Of course, it’s the music that matters. And the Hamtramck Blowout music festival, which turns an unruly 14 years old this year, is a mad collage of genres that matter right now.
The whole thing is celebration by design. Hundreds of bands and thousands of Mitten State music fans — including others from such faraway lands known as Berlin, Wis., and Dublin, Ohio — descend on nearly 20 old-man bars in the beautifully flawed town of Hamtramck. They’ll discover a brilliant cross-section of tacky and genius, of indie ironies and girl-boy anti-harmonies, as well as tatted riff-a-rama. They’ll unearth super word-fly hip hop, Casio pajama pop, velvet-tongued soul and, perhaps, if lucky, deranged Hamtown polkas fueled on jezynowka. In short, they absorb what’s best in up-to-the-moment Michigan-created music.
So to all the dudes with beer-filled guts and chicks who smell of bourbon and smokes, early March shall always be that glorious time to piss on your shoes and howl at the pope, to unload your head on more song, drink and clammy push-tits than even the ever-durable Bill Bondsmen could possibly withstand. Last year, I even saw one audience member combust, spontaneously. I did.
Wristbands for all four nights are $20 (advance), and are available at Metro Times. Or check online for further ticket info at www.metrotimes.com/blowout. For more info, call 313-961-4060.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2
Hamtramck Blowout 14 pre-party
Garden Bowl
8:30 p.m.-close: Haute to Death
Magic Stick Stage 1
1:15 a.m.: Secret Twins
11:45 p.m.: Lettercamp
10 p.m.: FAWN
Magic Stick Stage 2
12:30 a.m.: Moon Pool & Dead Band
11:30 p.m.: Julie Hecker Tribute
10:45 p.m.: The EEKS
9:15 p.m.: Darling Imperial
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THURSDAY, MARCH 3
Atlas Bar
Midnight: Computer Perfection
11 p.m.: Divine Comedians
10 p.m.: Timothy Monger State Park
9 p.m.: Cheat Sheet
Baker’s Streetcar
12:20 a.m.: Blue Black Hours
11:20 p.m.: Sheefy McFly & the Delorean
10:20 p.m.: Brain Rottar
9:20 p.m.: Smackmadam
Belmont Bar
Midnight: Kommie Kilpatrick
11 p.m.: Cold Men Young
10 p.m.: Charlie Slick
9 p.m.: Beekeepers
Gates of Columbus Hall
12:20 a.m.: JSB Squad
11:20 p.m.: The High Strung
10:20 p.m.: Smash Television
9:20 p.m.: Hi Speed Dubbing
Gates of Columbus Lounge
11:40 p.m.: The Sights
10:40 p.m.: Italian Picture Factory
9:40 p.m.: Scarlet Oaks
8:40 p.m.: Tone & Niche
Jean’s Bar
Midnight: Michael Seger & Everyone’s Favorite Band
11 p.m.: The Black List
10 p.m.: Small Noises
9 p.m.: Space Band
Kelly’s Bar
11:40 p.m.: Err…
10:40 p.m.: Telecollision
9:40 p.m.: Royale
8:40 p.m.: Over Macho Grande
Mars Bar
Midnight: Marco Polio & the New Vaccines
11 p.m.: Banxx
10 p.m.: Robin Goodfellow
9 p.m.: Betty Cooper
New Dodge
12:20 a.m.: Child Bite
11:20 p.m.: Zoos of Berlin
10:20 p.m.: Man at Arms
9:20 p.m.: Prussia
Painted Lady
11:40 p.m.: The Phantom Shakers
10:40 p.m.: Las Drogas
9:40 p.m.: Waxgordon
8:40 p.m.: Murder in the Dark
Paycheck’s – VIC Showcase
1:20 a.m.: Entrails
12:20 a.m.: Deaf Beasts
11:20 p.m.: Staircase
10:20 p.m.: Lobotomys
9:20 p.m.: The Armed
Skipper’s
12:20 a.m.: The Blue Squares
11:20 p.m.: Phresh Heir
10:20 p.m.: Indian Guides
9:20 p.m.: Mumble
Small’s
Midnight: Illy Mack
11 p.m.: Scandinavian Pleather
10 p.m.: Deadbeat Beat
9 p.m.: Carradine
Whiskey in the Jar
12:40 a.m.: Songs From the Moon
11:40 p.m.: Skeleton Birds
10:40 p.m.: Patrick Davy & the Ghosts
9:40 p.m.: Patrick Elkins & the Rainbow Vomit Family Band
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FRIDAY, MARCH 4
Atlas Bar
12:40 a.m.: Swimsuit
11:40 p.m.: Man the Hunter
10:40 p.m.: Turned to Crime
9:40 p.m.: Damned Dogs
Baker’s Streetcar – Loco Gnosis Showcase
12:20 a.m.: Duende!
11:20 p.m.: Jehovah’s Witness Protection Program
10:20 p.m.: Electric Lion Soundwave Experiment
9:20 p.m.: Eleanora
Belmont Bar
12:40 a.m.: The Sugarcoats
11:40 p.m.: Gardens
10:40 p.m.: Aran Ruth
9:40 p.m.: Kelly Jean Caldwell
Gates of Columbus Hall
1 a.m.: The Hard Lessons
Midnight: The Kickstand Band
11 p.m.: Mod Orange
10 p.m.: Matt Jones & the Reconstruction
Gates of Columbus Lounge
1 a.m.: Jeecy & the Jungle
Midnight: Odd Hours
11 p.m.: Magic Jake & the Power Crystals
10 p.m.: Team Ethic
Jean’s Bar
12:40 a.m.: Bear Lake
11:40 p.m.: Smoke aka the Black Cal Ripken
10:40 p.m.: The Drags
9:40 p.m.: Bad Indians
Kelly’s Bar
12:20 a.m.: Stoopz N Breeze
11:20 p.m.: Carjack
10: 20 p.m.: The Ultrasounds
9:20 p.m.: Sharky & the Habit
Mars Bar
12:40 a.m.: Blue Snaggletooth
11:40 p.m.: Bison Machine
10: 40 p.m.: Isoceles Mountain
9:40 p.m.: ThreeHives
New Dodge
12:20 a.m.: Doop & the Inside Outlaws
11:20 p.m.: Ryan Racine & Gas For Less
10:20 p.m.: The Afternoon Round
9:20 p.m.: The Actor Repents
Painted Lady
Midnight: Gorevette
11 p.m.: Glossies
10 p.m.: Vargas
9 p.m.: Eric Villa
Paycheck’s – VIC Showcase
1:20 a.m.: Divorce Party
12:20 a.m.: Deastro
11:20 p.m.: Just Boyz
10:20 p.m.: Winter Ruby
9:20 p.m.: Phantasmagoria
Skipper’s
12:20 a.m.: The Mythics
11:20 p.m.: Tare
10:20 p.m.: The Fresh Tones
9:20 p.m.: The Meltdowns
Small’s
12:40 a.m.: Chapstik
11:40 p.m.: Octopus
10:40 p.m.: Bars of Gold
9:40 p.m.: The Crooks
Whiskey in the Jar
1 a.m.: The Bell Beat
Midnight: I Love Lightning Bugs
11 p.m.: Patrick Herek
10 p.m.: Forget
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SATURDAY, MARCH 5
Atlas Bar
1 a.m.: Butt Babies
Midnight: Derby Mama
11 p.m.: The Wolfs
10 p.m.: Bright Echo
Baker’s Streetcar – Loco Gnosis Showcase
1 a.m.: Macrame Tiger
Midnight: Woodman
11 p.m.: Crappy Future
10 p.m.: Pewter Cub
Belmont Bar
12:40 a.m.: Big Mess
11:40 p.m.: The Handgrenades
10:40 p.m.: The Displays
9:40 p.m.: Atacama
Gates of Columbus Hall
1 a.m.: The Detroit Cobras
Midnight: The Parting Gifts
11 p.m.: The Jay-Vons
10 p.m.: Conspiracy of Owls
Gates of Columbus Lounge
12:20 a.m.: Electric Fire Babies
11:20 p.m.: Old Empire
10:20 p.m.: Amy Gore & the Squires
9:20 p.m.: Bill Bondsmen
Jean’s Bar
12:20 a.m.: The Ruggs
11:20 p.m.: Snake Oil Slick
10:20 p.m.: Vamonos
9:20 p.m.: Whigville
Kelly’s Bar
12:20 a.m.: The Great Tribulation
11:20 p.m.: Legendary Creatures
10:20 p.m.: The Ashleys
9:20 p.m.: Golden
Mars Bar
12:40 a.m.: FUR
11:40 p.m.: Mean Mother
10:40 p.m.: Robin Parrent
9:40 p.m.: Galactic Vacationer
New Dodge
1 a.m.: Neon Escape
Midnight: JTX
11 p.m.: Odayin
10 p.m.: Blockhead
Painted Lady
Human Eye Showcase
Paycheck’s – VIC Showcase (Night of Man)
1:20 a.m.: Lord Scrummage
12:20 a.m.: Bird Names
11:20 p.m.: Salt Lick
10:20 p.m.: Aphasiacs
9:20 p.m.: Bad User Experience
Skipper’s
12:40 a.m.: The Rogue Satellites
11:40 p.m.: The Perrenials
10:40 p.m.: The Mantons
9:40 p.m.: The Grateful Dads
Small’s
1 a.m.: The Satin Peaches
Midnight: Destroy This Place
11 p.m.: Wolfbait
10 p.m.: The Cold Wave
Whiskey in the Jar
12:40 a.m.: Gun Lake
11:40 p.m.: Amateur Anthropologist
10:40 p.m.: Jeremy Porter & the Tucos
9:40 p.m.: Roofbeam Rye
This article appears in Feb 2-8, 2011.