Concert Review: Motor City Rock Revue

Last Night was the Motor City Rock Revue at the Magic Stick.  There was some Internet controversy leading up to the show over the price, and how frequently each group aligned with such a pricey show are playing in the future.  With that, you had the horrible weather approaching which altogether I’m sure combined for the pretty sparse turnout.  Someone told me there was a hundred paid, to which I answered “bullshit.” When I arrived I had already missed the first half of the acts as they put a stage on the left side so each band would play immediately after the other which made for no lag time.  The bands I did get to see were interesting to say the least:

The Hentchmen: The Hentchmen are easy. Easy to watch. Easy to enjoy.  They perform easily.  The tired, often used example is “a well oiled machine.”  And they were, I mean the drummer was chewing gum and blowing bubbles while he was playing. He didn’t look bored it just looked like second nature to him.  I’m sure that’s the product of playing together since you were teenagers

The Pop Project: I don’t know what to make of this band.  They remind of something that I would see in the backyard of some family reunion.  Completely normal looking guys playfully telling the crowd to shoot imaginary baskets while they play, ending their set with a television theme song.  It was all, so, gross.  Now it always seems that when you point out your distaste for this type of music you are branded as “no fun” or a more commonly “a dick.” But is it so wrong to not want to see a band playing the theme song to Urkel’s show at a bar in between sets of The Hentchmen and The Muggs?  It is also asks a bigger question.  What do you want to leave your audience with? Or rather what should you leave your audience with?  The group played for close to thirty minutes possibly longer, their pop music was safe, campy, it reminded me of Ben Folds Five not only musically but how they perform.  Interweaving joke and songs with their aw-shucks attitude.  It could’ve just ended on the last song and everything would have been fine. They would have not left an impression on me either way.  Given me a few smiles but nothing more. Then they exited with playing the Family Matters theme song, which got a higher crowd response than their entire set.  Look dudes, if the crowd is at its peak when you’re singing some fucking TV song you better go back and refine your set.

The Muggs: When the drummer showed up late, the singer stated, “Our drummer thought he played for the Detroit Cobras. Zing!”  Best joke of the night.  The jokes stopped there though and The Muggs proceeded to munch on some tasty riffage.  I don’t know why Danny even bothers writing lyrics, he should just be telling people their horoscopes because he only sings in between to give a break from him tearing that guitar up. I love the way that Rhodes sounds.  They also played for about thirty-five minutes, which was perfect. 

Deastro: This was the first time I have witnessed Deastro so all the hype might not have worked in his favor.  He would have to do some Jimi Hendrix set your guitar on fire type shit. Instead he had more props than a Carrot Top show, played music that sounded like they were the climax to every episode of Grey’s Anatomy and did a Prince cover.  Two out three ain’t bad