Live Music in Michigan.. Info, Tours, Reviews..

as of right now, only heading to one show in the near future.. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids..

would love to see Old Crow Medicine Show and the Avetts, but I won't be around...

Going to the Avett Bros show down here in July (with Gov't mule at verizon). Can't wait. Isbell is at the fox in October, going to try and catch that one too or maybe Knoxville, or Greensboro, or maybe all three.

SeeRockCity wrote:Going to the Avett Bros show down here in July (with Gov't mule at verizon).  Can't wait.  Isbell is at the fox in October, going to try and catch that one too or maybe Knoxville, or Greensboro, or maybe all three.

very nice - I absolutely hate that I'm missing The Avett Brothers - especially with OCMS.

I've seen Isbell a few times - and saw him with the Truckers too. Different experience but it'll be great seeing him in a lovely place like Meijer Gardens. He's a great guy, too.

Is Drew Howard still playing around town? Used to love catching The Weepers, Steppininit etc. back in the day. The band he had with Marty (and his brother?) was damn good - although I think a little too much booze and weed might have been a problem there!

Cym Jim wrote:Is Drew Howard still playing around town? Used to love catching The Weepers, Steppininit etc. back in the day. The band he had with Marty (and his brother?) was damn good - although I think a little too much booze and weed might have been a problem there!

Steppin' In It still plays around some.. not sure about the others.

one local band that is on the cusp of being big is Cheap Girls - love those guys. They've opened for The Hold Steady and Against Me! in the last couple of months - they're doing another few shoes with The Hold Steady this summer, as well.

I'll be playing stupid covers at the Tin Can on the West Side tonight, so there's that.

I enjoy drawing penises on their chalk wall.

Dolph Ziggler wrote:I'll be playing stupid covers at the Tin Can on the West Side tonight, so there's that.

nice.. "stupid covers" are sometimes the best..

I'm doing the same thing same time next week at the one in DeWitt. Last time I even saw Jordyn Wieber's parents. God Bless DeWitt.

the Jason Isbell show at Meijer Gardens was interesting.. very much a wine and cheese crowd. And by "wine and cheese crowd", I mean that I truly saw a bunch of white people eating wine and cheese.

had a good time, though - Jason and the band were very tight, as always. James McMurtry (the opener) was great - some really great Texas barroom-inspired tunes from a true legend of American music. Not sure the crowd completely appreciated his presence.. which was unfortunate.

See how I did that Bob?

SeeRockCity wrote:See how I did that Bob?

you're a great American..

any of you butt holes checking out Founder's Fest tomorrow? looking like a beautiful day for live music and beers! Lettuce is headlining, Charles Bradley, Break Science and more

Frank Dabski wrote:any of you butt holes checking out Founder's Fest tomorrow? looking like a beautiful day for live music and beers! Lettuce is headlining, Charles Bradley, Break Science and more

had some friends drive over.. I was invited but decided not to go. I can't remember why.

How'd it go?

It was a lot cooler than last year. I was there last year and it was like a sauna..

Oh man, it was fantastic. Chuck Bradley is the real deal. Very James Brown-esque. Not quite as hot this year, but an expanded area allowed for a shit load of more people. Definitely still one of my favorite little day music festivals.

tonight I'm gonna walk around and drink some more..   

that was a good time..

I'm in a mid-summer concert lull.. no fun - no shows on the horizon.

Thinking about trying to get down to North Carolina, though, for The Avett Brothers in Asheville - never seen them in my hometown.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I'm in a mid-summer concert lull.. no fun - no shows on the horizon.

scratch that..

The Hold Steady in Grand Rapids on September 10th..   

Lucero coming to The Loft in Lansing on September 9th.. I've seen them 5-6 times - one of my favorite bands and great live.

two things:

Cheap Girls is playing a free outdoor show on Friday, September 5th. 5:30 pm at MSU

they're also playing with The Hold Steady the next week in Grand Rapids..

carry on.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:two things:

Cheap Girls is playing a free outdoor show on Friday, September 5th. 5:30 pm at MSU

they're also playing with The Hold Steady the next week in Grand Rapids..

carry on.

I heard about both of these shows last night and was coming here to post them in case you or anyone else interested hadn't heard. I'll be at both. I missed the chance to see tHS with CG this summer. I had made plans to go out to Vegas to see the tour after Ian invited me but they fell through because of work. I'm psyched to be getting a second chance.     

So what do you say Bob, are you up for a couple (dozen?) brews at the Peanut Barrel before the Broad show?   

Robert J Sakimano wrote:Lucero coming to The Loft in Lansing on September 9th.. I've seen them 5-6 times - one of my favorite bands and great live.

Yeah great live band. I haven't bought tickets but I'll probably find my way to that show.

Jaheab wrote:

I heard about both of these shows last night and was coming here to post them in case you or anyone else interested hadn't heard. I'll be at both. I missed the chance to see tHS with CG this summer. I had made plans to go out to Vegas to see the tour after Ian invited me but they fell through because of work. I'm psyched to be getting a second chance.     

So what do you say Bob, are you up for a couple (dozen?) brews at the Peanut Barrel before the Broad show?   

  

we'll see - the Broad show probably won't be my primary choice for rockin' a couple of dozen brews - as it's at 5:30 and I'll likely stroll up to the high school for EL vs. Grand Haven afterwards.. I'm so fucking punk rock, dude - you wouldn't believe it.

Lucero show was a lot of fun - solid crowd, the band was tight... met and hung out with Ben, Brian and Rick Steff before the show.. great guys and genuinely appreciative of their fans.

The Hold Steady show - INSANITY. First of all, Cheap Girls are always great - played a short set of only 6-7 songs for half an hour. The Hold Steady was out at 10:00 and put on a face-melting rock show for a solid 90 minutes. Blew through some tunes off the new rekkid along with some old classics - Cattle and Creeping Things, The Swish, etc - I was right up front so I could look down and read the setlist - which was kinda cool but also removed any anticipation.

Craig was his usual self - was fun to be so close (there was no barrier at this show - unlike other shows where I've been right up front) and watch the band interact. Bobby fired a drumstick at Steve for some damn reason - illiciting a "what the fuck are you doing look" from Tad. Highlights included The Swish, Chips Ahoy is always great - Massive Nights, Hoodrat.. would've been good to hear Stevie Nix, though.

long live rock and roll.

The Avett Brothers in Kalamazoo on April 18th..

Sturgill Simpson Friday in Grand Rapids.. J Roddy Walston and the Business in March at The Loft in Lansing..

Sturgill show was great.. good, old school Waylon-inspired country... not the corporate garbage that makes your ears and eyes bleed.

good time with The Avetts on Saturday.. great weather for those of us who mulled around in a GA line outside for a couple of hours. Tremendous show, as usual - they're one of those bands that are better live than in the studio. When I listen to studio releases, I honestly could take or leave them - live there is a ton of energy.

drank some beer with some cool people. It's always a good time to be around like-minded folks. The highway construction, on/off ramp closures made getting in and around the place brutal, though.

oh.. and Trampled by Turtles a week from today at The Intersection..

Trampled By Turtles last night.. rockin' show. Two hours worth of thrash grass....(best term I could come up with.. thought about "punk folk" but that doesn't quite fit)..

front row, hit up Stellas before the show for a few beers, couple of shots.

solid shows coming up this fall: not sure of dates and don't feel like looking them up but..

Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires - Pyramid Scheme in GR - great venue and right across the street from Stella's
Avetts in GR and Ann Arbor
Rhiannon Giddens at The Ark in Ann Arbor
Lucero, I believe, is playing a couple of shows in Detroit

been forever since I posted in this thread - but it's a darn good one:

shows of interest coming up.. Lucero/John Moreland in Kalamazoo in early April, then Frank Turner with Two Cow Garage in Grand Rapids at The Intersection in late May. Gonna be two great nights.

I'm sure the summer holds some good upcoming shows.. not to mention the small clubs around the state.

Meijer Gardens this summer... Old Crow Medicine Show in July and then Lake Street Dive in August. Both will be great.

trying to avoid the misogyny that occupies the main board so often, butt Rachael from Lake Street Dive might just be the most attractive woman on the planet, as well.

So there's that.

Frank Turner and Two Cow Garage this Thursday in GR.. hittin' up Stella's and Founders before the show...

Bob, do you sing "Carolina In My Mind" as loudly and as fervently as Sterling Heights and Novi natives sing the "Born and raised in South Detroit" line from Don't Stop Believin'?

Da Mayor wrote:Bob, do you sing "Carolina In My Mind" as loudly and as fervently as Sterling Heights and Novi natives sing the "Born and raised in South Detroit" line from Don't Stop Believin'?

I remember being in about 10th grade or so.. and thinking that James Taylor was deep and mysterious.. and understood the nuance of the human soul.

now, of course, he's fine and dandy.. I actually saw him in about 1987-88 maybe.. but not as deep and complex as I once thought.

to answer your question, no - I don't scream out "IN MY MIND I'M GOOOOING TO CAROLINA".. the way some people scream out "SOUUUUTH DEETROIT" do here.

I will say this, BJ Barham - front man for American Aquarium - has a great song called "Madeline" and he refers to "summertime on the Blue Ridge Parkway" - I practically grew up on the Blue Ridge Parkway.. so that's cool.

(however, I don't scream it out when I hear the song).

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

Da Mayor wrote:Bob, do you sing "Carolina In My Mind" as loudly and as fervently as Sterling Heights and Novi natives sing the "Born and raised in South Detroit" line from Don't Stop Believin'?

I remember being in about 10th grade or so.. and thinking that James Taylor was deep and mysterious.. and understood the nuance of the human soul.

now, of course, he's fine and dandy.. I actually saw him in about 1987-88 maybe.. but not as deep and complex as I once thought.

to answer your question, no - I don't scream out "IN MY MIND I'M GOOOOING TO CAROLINA".. the way some people scream out "SOUUUUTH DEETROIT" do here.

I will say this, BJ Barham - front man for American Aquarium - has a great song called "Madeline" and he refers to "summertime on the Blue Ridge Parkway" - I practically grew up on the Blue Ridge Parkway.. so that's cool.

(however, I don't scream it out when I hear the song).

I'm very happy to hear that, Bob. I knew you were better than fake ass Detroit poseurs.

Da Mayor wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:


I remember being in about 10th grade or so.. and thinking that James Taylor was deep and mysterious.. and understood the nuance of the human soul.

now, of course, he's fine and dandy.. I actually saw him in about 1987-88 maybe.. but not as deep and complex as I once thought.

to answer your question, no - I don't scream out "IN MY MIND I'M GOOOOING TO CAROLINA".. the way some people scream out "SOUUUUTH DEETROIT" do here.

I will say this, BJ Barham - front man for American Aquarium - has a great song called "Madeline" and he refers to "summertime on the Blue Ridge Parkway" - I practically grew up on the Blue Ridge Parkway.. so that's cool.

(however, I don't scream it out when I hear the song).

I'm very happy to hear that, Bob. I knew you were better than fake ass Detroit poseurs.

been a while since I've posted a good concert update.. so here goes;

Brian Fallon and The Howling Weather a couple of Sundays ago at Saint Andrews - great show, great band and Brian is one of the better young-ish songwriters out there.

have The Devil Makes Three this weekend in Grand Rapids.. and The Menzingers in Grand Rapids a few weeks from now.

here's the thing that really pisses me off - The Mengzingers, Lucero and Frank Turner are playing in Detroit on May 31st (I think) - three amazing bands - and I can't go.. personal conflict.