A better-late-than-never reflection from Blowout intern Bill

Intern Bill is back and still can't get over the set at the New Dodge Friday night. Here's what he had to say:

It started out like just another Friday night at Blowout. We got a chuckle about how a bunch of fools skipped on their gig the night before due to their bad attitude; we ran, harder than Thursday night because the end was only a day away; we looked once again for one of those magic Hamtramck Blowout moments that always seem elusive until you find it, and then you’ve got a great memory until next year.

But this year, it seems, the stars aligned and the universe opened up to provide a very few fortunate souls an opportunity to witness musical greatness on an epic scale. How else could you describe seeing the Hard Lessons at the New Dodge bar on a Friday night in March of 2010? It was the stuff Blowout legends are made of. In a house so packed, the fire marshall blocked the doors, forcing those unlucky enough to be turned away to watch from the street. The Sights already had the place hopping, having thrown down a stellar set of their own, but from the moment they took the stage, the Hard Lessons owned that joint.

 As if Augie’s singing and incredible talent with a guitar wasn’t enough, toss in Koko’s beautiful, powerful, voice and Ryan’s skill on the drums, you ended up with an epic set that blew everyone away. We all knew we were seeing something special: Augie climbing up to the balcony and leading the crowd chant to "Alright!" -- and then diving into the crowd and surfing back to the stage; bar owner Cathie Gordon sending a note up telling them to keep playing late because she’s a member of Hamtramck City Council (to the thunderous approval of the crowd); the final move, covering Neil Young’s "My My, Hey, Hey," culminating in a prolonged, boisterous ovation that followed them right out of the room.

This is a nationally renowned group of professional musicians that have such deep love and respect for their Michigan roots that they came home, put on a show like that, then thanked all the bands on the bill and thanked us. Trust us, guys, we’re the ones who should be thanking you for reminding us what class, greatness -- and Blowout -- are all about.

Thank you, for giving us a Blowout memory we’ll be talking about for years.

I can’t stop smiling…

What I Learned from Blowout 2010

In terms of a final (and late) report, I thought I'd share what I learned at Blowout this year:

From Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr I learned that great musicians in Detroit can turn the cover song into an art form all its own.

I also learned from Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr that the sound at the Magic Stick can actually be fantastic as long as the band isn't trying to blow out the speakers.

I learned from the Pre-Party at the Majestic Complex that after the first couple of beers you stop really listening to the music in order to catch up with the people you haven't seen since Cityfest. (Consequently, this is also how you spend the first day of Cityfest--catching up with the people you haven't seen since Blowout).

I learned from Michael Seger & Everybody's Favorite Band that 89X-sounding rock from a MySpace profile can severely lower your expectations and thereby allow a band to surpise you with their actual talent.

I learned from Macrame Tiger that a set where every freakin' song sounds different can seem unbearable while midway through a night of watching 7 bands, yet there's something about that band that's going to make me go out to see them a lot this year.

I learned that FAWN deserves the hype they've been getting, and that Paychecks is actually one of the best places to see a band in the area.

I learned that the drum riser at Jean's was actually a pool table.

I also learned that Jean's is too far to walk to see 15 minutes of a set unless there's a nearby venue added next year. Isn't there a P.L.A.V. nearby where Devin Scillian played a couple of years ago?

I learned that Citizen Smile still requires some polish before filling The Singles' Beatles' boots, but they're young and having fun and are well on their way.

I remembered that when it's not filled over capacity with 100 people, Whiskey in the Jar is one of the best bars in the area to hang out.

I learned that the drummer and bassist from the Hadituptoheres are consistently the sweatiest performers in Detroit.

I learned that when playing Quiz Show at the Belmont, if there's a question about the Beatles, the answer is always George Harrison.

I learned from the Juliets that Detroit is just as likely to breed amazing chamber pop bands as Portland or Glasgow.

I also learned from the Juliets that Office's Scott Masson is an excellent drummer, and that the cello should be utilized more often by Detroit bands.

I learned from Lettercamp that you can still be blown away by a performance even though you can't see the performers because they're being hidden behind Japanese screens.

I learned that the Ferdy Mayne might be my favorite local band in 2010.

I learned that although Atlas Bar has come a long way in terms of sound equipment, it still isn't the kind of place where a band of the Satin Peaches popularity should be headlining a show: too loud, too full, too self-defeating of a stage location to get a good sound.

I also learned that the Satin Peaches are so great that you can enjoy them even in a over-packed, overly saturated Atlas Bar at the end of a long, long night.

On Saturday, I learned that tweeting for the Metro Times (@mtblowout) during Blowout is a lot easier than dragging myself out of bed (and a hangover) to write blog posts about the previous night where I have to put together nouns and verbs and adjectives and stuff. I don't know how you other writers did it.

I learned that my suspicions about the Cold Wave were correct: bona fide jamburgers. I also learned how great A.J. Sherman's voice is.

I learned that while Lightning Love may not be Detroit's most popular band (that's Kid Rock, of course), their fans know and adore their music and lyrics as well and as much as any Bon Jovi or Bruce Springsteen fan.

I learned that Millions of Brazilians know how to end a Blowout. Also, that the stage built in the Gates of Columbus can hold a lot of equipment and about 50 jumping, dancing, sweating fans without breaking.

Finally, I learned that even though this year's Blowout didn't include some of my favorite bands of year's past--including the Dead Bodies, the High Strung, Champions of Breakfast, Pas/Cal, the Silent Years, Croff  Family Band, etc, etc (there have been so many)--that there's still so much effing talent in this area that Blowout will be around for years to come.

So...About that Marching Band Last Night

So, you may have been hanging out at Small's last night sipping a drink in the bar room waiting for the next band to start, or may have been hugging a wall in the hallway of the Gates of Columbus when, out of nowhere, you see...a marching band?

Not part of the Blowout schedule or planned by Metro Times in any way, this assemblage of horn blowers, bass drum thumpers, and cymbal crashers crashed Saturday at the Blowout (although respectfully by not entering the actual performance spaces while a scheduled band was playing).

From what this blogger could find out, this wasn't a one-time flash mob performance, but the beginning of a new kind of band in Detroit. I heard from somebody that they're tentatively named the Detroit City Party Marching Band, or something like that, and that they'll be showing up both scheduled and unscheduled for gigs at various bars in Detroit and perhaps a certain Irish-themed parade over the coming months. 

Anybody else's feet feel like bloody stumps?

SATURDAY NIGHT: MILLIONS OF BRAZILIANS AT GATES OF COLUMBUS HALL.

Saturday Recap: Make Your Transition

DTR-001 and U.R.'s "Transition"

After congratulating the Detroit Threads massive on their first 12-inch release, buying the 7-inch accapella [sic] of Underground Resistance 's classic Transition, and congratulating Terri "Whodat" McQueen on her new business cards (new record shop, Ya Digg, coming soon), my Brother and I finished our Blowout experience with seven bands at six different venues. Man did it feel good to be "home."

However, I do have some advice for present/ future Blowout bands. The band with the best drummer that I physically saw was Silverghost's Deleano Acevedo.

Check out his kit:



Silverghost's Acevedo with his "drum kit."

At the risk of belaboring the point, I recommend all Detroit bands check out Michael Winterbottom's portrayal of the emergence of Joy Division's sound, including the hysterical (and painfully accurate) criticism of young-Stephen Morris's drumming by Martin Hannett.



Hannett to Morris: "Nothin' was wrong with the drumming as such. It's just that people have been playing like that for 20,000 years and quite frankly, it's boring me ass off."

Great bands know why they sound and look the way they do, even if all they know is their style makes them tingle in their nether regions. Sounding like Neal Smith 40years later does not (or more to the point, should not) make anyone tingle.

That said the band of the night was Timmy's Organism, fronted by Timmy Vulgar. They made me tingle (and at least drummer Colin Sick had silver paint on his face) when they played "I'm a Nice Guy Now." Don't believe the lyrics but you might want to buy the 45. According to Mr. Vulgar the single is set to come out on Cass Records "next week."

"Don't try. I am sleeping with a big dog an ugly woman, two shot guns and a claw hammer." (Saturday Recap)

Saturday: Timmy's Organism

Saturday: Silverghost

Saturday: Child Bite

Saturday: Solitary States

Saturday: 750CC

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