Wild Bill Ketelhut provides the "blog" to this anti-blog
Wild At Heart
It has been a tough year for Detroit and the arts Detroit's bankruptcy and rumors of selling it's art collection was one story that I hoped wouldn't happen and that might get tougher as the Diego Rivera murals at the DIA have been designated along with Adlai E Stephenson II farm (Mettawa, IL), George Nakashima Woodworker complex (Bucks County, PA) and 1956 Grand Canyon TWA-United Airlines crash site (Grand Canyon National Park, AZ) as National Landmarks. It is definitely an amazing work and always provided a nice back drop to the various concerts in that hall. That got me thinking to other National Landmarks in the Detroit area.
The list includes the Columbia steamer, Cranbrook, Edison Institute (Greenfield Village), Fair Lane (Henry Ford Estate), Fisher Building, Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, Ford River Rouge Complex, Fox Theatre, General Motors Building, Guardian Building (one of my favorite interiors), Highland Park Ford Plant, Meadow Brook Hall, Park-Davis Research Laboratory and Pewabic Pottery. I have been to almost all of these places but I was surprised it wasn't more. There is a lot of cool history in the area as the list shows. I was mainly surprised not to find the Motown Museum not on the list but give it time.
This weekend is the annual Metrotimes Blowout which seems bigger than ever. I picked out a few of my favorite local bands and the venues they are playing. It is nice to see all the venues but having three distinct areas with Detroit, Ferndale and Hamtramck allows more music but makes it harder to walk between shows if you want to. It is hard to catch a band playing at 8PM in Ferndale and then 10PM in Hamtramck but with the schedule on the website you can try to plan the best places to be per day. It's good to get out and support some great local talent. Face it, Detroit's local scene produces some great music which can rival many national acts. Check out the website here: http://www.mtblowout.com/
Wednesday (4/30) - MIA @ Masonic Temple, Blowout w/Dutch Pink and Oscillating Fanclub @ Magic Stick
Thursday (5/01) - Silverstein @ St Andrews Hall, Blowout w/Detroit Cobras @ Smalls, Blowout w/Amy Gore and Her Valentines and Doop and the Inside Outlaws, Blowout w/The Octopus @ New Dodge, Blowout w/St Thomas Boys Academy @ Jumbos Bar, Blowout w/The Ragbirds @ Rustbelt Market
Friday (5/02) - Peelander-Z @ Pike Room, Blowout w/The Hentchmen @ Paychecks Lounge, Blowout w/the Blueflowers and Duende! @ WAB Outdoors, Blowout w/Audra Kubat @ Traffic Jam And Snug
Saturday (5/03) - Joanne ShawTaylor @ Callahans, Blowout w/Broadzilla @ Smalls, Blowout w/Frustrations and Terrible Twos @ Paychecks Lounge, Blowout w/Citizen Smile @ Kellys Bar , Blowout w/Jet Rodriquez @ Capo Lounge, Blowout w/Howling Diablos @ New Dodge, Blowout w/Rogue Satellites @ Whiskey In The Jar, Blowout w/Emily Rose @ Seven Brothers, Blowout w/Hard lessons and Motion City Soundtrack @ the Loving Touch, Blowout w/Lightning Bugs @ WAB Outdoors, Blowout w/Lee Marvin Computer Arm, Blowout w/High Strung @ Old Miami, Blowout w/Javelins @ Traffic Jam and Snug