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 On
many levels, it was awesome to see an event like the Motor City Music
Conference (MC2) going on in Detroit. There’s no question
that it is the kind of thing that should be happening in this city and
there were many inspiring moments of the conference. It was great
to see many people in the extended Detroit music community rallying
around it and showing their support. One example that comes to
mind was Don Was, who returned to his native Detroit to kick off MC2
with an inspiring keynote address that erupted into a brainstorming
session on what he could do to give back to the Detroit music
community. It wouldn’t be telling the whole story of this
conference though if there wasn’t an acknowledgement of several
disappointing aspects. Before mentioning the grievances, it
should be recognized that there will be glitches when pulling off an
event of this magnitude for the first time, and that the event was
organized by only a few people – undoubtedly a massive
undertaking. Nonetheless, shakey planning and lack of
organization led many bands to bail on their shows, screwing the other
bands on their bill. Worst of all, it led to small audiences and
disappointed participants.First off, the Official MC2 Conference Guide was no help in figuring out who played when. The basic problems were as follows: there were no times listed for the bands, there were no dates listed for the bands and there were no venues listed for the bands. This was complicated further by inaccuracies floating around and last minute time and venue changes. The first sign of trouble came on opening night with one of the biggest shows – And You Will Know Us by the Trail of the Dead at the Majestic Theatre. In numerous places, Trail of Dead was listed in the 12:00pm slot, but instead they went on closer to 10:30pm, causing much of the audience to show up after they had played. This wasn’t the only big show to have a time change – The Dirtbombs were slated to play at the Majestic at 12pm on Saturday, but when people got there, they found that the Dirtbombs had been shifted to the next slot. The Dirtbombs are a Detroit institution -- called “possibly the best live band in America” by USA Today, so whatever happens, don’t change their timeslot! People in town for the conference may actually want to try and catch them and plan their schedule around it. With transportation not being the easiest in this city, no one likes navigating the construction cluttered streets and paying for parking only to find a time change when finally staggering into the venue. It’s true that some time changes are unavoidable, however, the organizers should make every attempt to convey that communication via signage and their website. This was not done, likely to save face by looking organized (if incorrect). Those are all minor things compared to treating visitors like shit when they come to our city. This became a familiar story as the weekend unfolded. One example is Chicago’s Riviera, who are on the record label of respected Chicago music website Glorious Noise. After driving all the way to Detroit to play a show for free, they found themselves screwed when the local headliner, Bulldog, bailed on the show. The bar owner insisted that Riviera, a band totally unknown in Detroit, play last. Their would-be set was preceded by a seemingly not-too-funny comedy hour from Detroit ex-star Vinnie Dombrowski and his band The Orbitsuns who didn’t want to play last because they had to go to work in the morning. The club owner reassured Riviera: "I'm trying to get them off, they won't stop." Riviera’s Derek Phillips recalls, “This is the worst thing you can do to a visiting band—hog up the prime time with a self-absorbed set that borders on a bad skit. And there was no end in sight. As the clocked ticked past 12:30, we'd had enough. I gathered the band in the backroom and dropped the bomb. ‘This band is fucking us. Let's get outta here.’” Phillips’ complete recount of Riviera’s MC2 experience was published at Glorious Noise. [Incidentally, MotorCityRocks.com will be inviting them back to Detroit for a Glorious Noise/MotorCityRocks.com Showcase later in the year. We guarantee they will actually play.] Some of the locals also found themselves forced to bail on their shows. All shows at the Bankle Building were cancelled. It probably wasn’t the best choice of venue because… it’s the Bankle Building. The shows scheduled for the lobby of Ford Field were also up against all odds. Despite their big name sponsors, they were empty. That could have to do with the fact that it was impossible to park anywhere near the building and there was no MC2 shuttle to get people there. On Friday, with a Tiger game across the street and Moby at the State Theatre, finding a parking spot was simply impossible even with that crisp $20 in your pocket. That, along with no booze and no smoking, led to this scene: “Next up, Bang Bang,” says some dude while Bang Bang drummer Jimmy Lucido is seen pulling his kit off stage. It was a little easier for the locals though, since they didn’t have to hit the expressway back home after that. Bang Bang, along with The Holy Fire (full disclosure: the author works with The Holy Fire), made the best of it by rolling over to the State Bar and setting up there. Basically, it seems that the MC2 planners overestimated what they were capable of and started things off a little too big. There were certainly some great moments of the conference, but perhaps it would’ve been wise to start smaller and leave people feeling good about the experience. After all, that’s how the festival’s model South By Southwest began, and it seems like the way that our own Hamtramck Blowout is gaining its stellar reputation. - Ryan Sult |
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