The Post-Rockist’s Metro Times (Hamtramck) Blowout Picks

I’m coming upon my one-year anniversary of being back in sunny Detroit, my home town, after spending four glorious years in Washington, DC, with its national erection (aka. the Washington Monument) in view for all to see and occasionally walking by Ian MacKaye in Adams Morgan or Ian Svenonius being a creep at a dance party (super amazing performer on stage, but he tried to hit on one of my lady friends who didn’t know he’s a DC-music legend. He creeped her out so badly that I had to walk her home.)

So this is my first Blowout for five years, and I’m excited to see all the bands I’ve been reading about and listening to in one swoop. Joining me in The Post-Rockist’s coverage is Whalebomb, one of Detroit’s most legendary concertgoers. He catches at least 25 shows every year and legend has it that he can instantly distinguish every single chord that a band plays, as long as that chord is either A or D. I’m not sure how we’re going to write this together–we’re just going to try to cover as much ground in Hamtramck as possible. Either way, it’ll be messy, fun, and maybe a little squishy. It’ll be a collaboration not unlike Postal Service, only, like, blogging.

It could be like this, so sayeth Whalebomb: “It’s too bad we couldn’t cover it like the auto show or something. Cause if you think about it, the Blowout is the auto show of music. You go and listen to what you’ll be listening to for the next 12 months. It’s the Electronics Convention…but without the porn convention next door. Blowout should have a porn convention next door. But anyway, how is the auto show covered? I don’t read anything. Too bad there isn’t any easy layout we can copy.”

Now you know why I want…no…need to work with this man. One word only could describe it: Poetry.

Wednesday
Whalebomb:
9:30 – Cetan Clawson (Majestic Theater)
10:30 – Eons (Magic Stick)
11:00 – The Silent Years (Majestic)
11:45 – Bump (Majestic)

Scotter:
I’ll probably get to the Blowout just after the lots fill up, so my car will be available for a break-in, but hopefully I’ll be able to catch the end of I,Crime
9:45 – I, Crime (Stick)
10:30 – Eons (Stick)
11:03-11:14 – The Silent Years (Majestic)
11:15 – Blackreign and Ohkang (Stick)
12:00 – The Human Eye (Stick)

Yeah, you saw it right. I’m leaving The Silent Years to go see Blackreign and Ohkang. Here’s why: I’ve seen The Silent Years several times and although I have a personal connection to the band and think they’re great, I will catch a Hip-Hop show whenever I get an easy opportunity to do so. I don’t think any of the other blaggers will be there, but when I emerge from the show sweaty, exhausted, and thoroughly danced out, you delicate, wallflower dreamsters will be not a little jealous.

I’ve been told that I need to see The Human Eye at least once. I will on Wednesday.

Thursday
Whalebomb
9:30 – This is tough…few bands I’ve never heard of or seen, could be anywhere at this time:
Citizen Smile (Atlas Bar)
The Darts (Baker’s Streetcar)
Millions of Brazilians (The Belmont)
Bill Grogan’s Goat (Whiskey in the Jar)– Described on Myspace as Folk Rock/Funk/Celtic- could be interesting.
10:15 – Speedy Greasy (New Dodge)
11:00 – Champions of Breakfast (Baker’s Streetcar)
12:00 – SikSik Nation (Kelly’s Bar)

Scotter
9:30 – Millions of Brazilians (The Belmont)
10:15 – ???????????????????????????????????????????????????
11:00 – Champions of Breakfast (Baker’s Streetcar)
12:00 – Freer (Atlas Bar)

(Full disclosure: I am not a member of Millions of Brazilians. However, I’m quite sure that I’m the fifth Horseman of Queer.) The MOB have a new EP which should be available at the show (I think) and have posted new tracks to their myspace.

Don’t those question marks at 10:15 look tasty? I’m not sure who I’ll be seeing, exactly. Chromophobia? Lightning Love? Maybe I’ll go to the Arby’s on Jos Campau. Maybe I’ll bring my guitar. Maybe I’ll play my guitar. At the Arby’s.

I somehow keep missing Champions of Breakfast, but will finally get my chance to see them on Thursday. If I had a dime for every time I’ve listened to “Unicorn Bible,” I’d have $4.60.

I’m not really interested in any bands I haven’t heard at the 12:00 slot. So unless I have bit too much to drink to move, I’ll probably go see Freer. I like Freer. Freer is fun, and I’d rather see them than the other bands I’ve seen before at the midnight spot.

And afterward I’m definitely going to Arby’s. Maybe I’ll bring my guitar. Maybe I’ll bring my appetite. Maybe I’ll just bring it.

Friday
Whalebomb
10:00 – Child Bite (K of C Main Hall)
11:00 – Terrible Twos (Small’s)
12:15 – Krakatoa (K of C Lounge)- only a 15 minute time slot
12:00 – Mick Bassett and the Marthas (New Dodge) or Friendly Foes (The Belmont)
1:00 – Zoos of Berlin (New Dodge) or Carjack (The Belmont)

Scotter
10:00 – Last Tourist (Jean’s)
11:00 – Terrible Twos (Small’s)
12:00 – Mick Bassett and the Marthas (New Dodge)
1:00 – Zoos of Berlin (New Dodge), then The Hadituptoheres (Painted Lady)

Last Tourist–I’d like to check them out, obvs.

The 11:00 time slot is tough: You’ve got Deastro at the Painted Lady, Terrible Twos at Small’s, Satin Peaches at the K of C, and Prussia at Paychecks. Are you going to the Satin Peaches, Deastro, Mick Bassett and the Marthas show at the Crofoot on March 14? If you are, that should leave your choice to Terrible Twos and Prussia. I saw Prussia at Scrummage last month and fell in love with that band–they’re really, really great. However, I’ve never caught a Terrible Twos show and am curious about how good they really are, especially given that Real Detroit’s Eric Allen has called them “the future of Detroit rock ‘n’ roll” in his glowing review of their new self-titled album a few weeks ago. Being that I’m the type of writer who tries to stay away from hyperbole unless I really mean it, I’m sure that Eric’s totally genuine about this high praise. Can’t wait to see for myself.

Midnight = Mick Bassett and the Marthas. Great tunes, great band, a female trombonist (or should I write Trombonette-ist?)–this is a great band and I hope that more bluesy rock bands with interesting lyrics show up on the scene.

Since I’ll already be at The New Dodge for Mick Bassett, I’ll try to czech out Zoos of Berlin, who I haven’t seen in a long time. However, I’ll be making my way over to the Painted Lady to catch the Hadituptoheres. As many of you know, this ticket went through some changes when Lee Marvin dropped out of the Blowout. Deastro hit the 11:00 slot and the Hadits were moved up to 1:00, with the Lee Marvin-membered Sugarcoats getting the midnight spot. Word has it that the Metro Times did not necessarily handle this as judiciously for all parties as it should have, but the Hadits should be the kind of high energy show to end Friday the right way.

Saturday
Whalebomb
11:00 – Lenny Stoofy (Baker’s Streetcar)
11:30 – Serenity Court (Knights of Columbus – Lounge)
12:00 – The Dead Bodies (Baker’s Streetcar)

Scotter
10:00 РBlas̩ Splee (Painted Lady)
11:00 – Lenny Stoofy (Baker’s Streetcar)
12:00 – The Dead Bodies (Baker’s Streetcar)

It only took one visit to Blasé Splee’s myspace page to decide where I’d be starting Day Four of Blowout. I’m interested to find how these songs will translate on the stage. I like Detroit Rock as much as anyone else, but the scene is changing and I think Detroit Pop is just as formidable.

There are a lot of good bands at 11:00 and 12:00 on Saturday. At 11:00 we’ve got Stare Into the Sun, Sex Ghost!, and at midnight at Paycheck’s is Oscillating Fan Club, but I’m beckoned by Lord Scrummage, as Sigourney Weaver’s baby was beckoned by Vigo the Carpathian in Ghostbusters 2, to see Lenny Stoofy at the Baker’s Streetcar.

Serenity Court plays at 11:30, which may be advantageous for some folks going from bar to bar catching half-sets. But not if you’ve recently downloaded The Dead Bodies’ Cock Cock Cock Cock Xanadu Xanadu for free from their website. CCCCXX is an interesting, innovative album of pop songs that you wouldn’t expect from a band called The Dead Bodies. I’ve done a lot of myspace listenin’ over the past couple weeks, but this album has excited me the most and I can’t wait to see the show. They play directly after Lenny Stoofy, so it’ll be a couple hours at Baker’s Streetcar for me.

For the Grand Finale, I can’t argue with Whalebomb:

It’s March Madness…have you filled out your bracket yet?

I’ve been trying to work this Saturday 1:00 a.m. slot for hours and no matter how many times I work it out, The Polish Muslims at 3141 (Locker Room) seem to always win. So that’s my pick for the final slot of the 2008 Metrotimes Blowout.

But will I be there? Who knows. I don’t. That’s why I asked you. It seems that in Blowouts past, that final night has many questions and where I end up for any portion of that night is decided by answering some of the following:
Who’s sober? Anyone?
Who’s driving? (SHOULD be the same person as the sober one, children)
Who’s tired? (unfortunately, probably also the same as the sober driver)
Who’s hungry? Omelette at The Clock?

–Posted by Scotter