Band's Make Their (Metro Times) Blowout Picks, for 2009

Metro Times Blowout 12 - 2009
Mar 4th - Mar 7th -
Hamtramck, MI
Full Line Up
Info ~

Every year for the Blowout it’s the same perfunctory rigmarole from the press and the bloggers and the old guard of Detroit rock… They compile a list, or a preview package and they make their “picks” for the annaul Hamtramck-based music festival (the largest local music festival in the U.S.). And, often, these picks are based on whatever free promo they’ve been listening to the most in their cubicles and their cars, or whatever band is the current buzzer on the blog comment boards (for praise or for discredit) or whatever band has the craziest reputation in terms of their live show.

At Deep Cutz, we took a different route – while we have our own opinions and would love to pile them onto the white noise of the internet…, we took ourselves out of the equation and went to the bands who are performing at this year’s festival (line up here).

These musicians, though “on the bill” and “set to perform,” will actually only be occupied for roughly 45 minutes…leaving them the rest of the 4-night-long (Mar 4 - Mar 7) festival to peruse the 20 different bars/venues throughout the humble Detroit satellite of Hamtramck– able to catch their preferences and satisfy their own curiosities amongst the 200+ band line up…

In the coming weeks, we’ll feature exclusive picks, straight from the mouths of the music heads who’ll be up under the lights…be they at the bright blaze of the K of C Main Hall or the dimmer quaintness of Bakers Streetcar…

This week – we feature the plans of Mr. Ryan Allen (of performers Friendly Foes, and also Thunderbirds Are Now!) The Friendly Foes play a “close-out” type set, the headlining spot at the Belmont (10215 Joseph Campau St) on the last night of the festival, Saturday 3/7. Joining them on this admirably balanced bill of rock and rap: hip/hop MC, Smoke - aka The Black Cat (myspace.com/smoke313); indie-pop trio Lightning Love (myspace.com/lightninglove); and rap/r&b artist Leaf Erikson (myspace.com/leaferikson)

Ryan Allen's Blowout Picks:

Wednesday:

There's really no reason not to see everybody at the pre-party. All are awesome in their own special way. Though if I were hard-pressed, my dream for the Wednesday show would be for Child Bite and Silverghost to form a supergroup (Ghost Bite, perhaps?) and cover the entirety of Devo's "Jocko Homo." Plus, that joystick would look cool next to Deleano's drum machine thingy. I don't think Marcie could grow a beard tho... come to think of it, I don't think Deleano could either.

Another dream would be for Outrageous Cherry to play "Our Love Will Change the World" over and over again, because it's one of the most amazing songs to come out of Matthew Smith, Detroit, and maybe the entire universe - ever.

Thursday:

1. Public Pubes @ Trowbridge House - I have no idea who or what Public Pubes is, but I'm in full support of them purely based on their name. There are too many people showing bald genitalia these days, and it's good to see a band making a case for the au natural look. If the play their cards right, they could end up on TMZ or Perez Hilton.

2. The blank time slot in between Rouge Satellites and Deastro @ KofC - ________________________ is going to be awesome. (ed. …was blank at time of “survey” – but now is filled by Satin Peaches).

3. Much Too Much @ Baker's Street Car - These dudes practice in the same space as Friendly Foes, and sound real nice through the door when I'm getting one of those 50 Cent vitamin water's out of the vending machine. They also dress like normal dudes - more baggy jeans and shorts in indie rock, please.

4. Zoos of Berlin @ KofC Lounge - I'm going to show up and heckle them to play a Mas Brus song. Nobody will understand this.

5. Beverly Fre$h @ the Belmont - There's something about white people rapping over flute solos that just really does it for me.

Friday:

1. Allan James and the Cold Wave @ KofC Lounge - AJ is my twin brother, my buddy, and also, maybe, my dad. He also writes real purty sawngs and sings 'em all good and stuff.

2. Running With Panthers @ Small's - These guys have a song called "Drunk As Fuck, High As Hell." Sounds like a good time, right?

3. Lee Marvin Computer Arm @ KofC Hall - Break up. Make up. Rock out. Trumpets.

4. City Center @ KofC Lounge - Fred Thomas of Saturday Looks Good To Me getting his Animal Collective/High Places/I-live-in-Brooklyn-now thang on. I missed this when he brought the loopy, ambient pain at that sweet-ass house show in Ferndale about a month ago, and I think I'll be drunk enough to want to get my mind freaked out by this around 1:00 am. I wouldn't mind hearing a little "The Girl's Distracted" tho. I wonder what that would sound like with delay pedals and drum loops...?

Saturday:

1. Old Empire @ Baker's Street Car - Labelmates of FF, Old Empire sound a little like Peter Murphy from Bauhaus being backed by "Being There"-era Wilco. Also, dig that synth line in "Sea Captain." Bonus: Alexis works at mall, and so do I! Mall buddies!

2. Lightning Love @ The Belmont - I love their songs, but mostly I love their blog.

3. One AM @ The Belmont - I'll be pretty tied up then, but if not I'd totally want to check out this Friendly Foes band.

(Beverly Fre$h)

(a Ryan Allen pick)

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Also offering advice/directions, is Mr. Will Yates (from performers Zoos of Berlin, and also of the Pop Project and Javelins)

Zoos of Beriln headline Thursday night (3 / 5) in the K of C Lounge (Knights of Columbus – 9632 Conant St.) Joining them is the smooth shimmery dance pop of Daniel (myspace.com/lazrusmusic); prog/surf-rockers Devilfish (myspace.com/devilfishband) and sunny pop/rock consortium Blasé Splee (myspace.com/blasesplee).

Will Yates Blowout Picks:

WEDNESDAY I'll probably move around as much as poss

ible, but at the least I'm hoping to check out Child Bite, Outrageous Cherry and Gepetto Files.

THURSDAY I'm planning to watch Blase Splee at the K of C Lounge, swing over to The Belmont for The Word Play, then come back to K of C for the rest of the night to watch Daniel, The Silent Years, Deastro, and -- if someone will hold up my full-length mirror for me -- myself.

Friday morning I'm going to be catching a bus to meet up with Javelins' tour to SXSW, but if I were still in town my picks might be:

FRIDAY: Matt Jones at the Atlas Bar, then Terrible Twos at the K of C hall, then Wildcatting at Paycheck's, then Great Lakes Myth Society back at the Atlas Bar.

SATURDAY: Lightning Love at the Belmont, then Chapstik at Small's, then Friendly Foes back at the Belmont.

(Daniel.)

(a Will Yates pick)

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Tune in next week for Blowout Picks from:

Josh Epstein from the Silent Years

Zach Weedon from Lee Marvin Computer Arm

Jeff Howitt from Duende / Pinkeye

and Prussia!

more info at: http://www.metrotimes.com/blowout/