Cloud Cult:
I first saw Cloud Cult a few years back at the Belmont in Hamtramck
I first saw Cloud Cult a few years back at the Belmont in Hamtramck
- there were maybe 15 people in the audience,
the band only got paid $20 at the end of the night
(yes, they were pissed) and it was an AMAZING show.
Thanks to my buddy Jeff, I'd learned about them and had a chance to check out their music in the week before that fateful show a few years back, and I was hooked from the beginning. Hailing from Minnesota and embodying the sustainablem, green friendly lifestyle, the band has blazed a trail in the indie rock circuit long before such things were en vogue. All of their albums use 100% post-consumer recycled materials for packaging, they've partnered with E-Surance (who features a Cloud Cult song on one of their commercials), and continue an ambitious recording and touring schedule, and still stay below the radar of many folks.
There's a considerable amount of truth to the notion that from great pain, talented people can create moving art, and such is their story. Cloud Cult's lead singer, Craig Minowa and his wife experienced a truly heart-wrenching tragedy several years back with the sudden death of their 2 year old son. Minowa used this experience to write numerous songs, and one of the band's appeals lies in combining samples, string instruments, and rock sensibility with emotionally insightful lyrics whose raw honesty and truth about life, death, and loss certainly found a way to touch many at the Blind Pig last night.
Cloud Cult is comprised of cellist Sarah Young, violinist Shannon Frid, painter Scott West (who creates paintings live at the band’s performances), and bassist Shawn Neary, and Arlen Peiffer.
Their performance last night only has me wanting more -
I greatly look forward to their next visit to our part of the mitten.
Margot & the Nuclear So and So's and Ice Palace:
When Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos (a great name, the origin of
which I'm totally unclear) took the stage, the room was pretty full,
and it was clear that a number of the 18-20 year olds in the crowd,
conspicuously sporting large magic markered Ms on the top of either
hand, were there to see them over the headliner. Comprised of 8
musicians including drums, lead guitar/keys, guitar & vocals, electric
bass, a pedal steel/violinist, 2 additional percussionists, and a
female vocalist on keys, their sound was expansive, to say the least.
Combining offbeat percussion using 5-gallon plastic water jugs, with
rock riffs, the band was in their element at the Blind Pig. With the
18 year olds in up against the stage singing along to every word and
the older 20 and 30ish scenesters gathered further back in the crowd
and on the periphery, MATNSAS (because typing the band's full name
repeatedly IS pretty annoying) proved to be a great opener for the
headlining band.
More tomorrow from the pre-Hash Bash Bash
rock riffs, the band was in their element at the Blind Pig. With the
18 year olds in up against the stage singing along to every word and
the older 20 and 30ish scenesters gathered further back in the crowd
and on the periphery, MATNSAS (because typing the band's full name
repeatedly IS pretty annoying) proved to be a great opener for the
headlining band.
More tomorrow from the pre-Hash Bash Bash