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2Lanes goes deep: Detroit’s hard-groove cowboy 2Lanes is warming up record store shelves with some fresh heat this week via his new 12-inch Sid Ranger Redux. “I am very excited to share my most raw and personal music I have ever released,” says the producer. “It harkens back to my original drum-driven textures of my earliest music, but with a newfound workflow and honed sonic exploration.” Leading up to his debut set at Movement Music Festival this summer, 2Lanes’s discography has been building with each passing month. He released one of my 2022 favorites with the Jonah Baseball collaboration Overtone Series back in December, and his Diamond Rain EP kept me chugging through the Michigan winter in dubbed-out bliss. Sid Ranger goes even deeper, with eerie synths sweeping in and out over tribal percussion, topped off with an 8-minute-plus stand-up bass solo seemingly emitting from the black lagoon. “I would like to dedicate this record to the memory of my good friend Jonathan Aylward, who performs on the final track ‘Rabbit’s Foot,’” 2Lanes adds. “I am proud to be able to honor his spirit in the music.” You can stream the lead single “Sid Ranger Redux” now on his Bandcamp page, and also pre-order a hard copy via nascent label Psychic Relief Records. Copies will be available locally via the usual spots, and a portion of proceeds will be donated to edibletrails.org in remembrance of Aylward, who died in 2022 at age 31. —Joe
Heavy Mental packs a punch: Two upcoming bangers in Hamtramck for purveyors of hard rock and heavy metal. This Thursday and Friday, April 6 and 7, a mix of local heavyweights and touring acts will descend upon two lovingly divey venues (April 6 at Small’s, April 7 at Outer Limits Lounge) for a mini-marathon of all things heavy. Headlined by touring acts Obscene and Portland, Oregon, legends Danava, you can grab tickets to both shows for the nice price of $25. Physical tickets are available via Heavy & Beyond; you can DM them on Instagram for more information. Otherwise, tickets are available online via Eventbrite for both the Thursday and Friday shows individually. Local faves Timmy’s Organism also make an appearance, kicking off a tour for their new album Lone Lizard. —Joe
Benefit for Delano Smith: There is a deep sense of community within Detroit dance music that goes beyond throwing parties and having a good time. When the public recently learned that legendary Detroit DJ and producer Delano Smith had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, his longtime collaborators and supporters stepped right into action. “All Hands on Decks!”, a benefit show to raise money for Smith’s medical expenses, will take place on Wednesday, April 19 at the Magic Stick and features an unreasonably stacked lineup for $20 on a weeknight. You can support the cause and learn more about the show by visiting the Majestic Detroit website, or you can donate directly to the GoFundMe on the event page. While we all still live in a country where we are not guaranteed health care despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world, it’s times like these where we find hope and strength in caring for one another. —Broccoli
Lager House keeps the music flowing: I would imagine that I was not alone in worrying that the venue formerly known as PJ’s Lager House might look very different after it was sold last year to the owner of the next-door building that houses James Oliver Coffee Co. But to my pleasant surprise, apart from some minor changes to operations, menus, and the like, when I attend events at the space it still feels like it did before. They still primarily host grungy, scrappy shows with your favorite local bands, but they have also continued to branch out to host notable acts from out of state. (I saw a great show there the other night with Razor Braids with local support from Zilched and Toeheads, for example.) While it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, Lager House has been an important staple in Detroit’s local music scene for quite some time, and Corktown would be worse off without it. So let’s hope that things can continue this way, so we all have a place to eat B.L.A.T.’s and grab a beer while checking the pulse of Detroit’s local live music scene. —Broccoli
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