Best 2010 Local Metal Shows

2010 was an exciting year for local metal bands. There were some amazing shows that these bands got to take part in and I was happy that I got to catch them.

5. St. Patty’s Day Metal Mayhem at Mac’s- This show was the first local metal show I went to in 2010 and I’m glad I did. Endless Aisle played and got the crowd pumped up by interacting with the crowd in the pit. Although one band, XFactor1, was lame and didn’t fit in, Blacktooth Brigade and Sin Theorem made up for it.

4. Death Valley Dragline Oct.9 at Mac’s- I found out about DVD earlier in the year but every time they played I was already going to another show, so I put this one on my calendar. Upset by the fact that they played first, because they deserve more people to hear their stuff, didn’t matter because they rocked out like they were playing the Palace. Suma, a Swedish band, was interesting to watch. Their set was very theatrical, but then Unearthly Trance came on and the place exploded, the pit opened up, and I found another favorite band (at least for a while).

3. Impromptu show Nov.4 at Uli’s Haus of Rock- Blacktooth Brigade and All Ends Black put on a sudden show that Thursday night and it was exactly what I needed. Country Blacktooth went on first and played some old, down to earth country. Then All Ends Black played, reminding me why I like new bands, then BTB wrapped up the night. It was a chill night with everyone just hanging out, less formal than a show and it was nice to just be able to relax and listen to some great music.

2. Halloween Metal on the River Oct. 22 on the Michigan Princess- No better way to celebrate an early Halloween than to rock out with some local metal bands and dress up… and be on a boat. The line-up was awesome and I found one of my new favorite local bands, Chemical Crutch. With bands playing on both levels there wasn’t a time when music wasn’t playing, and seeing drunken people try and maneuver around a moving boat is always a good time.

1. The Girls Gone Wild Party Oct. 2 at Men’s Rea- This was the last stop on Blacktooth Brigade’s City Tour (Oct. 2)and they were the band that made this show the best of 2010. The energy level in the set spread to the crowd and the club exploded with it. The whole feeling in the room changed when they were playing. It went from I’m-at-a-concert to this-band-makes-me-want-to-rage. The other bands were good too, but nothing could top BTB’s set, and seeing them play at least 10 times now, it was one of their best sets performance-wise. Best show of 2010 and probably best show that will be played at the dank place now named Men’s Rea.

And since no list is a Top 6 I'll just make honorable mention of the acoustic show that Blacktooth Brigade played. It was amazing and I was surprised that a metal band could still sound like a metal band without drums and without being electric.

All Ends Black

Last night at Harpos was amazing. One of our very own up and coming metal bands, All Ends Black, got to be on of the opening bands for Straight Line Stitch and Soulfly.

There were four local bands that got to open up for these two headliners, and although none of them got much playing time, 3 songs opening for Soulfly is an opportunity I know I wouldn't have passed up.

All Ends Black went on second and played "Nightmare," "Believe" and "Last Laugh." Although their set was cut short the crowd didn't seem to mind. Hanging around while all the other bands played, and waiting for Soulfly, people kept coming up to the members of All Ends Black and telling them how much they liked them.

One guy who had drove up from Indiana asked the band to sign a snare head and was incredibly excited about getting it- you wouldn't have thought that Soulfly signed it. But people like him are the people who make a difference in the local scene.

And of course, Soulfly played last, as the headliner does. They. Were. Amazing. I had just recently found out about them earlier this year but I have multiple albums and I was so excited to hear they were playing a show in Detroit, and with All Ends Black.

Only downside was they only played about 30 seconds of my favorite song "Jump Da Fuck Up," but it didn't matter. They played stuff from older albums, like Primitive, and really got the crowd going.

The pit was vicious and not one person in Harpos that night was not raging out to Soulfly. The place was in a frenzy and Soulfly knew how to keep it going. As someone who missed most of the good concerts because the bands I really want to see were big when I was about 9, this was a chance to see one of the "older" bands that I love- and see them play with a band that I have covered multiple times, All Ends Black.

As always support your local scene. Get out there, talk to the bands, tell them what you think cause it helps them and they'll thank you for it.

Weird Night at Oades

Even though it was a weird combination of bands playing a Oade's Hidden Camel Saturday night, they were all amazing so it didn't matter.

Billiards Music, as always, played a great set. Including a few new songs. If you know anything about me it's that I like metal, but Billiards Music is just that band that can transcend tastes and everyone enjoys them. "Loaded gun" is a new song and the gorgeous melody just entranced me. I couldn't take my eyes away from the guitar, and the lyrics just made it even better. They had a few problems with some reverberation from one of the drums, but the joke was that every girl just grabbed their crotch in ecstasy- always a fun time with them.


Next was The Violent Sun, and I would like to retract a comment I had made in an article I wrote about them. The singer's voice totally fits and it should not be changed. I don't know if it was just because the article was about their first show, or if the sound was different or what, but last night I just kept thinking how perfectly the singer goes with the melodies. The piano playing is amazing, and all I wanted to do was jump up and start playing because he made me remember how much I loved it and how many different things you can do on a piano.

Blacktooth Brigade closed up the show and thank god they were there last night. As I said in my last post I've been dealing with the loss of a close friend and BTB's "Way of the World" is a song that I love to blast when I'm going through a hard time. And last night was amazing. The band was in a zone, everyone was meshing with each other and smiling... they were on fire. It was one of the best sets I've seen from them, and their music allowed me to let out some of the emotions, that I've had built up inside, out. I was headbanging, singing, well screaming, and just having a great time.

As always support your local scene. Check out the bands I mention and any others that play around Lansing (or wherever you live).

Pick me up

I have had a shitty last week or so. I've been dealing with some drama in my life and on top of that I just found out Saturday that a good friend passed away, and then her birthday was Sunday. Dealing with all this stuff has really dragged me down so of course I turned to music and one of the songs in specific is Blacktooth Brigade's "Way of the World."

This song is that perfect here's-how-the-world-goes-but-that-doesn't-mean-you-have-to-like-it. It starts off slow and somber and explains how it's the way of the world and it will not end well for us. It then starts to dominate and show the anger everyone has when things aren't going well.

It's hard to do this song justice. The 7 minutes of domination, the sweet guitar riffs and solos, the fighter attitude in the lyrics, it all adds together to make one of my favorite songs. The way I feel when I listen to it is hard to put into words, but if it can help me through a time like this then it's definitely worth everyone checking out.

As always, support your local scene. And don't be afraid to have one of your favorite songs be from a band everyone else hasn't heard of.

Thursday Night at Uli's

After going to see the Filipino National Dance company perform I decided that a metal show was just what I needed to make my night normal- at least in my terms. And it never hurts when the show is free either.

Blacktooth Brigade and All Ends Black put on an impromptu show at Uli's Haus of Rock, or Pain according to Uli. Country Blacktooth played first and that was a little weird, mostly because it was actually good. Clint Cox, Daniel Neff, and Ian Smith entertained the crowd with some good ol' country music- not twangy, not poppy, just down home country. The set would have been a little better if they had actually spent time practicing with all of them, but other then the few mess ups with transitions they played well. And it had a great entertainment value nonetheless.

All Ends Black got up and rocked it out. Adam Ray's rap hands make me laugh, but they somehow fit with the scream metal they play. The set was perfect for letting out some rage or just enjoying some good music. Well setting up for their song "Last Laugh" Ray looked over at me and we were both laughing and he went on to say "if you don't know what this song is about go read spartan edge." I had covered the Halloween Metal on the River show, where they played, and in my article spoke of "Last Laugh" and how it was about Ray's old band, Endless Aisle. Some of EA's band mates saw the article and commented about the song, Ray was asking why I had to "sell him out"(but he wasn't actually mad) earlier in the night, so that's why we began laughing when they played it Thursday night.

Blacktooth Brigade closed the night off with a solid performance. I have seen them many times, but their songs still have the same effect on me, and now I know most of the words. Eric Wolfe's and Neff's solos were the icing on the metal cake, and as far as I could tell they didn't mess up. Halfway through the set Cox got a little preoccupied with ordering beers and kept asking if they were on the way, but he didn't let it interrupt the songs- just the time in between haha. Like always BTB put on a good set and the best part of it was that they enjoy playing those songs every time- whether or not they've played three shows in a row, or there are two people at the show, it just doesn't matter to them. They all love what they do which makes it easy for the crowd to love it too.

Metal Girls

Why don't girls who like metal get credit? Why don't we get the same respect in a pit that guys do? And why do guys always think they have to protect us?

As a girl who goes to a lot of metal and has participated in some great pits, I still feel that I'm not given credit. Sure, there are always guys who are like "check that chick out" or girls, if I'm with a friend, but most instantaneously snap into protector mode. I came to the concert, I know the music, I know what happens at shows, and above all, I put myself in this pit- I do not need protection.

A local band, Chemical Crutch, has a song entitled "Catfight" that is all about "the chicks who can mix shit up in the pit," and that was the first time I felt respect. This song gave props to all the girls who do what I do, take the same beatings that I do, and like the same music that I do. This song became an instant favorite of mine, not just because of what it was about, but because of the feeling it evoked from me when I heard it- which is what good music is about.

The other problems I have with the protector mode that guys snap into is that it tends to cross the creepy line fairly quickly, and most of the guys that are there i want nothing to do with. For example, The Slayer pit was amazing but these two guys kept talking about how they needed to protect me and my friend even though we told them multiple times that they did NOT. One of the guys, in particular, was like 45 years old, shirtless, and dripping sweat. My shirt and shorts were completely soaked with this old man's sweat, and he kept putting his hand on my shoulders. Okay, if you're gonna protect me from getting smashed in the pit or something, her it's chivalrous, but if you're gonna try and use it to touch me a bunch and whatnot, than don't bother.

The other problem I have with guys protecting girls in the pit is that it makes us girls seem useless, fragile, and inferior. I get that most guys wouldn't want the girl they're dating to be taking guys down in a pit- it's not the most feminine display- but that doesn't mean we can't do it. Having a guy, that i don't know usually, automatically say that he'll protect me makes me feel inferior. I feel like he doesn't think that I can take care of myself. Probably, that's not true and he's just trying to be nice. But like I said before I put myself in that situation, so trust that I know what I'm doing and can take care of myself.

Then there's the flip-side of the equation. Those girls who go, usually with their boyfriends but they might enjoy it too, and get pissed that people are pushing against them. It's a fucking pit girlie, so if you don't want to be there then get out. If I hear one more girl in a pit complain that everyone keeps pushing them or that it's too hot, or anything else that shows that they don't want to be there, I'm going to punch them. And to make matters worse, they're boyfriends perpetuate the situation. They have the girl completely wrapped up in their arms and throw elbows at anyone who comes close to knocking against her- which I've seen start multiple fights. Couples should just not get into pits unless they can stand to get separated and take care of themselves.

So to all the protector guys out there: Let us be unless we get knocked unconscious or need some other medical help. If we're in the pit, especially by ourselves, assume we want to be there, know what is going to happen, and can take care of ourselves. I'm not saying don't be chivalrous or anything, like if a guy just randomly punches us in the face maybe you can hit him back, but besides that we can handle getting pushed around, and most of us can even throw some damn good elbows.

Give the girls credit, and as always, support your local scene.

The Violent Sun, Billiards Music, and Tree Hut Kings

Sure these bands aren't metal, but even metal heads need a break sometimes. These three bands should definitely get checked out by everyone and are worth mentioning- even on a metal blog.

The Violent Sun is new on the scene. They announced that it was their second show, but they way they played would make you think otherwise. With a keyboardist, stand up bass, and a drum set, this band packs quite a punch with their unique sound. The bass was shaking the floor like thunder and the keys were the crack of lightning on top. the drums provided a nice dimension to the sound- when he was on top of his game at least. The singing is something you have to get used to. It's not bad, but it takes a while for you to get that it does blend with the style and music. The Violent Sun had smooth transitions from slower Decemberists meets James Blunt with some post-punk sound, to the faster groove rock.

They played a slow song, which is how they introduced it, and it was mesmerizing. I felt like I wanted to meditate, to just look back on my life and start judging my decisions and where they got me. With not a lot of singing during this song, you could really tell how talented all these musicians were. Then they played their "dance" song, and it definitely makes you want to move. With a good beat and a sort of Latin sound, but not quite as cheesy as Enrique Inglesias (I spelled this right on my first try and I'm not sure I know how to feel about it).

Next up was Billiards Music, and even though I've seen them multiple times, I still love every show. Personally, it was exactly what I needed after having a really rough week. Their chill stoner sound, Sublime meets Incubus vocals, and overall energy and performance made me forget about everything that has been clogging my mind and stressing me out, and just enjoy. Compared to some of their other shows, and most local shows I attend, there were quite a lot of people there, which allowed the energy escalate throughout the set, with the crowd singing along to almost every song.

Billiards' song "Feelin it' seems to be the crowd's favorite, I know it's mine. With a simple melody and heart felt lyrics, it's the perfect summer song and it's great to jam to any time you're in the car. They seemed to play a pretty long set, which is nice, and they ended it with my other favorite song, "But'er face." This song, well it's not really a full song, is hilarious. Everyone has seen someone that they have deemed a but'er face, but to hear a band turn it into a catchy tune makes it even better. "Someone should say/ you don't look too good," It's perfect.

Tree Hut Kings was up next, and will be playing every third Thursday (I believe) at the Loft. They were amazing. I had never seen them before, but they definitely earn to be a regular somewhere. Cody, conga player from Billiards, joined them for a few songs- and I was kind of upset when I learned that he wasn't part of it, or that they didn't have congas because it sounded really good. The bass player and drummer from Violent Sun were also a part of this jazz meets ska meets chill rock meets... all in all they are very eclectic in their sound and you can find many influences in their songs and lyrics that really blend nicely together.

The singer has this soulful voice and mixed with the old groove rock meets jazz sound, it could be played in so many different places,which would make Santana pleased (one of their influences). During their song "I want you so bad,"(might not be official name but that's how I'll remember it) the keys busted out a trumpet, adding to that ska-ish sound. And throughout the set they had someone playing an electronic clarinet, which is something I've never seen let alone in a band performing. All in all, check this band out because they're quite original and I don't think you'll be disappointed, it doesn't have to turn into your favorite, but it's nice to broaden your interests and influences.

As always, Check out and help support your local scene.

Cigarette Ban Hurts Fans and Bands

Now this might be a little bit of a stretch for some people to agree with, but if you go to as many shows as I do, it's something that you start to notice. Just keep it mind the next time you go see a show.

Often during a show people who smoke will go out for a cig during the intermissions between bands and there's nothing wrong with that. But sometimes people, who have a very strong craving, will leave during a bands set. Now this is where the problem lies. If you leave during a set you miss songs, and the band can lose listeners. There have been shows where a band is playing and I don't necessarily like the song that they are playing, so I say to myself, "Now is a good time for a cigarette." But what happens if the next song they played I would've loved, or the next few (depending on how long the songs are and how long it takes to smoke)? And there in lies the problem.

When people leave during sets or leave between bands (and possibly miss the start of the next band) it hurts the fans and the bands. Bands could easily lose potential fans because they are out having a cigarette. If people are constantly leaving the show to have a cigarette then how will they hear the band- and how will they decide if they really like a band or not?

So the next time you're at a show keep in mind when you go out for a cigarette cause you could miss hearing your next jam or your new favorite band.

Get out there and support your local scene.

Death Valley Dragline Oct 9, 2010 at Macs

Death Valley Dragline is definitely one of my favorite local bands, and I just found out about them recently. Whenever they have played a show I am either already going to another show or I'm out of town, so when I found out they were playing Saturday night at Macs, I was super excited.

DVD was a three piece where the drummer was the singer before they found their new singer. I didn't even notice a difference because Joe just blends so well with the band. The band was saying that they have enough material for a new record which I am very excited about. Their metal sound reminds me of old school bands, with the screaming sounding like Billy Idol, starting from softer and increasing into that kind of cry, high pitched scream.

Death Valley has a great sound, one that can transcend the line between metal and more accessible music- not saying they should sell out to become "radio" metal, but they could definitely tap into more groups.

Suma, a band from Sweden (I believe), was a very weird band to watch. One thing that's cool is that they have the drums in the front of the stage and have the computer in that back, that makes some of the machine sounds voice echos that back the music. There was a little too much build-up before the first song truly started, it was cool at first but then it just kept going. The singer was doing weird hand movements through the whole set- it looked like a mix between magic tricks and Tai Chi... Later I decided that he was trippin' on acid because he started to pick things out of the air that did NOT exist.

Suma would be way better if the singer was different. His voice didn't really seem to match the other musicians, but it could have been because he has the sound guy turn up his vocals so it was too loud above the drums and guitar. Whatever it was it didn't seem to matter because there were a lot of people watching and listening, in fact most of the people at the bar were up by the stage. They definitely care about putting on a performance- the build-up, the dramatic hand movements, and working the songs into that sort of climatic-then-drop-off style.

Next up was Unearthly Trance from New York. The New York thing was epitomized in their punk meets metal type sound. They were bad ass. The band overall was nicely balanced- the drums didn't go over everything else, the guitars didn't take out the vocals and the singing feet perfectly with the music. They also used a recording of some sort to add those extra sounds that the musicians can't do.

Unearthly Trance's kind of off/syncopated punk style of singing and of the technical musicality was awesome to listen to. You can't anticipate what's going to happen, it doesn't just follow the same pattern through the whole song. And their transitions between a softer/chill sound and the punk/metal were smooth and came in the perfect parts. The drumming, however, was kind of "simple" compared to most metal bands and in a few parts he seemed to be a half beat behind or something, but it didn't ruin the band- in fact in some parts it added to the punk sound.

Calvacade was the last band and again the singing didn't seem to fit the music. With a more punk influence with indie-ish influence was paired with death-core screaming- a deep, dark, guttural scream. It just seemed off, I mean everyone can have the sound that they want and people can like whatever they want, but in mind the dissonance between the screaming and the music just doesn't work together. Their sound overall reminds me of some of the earlier Interpol records, but the singing can be heard on a lot of death and black metal records.

They played a new song that was dedicated to their "friends for hanging out cause it won't be perfect and neither are you." During this song the bassist used the mic stand to stretch his strings, which I've never really seen done before, so that was interesting. The bassist aids in singing in most of the songs also, and in my mind he should take over that responsibility full time.

Blacktooth Brigade's City Tour Stop 2: Oades

Oade's is another good bar to go see some local bands play. Everyone in the local music scene is like a little family, you walk in and you are welcomed and every one knows everyone- it's just a nice place to spend time plus you get to hear some sweet music.



Hillside Barrier, Frank and Earnest, Coke Dick Motorcycle Awesome, and Blacktooth Brigade lit up the stage Friday night.



Hillside Barrier went first. Even though I saw them the night before too, the show didn't seem to repeat itself and was still hard as hell. Hillside rocked out like they always do, hitting every riff and note and carrying their energy on through the end.



Frank and Earnest followed Hillside Barrier, which was quite a change of pace. As Hillside has the chugging metal sound, Frank and Earnest have more of an old school punk feel with some pop alternative thrown in. Their songs are really catchy and they do have a unique touch to their sound- I can't say it's different because it does sound like other bands out there, but there is something there which still makes it discernible.



Coke Dick Motorcycle Awesome was the band that really made me want to go see this show. The name alone should intrigue you. Now, some people at the show were talking about how they weren't that good or whatever and that's their opinion. My opinion is that those people just didn't really like the style, but that does not mean they are not good. the singer was down on the floor with the people, getting them to dance and jump around. The singer had a good voice and he was backed up by the other 5 members. Some of their riffs are simple, but they're clean. With a mix of punk and rock thrown into the metal, it's a nice combo of music styles. You can hear the punk influences in the guitar lines and the singing, whereas the metal takes the forefront in the screaming and drums. And the merch store is great- I mean who wouldn't want a pair of underwear that says "I love Coke Dick Motorcycle Awesome," cause I know I do.



Blacktooth Brigade played the end of the show and played just as hard as they had the night before at Uli's. This set was better than the night before- Clint stayed on top of his game and didn't randomly zone out and forget to start singing when he was supposed to. Also, they had the right people starting the right songs, although this only happened at Uli's, it was still nice to hear the song perfect from start to finish. As always Clint was doing his job and getting the crowd involved, even though there weren't that many left because it was 1:30 am. One of the things I love about these guys, and most of the other local Lansing bands, is that it never matters how many people are there, they are doing what they love and if you dig it and stick around great, if only a few people are left, they play with the same intensity as they would a packed house.

As always support your local music scene. Check out spartanedge.com for videos of these bands.

Blacktooth Brigade's City Tour Stop 1: Uli's

As I sat in classes all week all I could think about was the weekend, and it did not let me down. Thursday at Uli's, Friday at Oade's, and finally Saturday at Mens Rea (formerly Cheetahs).

Ulis Haus of Rock is one of my favorite bars to go see shows at. The sound is good, the stage isn't tiny, and it's always a great mixture of people and bands. Bullet Punch started it off, and not on a very good note either. The singer was pretty much just a tool, probably one that likes Nickelback, and the band just didn't seem to mesh. The band was good, it had some true talent, but the style they played mixed with the singing was just off. Then the singer picked up a guitar for their "more instrumental" song and he looked oblivious. He just stared at the guitar player like he was trying to figure out the chords, he only moved his hand a few times, and if he was actually playing a cord, it was only one the whole time. To top it off, Bullet Punch covered "Killing in the Name." And by covered it I mean ruined it- the singer was half a beat behind, and the guitarist changed some parts, and the singer didn't even sing it the same way. I feel that this band has potential, they just have to figure out how to blend the music and singing more- and maybe stop doing covers.

Next up was Downward Affliction. I didn't really know what to expect with this band but it was not just a group of 17-year-olds with a band. They were playing death-core/metal and pulling it off. Although the singing isn't really my style, that really deep "death" screaming, the kid did it really well. They had a cute little fan club of their friends, who made t-shirts, and of their parents, who maybe had to drive them. There's not really a lot i can say about this band besides the fact that people should check them out. If you don't like the style you can at least see what I mean about them being talented.

If Blood Be the Price tore it up and maybe broke the milk crate. This band was awesome to watch. The band was talented and the singer puts on a great performance, although people were laughing a bit when he started throwing the milk crate around- but hey, at least he wasn't smashing something valuable. The hardcore-metal band plays all around, and if you see them on a bill somewhere definitely go check them out. I had a hard time not getting into their set, not like I was trying to deny it. Not only do they have the hardcore metal sound going, but there is a bit of that groove metal thrown in to most of their songs.

Hillside Barrier, who set up the show and asked If Blood Be the Price to come play, was up next. I've seen this band a few times but it never gets old. In fact, I got to see them again Friday night.They are metal through and through- with the chug sound, the drums hitting, and the screaming. The band is sweet to watch and has a good sound- luckily, most of the Lansing metal bands sound different, which is amazing. You can tell that some of their influences are Pantera, which i think it's every one's, Metallica, Lamb of God- so if you like some of those, you'll probably like Hillside Barrier.

Last, as usual, was Blacktooth Brigade. Seriously though, I've seen these guys play at least 10 times and except for like two times, they always play last and it's bullshit. By the time they are setting up their stuff on stage it's about 1 am, so most people have already left the bar. People do stay and they always have friends coming to support too, but they deserve to hear more people hear them. Dan Neff, guitarist, just shredded at Uli's. It was ridiculous, everyone was kind of surprised and even the other band members did a little look over that just said "huh... well fuck yeah." He was in a zone or something cause the solos he played were technically good and just good. Clint Cox, singer, messed up some of the words in "Way of the World" cause he was in a zone too, but not in the same way as Neff. Even though the bar wasn't packed the people that were still around were definitely into what BTB is doing.

As always support your local music scene- get out there, watch some bands, buy some demos or shirts or whatever. Without the locals there isn't a scene. And check out spartanedge.com for pictures of the show.

Local Bands Add New Love for Music

I attended the First Annual Lansing Battle of the Bands show Saturday night at Macs and seeing the younger faces that made up most of the bands gave me new found respect, hope and love for music, especially local music.

The talent that resided in some of these kids was unbelievable. Their technical skills are really good considering that they are high school kids, and most looked like they were about 16. Seeing these kids show the passion for music gave me a new found hope in the local scene and in music in general. If there are kids like this everywhere, which I know there are it's just still nice to see it, then music has a promising future.

Even though most of the bands were not my first choice of genre/style/etc, they will be improving some life somewhere. They just have to keep pushing to get where they want to go.

Local music has always been one of my favorite things. Going to their shows, buying their $2 demo so they can have gas money for their next show or whatever they need to do, and just experiencing people who have the same passion as me. Without local music cities would be under-represented, under-appreciated, and just plain boring.

I have attended lots of local shows since I started school at MSU and it's been one of the greatest things I have found. The bands I've heard, the people I've met, nothing can replace it. If I had a shitty week and there's a show, no matter what day, I go and I forget everything. Let these bands' passion and talent melt away everything and just enjoy. There is nothing I would rather do than go see local bands perform- they can fix anything, some of them can even help you break into your car if you locked your keys in it.

New songs- Hardships for local bands

One of the hardest parts of being in a local band, at least in my mind, is not coming up with new songs but the frequency in which you have to so the usual crowd doesn't get bored.

As everyone knows, big name bands go on tour for at least a year on their new album and during that time and the year after that they are writing and recording their new album. But for local bands it's different. They play a lot of the same bars, in front of a lot of the same people, and in order to keep people interested they have to come up with new songs. It's not always easy for bands to write new songs, the songwriter can write new lyrics, but the rest of the band has to be together or at least around to collaborate on the rest of the song.

This is unfair to local bands. The fact that they could lose people coming to their shows because everyone has heard the songs they are going to play, so they have to keep writing music- which is awesome, but there is more of a forced pressure to write a new song to add to your set list, than big name bands who can take years to get out a new single.

The Lansing local bands are lucky though. The community is very close and supportive, and people (unless they have to work) are usually always at their favorite bands' show. However, it is very nice when one of the bands around here writes and performs a new song- you feel part of their band, their life, because you get to experience it with them. so my advice to the local bands, not that they're not already doing it, is to keep writing and try and get a new song out there every couple of months- it'll keep people around and it'll probably add more.

As always support your local scene. Go check out bands and feel free to comment when you find ones you like.

Cranefest 9-18-10

The last Cranefest of 2010 occurred Saturday night. The night was filled with good tunes and plenty of beer- for those who weren't on the list of under-21-year-olds- until the crack heard around the world.

At the end of Blacktooth Brigade's set, Daniel Neff put his guitar down to pack his stuff up and Clint Cox, the singer, took a horribly accidental step backwards snapping the neck of Neff's guitar. Everyone on stage froze and Neff just said "fuck it," grabbed the guitar and smashed it to pieces on the edge of the stage.

This was all a brave front though. That guitar was like Neff's baby, he picked out all the parts and built it up to what is was. The audience didn't really realize the impact of what just happened and neither did I until I heard about Neff building it from BTB's other guitarist Eric Wolfe. Neff left the farm soon after that, I don't know where Clint went and everyone could tell that Wolfe was not in a good mood about it either, but the audience members just kept on partying and took the guitar smashing as a truly rock n' roll type moment.

Now when touring bands smash a guitar they have at least two more backstage waiting for them, but that's not the case here. And that may be why the crack of that neck could be the downfall to BTB... at least for a little while. Throughout their set Neff was also having problems with his amp, and then his guitar gets busted... I'm worried that this will cause a big setback in the band and in their future, but only time will tell. And I hope it tells us that a Blacktooth Brigade show is coming up.

Few New Faces

So there was a few changes in some of the local bands over the summer.

Steve Brower replaced Joseph Smith as bassist for Blacktooth Brigade. Smith said that it just wasn't fun anymore, and it seemed to be a mutual departure. Brower has played many shows with BTB since coming in as the replacement, and has done an awesome job. The band as commented before that he can pick things up really easily, so he fit with the band.

Another change, that occurred closer to the end of summer was the pretty much firing of Adam Ray, the singer of Endless Aisle. I've only heard things from other people in the local scene, but it seemed that the band didn't think he was progressing enough. I don't know about all that, but what I do know is that Ray was a good screamer, and he was an awesome promoter for his band. I'm curious to see what will happen to the band, in terms of how many shows the book, etc, and to see who will replace Ray- let's hope they have some pipes.

As always check out the bands I talk about and Support your local scene.

Slayer, Megadeth, and Testament

August 19th never came... Until it was finally here. The Joe Louis was packed with metalheads in all ages and shapes, including the old guy with the beer belly who apparently couldn't decide what shirt to wear so he went without one and dripped his sweat on me all night.

Testament started the night off. The pit was going, but not really full force until the end of their set, which made getting up to the fence a whole lot easier. Their set was very fulfilling for all the people who came to see the show. The older people were talking about how they played the same type of shows when they were younger and the younger crowd, like me, were just excited to see them play.

Megadeth came on next. The floor filled up more and it was a lot harder to keep my place on the fence. A big portion of my bruises came from this set. Watching these guys was so fulfilling considering I've been listening to them non-stop on my iPod for the last 4 months, and a lot of times before that. Dave Mustaine may have some nerve damage but it didn't effect his voice through the set. Chris Broderick's solos were amazing, especially seeing them 10 feet away. During a song wee made eye contact during the solo and after that every solo we made eye contact and he threw his pick to me- which was a very girly moment for me... I blushed. The ended their set with two of their classics, "A Tout le Monde" and "Peace Sells."

When their set ended the pressure on my arms and ribs immediately started because everyone was trying to get closer for Slayer. My friend and I kept our spots but we were pushed a lot closer together. This was the set that made my arms look like a victim of domestic abuse and my ribs look like a tree fell on them.

Slayer was all they were cracked up to be live. I became a bigger fan after seeing them play and after experiencing the crowd and the level of excitement that came with the drop off the curtain. Their set was filled with songs from their new album and their classics, which was an amazing mix- not too much of either one. I caught one of their picks too, which was really cool- I did end up giving it to the guy next to me because he totally had a boner for them and I already had my Megadeth one. Slayer was definitely an intense set, not only did they play almost non-stop (even though it was pretty short compared to the other bands) but the crowd was way more aggressive. Having to throw elbows at the 40+ guy next to me, who threw elbows back and then asked "if I was gonna throw punches," and turned away and mumbled to himself when I said yes. And the girl, who when i threw an elbow to get the shirtless guy's elbow out of my spine, who said "It's a concert, if you can't handle it get seats," and I told her that I had been up front the whole night and she can shut up. She then gave me a bitchy look and asked if I actually told her to shut up and then mumbled "wanna fight," but trust me, she did not want to fight me right then. Maybe it's true what lame people say about Metal? That it makes you more aggressive.

The night was one of the greatest nights of my life. Seeing two classic Metal bands play 10 feet from me and walking away bruised and beaten... I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Not to mention I got the floor tickets for like $45 because I got them in April when I first heard the show. You can't lose with that!

August 18th= Night of Black Metal and Camo

Wednesday night at Mac's Bar was packed with good beer, bands and people. The line-up was enough for me to drive an hour up to Lansing to see these bands. Apparently I missed the memo that bands and fans alike were supposed to wear either camo pants or shorts because I was one of the few not decked in it.

Dark Empyre started off the night and as one of the bystanders said, you "have to look past the front man, but they are good." The front man/lead vocals, Lord Pyrosis (according to the band's Myspace) had his face painted all white with the eyes surrounded in black and branching off in different directions, and huge platform boots on. The singer goes with the music, however, because the other band members don't do the same thing it's kind of like he's trying to hard to sell the band as "hardcore." His voice is also a little whiny, like it shakes when he screams-sounding like the exorcist chick, but if you don't watch him then it's all good. During the set the band and fans kept yelling "Hail Satan," as does the band's t-shirts. At one point Lord Pyrosis said, "Hope there aren't any Christians," and the guitarist replied, "who else are wee gonna piss off." The band pulls through on their claim to being black/death/thrash metal with explosive bass, intricate drums, and guitarist's hands that just seem like a blur.

To top off the night of black metal, Mac's was (like always) playing some B-rate horror movie, but this one wasn't as good as Cannibal Holocaust. To draw my attention away from the movie it took Serpent Crown with it's three guitarists, but man did it work.

One thing that I found amusing was that every time somebody yelled the name of the band, or when the band introduced itself, it sounded like they were saying "Serpico." When I got over that little joke and the music started I soon forgot about everything else. The members of the band are a bit older than most of the bands around but the adage of "if it's too loud then you're too old" does NOT hold true for this group. Two of the members are also in Genocya which makes their job a lot harder- one of them was discussing how they need to start working out because the back-to-back gigs were hittin' em hard. Wednesday was also Serpent Crown's last show because the two members of Genocya were leaving SC so they could focus on Genocya. There song "Illusions of Sanity" is THE perfect pit song. It's fast, heart-pounding, finger-tapping, head-banging, rage out song.

The night only got better with each band performing. Nest up was Genocya, and even though their bassist and singer were recovering from Serpent Crown's set, they didn't let off one bit. "Frozen in Fear" was the perfect start off point. Thrash metal with a great Chug section where the bassist just killed it. The song got a nice pit going for a pretty packed bar, and by the way the pit formed and kept going you would've expected a bigger name band to be on the stage. If I were drag racing a 68' Camaro SS or about to get in a sweet fight scene from fight club, I would want this band playing. "Hatred in the Flesh" was one of my favorite songs of the night. The solo sounding guitar throughout the entire song gave it the classic Testament-era metal sound to it, and the bass drums are propelling the song and the chugging bassist is just making it feel like a train is coming right at you but you'll put a hand out and derail it. Another highlight of Genocya's set was their black metal cover of "Strutter." It was amazing. Not only was it a good cover of a classic song, but the faster pace of the metal version made the song even better.

GOATWHORE. Need I say more? the answer should be no, but for the people who don't know them or need to know more, I will say more. The pit alone represented exactly how the band plays music. A good amount of people jumped into the pit and were going hard, pushing people across the room, almost taking out the amps on stage, and were running full force into people. It's honestly hard to write about this band and their songs and do it justice because all I wrote in my notes for "In the Narrow Confines of Defilement" was "AHHHH! awesome." Having trouble finding the words to describe them, I played the songs for my friend Amanda who spends her time listening to Aerial Pink and Best Coast. She was thrashing around and said that she "wanted to throw up... but in the good way, like a metal way." That may be the best way to describe this song. Amanda also commented that "if you slow down Lady GaGa it sounds like GOATWHORE, like super satanic."

"Carving Out the Eyes of God," which was the single off their 2009 CD by the same name. Looking at the lyrics for this song makes the band even more impressive in my mind. The words they use are bigger than most of the words people use in English papers, and on top of that they can get these words out in a scream and a short amount of time. I urge everyone to look up these lyrics. The singer, Ben Falgoust II (who is also the singer of Solient Green) gave everyone permission to rip off the song from someone who has it, to put it on your computer and steal it, and to spend your money on some of the other bands that were playing." GOATWHORE also played a song from their first album, which is always a good move by any band because most fans always go to shows hoping that they "play their old shit." Their last song was "Apocalyptic Havoc." All I can say about that, is that it was SICK.

Another band played after GOATWHORE, but after their set I didn't want to hear anything else. I wanted that sound to be what was stuck in my head for the next few days. I feel bad missing them, Saviours, because they are playing this year's Ozzfest which is a pretty good indicator that they would have put on a great show.

This night was amazing, and I got to make my brother jealous because I was 10 feet away from GOATWHORE. And the next night I had floor tickets to see Slayer, Megadeth, and Testament. So I got two nights of great music.

Capital City Chaos

Saturday night was the Capital City Chaos show at The Loft in downtown Lansing. Seven local bands showed off their diversity, skills, and love for what they do.

The first band on stage was Shell Shock Brigade, which I actually didn't get to see. Adam Ray, singer of Endless Aisle and the one who put the show together, was saying that he was having problems with getting in touch with the band. When Ray did talk to SSB they were saying that they wanted to go on first because their rhythm guitarist might be quitting... So I wasn't in a rush to get over to the show to make sure to catch them.

Hillside Barrier was up next. They were keeping the crowd engaged in a tame tapping along to the beat sort of way, but they never really grabbed the majority of the crowd. There were a few fans up front by the stage, but my guess is that they were friends of the band- which still counts, don't get me wrong, but it's important for a band to suck in new listeners. At one point the people started getting really into it because they played one of Slayer's new songs, "World Painted Blood." It may not have been an original but the execution of the song was definitely worthy of The Loft's reaction.

A great follow up to Hillside Barrier was Black Hearts Now Sing. Like the band before them, and the bands after, the small group of dedicated fans was right in front of the stage, fueling the band and showing them that what they're doing matters and is paying off. "Decipher" was my favorite song the band played. It was just a song that the band and venue could rage out to, and what's better is that the music and technicality of playing made it hard NOT to get into it. BHNS's drummer, Sam Groves, provides back-up vocals throughout the performance, which is always a cool thing to see considering that very few drummers sing too. The band's set ended one song early when the guitarist was having technical difficulties, but their point was made... They can pull their weight in shows, rage out, and the crowd enjoys them.

On a side note, I've realized that a black t-shirt, shorts, and black Adidas is the uniform for most of the bands in the Lansing metal scene. Although there were jeans thrown into the mix, and the shoes weren't always Adidas, someone can tell when one of the guys is in the band.

Next up was One Without Reason, who showed another side to metal. The vocals, combining Richy Nix and Chester Bennington, added a unique style to this rap metal... but unlike other nu-metal/rap metal bands, the singer also screams. The band describes their influences from progressive metal to alternative rock with a hip hop appeal, according to their Facebook page. During their set I overheard the term "homeboy rock" used to describe OWR, which is an adequate description, but not in the negative sense some might take it. This "homeboy rock" feel was epitomized during "Asleep at the wheel." Starting off with a more Kid Rock rock sound, and once again not in the negative way, the band then segued into the heavier metal style that continued throughout the set. The people were definitely digging it, and I would love to have the play a bonfire one night. Some of the people front and center gave off the white trash vibe to "homeboy rock," rocking the socks with flip flops, wife-beaters, and large cargo shorts that hung down to mid-calf. But all in all this was a great band to throw into the mix, and a great style of metal to hear for the first time. "The Trash Can Song" was a gripping way to end the set, and left people wanting more- which is the point of performing in the first place. The song followed the style of the rest of the performance but then, at the end, Aaron (singer, and no last name was posted on the band's pages) used a bashed up trash can for percussion and it was a version of "Stomp" that I would actually go see.

After the ingenuity of the trash can drums at the end of OWR's set, the next band, As They Sleep was a let down. This Detroit based metal band, signed to Solid State Records, put on a great performance. Watching them is a treat, all members of the band are loving what they are doing and thrashing around and the power stances are in effect, but sadly the music didn't stack up to the people. This band clearly has talent, but for me there was something... just off, almost as if they were trying to be death metal but the music didn't match, or they were thrash but the vocals didn't go. It's kind of hard to explain, but I urge you to check them out anyway (just like all the bands I talk about) and make up your own mind. ATS experienced some technical difficulties which the singer, Aaron Bridgewater, said gives him "much more time to say stupid shit." Their song "Revelations" was a lot better as far as music goes, it seems that the conflicting styles kind of disappeared during this song, but a lot of people went outside to E. Michigan Ave during the set. The rest of the songs set aside, the point where I lost interest for this band was when they performed their cover of "Walk the Line," and yes, i mean the Johnny Cash song in case you can't believe it. I don't know if I need to explain more on this but I will. Covering Johnny Cash in a heavy metal way automatically rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Covers are tricky, especially when you're changing the initial sound, and screaming one of Cash's most famous songs doesn't give the crowd the chance to enjoy the song. In my book, I would leave this one out of the set list next time.

Endless Aisle hit the stage in the true fashion, by coming on strong right from the get-go and getting the audience pumped. This is my second time seeing EA, and both shows were a blast. With heart-pounding guitar and drums, it's hard not to find yourself headbanging along. At one point Adam Ray, the singer, had a child-like longing stare towards bassist Greg Maher, with his toes pointed inward and a cute grin on his face, it showed a vulnerability in this hardcore band, and it's always nice to see them humanized and not just performing.

"How many people in this crowd are Richard Bernstein'd right now? Okay... 4 people," said Ray. This ongoing joke, that Blacktooth Brigade started, has permeated into the shows. It's hard to explain what the joke is about, but pretty much being "Richard Bernstein'd" means being really wasted. Their song, "Clutch," had a nice slow start to it, but then broke into the hard hitting jam thrash that explains EA's style.

Sadly, Blacktooth Brigade was the last band up and started their set at about 1:30 am. For some reason the music began at 9 pm, even though seven bands had to play. BTB got a horrible spot in the line-up and most people had left by the time they went on... but the band put on their blacktooth grins and rocked The Loft until the security guard stopped their set and started forcing people to leave. Saturday at The Loft was the last stop on Blacktooth's Lansing Circuit tour and getting their time cut short was a bad note, but the intimacy of the crowd allowed everyone to have an amazing time. This was my eighth BTB show, but the first show I've seen with their new bassist, Steve Brower, and it was not a disappointment. There was no difference between the old and new bass parts, which is important. And I think once the band becomes more integrated, we can expect some cool things coming from BTB. Ray made a guest appearance and accompanied Clint Cox on vocals. You couldn't really hear Ray in the crowd, but that might have been better. I saw them pair up once before and the two singers just have very different styles of singing which makes for a weird combination. This time though it seemed to work, but Ray was also missing some of the words and staying quiet due to the fact that he was a little "Bernstein'd." The close group of friends that made up the crowd for BTB's set was loving every second of it, and it didn't matter to them that they've heard the band play a bunch of times, the music and the people mixed well... maybe next time Blacktooth will get a better slot and pick up some new fans, which would be well deserved.

Ray says that he hopes to do the Capital City Chaos twice a year, and with the support of the fans who in turn support the local scene, I think it will be possible... And I hope that it does happen.

Reunion Shows, More Then Just For the Band

Last Saturday I joined a full house at The Loft in Lansing for a Powerface reunion show. And there I realized how powerful reunion shows are. It's more than just a chance for the band to pull out their instruments, get together and play again... it's also for the fans.

Powerface was part of the 1990 graduating class of Holt High School. Therefore, the crowd was filled with a bunch of drunk cougars, drunk cougars' husbands, and a bunch of 25+ fans. The fans jammed to their favorite songs from their adolescent years.

Although the band was pumped to play a show again and had the friends-from-high-school relationship with the crowd, the show proved to be about more than just the music. The crowd was singing along to every song, but clearly the earlier years (The Method) of the band were their favorites, as singer, Jeremy Keinitz observed. Not only were the lyrics know after about 15 years, but the members of the crowd kept reliving the memories of high school, shows, and more importantly, the shows Powerface played at the old Small Planet, which is now closed.

Powerface had not performed in the last six years, but you wouldn't be able to tell from their it's-like-riding-a-bike attitude and execution. The complete 90s style nu-metal/rap metal band retained the loyalty of their high school fans as well as gained a few from the younger crowd that showed up too, most likely to see the other bands. Keinitz, Elijah White (guitar) and Jeremy Schopp (bass) are part of Coal Mine Canary, which also played that night. And Chris Doerr (drums) plays in Seizure Lake, also a guest that night, and Steve Nygard is part of Purgatory Grove, another local Lansing metal band.

Even though Powerface is the pure 90s type metal fused with rap, they are not a band that should stay in the 90s. Seeing this band made me regret the fact that I graduated in 2007 and the fact that I grew up in Birmingham, Michigan. To have this band play during my teenage years would have totally changed my interest in music- bringing me into metal way sooner than I actually was.

Listening to the people at the show talk about "back in the day," and how the band interacted with them and made their own comments about the good old days made me realize just how important reunion shows are for people. They give everyone a chance to relive those days that they regret are in the past and give them a chance to get back to the life most of them have left behind.

Get Him to the Greek

So I went and saw "Get Him to the Greek" and I actually went and saw it the next night too. It was a surprisingly good movie, not only was it funny (if you don't mind ad-lib) but it had a good plot. the point of the movie and the resolution was never shoved down your throat, by the end of the movie you felt a certain way, but you weren't told to feel that way.

The icing on the cake was Lars Ulrich's big screen appearance. If you are a fan of Metallica, and like most fans, dislike Lars, then you will thoroughly enjoy the scenes where he is present. He plays himself and in turn gets made fun of multiple times in the movie. The best quote, and don't worry, you will still laugh when you here it, was when Russell Brand's character, Aldous, visits is ex Jackie Q. Lars walks out and Aldous says hello to Lars and then says "yeah... enter sandman," accompanied by a little hand flick/wave thing. I lost it. Then when Lars interrupts again, Aldous says," Why don't you go sue Napster again you Danish twat." This was just very clever and it was an original way to make fun of him.

Throughout the movie, Jason Segel's songs for Infant Sorrow, or Aldous, added the very funny lyrics and genuine songs to the movie. If you remember "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," the song "Inside of you" makes a comeback in this film. The funny lyrics of the songs and the clever humor of the script made this movie thoroughly enjoyable. And anything that makes fun of Lars is cool with me.

Uli's Haus of Rock, June 12th

ULI ULI ULI. OI OI OI! A night at Uli's Haus of Rock in Lansing is a great place to spend a night with friends and listen to some great local bands play. Or just listen to the jukebox that plays Metallica more than any Top 40 stuff. Uli's is decked out in Harley Davidson signs, "Bikes, Broads and Beer" signs, and even has a pool table, if you need to occupy yourself with some other activity besides 7and7s. The only downside is the fake smoke machine, which would be cool except the vents aren't set up correctly, if at all, and the place kind of fills up with it, but they use it sparingly.

Blacktooth Brigade started off the night, which was weird for me considering I've seen 8 of their shows and have talked about the shows I haven't seen, and they always go last. Them playing first gave the crowd time to enjoy the set, instead of the mostly empty floor when they start at 1 am. They guys of BTB rocked out in their usual style with heavy metal music and beer on stage. People were jumping and headbanging along with the whole set and even shouting out requests. They never did play my request for "Freebird" though. They started the set with their newer songs and ended it with "Hate Red." BTB started the night on a good foot, but it may have been too good. None of the other bands were really on the same level- talent wise yes, crowd reaction/involvement, no.

Next on stage was Carpal Tunnel and to be honest I spent more time outside and talking to people, but I didn't feel like I missed anything. The musicianship of the band was good, the lyrics hit hard, but I just didn't have that connection with them. One thing I did enjoy, and enjoy with any band, is that the sound of the singer's voice does not match his appearance. I was surprised when I saw that the deep growling was coming from a 5'5/6" guy dressed in a wife-beater and shorts. People were into it the band but didn't have that level of intensity with it as they did with BTB, but it's not like they sucked or anything.

Purgatory grove followed up with a crowd that definitely had some die hard fans in it- and I'm assuming they are all close friends, which most of the crowd was to at least one of the bands. This band won points with me because they had song that was a tribute to Dio, who was a huge influence to the singer growing up, as he said during the show. "The Last Goodbye" had some Dio influenced lyrics and lyrical melodies that accompanied the metal music very well. Another point was added when they played "In Gods We Trust," which was preceded by "everyone thinks their religion is right. And we can't tell them otherwise until it's too late. During their last song Entertainment Tonight, or some show like that, was playing a piece on Gary Coleman- which was just really weird to look up and see his face, then his wife who looks like she's 15, and then his parents crying, and I'm glad I couldn't hear it.

Last but certainly not least in the stage presence category was a World on Strike. Bass, guitar, drums, and a turntable equipped with vocal effects was this bands m.o. And the miners' lights they wore on their heads was definitely something I didn't expect to see. In fact Eric Wolfe of BTB said that he was going to go mine with them after the show. The whole set was very trippy, and I was very glad I wasn't under the influence of any hallucinogens. The singer looked like bme.com's mod blog logo (look it up) and the vocal effects were a weird twist to this metal band. The crowd had cleared out a little bit, being that they were last some people had left, some had gone to roll a joint, and many were just sitting outside- the whole set up seemed to be a little much for most of the people, who are more "let's just play/listen" rather than make this a production.

Overall Uli's Haus of Rock Saturday night was full of bikers, broads and beer... and everyone was lovin it. To prove how good the night was I now sound like an 80-year-old man because I lost my voice... and I may have broken my finger but that wasn't related to the show, it just happened later in the night/morning.

Crane Farmfest, Saturday May 22nd

The setting at the Crane Farmfest was a great scene for a rock show: with tools hanging on the wall, the awesome echo bouncing off the dilapidated barn in the back of the lot and the haunted house across the street that looked like the "Michigan" Chainsaw Massacre house. The party started at 8 and the tunes began at 9:30 and went till after 2 am.

Burton's Garden kicked off the night with their blues/funk/stoner rock mix. The keyboards had a hint of 50s sock-hop, which was just part of the funk that gives BG their original sound. One of the songs started out with a Bo Burnham feel to it, sounding similar to "Bo Fo Sho'", and then went into sounding like a Poison ballad. The sounds didn't clash like you think they would, the band blended the funk into the rock quite effortlessly and I only noticed the specific sounds because I was looking for ways to describe it.
Sadly, all the songs of Burton's Garden meshed together and eventually I didn't really pick them apart and just listened as if it was one long song- like those annoying techno songs that last forever and you're not sure when one ends and another begins.

Going from Burton's Garden's funk to Billiards Music's stoner rock was a great transition. The band obviously takes influence from Sublime, but not until talking with Brandon Jo, the singer, did I realize the singing was taken from Incubus. One of their songs was a crowd favorite, being more of a short jam song, the lyrics "your face is fucking nasty" made the crowd laugh and cheer. The bongos paired with a drum kit adds a nice groove to the rock Billiards Music plays. The bongo player was having a little trouble during the set when the stand wouldn't lock into place and he had to drop to his knees to play, but he never missed a beat (or at least the crowd couldn't tell).

A better transition was from Billiards Music to Glass Moshpit Fighting, which shares the bassist and drummer. It was the first time I saw the band, but everything I've heard from other local bands about them was held true. Moving from the first two bands to GMF was quite a change, but the harder shit was a nice transition point for the rest of the night. The punk influence and scream singing definitely brought the metal fans out to play. The floor filled up and the band requested that the people outside the barn come in, and they didn't play until they did. One of their songs went from a groove rock starting to I'll rip your face off and included the lyrics "I'll fucking kill you/ I'll fucking rape you..." Lex Gauna, the bassist, clarified that they would never kill or rape anyone. And the guitarist added that it's supposed to represent it in an artistic style- which was said in a sarcastic tone and got the crowd laughing.
"John Wayne (in a mustang)" was played and was said to be Black Tooth's favorite song, which lead to an invite for Clint Cox (singer of BTB) to come up and sing with GMF. And the lyrics of "get big play sports" also got the crowd laughing and was a sarcastic song about those really masculine guys.

Black Tooth Brigade showed their fuck-your-face metal style at the barn. Clearly using the pent up energy from their acoustic set the night before, the band raged out- including the fifth of Kessler they brought on stage. the band meant business that night, and you could tell because every member lost their hat in the first 5 minutes of the set (and they always wear hats). Up front a girl, who was drunk as a skunk, got the mic from Cox, the singer, and said that she was going to fail her breathalyzer the next morning and we needed to make this shit worth it- which is a prime comment to make during a rock show, for the obvious stereotypical reasons.
The girl's request came true: a pit started, the band passed around Kessler even to the crowd, the band was raging out, and the drunk girl puked up the shot of Kessler she took.
The band was proud of their set, feeling more comfortable with their usual distortioned metal than their acoustic. The people were up front head bangin' along with the band, and BTB got the first pit of the night going.

Next up was Occasus. This thrash metal band definitely got the crowd moving, and along with their original songs they played some covers. One cover was a Pantera song, which they actually pulled off unlike Pop Evil (a bigger name band) that I saw butcher one. And the other was the Beastie Boys' "Fight for Your Right," which the crowd enjoyed singing along to and hearing a scream version of the song was definitely an interesting spin. Starting their set at 1 am cost them some crowd members because by then, at least half had left . They played a new song, which the name escaped me because everyone was very loud and the barn carried the sound really well. The singer said that he didn't really know the words yet and would just allow the crowd to sing along, but the band didn't mess up- which is a gold star added to their chart.

Last, and in my mind least, was To Lie Beneath. Stylistically I categorize this band as fight music, which was epitomized in the girl fight that broke out during their set. One girl pushed the other and fell on top of her, and then proceeded to use her shin to pretty much choke a bitch, but people cut in and separated them and kicked one of them out. the screamcore, scene kid thing TLB had going allowed the obnoxious moshing that not everyone was familiar with- like the guys of BTB. The crowd was doing windmill kicks and thrashing around, but TLB got a good pit going, finally! And a circle pit also started during their set.
To Lie Beneath just reminded me of the other screamcore bands out there, and they didn't really provide anything in their music that would set them apart from the people already doing it. It was breakdown after breakdown, which is cool for a while but it starts to get old. The people left at the barn were inside, but it could have been because it was cold and damp outside.

Overall the scene at the barn should be in a band DVD and the more relaxed setting of a show put on by one of the bands, Glass Moshpit Fighting, instead of a promoter allowed the bands to have more fun too. With a barn full of good music and nothing around but an airport allowed the people and the bands to play loud and play hard. At the end of the night everyone was tired, but of course there were the fair share of after parties being discussed- I guess when you're in a band, you don't need a lot of sleep.

The Loft, Friday May 21st

The Loft was packed with good music and good people Friday night... and it almost drowned out the music pumping from Harem.
Starting off the night was El Es Days. By the name of the band I was preparing myself for a pop punk band, especially paired with the style and people that came along with them. However, this band was harder than a pop punk band mixed with stoner rock. It was strictly instrumental, and somehow having no vocals seemed to work for them. The lack of vocals allowed the crowd to appreciate the skill level of the guitar, drums, and bass. The classic guitar riffs made this (I'm guessing) 17-year-old guitar player seem like an original member of a 80s band. The bass player's feet never stopped moving which was a great compliment to the crowd dancing along. Too bad that half the time the bass player looked like he was having a spasm.
The lack of vocals also gave the band time to showcase each person in each song... But after a while the guitar solos started getting annoying, but what else were they going to do?! The stoner/dance rock that the band displayed made El Es Days seem like a jam band, but the intricate solos and seemless playing showed that they take it seriously.

Next on was Black Tooth Brigade, but they played a set that was a little different than what they normally do. The band displayed their original lyrics and technical skill during this acoustic set. The singer, Clint Cox, said that they're usually a full on fuck your face metal band. The drummer, Ian Smith, has two fractures in his foot, which is why the band played acoustic.
Dan Neff was rockin a slow jam and Smith pretended to jack off in his face, which of course got the crowd laughing, which was just a small piece of the fun that everyone had during this set. Having seen BTB multiple times, this set was a pleasant change- but they shouldn't give up their fuck-your-face-metal in any terms. Usually the band produces a wave of sound that crashes into you and gets your heart pumping and your head banging. This time, the acoustic set allowed the fans to hear ALL the lyrics and truly realize what this band has to offer.

BTB's acoustic set definitely made it hard for the next band, Gigantaur, to follow. Once again my assumptions were shattered once the band started playing. Expecting a heavy metal band I was surprised by the monotone, whiny singing paired with the 80s feel of the guitar solos and instrumentals they produced. The singer, who was sporting a cowboy hat, had a very weird style of singing. The somewhat monotone effect of his voice didn't allow me to get very into it, and then it turned into this angsty, teen, whine that just started to annoy me. And he paired this singing with dancing that involved a lot of hip movements. However, the instrumentals kept the band from completely failing as an act Friday night.
Considering Gigantaur was the last band I saw that night, I was a little displeased. Thinking back on the night made me rethink that decision. El Es Days kicked off the night with some great groove rock and Black Tooth Brigade made the night with their acoustic set, which I think should be included on their soon to be released album. Overall the night was laid back and included a very relaxing fun atmosphere at The Loft.

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p.s. Check out theloftlansing.com for a list of upcoming shows- the acoustics are amazing for a smaller venue. And check out the bands' myspace pages!

Why i'm writing

Hey Readers,

My plan for this blog is to put metal music on the map... and more specifically in the Capitol. I'm a student at Michigan State University and I write for the Music edge section on spartanedge.com. I cover a lot of shows, but there are also a lot of shows and bands that can't get covered by our small staff. This blog is to help out those bands who deserve attention (and maybe some that don't haha) get it.
Over summer this blog will still be Lansing metal shows, and maybe some other genres, but will also have some random Detroit concerts, etc because I don't live in Lansing right now.
My hope for this blog is to review shows, albums, and do other music journalism things and hopefully gain a readership. If this becomes helpful then i want students, or people, in other cities to link onto it... and get a great resource to learn about your local scene going. So please keep up with my blogging and leave comments (tell me if I don't talk about something enough, or I do it too much). And if you want to get your scene on the map then we can work together.

Support your local scene