Michigan Music Blog

Last Friday marked the beginning of the annual Heavyweight Championship of Rock at The Intersection in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Round 1 featured bands Charles the Osprey, Night of 1000 Knives, Absinthe, The Trial, Vintage, and Last Rite. Round 2 will continue Friday, January 9 with Choke, Release the Crimson, Kill Tomorrow, Our Fate In Hell, The Dead Last, En Vino Veritas. Round 3 will take place on Friday, January 16 with Weddg, Garda, Tru-Burn, Stockton, Genetic Drift, and State of the Union. Round 4 takes place on Friday, January 23 with Storied Life, Feeble, Brothers, Page 66, Breaknek, and Ascend The Throne.

The Heavyweight Championship Finals will begin on Saturday, February 7.

If you are a fan of live Michigan music, you’ve probably already heard of Orange October – if not, you need to come out from underneath that rock, take off your headphones and have a listen to some real rock, straight from the lakeshore. These guys hail from Muskegon, Michigan, they’ve been regulars at the Muskegon Summer Celebration for the past several years, they’ve got sponsors and their very own line of merchandise – Orange October really has it going on. They can be found playing all throughout Muskegon and the greater Western Michigan area – but look for them to be on their own national tour very soon!

One of the more popular bands on the music scene today, the White Stripes consist of Jack White on vocals, guitar, and other instruments and his wife, Meg White on drums and some occasional vocals. The two were married in 1996, and started playing music together privately in 1997 when Meg first learned to play the drums. Later that year, on July 4, 1997 the duo made their debut at the Gold Dollar in Detroit. Their first self-titled CD, on the independent record label Sympathy For The Record Industry, was engineered at the Ghetto Recorders studio in Detroit, Michigan just a few years later in 1999, and they’ve been making great music together ever since.

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!

Legendary rock and roll band Tesla will be coming to the Orbit Room! I hope they’ll play some classics, I’m sure they will – but something tells me they might just focus on songs from their new album. New Tesla? I don’t know…it just doesn’t sound all that great to me – call me crazy. That being said, this should be a good show for those into classic rock music.

Saturday, October 18 on the Forever More Tour (to promote their new album, Forever More, which is to be released on 10/07/08)

16+, tickets are $25 in advance or $29 day of show / doors at 6 pm

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On April 21, 1947 in Muskegon, Michigan, James Newell Osterberg Jr., better known now by his stage name Iggy Pop was born in Hackley Hospital. Considered to be one of the innovators of punk and garage rock, Iggy Pop has had a few recognized hits such as “Lust For Life” and “Candy”, but for the most part has avoided the mainstream.

Iggy’s early career started in Ann Arbor where he played drums for various bands in the 1960’s. One band, which was known as The Iguanas, is where the young, aspiring musician got his stage name from. But it is with  the Stooges that Iggy Pop became best known for his antics in stage diving, self mutilation and indecent exposure.

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