Cover Stories
Blowout is back!
Our little baby Blowout turns a sweet 15 That’s 14 blows below the belt so far from the known universe’s largest local rock fest, one that defies physics and civics and all manner of icks. To celebrate, we’ve profiled some new artists you should know, and included a killer Q&A with living legend and honorary…
Motor City Babylon
If you love rock ’n’ roll and its history, Kim Fowley should require no introduction. From discovering Jan & Dean on the same day Buddy Holly died (and he was discharged from the Air Force) in 1957 and his first major hit records (the Hollywood Argyles’ “Alley Oop” and the Murmaids’ “Popsicles & Icicles”), straight…
City Slang: “Sybil” revisited
Troy Gregory, formerly of the Witches, as well as bands like the Dirtbombs, Prong and Flotsam and Jetsam is performing at the Blowout as a solo artist at Baker’s Streetcar on Friday at 10.20. Therefore, continuing a theme from the past few weeks, now is a good time to revisit his 2002 solo debut Sybil.…
Friday night Blowout recap: FUR, Lightning Love, Danny & The Darleans and more
I kicked off the night with Danny & the Darleans at Skipper’s Bar. They’re worth watching just to see Danny Kroha’s kickass guitar skills. The upper floor of Skipper’s Bar was packed, where there was everyone from high school seniors to retirement candidates. They were one of the best bands I’ve seen all night.…
Review: South-South Million
Stream first two tracks of Wind Hand Caught In The Door: http://southsouthmillion.com Out Today (March 6th) via Triple Down Records Listen:South-South Million “Blue Hoshanna” Swing your door to shut out pedestrian pop, watered-down indie and shallow Top 40 but be sure to allow the winds of a more provocative…
Teen-a-rama:Saturday At The Hangout-The Story Of My First Blowout w/ Kim Fowley and Dan Auerbach
It was excruciatingly hard getting into bars at 9 o’ clock and convincing others that I am a Metro Times writer (he’s 13 years old, came in with his old man! — ed.) but it all paid off. After a quick filling of Crepes at Polish Village Cafe I headed upstairs to catch the beginning…
City Slang: Battlecross, Sharkey, fIREHOSE and Trice
After four nights of Blowout-related debauchery, blogging and all-round entertainment, we managed to get some sleep on Sunday and now City Slang is able to resume full daily-blog duties. Our inbox is full though, so let’s play catch-up a little. Local-area metal heads Battlecross are going on tour with fellow horn-throwers Origin, Cattle Decapitation, Decrepit…
Metro Times Blowout ends with a Bang: The Dirtbombs, Kim Fowley’s Psychedelic Dogs, The Hentchmen and more
I could have kicked myself for walking in the Polish National Alliance Hall just as Jeecy and the Jungle finished their set. They were one of the bands I was looking forward to seeing most at Blowout. Virtually every person I bumped into from Metro Times was raving about how well they played. Their records…
Blowout 15 Night Four…whew.
Blowout 15 is over and I survived it on only 25 bucks. To tell you the truth, I really didn’t think I’d make it this far. I wasn’t hip to many of the bands on the bill for night four, so I stuck to what I more anticipated to see. As I clawed the schedule,…
Blowout Day 4: Over already?
If not for the memory of Amy Gore and Her Valentines, saying goodbye to the Blowout for another whole twelve months would just be too painful. It seems that one minute we’re celebrating opening night at the Stick, the next it’s Sunday and we’re too exhausted to get out of bed for breakfast. But Gore…
The World Is Nuts – Move As Fast As You Can
I missed what you got into last night…and I’m not doubting that it was, and still-feels, life changing…and likely more profound than my own personal series of cannon-ball drops into a variety of venues last night, the last night of Blowout # 15. The dust settles now. There musta’ been nine photographers for every stage I shuffled…
Blowout Day 3: Katie’s Grace, Fawn, and Teenage Weirdo’s
I’m not going to lie – getting through the work day on Friday after Thursday’s festivities was not easy. There will be many of you reading this who know exactly what I’m talking about. Hanging around Ham-town at 1.30 a.m. on a school night might be an adrenalin rush at the time, but it doesn’t…
Blowout Night Two at the Polish National Alliance Hall
It seems that the Polish National Alliance Hall was the place to be last night, judging from my fellow MT bloggers and yesterday’s considerably large crowd. I arrived at the PNA in time to catch the last bit of Mumble, who played surprisingly sweet indie-pop rock. Bars of Gold had a few (unnoticeable)…
Blowout Night Two Recap
Goddamn, that was loud. I kicked off Blowout night two at Kelly’s Bar to see the Phantom Verses, an acoustic trio of dual guitars and bass. They brought to mind that whole late 90s, post-grunge sound coupled with the kind of alt-metal hooks that short hair-era Metallica were known for. Over at the Polish National…
Blowout Day 2: Batman grundies, decibels and Lettercamp
It may not be great for bar sales, but I always appreciate Blowout Thursday because relatively low attendance means that I can get around quickly and easily, often parking right outside the various venues. The first thing I learned this year is that the Polish Alliance, located pretty much across the street from the old…
New Mania
We tell ourselves this every year, that it feels different, amplified… *The Walking Beat shows lots of promise – a solid line up and a cool, calm, collected, and confident sounding rock strut with just enough jangle, just enough harmonica and a pleasing pour of piano – but this sample is a stripped down acoustic…
Blowout 15 Night one
Blowout 15. Last year is almost a blur to me now. But, that’s the mark of any really good time, right? It was my first experience with Blowout and there were so many great shows and experiences whizzing by that it was almost overwhelming. One memory does stick out clearly in my mind, though; after…
Blowout Day 1: Why is that grizzly dude bugging Troy and Matt?
I say it this time every year but fuck it, I’ll say it again. I love the Blowout. It’s like Christmas. Except that, since Blowout 14, I spawned a child so now Christmas is like Christmas and the Blowout is like Christmas 2. Or something. So anyway, here are the things that leaped out from…
Mich. trees are right height; Romney margin quite short
Maybe it was that recent appearance on-stage in Royal Oak with bad-boy Kid Rock that narrowly put millionaire businessman Mitt Romney over the top with Michigan’s Republicans. Really, if you are looking to send the message to voters that you are a family values, church-going kind conservative, who wouldn’t want the Kid at their side?…
Dark Red / Sros Lords
A couple of noteworthy 7″ singles from Detroit acts that came out back in January – in case you missed them. Dark Red – “Tara/She’s Laughing At Me” – Beehive Recording Company One of the more recent groups streaming/spinning online from the celebrated local internet-label, (Beehive), is a smoothly searing super fuzz affair from dynamic duo…
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires at The Magic Bag – Photos, Video, Review & Setlist
When I first heard Charles Bradley it was after I had finished interviewing Brooklyn’s the Budos Band as they stopped in at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. I was talking to them about whether or not they were a soul band as they (along with Bradley) are on the Brooklyn Daptone label. The conclusion…
Ahmed Ahmed’s weapon of choice is humor
Ahmed Ahmed performs at Ferndale’s Magic Bag. Doors at 7 p.m. for the early show, 10 p.m. for the late show, Friday, March 2; tickets $20. Next week, Amer Zahr will perform with Ali Abdallah at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn. Doors at 7 p.m. March 9; tickets $15. All you TSA…
Team Vampire
I’ve really been trying to get back into my movie viewing ways these past couple of weeks. Being a huge fan of the Underworld series, I went to see Underworld: Awakening. Definitely was not disappointed. For the action junkie, it’s a perfect fix, especially if you’re into the whole "undead" thing. (Everybody has their cup…
Mulenga’s blues riff
One thing my pal Mulenga Harangua and I always enjoy is a good walk. Something about walking together makes the talking so much more enjoyable. I don’t know why, but ideas and words seem so much more vibrant when combined with moving feet. We met over in Rivertown where the Soup Kitchen Saloon used to…
Raided again
The first time Detroit cops busted in on a party being held by Matt Abbott, the 32-year-old screen printer and DJ admits he was clearly in the wrong. That was back in November, when he threw a bash at his former print shop in the old 555 Art Gallery on Grand River Avenue. More than…
Thin Ice
Thin Ice B- Indie filmmaker Jill Sprecher and her co-writer sister Karen have had a small but impressive career, not only for their work on HBO’s Big Love, but also as the creative team behind Clockwatchers and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing. Both films were small gems, boasting smart scripts, keen performances and a distinctive…
When threesomes bring out stupidity
Q: I had a threesome with my husband and another woman because I am GGG and that’s always been a fantasy of his. I laid out my ground rules, and they were violated. (I said I was uncomfortable with his P in her V, and I ended up watching them fuck.) I didn’t stop it…
GOP’s appalling silence
Well, the presidential primary is over, and the various roving bands of locusts have left our state for the next tent show. The packs of journalists have gone too, trailing after the throngs of campaign functionaries and toadies. Rick "Man on Dog" Santorum, Former Mitten State Mitt and Ron "Atlas Shrugged" Paul took off too.…
Beauty Debate
What: A group invitational exploring the concept of beauty, curated by TheDetroiter.com. Where: Art Effect Gallery, 1420 E. Fisher Fwy., Detroit; 313-566-0062. When: Opening reception from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 3, with a charity preview from 6:30 to 8 p.m. A corresponding panel discussion takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29. Beauty…
Tunnel vision in Greektown
New construction approved by the city of Detroit means downtown’s Greektown Casino is poised to grow — even if it means that the actual Greektown will get a little smaller in the bargain. This week, heavy machinery went to work tearing up the former Wayne County Sheriff’s parking lot and headquarters across the alley behind…
Al-Ameer’s Mediterranean mélange aims for freshness and flavor
Al-Ameer 12710 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn 313-582-8185 Handicap accessible Entrées: $8.95-$17.95, most $10.95-$14.95 Al-Ameer has a second location at 27346 Ford Rd., Dearborn Heights, 313-565-9600. Both restaurants are open every day, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. As at many Middle Eastern restaurants, there are far too many choices at Al-Ameer for any but the most…
Food Stuff
Betty’s brews It’s a fact: Few combinations are more enjoyable than good beer, cheap food and pinball — especially when the menu comes with a side of dry humor. Ferndale’s new One-Eyed Betty’s Beer Bar looks ready to fit the bill, offering wry specialties like "Bacon with a Side of Bacon," "Obligatory Fish & Chips"…
Your Blowout: “Once A Year”
So…I went out and bothered/solicited/queried just a fraction of musicians/performers from the chock-full Blowout line-up, picking their brains on a few items of news, nostalgia and potential insight One perennially contentious item being bands’ reacting to the descriptors allotted them upon the event’s schedule/guide. Some love it; love loathe it; some just roll their eyes.…
The Avengers: Another product made in Detroit
I’m a mainstream comic book guy, specifically and mainly Marvel Comics. I grew up on Spider-Man, Thor, Captain America and the rest of the Marvel Universe. Don’t get me wrong, I have collected my fair share of DC books, and I dabble in the independent stuff when it catches my eye. But I’m a Marvel…
City Slang: Weekly music review roundup
Remember – if you send it, it will get reviewed. That’s the City Slang promise. It doesn’t matter what genre the music is – as long as it has a Metro Detroit connection, it’ll get in. Preferably, we’d like to concentrate on new releases but, while we’re getting warmed up here, feel free to send…
That Thing Goin On This Week
I don’t care how hip you think you are…how hip others think you are…when it comes to Blowout, there’s little chance you’ll be fully acquainted/familiar-with and cognizant of every single band -in every single line up of every single venue. Most of us have day jobs and boss figures who leer at us if we’re…
