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The Armed chisels away at the fourth wall: If you haven’t heard about the newest album from The Armed that came out last week, where have you been? The band has recently graced the covers of some of the most esteemed music publications in the biz, from The Fader to The New York Times arts section, among others. Critics have pointed out that Perfect Saviors seems to represent a turning point for a band that is punk enough to throw a house party for the sake of a video shoot but has enough mass-appeal to open on tour for Queens of the Stone Age, and for good reason. There’s enough self-awareness in the lyrics and song structures to make the album more than just a maximalist, modern take on arena-ready rock music, and the band doesn’t take itself so seriously. The record is like a slap in the face, but one that makes you feel good, and maybe even makes you want to hit the gym to train for vengeance. —Broccoli
Late-night Jazz Fest afterparties: After all the world-class performances at the Detroit Jazz Festival this weekend, Spot Lite is hosting parties that highlight the best of our local scene. Friday will blur the line between traditional jazz compositions and electronics, with sets from DJ Kyle Hall, saxophonist Kasan Belgrave, sound artist Sophiyah E., and special guest Angel Bat Dawid. Dawid is the only non-Detroiter on the bill, but for good reason – she is a tour de force of the modern American jazz landscape. The multi-instrumentalist and vocalist is known for her enthralling live performances and improvised spiritual jams. Friday’s bill also includes DJ sets from Meftah and Julion De’Angelo, associated with Theo Parrish’s Sound Signature label. On Saturday, Shigeto will return to Spot Lite after his recent all-night set, along with a live ensemble that will be familiar to anyone who saw his mind-melting set at Movement this year. The performance will feature Calvin Scruggs, Marcus Elliot, Ian Finkelstein, Dez Andrés, and a flurry of special guests. Then, on Sunday, the trifecta is completed by De’Sean Jones and the Urban Art Orchestra. Jones has said this is your last chance to catch this iteration of the Urban Art Orchestra this year, and the event also serves as an official vinyl release of the group’s latest limited wax. Check out the full list of all the players and buy advance tickets (recommended) for these shows via Spot Lite’s page on Resident Advisor. —Joe
Zastava merges discordant post-punk with shoegaze on “Two Songs”: Before embarking with Zilched to support her on her current summer tour, Zastava has shared two new tracks of post-punk heat. The aptly titled Two Songs is reminiscent of The Strokes’ distorted vocals and shoegaze-punk guitars from early Iceage tracks. This latest offering serves as a follow up to the band’s 2022 Honey EP, and as a lead-in to new material they hope to release next year. Your next chance to catch Zastrava live is this Monday, Sept. 4, at Hamtramck Labor Day Festival — they play at 3:30 p.m. on the North Stage. —Joe
THRG Labor Day takeover: Local dance music collective THRG will be at Marble Bar this weekend for a two-day celebration of heavy-hitting DJ sets from artists at home and abroad. New York (by way of Philly) artist Baltra will headline Friday night with local support from Father Dukes, Sabré, Dust, Uncle Sean, and Nico, while UKG tastemaker Conducta and Detroit’s own “Techno Renaissance Man” DJ T-1000 will co-headline Saturday night with support from Loren, Auntie Chanel, Sapphyre, and Jeff Garcia. Expect two full nights of great sets spanning the range of what electronic music has to offer, and with a long weekend to recover afterwards, you might as well buy the two-day pass to save a little money at the door. Tickets available on Resident Advisor. —Broccoli
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