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11/14/12
THIS SAT: 323East Presents Glass, Cinders & Thorns Curated by April Segedi, Artists Reception from 6-11p
NEXT WEEK: Punk Paint and Panties! Thanksgiving Eve!
Punk Paint and Panties
Celebrating Women In Art, Music and Performance
Wednesday, November, 21st, 2012
Doors At 8pm
Cover only $3.00
Punk Paint and Panties is an annual event celebrating the creative side of women from the Detroit Metro Area. Now in it;s fifth year, the event's goal is to bring the talent of female minds of every artist background for a one night experience of women unity.
Musical guest are The Luckouts, with a powerful women singer,Liz Scaris-"Ruiner" and raw rock and roll.
Unlimited Head is a duo, with Kristin Lynn taking the drummer duties by storm.
In the intermission of music we are proud to welcome back the fabulous Detroit Dizzy Dames, Variety and burlesque.
Always a main attraction of the event, there beauty and stylistic renderings of this archaic dance form will surly aim to please.
This year we welcome past and first time artist to this event. Wy Blue who participated in the first ever event, is back with her flower fantastic flow of color paintings. Last year the talented surrealism of Marianne Audrey Burrows was a main attraction, and we are please to announce her return. Let's welcome new comer Kelly Kaatz, her art a wild blend of everything amazing, as well as her ability to create powerful colorful glazes of ceramic. Also Amanda May first time artist, who develops wacky, brilliant stasis of artist bliss. Beth Amber the organizer and curator of Punk Paint and Panties will also once again dazzle you with one of a kind paper cut art, including many new pin-up pieces.
artist:
Amanda May
Beth AMber
Kelly Kaatz
Marianne Audrey Burrrows
WY Blue
Burlesque by Detroit Dizzy Dames
Music by:
The Luckouts
Unlimited Head
Amanda May
Beth AMber
Kelly Kaatz
Marianne Audrey Burrrows
WY Blue
Burlesque by Detroit Dizzy Dames
Music by:
The Luckouts
Unlimited Head
Book Reviews of Don't Be a Schwoe, Have an Abominably Good Day, Ronnie Raven Recycles, and The Evil Mailbox and The Super Burrito
"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
In Have an Abominably Good Day Eric T. Krackow crafts a story about friendship and love involving an iconic winter creature... the abominable snowman! In the story the two main characters siblings Billy and Hannah are separated while playing outside in the snow. They had a snowball fight which was too turbulent for Hannah. Soon Hannah is lost in the forest where she encounters Abe the Abominable Snowman. Abe is feeling melancholy himself. Quickly they become intrigued with each other, become friends, and bond. Abe returns Hannah to her home and her brother. Shocked and delighted Billy thanks Abe and proclaims him to be a good friend. Children will delight in this fun and spirited tale and will love the heartfelt illustrations. The pages look like freshly drawn color pencil drawings. This is printed wonderfully. This book is suitable for ages 6 -12 years.
Don't Be a Schwoe is written and illustrated by Barbara E. Mauzy. This is an excellent tool in teaching racial tolerance to children. The words rhyme and are clever. This book reminds me of Dr. Seuss. In the story the creatures which are called come in different shapes and sizes, but all the creatures have purple fur. When a creature is born with red fur the plot intensifies. The creatures are anxious about the difference but by end of the tale all is harmonious. "Don't Be a Schwoe" becomes a humorous anthem for being accepting variety in others. This is a highly original book with a wonderful and significant message. The pages look like freshly drawn color pencil drawings in this collection too. This book is suitable for grades preschool through 3.
Ronnie Raven Recycles is a tale about growing up and taking responsibility for oneself is masterfully told by K.I. Al-Ghani and illustrated by Haitham Al-Ghani. This book is about finding your own path and caring about the environment. In the story a young raven named Ronnie is ready to leave the family nest and at first tries to fashion his own nest out of human trash. He sees how easy it is to do it this way. Soon other birds are copying his idea and this is problematic. By the end of the book children will understand about recycling and caring about the environment. The fun and direct writing style paired with the vivid and expressive illustrations will enchant all ages. This book is suitable for grades K-3
The Evil Mailbox and The Super Burrito is written by eleven year old Garry Wagner-Robertson and illustrated by his mother Connie Wagner. In this story a lonely scientist brings a mailbox to life and meatloaf is taken over by alien lifeforms. Initially the mailbox was supposed to create friends ranging from evil to nutso to amigo to a good friend. Then the mailbox goes haywire while the scientist is enjoying a chili dog. At this point food becomes a fun and central focus to the story. This is a tale that will be remembered due to its imaginative characters and unusual plot twists. Who ever expected to see talking meatloaf in a junkyard or forest!? This book is suitable for grades 2-5.
I will be reviewing books by Schiffer Publishing every month. For more information please visit http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/.
11/13/12
Review: OFF! @ St. Andrews Hall.
This was an old-school punk rock show at it's finest. Angst, anger, political outrage, and most of all knowledge. Keith Morris had many things to say. At the heart of it all was, use your voice, speak up, voice your opinion. Exercise your rights as american citizens, vote. If you choose not to, don't do it because you're lazy, do it as a choice. It's you right as an american. He wants us to be informed.
He was political, but when it came down to it, he and the band were musicians. They put on a fine, no scratch that. It was ass kicking. The energy was high, the music was tight, they were strutting around with swagger. They got everyone moving, head bobbing, fist pumping and moshing. No one left bloody, which is a good thing, but everyone that wanted to moshed.
It was cool to see a good mix of old punks mixed with young turks. There was a mix of mohawks, plaid and safety pins, along with skinny jeans and t-shirts, baggy jeans and hoodies. Old school and new school mingling. There was no posers, no posturing about whose era was better.
OFF! is bringing old school punk to the kids, inspiring them to carry on the traditions and styles, but stay true to themselves. The future looks bright as the next generations is poised to be the voice of the disenfranchised.
Click on photo to see Hi-res version
Show review/interview: All That Remains @ The Fillmore Detroit 11/10/2012
Hailing from Springfield, MA, All That Remains is currently on tour supporting Dethklok on their 2012 fall/winter tour of the USA and Canada. Supporting their newly released album, "A War You Cannot Win" which was released on November 6, 2012, the band brings their ever evolving sound sprung from the long distant metal-core scene born around the turn of the century, ever progressing towards a distinct and innovative blend of metal, melody, blazing riffs and hearty growls. Cranking through a ten song setlist which included two songs from the new album, they wasted little time in engaging the crowd which was more than eager to sprout an enormous circle pit of flailing arms and banging heads. I sat down with Mike Martin and Oli Herbert before the show for a few minutes to chat with them about the new album and the current tour.
Interview with Mike and Oli of All That Remains by Michael 'Mick' McDonald
Pics from the show:
FREE TICKETS: The TeaseTown Correctional Facility For Women Presents: “The Greatest Gift of All” OR “Christmas in the Clink” - Elizabeth Theatre Detroit - Friday 12/14
The TeaseTown Correctional Facility For Women
Presents:
“The Greatest Gift of
All” OR “Christmas in the Clink”
for your shot at a pair of free tickets
Fri.
12.14.2012
The Elizabeth Theater
(Located above The Park Bar)
2040 PARK AVENUE
DETROIT, MI 48226
DOORS: 9PM
COVER:
$10 before 10pm
$15 after 10pm
Detroit’s female inmate variety troupe returns for
the holidays with a brand new live entertainment experience. It’s “Christmas in
the Clink” as the girls along with Warden Degliobeezi bring “The Greatest Gift
of All” to the Elizabeth Theater located above The Park Bar in downtown Detroit.
A true holiday hullabaloo featuring Burlesque, Sideshow, and all sorts of song
and dance silliness, The Warden promises to deliver Christmas fuzziness to all
who attend. Also, wear your worst holiday threads because The Warden’s own
mother, Momma Degliobezi, will be holding her famous “County Wide” Christmas
sweater contest. So much fun, so many wonderfully talented women, and maybe,
just maybe a visit from Santa himself! Who will receive “The Greatest Gift of
All”?
There is much to discuss in terms of this affair and
we truly hope you find this noteworthy enough to pursue any form of interviews,
photo shoots, and/or coverage of this production.
Happy Holidays!
The TeaseTown
Correctional Facility
for Women
Staff
Fri.
12.14.2012
The Elizabeth Theater
(Located above The Park Bar)
2040 PARK AVENUE
DETROIT, MI 48226
DOORS: 9PM
COVER: $10 before 10pm
$15 after 10pm
Detroit’s female inmate variety troupe returns for
the holidays with a brand new live entertainment experience.
It’s “Christmas in
the Clink” as the girls along with Warden Degliobeezi
bring “The Greatest Gift
of All” to the Elizabeth Theater located above The Park Bar in downtown Detroit.
A true holiday hullabaloo featuring Burlesque, Sideshow, and all sorts of song
and dance silliness, The Warden promises to deliver Christmas fuzziness to all
who attend. Also, wear your worst holiday threads because The Warden’s own
mother, Momma Degliobezi, will be holding her famous “County Wide” Christmas
sweater contest.
So much fun, so many wonderfully talented women, and maybe,
just maybe a visit from Santa himself!
Who will receive “The Greatest Gift of
All”?
Happy Holidays!
The TeaseTown Correctional Facility for Women
Staff
11/12/12
Wild Bill Ketelhut provides the "blog" to this anti-blog
Wild At Heart
Been having a fun week. Had a cracked wisdom tooth removed last week and still trying to eat out of one side of my mouth. I haven't really done that much but I did catch the new James Bond movie today after work and I must say it is incredible.
There has been a lot of talk of it being the best Bond movie ever and I agree it is up there. Nothing will ever replace the wonder of "Dr No" or "Goldfinger" but this installment of Craig's Bond brings in a personal note like my favorite scripted movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Sam Mendes of "American Beauty" seems the perfect choice for bringing that personal touch to the action in this installment.
Javier Bardem is one of the best Bond villains who really brings the movie home with a very personal final battle at Bond's family estate. From his first screen moments, he just radiates a menace that while seemingly light-hearted is also intensely evil. His presence makes the film as well as Craig's broken down yet resistant Bond that truly captures that Fleming flavor.
While not officially reviewing this film, I must say it is an awesome addition to the Bond lore and worth watching. From the opening teaser with Bond getting shot, through the attack on MI6, M's struggle to defend the need for old-fashioned spy work in front of the government (a big theme throughout the movie), to Bond worrying about losing a step and the final fight, this film brings everything you want in a Bond film and some stuff you have never seen in a Bond film and wonder why not. I'd give it a solid A.
Here are a few concerts to check out for the days you don't see the new "Skyfall" movie
Tuesday (11/13) – Amanda Palmer @ St Andrews Hall, Bob Dylan @ Fox Theatre
Wednesday (11/14) – Richie Hawtin and Kevin Saunderson @ Necto (Ann Arbor), Motion City Soundtrack @ St Andrews Hall
Thursday (11/15) – Big Sugar @ Magic Bag
Friday (11/16) – Macpodz @ Tangent Gallery (Detroit)
Saturday (11/17) – Citizen Cope @ Royal Oak Music Theatre, Sisters Of Your Sunshine Vapor and Rogue Satellites @ PJ’s Lager House, St Thomas Boys Academy @ the Ritz (Warren), Lonestar @ Andiamo Celebrity Showroom (Warren)
Sunday (11/18) – Carolina Chocolate Drops @ the Ark, Roger Hodgson (of Supertramp) @ Caesars Windsor)
Show Preview: Pretty Lights, TOKiMONSTA, Paul Basic Compuware Arena, Sat Nov. 17
Pretty Lights aka Derek Vincent Smith is coming back to town this Saturday and if you've seen him perform you know what to expect - big sound, grand lights and good times. However, this time around, Pretty Lights is sporting it out at Plymouth's Compuware Arena. So I'm going to go out on a small limb here and say you can expect all the same but amplified 10x. Compuware Arena holds 3,000 people, picture a lot more raging fans in a huge open space where the lights will beam nearly a football field's length.
Sure everyone electronic act is doing the "brilliant lights, electronic stage show thing" but it was Pretty Lights that pretty much pioneered it more than a few years ago. Also, if you haven't heard PL before, you can download his music for free at his prettylightsmusic website.
He's been playing out this tour since Mid-July, which is nearly 50 shows. The show has been described as a massive art installation set to a blazing soundtrack. This show will be the last before PL takes a break until his end of year shows. Expect PL to be pulling out all the stops, making sure everyone leaves with sore ears, dazed eyes and spinning heads.
This post is by Mikel O.D. of
New Release + Free Download: School of Seven Bells - Put Your Sad Down 11/13
Tuesday marks the release of School of Seven Bells highly-anticipated and latest online-only EP Put Your Sad Down (Vagrant). Since their 2008 debut on Ann Arbor's Ghostly International label, the duo of Benjamin Curtis and Alejandra Deheza have crafted brilliant shoegaze-electro pop, building a name as an international draw.
As a follow up to GHOSTORY released earlier this year, Put Your Sad Down is a breezy, hypnotic set of infectious, head-knodding synthpop, sure to put down whatever sad you may have within you.
"Put Your Sad Down is the
most fun Alley and I have had making music in a long time,” said guitarist Benjamin Curtis. “We originally
released early versions of some of these songs for our fans that made it out to
our last US tour. I guess we fell in love with these songs in a way we didn't
anticipate, so we decided to polish them up and make it official. Put Your Sad Down is the mantra we're
carrying with us into the New Year, and we're excited to share it with you
all."
Standout tracks include the uplifting title track "Put Your Sad Down," and the silnky/sexy current single "Secret Days."
Download "Secret Days" for free, right here.
Check out more from School of Seven Bells and grab a copy of Put Your Sad Down right here.
Revolution: Late Night at the Fabergé Gala Celebration by DC-in-Detroit
DC is a longtime contributor to the MCB.
She can be reached at DC.in.Detroit [at] gmail.com
Revolution: Late Night at the Fabergé Gala Celebration
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012 – Monday, January 21, 2013
Please enjoy this $5 off coupon for the exhibition for your
own visit and to share with friends and family. Discount
available through November 21, 2012.
One of my favorite things to do in the city is a late-night DIA party. Even if one sets aside the (free) booze and (free) fantastic specialty bite-size chow, and even forgets for a moment the gorgeous decorating, customized lighting, themed galleries, top-notch staff, and live music/dancing -- even if, for SOME reason, we ignore all of that for a second, what we're left with is virtually private access to one of the most stunning special exhibits, from the House of Fabergé. The largest such collection in the United States.
That, alone, is worth going to this sort of event, for me. Consistently, the DIA Gala fundraiser events have allowed me, before the party even starts, to take my time in the Special Exhibits wing. (See also: Avedon) This is especially wonderful for the Fabergé exhibit, because so many of the objects are tiny little bits with exquisite detail. The darkened galleries and pinlights are a perfectly moody backdrop for artworks that are as complex as the histories behind them.
And then, there's the party.
MCB was invited to join the DIA for the after-dinner party to celebrate the exhibit. As with previous galas, upon arrival, we were personally escorted upstairs to the Special Exhibits gallery, with its own bar set up for a little pre-wander champagne. After taking our time and fogging up the glass of the exhibit cases -- I can never get close enough to these things, I want to see every tiny detail -- it was back downstairs to stroll through the beautifully-lighted, Russian-themed halls. Black-jacketed waitstaff offered chocolate caviar, vodka glacé, and white Russians by the pitcher. As a clumsy young devushka myself, I particularly appreciated the white-gloved attendants on hand to help revelers on the marble staircases.
Having made our tour through the bars -- I mean, the halls -- my plus-one and I settled in at one of my favorite places in all of Detroit, the balloon-festooned Kresge Court. Moments after my latest champagne, I noticed some uniformed fellas off to the left of the stage area, and got very happy.
Easy to see why dancing has long been a display of reproductive fitness, ja?
You missed the party -- don't make that mistake again! But there's still plenty of time to see the Fabergé exhibit, through January.
SHOW REVIEW: Electric Six @ St. Andrews Hall 11/10
True to their Detroit roots, the disco-rock outfit known as Electric Six are one of the hardest working bands around. Touring constantly for nearly a decade, E6 has released 9 albums and amassed an impressive catalogue of hits and favorites since critically acclaimed Fire debuted in 2003.
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The lineup has changed over the years, but the M.O. is still the same, and Dick Valentine and his posse hit St. Andrews Hall on Saturday night for a high-voltage homecoming show. Playing a mix of all the hits and crowd favorites, the hall was filled with improper dancing all night.
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EXHIBITION: Motor City Muse: Detroit Photographs, Then and Now at the Detroit Institute of Arts - Dec. 14, 2012–June 16, 2013
Bill Rauhauser, Stone Burlesk,
Woodward Ave., Detroit, about 1960.
Detroit Institute of Arts. ©Bill Rauhauser, 2012
Detroit is the Star of a new Photography Exhibition at
Detroit Institute of Arts
Motor City Muse: Detroit Photographs, Then and
Now presents a fascinating take
on city
Nicola Kuperus, Flat, 2006. Detroit Institute of Arts. ©Nicola Kuperus, 2012
Many
Detroiters will recognize familiar landscapes, people and neighborhoods in the
exhibition Motor City Muse: Detroit Photographs, Then and Now at the
Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) Dec. 14, 2012–June 16, 2013.
Motor City
Muse looks at Detroit’s history,
diverse population and culture through the eyes of photographers from
as early as 1947 to as recently as last
year: the Detroit pride in people who live here; the individuals and the city
that powered the booming auto industry; fantasies woven into car ads; funny,
unexpected moments; everyday life; gigantic cityscapes; and intimate
portraits. The exhibition is organized by the DIA and is free with museum
admission. Support has been provided by the Chrysler brand and Quicken
Loans.
“Detroit’s culture has long
held a deep fascination for photographers,” said Graham W. J. Beal, DIA
director. “It is fitting that we have two sponsors also focused on Detroit’s
vitality and we are grateful to both Chrysler and Quicken for supporting this
presentation of Detroit as seen through the lenses of some of the most notable
photographers in the world.”
Bill Rauhauser, Kresge Court, Detroit Institute of Arts,
1960s.
Detroit Institute of Arts. ©Bill Rauhauser, 2012
The featured photographers
are:
Henri Cartier-Bresson
French photographer Henri
Cartier-Bresson visited Detroit while on a cross-country trip across the U.S. in
1947. Cartier-Bresson believed Detroit was an American phenomenon that reflected
the values and lifestyles of average Americans. His fascination with everyday
life in post-World War II Detroit is illustrated in photos of a veteran’s parade on Woodward Avenue, a
shift changeover at the Ford Motor Company River Rouge Plant, workers dwarfed by
the enormous blast furnace on Zug Island and wedding couples near the James
Scott Memorial Fountain on Belle Isle.
Bill
Rauhauser
During more than 40 years
taking photographs on the streets of Detroit, Bill Rauhauser built an archive of
more than 10,000 negatives, each of which vividly evokes the feel of the city as
the years passed. Whether photographing a bored teenager behind a french-fries
counter at the Michigan State Fair or a highly groomed shoe salesman in front of
a Woodward Avenue storefront, Rauhauser has said, “I tried to find something
that somehow said something about people…and human nature.”
Rauhauser frequently worked on
thematic series using Detroit’s landmarks, public spaces and local events as a
backdrop for his subjects. Select photographs from these series include an amateur photographer snapping pictures of loved
ones in front of the now-demolished Ford Auditorium, a stylish female smoker
caught unaware in the DIA’s Kresge Court, and two old women chatting in
front of Detroit’s notorious and bygone Stone Burlesk club.
Robert Frank
In 1955,
Swiss-born Robert Frank traveled through America to make a “broad and voluminous
picture record” of how Americans lived and worked. Frank drove to many cities,
but considered Detroit and its legendary Ford Motor Company River Rouge factory
a priority. He gained rare access to
assembly lines at the Rouge plant, where he took pictures of the harsh
conditions, repetition, and danger of factory work. Frank captured ordinary
moments that were both strange and dynamic in their depiction of day-to-day
physical exertion on the assembly lines. One photo shows the front end of a 1955
Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria as it dangled precariously above an autoworker who
was finishing its assembly.
During his time
in Detroit, Frank also took photos of diners, drive-ins, and parks. He saw
Detroit culture as unique to the American experience, and select photographs
became part of his groundbreaking 1958 book The Americans.
Dave Jordano
In 1973, 25-year-old Dave
Jordano photographed some of Detroit’s most distinctive and oldest buildings and
neighborhoods. When he rediscovered these photos more than 30 years later, he
realized how dramatically Detroit had changed and was inspired to photograph the
same locations in 2010. His pictures provide a fascinating look at the changes
that occurred at familiar Detroit locations in the span of 37 years. Included
are the John Bagley Memorial Fountain at
Campus Martius, the Great Hall in the Michigan Central Station, and the site on
Farmer Street where Crowley’s department store once stood.
Jordano also shot portraits of
Detroit residents for a project he called “Detroit Unbroken Down.” He said,
“I wanted to share my experience that
Detroit is still a living, breathing organism, full of life and movement.”
Russ Marshall
Detroiter Russ Marshall
photographed at the Ford River Rouge plant and other Midwestern factories from
1969 to 1993, many for the United Auto Workers’ Solidarity magazine. He
noted that most people liked to have their picture taken, “if approached
directly and shown a little respect.” One 1993 photograph entitled Assembler,
American Beauty Electric Irons and Heaters, Detroit, Michigan captures a
worker in a recently demolished factory. Marshall, the son of an autoworker,
experienced the era of downsizing and factory closings in and around Detroit. He
understood the importance of creating lasting images of Detroit workers and
commented, “… I knew and sensed over time that these jobs and these
workers and these factories would someday be gone; replaced by something or nothing. It wasn’t lost on me
that I had this opportunity to document and preserve the fact that these workers
did exist at this time and in this place.”
Russ Marshall, Detroit Steel
Plant Laborers, 1979.
Detroit Institute of Arts. ©Russ Marshall, 2012
Karin Jobst
German artist
Karin Jobst photographed in Detroit between 2010 and 2012. While investigating
the history of photography and art in Detroit, she visited the DIA to study
Robert Frank’s 1955 photos. Jobst suggested her work be installed with Frank’s
because of the unique perspective they brought as European artists photographing
the city.
Jobst experiments with film
exposures to alter colors and enhance a sense of time and place. Through color,
she intends to remind us of different decades in the city’s history: the art
deco glow of the 1920s Fisher building or the stark creamy interiors of the
1970s-era Renaissance Center.
One of her works is a grid made
of small vignettes of Detroit’s cityscape, architecture, public parks, freeways,
and stills from films about the city. Together, the images present what Jobst
calls “timelayers”—architectural styles and other city sights that represent
different decades in time.
Nicola
Kuperus
Detroiter Nicola Kuperus, who previously assisted on commercial
car shoots in and around Detroit, played with the idea of commercial car
photography and the female model in her personal work. Inspired by fashion and
advertising photography, Kuperus stages large-scale color photographs that
feature beautiful vintage cars and well-dressed women in questionable scenarios.
A 2006 photo entitled Flat shows the
body of a woman passed out with a tire iron in her hand near a rare 1950s
Chrysler 300. Kuperus notes that her work isn’t a direct reaction to advertising
photography but “… is influenced mostly by
the absurdity I feel in life on a day to day basis. It’s based on my reactions
to experiences, what I’m feeling at that moment and how I translate that tension
into my work.”
The Detroit School of
Automotive Photography
Detroit’s association with cars
created a legendary school of automotive photography. Work by early innovators
is featured, including Walter Farynk, Jimmy Northmore, Mickey McGuire and Vern
Hammarlund and Warren O. Winstanley. Selections featured illustrate the careful
attention these photographers gave to lighting, composition and color to create
the perfect image. Collaborating with art directors on set design, model
casting, styling and final visual concept, these photographers helped create
lifestyle fantasies surrounding the automobile’s “latest model.”
Hours and
Admission
Museum hours are 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays
and Sundays. MUSEUM HOURS WILL CHANGE BEGINNING NOV. 13 TO:
Tuesdays–Thursdays, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Fridays, 9
a.m.–10 p.m.; Saturdays–Sundays, 10 a.m. –5 p.m.
Admission is $8 for adults, $6
for seniors, $4 for ages 6-17, and free for DIA members and residents of Wayne,
Oakland and Macomb counties. For membership information call
313-833-7971.
11/10/12
Gentle Reminder: Oberhofer open for Matt & Kim at the Majestic
Oberhofer
opening for Matt & Kim
Sunday, November 11th at the Majestic Theater
$20, doors at 8
Emotion is what drives the psychedelic catchy pop rock tunes crafted by the oft-effervescent Brad Oberhofer. Drawing on influences ranging from Brian Wilson to Descartes, the 21 year old is fixated on the idea of making philosophically minded, energetic melodies that just make people smile.
“Music is this thing I just inherently do and psychologically, I have a desire to make as many people happy as possible. Music helps you think about stuff, it helps you feel, you know?”
With an unforgettable way of speaking directly from the heart, Brad Oberhofer’s songs have a pulse that form the very core of what makes Oberhofer, Oberhofer. To put it quite simply, a great rock & roll band.
Armed with a belief that you spend your entire life searching for the socially aware version of the 5 year old “you”, he tries to inject each song with the innocence felt by that same kid, sitting on the couch of his parents house playing the broken guitar he spent months teaching himself how to play.
Referring to his songwriting as “a time capsule of exactly how I’m feeling at a particular moment”, each song on his forthcoming debut, Time Capsules II, is a clear, unrestrained look inside the head of Brad Oberhofer. “Gold” is a reflection on two magical weeks spent with a first love that inadvertently initiated his musical endeavors. “Away Frm U” is an upbeat song about saying goodbye to that love.
Like most of the impressive debut, the stand-out “I Could Go” shows that above all, his heart is on his sleeve in both his words and everything he creates, a trademark that suits his search for sincerity well.
After moving to Brooklyn from his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, to attend New York University, Brad quickly immersed himself in the indie rock community forming the 4 piece which is now quite simply, Oberhofer. Catching the attention of Glassnote Records, the band officially joined the labels’ roster over the summer of 2011. Brad recorded the debut album Time Capsules II with legendary producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, The Rolling Stones & Morrissey among others) in Brooklyn last fall and are on the road for the next, playing shows and festivals around the world.
Show Review: Rodriguez at The Crofoot
By now you've probably already heard of Rodriguez. He released a few albums in the early 70's, neither of them sold well, then he was dropped by his label. He music became popular amongst anti-apartheid liberal whites in South Africa. He didn't know this until 1998, and he never got any of the royalties from the album sales there. You probably know all of this already, but if not, watch these news clips:
What isn't mentioned in the recent documentary about him is that his career wasn't immediately suspended in the early 70's. He hadn't been completely forgotten in Australia. He toured there in '79, and '81. He even released a live album called "Rodriguez Alive" in Australia, in response to the rumors of his death. You'd think the album would have made it's way to South Africa by way of tourists, and that the researchers/fans tracking him down could have tried to trace royalties from that album in order to find him. Assuming of course that the Australian record label wasn't also ripping him off.
This show was sold out weeks in advance. A couple of ticket scalper sites were trying to score as much as $200 a pop. The crowd was mostly older, but not exclusively; there were even a few teenagers in the mix. The super early baby boomers got there and staked out positions on the upper balcony seating. The boomers desperate to tell the world that they're not out of touch made sure to signal this by wearing fedora hats, leather jackets, leather fedoras, or some combination thereof. The boomer audience was definitely different to stand around. Instead of talking about how fucked up they got last weekend, they compared how many trick-or-treaters came out to their house. Rather than try to shove their way up to the front at the last minute, they pretended like they badly had to meet up with someone near the stage. A little hip-check put that shit to rest. You might have the cred for seeing him live back in the 70's, but you're still getting the same treatment from as every other douchebag that thinks they're entitled.
The Thornbills were the only opening act. The audience didn't get excited for them, but they were respectful during the performance. I hear they released a single on label owned by a guy named John Gillis. He must be a recluse or something, because I couldn't find anything about him on the internet.
As the crowd anxiously awaited the headliner, stage techs tested the sound, and turned on a smoke machine. That's right, a smoke machine. This isn't Kiss or David Bowie. Rodriguez is supposed to be a man of the people, and anything even approaching a spectacle seems out of place.
Rodriguez needed help from two young women to walk out onto the stage (granddaughters?). Instead of booze being set out for him, he had water and hot tea. The tea must have been for his voice, because it sounded a little croaky for the first four songs, before reverting to the voice you hear on his albums. He played an electric guitar, with no backing band. Some of his songs have an orchestral quality to it, and that was the only thing that seemed to be missing that night.
When Rodriguez got to his song "Establishment Blues", the crowd cheered to hear lyrics like these:
Rodriguez liked to banter with the crowd in between songs. He told some old jokes, like the one where Mickey Mouse says "I didn't say she was crazy, I said she was fucking Goofy", and a few about marriage and relationships. He told a few anecdotes about his recent popularity and media interviews. He called out to see if there were any Afrikaners is in the crowd (there were a few). While he hinted that he smoked pot earlier that day he said that the song "Sugar Man" was a "descriptive song, not a prescriptive one".
He really enjoyed throwing some covers into the performance. The first was "Blue Suede Shoes" by Carl Perkins (not Elvis, as many now believe), and with its fast pace it was a real departure from everything else he did that night. He also did "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan, and "Fever" by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell.
Is it cruel to ask a man that has trouble walking to come back out and give an encore? He gave us one anyway.
On the way out, $20 for a CD was giving me the establishment blues.
On a final note, compare this audience size
to this turnout in August of 2011, before the documentary and the major media coverage:
There was about 50 scattered people watching, and a couple hundred more huddling under a big carnival tent that couldn't be bothered to take notice.
What isn't mentioned in the recent documentary about him is that his career wasn't immediately suspended in the early 70's. He hadn't been completely forgotten in Australia. He toured there in '79, and '81. He even released a live album called "Rodriguez Alive" in Australia, in response to the rumors of his death. You'd think the album would have made it's way to South Africa by way of tourists, and that the researchers/fans tracking him down could have tried to trace royalties from that album in order to find him. Assuming of course that the Australian record label wasn't also ripping him off.
As the crowd anxiously awaited the headliner, stage techs tested the sound, and turned on a smoke machine. That's right, a smoke machine. This isn't Kiss or David Bowie. Rodriguez is supposed to be a man of the people, and anything even approaching a spectacle seems out of place.
When Rodriguez got to his song "Establishment Blues", the crowd cheered to hear lyrics like these:
I opened the window to listen to the newsI got to thinking, I'm surrounded by baby boomers, the people Rodriguez was thinking of when he wrote "angry young tune". It's safe to say they're the establishment now, and with the exception of the draft, they're doing much worse than their parents' generation. They're likely be the first generation of Americans to leave the country worse off than they found it. My generation, which doesn't turn out to vote in midterm elections because it's not cool enough isn't about to overthrow the boomer's establishment either.
But all I heard was the Establishment's Blues.
...
This system's gonna fall soon, to an angry young tune
And that's a concrete cold fact
He really enjoyed throwing some covers into the performance. The first was "Blue Suede Shoes" by Carl Perkins (not Elvis, as many now believe), and with its fast pace it was a real departure from everything else he did that night. He also did "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan, and "Fever" by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell.
On a final note, compare this audience size
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I'm a dork, I live in the Detroit area, and sometimes I take blurry photos on an outdated camera
Detroit Derby Girls 2012-13 Home Season Opener
Detroit Pistoffs vs. Grand Prix Madonnas
The 2012-2013 Home Season is starting off with a REMATCH of last year's championship bout!
The 2012-2013 Home Season is starting off with a REMATCH of last year's championship bout!
Saturday, November 17th
Advance tickets are are available for just $12 until Monday, November 12,
when the price goes up to $15. Tickets will also be $15 at the door. Up
to two children 12 and under are admitted free with each adult
admission.
If you're a diehard Grand Prix Madonnas or Pistoffs fan, you can take being a superfan to the next level. DDG is looking for JEERLEADERS to dress up, cheer, jeer and embody the team they love! E-mail events[at]detroitderbygirls[dot]com and tell them why you should be chosen to get in FREE for this upcoming bout!
Afterparty at Mercury Burger Bar! http://
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