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10/30/14
WIN FREE TICKETS! David Bazan + Passenger String Quartet at The Magic Bag on Wednesday, Nov. 5!
10/29/14
WIN TICKETS and limited edition SILKSCREENED SHOW POSTERS - ECHO FEST 5 - Loving Touch Ferndale - Saturday 11/15/14
DETROIT PSYCH-ROCK BAND SISTERS OF YOUR SUNSHINE VAPOR ANNOUNCE
THE 5th ANNUAL ECHO FEST AT THE LOVING TOUCH IN FERNDALE, MI ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH 2014
FEATURING OVER 12 BANDS FROM DETROIT AND THE MIDWEST
ECHO FEST IS AN 18-AND-UP SHOW FEATURING
THE BEST OF THE MIDWEST'S PSYCHEDELIC SOUNDS
email motorcityblog@earthlink.net for you chance to win a free pair of tickets
AND
a cool custom limited edition signed show poster
Detroit psych rock band Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor are very excited to announce their 5th annual ECHO Fest, to be held at The Loving Touch in Ferndale, MI on Saturday, November 15th at 6:00PM. Formed and curated by the band, ECHO Fest showcases Detroit's and the Midwest's burgeoning and varied psychedelic music scene, including psych rock, shoegaze, garage and more. Mixed with its trademark visuals and mood-filled lighting it has become an event that stands on its own. Each attendee will receive a free pair of diffraction glasses which separates light into huge rainbow star bursts to transform the already trippy light show into the the most intense visual experience of your life. The event will host two stages filled with swirling lights, fuzzed out guitars, and of course so much delay that time travel may become possible.
This year's ECHO Fest will feature 14 bands on two stages from across the Midwest, half of which are from the Detroit area. Also, for the first time, ECHO Fest is an 18-and-over show. This year's line-up includes ECHO Fest organizers Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor (Detroit), Elephant Stone (Montreal), Dead Leaf Echo (NYC/Brooklyn), The Witches (Detroit), Plastic Crimewave Syndicate (Chicago), Rogue Satellites (Detroit), MOSS FOLK (Milwaukee), Matthew Smith of Outrageous Cherry (Detroit) + more.
Tickets will be $12 at the door ($15 for under 21). Doors will open at 6PM and the first act will start at 6:45PM.
Don't wait and be late - get there early for $2 drink specials from 6PM to 9PM.
ECHO Fest 5
Where:
The Loving Touch
22634 Woodward Ave
Ferndale, MI 48220
When:
Saturday, November 15th, 2014. Doors at 6:00PM, Music at 6:45PM
How Much:
$12 / $15 at the door
Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/291358527737115/
ECHO Fest 5 Lineup:
Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor (Detroit)
Elephant Stone (Montreal)
Dead Leaf Echo (NYC/Brooklyn)
The Witches (Detroit)
Plastic Crimewave Syndicate (Chicago)
Rogue Satellites (Detroit)
MOSS FOLK (Milwaukee)
Matthew Smith of Outrageous Cherry (Detroit)
Heaven' s Gateway Drugs (Ft. Wayne)
Siamese (Detroit)
King Buffalo (Rochester, NY)
Buffalo Coven Party (Milwaukee)
Watch the ECHO Fest Facebook page or follow ECHO Fest on Twitter
for details on special offers and other information.
WIN FREE TICKETS: Shwayze headlines the Feel Good Tour at the Magic Bag this Thursday, October 30 with Cam Meekins, Carlton, Nikko Gray and DJ BVillian
SHWAYZE
with Cam Meekins, Carlton, Nikko Gray & DJ BVillian
Thursday, October 30 – Doors 8pm - $15 adv.
The Magic Bag
Ferndale USA
Shwayze's story of success is considerably short, taking in mind that gut was all he needed to achieve his dream. The rapper who shows his face in the rap scene with his tracks "Buzzin'" as well as "Corona and Lime" did have a personal struggle early in his life that brought him a greater courage in taking his life direction to a better future. He was born Aaron Smith in 1986 in Malibu, California. While the region he grew up in is closely attached to the high lifestyle and the luxury it's drenched with, Shwayze settled on the less prosperous side of the town. He lived in a trailer park, juggling his time to work at several jobs while helping his grandfather as a handyman. "Everyone else pretty-much got sick of me," he said, "and the only choice I really had was working for my grandfather, a handyman, as his assistant installing doors and windows, and fixing light bulbs for old ladies..." It was before he did the unthinkable.
While hanging out with his friends at a local club in 2005, Shwayze made his own destiny by accumulating his courage to get on the stage at his own will. Whitestarr ... was headlining the live music event that night and its lead singer Cisco Adler was observing from the side of the stage. Shwayze jumped to the stage and started freestyling accompanied by Whitestarr's drummer Alex Orbison who provided the beat. "I was like, 'I'm the only black kid in Malibu...' And the crowd went crazy," Shwayze recalled. "I looked over to the right and there was Cisco on the side of the stage. That was the first connection we had." The defining moment was followed by regular meetings between the full-of-energy teenager and Adler.
However, all came with a persistence and struggle too. "I wasn't the priority at the time," Shwayze gushed. "I'd sit on the couch and just wait for him to have an opening. I'd sit there and chill, play some piano, pick up the guitar, whatever. Then he'd be like, 'Wanna make a track?' I'd say, 'Hell yeah!' I was that kid. At first I thought maybe I'm being a little brat, but he's really down with that. I think he just liked my persistence." From Adler's side, Shwayze was more than just a persistent kid. "I knew he had talent and charisma, so we started hanging ...out,"
Adler explained. "It takes me a while to get in the studio with someone. Shwayze begged, begged and begged me. Finally, I said, 'Alright.' He showed up one day and that was it. We started working together and it was easy." The result of their creative sessions was more than they could ask for. A bunch of fresh tracks serving as a melting pot of hip-hop rhythms, acoustic guitars and easy-listening melody create a wave of success for both. Shwayze was then signed to Geffen and able to record his self-titled debut. Adler assisted him in the writing of the songs, the production as well as the backing vocals. The first taste of the water, "Buzzin'" entered at #86 on Billboard Hot 100 and climbed up steadily to #46. While the song was still hot on the airplay, another Adler-featuring single "Corona and Lime" took over the success of the first single to peek the same chart at #23. In the hype of his appearance as a new artist, Shwayze signed a deal with MTV to star in the network's reality show "Buzzin'" that follows him and Adler in the quest of being more and more famous. The show ... was premiered on MTV in July 2008.
A new studio album "Let It Beat" is scheduled to be released in U.S. on November 3. Snoop Dogg, The Knux and Tabi Bonney are lined up as featured guests. On how the effort will be different from the previous one, Shwayze said, "The first record was the first time Cisco and I ever did anything together so it was an experiment. It was then Cisco taught me about song structure and about the art of recording. When we got a chance to make the second record our focus was different and we wanted to take it to the next level in all aspects...production wise and lyrically."
When asked whether he feels the burden to follow the success of the first record, he gushed, "I think excitement and nervousness are similar emotions. We'd been traveling for 8 months straight playing music we created 2 years before. When we finally got a break we wanted nothing more than to make new music! For our fans, but mostly for ourselves. For us it's about the music, so we handle that and worry about the critics later."
Shwayze and special guests Cam Meekins, Carlton, Nikko Gray & DJ BVillian perform at the Magic Bag as part of The Feel Good Tour on Thursday, October 30.
Magic Bag
22920 Woodward Ave.
Ferndale, MI 48220
10/28/14
Hunter Valentine "Tracked Down in Pontiac"
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| Kiyomi of Hunter Valentine by Mikel OD Pfeiffer |
MCB: What was the first album you will admit to buying with your own money?
Laura: I guess I can admit it was MC Hammer’s album with “You Can’t Touch This” on it.
MCB: When did the you decide drumming was what you wanted to do full time?
Laura: 2006 is when I decided this is what I want to do. I’ve been playing drums my whole life, it’s in my blood. It’s in my family, I come from the 3rd generation of drummers. It’s just there, when I try not to play drums, something finds me and I have no choice.
MCB: I’ve always viewed the drums as this primitive instrument..
Laura: Yeah, it is. But there’s so much you can do. It might seem very old school, compared to midi keyboards, but there’s so many levels to drums. There’s your acoustic kit, drum pads, samples, you can do so much. I’m only just starting to use drum pads so it’s not limited at all.
MCB: How many times do you get asked which one is Hunter?
Laura: A lot, we just joke around with it and Kiyomi says “oh it’s me. I’m Hunter”
MCB: It’s taking a while for the new album to come out…
Laura: Yes, we’ve been busy! We toured almost 2 years straight with our last album. Then, at the end we did the reality show. Then, we started writing. This year has been about writing and getting down solid tunes. We needed a little down time after all the touring.
Laura: You know there have been great times since the 30’s and 40’s and lots of changes. A lot of icons paved the way to create rock-n-roll to make it ok to listen to. I think every day now is about being the next wave, the new wave, whatever it is. So we’re in a great time to be in music because we can create the next sound.
The 80’s and 90’s were probably the time financially to be a musician, maybe even the 70’s. It was glamorous to be a rock star and people wanted to buy everything you did. Today, you more or less have to give your away your music and try to find other ways to make money to be a musician.
MCB: What I do think has changed some is that I see more women involved in music…
Laura: Absolutely, before I don’t think people liked so many woman/chick singers on the radio. They didn’t get as much airplay and that they do know. Female rock stars are the best.
MCB: Do you think women are more pressured to have a sex appeal factor than their male counterparts?
Laura: In the world, females have always been seen as sex symbols. Same is true for some men. But, there are female stars out there that don’t rely on sex appeal and they are out there getting it done. It’s not about their looks, like Sia, who is amazing songwriter right now. She had a lot issues because the record industry didn’t think she was pretty. Now she’s taken that to her own level where she’ll go play a concert with her back to the audience. So she’s saying “fuck you” to the music industry even though she is dominating it. Yes, Sex does sell, but it’s all about the person and how they feel. I like to look sexy and I like to feel good and I put red lipstick on because I want to put it on. I don’t think it makes people like me better. I think I’m hot and that’s it.
MCB: It’s October, Halloween, what’s your favorite horror movie?
Laura: I really like serial killer documentaries. Those aren’t horror flicks but those are scarier because they are real. If I was to pick a horror movie, I’d say the Saw series. Those are sick because it’s more mental. It’s about being in a position you thought you would never be in or want to do, but there is no way you can’t do it.
MCB: Do you have a personal scary experience you can share?
Laura: We haven’t had that something scary happen to us but let me tell you about the last time we played this place. A couple years ago we played here and I had stupidly broken my ankle on the tour. We were up for our encore, I’m on crutches and these two girls decided to get into a fight right as we are walking on stage. So the girl punches the other girl and she flies into me but I’m on crutches so this is bad. I whip her off of me with one of my crutches and she falls into Kiyomi and pins her against the wall. So that was kinds scary, but really more like “welcome to Detroit mother fuckers“.
(lead singer Kiyomi enters)
Kiyomi: We still did the encore so it ended well. There have been a few hotel situations where you are on the road and there’s 10 more hours to go. So you pull off to a motel and you options are not as good as you want them to be and those situations can be scary. You’ll be trying to sleep with what sounds like a gang fight outside your door. Or, you see things going down there are definitely not legal.
MCB: What is your favorite song to play on tour?
Kiyomi: Mine is “Blackout Nights,” it’s a new song.
Laura: Mine is new too, it’s “The Pledge.” I think were biased to the new songs. The last song we “Liar, Liar” is a lot of fun too.
MCB: If you weren’t in a band what would you be doing?
Laura: I’d own a restaurant, some kind of food situation.
Kiyomi: What has been interesting me lately as a career wouldn’t be the first thing people would think of, but I’ve been real interested in real estate lately.
And, with that we ended our conversation, Hunter Valentine took to the stage and played a crushingly good set featuring lots of new songs and some obvious crowd favorites. The night ended with Kiyomi rapping with the lead singer of Sick of Sarah on a track that highlighted the fun they have had on tour.
TONIGHT: Captured by Robots wsg Amino Acids adn Sros Lords @ Small's
MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY AND WIN FREE TICKETS: SLOWDIVE with LOW - Majestic Theatre Detroit - Wednesday 10/29/14
MGM Grand Detroit has a special Halloween themed cocktail just for you!
10/27/14
OUT OF THE SHELL and INTO THE BOX - The Turtles unleash a single box of eight 7-inch singles
10/26/14
SHOW REVIEW: The Glitch Mob at The Royal Oak Music Theatre on October 22, 2014
TV Lounge Halloween Party wsg KARIZMA
Having rocked or shall we say destroyed dancefloors around the globe we are truly blessed to have his talent in The Motor City on Halloween Night!
Bruce Bailey
Powdr Blu
Mr. Joshooa
The Sonic Natives
(Al Ester, Earl McKinney & DJ Magic)
Phil tha Mixx
Music in both rooms begins at 8pm...








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