RETURN OF RENDEZVOUS ROCK
They said it couldn’t happen, and then it did. This year’s Gutterfest lineup has been unleashed and there’s some headline news to be read. The third annual throwdown of this city and the world’s finest from the genre which has become known as garage rock to be held Sept. 9-11 at Detroit’s Gold Dollar and Magic Stick, boasts two of Detroit’s finest blasts from the past – and, no doubt, blasting through the present – taking the weekend’s top billing. Reforming for one show only and headlining the festival’s Saturday night bill is the legendary shake-the-foundations Motor City outfit, Sonic’s Rendezvous. You read right, prepare your eardrums. Sonic’s only played a handful of gigs during its brief existence and left even less recorded evidence of its greatness. But reuniting will be original members Scott Morgan, Gary Rasmussen and Scott Asheton (with Radio Birdman’s Dennis Tek monsterly plugging in where the late Fred "Sonic" Smith left off). Rounding out the bill that night are the Go (indebted as these guys are to the sound the Sonic’s forged, they’d better strap on their best), Bantam Rooster and Ohio’s Cheater Slicks. Working backward, Friday night’s bill preceding headliner Wayne Kramer will feature sets by Memphis garage ruffians, 68 Comeback, the White Stripes and the Streetwalking Cheetahs (who double dip as Kramer’s backing band). Both of these shows are at the Magic Stick (4140 Woodward Ave.). Gutterfest starts off Thursday night at the Gold Dollar (3129 Cass Ave., Detroit) with kickoff surprises and shenanigans, plus sets by the fabulous Conquerors and Pittsburgh’s favorite sons, the Mt. McKinleys. Start saving up now for a weekend of cheap beer and ass-shaking guitar rock. Call 313-833-9700 for more info.
‘Dale-ey in the Day-ly
It used to be "fashionable," then it was "funky." Hell, it’s still called "Freakdale" from time to time, but Ferndale, lately, has become pretty fly (for a suburb). And, this Saturday, it’ll also be free as the First Nine Mile Music Fest lets the fun flag unfurl. Okay, enough with the "F"s, already! Ferndale’s Downtown Development folk have seen fit to allow an afternoon’s worth of great music to fill the streets of the burb just north of the city. The sounds will kick off at noon with a set by Radium, followed by performances, on the hour, from acid jazz heroes Jazodity, rockin’ singer-songwriter Susan Calloway, heavy rock-funk hybridizations from 60 Second Crush (hot on the heels of the band’s recent banning from the Whitney’s garden party for "lewd" onstage antics!), ska-jazz sharp-suits the Articles, Jill Jack (whose new release, Live from Billy’s Basement, sets the bar high for actual concert expectations), rock-ska stalwarts Gangster Fun and the Stoogerific Bootsy X wrapping things up with a 7 o’clock show. The musical soiree will go down in the parking lot at the corner of Allen Rd. and 9 Mile in downtown Freak, er, Ferndale (behind Miller’s Art Supply). The Music Fest is an extension of the city’s annual art fair, so expect a day full of both aural and aesthetic pleasures, and keep a sharp eye out for parking spots! For more information, call 248-546-1632 or, alternately, just show yo ass up.
