he mentions at the Desk, most of his music explores growing up around addiction and what recovery could look like alongside those you love. Tracks like "Don't Pick Up the Phone" and "Thought You Were Waving" evoke that sentiment. But there's a playfulness here, too: Keep an ear out during "Throw Me Away," which features a totally unexpected Third Eye Blind interpolation.
SET LIST "B A D I D E A" "God Owes Me Money" "Throw Me Away" "Don't Pick Up the Phone" "Thought You Were Waving" "Do It Faster"
MUSICIANS Ian Shelton: vocals Will Acuña: guitar, background vocals Kevin Kiley: guitar, background vocals Waylon Trim: bass, background vocals David Stalsworth: drums Joey Mullins: conga, bongos, percussion Sean Harvey: keys, background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM Producer: Dora Levite Director/Editor: Maia Stern Audio Director/Mix: Josh Newell Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai Production Assistant: Dhanika Pineda Photographer: Alanté Serene Tiny Desk Team: Ashley Pointer, Felix Contreras Series Editor: Lars Gotrich Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Executive Director: Sonali Mehta Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
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