May 2011
1 post
April 2011
1 post
community records: HEAD ABOVE WATER-CONTEST! →
communityrecords:
WIN PRIZES WHILE HELPING SAVE THE GULF!
The Oil Spill:
We are doing what we can to spread the word about this man-made ecological disaster that has adversely effected this place we call home. We could use your help.
Starting on April 20th, 2010, 205.8 million gallons of crude oil leaked into…
REBLOG PLEASE. This is important.
February 2011
2 posts
In 2004, The Ska Is Dead Tour was created to help reinvigorate a genre and a scene that was much loved by its fans, but often dismissed by the mainstream media. The first tour brought together bands on the forefront of the genre (Big D, Catch 22, Mustard Plug, The Planet Smashers), and proved that ska was very much still alive.
Since that initial spark, Ska is Dead has organized hundreds...
November 2010
2 posts
Mustard Plug's "Big Daddy Multitude" Digital...
Mustard Plug’s first official release on CD format, Big Daddy Multitude, came out in 1993 - well before Ska became a household word, but after Mustard Plug had spawned a large Midwest following. Originally released on lead singer Dave Kirchgessner’s Dashiki Clout Records, it was soon picked up by Ska powerhouse Moon Ska Records. With Moon’s distribution, Mustard Plug found an...
July 2010
1 post
Upcoming shows (not all ska)!
Big ups to Cory from the forums/Sparks/the real world for compiling this!
July 15 (Thursday) - Royal Oak (Club 309) - CBJ, Staple Salute, Explicit Bombers, Take a Hint, A.T.G. July 17 (Saturday) - Grand Rapids (Billy’s Lounge) - Vic Ruggiero, Chris Murray, The Forthrights, Deals Gone Bad July 18 (Sunday) - Ann Arbor (Blind Pig) - Vic Ruggiero, Chris Murray, The Forthrights, 1592,...
April 2010
1 post
March 2010
2 posts
A Couple of Upcoming Shows!
I haven’t the time to compile all of them but here are a couple key ones you must go to:
TONIGHT: Flatliners/WATU/Snips at Mac’s at 6pm.
Friday:
^ BIG DEAL. You will be quite remiss if you don’t attend this, it will be great.
Come out and support two out-of-state acts and, while you’re at it, Michigan’s newest ska-ish band, featuring exmembers of Treehouse...
January 2010
2 posts
Midwest Ska Moment Interview w/ Matt Wixson! →
A neat interview of our dearest Matt Wixson. Check out the rest of all the Midwest/MN ska stuff, maybe one day the MN Ska forums will (treehouse) rival ours. And maybe ours will one day rival ones people actually frequent!
Saturday is Pinstripes with A Name for Ourselves, Staple Salute and CbJ at Mac’s, it will be most excellent. Doors are $8 BUT you can get $6 presales from those bands!
...
This Is A Stickup 1/8/09 & Deal's Gone Bad 1/9/09!
Yeah, how about a review of two shows.
First show of the two: This is a Stick Up, Hometown Heroes, Superdot, Matt Wixson and Explicit Bombers at the Factory in Rochester.
Up first was Matt Wixson, 2010 edition! The new edition did this show sans alcohol and actually messed up very little, which was awful because people love that button that says otherwise. He played new songs, “Surely,...
December 2009
1 post
Free Music! Other Stuff!
1.) Open Hand Records has two releases this month you should check out. First, one that was just released is The Best of the Worst’s new release (click the image):
The Best of the Worst is a ska/punk band from the East Coast that’s been described as “sounds like WATU with more cred” (facetious or not, considering the source).
Also upcoming from Open Hand is Babylon...
November 2009
2 posts
Bomb the Music Industry/CbJ/Staple Salute/A Big...
Despite being part of a number of people who ended up sick the Monday after SiD4 (frequent joke: ska’s trying to take us with it.), I bossed up, drove out to Ann Arbor to pick up my homie, Matt C., then out to Lansing in a mad rush because I left AA at the listed door time. I was pleased to discover that the first band (Smashing Blumpkins, who were from what I can ascertain, a crust...
Ska Is Dead IV in Detroit, 11/6/09!
First, unrelated to the primary subject, Suicide Machines reunion the night before! After a lot of excitement over it and a lot of disappointment when I learned the show I knew about was 21 and up. A couple weeks later, I learned of an all-ages one at the Trumbullplex and proceeded to camp out for a long time, with an even longer time with Mike Land and Eric Greene (PlaidandProud on the forums/one...
October 2009
3 posts
Update!
Just a few scattered items of varying importance:
1.) There hasn’t been a flyer dump in a while but there hasn’t been too much to dump. As far as local shows go, the only one I’ve caught wind of is Ska for Darfur on Nov 14th at the B-side in Ann Arbor. Arranged by Kenny of Take A Hint (who are playing) to raise awareness of the genocide in the Sudan, this is a showcase of so...
Mustard Plug/We Are The Union/Treehouse...
After an odd drive of sporadic rain and just as much construction, I got out to Lansing for my first show in a while. First thing noticed upon reach Mac’s, a few more young kids and parents and soon I learned that was related to…
Catalina Wine Mixer! Note: they are YOUNG. Myself and some others were surprised again when they pulled out a Green Day cover and did a good job with it....
September 2009
1 post
Upcoming Shows!
September 18th- Mustard Plug, Deal’s Gone Bad and Randy Thunderbird at Papa Pete’s in Kalamazoo
September 18th- Koffin Kats, The A-Gang ( Former Frank White/Suicide Machines) , ATG (former No Regrets) and Cbj at New York New York (in Premier). $5 [why is Premier pricing shows like these so well, where was that months ago?), 18+.
September 19th- Deal’s Gone Bad and Matt Wixson...
July 2009
4 posts
Review of CbJ's "One Day, On the Way" by Ren!
CBJ – One Day, On the Way (2009)
Pros: The blend of ska-punk I’ve grown to love and expect to come out of Detroit. They have lots of energy, fun sing-alongs, and lots of all around musical talent.
Cons: From the looks of the CD itself I had expected the recordings to be a little higher quality. The recordings are not horrible by any means, just not very polished. The mixing of vocals and bass on...
STBA/Bike Tuff/TIASU/DPR/Take A Hint at the Token...
Ok…sorry for the extremely long delay, but I mostly have good reasoning if you are really that interested in my personal life. Anyway, after getting a call from Ben that he wouldn’t be able to make this show, I hopped in my car and drove the 2 miles to the Token. I paid my $10 and sat down and was instantly disappointed by the lack of a crowd. So I sat there by myself for awhile until Wixson...
Deal's Gone Bad/Treehouse Rivals/CbJ/Minority...
After getting a ride with Treehouse (no, we haven’t moved in together yet) and a delicious omelette at Theio’s, I went over to go watch…
A Name For Ourselves! Although I cover the MI ska scene, I do leave Grand Rapids far too neglected (partially due to the fact that I live on the opposite side of the state and I have other things to spend my money on than going out to GR and...
The Community Records Tour (w/ Matt Wixson, Forty...
Due to a work obligation, I had to miss the first half of this show and Greg P. will be reviewing that
I work at, I will say, “America’s greatest history attraction” and that entailed me learning ragtime dancing from 6-7:30, which accounts for me missing Wixson, ABE and FtA, which I did not want to do. So after arriving and eating some delicious Jimmy John’s was…
...
June 2009
2 posts
June 16th - The Aggrolites, Green Room Rockers,...
St. Andrews Hall is located a stone’s throw from Detroit’s Greek Town, so it’s always a tradition for me to grab some delicious food when attending a show at the Hall or it’s basement (and the host of the Aggrolites show), the Shelter. Niki’s is my restaurant of choice, because of it’s delicious pizza and proximity to the venues, but feel free to embrace a ...
BAMF comes to MI (6/10/09-6/12/09)!
BAMF, excellent ska/hardcore/punk band from St. Louis, decided to be cool enough to stop in Michigan for three shows this June. Unfortunately they had to miss their first one due to a band member getting food poisoning. Then next show was at Premier, for maybe one last time. After hanging out in Ferndale, playing some Cranium, getting to Premier and getting goody bags of hygiene products (free...
May 2009
5 posts
Review of Staple Salute's "Demo (Loud, Hot, Fast)!
Amongst the small number of non-defunct MI ska bands, Staple Salute is probably one of the most popular of the third-wave pop-punk ska bands. After garnering support in their hometown and at Premier, they finally decided to make some recordings for release, the EP known as “Demo (Loud, Hot Fast)”. Despite illegally downloading this EP, I very regretfully am quite late to review it...
Upcoming Shows!
Most metal flyer ever.
NOTICE CONCERNING ABOVE FLYER: ZAYDEE’S IS UNFORTUNATELY CLOSING AND THIS SHOW WILL BE RELOCATED, THE NEW LOCATION WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS SOON AS IT’S KNOWN.
JUNE 16- THE AGGROLITES AT THE SHELTER IN DETROIT, 8PM. SORRY, I DON’T KNOW ANYMORE ABOUT THAT SHOW.
JUNE 17- ATOMIC POTATO (OHIO SKA), CAR FULL OF MIDGETS (HEAVILY STREETLIGHT...
Forty Lashes/A Billion Ernies/Treehouse...
After one of the best local shows almost everyone missed (Premier last month), I was rather apprehensive about how this one would go down, as far as draw and how Premier’s staff ran it. After running a bit later than I wanted to and chatting it up was…
Failed Attempt 52! Now, neither “-core” elements nor Christianity are my personal taste but, from what I heard of this...
Mustard Plug/the Johnstones/St. Thomas Boys...
After a great show on Friday, I really didn’t think this show’s appealing lineup could do me any wrong except perhaps by blowing out my ears or exacerbating what I now think are shin splints (THAT’S WHAT I GET FOR DANCING). So Joe, Dave, Brandon and I left for Hamtramck (Or “Tranick” as it has now come to be known, following a grave inability to spell by another local...
Treehouse Rivals/Frank White/Orange...
Finals are done, so I am more free to empty time into this here blog and, considering posting a review too long after the show is lame, here’s a show review.
So this was my first local show for the summer and with a pretty great lineup, I don’t know that there was much of a chance to be disappointed. First up were…
Walk Your Bike! Now, WYB is definitely not usual ska show...
April 2009
5 posts
Upcoming Shows!
BAMF! and Fight Fight Fight are two touring acts from Missouri and, as you should with any of the touring acts, please come out to the show. As far as touring acts go, BAMF has been very cool and has booked 3 dates in Southeastern Michigan (One with Open Hand Records’ Informant!), so go to at least one of them!
MAY 1ST- FORTY LASHES, KIDS EAT FREE, SUPERBUMS AND HOMETOWN HEROES AT...
Treehouse Rivals/Dr. Pretorious and the...
So, after hanging out with Treehouse folks and Dave for awhile before the show, we headed over to AJ’s around 6:30 (as some didn’t want to get there too early, as to avoid an inevitable whining from AJ about how he wants our money) for the show. Without too much time wasted on setting up, an already decent sized crowd watched…
Staple Salute! Now, considering their other shows...
New We Are The Union EP!
Three songs from their sessions with Matt Allison at Atlas Studios! Available for $2 (download) HERE through PaperandPlastick! Go! Support your local giant rockstars!
Downtown Brown/Forty Lashes/Staple...
So, this is sort of a kick off of the spring-summer ska season and the end to that month long unintentional hiatus this blog had going on. Considering I review every ska show I go to, I hadn’t gone to a ska show since 3/15 before going to this show. So I was jonesing.
After picking up LoC tickets for myself and a couple others and discovering that 2/3 of the lanes on I-94 were closed from...
Review of Skavesa's "Ten Years of Love and Hate"!
If you hadn’t guessed, this is not a Michigan ska act but rather an Italian one. I was contacted by their singer/guitarist Ferrari Fabrizio, who also runs Skoolbus Records, via email about getting me a copy of “TYoLaH” for reviewing purposes. I was enthralled that running this actually got me something and responded with my address, then waited. Surely enough, rather promptly,...
March 2009
7 posts
Upcoming Shows (Again?!)
4/13- LILY ALLEN AT ST. ANDREW’S HALL, 8PM
4/17- THE SLACKERS AT THE BLIND PIG IN ANN ARBOR AT 8PM, $12/$14, OPENERS TBA.
MAY 31- BIG SKA SHOW AT THE PERFECT PITCHER IN TAYLOR. FORTY LASHES, TREEHOUSE RIVALS, THE SUPERBUMS AND KIDS EAT FREE. $5, MORE BANDS AND TIME TBA.
BAMF (MISSOURI POP-PUNK/SKA/HARDCORE), FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT (MISSOURI POP-PUNK)
$5 HEAVILY SUGGESTED DONATION...
Upcoming Shows
^3/21 AT ST. ANDREW’S HALL, $18.50/$20, 7PM
4/13- LILY ALLEN AT ST. ANDREW’S HALL, 8PM
4/17- THE SLACKERS AT THE BLIND PIG IN ANN ARBOR AT 8PM, $12/$14, OPENERS TBA.
4/18- SPECIAL GUEST HEADLINER (TBA ON 3/28), W/FORTY LASHES, ORANGE MARSUPIALS, TREEHOUSE RIVALS, STAPLE SALUTE, AND CHESTERFUNK AT PREMIER CONCERT THEATRE IN CHESTERFIELD. $10, 6PM
MAY 31- BIG SKA SHOW AT...
Mustard Plug/Resignators/Forty Lashes/Treehouse...
Despite being vehemently opposed to Lansing shows as I would guess draw would be better closer to Detroit, I was able to get out there for this show and a lot faster than I previously thought (albeit speeding). So Eric (plaid&proud), two Ferndale Treehouse peoples and myself got out there unnecessarily early, which ended up being hanging with Treehouse, talking to the old guy who works at...
Staple Salute!
Firstly, after too long of not recording anything and doing no merchandising (or much beyond playing shows), Staple Salute has recorded their first EP, “Demo (Loud, Hot, Fast)”! I hope to be getting my own copy of this soon for reviewing but I encourage you to go listen to it at their Myspace. The extremely good recording quality (also heard on Treehouse Rivals’ EP and Monkey...
We Are the Union/Frank White at UofM's Sigma Phi...
Show pro and and scholar Eric Greene (Plaid&Proud) has been so kind as to make up for my compromised account of this show (I spent too much time in the basement) with an excellent review of the night, sans Swellers (they played after WatU). So here you go and big thanks to Eric!
A punk show on Friday, March 6th, 10:30, at the Sigma Phi Fraternity house, also known as Metal Frat, in Ann Arbor....
1.) No full review of the WatU/Frank White/Swellers show last Friday in AA as I have no major criticisms or pictures. A few things on it though: The lineup order was messed up, I would have liked to see Swellers play first and WatU last, assuming WatU and Frank White would have gotten longer sets (I needed a couple more “we’re just being who we are”s, the quota was not met). It...
Upcoming Shows!
March 6th- FOR UoFM ANN ARBOR STUDENTS- We Are the Union, Frank White and the Swellers at the Metal Frat!
MARCH 20TH- MUSTARD PLUG, DEAL’S GONE BAD, CHRIS MURRAY and the GREEN ROOM ROCKERS AT THE BLING PIG IN ANN ARBOR, $10/$12.
MARCH 21st- LESS THAN JAKE IN DETROIT
APRIL 13th- LILY ALLEN AT ST. ANDREWS HALL
APRIL 17th- THE SLACKERS AT THE BLIND PIG IN ANN ARBOR.
APRIL 18th- PREMIER...
February 2009
8 posts
The Organizer! →
MI ska icon and frequent subject on here Matt Wixson has started a podcast and this is the accurate info he provides:
“Ten songs per podcast with one common factor between them. There might be a thematic similarity in the lyrics, or maybe a unifying musical trend. Musician and host Matt Wixson delivers (regularly, if all goes as planned) a batch of songs and bands who somehow fit into the...
Ziptacular, St. Thomas Boys Academy, Matt Wixson...
So, after getting the bad news that this was Ziptacular’s last show and around 5, Dave and I left the DBN for the Dirty South (the new Mason-Dixson line is 94 at Telegraph) so we would be sure to get there on time, as opposed to what happened last time. We get there with no problems, which means very early, so we chill in the auditorium and chat until, later than advertised, we watch…
...
Treehouse Rivals, Monkey Jacket, Front of R., at...
First: Dave wrote the initial review and, unfortunately, it was not embellished enough for my tastes, so I’m building my own on top of his.
We leave our houses at 3pm and head for Ferndale, finally reaching Topi’s house about an hour after we were told to get there. We then drive to National Coney Island in Royal Oak (nicest one, one being Coney and compared to every other Coney) to...
Upcoming Shows!
^ALL METAL BANDS VS. STAPLE SALUTE, BUY TICKETS FROM STAPLE SALUTE AND HELP THEM BEAT THE METAL BANDS AND WIN A SWEET PRIZE THAT WILL PROBABLY MEAN RECORDINGS BY THEM.
MARCH 20th- MUSTARD PLUG AND DEAL’S GONE BAD AT THE BLIND PIG IN ANN ARBOR, $10/$12.
MARCH 21st- LESS THAN JAKE AT ST. ANDREW’S HALL IN DETROIT
MAY 15th- A BILLION ERNIES WITH FORTY LASHES, MATT WIXSON,...
Corporation/Happy Accidents/ThR/CIB800/Monkey...
So, first I’d like to say that the punx were barely upped at this. So, anyways, Dave and I left the DBN around 4 something and we got to the show at about 6. It was suprisingly easy to find and way too cold. After some harassment by Don, we went in and saw…
Monkey Jacket! From what I heard of their lengthened set, MJ played great. The biggest factor in how good they sounded was that...
We Are The Union Interview by Matt Stacks!
Note from Ben: This is the first contribution by Matt Stacks and a great one at that! I know I just posted an older interview with WatU a week or two ago but the more the merrier, a great band and a needy blog.
I sat down to interview with Matt Belanger of We Are The Union. Over a couple days we got to talking and decided to do this as an interview. Enjoy!
Matt: The Michigan Ska scene consist of a...
Get Your Tickets To Awesome Local Bands' Big...
Our rad local ska bands are selling tickets to big shows for them and, hopefully, for all of us. Each band is selling tickets to these shows and here’s the rundown of those, soonest to lastest:
February 2/15- Ska legends the Toasters are coming to Mac’s Bar in Lansing (in addition to Michigan Tech, for free) and Bermuda Mohawk has local acts opening. Each being arguably ska in their...
Staple Salute at Premier 1/31!
In the midafternoon, Dave and I set off to pick up Joe and his homie Davey and get to Premier (the home of the monthly band-packed ska show) around an hour before the show starts to be greeted by the Dick Hickey posse’s newly-bought megaphones. So after some goofing around, having little kids eavesdop on incredibly inappropriate conversations and a trip to 7/11, we got in (Huge thanks to...