FREE SIGNED VINYLS from WAVVES

"We found those signed vinyls from WAVVES to giveaway!" 

That is what we woke up with this morning after nearly a month ago we walked out of the Magic Stick clutching a few signed platters from WAVVES.  We meant to run the give along with our show review but it slipped our mind mostly because the records slipped from our hands behind the back office couch in the MCB offices!  

The cleaning crew found them yesterday and thankfully passed them back to us (along with some other choice materials/items).  So...since we slacked that off you can email motorcityblog@earthlink.net for your shot to win one of thesigned records - happy weekend! ` MCB

Named for his fear of the ocean, Wavves, the skuzzy project of San Diego slacker Nathan Williams, is a blend of distorted no-fi and refined sunshiny melodies. Charmingly messy, most of his lyrics, while difficult to decipher, generally revolve around the subjects of weed, boredom, and the beach -- when he isn't poking jabs at the gloomy subculture of goth rock (a common theme, found in "Goth Girls," "California Goths," "Summer Goths," "Surf Goths," and "Beach Goths"). Wavves was conceived just afterWilliams, at age 21, quit his job as a clerk at Music Trader, while he was dividing his free time between skateboarding, writing for his hip-hop blog, Ghost Ramp, and making music using an '80s Tascam cassette recorder and Garage Band software. Due to his inexperience with the program, the result of one month's worth of bedroom recording sessions was two full albums of songs: all completely mangled by overdriven inputs. Rather than scrapping the material, he embraced the in-the-red aesthetic and started promoting the songs online. Wavves was quickly embraced and touted as "the next big thing" by Internet music critics and fellow bloggers. 

TONIGHT / TOMORROW: HATCHBACK 7 - A juried art exhibition sponsored by Hatch: A Hamtramck Art Collective

HATCHBACK 7
A juried art exhibition sponsored by 

Hatch: A Hamtramck Art Collective

http://www.hatchart.org/

April 26 - May 25, 2013
Hatch Gallery, 3456 Evaline St., Hamtramck

Opening Reception Friday, April 26, 6 pm - 10 pm

Gallery Hours Saturdays, 1pm - 6pm

Artist Talks & Concerts
Saturdays 6pm - 10pm throughout May

Juror: Sarah Turner

Featured Artists:
Adriana Acosta
Neil Ahrens
Jide Aje
Bonnie Amos
Carl Amyoni
Anita Andersons
Alyssa Baron-Klask
Alexander Buzzalini
Stephanie Chisholm
Topher Crowder
Amber Dietz
Salwan Georges
Christian Helser
Heather Kelly
Joe LaLonde
Candace Law
Eric Law
Matt Lewis
Alec Linton
Tina Logan
Laura Macintyre
Robert Piatek
Mariuca Rofick
Simone Schiffmacher
Krysti Spence
Jack O. Summers
Mike Thompson
Sandi Wheaton
Marty Winters

FREE SOUVENIR POSTER: Melvin Davis & United Sound Jeecy and the Jungle - PJs Lager House Detroit - Sat 4/27 9pm

Melvin Davis & United Sound 

wsg 

Pat Lewis 

LMT Connection 

Jeecy and the Jungle 

$12 at the door with free Souvenir poster 

*shown below 

Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 9pm

 

Pj's Lager House

1254 Michigan Ave  

Detroit, MI 48226

(313) 961-4668

www.pjslagerhouse.com

LIVE SHOW REVIEW: MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE @ THE FILLMORE DETROIT by Jacob Giampa

After a five year absence, Mindless Self Indulgence were greeted by a ecstatic plethora of fans at the Fillmore last weekend. The band that was evidently just as eager to be there.

The crowd was thunderous and beyond ear-splitting loud from the moment the band stepped onto the stage. The fans were treated to a massive set list for the evening as well as an extremely animated and lively stage performance. 

Setlist

Witness

Shut Me Up

It Gets Worse

Stupid MF

You're No Fun Anymore Mark Trezona

1989

Issues

Fuck Machine

Never Wanted To Dance

Prescription

Bring the Pain

(Method Man cover) ("Bring the Acapella" version, first half only)

Ass Backwards

Evening Wear

Tornado

Ala Mode

Dicks Are for My Friends

Planet of the Apes

Faggot

On It

 Bitches

http://www.mindlessselfindulgence.com/tour.html

https://www.facebook.com/msi

EYE EMPIRE @ THE DIESEL LOUNGE APRIL 28, 2013

Out of the ashes an empire will rise. So is the history of Eye Empire. Having tasted success in other bands, Corey and B.C. being kindred spirits, knew they were on to something special and lasting. So began the search to give this project a voice and a foundation to back it. Along came Donald and Ryan. Now to build the empire.

With a year of air play for the single, "I Pray" and over 400 live show in past couple of years has made them a fan favorite, including MOTORCITYBLOG. Every time the past through Detroit or the surrounding area, we support them.

Here's a chance to see them up close personal at the Diesel Lounge in Chesterfield, MI. The new and improved New York New York. The lighting is great, the sound is awesome, the staff is friendly.

Eye Empire
Doors: 6:00pm
WSG:
As Darkness Falls
Underneath It All
The Worst Of
Deveraux
33151 23 Mile Rd
Chesterfield, MI, 48047

 

 

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE GATHERING TO ZOMBIE OUT HUNGER!

 On Saturday, May 4 at 9 pm, zombies and local citizens will unite to zombie out hunger at a special gathering to benefit the Gleaner's Community Food Bank. Local zombie fans will be out in full force to attack the hunger issue by collecting canned goods and donations at the party to be held at The Corktown Tavern in Detroit.

 

The party will feature '80s music by DJ Greebo for your dancing pleasure. The night will also feature the 15 year renewal of wedding vows by the party's hosts, Piper & Chris Smith, who created the themed event specifically for this occasion. Zombie visage is encouraged by those who attend.There will also be fundraising raffle with zombie-themed prizes, food, and fun for a suggested minimum door donation of $5 or cans of food shall be accepted. Please no opened containers, homemade food or expired products and avoid items in glass. Gleaners stickers “I Fed Someone Today” shall be available to sport your support!

 

All proceeds will benefit the Gleaners Community Food Bank. They will also be taking donations for this event thru their Facebook page at:  https://www.facebook.com/events/300547270074433/

 

And also via a personalized Gleaners fundraising direct donations webpage at: http://www.gcfb.org/site/PageServer?pagename=VirtualFoodDrive_ZombieApacolypse

 

For every dollar donated, Gleaners can provide three meals. Ninety-three cents of every dollar donated goes directly to food and food programs.  For more than 35 years, Gleaners has been "nourishing communities by feeding hungry people.” Last year, Gleaners distributed 46 million pounds of emergency food to more than 550 partner soup kitchens, shelters and pantries in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe counties. Gleaners alleviates hunger by providing equivalent of more than 100,000 meals per day to people who otherwise cannot afford food they need.

 

The Corktown Tavern is located at 1716 Michigan Avenue in Corktown. 313-964-5103. 21& over welcome. www.corktowntavern.com

 

For more information on the event contact Sue Summers at suestatic@aol.com.

 

WE BUY - YOU FLY FOR FREE FUNKFEST (George Clinton) TICKETS and WEEKEND FLYER DUMP

MCB has a double handful of free tickets to check out Funkfest featuring George Clinton this Saturday night April 27th over at The Fox Theatre - WE BUY / YOU FLY email us something nice and we will hook you up with a pair of hard premium tix AND MAKE ARRANGEMENT SO  YOU CAN PICK UP TOMORROW - motorcityblog@earthlink.net 

AND HERE ARE A FEW OTHER WEEKEND OPTIONS

FLYER DUMP

Hunters this Friday @The Blowout

Check out Hunters, a band from New York that will be playing at this year's Blowout.

Hunters

On tour with Bleached

Friday, April 26th

Metro Times Blowout 16

Polish National Alliance Lounge

9:00

Hunters are excited to announce their signing to Mom + Pop for their debut LP this summer. To gear up for the upcoming release, they will be joining Bleached and JEFF the Brotherhood on tours across the US this spring. Since releasing their 2011 EP Hands On Fire, Hunters have been hard at work touring and playing live shows with METZ, Cloud Nothings, A Place To Bury Strangers and The Kills. They've also had breakout performances at last year's CMJ with shows at Brooklyn Vegan's showcase and the FADER FORT. Hunters have also been featured on the cover of the Village Voice along with acclaim from The New York Times, New Yorker, FADER, SPIN, Filter among many others. With a fury of fuzzed out guitars and bodies being strewn across the stage, Derek Watson and Izzy assault the masses with a wave of barely contained chaos. The tour kicks off in Austin on April 12th.

KOBRA and THE LOTUS @ THE MACHINE SHOP APRIL 27, 2013

Remember your first metal show, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Yngwei? Something less mainstream. Kobra and the Lotus are inspired by those days gone past. Bringing something more to the table, that is familiar.

Opening for Fear Factory, Saturday the 27th, at the Machine Shop Kobra and the Lotus are rock a new old heavy metal show. Screaming vocals, blistering guitars, thumping bass, pounding drums, an aural assault worthy  of their predecessors.

Kobra and the Lotus
The Machine Shop
Doors: 7:00 pm
Tickets: $20 Advance
Other Acts:
Fear Factory
Hate Eternal

Tickets
Kobra and the Lotus
Facebook

Free Tickets: The So So Glos @Magic Stick

The So So Glos

Opening for Titus Andronicus

Friday, May 3rd at the Magic Stick

$15, doors at 8

Send an email to motorcityblog@earthlink.net for your chance to win a pair of tickets

The Brooklyn-bred So So Glos are heading out on the road with Titus Andronicus for a string of April and May dates for the “Bring Back The Dudes Tour 2013.” The bromance started in 2009, when the two bands first hooked up for the “Bring On The Dudes Tour.”

The punk devotees will be celebrating the release of new record Blowout, out on Shea Stadium Records, with a release show – And what better place to melt your face off with the new blasts of punk rock blitz than at DIY club Shea Stadium that the foursome own and operate? Get a little taste before the album is out on April 23rd by watching the video for “Son Of An American” on Rolling Stone HERE.

Hailing from Brooklyn, The So So Glos own and operate the all-ages DIY club Shea Stadium. The foursome, which consists of Alex Levine (vocals, bass), Ryan Levine (guitar, vocals), Matt Elkin (guitars, vocals), and Zach Staggers (drums, vocals), have been kicking ass and guitars together since they were five years old. Yes, FIVE.

FREE TICKETS: TRIXIE WHITLEY @ THE MAGIC BAG 5/2

 

 

It’s only May, but one of the most anticipated shows of the year is almost upon us. Singer/songwriter Trixie Whitley may only be 26, but she already has a musical legacy most artists would kill for. She’s performed on record with her late great father Chris Whitley when she was just 10. Spinning at raves and parties in Brussels, Paris, New York and Amsterdam, she was one of the most successful house and techno DJ’s in the world by the age of 14. At 17, Trixie decided to concentrate on performing her own music. She’s gone on to work with Robert Plant, Marianne Faithfull, Joe Henry, Meshell N’degeocello, Joe Henry, Daniel Lanois, Marc Ribot, Black Dub and a host of others. With the release of her debut record, Forth Corner, Trixie is undertaking her first headline tour.
 

Though Whitley explores the gamut of human emotion in her music, there’s a sense of fearlessness in her that is unwavering. She dropped out of school at 17 and moved back to New York and started slinging burgers at a local dive. Meanwhile, she ground out her own material in the city. She learned piano, guitar and soon started playing solo shows, a preface to recording her first EP Strong Blood.

 

With that EP in hand, she and her mother went to a music festival in Belgium where Daniel Lanois was playing a gig with drummer Brian Blade, best known for his work with Joni Mitchell and Wayne Shorter. At her mother’s behest, she thrust a copy of Strong Blood into Lanois’ hand and returned to New York, thinking nothing would ever come of it.

“I went back to that shitty restaurant and it got to the point where I was going to ditch music and go back to school and get my GED,” says Whitley. “But when I got home that day, Daniel called. I screamed.” Lanois invited her to Boston to record. He was so blown away that he asked her to front Black Dub, working with Blade and bassist Daryl Johnson. The band’s self-­‐titled album was released in October of 2010 and the group toured well into 2011, with Whitley’s voice propelling the group’s unique groove to ultimate peaks.
With the Black Dub shows, countless solo gigs in New York and Europe, and buzz-­‐ building performances at festivals like Bonnaroo, SXSW, and Celebrate Brooklyn, Whitley has become one of the most talked about new artists of 2012. In November/December 2012, she embarked on her first solo U.S. tour, and currently continues to tour Europe and the US in anticipation of Fourth Corner’s 2013 release.

“I’m psyched and petrified,” says Whitley in her archetypal wide-­‐eyed wonderment mixed with a fierce determination. “As a songwriter, I want to go to places people don’t expect and with that is complete freedom of expression.” Perhaps that place is another version of a fourth corner: something spiritual perhaps, certainly emotional, but most definitely real.

 

Singer/songwriter Trixie Whitley drops by the Magic Bag on Thursday, May 2 for a very special intimate performance.  Johnny Nicolson of Echorev opens the show.

 

Email us right here at motorcityblog@earthlink.net for your chance at a pair of free tickets to this show!

UPCOMING: The Mountain Goats @ Majestic, 12 June

You know that song that makes you laugh and cry at the very same time? The perfect musical definition of "bittersweet"? The Mountain Goats are the distinguished owners of one of those songs for me. The video for it is at the bottom of this post: still gives me chills, but it misses a little something without me "singing" along at the top of my voice. And now I get to see them sing it with my own ears! Think I can handle it? I have my doubts...but I don't think they'll mind if I laugh-cry.

The Mountain Goats

WSG The Baptist Generals

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Majestic Theater

4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit

The Mountain Goats have announced a run of summer tour dates beginning June 3 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. John Darnielle and Peter Hughes will tour as a duo for the first time since 2007, and all of the shows will be all-ages. The Baptist Generals will open, and a full list of dates is below.

Darnielle offered more details on his website:
Peter and I toured our asses off back in the pre-trio days, but that was before our ascent to the absolute upper echelon of global media saturation. We are pleased to report that a year-plus worth of talking about touring the Mountain Goats in alternate configurations to all-ages rooms is yielding its first fruits this June, in the form of the TUTTLINGEN WARRIORS TOUR 2013, whose name is an inside joke, I'll tell you about it between songs at some point during the tour, I have too much else still to cover here to get into it right now.

The Mountain Goats on tour:
* = w/ The Baptist Generals
May 1 Boone, NC Appalachian State University
June 3 Washington, DC 9:30 Club*
June 4 York, PA Strand- Capitol Performing Arts*
June 5 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's*
June 7 New Haven, CT Center Church on the Green*
June 8 Portland, ME Port City Music Hall*
June 9 South Burlington, VT Higher Ground Ballroom*
June 11 Munhall, PA Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead*
June 12 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre*
June 14 Cincinnati, OH Taft Ballroom*
June 15 Bloomington, IN Buskirk-Chumley Theatre*
June 16 Evanston, IL Space*
June 17 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall*
June 19 Kansas City, MO The Record Bar*
June 20 St. Louis, MO Old Rock House*
June 22 Birmingham, AL The Bottletree*
June 23 Gainesville, FL High Dive*
June 24 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Culture Room*
June 26 Charleston, SC The Charleston Pourhouse *
June 27 West Columbia, SC New Brookland Tavern*
June 28 Wilmington, NC The Soapbox *
July 26-28 Newport, RI Newport Folk Festival
September 13-16 Miami, FL Atlantic Ocean Comedy and Music Festival

Show Preview: Yngwie Malmsteen @ St. Andrews Hall 04/25/2013

One of the greatest virtuosos of guitar comes to Detroit tomorrow night for a stop on his Spellbound Tour. Having won award upon award from the music world since his first release of Rising Force in 1984, Yngwie continues to set the bar higher and higher with every release. Blending his own unique take of classical music with his blistering guitar skills and techniques, he creates an auditory experience for your ears and mind that will surely leave you Spellbound.

Tickets still available online: http://saintandrewsdetroit.com/event/08004A67C42067F2

Doors at 7pm with opening acts Burning Heat and Ethan Brosh.

Upcoming tour dates:
Apr 24 House of Blues Cleveland Cleveland, OH
Apr 25 Saint Andrews Hall Detroit, MI
Apr 26 The Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto, Canada
Apr 27 The Webster Main Room Hartford, CT
Apr 28 Carnegie Library Music Hall Munhall, PA
Apr 29 Wilbur Theatre Boston, MA
Apr 30 Irving Plaza powered by Klipsch New York, NY
May 03 Tom Lee Park Memphis, TN
May 04 House of Blues Chicago Chicago, IL
May 07 The Summit Music Hall Denver, CO
May 09 House of Blues Anaheim Anaheim, CA
May 10 House of Blues Sunset Strip West Hollywood, CA
May 12 Ventura Theater Ventura, CA
May 13 The Regency Ballroom San Francisco, CA
May 14 House of Blues San Diego San Diego, CA
May 16 Granada Theater Dallas, TX
May 17 Backstage Live San Antonio, TX
May 18 Concert Pub North Houston, TX
May 21 Pops Sauget, IL
May 23 House of Blues New Orleans New Orleans, LA
May 24 Plaza 'LIVE' Orlando, FL
May 25 Grand Central Miami, FL
May 26 The Orpheum Tampa, FL

Official Yngwie Malmsteen website:
www.yngwiemalmsteen.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Official-Yngwie-Malmsteen/15331653478

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/OfficialYJM

Show Review: Airbourne @ The Magic Stick 04/21/2013

Sunday night rock show in Detroit? No problem. Nobody likes Monday mornings as it is and the crowd that showed up to rock out with Airbourne didn't seem fazed one bit about it either. Hitting the stage around 9:30, the band immediately cranked the energy up to 11, blasting out on to the stage as if they were playing a huge rock festival in front of 100,000 people. Though the venue was half full at best, the fans in attendance certainly made up for it in their vigor and attitude, fists thrust defiantly in the air, heads banging, hair flying, sweat dripping from their heads as they countered each song word for word with the band. Airbourne is a true rock act in every sense. Galloping around the stage, kicking out every trick in the rock star hand book to engage the crowd, smiles abound as they decimated the hall with a wall of rock and roll sound guaranteed to please even the most jaded rock fan. You truly missed the best rock act of the year if you weren't there Sunday night. Don't miss them when they return to town next time!

Remaining tour dates:
April 24 Stickyz Rock 'N Roll Chicken Shack, Little Rock, AR
April 27 Harrahs Cherokee Event Center, Cherokee, NC (with Shinedown)
April 30 Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre, PA (with Shinedown and Bush)
May 1 MassMutual Center, Springfield, MA (with Shinedown and Bush)
May 4 House of Blues, Atlantic City, NJ (with Shinedown and Bush)
May 7 Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, IL (with Shinedown and Bush)
May 8 Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI (with Shinedown and Bush)
May 10 Jones Park, Gulfport, MS (Gulfport Music Festival)

Airbourne Official Website:

http://www.airbournerock.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/airbournerock

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Airbourne

Free Comic Book Day @Green Brain Comics

Each year on the first Saturday in May comic book stores around the world celebrate Free Comic Book Day, but nobody does it like Green Brain Comics in Dearborn!

This year there will be over 50 different Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) titles available to choose from. With this many choices there will be something for every age, taste, and interest. Everyone who attends gets three FCBD books just for visiting that day. But, that’s just the start of the fun.

Green Brain Comics is offering more opportunities to get extra FCBD books. Bring a non-perishable food item for Gleaners Community Food Bank, donate your old cell phone to Cell Phones for Soldiers, or show up in costume! These are just some of the ways to get extra FCBD books!

A host of local comic creators will be there to show off their work and give you a peek into the creative process. This year our headliner guest is David Petersen, creator of Mouse Guard, which will be available as a FCBD book this year. Mouse Guard is an international best seller and has received multiple awards including an Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids.

Community is always a big part of FCBD at Green Brain Comics. This year a portion of every sale on Saturday, May 4th will be donated to Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter. FDAS representatives will be on hand with an adoptable pet. Help them celebrate their 20th anniversary and support all the great work they’ve done since 1993.

This event gets bigger every year with the help of our local business partners, Oakwood Healthcare Systems, the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority, and the Metro Times. These organizations help us to spread our love of literature, the visual arts, and the magic of combining both on the printed page.

So, mark your calendar, and tell your friends that Saturday, May 4th from 10am to 8pm is Free Comic Book Day at Green Brain Comics!

Black Jake & the Carnies Album Release Show @Trumbullplex

Black Jake & the Carnies

Thursday, April 25th at Trumbullplex

Black Jake & The Carnies, the Ypsilanti-based Kings of Crabgrass, are proud to announce the release of their third studio effort, "Watching, Waiting," available April 23. Recorded in the winter of 2012 at Big Sky Studios in Ann Arbor, MI, just prior to the departure of long-time mandolinist Zach Pollack, "Watching, Waiting" signifies a return-to-roots effort for Black Jake & The Carnies (after a fashion). The clean instrumentation and orchestrated vocals take center-stage on this 5-track EP. Traditional gospel tunes get worked up into a frenzy on the first two tracks, dissolving into the locomotive-powered instrumental, "Last Stop." The record then veers off into more irreverent territory with their Muppets-inspired rendition of an old Red Ingle tune, before finishing off with "A Good Man Knows," a powerful original played at a blistering pace, featuring some of the band's most intricate playing to date.

To celebrate the effort, BJ&TC have scheduled two shows immediately following the official release. The first, scheduled for April 25, takes place at Detroit's sexiest anarchist collective, The Trumbullplex. The second takes place in their home town of Ypsilanti at Woodruff's Bar. Joining them at both performances is Possessed By Paul James of Austin, TX, making a couple of rare Michigan stops before heading to Chicago for the MoonRunners Music Festival.

Reviews of Midget Exhibit: Images from the Heyday of Dwarf Display, Put the Needle on the Record: The 1980s at 45 Revolutions Per Minute, and Ghosts and Ballyhoo: Memoirs of a Failed L.A. Music Journalist

 

"Snazzy is as Snazzy Does!"

Gwen Joy is an artist who specializes in colorful folk art paintings. 

Life experience is her subject matter which is translated in a lyrical/mythical fashion.

                                                               Follow Gwen's snazzy street reviews weekly here on Motorcityblog                        
                                                                                  Reach her directly at www.GwenJoy.com
In the book Midget Exhibit: Images from the Heyday of Dwarf Display Mary L Martin and Tina Skinner document midgets' lives. Naturally a lot are circus performers and this is naturally documented. A good portion of the book documents their day to day personal events like birthdays and special celebrations like marriages. This gives the book a warm and personal quality. The photos range from sweet to bizarre to brave to discreet. The lives of midgets do hold a fascination for many and this is a terrific collection for adults and children. This book is historically significant, fun and informative.

In the collection Put the Needle on the Record: The 1980s at 45 Revolutions Per Minute Matthew Chojnacki showcases the album covers of his record collection. It definitely reflects the spunky, colorful, and unique time of the 80's. This was the decade where visuals really connected to music due to the start of MTV and the highly playful and original music videos and album cover art made in the 80's. Keith Harring designed energetic covers for Sylvestor and Emanon and folk artist James Rizzi painted an image for Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love. Standouts in this collection include Cyndi Lauper's What's Going On stylistically dadaist cover which was shot by Annie Leibovitz and is inspired by Man Ray's photo Larmes and the arresting 40's pinup cover of Kate Bush's Army Dreamers. With a foreword by Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters and an afterword by Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran this book is even more necessary for those who feel nostalgic affect for the 80's iconic clothing styles and diverse and unique music styles.


     The autobiographical account by Thomas Wictor Ghosts and Ballyhoo: Memoirs of a Failed L.A. Music Journalist is personal, funny, and describes a lot of motivations of people in the music industry. Wictor moved around a bit as a child and felt a bit like an outsider during his young years. He found his passion and some acceptance in the music scene. His book centers around two main figures other than himself mainly. These people are his ex girlfriend Carmen and Frank Zappa's bassist Scott Thunes. Wictor's relationships fail, he is taken advantage of by various people and his music journalist career ends. He does end up writing a german weapon book and a book with many of his more remarkable interviewers with musicians; many are bass players due to his many years of working for Bass Player magazine. Obviously Wictor does look back on many of his articles and interviews fondly. The part he does not remember fondly is the bitter politics in the publishing industry and the mind games editors play. This is an enjoyable book perfect for music fans, pop culture fanatics, writers and those who dig studying human nature.

I will be reviewing books by Schiffer Publishing every month. For more information please visit http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/.

The Squared Circle Revue--"Hey, I got the talking stick!" by DC-in-Detroit

DC is a longtime contributor to the MCB.

She can be reached at DC.in.Detroit [at] gmail.com

The Squared Circle Revue 2013: YEAR OF THE SNAKE
19 April 2013
Tangent Gallery, Detroit

There won't be any "spoilers" in this column as to the matchups on The Year of the Snake fight card. Not only because I am very thoughtful -- you're welcome -- but also because I didn't honestly have much of an idea what was going on most of the time. Which did not keep me from hollering and screaming and having an absolute bloodthirsty blast.

This was my third visit with the Squared Circle Revue, the first time being more or less accidental, at a summer event at the dearly departed Theatre Bizarre grounds on 8 Mile. The last two times I've gone have been very intentional though. In fact, my best +1 and I have looked forward to this show each of the last two years. Squared Circle Revue is some of the most fun you can have, while remaining mostly seated and screaming your head off.

The beauty of professional "wrestling" -- or should that be "professional" wrestling? "professional" "wrestling"? -- is the clarity of Good Guys and Bad Guys. In a one-night event, defining who are the baddies is as easy as facial expressions.

An ongoing theme of the Squared Circle Revue is casting the holy rollers in the villain roles. If you know me, you already know why I find that hilarious. My personal views aside, setting the majority (however much they whine, the god-botherers are still the majority in this yoo-ess-of-aye) up for the boo-treatment is a great move. It lets "us" root against ourselves, in a way, allowing us to open up our jaded little hearts for the underdog.

And SCR is full of underdogs.

We've got the baby with the body of a god, Baby Gaga (and his jogging-suited Mammarazzi). There's the drunken Hobo the Clown, who is happy to share his bounty with anyone who would brave his flask.

Also, of course, everyone's favorite, Pogo the One-Legged Boy.

The "bad" guys, in addition to Kreation Kontrol, whom I've already mentioned, have just as much personality.

My easy favorite is the Self-Awarewolf (from Arizona, natch) with his paisleys and "talking stick." There is, however, much to be loved about Sal Silk, owner of the smoothest legs in wrestling. And oh god, the Brobots! Like some unholy frankenmecha, cobbled together from the detritus of a Royal Oak Saturday night.

Mainly, what you've got is a whole passel of energetic, athletic, eager-to-please entertainers (and yes, there's a little girly-show action, too) throwing each other around, flying through the air, and creating a comedic ruckus.

An improvisational musical trio in one corner, and emcee Pants -- Pants? yeah I think it's just Pants -- kept the room lively. The full bar at the Tangent Gallery, quickly becoming the go-to location for alternative arts in the city, did its job to keep the 200 or so crazies happy.

The only down side to this year's revue was that the King himself, Ophidian the Cobra, had gotten injured shortly before the event. He was in attendance on his throne, directing the melee, and while I had the pleasure of a post-bout, spontaneous, personal skin-show and demonstration of mask-through-drinking (see slideshow), he was sadly unable to fight. Shame, because his Snake Style really is something to behold. (Hush you, I said nothing about holding anyone's snake.)

TONIGHT: White Lung / Swmisuit / Touch @ Magic Stick Lounge - 8pm

 

Vancouver's furiously melodic punk band, White Lung play the Magic Stick Lounge tonight. They were one of the most talked about bands at SXSW this year & last year released their album Sorry which received critical acclaim from Pitchfork, Spin, Bitch and Rolling Stone placed them on their Top 10 List of 2012

Formed in 2006, they first attained recognition as one of the standout acts involved with the Vancouver Emergency Room scene.

 

 Check out the single "Take The Mirror."

 

 

 

 

Check them out tonight at the Magic Stick Lounge for only $7 with special guests  Swimsuit & Touch.

 

Help Detroit's The Infatuations win the Hard Rock Rising Global Battle Of The Bands!

 

Let's show the world that Detroit is still the rock and soul central of the world. Go here and vote for The Infatuations so we can see them off on a world tour with a gig in London at Hard Rock Calling, a studio recording and a video with Hard Rock Records! These guys are among some of the hardest working musicians in Detroit and just recently won a slew of awards at the Detroit Music Awards.

Outstanding Urban/Funk Artist/Group

Outstanding Urban/Funk/Hip-Hop Recording - "Recorded Live in Front of a Studio Audience"

They deserve our vote! Show the love! Cast your vote at the link below and get a free MP3 download of their smash hit "Dancin' On My Knees".

Hard Rock Rising 2013 Ballot

You can also catch the band at a free ALL AGES show in at the Hard Rock Cafe Detroit - April 28th @ 2:00pm

The Infatuations:
http://www.theinfatuations.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TheInfatuations

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/theinfatuations

iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-infatuations/id325865299

ReverbNation:
http://www.reverbnation.com/theinfatuations