1/31/09

PHOTOS: 32nd Annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival by Brett Lawrence



MCB's LAWRENCEcreative was on a road trip to go see Jeff Tweedy perform and "I was able to gain Photo Access for the entire nights performances.Thank you Barb Authier at The Ark for the late notice request and permission.

Shot this for myself. eftheblog

The nights line-up (in no particular order) was as follows:Jim Lauderdale, MC of the EventThe RagbirdsChelsea WilliamsKatie HerzogJoe PugRyan Montbleau BandCarolina Chocolate DropsOld Crow Medicine Showand last but not least...Jeff Tweedy.
See more from LC from MCB:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawrencecreative/sets/72157613164416099/

"MCB IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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Hamtramck Blowout Schedule 2009

1.Beard of Bees (headline)
2.Gardens
3.Much Too Much
4.Philo-San


Belmont
1.Timmy's Organism (headline)
2.The Rue Moor Counts


Jean's
1.The Interrupted Lovers (headline)
2.Trick 9
3.The Codgers
4.The Straightbacks

Kelly's
1.The Dial Tones (headline)
2.Flatfoot
3.Jesus Chainsaw Massacre
4.The Pantones


KofC Hall
1.The Silent Years (headline)
2.Deastro
3.Invincible
4.Rogue Satellites


KofC Lounge
1.Zoos of Berlin (headline)
2.Daniel.
3.Devilfish

3141(Locker Room)
1.Divine Comedians (ex dollfaces) (headline)
2.Steven and the Reelers
3.Fidrych
4.To the Bat Cave


New Dodge
1.Love Meets Lust (headline)
2.Marco Polio & the New Vaccines
3.Millions of Brazilians
4.Fields of Industry


Painted Lady
1.The Pizazz (headline)
2.The Plain Dealers
3.Fontana
4.BOYWIFE

PaycheckĂŻ's
1.The Decks (headline)
2.The Prime Ministers
3.Last Tourist
4.The Darts


Small's
1.Mick Bassett & the Marthas (headline)
2.Solitary States
3.SikSik Nation
4.Firs and Spruces


Trowbridge House of Coffee
1.Sex Ghost! (headline)
2.Charlie Slick
3.Ms. Creme
4.Public Pubes

Whiskey in the Jar
1.Slow Giant (headline)
2.Lull Tucker
3.Wild Years
4.The Lessmores


FRIDAY BLOWOUT (03/06/09)
Atlas
1.Great Lakes Myth Society (headline)
2. Four-Hour Friends
3. Battling Siki
4. Matt Jones

Baker's
1.Universal Temple of Divine Power (headline)
2.Mazinga
3.St. Thomas Boys
4.A Working Model

Belmont
1.Circus Boy (headline)
2.I, Crime
3.Tone & Niche
4.Noman

Jean's
1.Bill Bondsmen (headline)
2.The Crumz
3.The Cavity Creeps
4.Country Bob and the Bloodfarmers

Kelly's
1.The Hadituptoheres (headline)
2.STARE INTO SUN
3.Man at Arms
4.Elle and the Fonts

KofC Hall
1.The Dirtbombs (headline)
2.LMCA
3.Terrible Twos
4.The Uproars

KofC Lounge
1.City Center (Fred Thomas of SLGTM) (headline)
2.Aran Ruth
3. Kelly Jean Caldwell
4.Allan James & the Cold Wave

3141(Locker Room)
1. Jason Croff Family Band (headline)
2.Switchblade Justice
3.The Mantons
4.Rachel and Junk

New Dodge
1.Broadzilla (headline)
2.Vivian George
3.The Tarkanians
4.The Detroit Pony Express

Painted Lady
1.Volebeats (headline)
2.Scarlet Oaks
3.Alan Scheurman
4.The Blueflowers

Paycheck's
1.Dutch Pink (headline)
2.Wildcatting
3.Jehovah's Witness Protection Program
4.Woodman

Small's
1.The Grande Nationals (headline)
2.The High Strung
3.Running with Panthers
4.Metawave

Trowbridge House of Coffee
1.Blackreign and Ohkang (headline)
2.Asylum 7
3.Madame XD
4.1592

Whiskey in the Jar
1.Il Segreto String Quartet (headline)
2.Audra Kubat
3.Give Up Solution
4.Jeff St. John


SATURDAY BLOWOUT (03/07/09)

Atlas
1.Scotch Bonnet (headline)
2.Dale Beavers and Bootsey X
3.Black Jake & the Carnies
4.Blue Black Hours


Baker's
1.The Swamp Sisters (headline)
2.Spitting Nickels
3.Doop & the Inside Outlaws
4.Old Empire


Belmont
1.Friendly Foes (headline)
2.SMOKE
3.Lightning Love
4.Leaf Erikson

Cafe1923 (DAYTIME)Family Hootenany

Jean's
1.Satori Circus (headline)
2.LTAG
3.Caroline Striho
4.Romeo Flynns

Kelly's
1.Los Viking Del Muerto (headline)
2.Cougar the Tiger
3.The Meltdowns
4.Novada


KofC Hall
1.The Detroit Cobras (headline)
2.The Readies
3.The Magic Shop
4.Gardens

KofC Lounge
1.Carjack. (headline)
2.Gorevette
3.Sisters Lucas
4.The Displays

3141(Locker Room)
1.The Mourning Voices (headline)
2.The Actor Repents
3.Fidrych
4.Motor City Sidestrokers

New Dodge
1.City Chicken Orchestra (headline)
2.Beverly Fresh
3.Jennie Knaggs and the Sure Shots
4. Rodriguez

Painted Lady
1.Druid Perfume (headline)
2.War. (Warn Defever)
3.Frustrations
4.Smashed Windows

Paycheck's
1.Pinkeye w. John Sinclair (headline)
2.Duende!
3.Oscillating Fan Club
4.Red China

Small's
1.Bluesong (headline)
2.Chapstik
3.Wolfbait
4.I Speak in Calculus

Trowbridge House of Coffee
1.60 Second Crush (headline)
2.Decibilt
3.They Never Sleep
4.The Ruiners

Whiskey in the Jar
1.Jo Serrapere & Willie Dunns (headline)
2.Bone Orchard Revival
3.Misty Lynn & the Big Beautiful
4.Moonsqualler

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A few extra saturday night events....Detroit Derby Girls vs St Louis // Class Three Overbite CD Release Show @ Smalls

DETROIT DERBY GIRLS VS.ST. LOUIS ARCH RIVAL ROLLER GIRLS
Sat Jan 31, 2009 - doors open at 6:00PM
Game begins at 7:00PM
Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door

Featured Charity: Alternatives for Girls
Entertainment by:The Streamliners, DJ Clark Eagling
and the Motor City Rah-Rahs
National Anthem: C-S#arp & Tiny Terror
Class Three Overbite CD Release Show
Saturday January 31st 2009
Smalls Bar Hamtramck
***NEW OWNERSHIP***
10339 Conant
w/The Vamps , Shaun Wise & MEGAWEEDGE

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1/30/09

The Night Move Bus has something to say to you!

MCB gets these messages from The Night Move Bus every week....as a sponser of TNM Detroit we here at MCB try to take a ride on it downtown as much as possible
Sometimes the Bus calls us up late at night after it has made all her rounds and wants us to come over and just talk - we keep telling her that we are married with children but she doesnt want to listen to any of that....

Reason #11 to ride the Night Move:

You can take the People Mover for FREE to Taste Pizzabar in Times Square!

Ask your driver for details. Mm, pizza...

What's your favorite reason to Night Move?

TGIF*, Night Movers!

Bus here, signing in.

Happy Friday!Looking for an excuse to ride the Night Move?Take a hint from Matt, our "Year of Free Bus" winner, and ride the Night Move down to the Detroit Roller Derby, to watch those roller girls kill St. Louis at the Masonic.
If you've never gone, now is certainly the time do it. Especially since you won't need a ride -- the Night Move's got you covered.
Get excited. Winter Blast is almost here! It's February 6-8, from 11am to 9pm. Come check out the Night Move booth for bus-shaped cookies, high-fives, and the latest issue of Ambassador magazine. AND enter our karaoke contest to win a FREE night at the MotorCity Casino Hotel, courtesy of Ambassador, MotorCity, and yours truly. Guess what song you'll have to sing to win? If you can't guess it, then we can't be friends. Just kidding, I still like you. While you're Blasting, be sure to check out Bar Blast Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm to 2am. Please note: the Night Move won't be running its regular route those nights in order to provide FREE transportation between stops on the Bar Blast pub crawl.If you haven't booked a spot on this weekend's Taste-full Tours "Culinary Road Trip," aboard the Night Move, then you're out of luck, kiddos. The BBQ and Beer Tour is SOLD OUT. You and your sweetheart should book in advance for the Valentine's Tour on February 14, or you could hit up the Grocery Tour on February 10. Check out Ese's write-up on Metromix.com for info, and then sign up on the Upcoming Tours page of their website. Don't miss out. Seriously.A couple more ins, outs, ups, and downs, per usual:

Looking for more reasons to ride the bus? Go to MotorCityBlog for Detroit's own anti-blog, always up to date on stuff you definitely need to know. And check out After 5 Detroit and Metromix for other fantastic excuses to ride the Night Move.

As always, flash your Night Move ticket to take advantage of this stuff:
$2 off of well drinks at Mosaic on Fridays

No cover at Fifth Avenue, plus Night Move drink specials
20% off your fare in a Michigan Green Cab

And remember: if you work at Moosejaw, Quicken, Google or ePrize, use your coupon code for a discount. Work somewhere else, but want your company to get a discount? Let us know, and we'll work something out.*Remember TGIF from when we were young and innocent? Full House, Boy Meets World and Step by Step all in one night?!

Those were the days...Good talk. See you out there!
Kisses,The Bus

"The Night Move Bus IS DETROIT"
Check out more from TNMBus here

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FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS landing in Detroit April 24th

For those of you who dig Flight of the Conchords,
featuring New Zealand comedy folk duo Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, they are set to perform at the Fox Theatre at 8 p.m. Friday, April 24.

Flight of the Conchords’ comedy and acoustic folk music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series on HBO in 2007, also called Flight of the Concords.

Tickets ($38.50) go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, February 6th 2009 so if you dig these guys get ready to cough it up for a good laugh. www.olympiaentertainment.com

Isnt that the marco polio and the new vaccines in disguise?

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32nd Ann Arbor Folk Festival - TONIGHT!!!

featuring Jeff Tweedy and Old Crow Medicine Show

Show starts at 6:30 pm
Doors open at 6 pm

"A fundraiser for The Ark"

The Annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival, a fundraiser for The Ark,
will celebrate its 32nd year with some of the
finest in traditional and contemporary artists.
The Festival returns to Hill Auditorium
for two dynamic and different nights of folk and roots music
on Friday, January 30, and Saturday, January 31,
beginning at 6:30 p.m. each night.
Line up for Friday, January 30
Jeff Tweedy
Old Crow Medicine Show
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Ryan Montbleau Band
Katie Herzig
Chelsea Williams
The Ragbirds
Joe Pug
Jim Lauderdale, MC

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FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD: Hidden Ghost Balloon Ship - TONIGHT @ PHONOTROPIC - Crofoot Pontiac - Fri Jan 30th 2009

Hidden Ghost Balloon Ship plays tonight at PHONOTROPIC - Vernors Room inside the Crofoot Complex out in Pontiac....they have released a new record on RARC and its available for download just for you for free....news to some and not to others - get to double clicking

Hidden Ghost Balloon Ship is the duo of Trevor Naud and Little TommyDaniels, both of Pas/Cal. LTD drums, and Naud layers on the guitar,atmospherics and ghostly vocals.
Their self-titled debut album --available for a limited time as a free download from Romantic AirRecording Company -- is a series of mysterious, dizzying avant-popvignettes.

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FREE CDs: Circus Boy & The Ruiners

Last Saturday night we managed to squeeze in some Circus Boy and Ruiners and both bands gave us a couple of freebies to give away to you - the lovely readers of MCB...

If you know anything about motorcity music then you know who these bands are and if not well here is your chance to open up those eyes and ears to some great detroit music.

1st emailer gets the goods - motorcityblog@earthlink.net

The Ruiners played 3 or 4 songs from the upcoming new record and I have to say they are one of the funnest bands in town - just pure detroit rock and roll - the new CD is going to kick some ass and make you shake yours ...

Circus Boy finally have the new CD available and its great - they always put on a great show and they will be out playing the new songs from "Are You For Real" over the next few months
Go check them out!

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More downloads to drop before skipping town

A new name to some of you, probable underground heroes to many, Manchester's (We Are) Performance are returning in 2009 armed with some of the most undeniably brilliant pop songs you'll be lucky enough to hear all year. A bold claim we know, but this is one claim we've 100% faith in, such is the quality of album that's been on our office stereo this week

The first evidence of this brilliance is available now, with the track 'Let's Start' available to download completely free. Further evidence will also be audible when the band play their first London headline show of the year at 93 Feet East this coming Thursday (January 29th).

2009 looks set to be an exciting year for (We Are) Performance, and it's not just about the music. Frontman Joe Stretch's first novel 'Friction' was published last year to cult success and critical acclaim, and his second novel 'Wildlife' (Vintage) is released on March 5th. Bassist/Programmer Joe Cross is making a name for himself as one of Manchester's most exciting remixers, working with bands like Daggers and The Whip, while sisters Laura and Hilary Marsden continue to promote some of Manchester biggest club nights.

The band also feature in the film 'Unmade Beds', which is tipped to be one of the highlights of this year's Sundance Film Festival.

If we had our way here at MCB, every child would be weaned on Jagger, The Kinks and The Clash. Just ask Inward Eye, a troupe of three brothers — Dave (vocals/bass), Kyle (guitar/vocals), and Anders Erickson (drums) – what cutting your teeth on the classics does for you. At 5 years old, the Erickson brood would dance around in their underwear to their dad’s old vinyl of “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out,” and it still shows some 20 years later. As Inward Eye, the brothers craft snarling, revved-up rock music that could get comfy on a playlist from any era. Their eponymous debut is a front-to-back study in rebellion and high-voltage swagger.

download MP3: "Shame"

AFAS PRODUCE NEW VIDEO
FOR ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS' NEXT SINGLE
"EPILEPSY IS DANCING

freeeee copy of the new EP to the 4th emailer



Antony asked his friends the Wachowski Brothers to work with him on a video for his new single "Epilepsy is Dancing". They in turn invited painters Tino Rodriguez and Virgo Paradiso to create costumes and a mystical environment and choreographer Sean Dorsey and his dancers to bring the dream sequence to life. Antony's artistic partner Johanna Constantine stars as herself in the role of "Deer Monster". The video was lit and shot by the up-and-coming directors of photography, Chris Blasingame and Banker White, and produced by Jim Jerome. The production team collectively named themselves AFAS.
Please enjoy the fruits of their San Francisco art party.

The video premiered a few days ago on Pitchfork.tv:


Antony and the Johnsons’ highly anticipated album, “The Crying Light”, is released last week in the US by Secretly Canadian and is available in Europe and the UK on Rough Trade. http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/
Kemado Records is proud to announce the latest release from renowned Boston singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler: Little Hells.

On her fourth solo album, to be released on March 3, Marissa Nadler finds multiple ways to envelop the listener in splendid gauzy moods without becoming monochromatic.

“The songs take on different personalities at different points in time,” says Nadler. “If a song is good, you should be able to do it in any style and transform it, take a risk and have some fun."

DOWNLOAD "RIVER OF DIRT" FROM LITTLE HELLS

http://www.spin.com/ is giving away a track from The Answer’s upcoming FULL length album, Everyday Demons. Download the track experience the awesomeness that is The Answer.

My view for the next 2 weeks

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Ol' Man Winter got you down? Just Curl Up & Dye!!



"helping detroiters look like detroiters"
Check out Curl Up & Dye in the Cass Corridor for the total hook up
4215 Cass Avenue
Detroit MI
Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 8pm
Thursday 10am - 9pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
313-833-5006

They can cut, color, chop, style, blow, tame, trim, tint, curl up & dye ALL types of hair
***COMING SOON***
manicures, pedicures, eye brow sculpting and massage therapy!!!

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"Kill Audio" toy signing @ LIFT DETROIT - Sat Jan 31st 2-4pm

(in Royal Oak fools!)

Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria
will be signing his new "Kill Audio" vinyl toy.
Limit 1 per customer
The festivities start at 2:30 and go till 4.

The figure is $50 and supplies are limited
so hurry and get you before we sell out!

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Closing Reception - Winners to be Announced @ CPOP Gallery's Cpoportunity2 - Sat Jan 31st

©POPpor2nity
©POP Gallery’s Second All-Media Exhibition
For New And Exciting Artists!
©POP is extremely excited to announce the 4 winning participants of ©POPpor2nity 2008at the Closing Reception on Saturday, January 31, from 7PM - 11PM.

©POPpor2nity – The second groundbreaking, all-media exhibition for all artists who have never shown at ©POP before concludes by announcing the four winning participants at a gala Closing Reception on Saturday, January 31 from 7 PM until 10 PM. These four out of almost one hundred participating artists will earn a place in the as yet untitled “showcase of champions” exhibition to be held at the storied Detroit gallery in April of this year.
Like the first ©POPpor2nity in March of 2007, submissions were culled primarily over the internet through social networks like, MySpace, Craigslist and deviantArt.com, and once again ©POP has received nearly a hundred submissions from everywhere in the US as well as Turkey, Greece and Canada to name but three of the many countries where ©Pop is well known.

The participants will be judged by a panel of 10 locally and internationally renowned artists, media folk and celebrities with the winners to be featured in their own 4-person “showcase of champions” exhibition in April at the storied Detroit gallery. A few of the judges are: Artist/Chantuese Niagara, Murdercap Records impresario, Jerome Almon, DEMF Founder and global events producer, Carol Marvin, Musician/art collector, Ken Stanley & Dirty Show Head-Honcho, Jerry Vile and ©POP’s own Tom Thewes.

Some of this years confirmed artists include, Brandi Read, Kelley O’Hara, Jeff Van Buskirk, Nina Friday, Lisolette Gilchrist, Bruce Finsilver, Rudy Fig, William Roberts, Lisa Goedert, Maria Reiter, Kostas Mistilis, Greg Loselle, Kevin Bourgeois, Ryan Cronin, Tony Roko, Patrick Harris, Nick Fisher, Audra McKean, Dale Drieling, Dennis Jacobs, Joshua Gaudette, Daniel Pearson and Matthew Martin who was a judge last year, but oddly has never before shown at ©POP.
The following is a video of the first ©POPportunity winners’ exhibit entitled,

©POP Gallery is located at 4160 Woodward Detroit, MI 48226.Phone us at (313) 833-9901, contact us by email at adriel@cpop.com or visit us on-line at www.myspace.com/cpopgallery .

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FREE TICKETS: Mitten Movie Project @ Main Art Theatre - Tue Feb 3rd 2009 7pm

email us for this months pair of free tickets to MMP - motorcityblog@earthlink.net
5th emailer gets the freebies - need your full name for will call list

DOCUMENTARY ON WAYNE STATE’S MATH CORPS PROGRAM, “IT ALL ADDS UP,” AND CLAYMATION SHORT, “SNIPPY’S NEW YEAR,” HEADLINE THE
FEBRUARY 3RD MITTEN MOVIE PROJECT


It’s documentaries and animations this month at the February 3rd Mitten Movie Project (with a couple narrative shorts sprinkled in). Headlining the night on the documentary side is “It All Adds Up,” the latest production by Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Sue Marx, along with Detroit filmmakers Bob Berg and Allyson Rockwell. “It All Adds Up” showcases the story of Wayne State University’s Math Corps, a program that has helped thousands of Detroit inner-city school children become math whizzes and ultimately graduate from both high school and college.

Conceived by Wayne State faculty members Steve Kahn and Leonard Boehm in 1992, the Math Corps model is predicated on a simple concept: create a nurturing, supportive environment where students are held to a standard of excellence by both adult professional instructors and their older peer mentors. The concept works. Students entering the Math Corps with low math skills (30 percentile) raise their score to the 90 percentile in just six weeks. Since 1995, an estimated 90 percent of Math Corps students have graduated from high school. An extraordinary 80 percent have gone on to college.

“Parents, teachers and school administrators in every city need to see this film,” said Marx, who spent nearly two years researching and shooting the documentary. “The founders of Math Corps, Steve Kahn and Leonard Boehm, are my heroes as are the children they teach. Sure, members of the Math Corps are passionate about helping each other – in school and in life.”

Headlining the animation side of this month’s Mitten Movie Project is the latest claymation short from filmmakers Tom Gurisko and John Mollon. Painstaking to make and cleverly written, this installment in the Snippy series follows Snippy during the holiday festivities as he deals with the effects of alcohol.

Gurisko and Mollon were also the recipients of the Audience Choice Award at December 2008’s Best of the Mitten Movie Project for their kitchen safety short, “Snippy.” Gurisko was “totally taken off guard, very surprised and encouraged” at receiving the Audience Choice Award, an award that beat out 123 other short films that screened at the Mitten Movie Project from Nov 2007 to Oct 2008. “In a town like Detroit, it’s so hard to find people interested in making films and completing them. The Mitten Movie Project is a great venue for struggling, aspiring filimmakers to get an audience and real feedback,” Gurisko said after receiving the award.

In other Mitten Movie Project news, the November 11th Zombie Night was a near sellout with over 260 zombie enthusiasts packing the house at the Main Art Theatre.

The Mitten Movie Project is a monthly film night dedicated to screening independent films the first Tuesday of every month at the Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak. Presale tickets are available for $8 at www.myspace.com/mittenmovieproject. Tickets at the door are $10. A pre-screening reception starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Main Art lobby where moviegoers can mingle with the directors, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts. After the screening, a Q&A session will be conducted with the filmmakers in the theatre. An afterglow party will be held at Mr. B’s Pub (215 S. Main Street – 2 blocks south of the Main Art Theatre) to end the night’s activities.

2/3/09 MITTEN MOVIE PROJECT – INDEPENDENT SHORTS – PROGRAM NOTES

Main Art Theatre, Royal Oak, MI - 7:30 p.m.
Pre-sale tickets $8 at
www.myspace.com/mittenmovieproject , Door $10

The Mitten Movie Project is a monthly film night dedicated to screening independent films the first Tuesday of every month at the Main Art Theatre (118 N. Main Street, Royal oak, MI 48067). Presale tickets are available for $8 at www.myspace.com/mittenmovieproject. Tickets at the door are $10. A pre-screening reception starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Main Art lobby where moviegoers can mingle with the directors, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts. After the screening, a Q&A session will be conducted with the filmmakers in the theatre. An afterglow party will be held at Mr. B’s (215 S. Main Street) to end the night’s activities.

FINAL LINEUP. Total running time: 1 hr, 42 mins. In order of screening:

LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON-DOG: A SOUTH POLE DIARY [trailer] – Directed by Paul Daniels (01:00) (Antarctica) Moon-Dog captures the winter over the life of 15 scientists and 35 crew members at the U.S. Antarctic research station “South Pole,” located on the harshest continent on the planet. A combination of -100F temperatures, fierce storms, hypoxia, stress and the unexpected illness of the station’s doctor all conspire to push people to their limits. www.myspace.com/moondogmovie

CROSS SWORDS – Directed by Bradley Jones (04:14) (Michigan) Japanese "chambara" films were movies that exploit the tales of the mysterious. They often depicted Samurai or Ninja in crucial times of their lives. Cross Swords is a story of two men with no explained history or relationship engaging in a fight to the death.

LE DERRIERE – Directed by Steven Karageanes (09:18) (Michigan) Annie is a theatrical star who discovered she's been replaced on stage (and off) by a younger starlet. Annie then learns her producer, who fathered her child, is behind it all. Annie confronts her rival on stage, where they both realize who the true enemy is. www.myspace.com/tantricferret

STICKY FINGERS - Bargain Basement Productions (03:20) (Michigan) Written and Directed by Jason Roth. Guy is fed up with his job. But quitting may be more difficult than he thought! Rockabilly animation at it's most, um... billy...

978 E. WOODRUFF – Directed by Jeremy Stefanski (12:38) (Michigan) A hitman’s recurring dream. www.myspace.com/cheoperative

IWO JIMA DIARY - Directed by Michael Pfaendtner (23:00) (Michigan) Part character study, part oral history, Iwo Jima Diary uses the cartoon drawings of 84-year-old Edward “Mort” Denell to dramatically illustrate his combat experiences as a Marine in the closing months of World War II. With excerpts taken from Denell’s combat journal, the story develops into a chronological tale of bloody invasions, differing battle tactics and terrifying accounts of hand-to-hand combat with Japanese soldiers. The story also weaves in several humorous anecdotes and the close calls and near misses that nearly all soldiers experience on the battlefield. Iwo Jima Diary is told in Mort Denell’s own words, both on camera and as narrator. www.iwojimadiarymovie.com

FEET – Directed by Natalie Milbrodt (13:00) (Michigan/New York) Meet several people with little in common besides an unusual interest in feet. A podiatrist, a shoe fetishist, a reflexology expert, a podophobic, a yoga instructor, an artist with severely injured feet, a cultural historian, a pedicurist and a neuro-psychologist, join with others in a lively conversation about the very bottom of our bodies.

GHOST WIRING – Directed by David Moroski (03:00) (Michigan) Neko Case’s haunting music, lyrics and vocals provide the inspiration for this “Folk Art Animation” film about the introspective dialogue between an adult and her childhood memories. Created and animated by David Moroski.

IT ALL ADDS UP – Sue Marx Films (30:00) (Michigan) In 1992, a small group of Wayne State University faculty members developed a program where college students along with Detroit high school and middle school kids teach and learn vital skills in math – and in life. The results after 16 years are astonishing. Thousands of Detroit’s inner-city kids have graduated from high school and gone on to college. This upbeat documentary showcases the teathcers and students whose lives have been changed forever.

SNIPPY’S NEW YEAR - Skeletons in the Closet Films (02:42) (Michigan) Written, directed and animated by Tom Gurisko and John Mollon. Snippy takes a closer look at the effect alcohol has on holiday festivities.

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The Academy Award Short Films Series @ DFT Feb 6-7-8-14-15


The Academy Award Short Films Series @ Detroit Film Theatre

SHOWTIMES:
Feb. 6-7-8
Fri. & Sat. @ 7:00
Sun. @ 4:00

Feb. 14-15
Sat. @ 9:00
Sun. @ 4:00

The Academy Award® short-film nominees are traditionally among the year's most creative and surprising films of any kind, yet they're also the most difficult to find. Back by popular demand, the DFT will present them all in one eye-popping program, with a brief intermission between the animated and live-action categories. Here's your ticket to a satisfying banquet of Oscar® nominated short films, as well as your chance to predict the winners before the awards are handed out on February 22nd!

Note: The first portion of the program will consist of the five nominees in the animation category, plus a few surprise bonus films. The animation program will run approximately 80 minutes and is suitable for persons under 18. The live action shorts - the final half of the program - are recommended for adult audiences only.

ANIMATED

Lavatory Love Story - dir. Konstantin Bronzit
Oktapodi - dir. Julien BocabeilleLe Maison en Petits Cubes - dir. Kunio Kato
This Way Up - dirs. Adam Foulkes and Alan Smith
Presto - dir. Doug Sweetland
Estimated Animation Running Time: 80 min

LIVE ACTION

Auf Der Strecke (On the Line) - dir. Reto Caffi
New Boy - dir. Steph Green
Toyland - dir. Jochen Freydank
The Pig - dirs. Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
Manon on the Asphalt - dirs. Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
Estimated Live Action Running Time: 94 min

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FUNK NIGHT DETROIT - Scrummage Insurance Agency - Fri Jan 30th


"FUNK NIGHT @ SCRUMMAGE IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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PHOTOS: Scott Weiland @ St Andrews Hall Detroit by Diana Price


MCB's Diana Price was able up close and personal with Scott Weiland
this past Thursday night over at St Andrews Hall in Detroit

"MCB IS DETROIT"
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1/29/09

MCB-VIDEO: Sugarcoats @ LJ's Lounge Dietroit Jan 2009

MCB was hit up last Saturday about a last minute show from the Sugarcoats
over at our favorite corktown watering hole - LJ's Lounge....
so we made our way over to the show starting at Memphis Smoke in RO -
then over to The New Way Bar to catch Circus Boy
followed up by cruising eastside for Madame XD at Cadieux Cafe
then racing over to corktown
(stopping in for a quick dose of metal night at Lager House)
for Sugarcoats who put on a great show -
after 4 songs we jumped back in the MCB Challenger
and headed back to Ferndale for the end of the Ruiners set at New Way Bar

the quality of this video speaks for itself - we dont care
LJs has terrible lighting and being jammed up next to the speaker doesnt help the sound quality but you'll get the drift - these guys are rock and you will be seeing a lot more from them
Check out the Sugarcoats real soon
these guys really know how to bring it on.

"MCB IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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FREE CD & MP3: Heartless Bastards "The Mountain"

HEARTLESS BASTARDS RETURN
WITH
THE MOUNTAIN
Ohio rock trio Heartless Bastards return with their third album

The Mountain
on February 3 via Fat Possum.
Following the critical acclaim of their two previous albums Stairs and Elevators and All This Time, fans have a lot to look forward to ....
FREE COPY OF THE MOUNTAIN TO THE 3RD EMAILER
MOTORCITYBLOG@EARTHLINK.NET
(if you send an email without a mailing address
we delete your email even if you are the 3rd one)
_____________________________

Check out this previously unreleased footage of Heartless Bastards
LIVE**FOOTAGE


As always, Erika and the band are rocking hard, but this gives you an idea of what to expect from Heartless Bastards at SXSW as well as the rest of their national tour.
Check the updated schedule here:
01.30.09 - Young Ave Deli - Memphis, TN *
01.31.09 - Martyr’s - Chicago, IL *
02.03.09 - Great Scott - Boston, MA *
02.04.09 - Maxwell’s - Hoboken, NJ *
02.05.09 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA +
02.06.09 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY +
02.07.09 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY +
02.11.09 - Gravity Lounge - Charlottesville, VA *
02.12.09 - Bottle Tree - Birmingham, AL *
02.13.09 - Government Street Grocery - Ocean Springs, MS *
02.14.09 - Last Concert Café - Houston, TX *
02.26.09 - Sam’s Burger Joint - San Antonio, TX *
02.27.09 - Langhorn Saloon - Fort Worth, TX *
02.28.09 - Hailey’s - Denton, TX *
03.15.09 - The Pageant - St. Louis, MO @
03.16.09 - Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS @
03.17.09 - Cain’s Ballroom - Tulsa, OK @
03.18.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.19.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.20.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.21.09 - House of Blues - Houston, TX @
03.23.09 - The Lyric - Oxford, MS @
03.25.09 - Madison Theater - Cincinnati, OH *
03.27.09 - Webster Hall - New York, NY #
03.28.09 - Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA #
03.29.09 - Mr. Smalls - Pittsburgh, PA #
03.30.09 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH #
04.01.09 - St. Andrew’s Hall - Detroit, MI #
04.02.09 - Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI #
04.03.09 - The Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL #
04.04.09 - Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN #
04.07.09 - The Warehouse - Calgary, AB #
04.08.09 - The Starlite Room - Edmonton, AB #
04.10.09 - Plaza Club - Vancouver, BC #
04.11.09 - Crocodile Café - Seattle, WA *
04.13.09 - Berbati’s Pan - Portland, OR #
04.15.09 - The Boardwalk - Sacramento, CA #
04.16.09 - Slim’s - San Francisco, CA #
04.21.09 - The Clubhouse - Phoenix, AZ #
04.22.09 - Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM #
04.23.09 - Black Sheep - Colorado Springs, CO #
04.24.09 - Gothic Theater - Denver, CO #
04.25.09 - Beaumont Club - Kansas City, MO #
04.28.09 - Granada Theatre - Dallas, TX #
04.29.09 - Antone’s - Austin, TX #
05.02.09 - The State Theatre - Tampa, FL #
05.03.09 - The Social - Orlando, FL #

* Heartless Bastards headlining
+ Show with The Black Keys
@ Show with Andrew Bird
# Show with Gaslight Anthem

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FROSTFEST - A Night of Punk Rock - The Ritz - Sat Jan 31st

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The Crooks - Corktown Tavern - Fri Jan 30th

This Friday night if you want to see some great guitar work
get on over to the Corktown Tavern to check out

The Crooks & CETAN CLAWSON Revolution

Corktown Tavern
1716 Michigan Ave.
Detroit Mi
9pm
$5

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1/28/09

PHOTOS: Trick9 @ Northern Lights Lounge by Lawrence Creative



MCB's Brett Lawrence wouldn't miss the debut of TRICK9
who kicked some ass down at Northern Lights Lounge this past weekend.
Take 3 ex-Badways, 1 Desolation Angel, and hot rocker chick Kate...
and you've got Trick9.
Better than before.
Guaranteed!!

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PHOTOS: Lola Morales at The Whitney's GHOSTBAR by Amy Palomar



MCB's Amy Palomar was chilling at the semi-new GHOSTBAR
for the latin jazz show thrown down by MCB fav Lola Morales.....nice!

"LOLA MORALES IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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Night of Knockouts 4 - Royal Oak Music Theatre - Sat Jan 31st


Night of Knockouts IV
Pro Boxing 4
Saturday January 31st 2009
Doors: 8:00pm, All Ages Welcome
Tickets: Reserved Seating - $500, $60, $50, $40, $30
Royal Oak Music Theatre is host once again to the return
of a regular professional boxing night here in the motorcity
....more details to follow on the card ASAP

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Check out MOTORCITYFLICKS for the real deal on the film industry here in Detroit

You have been hearing all over the place how Detroit is the new Hollywood right?

Well there is a website right here in town that is all over that like the last "bagel buddy" over at Clint Eastwood's STARWAGONZ trailer.... www.MOTORCITYFLICKS.com
Check them out to get the latest dish on all the happenings around town that have to do the movie industry...take it from someone who worked in the business for over 20 years - MOTORCITYFLICKS is on the ball - now thats the Reel Detroit.

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Cowboy Messiah - The Belmont Hamtramck - Sat Jan 31st

Cowboy Messiah
Saturday January 31st 2009

Official DETROIT DERBY GIRLS After Party

The Belmont 10215 Joseph Campau Hamtramck MI

wsg/ HAF/LIFE ~ ALL ABOUT THE FIRE & TONE ARM! Dance the night away with DJ CLARK EAGLE! Wholly Wow, Batmonkey!

ALL THE COOL KIDS WILL BE AT THIS SHOW, (you should come too).

Free admission with Detroit Derby Girls ticket stub.

ARRIVE EARLY, THIS SHOW WILL SELL OUT.

ONLY $5 at the door. ($15 in advance)



Vintage Photo Set from MCB's RiazK of Cowboy Messiah at Hard Rock Cafe

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Atmosphere by Auralgasms - Proof Martini Lounge Detroit - Thu Jan 28th

Join us Thursday January 29th at Proof Martini Lounge in Downtown Detroit for a truly unique event. You won't be hearing the same old tired tunes that other DJ's play, drinking the same watered down beers and well drinks and screaming over the music to hear your friends.
Atmosphere is the Alternative to those nights.

DJ's Zumby and MikeyLove and teletran.one will be spinning their blend of Dreampop, Britpop, Triphop, Shoegaze and Electronica (think: Sigur Ros, Jesus and Mary Chain, Cocteau Twins, Esthero, Saint Etienne, Massive Attack, Hooverphonic, The Smiths, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Wolfsheim, Catherine Wheel, Ride, Slowdive and more)
We will also have a special guest DJ for the evening.
DJ Deornight will be spinning his flavor of the bliss in a set you won't want to miss!!
We'd like you to feel a sense of ownership in our monthly Atmosphere events.
Stop by the DJ Booth to introduce yourself and fill us in on the type of music you and your friends would like to hear or any interesting ideas you may have for future event promotions.
"AURALGASMS IS DETROIT"
Check out www.Auralgasms.com/ now!

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PHOTOS: Archetype/Core Effect/Chaos Theory/Cybertrybe/Powerman 5000 by Lawrence Creative



MCB's Brett Lawrence was out in Mt Clemens last Sunday
to cover the Cybertrybe / Powerman 5000 show at Emerald Theatre
check out these killer shots from the show above

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1/27/09

The Iguanas - The Ark - Mon Feb 2nd


The IGUANAS are coming to Ann Arbor

New Orleans’ eclectic sons The Iguanas are back with their post-Katrina ode to love, loss and the city they call home.
Derailed by a hurricane and scattered to the four winds, The Iguanas fought through hell and high water (literally) to complete If You Should Ever Fall On Hard Times, their first album in five years.
Not since the stone-cold classic Plastic Silver 9 Volt Heart in 2003 has the world heard the simmering blend of roots, swamp pop, tex-mex and rock that The Iguanas have perfected over the past decade. Much of IYSEFOHT was written while the band relocated to Austin, TX as a result of the storm but was recorded in New Orleans – the city that inspires them, the city that moves them, the city they call home.
After the storm it’s been said that the dance floors are dirtier, the nights are hotter and the drinks stronger, but then again, that’s how the Iguanas like it.

Monday February 2nd 2009

The Ark
316 S. Main
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

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MP3 Mondays on MOTORCITYBLOG (ok - so its late already)

After 7 long years away from family, friends, and the world at large, John Forte' is home, writing, recording new music and embracing life again. Today marks the debut of his new bi-weekly column for The Daily Beast, with his note “First Day Out of Prison.”

Accompanying the post is video footage of FortĂ©’s first day home – “Morning One” – along with a new song, “Life Has Just Begun” which you can check out here. Fans of Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer John FortĂ©, know him best for his work with the multi-platinum group “The Fugees” and for two solo albums, PolySci (Columbia; 1998) and I, John (Transparent; 2002), which featured guest appearances by Herbie Hancock, Esthero and Tricky, and included a duet with famed singer/songwriter Carly Simon on the song “Been There, Done That.” A classically-trained violinist and graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, FortĂ© recorded his last album while under house arrest awaiting trial; the album was released just as he was being sent to prison.

On November 24, 2008, Forté was granted a commutation by President George W. Bush after having served more than seven years of a fourteen-year federal prison sentence. Those who campaigned on his behalf include Carly Simon and Senator Orrin Hatch (R) of Utah.

On December 22, 2008, Forte walked out of Fort Dix Correctional Institution to resume his life and tell his story through music, film and prose. As noted in “First Day Out of Prison,” FortĂ© wasted no time in returning to the studio – he was there by nightfall on his first day home, eager to begin recording the dozens of songs he’s written over the past few years, and being joined by many friends and fellow musicians. One of the first to drop in and drop guest vocals was Talib Kweli, who helped John celebrate his newfound freedom with “Homecoming”, featuring Kanye West on the backing track.

Check out a behind the scenes video of the recording of Homecoming, in which Talib discusses the borough from which he and his childhood friend, FortĂ©, were raised, while FortĂ© brings a broader frame of reference to the meaning of “home.” Bloggers and fans, we invite you to post and share the MP3 and videos to help us celebrate John’s homecoming!

FortĂ©’s column for The Daily Beast will cover everyday matters through the eyes of a man who has been removed from everyday matters for so long. While working on his album and other projects, FortĂ© is also working with at-risk youth through organizations such as “In Arms’ Reach,” a community-based arts, counseling and mentoring program for the children of incarcerated parents.


**Fake Shark Real Zombie

Download the Kevvy Mental (singer of FSRZ) remix of 16mm’s “SOS” here:

The Vancouver-based rock act, FAKE SHARK REAL ZOMBIE, has been busy over the past few months. Not only have they recently released a new digital EP (Angel Lust, January 9th), but the band members have also found themselves promoting their careers outside of FSRZ.

The band is releasing remixed versions of three of the songs. Portishead has remixed their tune Sour Times, while Ghost Frequency has a remix of the single Angel Lust, and lead singer, Kevin James Maher, AKA Kevvy Mental remixed 16mm.

They may have cribbed their name from a 1891 Thomas Hardy novel, and Chart Attack might have called them “rock music for smart people,” but there’s nothing egghead-y about The D’Urbervilles, a couple of pals that started a band for drink tickets and rock shows then wound up winning over critics everywhere from New Brunswick to New York. Following a self-financed EP and tours with Canadian heavyweights like Malajube and You Say Party! We Say Die!, the band bowed with their debut full-length, We Are The Hunters, a post-punky slab of anthemic guitar revelry on the Out Of This Spark label in 2008.

MP3: "Hot Tips"

Later this month the band will celebrate the Out Of This Spark Anniversary at the Tranazac in Toronto and the Albion Hotel in Guelph, along with Forest City Lovers, Timber Timbre and Jenny Omnichord. It’s a momentous start to a 2009 that’ll prove mighty eventful for the D’Urbs, currently hard at work on a follow up to We Are The Hunters.


Keep It Hid out February 10th on Nonesuch

On his solo debut, Black Keys singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach takes a simple approach: “I just wanted to do the things I loved.” For Auerbach, that means combining elements of bluegrass a la the Stanley Brothers, mournful country balladry, Memphis-style R&B, fuzzed-out psychedelic rock and low-down blues on this collection of 14 original tunes, which Auerbach self produced and recorded with friends and family at his newly built studio, Akron Analog.
“It’s all just soul music,” he says, and Keep It Hid is soulful indeed.

LISTEN TO "MY LAST MISTAKE" FROM KEEP IT HID

As a songwriter, Auerbach likes to prowl the dark end of the street; his gritty, impassioned vocals lend dramatic heft to these tales of romantic betrayal and suspicious minds. For this Akron, Ohio native, his state has always been blue.
Auerbach, like a more roots-oriented version of Tom Waits, mixes black humor with genuine poignancy in his lyrics and concocts some artfully oddball arrangements. He likes to crank it up on tracks like “I Want Some More” and the Bo Diddley beat-driven “Street Walkin’.”
But he isn’t afraid to keep things gentler, more intimate on songs like the aching, acoustic-blues opener, “Trouble Weighs A Ton,” and the unabashedly sweet “When the Night Comes,” a duet with protĂ©gĂ© Jessica Lea Mayfield, possessed of a voice as full of character as Auerbach’s own (and a fellow Ohioan whose abum was recorded in Aerbach's studio). “My Last Mistake,” despite its morose words, has the happy pop swing of a classic Sir Douglas Quintet track, with just the rollicking organ missing.

The Black Keys are revered for their “two-man stomp,” as Auerbach calls it.
On his solo disc, though, Auerbach goes in a more expansive direction, working with a full band and tackling a wide variety of instruments himself. With engineer Mark Neill, he employed analog gear to record and mix. In fact, “Whispered Words,” which Auerbach co-wrote with his dad, was cut in mono. Vintage effects, however, are a means, not an end, helping Auerbach get down on tape the remarkable sounds mixing it up in his head 24/7. He’s planning to get those tunes on the road, too, embarking on his first solo national tour this February, backed by Hacienda, an Austin band he’s long admired, who will also serve as support act, along with Those Darlins.


2008 was a busy year for And Then There Were None. After a line up change, the addition of new members and a new sound, ATTWN is back and better than ever. Once known for boasting metal riffs and killer breakdowns, ATTWN has been reinvented, mixing euro-dance beats with a punk-rock backbone and ethic. Frontman Matt Rhoades comments, "Eventually I ran out of ideas for writing metal music and began to write what came more naturally. To me, dance music is positive, and still incredibly emotionally based. There are no rules or norms and this allowed me more creative freedom in the writing process. I finally feel as though ATTWN has found its own unique sound."

What separates ATTWN from its peers is the passion and moral behind the music. Unafraid to bring ethics and a message back into the music world, And Then There Were None has made it a mission to be heard. Not only is every member a vegetarian, but ATTWN has partnered up with Peta2 to educate and enlighten fans. "When I was growing up in the music scene, bands were passionate and had a message. You couldn't go to a show without being handed a pamphlet, or exposed to some sort of leftist activism. I feel like that 'punk' ethic has been absent over the years, and it only seems natural to stand for a cause. Furthermore, the unnecessary killing of animals for food is not only disgusting, but wrong. We all strongly believe in speaking out for animals, and refuse to be silenced to please the general public," says Rhoades. Bringing back the punk moral, ATTWN proudly sets up a table of Peta pamphlets and booklets, as well as stickers and promotional materials to inform fans. The band believes education is the first step to change, and is doing all they can to make a difference.

So what's next for ATTWN? Fans can expect a full-length album full-length record, "Who Speaks for Planet Earth?" available EVERYWHERE on February 24th 2009. The record contains 11 tracks produced by Matt Rhoades / Sean Sweeney and mixed by J.R. McNeely and David Bendeth. "I believe our inexperience brought an angelic quality to the record," says Matt. The result is a full-length full of passion, and sincerity, masked by fun, uplifting dance beats, sure to please.
For More ATTWN

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MAGIC SHOP - Magic Bag Ferndale - Fri Jan 30th

MCB's Derek Ecker was down at The Lager House the last time Magic Shop played a show and let his fingers do the talking with a few cooler than cool illustrations of the band

This weekend, MCB's MONEYPENNY will be hitting up the show at The Magic Bag in Ferndale where Magic Shop opens up for The Muggs to get some photos and tell us all how it went


Friday January 30th 2009
The Magic Bag
22920 Woodward Ave.,
Ferndale, Michigan 48220
$8
The Muggs, Blue Song, Magic Shop


"MAGIC SHOP IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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FREE TICKETS: Kirsten Price - Pike Room - Fri Feb 6th


MCB has a pair of passes to the upcoming Kirsten Price show at The Crofoot Pike Room on February 6th 2009....3rd emailer gets em plus a copy of the new CD

motorcityblog@earthlink.net

this chick kicks some ass - you need to get to this show!

Kirsten Price w/Clear Grey

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6
Crofoot Pike Room
doors at 7pm
tickets: $10 in advance (buy tickets)

Dubbed the "Tough Times '09 Tour", the artist will be playing songsfrom her critically acclaimed 2008 debut release "Guts & Garbage"as well as showcasing material from her second solo album slatedfor release later in 2009.Price's self styled independent record label KPI, has recently announced that the artist will be taking a break from the recording studio where she is busy in production on her second offering.

Along with a pool of independent solo artists doing it their way,she is set to drive, sweat, belt and groan her way through whatbusiness leaders predict may be the worst months of the deepeningeconomic downturn. Serving up relief in the form of her "sassyspin on soul music"

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Lenny Stoofy - Berkley Front - Tues Jan 27th


MCB's Anna Hergot will be covering this show tonight

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PHOTOS: Michigan Dance Project @ UofM Flint by GPetersmarck




MCB's George Petersmarck provided this set of photos from last weekends Michigan Dance Project
out at the UofM Campus Flint - See more from GP here

"Next Door Neighbor follows seven individuals, each with their own addictions and self-destructive behaviors. Immerse yourself in our journey as we explore the complexities of relationships and the basic human nature to rely on others.
This high energy, emotional production features the dynamic choreography of MDP Director Kathy King and the MDP Dancers, in collaboration with musicians Ezra Graziano, Justin Johnstone, and Francisco Leon."

"MCB IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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FREE SIGNED COPY of KAT VON D's "High Voltage Tattoo"- Friday February 13th 2009 7pm


KAT VON D TO SIGN
‘HIGH VOLTAGE TATTOO’
AT BORDERS IN BIRMINGHAM ON FEBRUARY 13TH

Kat Von D. will sign copies of her new book, “High Voltage Tattoo.”

Colored wristbands will be given out beginning the morning of February 13 at Borders in Birmingham. The wristbands will determine places in line.


Friday, February 13 at 1 p.m.

Borders
34300 Woodward Avenue
Birmingham, MI 48009
248-203-0005
Kat Von D is the star of The Learning Channel's “L.A. Ink,” which has been the station's number-one-rated program for its 2007 and 2008 seasons, and will enter its third year in January 2009. Kat's makeup line launched with Sephora in June 2008, and she is also working on a line of apparel. She holds the Guinness World Record for doing the most tattoos in a 24-hour period. Her tattoo shop, High Voltage, is in Los Angeles, where she also lives.

About “High Voltage Tattoo”:

“High Voltage Tattoo” is a graphic perspective on today's global tattoo culture by Kat Von D, star of The Learning Channel's L.A. Ink and one of the most talented and popular artists working today. Designed in a style that is reminiscent of a handmade Gothic journal with its red padded cover, ornate typography and parchment-like pages, it throws the door wide open to tattooing culture in the way only an insider like Kat can. ”High Voltage Tattoo” traces Kat's career as an artist, from early childhood influences to recent work, along with examples of what inspires her, information about the show and her shop, her sketches and personal tattoos. The book goes deep into tattoo process and culture: readers can see up close the pigments, the tools and the making of complex, even collaborative, tattoos.
With a foreword by Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx, the book features images and stories about celebrities, rockers, pro skaters, and everyday citizens, including Slayer's Kerry King, Anthrax's Scott Ian, Margaret Cho, Jackass' Bam Margera, David Letterman, and many others. It profiles and showcases the work of artists Kat has selected from all over the world, her interviews with people who have compelling tattoos and stories, and amazing images of extraordinary tattoo work.
Numerous portfolios throughout the book showcase a range of relevant subjects, from the black and gray portrait work for which Kat is famous to a popular tattoo theme, such as the rose or biblical images. There is a knockout ten-page full-body spread of Kat—clad in a yellow bikini and seven-inch, rhinestone-studded red stilettos—that catalogs in detail all her personal tattoos on her front, back, left, and right sides—even her hands and head.

MCB's MoneyPenny will be onsite to document this event

and getting a copy of "High Voltage Tattoo" signed

for the winner of this contest

5th emailer to hit us up gets the signed copy once we have it in our grubby little hands

WE HAVE A WINNER!

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FREE TICKETS: Miniature Tigers w/Ben Folds - Feb 18th @ Michigan Theatre

FREE PAIR OF TICKETS to the 4th emailer
motorcityblog@earthlink.net

Miniature Tigers’ sound was forged in the bedroom of frontman Charlie Brand, only to quickly outgrow the space, with the band soon finding itself on stage, in the studio and signed to Phoenix’s Modern Art Records in short order. Brand’s lyrics – a mix of deeply personal insights and playful references to the disparate cultural artifacts that have informed his existence – and effortlessly constructed indie-pop arrangements have made fans in his native Phoenix and beyond. They stretch to Los Angeles, where he reconnected with drummer, collaborator and fellow charter member of the band Rick Schaier while living in Hollywood, and far beyond thanks to the Internet, which it seems people are into these days.

Miniature Tigers’ debut album “Tell it to the Volcano” runs the lyrical gamut, taking inspiration from and referencing TV’s Lost (which rates a Dharma Initiative sticker on Brand’s acoustic) as easily as it probes the joy and heartbreak of Charlie’s own life, while managing not to take itself too seriously. Brand wrote the album while on the lam – not from the law, but rather from a relationship he described as “brutal.” He left Phoenix to clear his head, landing in Los Angeles and collaborating with his friend Rick to complete the long-gestating album. It was his catharsis – with cannibals and volcanoes stepping in for the real-world problems that had both beset and inspired him. In the end the album represents Charlie’s effort to codify, examine, and ultimately move past a 2-year stretch of his life.

Charlie and Rick are joined in their live incarnation by friends and collaborators Lou Kummerer on bass and Lawrence Hearn on lead guitar and keyboards, for performances that seem to give equal time to playing songs and intra-band joking. They aim for a controlled chaos aesthetic that eschews “auto-pilot” at all costs.

In an effort to further confound the expectations of those around the band, they chose to have their video directed by someone who had never helmed one before…or at least never an authorized music video. The band tapped “Yacht Rock” creator JD Ryznar to direct their video for Cannibal Queen in the hopes he would recreate the magic of his wildly popular Internet video series. Ryznar quickly assimilated the band’s aesthetic
and turned in a video equal parts “Weird Science” and “Frankenstein,” to the band’s delight.

“Tell it to the Volcano” is currently available on iTunes, as well as a limited-edition letterpressed CD package and on vinyl at shows and via the band’s web site. They’ll be touring through the winter of 2009, when the album will find its way to stores through an official retail release.

Tour Dates:

With Ben Folds
2/11/09 Wed Princeton NJ McCarter Theatre
2/12/09 Thu Baltimore MD Rams Head Live
2/14/09 Sat Philadelphia PA Electric Factory
2/16/09 Mon Pittsburgh PA Club Zoo
2/17/09 Tue Toronto ON Kool Haus
2/18/09 Wed Ann Arbor MI Michigan Theatre
2/19/09 Thu Cincinnati OH Xavier University
2/21/09 Sat Columbus OH LC Pavillion
2/22/09 Sun Knoxville TN Valarium
2/23/09 Mon Asheville NC Orange Peel
2/25/09 Wed Durham NC Durham PAC
2/26/09 Thu Charleston SC N Charleston PAC
2/27/09 Fri Atlanta GA Tabernacle
3/1/09 Sun Charlotte NC Ovens Aud

With Dear & The Headlights
3/2/09 Mon Seattle WA El Corazon
3/4/09 Wed Boise ID The Venue
3/5/09 Thu Salt Lake City UT Avalon Theatre
3/7/09 Sat Denver CO Marquis Theatre
3/8/09 Sun Omaha NE Sokol Underground
3/10/09 Tue Minneapolis MN Triple Rock
3/11/09 Wed Iowa City IA Picador
3/12/09 Thu Chicago IL Reggie's Rock Club
3/13/09 Fri Columbia MO Mojo's
3/14/09 Sat Tulsa OK The Marquee
3/15/09 Sun Dallas TX The Door
3/17/09 Tue San Antonio TX Rock Bottom Bar

SXSW
3/19/09 Thu Austin TX Jackalope


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Riff2 Listening Party @ Smalls Bar - Tues Jan 27th


MCB's Shane Glenn headed over to the Riff2 goodbye party for Melody Baetens
which was hosted at her new co-owned establishment - SMALL's Bar!

MCB Vintage Video of Swamp Sisters who played
a Labor Day show at Hamtramck Polish Festival


Melody Baetens is a woman about town when it comes to the music scene -
and now is co-owner of Smalls Bar in Hamtramck...
read more about that here in an interview with ETC and check out the little video we did with one of her bands "Swamp Sisters" this past summer at Hamtramck Music Festival up above..
TONIGHT:
"Small's will be hosting a very special Riff2 Listening Party to say goodbye to Melody as co-host of Detroit Local 101. Suzy Cole and some of theother Riff2 staff will be hanging out, and there will be a live broadcast of the local music show from 10 p.m.-2 a.m.
Specials include $2 domestic bottles, $2 wells and $3 pineapple upside down shots.
Magic Man and Malarsh will be behindthe bar. http://www.riff2.com/.
No cover!"

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WILD AT HEART - Tue Jan 27th 2009

Hey Kirk-Is it cold enough for you out there??
Wild Bill Ketelhut provides the "blog" to this anti-blog
He has a radio program on WXOU out of Oakland University

Wild At Heart

Well, I am now looking at my last week of total freedom since I am starting a new job on Monday after being out of work for what seems like forever. I will miss being able to go to whatever preview or event I like, but the idea of money in the bank excites me even more. The past year has been fun but it is time to move on and that also means a new day and time for my show.


Check my myspace page out www.myspace.com/wildatheart_13 for details but it looks like I might be on Saturday mornings.

It the meantime, lets look at some fun things to do this week. I started the week at the DIA for their Friday Night Live which I hadn’t been to in awhile but it was a very relaxing day. I walked around some of the exhibits, listened to a nice jazz trio and checked out the new exhibit “Master Pieces: Chess Sets” which had many fascinating sets from the 16th to the 20th centuries including sets from FabergĂ© and one that was owned by Catherine the Great. I liked the sets which featured Good vs Evil and the one representing Communism vs. Capitalism. This Friday, you can go to the DIA and check out Scots fiddler Alasdair Fraser and American cellist Natalie Haas as they pursue the reinvention of the musical marriage between big and small fiddles, a familiar feature of the music of eighteenth-century Scotland. You can also see the Swedish vampire film, “Let the Right One In” where a young boy who gets picked on by bullies finds himself in a friendship with a mysterious 12 year old girl who just moved in next door. This girl turns out to be a vampire but he is not afraid and starts a friendship which helps build his self-confidence and helps her also as seen by the end of this wonderfully different vampire tale. Definitely worth the time to see it and this is its last weekend.

I also found my way to the Detroit Science Center to look at their new exhibit “Deadly Medicine – Creating The Master Race” which is on loan from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. This is a very emotional exhibit which looks at the international eugenics movement of the early twentieth century starting with America but more specifically the work on the Nazi’s to create their master race. The Nazis worked in collaboration with anthropologists, geneticists and to help legitimize the persecution, murder and ultimately genocide of the Jews, mentally deficient, gypsies, etc in the pursuit of building a superior Germany. The exhibit includes books, propaganda posters and some of the various instruments they used to bring this along, as well as pictures of some of the victims of their misused science. A very worthy exhibit showcasing the bad science can do if misused. This should be a must see exhibit.

I also took the time to check out a couple of films. I took in the planetarium show “Bad Astronomy” which was made here in ....Detroit.... with astronomer, lecturer, and author Phil Plait. Who is best known for his work on the Hubble Space Telescope. He is using his knowledge to help address the concept of bad science and this film looks at answering the questions of those who doubt we landed on the moon, tells us some things that might be mistaken for UFO’s, shows how certain movies (Armageddon, Star Wars) tinker with their facts and tells the difference between Astrology and Astronomy. A nice film esp for kids who are looking to get into the sciences and using correct scientific thinking (I also recommend the book). Also, after seeing Kate Winslet in two wonderful films last year (Revolutionary Road and the Reader), I got to hear her narration (along with Johnny Depp) in the IMAX film “Deep Sea” which is a is an exploration of the world beneath the sea and its bizarre and exotic inhabitants, such as the Mantis Shrimp and the Wolf Eel. The film is brilliantly filmed and has many wonderful moments. My favorites are a mantis shrimp fending off an octopus, the graceful swimming of the manta rays and the deep sea squid attacking their prey as well as the camera. You also get close-ups of jellyfish and sharks among other denizens of the deep. It’s a beautiful film for those who enjoy seeing the beautiful films of the sea. It also has music by Danny Elfman.

I also took a trip down to Greektown for their new International Buffet. The buffet is one price everyday and featured many items with an Asian, Mexican, American, Italian and Greek. The dessert bar I found disappointing with a poor selection and for the price, I don’t think it really compares to MGM, Motor City or Windsor. They did have a nice selection of shrimp, a tasty carved ham and really good lamb chops, but along with a few other items, it was underwhelming. Now if you get it on comp that is one thing, but I recommend the other casinos for the buffet if you have the choice.

This weekend should be special for the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. Day one features Jeff Tweedy and the Old Crow Medicine Show and there are still tickets left. I got my tickets for day 2 which is sold out (last year I didn’t have tickets but was first in line and managed to get some tickets which they released that day) and has performances by the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Kris Kristofferson (not much into his singing but he is a great songwriter and I enjoy his acting) and the legendary Pete Seeger (a folk god who found fame with the Weavers in the 50’s, wrote such famous songs as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)" and "Turn, Turn, Turn" and political activist). For those who can’t see Pete in Ann Arbor, you can see him as part of a panel discussion on the practice of profiling at the Arab American National Museum from 1-2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb 1st. The panel is free so come early to this event.

On the concert front, there are a few good shows in town besides those I mentioned. On the 28th, you can see Scott (Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver) Weiland when he plays at St Andrew’s Hall on Wed. For Thurs fans, you have the choice between the Black Keys at the Fillmore or Funeral For A Friend at the Magic Stick (you can listen to WXOU on Tues during the Metal Meltdown show between ..11AM-1PM.. for your chance to win tickets). Local band Greenstreet will be at Fishbone’s on Sat.

I would also like to put a couple of shout outs to Nikolai Fraiture for a wonderful performance last week with his band Nickel Eye. Only about 20 people showed up but his folksy rock performance was very good. He is heavily influenced by people like Neil Young and Frank Black and it shows. Check out his new CD, The Time of the Assassins, when you get a chance. Also, I had a great time talking to Tonya Harding who has lost some weight and is still boxing. The 38 year old seems to have matured with age and is spending what time she doesn’t see in the ring working with young children with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She is still the tomboy spending her free time around capmfires and the such. She admits that while skating, she didn’t really fit the image that the major skating outifts had about what a figure skater was supposed to be like (not liking the girly music and such) and has tremendous pride she was able to have such a good year in 1991 to prove them wrong.

I hope everyone has a good week and stay warm.

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PHOTOS: SPAG Burlesque by Diana Price


MCB's Diana Price was hanging with the lovely SPAG burlesque girls
this past Saturday night over at Blondie's Detroit

"MCB IS DETROIT"
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1/26/09

PHOTOS: The Vamps @ Corktown Tavern by Shane Glenn


MCB's Shane Glenn was down at Corktown Tavern for The Vamps who put on a great show
the band was HIGH energy and great performers they sounded great...
Detroitbluesy-rock...

"MCB IS DETROIT"

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PHOTOS: set from CD Release Party : Brandon Calhoon and Robin Horlock by RiazK


MCB's RiazK hooked up this set from the
double CD Release Party of Brandon Calhoon and Robin Horlock
this weekend over at the magic bag

"MCB IS DETROIT"
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1/25/09

MCB-VIDEO: A-ShirtBag Interview - Fundraiser TONIGHT @ Inn Season Cafe - Royal Oak - Sun Jan 25th 2009 7-9pm






Head on over to The Inn Season Cafe in Royal Oak TONIGHT
for the A-ShirtBag Silent Auction Fundraiser
The event is Sunday January 25th
7pm - 9pm
CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION GO HAND-IN-HAND
FOR ECO-FRIENDLY ORGANIZATION A-SHIRT BAG

Simple solutions for eco-friendly living.

This philosophy of environmentally conscious organization A-ShirtBag has brought awareness to the metro Detroit community about implementing simple solutions into their daily lives to help save the earth's natural resources. Whether it's planting a new tree, using an eco-friendly
shopping bag at the grocery store, or recycling reusable materials, A-ShirtBag has taught that taking the extra step truly makes a difference.

Every year, the U.S. disposes of 100 billion plastic bags. Paper bags generate 70% more air pollution and 50% more water pollution than plastic bags. With the launch of eight new eco-friendly items in 2009 and an educational program, A-ShirtBag's team, composed solely of volunteers, is working hard to spread awareness about the devastating effects of plastic
and paper shopping bags and the energy that is lost in their production.

A-ShirtBag's educational program, "7 Things You Can Do in 7 Days to Save Our Environment," is a project-based learning program that works with the science departments within metro Detroit schools and is geared toward earth-friendly conservation.

Each child in the program is given a tri-fold handout; an eco-friendly pencil; a Tree in a Box kit and each classroom receives a set of 4 recyclable bags; these tools are intended to motivate the younger generations to practice earth-friendly lifestyles. By offering an educational program for children and information about conservation to the community, students and consumers can develop an awareness of the effects of paper and plastic bag usage and energy consumption. This awareness will help them to make informed choices to discontinue the use of disposable shopping bags and save energy.

To spread awareness beyond the schools and into the communities, A-ShirtBag and Inn Season Café in Royal Oak will host a silent auction during the month of January 2009 and a special event night auction on Sunday, January 25th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., that will feature
one-of-a-kind shopping bags created from recycled material by key creative businesses in metro Detroit and around the world. The proceeds from the auction will be donated to A-ShirtBag's education program.

"This auction continues our quest to bring awareness to the metro Detroit community and to future generations about the effects of plastic and paper bag pollution," says A-ShirtBag founder Jeff Newsom.

"By encouraging people to do something simple every day, like using eco-friendly shopping bags instead of the plastic or paper ones, we hope that it will make a lasting impression on the environment."

Key creative businesses from metro Detroit and around the world have contributed their vision by designing eco-friendly shopping bags to be auctioned off at the Inn Season Café in
Royal Oak on Sunday, January 25th from 7-9 p.m. Environmentally conscious organization A-ShirtBag has collaborated with designers such as o2 Creative Solutions, Boswell Creative and Crypton Super Fabrics, to spread awareness about environmental issues and the ways that any community can change the world with simple daily eco-friendly practices.

"This auction continues our quest to bring awareness to the metro Detroit community and to future generations about the effects of plastic and paper bag pollution," says A-ShirtBag founder Jeff Newsom. "By encouraging people to do something simple every day, like using eco-friendly shopping bags instead of the plastic or paper ones, we hope that it will make a lasting impression on the environment."

The bags will be on display for silent bid during the month of January at the Inn Season Café, located at 500 East Fourth Street in downtown Royal Oak. The public will also have the chance to bid on the bags at the special event night auction to raise funds for A-ShirtBag's education
program "7 Things You Can Do in 7 Days to Save Our Environment," a project-based learning program that services low-income children throughout the greater metro Detroit area is geared toward earth-friendly conservation.

By offering an educational program for children and information about earth-friendly conservation, students and the public can develop an awareness of the effects of paper and plastic bag usage and energy consumption that can help them to make informed choices to discontinue the use of disposable shopping bags and save energy. Organic treats will be provided during the auction.

One designer, Boswell Creative, has crafted a bag that incorporates his primary medium: photography; the design features a camera strap and photograph pockets on a black chiffon bag. The designer says that working for an environmental cause is important because "it teaches kids to develop earth-friendly habits." Crypton Fabrics designed a bag that features a sketch of a dog by world-renowned photographer William Wegman.

o2 Creative Solutions has designed what they call a "Smart Bag." Using a basic GPS Receiver and embedded micro-controller, the bag will provide an auditory reminder to the user every time they approach a retail/grocery store location in the Royal Oak area. Complete with a map printed on the bag itself and LEDs detonating the actual shopping locations in the map,
the bag will act as a bridge between the eco-friendly and the ethos of the
contemporary consumer culture.

Every year, the U.S. disposes of 100 billion plastic bags. Paper bags generate 70% more air pollution and 50% more water pollution than plastic bags. The production of plastic and paper bags pollutes the air through use of toxic chemicals, causing the destruction of the earth and the
reduction of natural resources that are essential for human survival.

These devastating facts have motivated the highly dedicated members of
A-ShirtBag to raise awareness in the metro Detroit community about implementing simple solutions into their daily lives to help preserve the earth's natural resources.

For more information about A-ShirtBag or the auction, visit http://www.ashirtbag.org/ or call (800) 915-9384. A-ShirtBag is located at 1331 Holden Street in Detroit.

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1/24/09

The Sugarcoats - LJ's Lounge Detroit - TONIGHT!! Sat Jan 24th

The Sugarcoats play tonight over at MCB favorite LJ's Lounge in Corktown
When your at a sugarcoats show - if you knock back a couple quick ones - relax and close your eyes its as if you are at a stones show back in the day. Just what we need here at MCB after the week we just had so come on out - join us for a drink and some of the best music coming out of detroit right now...The Sugarcoats at LJ's Tonight!

"LJ's Lounge IS DETROIT"
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1/23/09

MCB extra weekend stuff to do: The Ruiners/Circus Boy - DUENDE! / Madame XD

Been a busy week for MCB so we are a little short on time today but we wanted to let you know about a few shows barely listed around town that you should make it out for....
We are covering at least 6 shows this weekend including these ones listed below


The Ruiners and Circus Boy play the New Way Bar on Saturday night over in Ferndale
got a couple other bands on the bill but always a good show from these outfits...
(BEAU THAI & THE AMBASSADORS (COOL MOTOR CITY MOTOWN SOUNDS) & SWITCH BLADE JUSTICE)

DUENDE! - The Hotwalls - Madame XD will be kicking out on the eastside of detroit playing the always fun Cadiuex Cafe with the show doubling as a birthday bash for MCB pal Annie Rose who turns a brand spanking new 21 years young - Happy Birthday Annie!

Laura "the Boom" Willem photo by Dawn Giblin

"MCB IS DETROIT"
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1/22/09

MCB FLYER OF THE MONTH - The Handgrenades - Paychecks Lounge - Fri Jan23rd 2009

The Handgrenades
January 23rd 2009
Paychecks Lounge Hamtramck
2923 Caniff
Hamtown MI DIETROIT
w/ The Ferdy Mayne, and The Buffalo Kids
nice use of MS Paint - yeah!

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Show Up & Go Up - Standup Comedy Thursdays @ Jazz Cafe Detroit

Show Up & Go Up
Standup Comedy Thursdays
@ Jazz Cafe Detroit
So you think your funny? Then prove it!!
If your judged to be the funniest of the night
you take home half the door
Check it out TONIGHT!!!

Music Hall / Jazz Cafe
350 Madison
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 887-8508
"JAZZ CAFE IS DETROIT"
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Support motorcity artists - Buy a print from Kevin "Chopper" Peshkepia

Check out the homage to Detroit celebrity icons called
"Detroit Mt. Rushmore".
This first in the series of prints is available for only $20.
So you can own a piece of Detroit culture and help Chopper get to Detroit this February by purchasing these prints or any of his fine artwork at http://www.peshkepia.com/ .
The piece is entitled Detroit Mt. Rushmore I
and it features legendary newscaster BILL BONDS
(Detroit's own Ron Burgundy - - who had a cameo in a Planet Of The Apes Movies, BTW)
- - PLUS the mayor BILL challenged to a fist fight on the air - - the late COLEMAN YOUNG.
In addition we have classic horror-movie host SIR GRAVES GHASTLY
and the GODFATHER OF PUNK - - IGGY POP.
I'm offering these prints to help raise money for my return to Detroit for the three art shows I have going on there in the month of February (see www.peshkepia.com ).
The prints measure 11 x 17" and are available via PAY PAL at http://www.peshkepia.com/DETROIT.htm
These are LIMITED EDITION prints, signed & numbered
and are a MUST for all Detroit-o-philes!
SUPPORT THE ARTS
(& get 'em cheap before I'm dead!)
Kevin "Chopper" Peshkepia


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1/21/09

Win Free Tickets to Kings of Leon / The Whigs - Jan 26th East Lansing // March 10th Detroit

If you are jonzing to see The Whigs who play a gig out in Lansing Jan 26th with Kings of Leon you can win tickets by clicking the pic above and entering the contest direct....we might have a pair of tickets coming soon but this may be your best bet for freebies on this one.

"Find out you didnt win the tickets to the lansing show;( "

Well you COULD be the winner of free tickets to The Whigs when they play the stick on March 10th right here in dietroit....
go ahead...enter the contest...
what are you waiting for???


On Tour with Kings of Leon

January 20th Palace Theatre Louisville, KY

January 21st Murat Theatre Indianapolis, IN

January 23rd Uptown Theater Kansas City, MO

January 24th House of Blues Chicago, IL

January 26th Wharton Center - MSU East Lansing, MI

January 27th Lifestyles Community Pavilion Columbus, OH

January 29th Madison Square Garden New York, NY


The Whigs Headlining Tour

March 4th Black Cat Washington, DC

March 5th The Note Philadelphia, PA

March 6th Paradise Boston, MA

March 7th Bowery Ballroom New York, NY

March 9th The Basement Columbus, OH

March 10th Magic Stick Detroit, MI

March 12th Birdys Indianapolis, IN

March 13th Bottom Lounge Chicago, IL

March 14th Fubar St. Louis, MO

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OTTO VECTOR / Champions of Breakfast - LUNA LOUNGE ROYAL OAK - Fri Jan 23rd

Friday January 23rd 2009
wsg Champions of Breakfast and Pillar of Autumn
21+ and of course, those lovely $2 "you-call-it" drinks from 9-11!
Vintage MCB-VIDEO of Champions of Breakfast from back in the day

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Cass Collective & Cass Cafe to hold benefit for CAID - Sun Jan 25th


Benefit Fundraiser for Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit
Cass Cafe and the Cass Collective

Sunday January 25th 2009 8PM
Cass Cafe
4620 Cass Avenue
Detroit48201

Please join us at the Cass Cafe for another unique fundraiser event for the CAID.
The bands are playing for free and your donations in the hat
will go towards CAID as well as 50 cents from every drink you have.
So come out have dinner, drinks, listen to live music
Thanks to the Pharmacy for this past Friday's event that raised $306.00.
Thank you to DJs Levi Phil and Joseph for spinning the records.
And finally thank you to everyone who came out to support the cause and dance.
We could not have done it without all of you.
Artists playing at the Cass Cafe this coming Sunday, January 25:
The Summer Pledge
Viscous Cycles
Lights At Sea
Michael Sharbatz
Hope to see you there!
Have a drink with us and listen to some home-grown Detroit music.
read about the history of the place
CAID calls home at http://www. thecaid. org

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MCB Choice pick for Hamtramck Blowout Saturday Saturday March 7th

This should be the place to be to end the Hamtramck Blowout this year:
Look for all the entire schedule soon from
every other music website in town
(any bet takers on who will get the entire schedule posted 1st???)

Saturday March 7th 2009
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HALL
HAMMY SAMMY MICHIGAN

DETROIT COBRAS
THE READIES
GOREVETTE
GARDENS
MCB will be onsite for this entire show
hooking up the video/photo/beer drinking
(we may be at every other venue as well for the entire blowout
- but that all depends on a few things - lets see what happens?)

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My Wish List @ Russell Industrial Center - Sat Jan 24th - Feb 21st

My Wish for 2009 Opening Reception

This Saturday from 3 - 8 pm at the Russell Gallery inside The Russell Bazaar we will be hosting the opening reception for "My Wish for 2009"
This will be a special occasion that will feature a meet and greet
with some of Detroit's finest artists.
There will also be food, drinks and DJ performances from:
Thomas Emmanuel - Gabe Real - Marcus Beier
The Art show runs from January 26th and runs through February 21st.
Come join us as we start the new year off right in the Russell Gallery.

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Nightmare Sinema is looking for Bettie Page startlet for weekly spot on the show!




Nightmare Sinema is looking for a young Bettie Page startlet for weekly spot on the show! They're looking for a Bettie Page look-alike on Nightmare Sinema who would be the rockabilly "ghoul friend" to our rockabilly frankenstein....

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Old Empire - Smalls Bar Hamtramck - Sat Jan 24th

Old Empire plays a show Saturday night over at Smalls Bar. They just finished recording a bunch of these songs at The Tempermill and have a new album coming out on Gangplank Records - check them out this weekend!

Saturday January 24th 2009
Small’s Bar
10339 Conant
Hamtramck MI 48212
$6 gets you in the door
w/ The Magpies (Cleveland)

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FREE VINYL & CD: The Pretenders - "Break up the Concrete" - Feb 9th @ Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor

The Pretenders are coming to town on Feb 6th 2009 out in Ann Arbor and we are working hard to get some free tickets and of course a photo/video opp so keep your fingers crossed....

"Break up the Concrete" was release late fall of 2008 and the band will be kicking off the tour supporting the new record on Jan 29th in Albany NY heading west and ending up at The Fillmore in San Francisco on March 14th 2009



We do have some freebies ready to roll
4th emailer gets a copy of the new CD
6th emailer gets a copy of the album on 12" vinyl
the winners have won -
better luck next time to the losers
We need your mailing address in the email or "DELETE"

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1/20/09

MCB-VIDEO: Ron Asheton Tribute @ Music Hall Detroit - January 17th 2009


We got a call over here at MCB with a request to come down and document the tribute show for Ron Asheton at the Music Hall Detroit....so we loaded up and made our way through the snow and endless stream of Monster tFuckers who took every single parking space in the city

It seemed as the people left the truck jam more and more came to the music hall to pay tribute to one of detroit's best and by the end of the night you could barely move around in the place

Thanks a million...Ronnie! You will be missed.

"RON ASHETON IS DETROIT"
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SMITTEN BY DETROIT - Tuesday January 20th 2009

MCB's Anna Hergot provides "Smitten by Detroit"
for your reading pleasure whenever the hell she feels like it.
Enjoy!

Smitten by Detroit:
NYC summary 1.6.09-1.12.09

How would you describe New York City?

"complete ambiguity to sum up in a collection of words...no word could describe the freedom, wakefulness, progression, ecletic vibrations boiling in the underbelly of Brooklyn's underground music community.."

Walking along the icy streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn I took in the sounds, people, foods, sights, smells and felt a surge of inspiration.......

My New York City experience was filtered through the prism of multiple perceptions. My view is a reflection of where I have been, who and what I know, things Ihave read or seen in movies or on television. Or listened to on albums, studios or the radio.
"New York is the biggest collection of villages in the world."Alistair Cook
I traveled to NYC earlier this month to relax ( yeah right) and take in a new environment and learn what I could about the art/music scene in a part of the city. I choose to travel to [Williamsburg] Brooklyn....it seemed the be the birthplace of a bunch of amazing bands: Grizzly Bear, Yeasayer, MGMT, Free Blood, etc and I looked forward to submerging myself in the midst of it all.

I checked out an amazing bar with a name that paid homage back home to Detroit: Motor City Bar located on 127 Ludlow on the Lower East Side. It was ironic stepping into a bar with support for the motor city auto industry as NYC is probably the least likely city to have car owners.
It was a appreciative feeling though seeing all the Detroit city knick knaks on the wall: Red Wings flag, iconic Ford symbol in neon lights, various street signs (WOODWARD!), old time photographs of the city.......not to mention they had a kicking jukebox with all many motorcity rockers (iggy and the stoogies, MC5). Jodi, the barista was serving up drinks to my friends and I and we did a shot for her birthday! I recommend the Brooklyn Lager for all the beer drinkers out there. If you find yourself going to Manhattan in the future check out Motor City Bar.




Coming back to Detroit Rock City:
Have Erotic Thoughts to Electronic Music I was able to make a trip down to Eastern Village to the territory of Scrummage University and sit down with the band:
Lenny Stoofy for a impromptu interview for MCB.

These young 20-something year olds, Alex and Conor are the masterminds behind the obsessively head bobbing, toe tapping, eletrobeat jams that will invade all of your 10! Senses (yes 10 not 5, you heard right.)..........

See:
It's not just the traditional five.
1. sight (visual sense)
2. hearing (auditory sense)
3. smell (olfactory sense)
4. taste (gustatory sense)
5-8. touch: The skin senses
Because touch involves four different sets of nerves,
the skin senses are considered four separate senses:
5. heat
6. cold
7. pressure
8. pain
9. motion (kinesthetic sense)
10. balance (vestibular sense)
Lenny Stoofy will channel through your ears and grasp hold of every damn one. Check out their website at: www.myspace.com/lennystoofy

Below is a random dialogue (Q & A?) interview we had:
MCB=Motorcityblog (anna)
LS=Lenny Stoofy/Scrummage University
MCB: "Give me a glimpse of Scrummage University and what it entails":
LS: "good shows that we put on with a collection of musician/artists, usually electronic music, noise bands, dj's....cover is cheap ranging from 3-5 dollars, before it was more touring bands, now we play for Detroit located bands"
MCB: "You have a new place, I hear. A new Scrummage University HQ?":
LS: Grand Blvd. and Beaubien ........ 2937 E. Grand Blvd
MCB: "How is the transformation going in your new space?"
LS: "going good. it's a building by an old toy factory. so that's cool"
MCB: "What kind of monthly shows do you have or events in the future?"
LS: " We play the 1st Friday of the Month @ THC in Hamtramck as a monthly show. website: http://www.thc313.com/come out and DANCE!

Lenny Stoofy is playing a show in the very near future @ The Berkley Front in Berkley, MI. This is January 27th, 2009. Drs @ 8pm.

MCB: "Yeah, so clique but what are you influenced, driven, inspired, turned on by?"
LS "robot from the future- name: Lord Scrummage" ( they candidly told me he is going to save the world on July 17th, 2010) "Space and Time" "This holography picture of a dog on our wall" "points that ARE points" "points that are rounded"
"We are into being reborn over and over-wrapping ourselves in a blanket-preferably a dark colored one and holding a sound device mimicking the sound of a beating heart (or applicable nature sound)"
***********************************************
Alex and Conor wanted to let anyone know that they are always expanding their musical mission with new members.
Didn't mention any specific instrument to play, whatever fits.
Bring booze and a positive attitude.

Below is a photo of the boys at work creating space and time with music in their home/studio or jungle habitat:

Noman CD Release Party/Deastro @ Magic Stick 1.15.09
Intellivision @ the Pharmacy in Detroit 1.17.09:

DJ's playing: Steven Robert and Joe Vargas. DJ Ava opened up the party. Hula hooping provided by the pixi-elves: Anna, Elise, Corinne, Molly and Cait! If you missed this event, you missed a part of your soul.

If a trick of the light makes two people standing together look like one two-headed person, that is an illusion.

If you see a two-headed person where there is nobody at all because you're just plain drunk, that is a hallucination.

If you think you are a two-headed person, that is a delusion.

thanks for reading,
Anna {Smitten by Detroit}
"see you at the show!"
video of NYC and Intellivision coverage found at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kalihel

Photo's at:www.flickr.com/heartstohearts

www.myspace.com/olive_yew

www.flickr.com/heartstohearts

"SBD IS DETROIT"

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WILD AT HEART - Tuesday January 20th 2009

Hey Kirk-Welcome to Obama Nation!
Here is this week's blog post - Bill

Wild Bill Ketelhut provides the "blog" to this anti-blog
He has a radio program on WXOU out of Oakland University

Wild At Heart

Welcome everyone to the blog today on Inauguration Tuesday. While I didn’t watch any of the festivities due to seeing a press screening of the new animated film, Coraline, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring it up. Reports are saying that over 1 million people filled up the National Mall to witness the historic swearing in of Barack Obama as President. While historic for many reasons, it seems like it will be known for Chief Justice John Roberts messing up the oath (I’m sure it will be a big hit on youtube this week). Next time, bring your note cards! I am glad we finally got Bush Jr out of office and while I won’t get into a gripe session at this time, I hope Obama is up for the challenge ahead of him. I am thankful that I recently was able to get a job after being laid off for just over a year (and no, I don’t get paid for this blog or my radio show on WXOU 88.3FM – www.wxou.org ) but the economy will be a major problem to fix and I wish him the best of luck in getting it done (despite a decent speech, Wall Street indexes fell 2% which is ironic since US Airlines stock rose after their recent plane crash – go figure!). I also find it troubling that the article rating Michelle Obama’s inauguration day wardrobe is longer than the article about her husband’s speech.

From what I have read, I liked his speech’s somber tone with words like, "In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given," he said. "It must be earned". That is exactly correct. We must change the way we have been conducting business and get everyone on the same page to make this country truly great at a time when the pressure is on and the future uncertain. Maybe it is because I read a lot of dystopian literature and can see a road where the US breaks apart and I hope that we can shake the greed that wants to keep us on those paths. Barack seems to have tapped into that today and is putting up a challenge to fight for a brighter future while admitting it will not be easy. So far, Barack has shown more promise that Bush had in 8 years of office. Let’s hope that it continues and bipartisan politics doesn’t ruin that dream.

On almost lighter news, I have recently seen a few films of note. First, The Reader by director Stephen (Billy Elliot, The Hours) Daldry and starring Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet. Here we have the story of Michael Berg (David Cross), a teenager in the late 1950s Germany who has an affair with an older woman, Hanna Schmitz (Winslet). The affair between the two is punctuated by Michael’s reading to Hanna which she enjoys as much, or even more than the sex. Michael is devastated when Hanna disappears and has gone on to study law. The class attends a war crimes trial which features Hanna as one of the guards of a concentration camp. Hanna has trouble really understanding what she is doing there and Michael alone realizes that Hanna is illiterate and may be concealing that at the expense of her freedom. The film ends with an older Michael (Fiennes) trying to understand his feelings towards Hanna as she is about to be released from prison (there is also his attempt to examine his relationship with his daughter).

The film takes a look at a really interesting relationship and the question “Can someone do bad things and still be a good person?” but at times it really lacks a definite response from Michael’s character that seems to run away from instead of really trying to understand Hanna. The film could use more intensity in dealing with the subject matter though Kate really does a great job in her role. My grade is a B+.

Speaking of Kate, she also appears in Revolutionary Road which is directed by Sam (American Beauty, Road To Perdition) Mendes. The film also costars Leonardo Dicaprio and gives the two actors to portray a different type of romance that their overly hyped Titanic adventure. The movie really captures the feelings of Richard Yates’ excellent novel set in 1955. The plot focuses on the hopes and aspirations of self-assured Frank (Dicaprio) and April Wheeler (Winslet). When they met, their lives were full of fun and they believed life would hold something special for them. Instead they wind up in suburban hell as Frank works a job at the company his father worked for and finds it soul crushing while April is an aspiring actress at a untalented theatre company. Both are dissatisfied with life in the sterile suburbs until one day April brings up the idea of moving to Paris as a way of recapturing the spark of their marriage (Paris being the one city

Frank has always loved and wanted to go back to). Life all of a sudden seems better with the trip hanging like a carrot in front of them despite the fact that their friends cannot understand why they would want to do something as unconventional as this. Only the institutionalized son of their local realtor really seems to understand what they are feeling suggesting that to be the same as everyone else is the true craziness. Things change as Frank, under the spell of this new life, starts succeeding at work and gets an offer for a huge promotion and the untimely pregnancy of April. Both characters now start to fly apart from each other as their marriage starts to dissolve even faster than before. Winslet and Dicaprio put together stunning performances as the film reaches its climax that truly puts the American dream under a microscope.

The best film of the 2008 and gets a grade of A+.

This relationship definitely makes up for Titanic.

In the concert calendar, we have Nickel Eye (a side project of The Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture) on Jan 21st at the Magic Stick. Low Vs Diamond is opening.

On Friday 23rd, the Buzzcocks will be performing at the Leamington Kinsmen Rec Complex while local bands Greenstreet will be @ the University of Detroit Mercy & the Hard Lessons @ The Factory.

On Sunday 25th, Powerman 5000 will be at the Emerald Theatre and you can win tickets by listening to Wild Bill on www.wxou.org between 8-10AM this Thursday 22nd.

Take care and make sure to listen and win tickets to Powerman 5000!!

"MCB IS DETROIT"
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Lola Morales Jazz Night - GHOSTBAR @ The Whitney Detroit - Sat Jan 24th 7-10pm

MCB favorite Lola Morales will be playing a Latin Jazz Inspired show over at Detroit's newest watering hole - GHOSTBAR at The Whitney Detroit followed by Music from DJ Jenny LaFemme until 2am. No Cover only cool.

Give yourself a twice over and head on over to check out one of the motorcity's best - Lola just returned from China from a 3 month stint and this will be her 1st show since coming back to the states....after the show stay for killer turntable action by DJ Jenny LaFemme who will be spinning till they throw you outta the place...

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TRICK 9 debuts @ Northern Lights Lounge - Sat Jan 24th

"They used to be The Badways.. but itĘĽs all good now.
Now known as Trick9, Mike Thomas (guitar/vocals), Dave Webster (drums), and Tom Webster (bass/vocals) are back
with an amazing new singer, Kate Jablonski,
and killer lead guitarist, Dan McKernan (from Desolation Angels).
Check out Trick9's debut performance at DetroitĘĽs Northern Lights,
opening for The Singles and Sunday Painters."



Take 3 ex-Badways, 1 Desolation Angel, and hot rocker chick Kate.
Better than before. Guaranteed!!
Saturday January 24th 2009
660 W. Baltimore
Detroit MI
$5
W/ The Singles! and Sunday Painters

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Michigan Dance Project - UM Flint - Sat Jan 24th / Sun Jan 25th 2009

Michigan Dance Project is coming to FLINT, MI - Jan. 24-25, 2009!!

Don't miss the highly anticipated premiere of Next Door Neighbor, at the U of M Flint Theatre, Sat. Jan. 24, 7:00 p.m. and Sun. Jan. 25, 3:00 p.m.

Tickets are available for order NOW by

emailing michigandanceproject@yahoo.com or calling 313-833-0424

Ticket info: $10 pre-order (before Jan. 22)

$15 General/$12 Students at door Discounts for groups of 10 or more!

Check out our blog for details about how your studio can receive a FREE DANCE CLASS, taught by MDP Director Kathy King, simply by purchasing 10 or more tickets to our Next Door Neighbor production. Tickets for groups of 10 or more at only $5!! Order TODAY!

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Three Cups of Tea Book Signing - Book Beat - Sun Jan 25th 1-4pm


Book Beat presents
Humanitarian, Adventurer & Bestselling Author
Greg Mortenson in Detroit Area Appearance

"Book Beat is pleased to present New York Times Bestselling author Greg Mortenson, subject and coauthor of Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace. . . One School at a Time, in his only Detroit area appearance at the Berkley High School Auditorium (2325 Catalpa Drive) on Sunday, January 25th from 1-4 PM. Mr. Mortenson will give a one hour presentation followed by a two-hour book signing. We are grateful for the donation of this space provided by the Berkley School District.

This event is free and open to the public, however due to space availability, publisher and time restrictions, all books to be signed are required to be purchased through the Book Beat, where a special proof-of-purchase ticket will be given. A portion of all book sales for this event will be donated to Mortenson's Pennies for Peace project. Two new children's books by Greg Mortenson will be released on January 22nd. Advanced orders are encouraged and can be accepted before that date. Books will also be available for purchase at the event. For more information please call Book Beat at 248-968-1190.

The Book Beat/ Three Cups of Tea event is part of a limited seven city tour, to announce the publication of two new Greg Mortenson books about his experience in the Middle-East, adaptations aimed to promote concepts of peace and the understanding of different cultures for younger children. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World... One Child at a Time (Paperback) is a young adult adaptation (for ages 8 and up) that brings his remarkable story of humanitarianism up-to-date.
It includes brand-new photos, maps, and illustrations, as well as a special afterword by Greg's twelve-year-old daughter, Amira, who has traveled with her father as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program for children. Release date: January 22nd, advanced orders encouraged.
The Book Beat has been serving the metro Detroit area since 1982.
They are a locally owned, community bookstore
that specializes in Art, Quality Literature and Children's books.
Located at 26010 Greenfield in Oak Park.
Please call 248-968-1190 for more information
or visit online at http://thebookbeat.com/

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Ye Olde English Dunny Release & Trading Party - LIFT DETROIT (ROYAL OAK) - Thur Jan 22nd 6-9pm






Ye Olde English Dunny Release & Trading Party
Thursday January 22nd 2009 6 – 9 PM

Join LIFT for a bloody good time with raffles, freebies, English Tea and Scones plus tunes from all your fav British bands. Bring extras from your older series of toys to swap with other collectors or from the house collection.


Now that's ace!

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OBAMANATION at Eagle Theatre Pontiac TONIGHT!! Tuesday January 20th 2009


TUESDAY JANUARY 20
doors at 8PM
show at 9PM
$5

BREAK FREE PRODUCTIONS and the NJC bring their patented party perfection to the ornate Marquis Room in the Historic Eagle Theater.

The event features the following microphone and wax legends: OCTANE, ILLITE, DANTE LA SALLE, MAGNUM OPUS, FORENSIK, ROBO ROBB, ST33LO, ALF1, J SPLIFF, DUBPHONICS feat. TATIANA, and LUNE NOIR.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Robo Robb Food Drive. (Gleaners Community Food Bank). Don't miss this great opportunity to help feed the poor...." , enjoy music from Detroit's best emerging artists, and celebrate the inauguration of the people's President, BARACK OBAMA

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1/19/09

Banned from Earth - The Hayloft Mt Clemens - Fri Jan 23rd


Banned From E.A.R.T.H
A Black Sabbath Tribute
Friday January 23rd 2009

The Hayloft
140 North Main
Mt.Clemens MI 48043

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Shiftless Decay Thursday's from X! Records and PJ's Lager House - all of Feb 2009


PJ's Lager House is proud to partner with X! Records in announcing
"Shiftless Decay Thursdays" throughout the month of February.
X! Records is promoting their latest release
"Shiftless Decay: New Sounds of Detroit."
The compilation features twelve Detroit area bands
and will be released on both vinyl LP and CD.
Thursday, February 5th - Frustrations, The Mahonies
Thursday, February 12th - Tyvek, The Johnny Ill band
Thursday, February 19th - Human Eye, Heroes & Villains
Thursday, February 26th - The Terrible Twos, Fontana
Each band will play TWO sets EACH.
Double the fun for no money at all!
ALL SHOWS ARE FREE!

X!015 - "Shiftless Decay: New Sounds of Detroit"
Compilation, LP/CD featuring Terrible Twos, Tyvek, Little Claw, Fontana, Human Eye, Frustrations, The Mahonies, Johnny Ill band, Heroes & Villains, Odd Clouds, THTX, and Tentacle Lizardo
MCB is planning on documenting this entire month of fun ...watch out..

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THE FREE SHOW on Thursday @ Magic Bowl Detroit - The Hotwalls // EFB // Marco Polio & The New Vaccines




'THE FREE SHOW"
The Garden Bowl Detroit
4120 Woodward Ave
Detroit MI

Thursday January 22nd 2009
with 3 of detroit's funnest coolest and best looking bands ;)


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Jody Raffoul - The Black Pearl Ann Arbor - TONIGHT!!! Mon Jan 19th 2009

TONIGHT!!!
Monday January 19th 2009 10pm
302 S Main St
Ann Arbor MI
734.222.0400
Get on out and celebrate MLK Day with some great detroit music!
"JODY RAFFOUL IS DETROIT"
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Dirt Road Logic - The Magic Bag Ferndale -

Dirt Road Logic
Friday January 23rd 2009

Openers for Brandon Calhoon [cd release] and Robin Horlock [cd release]

THE MAGIC BAG
22920 Woodward Ave
Ferndale, Michigan 48220

Buy your presale tickets here

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Create the Canvas presents: Pin-up Detroit Artshow - The Painted Lady - Sat Jan 24th

Create the Canvas presents: Pin-up Detroit Artshow
Saturday January 24th

Live Music from The Sheeny Men w/special guests The Phantom Shakers
$5 cover

All pin up art work for sale get there early

The Painted Lady
2930 Jacib St
Hamtramck MI
8pm-2am

"MCB IS DETROIT"
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Croff Family Band - The Belmont Hamtramck - Fri Jan 23rd

Croff Family Band
January 23rd 2009
The Belmont
10215 Jos Campau
Hamtramck MI
w/ Mick Bassett & The Marthas and Farewell Republic

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CARJACK & The Hard Lessons - The Factory Rochester - Fri Jan 23rd

CARJACK with The Hard Lessons
Friday January 23rd 2009
334 S. Main St
Rochester, MI 48307
also on the bill - Joey & The Traitors
cover - $12

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The Vamps - Corktown Tavern - Fri Jan 23rd

The Vamps have a few upcoming shows over the next few weekends starting with a gig at Corktown Tavern this Friday night
Friday January 23rd 2009
Corktown Tavern
Michigan Ave
Corktown DIEtroit
w/Battling Siki, Tyler Devos and The Dry County Boys.
Check them out with the re-VAMPed lineup

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1/18/09

MP3 Mondays on MOTORCITYBLOG

So we are going to start a new monday weekly post called "MP3 Mondays" which will be a mess of free music we get in the emails...we used to just delete these since we tend not to post much from out of town bands unless the band is coming to town or they offer a free CD to giveaway to you the readers but we felt a once a week drop would be non-intrusive and provide you with some new listening materials for the week ahead...they will mostly be downloadable MP3s but there may be a few streamers in there so stop your whining before you even get started...dropping this sunday night to start as it will be a no computer monday at the beginning of the day // anyway - you get the drift...

Happy freaking monday!

-MCB Management

Download "Lille"MP3

Lisa Hannigan, the acclaimed Irish singer whom The New York Times calls “exquisitely ethereal,” confirms her first headlining U.S. tour. Beginning February 11 on the West Coast, the tour includes stops at Los Angeles’s Troubadour on February 21 and New York City’s Highline Ballroom on March 7.

Hannigan’s much anticipated solo debut Sea Sew will be released February 3 on ATO Records. The album is already in frequent rotation at taste-maker radio station KCRW and has earned early praise from The Los Angeles Times, which calls it “charmingly idiosyncratic.”


Hannigan’s chance meeting with acclaimed singer-songwriter Damien Rice led to a long period of collaboration and development. From the outset, Hannigan quickly generated attention for her own vocal performances and spent the subsequent few years touring the world, playing sell-out shows at Radio City Music Hall and the Greek Theatre.


She contributed significantly to Rice’s platinum-selling debut O and critically lauded follow-up 9. Hannigan wrote songs and performed backing vocals with the Frames and Mic Christopher. She also sang with the legendary Herbie Hancock on the song “Don’t Explain” for his Grammy-nominated album Possibilities. Hannigan, along with a talented band of friends—including Tom Osander on drums, Shane Fitzsimons on double bass, Donagh Molloy on trumpet, melodica and glockenspiel, Gavin Glass on piano, Lucy Wilkins on violin and Vyvienne Long on cello—recorded Sea Sew over 14 days in Dublin.

In advance of the album’s release, Hannigan has made available the songs “Lille,” “Sea Song,” “Pistachio” and “I Don’t Know” for streaming via her website.

“I Don’t Know,” the first single off Sea Sew, will be released February 2.


As most of you may already know, The Decemberists are preparing to release their fifth full-length album, The Hazards of Love, on March 24. The album is a 17-song suite that demands to be listened to from start to finish and reveals more with each subsequent play. It is rooted in ancient language and imagery, yet entirely modern and accessible.

The Portland-based quintet of Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query and John Moen are eager to share a bit of the new music with fans before street date

The album began when Meloy – long fascinated by the British folk revival of the 1960s – found a copy of revered vocalist Anne Briggs’s 1966 EP, titled The Hazards of Love. Since there was no actual song with the album’s title, he set out to write one, but was soon immersed in something much larger.

The Hazards Of Love tells the tale of a woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal; her lover, William; a forest queen; and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake, who recounts with spine-tingling ease how he came “to be living so easy and free” in the aforementioned “The Rake’s Song.” Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden deliver the lead vocals for the female characters, while My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Robyn Hitchcock and the Spinanes' Rebecca Gates appear in supporting roles.

The range of sounds reflects the characters’ arcs, from the accordion’s singsong lilt in “Isn’t it a Lovely Night?” to the heavy metal thunder of “The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing.”
“There’s an odd bond between the music of the British folk revival and classic metal,” says Meloy. “A natural connection between, like, Fairport Convention and Black Sabbath – of course, Sandy Denny from Fairport even sang with Led Zeppelin on ‘The Battle of Evermore.’ I think there’s a shared sense of narrative and ambience, of moving beyond the first person in your writing. And I thought it would be interesting to mess around with that.”

The Decemberists will tour this spring, playing The Hazards Of Love straight through for the show’s first half and older material for the remainder.

Download MP3: This City’s A Mess

Vancouver, British Columbia. Beautiful city.
Bustling with the sort of independent music scene college towns get jealous over.

And just the sort of place capable of birthing a band like Said The Whale – smart, elegant indie pop emerging from the spent forces of My Buddy Dave, The Millionaires, and WordsOverMusic. Think of STW as the distillate of Vancouver's natural beauty, the sound of a thousand summers spent lying under a star filled canopy in the middle of a field.

Or, you know, just quality songwriting. From the hearts and minds of Ben Worcester, Tyler Bancroft, and the five-piece band they've assembled under the STW banner, the "nautical indie rock goodness" of Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia is not to be missed.

A lone date —in Vancouver, of course— is booked for early March at the Biltmore Cabaret.

Check out their new video: The Light Is You


Download "ENTOURAGE"
Philadelphia's rapper Rocky Fontaine isn't simply just a star in the making, he's ready to take over the Hip-Hop game with globally success. Like a glue stick, or a cement drip, The Comeback Kid, has strategically attached himself to the successes of the rap game and shows no signs of loosening his grip.

Hip-Hop heavyweight DJ Khaled joined forces with Rocky Fontaine and is proud to be apart his Entourage. With tracks like Goodlife, Best In The City (Maino & Gillie Da Kid), and Once Again It's On ( ft. Beanie Sigel) in heavy rotation, it's easy to see why his mixtape is already being whispered by the industry as one of the best around.

"The concept of the mixtape is Entourage. Right now my life consists of late nights and early flights. Studio sessions with some of the biggest artists and shows all over the country. When I say my life is like Entourage... that's what it is. I'm living my dreams and it's only the first inning. That's why the mixtape is called Entourage: Season 1," Rocky Fontaine said.

Entourage will introduce Rocky Fontaine to a nationwide audience that will fell in love with the music this young gunner is presenting.

"It's an honor for me to be working with one of the biggest DJs out right now. DJ Khaled is obviously a Gate Keeper in the industry right now, so to have him wanna be involved with my project was big for me," Fontaine said about working with DJ Khaled.




And check out the video for "It's Because of People Like You" here


When she’s not moonlighting as back-up singer for acclaimed retro-pop group the Bird and the Bee (Bluenote), Alex Lilly is masterminding the fanciful pop of Obi Best. With the help of a few Los Angeles-based friends and a sensibility that’s been favorably compared to bands such as Stereolab, Her Space Holiday and Au Revoir Simone, Lilly conjures music that’s complex and catchy -- think geometry, double-dutch, and animated spin art.

Obi Best’s debut album, Capades, is a rich tapestry of piano, airy electronica, refined rock and panoramic beats deftly punctuated by bells, chirps and otherworldly sounds. Ranging from melodic and ethereal to rollicking and fun, the album inhabits a lush universe where fantasy and reality live side by side: Tokyo lies just around the block from Stockholm, youth and wisdom hold hands, magic seems to grow on trees. Guiding the tour are Lilly‘s clarion vocals, which call to mind Feist, or Karen Carpenter (with more traction), singing about bygone eras, nasty neighbors, lovers’ covert ancestry, and the inadequacy of language all with disarming frankness.

Obi Best is comprised of synth wizards Bram Inscore (Beck, Peeping Tom, Jem) and John Wood (Inara George, Mike Andrews), drummer Barbara Gruska (Jenny Lewis, Benji Hughes), Alex Lilly on vocals/guitar/keys/g4 and guest back-up vocalists Lisa Tremain (Readers) and Kim Talon (Eagle and Talon).

Check them out here - www.myspace.com/obibest

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1/16/09

PHOTOS: MCB-VIDEO: NAIAS 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit USA


Detroit Muscle is finally back with the new models of Chevy Camaro, For Mustang and Dodge Challenger


We also had a chance to speak with Nick Stone who was hanging out over at the CCS exhibit who filled us in on all the new automotive designs coming out of detroit's creative pool on campus....



As we have mentioned a few times already MOTORCITYBLOG was issued a few press credentials for this years North American International Auto Show (NAIAS 2009) and we were down at Cobo Center on Tuesday to check out all the new rides .....

We are posting these photos from MCB's Amy Palomar now just so you can kill the last 15 minutes as the office BUT the slideshow will be pumped up later tonight AND we have killer video nearly completed and ready to upload before the clock strikes midnight

So we spent most of the day on Tuesday at the NAIAS taking photos/interviews/video and we need to thank our newest pal "Nik" who we met up with over the weekend and gave him a good ol' MOTORCITYBLOG version of a saturday night which included a beer at Garden Bowl - Video Interview at CPOP Gallery Detroit (thanks Adriel/Tom) with Tony Roko (cool detroit artist video on the way)....We then moved on to the Detroit Roller Derby with the Derby Girls and MOTORCITY RAH RAHs (where we shot video and photos of course) and once the bout ended we ended up at The Music Hall/Jazz Cafe for the Russian Ballet and then ending the night at PJ's Lager House for Broadzilla who was playing the Derby Girls afterparty.



MCB's Shane Glenn was hanging from start to finish documenting the night

The point to this was "Nik" is a senior reporter for Germany's largest newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and he contacted MCB to request an interview - we took it to the next level and showed him why Detroit isn't dead yet. Check out the news article he sent us today which ran in his country....check it out!

We got video of the girls from the Detroit Derby & Russian Ballet on the way!

Great to meet/hang with you Nik - Cheers from the MCB staff!


The Russian Ballet @ Music Hall Detroit



Detroit Derby Girls go at it at Masonic Temple

"NAIAS IS DETROIT"
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PHOTOS: Sugar Hiccup @ Luna Lounge by MONEYPENNY


MCB's MONEYPENNY was chilling last night over at Luna Lounge for the monthly version of Sugar Hiccup ... place was jam packed with hot chicks everywhere you looked...
and of course ending the night with National Coney Island.

See more from MONEYPENNY here

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Birthdays @ Lager House // Orbitsuns @ New Way Bar // Marco Polio & The New Vaccines @ Trowbridge - TONIGHT!!! Sat Jan 17th 2009



Vintage MCB Video of Orbitsuns at New Way Bar in 2008

We wanted to post a quick reminder of a few shows you may want to try to catch tonight around town - as usual we plan to make the rounds ...Over at the New Way Bar in Ferndale tonight will be another kick in the ass evening of The Orbitsuns - check the video we shot from the last time they played the new way up top....Get to this show!

Karen from PJ's Lager House - Photo by Shane Glenn

Planning on stopping in for the physcobilly twisting tarantula birthday party for Karen & Dana over at PJs Lager House....stop in for a shot with the girls from Lager who will be sitting on OUR side of the bar instead of serving up the drinks - HAPPY BDAY K&D from MCB!


Marco Polio & The New Vaccines are playing a show tonight over at Trowbridge Coffee w/Rogue Satelittes & Cloak and Dagger - check these guys out if you have the chance and order some coffee damn it! MCB shot some video of MP&TNVw/I a while back over at the now defunct 313.JAC - Get on out and support local detroit music! If you miss them tonight you can catch them next week when they play a show with another MCB fav - Electric Fire Babies!

and dont forget the Ron Asheton Tribute over at Music Hall Detroit tonight - The event has moved from the Jazz Cafe to the main hall - doors @ 7:30pm - donations for entry go to Humane Society

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PHOTOS: Charlene Kaye at The Blind Pig by Jesse Welter






MCB's Jesse Welter was on press pass for Charlene Kaye show @ The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor and snapped these killer shots!




See more from Jesse Welter at

Flickr

FotoSessions

Events

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General Bastard Saturday @ The Painted Lady Hamtramck - Sat Jan 17th

General Bastard is throwing another hootenanny over at The Painted Lady this Saturday Night
Look for a fun filled evening of pleasantries from Country Bob and The Bloodfarmers, GROG, Eye Remain and Vital Existence
$5 at the door - your $$ buys you more @ The Painted Lady

The Painted Lady
2930 Jacob St.
Hamtramck MI

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Cars & Corner Bars - Inside Detroit Tour - Sat Jan 17th 6-9pm

Check out Inside Detroit for one of the walking pub crawls and tours if you are new to the city and want to stay on the beaten path...people mover tour/walking landmark tours

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Grandmaster Flash to release 1st album in over 20 years


This is a little bit off the usual line of something we would be posting here since we get this stuff all the time from everyone BUT we grew up listening to Grandmaster Flash and since we are so excited to get this record we figured its Friday - Why the hell not post it even if it isnt Detroit related ....besides our people are working hard to get you readers a 6 pack pf free discs (vinyl and CD) to hook into so check back soon as we work our magic....

in the meantime check out some of GMF here

GRANDMASTER FLASH RELEASES FIRST STUDIO ALBUM IN OVER 20 YEARS

On March 3rd, 2009, legendary hip hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash releases ‘The Bridge’ on Adrenaline City Entertainment via Strut, his first high profile studio album since his final recordings for Elektra back in 1987. “As a DJ, I’ve been blessed to see many different people, places and styles. The album title represents all the bridges I’ve crossed worldwide,” explains Flash. “The bridges of time, cultures and colour, the bridges of hip hop, funk, pop, rock, jazz, punk, disco and R&B.”

Recorded at Flash’s own Adrenaline Lab studio in New York during 2007-2008, the over-riding theme of the album is the global language of hip hop. “Wherever I travel as a DJ, I see the incredible power of this artform,” Flash explains. “I am constantly amazed by it. That’s the line that runs through the album – we speak many languages and come from many cultures but, wherever I go in the world, there is one universal culture of hip hop.” ...more to come soon

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Laith Al-Saadi - Magic Bag Ferndale - Sat Jan 17th

Laith Al-Saadi
Saturday January 17th 2009

THE MAGIC BAG
22920 Woodward
Ferndale MI

Laith Al-Saadi is one of Detroit's best guitarists and songwriters....
if you have not seen him perform he is opening for the legend Leon Russell tonight at The MAgic Bag -- Get on over and support local motorcity music!

"MCB IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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MUTHALAND - Cadieux Cafe Detroit - Fri Jan 16th

MUTHALAND
Friday January 16th 2009

Cadieux Cafe Detroit
4300 Cadieux
Detroit, MI

"MCB IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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Disco Secret - Detroit Eagle - Sun Jan 18th

DISCO SECRET SUNDAYS
Sunday January 18th

The Detroit Eagle Bar
1501 Holden St.
Dietroit MI
sunday superstar dance party
21+ / 10-2pm

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INTELLIVISION - Pharmacy (new CAID) - Sat Jan 17th

INTELLIVISION
Toejam & Earl wsg DJ Ava
Saturday January 17th 2009
10PM to EARLY
$5
Bastone Beer (blah!)
and other freebies by TerrorBird Media!

The Pharmacy
5101 Trumbull St.
Detroit, MI 48208

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Detroit Puppet Theatre - Banana for Turtle - Sat Jan 17th 2pm

25 East Grand River Ave
Detroit MI. 48226
313.961.7777
"Banana for Turtle"
Saturday Afternoon 2pm

PuppetART Center is located in Detroit’s Theater District, just a few blocks from the Michigan Opera Theater, Music Hall and the Gem and Century Theaters. The Center includes an intimate 70-person theater, a museum that accommodates a growing collection of puppets and a studio featuring various workshops.

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1/15/09

MCB's Detroit Artist Spotlight w/ Tony Roko

MCB's Derek Ecker takes the Detroit Artist Spotlight to Tony Roko

MCB's Derek Ecker will be heading up our newest addition to the anti-blog called

MOTORCITYBLOG's Detroit Artist Spotlight

This is going to be a bi-monthly video interview with local detroit artists who want a little extra promotion...Derek Ecker is a long time contributor to MCB and a recent graduate from CCS (and a kick ass artist as well) who will be taking this one on in his quest help develop the art scene here in the motorcity.

Our virgin victim is Detroiter Tony Roko who is currently part of the Cpoportunity 2 Exhibit up on the walls of CPOP Detroit for a few more weeks.

Let us know what you think of the MCB-DAS (Detroit Artist Spotlight) or if you would like us to hook into you and your art world please let us know by email

Tony Roko in the MCB Detroit Artist Spotlight w/ Derek Ecker
This months Detroit Artist Spotlight victim is no other than Tony Roko. For those who aren’t familiar with his work, this guy is Detroit’s ultimate artist. He’s unschooled and stripped of all the BS I got thrown at me in art school, his work is totally all his own. He creates these vivid paintings with industrial automotive paint enamels , with subject matter is full of Detroit gritty charm . Tony’s story isn’t like any artists I’ve ever heard. Most artists struggle trying to obtain notoriety and recognition, but Tony Roko just kind of fell into his toxic motor city art career.

From his days as a child Tony was never pushed to excel in his studies. In fact, to his family a career in art was comparable with the life of a methhead. His family came from a hard working background, and that seemed to be the life he was destined to live. Never having any direct influences from what art historians and scholars would consider “High Art”, Tony became fascinated with the readily accessible art of pop culture. Cartoons such as Fat Albert, Loony Tunes, and Kid Dynamite (J.J. from Good Times) as his great artistic influences of his youth. But Tony never imagined that this fascination could ever be something he could make a living at.

Until Tony got his first big gig.

Working at Ford’s Automotive Plant, in the eye’s of his family this was Tony’s golden ticket. Tony never found the job so glamorous, but lets be honest it was helping him pay the bills. Although Tony’s art dreams seemed more and more like an mirage in the distance. He never stopped sketching and became known around the plant as the resident artist. Until one day this term of endearment really went to a whole new level. The higher ups heard of Tony’s skill and decided to hire him to create a large scale mural in hopes of boosting company moral. So here is this everyday blue collar Ford worker thrown into this great artistic opportunity, which to me in our modern times can only be compared to being commissioned as a painter for the Vatican church.

Eventually Tony was doing large murals all over the Ford system, and making a good name for himself. It was in the process of doing these murals that he discovered the beauty of painting with automotive paints; which was the only medium that had the ability to withstand the harsh environment of the factory, while maintaining the vibrant colors and integrity of his works of art. Unlike the painters who were commissioned by the Vatican at the Ford plants he was sometimes forced to paint over walls caked in grease, soot and whatever else, and apparently according to Tony nothing held up against the odds like the industrial and automotive paints did.

So in the process of discovering his affinity with automotive paint in his murals, the technique eventually trickles its way into his more personal work. (Kids as an artist myself I would like to take the time to advise you; don’t do what Tony does. He is a trained professional and industrial/automotive paints are extremely toxic and harmful to your body).

Right now Tony is working on a series of paintings revolving around the lives of tenants living in a loft with distinct Detroit charm to it.

So for a guy who was never meant to be in the world of art, he sure is making a waves and getting some attention in the D. Tony may just be getting his feet wet in Detroit’s gallery art scene, but something tells me he’s going to around for many years to come. He’s making great decisions as to what shows to associate himself with, and staying true to what he feels is relative subject matter for even the snootiest art buyers tastes. His work has been shown at The Dirty Show 08’, Cpopur2unity in 09’ , and be on the lookout for him at The Dirty Show 09’, and the I Hate Lucy show coming up on February 13th.

So be on the lookout for January’s Motorcityblog : Detroit Artist Spotlight victim Tony Roko and buy his paintings because homeboy has a $300 window to pay for.

After this interview Tony found his car busted into, but that’s just more pain to fuel this artists creative fire.


"TONY ROKO IS DETROIT"
Check out more MCB-VIDEOs here

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"From the Mind of a Hypochondriac Artist: New Work by Johnny "Bee" Badanjek" - What is That Gallery

"From the Mind of a Hypochondriac Artist:
New Work by Johnny "Bee" Badanjek"

An exhibition of works by Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, made while on his last music tour in Europe. Badanjek is a painter and renowned drummer who played with such notables as The Rockets, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, as well as on Alice Cooper’s “Welcome to My Nightmare”.
The exhibit opens Saturday January 17th 2009 -7pm

What Is That
A Gallery of Fine Art & Craft

130 West Michigan Avenue
Ypsilanti
734.485.0113
www.whatisthatllc.com

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FREE MP3: FREE TICKETS: FREE CD: SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS - Magic Stick Detroit - Feb 10th 2009


"A hot new sound…deliciously animated." – Vogue
"Tranter is like Adam Ant, Marc Bolan and Ziggy Stardust wrapped into one singing, singing lead on AC/DC's Back In Black."– Rolling Stone


SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS
EMBARKS ON HELL ON HEELS TOUR

Semi Precious Weapons are hitting the road with San Francisco’s electro-pop-rock outfit Von Iva and Myspace Records’ Nico Vega for the Hell On Heels tour!

To celebrate the event SPW has remixed Von Iva’s track “Livin’ For It“.

HELL ON HEELS TOUR DATES
1.15.09 - House of Rock - Corpus Christi, TX ♥
1.16.09 - Fitzgerald’s - Houston, TX ♥
1.17.09 - Sue Ellen’s/Vixen Lounge - Dallas, TX ♥
1.18.09 - Emo’s - Austin, TX ♥
1.19.09 - White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX ♥
1.22.09 - Off The Wagon - Montgomery, AL ♥
1.23.09 - Floyd’s Music Store - Tallahasse, FL ♥
1.24.09 - The Chili Pepper Supper Club - Cocoa Beach, FL ♥
1.25.09 - Backbooth - Orlando, FL ♥
1.27.09 - Jack Rabbits - Jacksonville, FL ♥
1.28.09 - Drunken Unicorn - Atlanta, GA ♥
1.29.09 - The Milestone - Charlotte, NC ♥
1.30.09 - The Red and the Black - Washington, DC ♥
1.31.09 - Highline Ballroom - New York, NY ♥
2.1.09 - The Khyber - Philadelphia, PA ♥
2.3.09 - T.T. The Bears - Cambridge, MA ♥
2.4.09 - Webster Underground - Hartford, CT ♠
2.5.09 - Hard Rock CafĂ© - Pittsburgh, PA ♠
2.6.09 - The Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH ♠
2.7.09 - Ravari Room - Columbus, OH ♠
2.9.09 - Cicero’s - St Louis, MO ♠
2.10.09 - Magic Stick - Detroit, MI ♠
2.11.09 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL ♠
3.9.09 - Beauty Bar - Las Vegas, NV ♦
3.10.09 - Bar Pink - San Diego, CA ♦
3.11.09 - Knitting Factory - Los Angeles, CA ♦
3.12.09 - The Red Devil Lounge - San Francisco, CA ♦
3.13.09 - Voodoo Lounge - San Jose, CA ♦
3.14.09 - Fire Escape Bar & Grill - Citrus Heights, CA ♣
3.15.09 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR ♠
3.16.09 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA ♠
♥ with Von Iva and Nico Vega
♠ with Von Iva
♦ with Von Iva and Killola
♣ with Killola
SPW frontman Justin Tranter will be uploading fabulous
video diaries about life on the road on SPW's official You Tube page.
Stop by and take a look!

www.semipreciousweapons.com

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FREE MP3: "Someone to Wake" featuring Will Johnson from Centro-Matic


This is an add from yesterday - we had to wait for the NPR piece to run (you may have heard it yesterday around 4:30-5pm) and we can post the free music now

Our pals from These United States thought our MCB readers would appreciate this little drop on the anti-blog so check it out....TUS was here in Detroit and played the Lager House where MCB's Scott Strelecki got a chance to shoot some photos and interview the band

"Another chapter in Christian Kiefer’s Of Great and Mortal Men: 43 Songs for 43 U.S. Presidencies unfolds, as the promised “free 44th song” for President-elect Obama becomes available this Friday.

“Someone to Wake,” penned by Kiefer and featuring Centro-Matic vocalist Will Johnson, is a retrospective of eight years of national and international turmoil, positioning Obama as a voice of the future.

“It was the only song that did not have the benefit of an actual Presidency to comment upon,” Kiefer notes. “Still, the sea change in positive thinking is a remarkable contrast to the previous administration. That’s songworthy material.”

Listeners should check http://www.43presidencies.com/ for links to the song starting Friday, January 16th 2009.

“Someone to Wake” includes an original portrait of Obama by Rama Hughes, and a lyric and credits page that accompanies the box set’s full color book.

The song will be unveiled live January 17th at Washington, DC’s Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, during an evening devoted to the project that features Kiefer’s collaborators Jefferson Pitcher and J. Matthew Gerken, as well as guests Nellie McKay, Tim Fite, These United States, Jukebox the Ghost, Laura Burhenn, Denison Witmer, Reid Maclean, Silver Darling, Joe Pug, and many more."

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Cold enough or what? Hot tickets from MCB will help you through the freeze....

With the temps in the motorcity dipping well below anybody's comfort level our thoughts tend to wander to far away places that boast of palm trees and multi-colored beaches with our double click finger ready to pull the trigger on that Expedia trip to Beliz (CYA - had to do it folks - MCB vacation time kids) or any set of islands that the MCB Tiki Gods would like to race off to in order to end the pain of these sub-zero wintery days we are in the midst of here in Detroit .....

so we can't really warm you up (unless you want us to deliver one of those "Snuggies" they keep advertising on TV) but we can give you some hot tickets for free........are those some free hot MCB tickets in your pocket or are you just happy to see us?????

1st emailer with "I want the Cybertrybe Super Swag Bag" in the message gets
pair of tickets and super swag bag for Cybertrybe/Powerman 5000 show over at Emerald Theatre on January 25th 2009



1st emailer - with "PLEASE give me a pair of tickets to Scott Weiland" in the message gets pair of tix to the show at St Andrews on January 28th 2009


hit us up - these tickets are totally and utterly gone

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FREE TICKETS: FREE CD: Passion Pit - Crofoot Pike Room - Mon Jan 26th



PASSION PIT with PAPER ROUTE and CALE PARKS
MONDAY JANUARY 26 2009

Pike Room in Crofoot Complex
1 S Saginaw
Pontiac MI

doors at 8PM
tickets: $10 (buy tickets)

1st emailer gets the tickets - 2nd gets the CD or vinyl (not sure what we are getting in the mail here so whatever we get you get - either way it will be some cool listening from Passion Pit maybe even signed by the band)


"Boston's PASSION PIT is the brainchild of Michael Angelakos. A songwriter's songwriter drawing from a variety of influences, from the classic pop of Randy Newman to the synth work of Giorgio Moroder. The Chunk of Change EP was originally put together as a (belated) Valentine's Day present to Angelakos girlfriend which then prompted him to give it out to friends and fellow students at Emerson College. Angelakos wrote and recorded the entire record by himself and it only hints at what is to come from this extremely talented perfectionist. The production of the recording - brief, sporadic, and explosive - worked towards the development of Angelakos signature euphoric and blissfully melancholic sound.
Frenchkiss Records will reissue the ep this fall with the addition of two bonus tracks Better Things and Sleepyhead that are already catching the online world on fire. All of this is in preparation for Passion Pit