Promote your event / Contact MCB

YOU HAVE REACHED MOTORCITYBLOG.
email us anytime motorcityblog@gmail.com



7/26/13

Vintage King 20 Year Anniversary Party


Vintage King, the Ferndale based, national leader in supplying analog and high tech musical equipment ( also with showrooms in Los Angeles and Nashville) is celebrating their 20th Anniversary in the music business with a early week soiree, Thursday, August 1st 6-9PM at (The Loving Touch) in Ferndale with the breakout buzz band, Bars Of Gold and a DJ set by Good Music Gentlemen. Vintage King is a Detroit musical success story which was envisioned by brothers, Andrew and Mike Nehra whose own rich and influential music history, including the founding such bands as Second Self, and Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise- not to mention their legendary White Room Studio (Kid Rock's breakthrough album, "Devil Without A Cause" was recorded there) and the always present, technical end of their legacy, Vintage King, which has grown to over 65 employees in 3 cities.

The 20th Anniversary Party-August 1st at TheLoving Touch in Ferndale 6-9 PM
Bars Of Gold plus-Super Surprise Musical Guests! (Soon to be released)
-Vintage King will donate music recording gear to YouthVille Detroit.

COPLIMENTARY Adult beverages for those 21 and over.
Free Admission

As a testing ground for musical ideas and production, White Room Studio has turned out records by Aretha Franklin, Electric Six, D12, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Seger, Tori Amos, Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, the Detroit Cobras and Kid Rock's "Devil Without A Cause," with a bit of production and writing by the Nehra Brothers.

Historic Baseball Game

The Wahoo Base Ball Club of Royal Oak will play The Chelsea Monitors in a old time Base Ball game at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull in Corktown.

The event is presented by the Corktown Historical Society.

Pinewood Derby II


Omnicorp Detroit: Official Pre-Maker Faire Party


Russell Industrial Open House


Passage: a Photography Exhibit by PD Rearick


Hatch is proud to present Passage, a photography exhibit by PD Rearick. This exhibit considers the coincidence of moving towards a destination and where light meets the journey.  Transitions are made more significant when illuminated, since progress can be gauged based on the light passed through.  A little glow adds value to the passing moment, whether artificially or naturally lit, such as street lamps on a darkened highway, radiance between rain showers, or high beams on a country road. These images recreate the special moments of brief security these pinpoints of light offer.

PD Rearick has a BA in Photography from Columbia College and an MFA in Photography from Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Hatch Gallery, 3456 Evaline St., Hamtramck
Opening: Saturday, July 27, 2013, 6 pm – 10 pm
Show runs through Saturday, August 31, 2013

Gallery Hours: Saturdays, 1 pm – 6 pm beginning August 3rd

More Details:
www.hatchart.org
www.facebook.com/groups/HatchArt

7/25/13

Schiffer Book Reviews of Double-Talk: Word Sense, Baby Blue Has The Blues, and Willie The Taxi Cat



"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

The first review is of an environmentally conscious book called Baby Blue Has the Blues by K.I. Al-Ghani and illustrated by Haitham Al-Ghani.  This book is rich in the tradition of Dr. Seuss's books which valued individualism. This is indeed a significant lesson to teach the young. The fish is made fun of due to its size but in the end its scorned feature saves the day. Also the book has a poetic flow and makes learning fun. One inventive passage was;" I'm not a fish. I'm not a camel. Mamma told me I'm a mammal!" This book is suitable for those age 5 to 8.


Willie the Taxi Cat  is written and illustrated by Eva M. Sakmar-Sullivan.  This is a fun and whimsical tale about a cat who drives a taxi cab.  The cat looks a lot like a beatnik cab driver in the 50's. This is a wonderful book for vocabulary expansion. Various types of animals take the reader on an adventure and in the process counting skills and oral comprehension skills are gained.This book is suited for children from age 1 to age 6. The lyrical writing style rolls off the tongue. This is a fun one to read to your children. The drawing style is inventive and utterly top notch.


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




This Weekend IAMPHOENIX feat Kenneth Thomas returns to the Grasshopper Underground




--This Saturday July 27th--


:: IAMPHOENIX Monthy 005 :: 



Returning to Saturdays for round 5 of the IAMPHOENIX label party. 



Kenneth Thomas
wsg
Rob Cortez
Left Side / ETN.fm



Kenneth Thomas's, IAMPHOENIX record label official 
monthly party!
Expect a new home for massive melodies, soaring chords and gritty basslines here in Detroit!




The Grasshopper Underground
22757 Woodward Ave
Ferndale, Mi
21+
$10 all night
10-2am
LIMITED CAPACITY, GET IN EARLY!


FREE TICKETS: Slim Cessna's Auto Club - Majestic Cafe Detroit - Wednesday 7/31



 MCB has a glovebox full of beer soaked tickets to roll your way for next weeks Slim Cessna's Auto Club show featuring the Sterling Sisters on Wednesday July 31st 2013

email motorcityblog@earthlink.net for your shot to win

Get tickets here and happy Friday jr!

FREE TICKETS: Paula Nelson Band w/ Amy Gore & Ryan Dillaha and The Miracle Men at New Way Bar Ferndale Thursday 8/22

With so many great shows going on these days its easy to miss a good one here or there so be sure to clear your schedule for this upcoming blazer of a show featuring the Paula Nelson!
MCB has the hook up for you on this one...email motorcityblog@earthlink.net for your shot to win a pair of tickets
We know you got plenty of cash to pay the cover and we are the last place you would look for freebies but give it a shot anyway!
 

Thursday August 22nd at New Way Bar 
Paula Nelson 
When your dad is one of the founding fathers of outlaw country and a major musical legend, at some point, you realize resistance is futile: Even if you don't seek a career in music, eventually, it's gonna seek you. Born into a family of music and entertainment, Paula Nelson started playing piano and singing at the age of seven. She drew early influences from singers like Jesse Colter and Rita Coolidge, whose bluesy, supple vocal style provided one of Paula's earliest templates as she found her own voice. Texas Monthly has called that voice "torchy," and the Los Angeles Times praised, "There's no missing the unforced power of Paula's singing." Paula and her band have been playing together since the sumer of 2004, touring all over the US including a featured performance at Farm Aid '07 and two European tours. Paula says, "The chemistry between this band and I is magic both on stage and off. I feel truly blessed to be in the company of these amazing musicians." 
http://www.paulanelsonband.com  

Ryan Dillaha and the Miracle Men play the kind of music you wish people still played; call it Detroit Americana call it soulful folk rock and roll, but whatever you call it raise a glass and bring your dancing shoes.
http://www.facebook.com/RyanDillaha

Amy Gore is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Detroit, MI.
"Her songs are rock anthems, with a slammin' pop bite and a hint of country. Her music features heavy-hitting beats with electrifying riffs. She has released multiple albums, her latest featuring the Valentines is entitled "In Love." She has performed at all the music venues in the city, and throughout the US, opening for Blondie's Endangered Species tour..." Nicole Wrona CW50 
http://thisisamygore.com/


Show Preview/Interview with Bill Kelliher of Mastodon coming Sunday @ the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival


Nothing is more Pure Michigan than a series of summer time concerts and festivals at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI. This coming Sunday July 28th marks the return of the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, featuring a slew of heavy hitting metal acts with Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Mastodon and Amon Amarth headlining the main stage this time around. Also making the tour this year is our very own Pure Michigan Metal band Battlecross, who were just recently handpicked by Metallica to play the Orion Festival earlier this summer on Belle Isle.

Mastodon have never really done anything the “conventional” way. The Atlanta-based band formulated their own brand of highly-skilled hard rock over a decade ago when others were rehashing 80s metal, and went on to mastermind a string of complex concept albums while much of the music world was centered on making digestible singles. The fact that Mastodon has received an outpouring of critical kudos along with public praise from respected icons from Metallica to The Melvins, The Flaming Lips and CeeLo Green and back, they’ve been humbled by the magnitude of appreciation. But rather than taking time to revel, they prefer to focus their attention on pushing musical boundaries even deeper by exploring their own creative process to the fullest.


Guitarist Bill Kelliher of Mastodon checked in from Barstow, VA yesterday to talk about this years festival, their upcoming album and Detroit in general.


Click the image below to purchase tickets for the festival this Sunday.

NYC's Heaven play the New Way Bar this Saturday 7/27


HEAVEN is a collaboration from New Yorkers Matt Sumrow (The Comas, Dean and Britta), Mikey Jones (The Big Sleep, Swervedriver), and Ryan Lee Dunlap (Fan-Tan). They have put their own stamp on psychedelia and new wave, giving a nod to the artists they have respected and played with, while also creating something modern and unique. Heaven's debut LP will be out July 2013 on Goodnight Records
http://www.youareheaven.com/ - http://www.imposemagazine.com/bytes/heaven-telepathic-love

Electric Lion Sound Wave Experiment (Detroit)
dark fuzzy utopian, reverberations, synth warmth, vibration....loudest band in Detroit
http://electriclionsoundwaveexperiment.bandcamp.com/

Isles of ESP (Detroit)
http://soundcloud.com/isles-of-esp

New Way Bar 23130 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale,
21+


An American band is coming to our town – Grand Funk Railroad July 26

  
Originating from Flint, Mich., Grand Funk Railroad will create “Some Kind of Wonderful” when they take the stage for the 2013 Chevrolet Rockin’ on the Riverfront free concert series on Friday, July 26. The concert, presented by Detroit’s #1 for Classic Rock 94.7 WCSX-FM, will rock the riverfront stage starting a 7:30 p.m. with opener Steve Kostan of WCSX.

At its sweat-dripping best, the legendary rock band Grand Funk emits a surging, elemental blast of hard rock heat. The top selling American rock group of the 70’s generally acknowledged as one of the precursors to heavy metal, Grand Funk laid the groundwork for such bands as Foreigner, Journey, Van Halen and Bon Jovi with its signature hard driving sound, a combination of soulful vocals, muscular instrumentation and forceful pop melodies.

The fact that Grand Funk’s legacy still looms large over the pop music landscape more than 30 years after its 1969 birth in Flint, Mich. is also a testament to the group’s influence and staying power. Mega-hits "We’re An American Band," "I’m Your Captain/Closer To Home," "Locomotion," and "Some Kind Of Wonderful" still receive continuous airplay on classic rock radio.

Over their career, Grand Funk has had 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits and two Number One singles ("We’re An American Band" and "Locomotion," both selling more than one million each). The group has 12 gold and 10 platinum records with record sales in excess of 25 million copies sold worldwide.

Spanning six consecutive Friday evenings, 2013 Chevrolet Rockin’ on the Riverfront offers more than free concerts. Located in the heart of the city, between the GM Renaissance Center and Detroit River, the event has become a summer destination for dining and entertainment in Detroit. Upcoming shows include:

Aug. 2: Great White (Once Bitten Twice Shy, Rock Me)
Aug. 9: Loverboy (Working for the Weekend, Turn Me Loose)
Aug. 16: Night Ranger (Sister Christian, (You Can Still) Rock in America)

Admission to the concerts is always free and no tickets are necessary. Viewing space is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets, but outside food, beverages and coolers are not permitted. In addition, boaters on the Detroit River are welcome to anchor near the riverfront and enjoy the shows from the water.

Andiamo Detroit Riverfront will provide refreshments and food concessions at several locations across the plaza. Andiamo Detroit Riverfront and Joe Muer Seafood will accept dinner reservations before and after the concert and both restaurants offer outdoor patios overlooking the Detroit River and the Rockin’ on the Riverfront stage.

Convenient parking is available for $5 per vehicle, starting at 5 p.m., at the GM surface lot at the intersection of St. Antoine and Atwater streets, adjacent to the GM Renaissance Center.

The Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center is offering an incredible package during the concerts. The Marriott-Andiamo Romance Retreat package includes a four-course dinner at Andiamo Detroit Riverfront and overnight accommodations at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. For reservations call (888) 313-5001 and mention promotional code WN9 or visit The Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center .

Listen to 94.7 WCSX each week during Rockin’ on the Riverfront for a chance to win VIP seats, a catered dinner by Andiamo, and meet and greet opportunities with the bands. Additionally, new to the event this year is Veterans Row. Veterans are invited to log onto www.wcsx.com, fill out an online form sharing where he or she served or is currently serving and WCSX will pull weekly winners to sit in the 94.7 WCSX Veterans Row for each Rockin’ on the Riverfront concert this summer.

Fans are invited to watch FOX 2 in the Morning every week to enter a FOX 2 EXPOSED contest for a chance to win a VIP prize package, which includes two (2) VIP access wristbands and lanyards with front-row seats, dinner for two (2) at Andiamo Detroit Riverfront in the Rockin’ on the Riverfront VIP section (the evening of the concert only), overnight accommodations for two (2) at The Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center (the evening of the concert only, and excludes the July 26, 2013 concert), free parking in the Beaubien Garage located on Beaubien Street (the evening of the concert only), WCSX 94.7 FM freebies, and a band meet-and-greet (if available). To enter, access the online contest entry form on MyFoxDetroit.com and follow instructions. 

In addition to Chevrolet, the 2013 Chevrolet Rockin’ on the Riverfront concert series is sponsored in partnership with Detroit’s #1 for Classic Rock 94.7 WCSX-FM, Quicken Loans, McDonald’s After Midnight, Metro PCS, and WJBK FOX 2.


About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Detroit Bike Week Roars Into new location in Lake Orion July 26-28, 2013

Metro Detroit’s Largest Motorcycle Festival Features Bikes, Bikinis, Live Music and Stunt Riders

The 4th Annual Detroit Bike Week roars into its new location, Canterbury Village’s festival grounds in Lake Orion, with a wide array of biker activities, including a Poor Boy Choppers’ bike giveaway, tattoo, wing-eating and bikini contests, and much more!

Kicking off Friday July 26 and running through Sunday July 28, Detroit Bike Week will also feature a lineup of the Detroit area’s best bands, including the Howling Diablos, The Reefermen, and Citizen Zero.

Tickets are just $10 per day (kids 5 & under free) and are now available at www.detroitbikeweek.com or at the main gate during the festival. Detroit Bike Week hours are Friday from 5pm-11pm, Saturday 10 am – 11pm, and Sunday 12 pm – 6 pm. All ages are welcome to attend and parking is free.  The first 10,000 bikes through the gates receive a complimentary kickstand plate courtesy of Detroit Bike Week sponsor Progressive Insurance.

Last year’s Detroit Bike Week drew nearly 10,000 attendees.  This year organizers hope to top this turnout with highlights such Custom Bike Show, Bike Classes, Freestyle Motocross jumps and BMX stunts, Demo Rides, Burnout Pits, Poker Run and Bike Blessing.  Attendees will also be able to pay their respects at Michigan’s Military Memorial Wall, a tribute to Michigan’s fallen soldiers from Vietnam to current conflicts.  Between events, The Detroit Bike Week Saloon sponsored by Red Stag will be the place to hang out and enjoy drinks by Jim Beam, Miller, Twisted Tea, and Mike’s Hard Lemonade while being entertained by Mark Maze’s unique brand of comedy and magic.

“I'm extremely excited about the move to Canterbury Village,” says event organizer Matt Flynn.  “This allows us for more of an opportunity for expansion this year and in the years to come.  We will continue to bring the nonstop entertainment ALL weekend with a few additions this year like the IWHEELIE simulator, a 7500 square foot Harley Davidson showroom and demo rides by CAN-AM and Harley Davidson.”

On Sunday afternoon a custom FXC bike built by Poor Boy Choppers will be given away on the “106.7 The D” main stage to one lucky fan in the crowd. This bike is being sponsored for the 2nd year in a row by The Motorcycle Injury Lawyers 1-800-MI-BIKER.  Everyone 18+ who attends Detroit Bike Week on Sunday will be entered to win (must be present to win).

Over $20,000 worth of prizes will be up for grabs during the festival, including Poor Boy Chopper’s FXC Bike Giveaway, and contests including the Miss Detroit Bike Week Babe bikini contest, Buffalo Wild Wings wing eating, Dago Joe’s “Motor City Meatball Madness” meatball eating contest, and Lucky Monkey Tattoo’s ink awards.  A ‘Tribute to Vets’ annual Poker Run will be held on Saturday morning, with the winner receiving $500.  Throughout the weekend there will be great live music by over 30 bands on two stages (for a complete lineup please visit www.detroitbikeweek .com).

With close to 100 vendors selling biker lifestyle and accessories, Detroit Bike Week will be a mecca for everything motorcycle!

About Canterbury Village
Olde World Canterbury Village, a designated historical landmark in the State of Michigan, extends over 21 acres on part of the old Scripps Farm. It is host to 18 specialty shops and wonderful features. With 90,000 sq. ft. of holiday retail space, Aldridge's Always Christmas is one of the largest and most unique Christmas stores anywhere!

William Edmund Scripps, the son of the founder of the Detroit News and WWJ radio, started the farm as a "hobby". The farmland of 3,000 acres was purchased by Scripps in 1916 from several different landowners. When William Scripps died in 1952, much of the farm was sold at auction. A large part of the collection of Scripps's European paintings from the estate were donated to the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1956.  The farmland and lakes are now mainly parks for Orion Township, Oakland County, and the state of Michigan. The original farmhouses and buildings are still part of Canterbury Village to this day.

Directions:  From I-75, take Exit 83 North (Joslyn Road.)  Just three miles east of I-75.  2369 Joslyn Ct, Lake Orion, MI 48360



For more information about Detroit Bike Week including a complete schedule of events please visit www.detroitbikeweek.com.

RECORD REVIEW: We Came As Romans' new release Tracing Back Roots


 
 
Unabashed torch-carriers for melodic metalcore and wildly successful outside of their home state of Michigan, We Came As Romans released their third full length on Tuesday, Tracing Back Roots. Following the success of 2011's Understanding What We've Grown to Be, this is the band's most introspective and accessible release yet.
 
Kicking off the album is the titletrack, "Tracing Back Roots" which contemplates years of  a "life on the road" and coming home to empty heart, which is a fascinating premise as the band prepares for a non-stop summer/fall tour. In this case, WCAR is tracing back to their years as a young band and relfecting on the things that brought them here. More so than the mean streets of Troy, Michigan, WCAR has been battle tested with years of touring across the globe.

Perhaps the biggest difference between Roots and previous efforst is vocalist Dave Stephens clean singing for the first time ever. He now joins co-vocalist Kyle Pavone with clean, soraing hamonies that show a human vulnerability to his powerful scream. The thick wall of sound that fans have come to know and love is ever present on this album, produced by John Feldmann [The Used, Black Veil Brides, All Time Low] it is the most polished and sonically diverse offering to date. "I Survive" featuring Aaron Gillespie of Underoath has the kind of crossover pop-metal appeal that could take the band to the upper echelon of modern rock radio.
 
Perhaps the only downfall of this release is that it is too perfect. The slight tinge of autotuned vocals is barely audible at times, but just enough to make the listener aware that this is indeed studio perfection. I can appreciate the honest, personal lyrics, but the sheen of the production does little to separate the band from the pack of crabcore bands. Roots straddles the line between introspection on life-changing influences and just blowing it all up. I would like to think that there is a Black Flag album in the WCAR record collection, but perhaps the band has yet to trace back that far.
 
Tracing Back Roots is available just about everywhere you can buy music, but check out the special edition available exclusively at Target with two bonus tracks.
 
www.wecameasromans.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TONIGHT: DUENDE! - Royal Oak Public Library kick off of Summer Concert Series 2013 by The Royal Oak Commission for the Arts

The Royal Oak Commission for the Arts is bringing back the summer concert series with the support of the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority, The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music and Live The Music Foundation, Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce, and the Royal Oak Public Library.

The reimagined concert series will take place on the Royal Oak Library Lawn on July 11, 18, 25, and August 1, 8, and 15 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm each evening.

Various performances by Detroit School of Rock & Pop students, Royal Oak High School Jazz Combo, The Brothers Groove, John Holk and the Sequins, Michael Mars & the God Particle, Duende!, The Infatuations, Zap Toro, Dave Hamilton Band, Bob & Iz & Jim, The Muggs, The Reefermen, James Huges/Jimmy Smith Quintet, Twistin' Tarantulas, and other fun activities.

Shows will open at 6:00pm with student performances, and at 7:00pm the main acts will take the stage.


New this year, intermission will be filled with a Fashion Show featuring local retailers
http://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/portal/events/art-explored-live-1

7/24/13

Show Review: Faster Horses Festival featuring Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, & Jason Aldean in Brooklyn, MI July 19-21

         A stampede rolled through Michigan and left it's mark on over 20,000 country music fans.


The Inaugural "Faster Horses Festival" is in the books. The three day camping and country music festival brought over 20,000 fans to the grounds of Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI.    Those in attendance were thrilled by performances by some of country music's biggest names.  There was plenty more.  The festival included 9 campgrounds on the grounds and treats inside the gates including: Two Stages of music, a huge water slide, a 100 foot swing ride, horse shows, and a foam party were just some of the highlights of the event.
Almost every artist took note of all the beautiful country ladies in the crowd.


Friday, fans braved 90+ degree temperatures as the festival began.  Jake Owen and Chris Young brought plenty of energy leading up to Dierks Bentley's breathtaking finale.  Other acts playing Friday included Kix Brooks, David Nail, John Pardi, and Michigan locals Annabelle Road.   Those camping had to deal with some strong overnight storms. These led to a Saturday morning spent drying out tents, clothes, and sleeping bags but did not seem to dampen anyone's spirits.
Dierks Bentley performs at Faster Horses 2013

Saturday fans arrived early for an all day party.  Early acts included Brett Eldredge, Drake White, and Michigan locals Matt Austin and Paulina Jayne.   Afternoon acts Colt Ford, Florida Georgia Line, and Thompson Square prepped the crowd for the highlight show of the weekend, Luke Bryan.   Before Bryan the energy went to the next level during Florida Georgia Lines performance.  Beach balls and a few article's of women's clothing were seen flying through the crowd and onto stage.   Their hit song "Cruise" is now  the biggest Billboard Hot Country Song chart-topper in 50 years!  They along with Thompson Square would later join Bryan on stage for a medley of free styling songs to end the night.

Luke Bryan was the highlight of the weekend for many.

Sunday the show started a little later giving fans a chance to recharge from the first two days.  Rising star Chase Rice, who co-wrote Florida Georgia Line's hit "Cruise", got the party started on the Main Stage in the afternoon.  Just like the previous two days the energy grew throughout the day as Jerrod Niemann and Thomas Rhett performed leading up to Jason Aldean, the grand finale.  Aldean is no stranger to playing to big crowds and he showed it.   His encore include his hit song "My Kinda Party" and I think everyone agreed it was definitely their kinda party.


Judging from social media messages from both fans and artists this stampede will be rolling through town again next year and it will be hard to top.


Show Preview/Interview: Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche opening for Whitesnake tonight at DTE Energy Music Theatre

Geoff Tate performing Operation: Mindcrime at The Fillmore Detroit 06/15/2013
 
When it comes to metal singers few stick out as legendary as Queensrÿche frontman Geoff Tate, who along with Rob Halford (Judas Priest) or Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) are considered the "Three Tenors of Metal". Having been the voice of Queensrÿche for over thirty years since their inception in 1983, Geoff returns to Detroit tonight to open for Whitesnake at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI (GET TICKETS) with his solo band to perform music from his solo albums as well as a few Queensrÿche songs. Geoff was kind enough to take time for a phone interview with me today to talk about the past, present and future of his career. Click below for the audio of the interview.


Images from the June 15th, 2013 performance of Operation: Mindcrime at The Fillmore Detroit
(Link to original show review)


Queensrÿche Official Website: http://www.queensryche.com/
Queensrÿche on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Queensryche
Geoff Tate Website: http://geofftate.com/
Geoff Tate on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeoffTateOfficial
Geoff Tate on Twitter: https://twitter.com/geofftate

Show Review: Bigger than Life Tour featuring 3 Doors Down & Daughtry @ DTE Energy Music Theatre 07/22/2013


3 Doors Down and Daughtry are midway through a co-headlining tour which brought them to the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkstron, MI. this past Monday. Having completed an extensive tour of the world, they added a 3rd leg to this well received show with a number of dates here in the States. 3 Doors Down are no strangers to the rock music community, rising to quick fame on the strength of their hit song "Kryptonite" which cracked the Billboard Top 10 list almost immediately and led to a series of subsequent chart topping albums over the next decade. Daughtry, fronted by American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry, hardly needs any introduction with his multiple appearances on the show culminating in a season 5 finals appearance. Opening acts Oleander and  former Live vocalist Ed Kowalczyk primed the crowd early on with short but energetic sets.

7/23/13

Lenka Brings Happiness and Shadows to Pike Room this Thursday


I hear tickets are going fast for Lenka’s show this Thursday at the Pike Room. It’s for a good reason too, because if you are looking for a little summertime happiness rolled together with good music you need to look no further than Lenka. Lenka is on the eastern leg of her North American tour and I spoke to her in Boston from her hotel room before getting ready to play there.  “The shows have been going great and we are all having a good time.”
Lenka explains to me that with her new album “Shadows” some hard decisions had to be made for her set list. “Some songs from the first and second albums have never been played live because I know which ones work well live. This time around I’ve added a few new ones. In fact, I leave the encore songs up to my audience to make sure I play what they want to hear.”
On the subject of her album “Shadows” I noticed it has a bit of a delicate and soft feeling to it, to which Lenka agreed with me “I wanted to make kind of a dreamy, lullaby album. I wanted it to sound different from my older work but I still wanted to retain whatever that “Lenka” thing is that I bring to my music while making it more uplifting and soothing.”
I told her I found the title “Shadows” could be perceived as dark and foreboding but she sees it differently, “I’ve always been fascinated by shadows as a metaphor. The idea is that they are a remnant of you and my songs are kind of the same thing. Even though it’s not a dark album, I think it is a night time record.”

One of the special things with past Lenka shows is her use of horns in her music giving it an authentic and organic ambience. “Horns are special to me because my Dad is a horn player and I learned how to play the horn at an early age so it’s something I wanted to keep with me. I use them in a different way, I go for a Burt Bacharach 60’s type of sound. However, this tour I wanted to do something different so I’ve brought a violin and cello along.”
Lenka is married and now with a son comes across as a very happy person so I wondered what could upset her. She replies, “I don’t like reading about hate and cruelty. A lot of my songs are ways of making me feel better about the world. I strive for happiness but every time I read the paper I get very angry and sad.”

Lenka’s latest video “Nothing Here But Love” from “Shadows” finds her body adorned with the pieces of a small, luscious town which is examined throughout the video. “We spent a couple weeks planning it out with a prosthetic person measuring up my body. On the day of the video shoot I was lying in position for 5 hours as pieces of the village were glued and airbrushed to my body. It was fun. It was worth it.”
She continues telling me how she enjoys artistically expressing her femininity, “I think the visual identity of a pop singer is very important, maybe nearly as important as the music. So I do put a fair amount of thought into creating that world. But when it comes to me wearing a pretty dress, I guess that’s just me being a girl wanting to wear a pretty dress.”

Lenka plays the Pike Room on Thursday, opening the show is Satellite an alternative rock quartet from Nashville, their sound  has been described as “Snow Patrol meets Kings of Leon.”