It’s been eight years since her last tour, but it’s not like anyone’s forgotten about the Bay City material girl (and the most famous graduate of my middle school. Go West Warriors, yeah!) The dates are set for the Madonna Drowned World tour that’ll take her through Europe and the United States with a stop August 25 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Supposedly, it’s going to be “the most extravagant stage spectacle of her career” — like we thought it might be minimalist. She’ll be performing songs off Music, Ray of Light and some old stuff too. On-sale info isn’t available yet, but keep watching because tickets are going to sell out in one-gazillionth of a second.
Other sightings
Back onstage after almost a half-year hiatus, the Sights will open for Tyler Keith & the Preacher’s Kids at the Gold Dollar on Friday, April 20. I knew that if I kept that Sights button on my bag, it would bring back one of Detroit’s finest rock trios, better than ever. If the low-key opener gig goes well, we should be seeing more Sights very soon.
Another sorta low-key reunion is happening in Flint on Thursday, April 19 at a new club called RazzMaTazz, 3539 S. Dort Highway, 810-715-2650. Yikes. Why the random capitalization? What does that mean? Once getting over the name of the venue, however, many of you should be pleased to hear that Sponge, everyone’s favorite “should’ve-been-more-than-just-a-few-hits-wonder” band, is playing there. It wasn’t just a rumor. They’ve got real shows lined up. Get tickets at RazzMaTazz or Michigan Tattoo, 2069 N. Dort Highway in Flint.
Not a reunion
No, Workhorse Movement isn’t getting back together. But the founding members (Myron, Freedom and Pete) have joined with a new drummer (Jeremiah) to form a brand-new band called the Dirty Americans. There can never be too many bands with “Americans” in the title. That’s what I say. They say that the new band has more rock (ahh, yeah!), less rap (hallelujah!) and the same amount of strange. Note: Rap is cool and all, but that whole rap-rock thing for the most part kind of well, you know, sucked. The guys are working on a new album that will be released on Roadrunner Records.
Rap-rock continued
There’s this Webzine called Buddyhead about music and such, and its funny gossip column has recently posted a bunch of e-mail correspondences between the zine’s staff members and the one and only Fred Durst. After taking much trash-talking from Buddyhead, Durst finally responded to the Web site and, if you go to www.buddyhead.com/gossip, you’ll find one funny and sort of threatening e-mail from the flaccid bizkit, followed by a series of Buddyhead responses. Although this stunt follows in the footsteps of fellow onliners, McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, which posted a much-talked-about string of e-mails between McSweeney’s Dave Eggers and The New York Times’ David Kirkpatrick, the e-mails ain’t so much narcissistic and smugly clever as they are fucking hilarious. For example, there’s the response from Buddyhead’s Travis, “Hey Mr. Florida, thanks for your interest in Buddyhead.” Or Tom’s simple prodding, “Bring it you tubby bitch.” They also list the limp one’s e-mail address and phone number and all kinds of other stuff you shouldn’t know.
Art and rock
Say goodbye to wimpy art-opening background music that stays in the background. Two receptions this weekend will double as killer rock shows. Mark Arminski, best known for his psychedelic concert posters, has a show of prints and paintings at Gallery 212 (207 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor, 734-665-8224) from 7 to 9 p.m., Friday, April 20. The fierce, crunchy riffs of 60 Second Crush will serenade gallery-goers and the art at the reception.
And at Harlan Lovestone’s opening of the exhibit, “Blow It Out Your Speakers,” also on Friday, from 6 to 10 p.m., at Johanson Charles Gallery (1345 Division in Detroit, 313-567-8638), Judah Johnson will perform songs off its upcoming CD on Flameshovel Records and a few with the artist. The band and Lovestone are known for sound and visual imagery that push limits, so it should make for a nice match.
E-mail In One Ear at [email protected]
