Head on over to MCR’s Flickr site to see photos of The Nice Device, Friendly Foes and Millions of Brazilians preforming live at this past Friday night’s Nice Device EP Release party at the Magic Bag in Ferndale.
Also check out our recent record reviews of Sorry We Killed You by The Nice Device and Born Radical by The Friendly Foes.
It’s good to see you guys play shows around town again on a more frequent basis, how long have you guys been back in full swing?
Aaahh well thanks, well we will never really be in full swing because Jeff’s on a tether but it’s nice to know he can travel far enough to play the rock n roll Bermuda triangle of Flint, Toledo and Gary.
So tell us about the stint with The Von Bondies?
Well that would be like breaking doctor patient confidentiality. Traveling was amazing did you know in Belgium they just call em waffles!?
What did the other members of the band think of getting the group back on track?
I’m not sure Nick even knew we were gone.
What do you think of the current Detroit music scene?
There are a lot of new bands starting up as well as bands that have formed from other bands. So it’s been fun getting out there and checking new stuff out. I’m not sure you can call it it scene though. But what do we know, we were never really part of that anyway.
What is your plan for 2009?
Continue to not make any money and maybe relocate to LA. Did you know in the 80′s a lot of bands got signed from there?…. I mean… dude….
The new songs are really great, tell us about the new EP?
We started recording with Tim Patalan from The Fags when Matt and I returned from Von Bondies tour and we have been feverishly working to finish this EP. This is the first in a series of releases that we plan on putting out. The songs are really all out pop that’s for sure. No grey areas. We decided to let our hair down and just went for it.
You have put together one of the best local lineups the Magic Bag has seen in awhile, what’s in-store for us at tonight’s show?
Even though we are a four piece again we have our former bandmate Steve who is also now part Tour Detroit sitting in on keyboard with us for old times sake. Get there early for Millions of Brazilians and Friendly Foes – they kick ass.
What does the $8 door cover get us?
Well it’s gets you in the door and a free EP, and the 239th person gets 2 free passes to the mystery spot in the UP and a free vegan carrot cake from the place by my house i eat there all the time they’re probably sick of seeing me but it’s soooooooooooooooo good they also have really good soups and an amazing vegetarian chili it killer ….wait what was the question?
My friend Zak said he heard someone say “What’s Hannah Montana doing here?” during The Nice Device’s set at Dally In The Alley this year, and while that assessment isn’t 100% accurate, it is possible your little sister might like them. They did get a song on teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation after all.
The Nice Device‘s new EP Sorry We Killed You offers five new songs in the vein of radio-friendly bubble-punk. N.D. frontwoman (also a recent Von Bondie and deceptively badass “Detroit SWAT” associate producer) Alicia Gbur is front and center of every song, her personality alternating between the cool urban drawl of The Cardigans’ Nina Perrson and the excited wail of Kathleen Hanna (more Le Tigre than Bikini Kill, that is). To complete the sound are slick pop keyboards and power chords aplenty.
Highlights of the EP are Alicia playing heartbreaker on two songs in a row, “No Apologies” and “Can’t Be Friends”, as well as the hook-heavy synth vs. guitar tug-of-war “Crawlspace”. There’s only a few songs, but there’s a lot of action.
The Nice Device are giving away free copies of Sorry We Killed You at their release show at The Magic Bag on Friday. You can bring your little sister.
Featured Track: “Crawlspace”
What a great weekend for the Dally In The Alley. The weather was perfect and the well-crafted beers from the Motor City Brewing Works were simply intoxicating.
Talked to the folks at the Theatre Bizarre booth. They are expanding their property footprint for this year’s Halloween bash, as well as swelling the attendance from 400 to well over a 1,200 people this year. However, this does not mean they won’t sell out in the coming weeks (they sold 400 tickets on Saturday alone). Find out more about getting tickets to this year’s Theatre Bizarre here. Don’t procrastinate; you won’t want to miss this year’s event on Saturday October 25th. Hell, Theatre Bizarre is the only reason I continue to live in Michigan. Well, that and watching the Lions fall flat on their ass.
As for the Dally’s music, The Nice Device were simply blazing on Saturday night, playing some top notch new material such as “Crawl Space” (I forgot just how good this band really is). While I took in several local bands that were not previously on my radar, the one that stood out the was 800Beloved. They have the whole Shoegaze, melancholy New Wave thing down pat, and I look forward to their show at the Magic Stick on Sept. 20th. I also really dug the all out jam factor of El Gato Legato.
We posted some photos of El Gato Legato, 800Beloved, The Nice Device, Vox Maui, The Summer Pledge, and Almost Free from this past weekend’s Dally In The Alley on the official MCR Flickr page.
The Nice Device are officially now on iTunes; and even though lead singer Alica and guitarist Matt have been on tour with the Von Bondies the past few months, you can check out The Nice Device this weekend across the river in Windsor (that city/country south of us). The Nice Device will be headline the Smash The Glass 2008 @ The Basement on the campus of the University of Windsor.
The bill includes: Amour Amour (Windsor), Hunter Eves (Hamilton), Sneaky and The Rat (Detroit), Hot Monogamy (Toronto), We Take Lovers (Toronto), Buckets of (Toronto), The Guest Bedroom (Toronto) and The Nice Device (Detroit)
The Nice Device will be releasing their debut full-length record this Friday at the Magic Bag in Ferndale. Following two strong EP’s, the new record consists of 12 new tracks — two of which are available for download on the band’s website. They also have a new music video which will be previewed at Friday’s show. They will be joined by The Silent Years and The Mood Elevator.
The Muggs rock the Lager House on Saturday. Need we say more, while The Nice Device opened the night.
Johnny Loftus checks out the new Nice Device record over at Pitchfork.
Do you remember where you were on Friday, May 8th? No matter what your answer, you should have been at the Magic Bag for Under My Heels – A Detroit Rock Extravaganza. Very rarely can you see five great acts in one evening, and apparently a lot of people did – the bands played to a sold out crowd. If you passed the show up, here’s a re-cap of what you missed:
First up, The Hard Lessons, an East Lansing-based band. The trio has a Motown/R&B/rock sound, something that few groups in the area can pull off. Unfortunately, I arrived after their set, but have been fortunate enough to catch them before. With Augie (Gin) Visocchi on guitar and lead vocals, Christophe (The Anvil) Zajek-Denek on drums and Korin (Ko Ko Louise) Cox on keyboards and vocals, The Hard Lessons bring the soul back to Motown. Ko Ko’s powerful vocals stand beside some of the strongest Motown tracks.
Next, Los Coronados took the stage while Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! played on a screen behind them. Comprised of members from The Avatars and The Sirens, the trio has a pure rock n’ roll sound – even singing in Spanish for a song or two. Playing only their second show…ever, Los Coronados rocked the Magic Bag to its core. The group, originally formed in Argentina, showed their South American roots when drummer Claudia Leo abandoned her sticks for maracas. Los Coronados includes Charlie Lorenzi on lead vocals and guitar, Claudia Leo on drums and Melody Liscious on bass and backing vocals. I think it’s safe to say Los Coronados are well on their way to becoming a rock favorite.
The Avatars took the stage next. The Ann Arbor-based group has a poppy, catchy sound that keeps your feet tapping. Probably one of the best-dressed groups in the city, The Avatars light up the stage whenever, and wherever, they play. With Mariah Cherem on lead vocals and tambourine, Chris (Box) Taylor on lead guitar and backing vocals, Charlie Lorenzi on guitar, Theresa Kiefer on bass and Claudia Leo on drums, the quintet kept everyone in the venue movin’ and shakin’ through their entire set.
With their new album Birth of a Lover for sale, The Nice Device shimmied up to the stage next. Fronted by Alicia Gbur (vocals, guitar), the band – not quite “garage rock”, not quite “mainstream” – weaves a sound that can knock you off your feet. Catchy song writing, driving rhythms and Gbur’s pop vocals are a great combination. Matt Lannoo (guitar, vocals), Matt Hatch (bass, vocals) and Nick Gerhardt (drums) round out the quartet and fill out the sound.
The Sirens, headlining Under My Heels – A Detroit Rock Extravaganza, took the stage around midnight. Never failing to impress, with their music or fashion sense, these five talented ladies rocked the sold out crowd – hard core. With a red, white and blue, Evil Knievil inspired ensemble, The Sirens did what they do best…rock out. Deanne (drums), Michelle (bass), Melody (guitar), Aran (guitar), and Muffy (vocals) thoroughly entertained the crowd – as they always do. Always a fan of surprises, The Sirens brought a special guest saxophonist on stage for their Alice Cooper and Aerosmith covers – the last two songs of the evening. Kelly Argyle of the Afflictions added an element to the show that’s not normally seen in Detroit. Her sassy saxophone playing provided a wonderful end to a rock packed night. -Jacquie Trost
The Lager House on Friday night that is. We’ve been telling ya’ll to see these guys for a while now and if you haven’t done it yet… shame on you. Don’t slit your wrists just yet though, you’ll have another chance when they open for The Fags at the Magic Bag this Saturday.
Opening things up for Back in Spades was The Nice Device. For more on Back in Spades, The Nice Device and The Hard Lessons, cruise over to whatevs and check out The Gorilla’s report.
If you want an album that’s guaranteed to get “stuck” in your CD player, then pick up a copy of Birth of a Lover, the latest release from The Nice Device. You’ll listen to it so much you’ll know the lyrics by heart, without even realizing it.
Birth of a Lover is a mixture of pure rock with a dash of pop – combining to make for pure listening enjoyment. The band, fronted by the vocally powerful Alicia Gbur (vocals, guitar), has a sound that makes it hard not to sing along. Backed by Matt Lannoo (guitar, vocals), Nick Gerhardt (drums) and Matt Hatch (bass, vocals), Gbur’s voice resonates long after the song has ended.
Nice Device is able to seamlessly transition from guitar heavy rock tunes like “Bittersweet” and “Oh Me Oh My”, to songs that slow it down a bit like “How Low How Obscene” – which still has its moments of “rock”. Gbur’s vocals never waver, even though each song has its own distinct sound. Not many bands can pull that off…The Nice Device can. Gbur says, “We’re not afraid to sound like Pat Benatar, or Black Sabbath, for that matter.”
The album, portions of which were recorded by Jim Diamond at Ghetto Recorders, Brendan Benson at Grand Studios and Zach Shipps, has a gritty sound, but the saccharine sweet vocals keep it from sounding like every garage band in the scene. There is one small problem with the EP…it only has seven tracks, and we want more.
If you haven’t checked them out already, The Nice Device will be having their CD release party at Small’s on Saturday, July 10th. -Jacquie Trost