[hey dudes, I had to move and some other stuff, the shows page will be filled out soon! Also tell us about your show (or one we missed) on our contact page!]
Thursday – August 26, 2010
Swingin Utters, The Mezingers, The A-Gang ($14) @ Smalls
Wooden Birds, Dan Mangan ($8) @ Pike Room
Casiokids, Light Pollution ($8) @ Magic Stick
Friday – August 27, 2010
Jehovah’s Witness Protection Program, Their Teeth Will Be Of Lions, Rogue Satellites, Pink Lightning @ Belmont
Joneskeeper, Shotgun Bungalow
@ Paychecks Lounge
The Civil Wars, Madi Diaz, Joe Hertler, Jeff Pianki, The Deming Sisters ($12) @ Pike Room
Royal Hoax (CD RELEASE Party) ($15) @ Eagle Theater
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Teenage Bottlerocket, the Flatliners @ St. Andrews Hall
The High Strung @ New Center Park
The Prime Ministers Fidrych Sedna (ex-Chatham, Lisboa) @ Smalls
Roots Vibrations (9pm $5) @ Alvins
Phantasmagoria, Jonathan Zott, Ande Troit, Button Eyes (9pm, $5) @ Vernors Room
The Muggs (video Release), The Crooks, The Beggars ($5, 10pm) @ Cadieux Cafe
Saturday – August 28, 2010
Legendary Creatures, Body Holographic, Robin Goodfellow @ Lager House
Spitting Nickels, The Crooks, KGB @ The New Way Bar
Riot Fest: Mister, Detroit CYDI, RenCen, House Phone + more @ 5E Gallery
Motorcityblog Lounge at People’s Art Festival (12pm): Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor, Darling Imperial, Forget, Marco Polio & The New Vaccines, The Blue Squares, The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre, Devilfish, Le Ren
@ Russell Industrial Center
Liazon (CD RELEASE PARTY) @ Paychecks Lounge
Progress Report, Exchange Bureau, Dial 81 & 2040, Frankie Banks and Quelle as Team Social ($7) @ Majestic Cafe
Xavier Rudd, Izintaba ($20) @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Noir Leather’s Hellbound @ Smalls
Ted Raimi’s Playing Dead web series with: Troy Gregory, Lightning Love (7pm, $12) @ Detroit Institute of Arts
Odu Afrobeat Orchestra @ Alvins
Sunday – August 29, 2010
Stereo Total ($14) @ Magic Stick
Twin Sister, Memoryhouse ($10) @ Majestic Cafe
Iszoloscope, Ad.ver.sary, DJ Meta, DJ Saint @ Smalls
DJ Razorblade Collie Park Music Artist Search @ Alvins
Spencer Bell was a Michigan native and well loved musician who passed of adrenal cancer in 2006. Members of his previous band The Stevadores, went on to form 100 Monkeys, a band Rolling Stone called one of the five bands to watch in 2010 (if that doesn’t make them hot enough, member Jackson Rathbone plays a vampire in Twilight . 100 Monkeys (and the Steveadores) will be preforming along with Tin Tin Can, The Kissing Club, and EVRO in a charity event to raise money and awareness of adrenal cancer.
There’s going to be two shows, 2pm and 8pm on Saturday, August 28th at Callahan’s in Auburn Hills. Both shows SOLD OUT within a few days of tickets being available. Due to the high demand there’s going to be a webcast WATCH IT HERE LIVE.
★Spencer Bell Memorial site
and a 100 Monkey’s video:
Fuck Woodward!
Thursday – August 19, 2010
Fucking Awesome Fest: The Silent Years, Prussia, The Frustrations, Silverghost, Lettercamp, Kommie Kilpatrick, Marco Polio and the New Vaccines, Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor, Satin Peaches, Jessica Hernandez, Old Empire, The Drags ($15) @ Magic Stick
The Handgrenades, The Melismatics, Katie Grace and the Dead Cases, Radar Pilot (7pm, $5) @ Alvins
Friday – August 20, 2010
Aadreus, Reverend Fly, Penny Arcade Peep Show @ Paychecks
The Woes, Blue Pontiac ($5) @ Vernors Room
The Classic (CD Release Party) ($10) @ Pike Room
Fucking Awesome Fest: The Ponys, The High Strung, Screaming Females, Outrageous Cherry, Noman, Child Bite, Fawn, Bars of Gold, Zoos of Berlin, The Displays, Darling Imperial, Kickstand Band, Citizen Smile ($15) @ Magic Stick
Shoe., Demon Beat @ New Center Park
Robert Lowe, Concert Energy ($5,9pm) @ Alvins
Saturday – August 21, 2010
Rusko ($25) @ Majestic Theater
The Questions, High Strung @ Smalls
Fucking Awesome Fest: The Greenhornes, The Hood Internet, The Sights, Juiceboxxx, Millions of Brazilians, Terrible Twos, Conspiracy of Owls, Friendly Foes, Slufter, The Hounds Below, Solitary States, Mobil, Crand Dad Crunk, Deadbeat Beat, Illy Mack ($15) @ Magic Stick
SOMETHING COLD presents: DREAM AFFAIR + HEALERS @ CAID
Cave, Jealousy, James Baljo (9pm $7) @ Alvins
Sunday – August 22, 2010
Ego Likeness, Ludovico Technique ($10) @ Smalls
Detroit Cobras, Macrame Tiger, Gardens, Autolux, 800 Beloved, Dark City, This Will Destroy You, Abner Trio, Fur, Snakewing @ Magic Stick
Thursday – August 12, 2010
Outrageous Cherry, Citizen Smile (FREE) @ Whitney
The Questions, All Girl Boys Choir @ Lager House
Lydia, Analog Rebellion, River City Extension ($10) @ Pike Room
Secondhand Serenade, The White Tie Affair, Runner Runner ($20) @ Eagle Theater
Lower Dens, Inoculist ($8) @ Majestic Cafe
Friday – August 13, 2010
Fur, Pewter Cub (DOUBLE CD RELEASE PARTY), Marco Polio @ Smalls
Jura and Indian Guides (Dual CD Release Show!), Mother Whale @ Alvins
Noman @ New Center Park
Whitey Morgan and the 78′s, Doop and the Inside Outlaws, Afternoon Round ($8) @ Majestic Cafe
Neon Escape, JTX, The Fake Take @ Magic Bag
The Nightmare, Dead Sexy @ Paychecks Lounge
Bat on Fire, Robots in the Garden, The Pilz, Pangea, Potty Mouth Sissys, Avarice, Mansfield Park ($12) @ Crofoot Ballroom
The Ragbirds, Frontier Ruckus ($10p) @ Magic Stick
Voice of Anger, Final Assault, Live to Kill, Oil Tanker, Attentat ($5) @ Lager House
Sirens of Metal Festival: Kobra and the Lotus, Amanda Somerville, DesDemon, maXiine ($10,5p) @ Blondies
Saturday – August 14, 2010
The Seatbelts (Reunion show), Chocking Susan, Cinecyde @ Smalls
Detroit Electronic Vinyl (FREE,8p) Sounds from the collections of: Terry ‘Whodat’ McQueen, Ya Digg Records, Dr. Cherry @ Alvins
Meadower, The Finer Things @ Paychecks Lounge
The Juan Maclean (DJ set, Mike Mackool, Erno the Inferno, Joe Vargas, Steven Robert ($10) @ Magic Stick
Solo Showcase: Greg Aubry, Sarah Vaughn, Mick Bassett, Matt Luke @ Club Bart
Sunday – August 15, 2010
The Honda Civic Tour (5pm, $40/$29):Paramore, Tegan and Sara, New Found Glory, Kadawatha
@ Meadow Brook Music Festival
Microfiche Records in Nashville is re-issuing Outrageous Cherry’s self titled debut album on limited edition vinyl LP!
From the Microfiche
Records website
It’s a great pleasure that our first release is the 1994 debut record from Detroit indie-pop/garage/psych legends Outrageous Cherry. The husband part of the husband and wife duo that is Microfiche Records grew up in Detroit and rarely missed an Outrageous Cherry show. As an avid vinyl collector and big Outrageous Cherry fan he needed to fill that hole in his collection and we’re very happy to say that we have… with enough to spare for you!
We’ve pressed up 300 12” records on clear vinyl with a white swirl, they look and sound fantastic. The artwork comes from the CD reissue of this record that came out in 2008 via Scratch Records. The first 100 of this record that were pressed were made with hand cut holes in the labels basically showing the vinyl color on the screen of the Microfiche reader that is our logo.
http://www.facebook.com/microficherecords
Order it here
Don’t forget: Outrageous Cherry and Citizen Smile are playing The Whitney Garden Party! Thursday, August 12, 5:30-8pm !free admission!
When was the last time you heard of Murder Mystery playing anywhere? While I know Adam (who’s also in JCM) shreds the shit out of his guitar (in the best ways possible), and I’ve heard from at least 5 people that Murder Mystery are the bees knees, I’ve never had a chance to see them. UNTIL TONIGHT!
Electric Lion Sound Wave Experiment have been building an impressive following with their patient slow motion psych. Detroit’s Answer to Dr. Dog? SEE THEM TONIGHT!
Jesus Chainsaw Massacre, why do they play ever Motor City Rocks event? Honestly? It’s because Metro is my hook-up for prescription xanax and he won’t keep those sweet CVS pills flowing unless I stick them on every bill possible.
Thursday – August 5, 2010
Oil Spill Clean Up (all proceeds to charity): Grande Nationals, Snakewing, Sara Celina and DJ Eugene Machine (Raffles! Prizes!) @ Loving Touch
Boogaloosa Prayer, Dooley Wilson, John Roundcity, Justin Case, The Sorry Sinners @ Belmont
Drop Dead, Gorgeous ($13) @ Eagle Theater
Juliette Lewis ($15) @ Magic Stick
Chromeo, Holy Ghost!, Telephoned ($23) @ Majestic Theater
Gaelic Storm @ St. Andrews Hall
Friday – August 6, 2010
Squared Circle Revue (The World’s Only Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Circus): Black Jake and the Carnies, The Amino Acids, Downtown Brown, D…ixon’s Violin, Bride Stripped Bare, The Casket Bastards ($20 per night, $30 for both, 9pm) @ Theater Bizarre
The Ragtones @ Belmont
Blackmail, Anderson Valley, DC & The Lightning Kings @ Paychecks Lounge
Hey Bastard!, All That Talk, Smash Your Enemies, Methlab ($10/$12) @ Eagle Theater
Einheuser @ static Age
Saturday – August 7, 2010
Motor City Rocks Showcase: The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre, The Electric Lion Soundwave Experiment, Murder Mystery @ Northern Lights Lounge
Mister, Marco Polio & The New Vaccines, Macrame Tiger + more @ Aestival Festival
Amateur Anthropologist, The Ragtones (Chicago), Cougar The Tiger @ Belmont
Kedder Avant, Cartography @ Paychecks Lounge
The Undertone, Detroit Cydi, Sidenotes, Almighty Dreadnaughtz, Stoopz n’ Breeze, of Mice and Musicians ($5) @ Pike Room
Frank Turner, WIlliam Elliott Whitmore ($12) @ Magic Stick
Young Galaxy ($10) @ Majestic Cafe
James and the Rainbros, Illy Mack, Mike Galbraith, Anthony Retka ($5) @ PJ’s Lager House
Chiddy Bang @ St. Andrews Hall
Squared Circle Revue (The World’s Only Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Circus): Black Jake and the Carnies, The Amino Acids, Downtown Brown, D…ixon’s Violin, Bride Stripped Bare, The Casket Bastards ($20 per night, $30 for both, 9pm) @ Theater Bizarre
2nd Annual Creature Feature: @ Corktown Tavern
Devilfish, Dark Red, Conspiracy of Owls (7pm) @ New Center Park
Sunday – August 8, 2010
Thriving Ivory, Ryan Star, Crashing Cairo ($10) @ Pike Room
This either looks amazing to you, or like a white trash nightmare. I’ll be there!
“The Squared Circle Revue”
2 Nights Only!
Fri. 8/6/2010
Sat. 8/7/2010
THEATRE BIZARRE
967 W. State Fair
DETROIT, MI.
DOORS: 9PM
SHOW: 10PM
$20 per night
$30 for both nights
‘THE SQUARED CIRCLE REVUE’
Detroit’s once-a-year wrestling carnival returns with Thomas Foolery’s newest show, “The Faction Attraction!”. It’s circus-style gang warfare as Clowns, Carnies, and Animal Attractions battle for ultimate rule of The Squared Circle Revue. This year’s SCR will also play host to special variety guests including Scarboni The Great and Hayley Jane, plus musical guests Black Jake and the Carnies, Downtown Brown, Bride Stripped Bare, The Casket Bastards and more! Also, there will be creative carnival cuisine by Thomas Foolery’s own Corn Queen, Sarah Lachowski!
Just because it’s not the weekend doesn’t mean there’s not some serious sounds waving through the aether.
✪Tuesday✪
The one and only Carjack, single man+guitar=full funk force of beats and beeps will be opening for Bob Log III (not to be confused with Bob Loblaw or Bob Loblaw’s Law Blog). Here’s a Bob Loblaw Log III vid, it’s intense, it’s intestinal. Like Beck and the Butthole Surfers had a baby that had to be carried in the uterus of Scotty Karate.
✪Wednesday✪
Duende, Illy Mack, Woodman! FREE @ Club Bart
If you’re on another planet and have missed Illy Mack, here’s some footage from the MCR Vaults! See how many members of Woodman you can spot in the audience!
Thursday – July 29, 2010
Puffy Areolas, Protomartyr (NEW), Morph & Mindy, Val N’ Tina @ Jumbos
The Maunder Minimum (CD RELEASE, portion of proceeds go to Come Hear Bell Isle), Pink Lightning, WCTM Gold! ($5,9pm) @ Lager House
Divine Comedians (Most Underrated band in Detroit?), Darling Imperial, Ismism @ Belmont
Petal Shop, Jordaan Mason, Tinyfolk @ Trumbullplex
Friday – July 30, 2010
Mood Elevator & Fletcher Pratt (Special Reunion Show), The Sights, The Pop Project ($8) @ Magic Bag
DandyLyon Whine @ Vernors Room
Citizen Smile, The Garden Party, The Ashleys ($5) @ Phoenix Cafe
Ween @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Realm @ Paychecks Lounge
Saturday – July 31, 2010
Motor City Special #2 (LP recording): The Beggars, Black Lodge, Marco Polio and the New Vaccines, Wolfbait, The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre
@ Pike Room
Negative Approach @ St. Andrews Hall
Silverghost, Gardens, Marco Polio, Sugarcoats, Gorevette, The Kickstand Band @ CAID
Doop & the Inside Outlaws, Battling Siki, KTG @ Lager House FLYER
Crownival (fund raiser to start a collective, begins at noon): Petal Shop @ 3407 Trumbull FLYER *note: Flyer says August 1, but it’s 7/31
A Benefit to Support the Gulf Coast Cleanup ($5 – all goes to charity): Bride Stripped Bare, Intercom, Jeni Lee Richey & the Great Tribulation, Ghost City Searchlight @ Old Miami
Christmas In July, Circus Boy, Natasha, T.H.E. Modfather @ Paychecks Lounge
Sunday – August 1, 2010
Petal Shop (Breakfast Concert, 10:30am) @ Steak Hut
Josiah Leming, Todd Carey, Dion Roy ($10) @ Vernors Room
Cynic, Intronaut, Dysrhythmia ($17) @ Magic Stick
Petal Shop @ Cass Cafe
The Motorcity Special # 2 is coming this Saturday to the Pike Room of the Crofoot. The concept is as follows: A bunch of bands play, Motorcity Special records it, burns it to vinyl (is this the right term? cuts to vinyl? I’m a moron, sorry), then sells it at the NEXT Motorcity Special. They do this by selling vouchers, then you have to show up for the next one to get your record….
Eat This City ripped (burned? I’m a moron, sorry) into the Motorcity Special concept for various reasons. And now, much much later, I feel like I should throw my 2 cents in.
THE BAD
Motorcity Special #1 had some of the worst sound problems I’ve ever hard at a live show. It was my first time experiencing Canja Rave live, and I still have no idea what they sound like live. I have their record, and it’s not filled with microphone squeaks, so I think it’s safe again to blame the sound guy. But when you’re doing a LIVE RECORDING to press vinyl to (oh, that’s the term: press) it shouldn’t be the sound guy’s first day on the job. Lo-fi Bri took his time to carefully setup so the Electric Fire Babies wouldn’t have sound issues. He tried, and Lo-fi, who is probably the nicest guy on earth, looked like he was going to punch some face when the sound went to hell (I think an army of wind-up robots held him back).
THE GOOD
Kirk from MotorCityBlog assured me that the sounds that were being recorded and what was coming out of the monitor at Motorcity Special #1 were totally different. The recordings were all good, and he’s just as pissed as everyone else that the PA system was fucked.
ↂBlack Lodge – This is probably going to be their last show. They broke-up after their Club Bart show and canceled all shows (including Land of Nod Experiment!) – then decided to rejoin and tolerate each other long enough to be a part of Motorcity Special recording session.
ↂMarco Polio and the New Vaccines – They just got back from their tour and from what I’ve heard, Steve their vocalist got naked on stage during more than one show (including Land of Nod Experiment!). I think that’s his new thing, getting naked. Steve naked probably looks like this [NSFW] but I’m sure someone’s into it.
ↂThe Jesus Chainsaw Massacre – If you’re one of the many people who think Jesus Chainsaw Massacre sucks, you’re missing the much bigger, cosmic, absurdist, brilliant level that this band operates on.
ↂThe Beggars – They’re just straight up rock’n roll power. They make red bull look like chamomile tea.
ↂWolfbait – Nerds to the core, rocking out some fantasy metal that will make you want to carry a broadsword all of the time. Amazing live.
Kevin and Kirk put on Motorcity Special because they support local music. They’re not getting rich off of this (no one in Detroit is getting rich besides M&M and Kit-rock). They only have the best intentions, and I will most likely be at EVERY Motorcity Special because it’s an awesome idea a lot of fun. I’m not just saying that because Kirk has a harem of women/could kill me with a baseball bat.
A REBUTTAL to the Eat This City post
$35 for a record? Let’s do the math shall we:
$10 to get into the show (which features 5 bands) – not bad.
$15 for a super limited edition LP of some pretty top notch Detroit talent – pretty sweet.
=====
$25 – Well worth it in my eyes.
Of course they’re going to sell ticket vouchers on ebay! Since when is selling records on ebay to recoup losses some horrible offense? While I will grant you being “forced” into going to the next show kinda sucks, it’s a business model – and a pretty clever one. The records aren’t $35 if you can buy vouchers without going to the earlier show! If I didn’t feel like paying to get in I’d just have one of the dozens of people I know will attend pick mine up for me. They’re not evil geniuses, they’re two dudes trying to find a sustainable way to produce records.
THE POSSIBLY BAD
Dr. Detroit tells me that every time I bitch out a sound guy, the MotorCityRocks ratings go through the roof. So, I’d like to point out that, SOMETIMES the soundguy at the Pike Room sux really bad. During the Vivian Girls a year or so ago, the dude fell asleep (srsly) during their set, and their cries for a better mix went unheard. If you missed Ariel Pink’s show last week, you can recreate it by playing his last album and having a friend shout “Can I get more vocals in the monitor? Can I get more vocals in the monitor? Can I get more vocals in the monitor? Can I get more vocals in the monitor? Can I get more vocals in the monitor? Can I get more vocals in the monitor? Can I get more vocals in the monitor? Can I get more vocals in the monitor?” between each song (and during some of them). I think I’m going to go to sound mixing school, because it can’t be that fucking difficult. I mean there has to be one, or a series of, knobs that control the volume of the vocals in the monitor. I may be 50% deaf in one ear, but in the land of the deaf the one eared man is king.
(For the record, I do think there are highly competent sound people in Detroit. Like Vincent Gallo’s twin at the Lager House.)
Last Saturday me and my gff (girlfriendforever) hit the New Way Bar to see Indian Guides with Dark Red and Lorem Ipsum, but mostly Indian Guides. I haven’t seen them play in at least 6 months and they play this amazing shoegazey instrumental rock that works in these continually developing cycles of build up and release. They have a really satisfying dynamic approach to their sound construction. A lot of ambient music acts, put me to sleep – not Indian Guides.
The New Way, is a dive biker-bar that for some reason or another has live music. Their staff somehow escaped this short film. They all seem really nice, with the exception of the sound guy (easily identifiable by his wolf shirt (note: not the “ironic hipster wolf shirt”, but the “I’m about to level up in some AD&D wolf shirt”)).
The New Way, as it often is, was empty. I saw Mazinga there a few weeks ago for the Rock’n Rummage 10 Year Anniversary. And, there was no one there. Mazinga reforms, blows the fuck out any live performance I’ve seen in years, and no one is there to see it. You can typically count the number of New Way patrons on fingers and toes. Not because they have shitty bands all the time, because no one wants to go to the goddamned New Way. Anyway, back to the story of Indian Guides…
Where Is Everybody?
I ruptured my right ear drum days before in a combination of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and swimmer’s ear. Any loud noises trigger a stabbing pain through the ear. I was apprehensive about seeing any live shows that week, but the New Way is walking distance from my GFF’s house so we went.
The Indian Guides played a great song, at such a mild volume that I could talk to said GFF without even raising me voice or shouting in her ear. The wolfshirt sound engineer pops out and says that they’re too loud and they’re going to have to turn it down, it’s late, and there’s not enough bodies to absorb the sound. Which is bullshit. None of the neighboring businesses are open, you probably couldn’t hear the music 10 feet from the building. Indian Guides turn it down a notch. Play another song. The sound guy shuts them down for being “too loud”. Then, the asshole blares Electric Six through the speakers at least 3 times louder than Indian Guides were playing. Petty assholery I’m not usually confronted with when I’m at a live show in a good venue.
If you don’t want shoegaze instrumental acts playing at your venue, DON’T BOOK SHOEGAZE INSTRUMENTAL ACTS. I don’t know how the brains at the New Way think that having a few customers is worse than having zero paying customers, but I wasn’t sticking around after that. Neither were the other people who left.
Thursday – July 22, 2010
function13, DJ Pleasure Kitten ($5) @ New Way Bar
Friendly Foes, Craig Ramsey @ Lager House
Langhorne Slim, Young Man ($10/12) @ Magic Stick
Friday – July 23, 2010
Land of Nod Experiment: Eagles of Death Metal, Rasputina, Tokyo Police Club, Ed Rush + Optical, My Dear Disco, Silverghost, Cats on Holiday, Proppa Bear, Marco Polio & the New Vaccines, AND MORE @ Jackson Full schedule here
Indian Guides,Dark Red, and Lorem Ipsum @ The New Way Bar
Heartless Bastards, The Builders and the Butcher, Peter Wolf Crier ($12) @ Magic Stick
Black Irish, Dirt Road Logic @ Elbow Room
Louder Than Love (Grande Ballroom Film Benefit): Warhorse, Dead City Prophets, Robert Noll’s Blues Mission ($10) @ Magic Bag
The Reunion show, Passion NouVeau, N-2 Submission featuring The Impaler @ Paychecks Lounge
Saturday – July 24, 2010
Noise Camp @ CAID more info here
Land of Nod Experiment: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave, Big Gigantic, The Ragbirds, Environmental Encroachment, Sister Crayon, Black Lodge, Sista Otis,Bawdy Boys, Prussia, Secret Twins, Woodman, AND MORE
@ Jackson Full schedule here
Mister, Streetlight Sanctuary, Reddish Radish ($5,8p) @ Paychecks Lounge
Scott H. Biram ($8/10) @ Magic Stick
The Suicide Machines @ St. Andrews Hall
Lies Unknown (CD RELEASE), Black Irish @ Hayloft Liquor Stand
Sunday – July 25, 2010
Land of Nod Experiment: Of Montreal, Kool Keith and Dj Qbert As Dr Octagon, Beats Antique, Boombox, Murder by Death, The Satin Peaches, Ronin Selecta, Taylor Norris, Jeremy Poling, UV Hippo, Lucky Brown, AND MORE @ Jackson Full schedule here
Friday – September 3, 2010
Saturday – September 4, 2010
![Steve naked probably looks like this [NSFW]](http://www.motorcityrocks.com/uploaded_images/2010/07/HairyGuy.jpg){kind=link}