THIS SATURDAY: The Satanic Temple of Detroit unveils BAPHOMET

Under immense and, let's call it what it is, hypocritical pressures and threats, The Satanic Temple of Detroit is moving forward with their plans to unveil the amazing Baphomet statue ultimately intended to take its rightful place in Oklahoma City. For those already familiar with this battle, the statue's unveiling in Detroit is an exciting development. For those unfamiliar, head over to TST's website and have a look at some of the (sometimes chilling) news coverage. This is a perfect example of people not understanding who the bad guys are in this fight. (Hint: It's the ones threatening "Let's burn it down!")

If you plan on coming to the party, get your tickets NOW, as they are expecting to sell out. I personally will do what I can to encourage that. These are some of the people fighting FOR our religious freedoms— don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

The Satanic Temple presents

The Unveiling

Saturday July 25, 2015

Location Undisclosed

18+ Cocktail Attire Encouraged

GET TICKETS HERE

Tickets will NOT be sold at the door.

The Satanic Temple invites you to join us for a night of chaos, noise, and debauchery at The Unveiling, a hedonistic celebration introducing the controversial Baphomet monument accompanied by provocative performances and installations.

Never before seen in public, The Satanic Temple Baphomet monument is already the most controversial and politically charged contemporary work of art in the world. Weighing one ton and towering at nearly nine feet tall, the bronze statue is not only an unparalleled artistic triumph, but stands as a testament to plurality and the power of collective action. The event will serve as a call-to-arms from which we’ll kick off our largest fight to date in the name of individual rights to free exercise against self-serving theocrats.

Come dance with the Devil and experience history in the making.

Featuring performances by:

WOLF EYES, Detroit noise legends


SADIST, Dark punk from Boston


DJ: WILLIAM MORRISON of Skinny Puppy/OhGr


DJ’s: MATTE BLACK & MICHAEL DOYLE

Attendees are participants. 18+

NOTE: Event location will not be announced publicly. Tickets will not be sold at the door. All advanced ticket holders will receive address prior to the event. Photography is strictly prohibited.

VIP ticket holders will have an exclusive opportunity to be photographed seated on the Baphomet monument, and will receive a limited edition event poster which they can have autographed by Lucien Greaves.

For information on attending and to purchase tickets, go to 
thesatanictemple.ticketleap.com.

REVIEW: Warhorses live !!! by JLG

Warhorses PJ's Lager House, Detroit 7/10/15

Words / Photos: Joe La Grassa

 

As part of a twin release show with fellow local band, VSTRS, Detroit's Warhorses graced the intimate main stage of PJ's Lager House in a shadowy, hazy darkness.  To celebrate the release of their first 7" ,Burning Desire, and an accompanying video, Warhorses took to the stage after the 11:00 hour. The figures in darkness cranked out some moody and brooding tunes.  Self described as Heavy Trance Rock, Warhorses certainly fit the part. With a stage about as dark as a black hole, just a flickering green and blue can light/smoke machine illuminated the stage. Warhorses like the music to take precedence. The featured song, Burning Desire conjures up classic Love and Rockets songs in my head. Listeners may also hear tinges of The Cure, A Place To Bury Strangers and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club lingering around in  Warhorses sonic arsenal.

 

Warhorses played a set consisting of my favorite song Crawl, Bury Your Dead which is the B Side of the Burning Desire 7" and of course Burning Desire along with a slew of other songs. Fans were rather captivated by the silhouettes cranking out hypnotic and thrilling sounds on the main stage. After an exhilarating set, the band debuted the video for Burning Desire thanks to Gold House Media. As described by the band, "Incredibly sexy, spooky and visually stunning video that takes the viewer down into the darkness to summon your burning desire".  The Burning Desire 7" on Escape Velocity Records is currently available at Stormy Records and at Warhorses shows. The 7"features artwork by artist Camille Rose Garcia. There certainly will be more in the works by Warhorses. Get your army and go see Warhorses when they play.

 

Save the Date: Blackout BBQ at The Majestic

Black Iris Booking Presents:

Legendary Shack Shakers

Koffin Kats

Gallows Bound

Barnyard Stompers

Cadaver Dogs

Malo Koniche

St. Thomas Boys Academy

Multi Grain Reunion

Devious Ones

The Devils Cut

August 15, 2015

$15/$20

*This shit is all ages!

The Majestic

Buy tickets here

Also on hand: Hip in Detroit, Suck it Suicide, and PRTY Crew Collective

This one's a 2fer as your tickets for the August 15th's Blackout BBQ also works as a ticket for August 16th show with Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Pretty Ghouls, and Bastardous.

Blackout with me baby.

Upcoming: Sunday, July 19- POYNTE with special guests at the Token Lounge in Westland

Looking for something to do on a lazy Sunday? National Rock Review has you covered.

National touring act Poynte with special guests Spiral Crush and Division In Time will be playing The Token Lounge in Westland.

Traveling Rock N' Roll flea market Rock N Rummage will be set up in house for the evening as well.

BBQ sandwiches will be provided by National Rock Review (while supplies last)!

Doors at 6PM 
18+
$10 in advance/$13 at the door.

The Token Lounge is located at 28949 Joy Rd, Westland, MI 48185

Call For Art - The 8th Annual DAMNED Exhibition of Enlightened Darkness

+ CALL FOR DAMNED ART +

damned -adj. 1. condemned to eternal punishment.
2. detestable; loathsome. 3. complete; absolute

Within the word, it is easy to envision devils and hellfire. However, it also reflects the eternal condemnation of self and the subtle mind against itself. It may reflect the emotional trappings within the haunting ghosts of the past. Perhaps the binding tendrils of our deepest longings or deprivations.

DAMNED is an exhibition of those extraordinary artists who know that without darkness, there is no light, that beauty does reside within the repulsive and enlightenment within our darkest hours. This art may be the one true reflection of self that make us balanced within our personal damnations...or possibly it is an expressive visual therapy...or simply a sign that there is amazingly inexplicable inside without comparison.

Artists of all mediums from anywhere in the world are welcome to submit their work for DAMNED. There are no restrictions on genre or content but the more deeply personal and powerfully introspective, the better. There are no fees to submit and the deadline is September 13 2015.

For further information and to submit, please visit: 

www.thatdamnedshow.com/call

For further details on the DAMNED Exhibition, please visit "www.thatdamnedshow.com" or email us at "damned@thatdamnedshow.com".

# # # 

DAMNED VIII - An Exhibition of Enlightened Darkness
Fine Art + Performance + Fine Dining + Masquerade Ball

October 29/30/31 2015 - Tangent Gallery - Detroit

www.thatdamnedshow.com
@thatdamnedshow > Fb/G+/Tw

UPCOMING: Sat. July 18- BACK TO THE FIELD III Music and Art Festival in Ypsilanti

The Back To The Field III Music and Art Festival takes place this Saturday (July 18) in Ypsilanti.

The outdoor event will feature over 20 live bands spanning 2 stages, DJ's, live painting, professional fire performers, vendors, booze and food!

It all goes down at The Field (2545 Coolidge Rd. Ypsilanti, MI) from 2PM-3AM .

Band Lineup for the event shapes up like this...
 3:00pm Mother Night
 3:30pm Jim Cherewick
 4:00pm Anthony Gentile
 4:30pm The Landmarks
 5:00pm Ministry of Boredom
 5:30pm Los Drogas
 6:00pm Parker Projection
 6:30pm Truman
 7:00pm Blind Haven
 7:30pm Wizard Union
 8:00pm Lament
 8:30pm TurnUpT
 8:40pm PriessLess
 9:00pm We Will Rot
 9:30pm Spooney SP
 9:40pm Obie Iyoha
10:00pm SNAFU
10:30pm Spunky Smith
11:00pm Downcast
11:30pm B-Pat
12:00am Living Like Robots
12:30am TriStarz
1:45am Dash Riot

 
$10 pre-sale gets you a FREE cup of the free flowing kegs
(otherwise $10 door and cup costs $5 or BYOB) MUST HAVE ID!

This event is 18+.
 
PRESALES can be purchased by paypal daviddavidson85@ymail.com (be sure to include your name and you'll be listed at the door). Or stop by Depot Town and visit Tony and Aaron (The Long Hairs Upstairs) at 36 E Cross Ypsilanti, MI.

For more info visit their Facebook Event page HERE.

 

SHOW REVIEW: Lenka at The Ark, Ann Arbor, Sat. June 11

There have been many times I have seen an artist I like playing the Ark in Ann Arbor and thought about going to the show but for one reason or another I didn’t make it out. Last Saturday night, Lenka was playing the Ark and I decided it was the perfect night to make the trek out there. With her well-crafted pop songs and strong hooks, Lenka is an artist always worth venturing out for. The Ark is an intimate place where everyone one has a seat and actually stays seated. The setting is actually very similar to a movie theater, where all lights besides the stage are off during the performance. They even serve popcorn. I’m tempted to call it a “PG” rated show because many parents brought their young children and the concert almost had a “matinee” feel to it.

The warm up artist for the show was UK singer/songwriter, Nick Howard. Besides his acoustic guitar, the other thing that Nick brought with him was his terrific British humor. As a British singer/songwriter, I am sure that Ed Sheeran comparisons come up, but Nick’s songs are less pop and more acoustic. Besides his original songs, he did a very playful cover of Britney Spears “...Baby One More Time.”  It was a short set that everyone clearly enjoyed as they were laughing and clapping to all of his songs. At one point he even had the audience whistling. 

Lenka’s stage was already set up so it didn’t take much time before her band walked on stage and started to play. Lenka opened the show with her latest single “Blue Skies,” which reminds me a little of the sultry kind of pop Lana Del Ray plays. Lenka played a good number of songs from her set from her latest album, “The Bright Side,” including “Unique” and “Free”. The rest of her set included fan favorites like “Heart Skips A Beat” and “Everything At Once.” She also brought Nick Howard back on stage and played a song they wrote together and did a nice cover of Milky Chance’s “Stolen Dance,” which I think only a few people recognized. 

Lenka moved around the stage switching from keyboards to her over the shoulder keyboard with her unique grace and humor. She remarked how quiet we were but also one of the most polite audiences she ever played to. She finished her set with “The Show,” her usual closer that gets everybody singing and clapping along. Lenka came back for an encore with a special R&B version of “Blue Skies” that brought more funk and soul to the song. She did it just for fun but it came off really well and showed how great she and her band play together. She ended the night with the title track from “The Bright Side.” As a special treat to her fans Lenka stayed around and signed and took pics with her fans. It was a nice way to end the night at a great venue that I’ll definitely be visiting again.    

Text and Pics by Mikel OD Pfeiffer of MPAD Media

THIS SAT: Breaking Borders: Elements 18 July @ Tangent

Breaking Borders: Elements

Saturday, July 18th, 7pm–Midnight

Tangent Gallery

715 E. Milwaukee, Detroit

$5 off with donation of non-expired canned goods

THIS THURS: Nerd Nite Gets Around 16 July @ Tangent

Nerd Nite Detroit presents

Nerd Nite Gets Around

Thursday July 16

Tangent Gallery

715 E. Milwaukee—Detroit

Join us Thursday, July 16 for Nerd Nite Gets Around, an interactive Nerd Nite event featuring exhibits and short talks on all things transportation. Exhibits will include: the history of the much-maligned Michigan Left; the benefits of a more walkable & ridable Detroit; the future of light rail transit in Detroit and the region; the status of mass transit systems in the Metro Detroit area today; and much more.

The set up for Nerd Nite Gets Around will allow you to mix and mingle to your heart’s content, or nerd-out at a single exhibit all night – you decide!

Drinks available from the wonderful Tangent Gallery / Hastings Street Ballroom bar, food provided by Sidecar Detroit!

Plan for it. Put it on your calendars, or in your phones/other smart devices (how about FitBit’s IPO everyone!?!). As always, be there and be square.

Toadies in Woodhaven tonight July 10th! (summerland tour)

Toadies will be coming through Woodhaven July 10th as part of the Summerland Tour at Uncle Sam Jam - Civic Center Park.

the band will be showcasing material from their next album that was just announced (entitled heretics, out sept. 18th via kirtland records.)

the record is a bit of a departure for the band featuring stripped down versions but still with a very toadies twist


the band celebrated the 20th anniversary of their platinum-selling 'rubberneck' just last year with a sold out cross country tour. they'll be on the road most of this summer with the summerland tour and will then do their own headline stint in november.  they'll also play their annual dia de los toadies festival in their hometown of ft. worth, texas, now in its 8th year! 

FREE VINYL FRIDAY - Warhorses new vinyl LP at Lager House Detroit TONIGHT

FREE VINYL FRIDAY is here thanks to our pals over at WARHORSES who debut a new freshly pressed Archer Records vinyl tonight down at Lager House.

Email motorcityblog@earthlink.net for your chance to win...better yet...get to the show and pick one up yourself!

 

Gold House Media will premier the "Burning Desire" video just before WARHORSES take the stage.

 

LINKS:

https://www.facebook.com/warhorses          

https://warhorses.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/escapevelocityrecords

http://visitorsarehere.bandcamp.com

http://www.goldhouse.tv

 

 

 

FREE VINYL FRIDAY- WARHORSES - Playing tonight at PJ's Lager House

Email motorcityblog@gmail.com for your shot at the new WARHORSES 7" 
on Escape Velocity Records. 

Dig that vibe! Be sure to catch Warhorses at PJ's Lager House TONIGHT- to celebrate their first vinyl release along with a video premiere for "Burning Desire" by Gold House Media.

Don't forget to bring your eco friendly vinyl record tote bag because you're going to need it. VSTRS is releasing their first full length "Pandemonium Seesaw"

Wait! That's not all. There's two stages of non stop music from Pewter Cub, Rogue Satellites, Night of the Night Bees and Pthalo Sky. All for $5. You read it correctly. $5.

Look for an "On the List" show review by Joe La Grassa to follow.

PJ’s Lager House  1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit MI

Doors 8:30pm – Back to back music – 2 stages 

$5 cover   -----    21up

SHOW PREVIEW - Lenka at the Ark, Ann Arbor, Sat. July 11

Australian singer-songwriter Lenka is gracing us with her wonderful songs and unique performance this Saturday at the Ark. She is supporting her recently released 4th album, The Bright Side. Having seen Lenka a couple of times over the past few years, I can guarantee that her shows are filled with humor and an intimate playfulness on stage that many other artists are sorely lacking.

Lenka recently explained her music like this,"My aim with music is to create mood enhancers for people, That gives me the most joy, when people say my music makes them feel better.” Lenka’s gift for sharing her bliss has served her well. Whether or not you realize it, her buoyant, wistful songs—most notably “The Show” (off her self-titled debut) and “Everything at Once” (from Two, her follow-up)—have been soundtracking your life for almost seven years now. She’s lent a light mood to several commercials including spots from Windows 8, Old Navy, and Coke, and charm to dramedies like "Grey’s Anatomy" and "Ugly Betty," and imbued films such as :Moneyball" with graceful poignancy.

In a music culture that leans heavily on branding, Lenka has stood out for willfully being herself—occupying a spot between the upbeatness of Top 40 singles and the thoughtfulness of indie albums. “Music is a wonderfully direct way to enter people’s psyches,” she explains. “Mine is about keeping a sense of wonder about the world.”

Unique "selfie" video from LenkaMusic on Vimeo.

Electric Citizen at The Loving Touch this Saturday

Electric Citizen (read my interview with the band here)

Mondo Drag

Slow Season

wsg

John Krautner

Bison Machine

The Loving Touch

Ferndale

$10/$12

Buy advance tickets here

UPCOMING: Saturday, July 11- BUCKHAM ALLEY FEST in Downtown Flint

 

 

The FOTA Friends of The Alley presents Buckham Alley Fest for the FIFTH YEAR!

They will be rocking the alley Saturday, July 11th 2015 from 4pm - 10pm.

FREE ADMISSION!!

10 BANDS ON 2 STAGES
ART
BEER GARDEN
CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES
CRAFTS AND VENDORS
FOOD TRUCKS
STREET PERFORMANCES / CONTESTS

The 2015 band lineup shapes up like this:

 

Sectorlink Stage (Kearsley St)
4:00-4:30 Kitson Sisters
5:00-5:30 Building Birds
6:00-6:30 Decker Street Music Dept.
7:00-7:45 Boudoir Noir
8:30-9:15 Mama Sol & Tha NUTS

Torch Bar and Grill Stage (Second St)
4:30-5:00 Cheerleader
5:30-6:00 AllDay MonDay
6:30-7:00 Lawnmower
7:45-8:30 Detroit Party Marching Band
9:15-10:00 Third Coast Kings

New this year will be a beer garden from 8:30pm - Midnight in the parking lot behind The Torch Bar & Grill. Flint's own Tenacity Brewing will be exclusively providing four beers on tap and we'll also have entertainment in the tent. $20 gets you admission and two drink tickets. The first 300 attendees get a complimentary Buckham Alley Fest pint glass! Additional drink tickets can be purchased for $5.

For more information please visit The Friends Of The Alley Website at http://www.friendsofthealley.org/

 

 

THIS WEEKEND: MC5 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION in Lincoln Park on July 11 & 12

                                                          *Poster by Carl Lundgren*

 

 

This summer rock music legends MC5 (The Motor City Five) will be honored with a 50-year retrospective exhibit and concert in their Detroit-area hometown of Lincoln Park, Michigan at the Lincoln Park Historical Museum. An open reception will be held July 11th with a concert July 12th. The exhibit will run through Labor Day, September 7th, with regular museum hours Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1:00 to 6:00 P.M. Admission to all events is free though donations to the Lincoln Park Historical Society are encouraged.

Emerging from metro Detroit’s fertile local garage rock scene of the 1960s, the MC5 launched themselves from the blue-collar town of Lincoln Park in 1965. Their career as a band ended in 1973. In between there were major label record deals, critical acclaim, world-wide tours and an ever-growing legacy and cultural relevancy that has outlived most of the band itself. Consisting of Rob Tyner (Derminer) (1944-1991) on lead vocals, Fred "Sonic" Smith (1949-1994) and Wayne Kramer (Kambes) (born 1948) on dueling lead guitars, Dennis "Machine Gun" Thompson (Tomich) (born 1948) on drums, and Michael Davis (1943-2012) on bass guitar, the group eventually recorded three studio albums and released several collector item 45 rpm vinyl record singles.

Their iconic, self-professed mantra and single, "Kick Out The Jams”, albums on both Atlantic and Elektra, and a devastating live show born in and around Lincoln Park and raised on the stage of Russ Gibb’s famed Grande Ballroom, where they regularly shared the bill with local legends Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes, Iggy and the Stooges, and other Detroit-bred bands, helped land The Five on tours and concert bills with international rock royalty including The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Big Brother and The Holding Company, Cream, The Yardbirds, and The Mothers of Invention. Moreover, high-profile gigs like their legendary performance in the face of, or perhaps in tandem with, a rioting mob at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago helped catapult the band’s high intensity image and aggressive political stance into the international consciousness. Subsequent European tours by The MC5 helped plant the seeds of high-energy rebellion that would manifest as the English punk scene of the mid 1970's. It is both their early roots and the lasting influence of The MC5 that will be honored and recognized this July 11th and 12th.

On Saturday, July 11th from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. a public reception will be held for the opening of the Exhibit “50 Years of the MC5” at the Historical Museum, housed in the city’s Depression–era post office building. The exhibit highlights iconic photos of the group taken by Detroit photographer Leni Sinclair and Lincoln Park-raised Emil Bacilla; original psychedelic posters by Carl Lundgren, and Gary Grimshaw, another Lincoln Park-bred lad; band memorabilia, including personal artifacts from the Derminer/Tyner family; and rare band-related artifacts from local collectors.

 

On Sunday, July 12th from 2:00 to 6:00 P.M. a concert and picnic will be held at the Lincoln Park Band Shell in Memorial Park on Fort Street at London. The historic band shell, built in 1955, is one of the earliest sites where the MC5 played. Bands schedule to perform include Timmy’s Organism, Rocket 455 and Chatoyant.

 

Former band members Wayne Kramer and Dennis “Machine Gun” Thompson have been invited to attend, as have the families of those members who have passed on, Rob Tyner, Fred “Sonic” Smith and Michael Davis. While Kramer is unable to attend, Thompson will be in attendance at both the Saturday and Sunday events. During the afternoon concert, a “Key to the City” will be presented by Lincoln Park Mayor Tom Karnes to each band member or family in recognition of the homegrown musical brilliance the MC5 shared with the world. Food vendors will be on site at the park as well as picnic baskets encouraged.

 

The Lincoln Park Historical Museum is located at 1335 Southfield Rd, Lincoln Park, MI 48146

The Lincoln Park Band Shell in Memorial Park is located at 3240 Ferris Ave, Lincoln Park, MI 48146

  

Both days events are free to the public.

 

                                                         *Photo by : Leni Sinclair*

International "Murals in the Market" Festival Coming September 2015

1xRUN & Eastern Market Corporation Announce International Mural Festival in Detroit

Over 45 Local & International Artists Converge on Historic Farmers Market

From September 17th-25th 2015, Detroit's Eastern Market will be home to public art on display from over 40 artists from Detroit and across the globe. The inaugural Murals in the Market festival continues a historical presence of public murals in the area. Standing in front of the recently completed piece by Australian-born artist Meggs, Eastern Market Director Dan Carmody and 1xRUN co-founder Jesse Cory officially announced the event and artist roster. A series of events will coincide with the festival including a cultural tour with Detroit's Slow Roll, block parties and activities surrounding the annual Eastern Market After Dark. Murals in the Market encourages promising opportunities to the artists, as well as local farmers, businesses, residents and more.

Mural sponsorship opportunities are available via the "Adopt a Mural" program

For more information visit www.muralsinthemarket.com

START YOUR WEEKEND EARLY WITH PUNK ROCK

THIS THURSDAY, June 9, 2015 some of southeastern Michigan's finest at the Majestic Café. Cheerleader, The Ill Itches, and The Savage Seven will be playing their brand of LOUD, RAUCOUS, and FUN rock n' roll.

This is a FREE show at The Majestic Café. How can you go wrong?

Cheerleader are a raucous punk band out of Flint. The Ill Itches are rowdy rock band from Detroit. The Savage Seven are the wild card for me. But if they are anything like the other, it should be a wild night to start the weekend early. I expect to see you Thursday.

Cheerleader

wsg:

The Ill Itches

The Savage Seven

Doors: 9:00pm

Absolutely FREE

Majestic Café

4120 Woodward Ave.

Detroit, MI

TODAY! 1xRUN Presents: Murals in the Market

Today, Tuesday, July 7th at 10:30am, meet many of the participating artists and see the unveiling of a new mural by Australian artists Meggs and the announcement of the full artists roster for Murals in the Market.  

September of 2015 will be a month to remember as Detroit’s Historic Eastern Market District will be the epicenter of Detroit’s burgeoning public art movement. Eastern Market-based fine art publisher 1xRUN has teamed up with the Eastern Market Corporation to assemble more than 40 local and international artists to Detroit to paint large scale murals throughout the district. The inaugural Murals In the Market festival will kick off on September 17th, as these artists will extend the market’s vibrant history of public murals by adding new large scale work that will embody the spirit of Detroit and the Market’s rich heritage.

Public art has long been an integral part of the Eastern Market district and experience. The Murals In The Market festival will expand on 40+ years of large scale public murals by inviting world class local and international artists to join with local artists to add exciting new works throughout the market. With a diverse group of artists from around the world Murals In The Market will enhance the market experience and help continue the transformation of the market district into a must-see destination.

Over the past 4 years 1xRUN and the company's fine art gallery Inner State, have curated and produced over 30 murals in Eastern Market alone, with more than 100 murals throughout the City of Detroit, including the 2011 city-wide Detroit Beautification Project. With the creation of these murals, each area has seen a significant visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood as well as increased traffic, additional economic development and increased safety.

In addition to creating new murals, the market will also host a series of events including discussion panels with artists and local farmers, a cultural tour with Detroit’s famous Slow Roll bike tour, a movie premiere, an Eastern Market block party, as well as nighttime activities coinciding the neighborhood's yearly Eastern Market After Dark.

Similar to many public placemaking projects Murals In The Market will unveil their “Adopt A Mural” program. Local businesses and arts supporters will have a chance to sponsor an individual mural from their favorite artist and be commemorated with a special plaque. More information on the “Adopt A Mural” program is available at http://muralsinthemarket.com/

Murals In the Market is Supported by Aptemal, Behr Paint, Metro Times,Paxahau, Brooklyn Outdoor, Slow Roll, Town Partners, Detroit Sausage Company, Hostel Detroit, Zipcar, Montana Colors, 1xRUN, Inner State Gallery & Eastern Market Corporation.

SHOW REVIEW: ESHAM at The Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac on June 26, 2015 with Photos and Video

Local Acid Rap legend ESHAM performed a rare local show on June 26, 2015 at the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac and Motorcityblog was on the scene to catch his performance.

A couple dozen fans were already lined up before doors opened, eager for his performance that night. Esham has a very loyal following and the Crofoot filled up nicely with people eager to catch the evenings entertainment. Many fans in the crowd donned hats and shirts emblazoned with Esham's Reel Life Productions logo displaying the Devil and the Moon. 

 

   

After MCB's pre-show interview with Esham concluded, he headed straight to the merchandise booth to meet with his fans. He was happy to pose for pictures and sign autographs for hours. The night was extra special because it marked the advance release of his new album Dichotomy which isn't being released until July 31st. Between the CD release and Esham being present to meet them, the flow of fans never ceased.

 

  

 

Before Esham began his set, a video screen above the stage projected a montage of images behind his name. The screen and it's eye candy would accompany Esham's live set for the rest of the evening. Esham started his live set with the track Sleepwalker off his new album. It was the first time fans heard the track and the excitement and energy from them was hopping right from the start. It went from brand new to the old school as Esham laid down a portion of his song "Word After Word" off his 1989 debut LP "Boomin Words From Hell".

  
Esham was backed by his DJ Filthy Rockwell and performed a few more tracks off his new album throughout the evening as well as 26 years worth of career spanning tracks. There may have been newer tracks in the set, but Esham would offset the new with old school tracks off the Boomin Words From Hell, Judgement Day, and KKKill The Fetus albums. These albums are so iconic to the point that most of the fans knew and sang along to every single lyric to the tracks performed off of them.  

  
Esham also brought out opening act Mastamind from his group Natas to join him on several tracks. Mastamind joined Esham on the track "Charlie Manson" from his Dead Flowerz album as well as other songs including classic Natas tracks. This was as close to a Natas reunion as the fans were going to get due to the unfortunate passing of fellow Natas member Terry "TNT" Jones in 2014. The crowd's energy level never let up as the evening approached the end of Esham's 90 minute set. They sang along to "Fuck da World" off the Natas album Doubelievengod and were still ready for more as the closing song "FUQERRBDY" was performed from the last Natas album of the same name.

For your viewing pleasure, our review concludes with this live footage from Esham's set courtesy of Ambervillain Films.