He has a radio program on WXOU out of Oakland University
Wild At Heart
Spending the day snowed in which I hate. Had a lot of important things to do today which are getting delayed or put off do to this snow which doesn't seem to want to stop. When I got home last night from Cyril Neville show at Callahan's last night around midnight it was nice and clear only to awaken to the sound of plows this morning. Ah yes, winter is back. BTW, Cyril rocked the joint along with his wife on vocals and his son doing percussion. I have seen both his brother Aaron solo and him performing with the Neville Brothers but this was by far the best of the bunch. The band was tight and played a nice mixture of blues combined with other styles like Calypso and jazz. If he comes back around, these is an all around great performance. The Martina McBride show also has a special guestat the Palce last Thursday as Kid Rock came out to perform a song with her and ended the show on a real high note as he sang his hit "All Summer Long". Too bad for those that left early to beat traffic. That is why I always stay until the end for shows because anything could happen. For years I have been wanted Kid Rock to show up at a concert and perform. he does it enough but I have always missed out. Like the time he was back stage for Sam Roberts Band at St Andrews and I could see him but it was a no go for hitting the stage. Or when Bob Segar played those 4 shows at the Palace. Kid showed up for one of the shows I wasn't at. I also saw him when he introduced Jay Leno but he didn't perform that night. Thanks Kid for finally showing up!
I wrote about the play "August: Osage County" and how it ties into the Ringwald Theatre so it was only fitting I ended up at the Ringwald this weekend for their newest production, the musical "[title of show]". The show is interesting because the musical documents its own creation by two Broadway fans, Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, who want to enter the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Bowen and Bell, determined to write an original musical rather than adapt a play or movie to be a musical, discovered almost immediately that their conversations about what to write were more interesting than the ideas they were coming up with for an original show. The production follows the team's struggle to complete the show in three and a half weeks with the help of their two actress friends. The show does go from festival to a run at the Vineyard Theatre to off-Broadway to being a Tony-nominated Broadway show. And now it comes to the Ringwald. I am almost surprised this show actually hit Broadway but sometimes being quirky and the right set of circumstances can produce miracles. The show which was written by friends seem perfect for the Ringwald which always seems a very close-knit group and even newcomer Allyson Ortwein (Heidi) seems to fit right in. That friendship really brings the bonding moments of the story together and provides a much needed spark when I feel the material is not up to snuff. I admit the songs aren't very memorable though most are very clever and Allyson and Jamie Richards (Jeff) are the vocal stars here while Joe Plambeck (Hunter) and Jamie Warrow (Susan) provide most of the comic timing. The show itself is unique in that it is also changing constantly as it's history changes which makes it admirable. The Ringwald has taken this play and given it life in their own way. Fans of the Ringwald will enjoy this production greatly as well as theatre fans looking for something different. My grade is a B-. For more information 248-545-5545 or www.whowantscaketheatre.com.
Also Who Wants Cake? (Ringwald Theatre) is sounding a call for new, original one-act plays to be performed as part of their new Gay Play Series (GPS). As the Detroit-area’s newest short play festival, the GPS Festival is striving to provide early-career writers the opportunity to see their work produced, giving them what is oft-needed exposure. Go to the website for more info - www.whowantscaketheatre.com
Aspiring comedians are in luck. the Go Comedy! Improv Theater has announced that it will hold general auditions for its launch group, resident company understudies, and future productions on Saturday, March 6, 2010. Auditions will take place at Go Comedy! Improv Theatre at 261 East Nine Mile Road in Ferndale. Interested applicants must call the Go Comedy! box office at (248) 327-0575 to schedule an audition time. Auditions will be by group and entirely improvised. Prepared material is discouraged and will not be accepted. Previous improvisation experience or education is encouraged.
Looking for a new car with an interesting history? Film fans and car aficionados will have the chance to own a unique piece of movie memorabilia from one of the Best Picture nominees when "Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California" next week begins hosting the online auction of the 1966 Dodge Coronet used in Focus Features and Working Title Films’ "A Serious Man". The film is nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Original Screenplay (Joel & Ethan Coen). The auction will be live at www.eBay.com/varietyskids, starting Monday, February 21, 2010 and end Thursday, March 4, 2010 – right before the Oscars. Proceeds from the auction will go to help inspire hope, enrich lives and build a better future for the children in need in Southern California .
For concerts, there is not a lot of choices early on but their are a ton of events happening this weekend, not to mention the 10th Anniversary of the 'Boondock Saints' @ the Crofoot on Feb 24th with writer/director Troy Duffy and actors David Della Rocco, Bob Marley, Brian Mahoney and Bob Rubin.
Wednesday (2/24) Frankie D'Angelo fresh off his WinterBlast appearance plays at country night @ Memphis Smoke, Alexander Zonjic and friends jazz it up @ Santino's (Washington TWP)
Thursday (2/25) Irish folk based group The Guggenheim Grotto @ the Ark, Silverghost opens for Casiotone for the Painfully Alone @ Pike Room, Marco Polio & the New Vaccines and the Jesus Chainsaw Massacre perform at motorcityrocks.com benefit show @ PJ's Lager House
Friday (2/26) Jim McCarty and Mystery Train will be rocking @ Callahan's, local bands Child Bite and Terrible Two's @ Magic Stick, energetic Manna And Quail headline a local music show @ Pike Room, Otep brings music mayhem @ Harpos, United Artits Benefit 4 Life has Amp Fiddler and other @ Music Hall Jazz Cafe (Benefits COTS and Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund), Ty Stone and the Orbitsuns hold Autorama after party @ Hard Rock Cafe
Saturday (2/27) local favorites Sponge @ the Majestic, post-hardcore band Saosin plays @ the Shelter, 80's rockers .38 Special performs @ Machine Shop, Real Detroit has their birthday bash featuring ICP and Sponge along with Critical Bill/Catfish Mafia/Satin Peaches etc @ Majestic Theatre, the Exotic Poetry & Music Festival kicks off with a bunch of performers including Emily Rose and Audra Kubat @ Corktown Tavern
Sunday (2/28) Chicago folk singer Joe Pug opens for Americana singer Justin Townes Earle @ Magic Stick, reggae sensation Michael Franti & Spearhead open for John Mayer @ Palace Of Auburn Hills
Band of the week: This week I have decided to go with a band that has big ties to rock overseas and with sci-fi themes but is little known in the US despite launching the career of one of the best known metal legends of all time. Hawkwind formed in 1969 by singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Brock a mere 10 months after I was born. There music has a big sound with great riffs that influenced later bands such as Ministry, Monster Magnet, the Sex Pistols (who covered "Silver Machine"), Joy Division and Henry Rollins of Black Flag. They have recorded over 20 albums and are best known for lauching the career of Lemmy who left the band in 1975 to start his band "Motorhead" (named after a Hawkwind song) and also collaborations with notable fantasy and science fiction writer Michael Moorcock. Among the most famous ex-members of the band are Arthur Brown and ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker. Hawkwind stills plays random shows to this day but unfortunately not on this side of the Atlantic.
Have a good week and drive carefully in the snow.
