Michigan Music Blog

Tuesday, December 2: The Gay Blades, Young Coyotes, with other acts to be announced soon – Tickets $8, doors 8:00 pm

Friday, December 5: Bring Me The Horizon, Misery Signals, The Ghost Inside, Confide – Tickets $15/$17, doors 5:30 pm

Sunday, December 7: Evergreen Terrace, Four Letter Lie, This Is Hell, Casey Jones – Tickets $10/$12, doors 7:00 pm

Wednesday, December 10: Mercury Rev, with other acts to be announced soon – Tickets $15, doors 8:00 pm

Thursday, December 11: Noah and the Whale – Tickets $10/$12, doors 8:00 pm

Saturday, December 13: Bang Camaro – Tickets $10/$12, doors 8:00 pm

Monday, December 29: Funeral For A Friend, The Sleeping, Emarosa, The Blackout – Tickets $13/$15

From Kalamazoo, Michigan, ReInventing Yesterday is a hardcore / metal band that is already making their impression not only across the state, but throughout the entire Midwest region of the country. The six-piece band keeps a pretty extensive tour schedule, and led by front-man Luke Mosh, the band has even gained some endorsements already. New Addiction Tattoos and Rip It Energy Drink, just to name a couple.

Be on the lookout for these guys to be hitting stages on a more national level real soon – there’s no about it. These guys definitely have what it takes to take their music to the next step. For the guys of ReInventing Yesterday, it is just a matter of time.

If you are reading this blog post right now, chances are you are one of the smart ones (or ignorant ones, depending on who you ask) that stayed home during Black Friday. And who can blame ya? With all of the traffic, and the pushing and shoving, and of course the hassle of long lines, it’s just not really worth it in my opinion. Personally, I find the internet has deals that are just as good as the stores do today, and I don’t even have to leave my house. When it comes to Black Friday, the World Wide Web is most definitely the best way to do your shopping.

Well it’s finally here – Thanksgiving! A time for giving thanks, relaxation, getting in touch with friends and family members, but most importantly – vacation time from work, tons of good food and beer and football! What could be better! This year the Detroit Lions square off against the Tennessee Titans at Ford Field for their traditional Thanksgiving Day football game. And while the Detroit Lions generally do pretty well on Thanksgiving Day, I can’t help but to put my money on the Titans. The Lions have just been doing way too horrible to get my bet on this match. Sorry guys, better luck next year.

Not to be outdone by all the great live concerts that are coming to Grand Rapids, Detroit has some killer shows of its own. And as you might expect, you can find the best ones at Harpo’s.

Saturday, November 29 – Kittie (now booking local opening acts). All ages, tickets are $15, doors open at 6 pm.

Saturday, December 13 – Dope (now booking local opening acts). All ages, tickets are $15, doors open at 6 pm.

Friday, January 23 – Cradle of Filth, Satyricon, Latest Monuments and Septic Flesh. All ages, tickets are $20.

Saturday, January 31 – Soilwork (now booking local opening acts). All ages, tickets are $15, doors open at 6 pm.

December is the time for Holiday cheer and the time of giving – but if you live in the state of Michigan, you also know that December is always a great month for live music. Sure, you might have to drive a slower and a bit more carefully on account of icy or snowy road conditions, but just like every year, this December is jam packed full of shows! Just take a look at these few at The Intersection!

Friday, December 5 – Donna The Buffalo

Sunday December 7 – The Reverend Horton Heat

Monday, December 15 – Candlebox

Saturday, December 20 – The Verve Pipe

Sunday, December 21 – Pop Evil Acoustic

Wednesday, December 31 – Pop Evil New Year’s Eve

Another great metal / progressive / hardcore band coming out of Muskegon, Michigan is Before The Fire. They are no strangers to the scene – these guys have all been on the local music scene here for quite some time now, and they’ve all played in different bands in the past. They all came together as Before The Fire in 2006, however, and have never looked back. Since then they continue to keep Muskegon metal fans entertained with hardcore performances all around West Michigan. If you are anywhere near a venue that has Before The Fire playing and you are a fan of local heavy metal music – I strongly suggest you check these guys out.

If you are a fan of heavy Michigan metal, then there is some good news coming your way: everybody’s famous Western Michigan metal band, If He Dies He Dies has a new CD coming out. And what’s even better is the fact that they are holding their CD release party at none other than The Intersection in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

November 28: If He Dies He Dies with special guests The Trial, The Deadlast, Ascend The Throne and Vandal Known As Myth. 18+ welcome, tickets are only $7 in advance. Doors open at 7 pm, show starts at 8 pm – you don’t wanna miss it!

Well now there are just a few days left until Thanksgiving, and for many people around the country that means only one thing: Black Friday. For those of you who don’t know what it is, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving where all of the stores have their biggest deals of the year. People wait in line for hours on end, some lining up even the night before or at the crack of dawn, so they can hopefully beat the crowds and get the deals they want. Retailers go to great lengths to advertise the deals they are having, so many people are shopping for just a few specific things. Whatever way you do, Black Friday is a mess, and I’m staying indoors all day long!

Contrary to popular belief, Grand Funk Railroad is not a funk band whatsoever – they’re name is based on a stretch of railroad that went through their hometown of Flint, Michigan, called the Grand Trunk Railroad (though a few of their songs do have a funky sound to them). This is, however, a fairly large and well-known railroad system in the state of Michigan.

In 1970 the band was awarded for RIAA gold albums, more than other band that year. While the 1970’s were no doubt the band’s best days, they have seen continued success throughout the 1980’s, 1990’s, and even more recently, into the 21st century, as well.

The Trans Siberian Orchestra is on tour again, just like every year, with their rock and roll versions of all the popular Christmas songs. If you haven’t yet had the chance to see the guys in concert – you should really check them out. Despite the fact that it’s Christmas music, these guys really do rock. And they have 4 shows on 2 separate dates here in Michigan – so you’ve got 4 chances to catch them before Christmas this year!

Sunday, December 21 – The Palace of Auburn Hills – Detroit, MI (3:00 pm / 7:30 pm)

Tuesday, December 23 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI (3:00 pm / 8:00 pm)

Michigan Music Blog has another hot show to announce that is going down on New Year’s Eve, the last party night of 2008. If you are planning on spending the night in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and you are anywhere near The Intersection, this is definitely the part you’ll want to check out on New Year’s Eve. Pop Evil is a great alternative/rock band, and I’m sure they’ve got a killer show lined up so all of the Michiganders can ring in the New Year the right way. Ages 21+ are welcome, tickets are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the show. Doors open at 8 pm, and the party starts at 9!

Well, the time that we have all been dreading is finally here – the first accumulation of snowfall in the West Michigan area. We’ve had a little taste over the past few days, but that lake effect snow was definitely kicking up yesterday in many parts of the state. I don’t believe this particular batch of snow will stick around for too long, but you still better get your snow shovels out and you winter clothes ready – it’s been holding off as long as possible here, but I have a feeling that the snow will soon be here to stay; and just in time for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas!

Friday, November 21, 6:00 pm: Ender/Doctor!Doctor!/Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte/The Implodes/ReInventing Yesterday and more!

Saturday, November 22, 9:00 pm: Burnin’ Man – Tickets $5.00

Wednesday, November 26 9:00 pm: Super Happy Fun Time Burlesque Show

Friday, November 28, 9:00 pm: AB & Coconut Brown – Tickets $5.00

Saturday, November 29, 9:00 pm: Ladymoon – Tickets $5.00

Friday, December 5, 9:00 pm: Funktion/Compendium – Tickets $5.00

Saturday, December 6, 9:00 pm: ReInventing Yesterday – Tickets $5.00

Saturday, December 13, 9:00 pm: Aleph-1/Papadosio – Tickets $5.00

Sunday, Decemeber 14, 9:00 pm: Covert Operations – Tickets $5.00

Friday, Decemeber 19, 9:00 pm: Double Stuffed – Tickets $5.00

Saturday, December 20, 9:00 pm: Burnin’ Man – Tickets $5.00

Wednesday, December 31, 9:00 pm: The Macpodz NEW YEARS EVE BASH – Tickets $8.00 in advance

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (featuring the Rockettes) is coming and will have several shows in the state of Michigan coming up real soon here, and they even have their first ever show in Grand Rapids! Celebrating its 75th anniversary, this is an all new Radio City Christmas Spectacular show that has been put together, and it is sure to keep all audiences happy, young or old, and whether you’ve seen a Radio City Spectacular before or not. Anyway, enough talk – the dates are listed below. Get your tickets now, there’s not much time left!

Nov 19 and 20 – Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids

Nov 21-23 – Joe Louis Arena, Detroit

As of Friday – November 14^th, it is official - the popular movie theatre “Studio 28”, located on 28^th Street in Grand Rapids, Michigan will be closing its doors after a 60 year history in West Michigan. It was created by Jack Loeks, one of the earliest pioneers in the movie theatre industry. Studio 28 started out as a drive-in movie theatre, before later adding one indoor movie screen. In 1988 the theatre expanded to 20 full indoor screens – the largest movie theatre in the entire world at that time. For those of in the West Michigan area, Studio 28 was a staple on 28^th Street in Grand Rapids, and it will be missed.

The date of the 3rd Annual Motor City Metal Fest has been announced, and the show will be held at Harpo’s in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday, January 24. Bands have not been announced yet, but there will be 20 bands on 2 stages. This is an all ages event, tickets are $12, and the doors open at 4 pm. If you are interested in booking a spot on stage for your band, contact Brian at 989-390-0211. According to the Harpo’s website, they don’t have many slots left for performers so if you plan on trying to get your band there and on stage, you’ll need to make it happen quick.

Hailing from the extremely liberal college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, The Ragbirds are another extremely unique local band. Blending styles of folk rock, roots, afro beat, bluegrass and more, they create an awesome an entertaining sound that is all their own. All five members of the band each play a variety of instruments, which make this band even more unique.

They released their second studio album in 2007 called Wanderlove, which the USA Today called “Highly Impressive”. Seriously, if you are anywhere near the vicinity of Ann Arbor, you need to go check out these guys – assuming you can catch them in their own hometown; The Ragbirds have quite the busy national touring schedule these days.

That’s right, in some spots here in the state of Michigan, the price of gasoline is actually BELOW $2!!! Just a few months ago it was nearing the $5 dollar mark – as a result people started driving much less, and now demand has gone done for gas – driving our price down, too. That’s the good news concerning the automotive industry in Michigan. However, there is bad news, too.

General Motors has released a statement that says they will probably run out of money in 2009. This could be a huge disaster for the economy not only in Michigan, but all around the country. We’ll be watching this story very closely as it unfolds.

Well I promised more news concerning the Double JJ Ranch and Resort and the status of the Rothbury Festival 2009, and well we have some already…and unfortunately, it’s not the best news. The judge denied approval of the sale of the resort to a company known as TIA2K, because not enough is known about them. What exactly this means for the 2009 Rothbury Festival dates nobody knows, but I was sure hoping to get closure on this whole thing one way or another. I guess it is still up in the air for now, however, and we’ll keep you posted as soon as we hear more.

A judge in the state of Michigan is expected to rule on the sale of the Double JJ Resort sometime today, which was the site of the 2008 Rothbury Music Festival. As you probably already know, the resort went into foreclosure when the owner at the time, Bob Lipsitz failed to pay back the construction loans that he had received. The bank held an auction, and the entire lot was bid on by a single bidder for somewhere in the ballpark of $10 million, quite a steal (with the exception of the golf course, which went to another bidder for $1 million). Anyway, look for more news on the auction and the 2009 Rothbury Music Festival as it comes in.

The Deltaplex – it doesn’t seem like this place is real busy when it comes to concerts – in fact I can only remember going to one show here in my entire life; instead, most of the event schedule at The Deltaplex in Grand Rapids is filled up with trade shows, conventions and the like. But when they have a show you can bet it’s going to be a good one – they always bring in top quality musicians and a good crowd, as well. They’re in a great location too, and it’s real easy to get in and out of a concert here. I can’t wait to go back here again!

Some good shows to look out for at the Majestic Theatre – located right on the famous Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan.

Saturday, November 15: Tom Morello: The Night Watchman, Boots Riley, with other acts to be announced soon - $25, doors 8:00 pm

Wednesday, November 19: The Original Wailers featuring Junior Marvin, Wya Lindo and Al Anderson, with other acts to be announced soon - $20/$22, doors 8:00 pm

Wednesday, November 26: Bump and the Hard Lessons - $10/$15, doors 9:00 pm

Tuesday, December 9: Suicidal Tendencies, Madball, Whole Wheat Bread - $20/$25, doors 7:00 pm

Monday, December 15: The Faint - $18/$20, doors 9:00 pm

Many people don’t realize that the 70’s rock band Brownsville Station is from the state of Michigan, as well. In fact, many of you may not even realize who exactly Brownsville Station is; but there is no doubt you’ll know them by their most famous song, “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”.

Seen as one of the earliest teen rebellion anthems, Smokin In The Boys Room gained Brownsville Station huge success all across the nation. It topped out at #3 on the record charts, but its impression on American youth and culture had already been made. The song was even covered in the 1980’s by Motley Crue.

Of course Brownsville Station had many other songs, beside Smokin In The Boys Room – but this is by far their most notable work.

Heavy metal/rock/alternative group NIN, better known as Nine Inch Nails is once again coming to the state of Michigan – and this time they’ll take to the stage at the Van Andel Arena in good old Grand Rapids. I happened to see these guys at another venue in early 2006, and after the show they become one of my all time favorite bands. So trust me when I say, this next show at the Van Andel will not disappoint. You should definitely get your tickets for this one now – I already did!

Saturday, November 15th at 8:00 pm / Tickets are $45.00 and $35.00

Well, it’s all said and done folks, and America has made her collective voice heard loud and clear. The winner, without a doubt in the world, is the Democratic nominee Barack Obama – and he is not only our next United States president, but he is also the United States’ first black president to ever take the Oval Office. With Joe Biden as the Vice Presidential, Democrats all around the country are hopeful and optimistic that they can fix this huge mess that was made by George Bush over the past 8 years, and turn this economy around – and hopefully this happens sooner rather than later.

Today is an important day for the citizens of our nation – and I’m sure you probably already know what it is. But for those of you who need a reminder – today is November 4, 2008; Election Day. So get out there and vote – polls will be open until 8 pm, and are located in convenient locations in every city in every state, so you don’t have an excuse. Make sure you get out and make your opinion heard today! And remember, it’s important that you vote not only on the president of the United States, but on any local issues and positions that are on the ballot in your area, as well.

For all you registered voters here in the state of Michigan – we have an important announcement to make at the Michigan Music Blog.

We want you to make your voice heard, and when you go to the polls tomorrow, VOTE YES ON PROP #1 – the proposition for medical marijuana in Michigan. Don’t think this is going to result in a bunch of lazy stoners getting fake prescriptions here – this is only for those who are in dire need of help, such as AIDS patients, and those with certain forms of hepatitis or cancer. Many have tried other medications that simply don’t work as well as medical marijuana – so VOTE YES ON PROP #1!!!

Well, Halloween (and October, for that matter) has come and gone…and now it’s time almost time for Thanksgiving. But first, we’ve got to bring Daylight Savings Time to an end, and that happened last night, on November 2, officially at 2:00 am.

So hopefully everyone remembered to set their clocks back an hour before they went to bed, or they might just end up being early for work in the morning! Anyway have a great day, and remember – November 4 is Election Day, and it’s gonna be here before you even know it – make your voice heard in this year’s election and go out and vote!

Saturday, November 1: Ill Bill, Sean Price, Verbal Kent, Aztek the Barfly – Tickets $18 – Doors 8:00 pm

Tuesday November 4: The Stills with Bitch & The Exciting Conclusion and Girl In A Coma – Tickets $12 – 18+, doors 8:00 pm

Thursday, November 13: SPECIAL LATE NIGHT SHOW: The Fleshtones, Hentchmen – Tickets $10/$12 – 18+, Doors 11:00 pm

Saturday, November 15: Hellogoodbye, Ace Enders, Playradioplay, Nevershoutnever! – Tickets $15/$17 – Doors 7:00 pm

Tuesday, November 25: Job For A Cowboy, Hate Eternal, All Shall Parish, Animosity – Tickets $15, Doors 6:30 pm

Thursday, November 27: Detroit Cobras, with other acts to be announced soon –Tickets $10, Doors 9:00 pm