Wild At Heart
Having experienced the local music scene of Detroit for a good decade, I have always been impressed by the quality of the artists in the area. Coming up is a chance for one of those bands to get an opportunity to play at SXSW in a prime spot, to make a video in LA as well as other prizes. Take a few minutes and check out http://www.facebook.com/maurices for a chance to enter. Last year’s winners Audri & Aaron got this opportunity and opened for the Bangles at SXSW. There is also opportunities to get yours fans involved in the voting. I will have more information throughout the week as I’m working on talking to someone from Maurice’s as well as last years winners. So if you are an up and coming band in the Detroit area and want to join, go to the website to check out their Hometown Sound contest.
Come the holidays, I'm not really seeing a whole bunch to recommend but here are a few worthwhile shows:
Wednesday (12/21) - Gloriana @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Friday (12/23) - Orbitsons @ the Ritz (Warren)
Monday (12/26) - Hard Lessons @ St Andrews Hall
As we hit the end of the year, there have been a few passings this December that I want to bring up. Starting off, the great Chicago bluesman Hubert Sumlin passed away at the age of 80. I saw him last year in Chicago with my buddies Saad and Mike when we went to Eric Clapton's Crossroads festival. Hubert came out with an oxygen tank and despite that, put down a smooth groove that gave me a feeling what real blues music should sound like. He was one of the best bluesmen I have ever had the honor of seeing and it is sad to lose another blues great.
Dobie Gray was known mainly for the songs "Drift Away" and "The In Crowd" though the music industry didn't know how to market a black country star at the time. He moved on to songwriting hits for Ray Charles, Johnny Mathis and others. He was also a member of the soul inspired psychedelic band Pollution which is worth checking out.
Lastly, one of comic book's greatest players, Joe Simon, passed away. He was a frequent collaborator with Jack Kirby and helped create DC's Golden Age Sandman, Manhunter and the Newsboy Legion along with Marvel's Captain America. With Kirby, they pioneered all types of genres including romance, horror and satire like no other team. He was even born in my hometown of Rochester which is cool.
Have a good week and check back for more about the Hometown Sound contest sponsored by maurices and get you band noticed on the national scene.