December 9th, 2009 at 5:55 PM ^
Right now, the local "it" band, at least in Ann Arbor, seems to be My Dear Disco. Great live show, tons of energy, and all UM Music School alums.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:02 PM ^
Checked them out on myspace, they sound good.
They are playing in E. Lansing on saturday.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:18 PM ^
I'm not a fan of the funky sound, but people here in AA go nuts for them.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:05 PM ^
I'm pretty sure they formed at U of M--they're amazing. They were just starting out a few years ago when I was at Michigan; they're pretty big now and deserve every bit of it.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:12 PM ^
Actually, their label kind of doesn't support them anymore, last I heard.
Oblivion had like a ridiculous Battle of the Bands winning streak going until they did one with Tally Hall in like 2002 (one of TH's first shows), and the Tally Hall guys romped in like two sororities to vote for them.
One of my groomsmen was a guitarist in Oblivion and now runs the MGoBlog of Metal. His friend was working for Atlantic and was a huge fan of Tally Hall, so she (the friend) dragged us to their show a couple of years ago in New York. I only remembered them from that first show in Ann Arbor and thought they were kind of awful, but I thought they had improved a ton by the second time I saw them. I picked up Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum and became a fan.
Misopogal went to high school with some of those guys. She makes fun of me for having them on my iTunes still.
I still get updates on them once in awhile (and have a CD from that first show if you're interested). But unfortunately, I think that ship has sailed.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:14 PM ^
A few of my friends went to high school with them, too. Andover, what?! I know they just finished recording their second album and are on tour with Rooney right now. MMMM is pretty awesome and I proudly have it on my ipod. I think I have the CD somewhere, too. "Greener" is my favorite!
December 9th, 2009 at 7:20 PM ^
at Touchdown's? If so, I was there and agree that TH was pretty bad then, yet was able to win by "romping in" some ladies.
December 10th, 2009 at 7:15 AM ^
P.S. The link broke above:
December 9th, 2009 at 6:08 PM ^
In the punk circles We Are the Union (from Ann Arbor) is getting bigger.
Also, the Cheap Girls (E. Lansing), Koffin Kats (Detroit) and the A-Gang (ex-Suicide Machines) also from Detroit.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:47 PM ^
Saw WATU at warped this summer. They were pretty good.
I saw the Koffin Kats open for Rancid a couple years back. The musics pretty good and the show was really high energy. Plus, how can you say no to a band that uses a stand up bass?
December 10th, 2009 at 10:15 AM ^
I play in a Ska/Punk Band in Ann Arbor (Gunday Monday) and have seen and played with We Are The Union several times. They have a great live show.
Other ska/punk bands around Ann Arbor are Hullabaloo (they have been around forever).
I'd also check out Mahoney.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:12 PM ^
Saturday Looks Good to Me
December 9th, 2009 at 7:08 PM ^
Not to be confused with Crying in an Emo Band While It's Raining on a Thursday
My roommate's girlfriend was a huge SLGTM fan. The name always made me think of Emo naming conventions for some reason.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:28 PM ^
Lightning Love (Ann Arbor), The Decks (Detroit), The Hard Lessons (Detroit), Smashed Windows (Detroit), Thunderbirds Are Now! (Detroit), Deastro (Detroit), Javelins (Detroit), and Secret Twins (Ypsi) are among my favorite local bands at the moment.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:24 PM ^
WE CAME AS ROMANS are kick ass! Also, on a side note, I saw a band in my home state (PA) from E*st L*nsing a little while back and when they said that they were from there I immediately shouted GO BLUE. They were like whaaaaaaatttt. Maybe a shitty story, but fun for PA Michigan fan :)
December 9th, 2009 at 6:28 PM ^
Great Lakes Myth Society (Brighton/Ann Arbor), Matt Jones (Ypsilanti. . .?). Frontier Ruckus seems to sort of be from the Detroit area, but they also have some sort of East Lansing connection, if you're not into that sort of thing. But then, so do the Hard Lessons.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:18 PM ^
I love Great Lakes Myth Society.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:55 PM ^
Fantastic/quite amusing live, too.
December 10th, 2009 at 7:20 AM ^
Yeah, I saw Great Lakes Myth Society at the Blind Pig in early 2007. I went there to see Saxon Shore, but I came away liking GLSM a whole lot more.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:47 PM ^
One of the best top-40 cover bands I've ever heard. (And f*#&, I've heard a lot of them.) (www.killerflamingos.com)
MacPodz for weird new music.
The Out of Favor Boys in Kalamazoo for Blues.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:10 PM ^
PRE-1: BEAR VS. SHARK
OMFG were they awesome. Long since broken up, but the most psychotic live shows ever, and incredibly interesting post-punk music. Not counting bands I merched for and whatnot, BvS was by far my favorite band to come out of Ann Arbor.
1. Whatever happened to Donkey Punch (ska band was the biggest draw at the Blind Pig during my time)?
2. Anyone else remember De Novo? One of their members is in a band that made it big, but I liked the De Novo stuff a lot better.
3. Ann Arbor singer/songwriter Tres Crow ended up fronting a band in Nashville that won a YouTube contest for best song, but they have since broken up:
4. Is Ben Began's 40-oz. Studios still going strong?
5. Hey bands: never, Never sign with MAMA Productions. And if "Sony" calls and want you to come "try out" in Indianapolis, ask them if Blue Jankey will be there. If so, don't go -- it's a scam.
6. The biggest band right now from Ann Arbor is probably Mayer Hawthorne and the County (a.k.a. Andrew Cohen). Ann Arborites might remember him best as "the white guy in Athletic Mic League." He was born and raised in Ann Arbor. Nowadays he packs places the size of the Pig in Europe. Give a Listen. Not bad for an A-squared Jewish boy, eh?
December 9th, 2009 at 9:20 PM ^
Maybe it's because I don't like ska, but I would rather receive a dong punch than listen to Donkey Punch.
*ba-dum-ch*
No, but seriously.
December 10th, 2009 at 1:07 AM ^
MAMA Productions and "X" (AKA Bill Horvath) the guy who runs it is a total joke. Warn anyone that you know in a local band to steer clear of him.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:05 PM ^
The Bearded Men of Space Station Eleven
Best band name evah.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:24 PM ^
Cool place, great bands. (There are lots of other cool places on Dort Highway.)
December 9th, 2009 at 7:28 PM ^
We are the Union, definitely the best live band I have ever seen
December 9th, 2009 at 7:34 PM ^
Ty Stone in Detroit is awesome! He signed with Detroit rocker Kid Rock's label a few years ago. He has a great Blues and Rock sound.
December 9th, 2009 at 8:06 PM ^
For when it's time to party, we will always party hard.
December 9th, 2009 at 8:19 PM ^
Michigan Marching Band
December 9th, 2009 at 8:32 PM ^
The best news of the year is that Small Brown Bike is recording again.
December 9th, 2009 at 8:38 PM ^
my vote is for Ooh Ahh. Pretty compelling vocals, I think.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:15 PM ^
If you want to see an awesome live show, go to the Elbow Room in Ypsilanti on Monday nights around 10:00 to see Laith Al-Saadi (with a percussionist and bassist), a local blues/rock guitarist who is absolutely amazing. The shows are free and the Elbow Room kicks ass (they have STROH's!!!). Can't be beat, I vouch.
Macpodz are the other currently active band around here I'm familiar with. They put on a good show, blending funk, jazz, and other stoney varieties. Their bass player is great. Only bad thing about 'em is they draw in that jam band crowd... thieves and miscreants and such.
The Rockit King was a pretty awesome Grand Rapids hair metal act, but they kicked out their lead guitarist a few years back and have not been remarkable since. Their first two albums are worth a listen if you're into 80's rock.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:21 PM ^
I like The Wednesdees.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:24 PM ^
I heard a wild band up in Petoskey that is from the Flint
area, and tour most of the state. The Reverand Right Time
and the First cousins of Funk. The singer is actually a
football coach in Lakeville. They are loud and they packed
the house, everything from RHCP to Rap to Old Skool.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:33 PM ^
I know some people hate them, but Electric Six put on an awesome show at the Blind Pig when I saw them a couple years ago.
December 10th, 2009 at 6:23 AM ^
It was a great show. Also, does anyone else find the thought of seeing an mgoblogger at anything but a michigan sporting event weird?
December 10th, 2009 at 7:11 AM ^
I think I went to that too.
Not as good as Six Clips
December 10th, 2009 at 10:18 AM ^
I, too, was in attendance. Incidentally, also saw Electric Six in GR when one of the bands I mentioned above (Rockit King) opened for them. Good times
December 9th, 2009 at 9:38 PM ^
I miss Southgoing Zak.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:06 PM ^
A little shout out to John Y? I always enjoyed a Little Green Eggs and Ham.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:24 PM ^
I currently have "Belly Up" on my iPod workout mix. A buddy of mine digitized both of the cassettes I have a number of years back. It's all good.
December 10th, 2009 at 12:00 AM ^
Great Divide
December 10th, 2009 at 12:42 AM ^
Both The Hard Lessons and Javelins.
December 10th, 2009 at 1:04 AM ^
I love Javelins. My friend Aaron's older brother Matt is the drummer/singer for them. I remember seeing them play way back in the day when a couple of the Javelins members were in a local band called Heroes Reborn.
December 10th, 2009 at 1:01 AM ^
Speaking of bands local to the AA area. I play in a band called Good Luck Varsity. www.goodluckvarsity.com
If any of you are in the mood for some good (and more importantly free) live local music. There is going to be a free show in Canton (15 min from AA) on December 18th. My band will be playing with Detroit skacore legends The Insyderz and a local Indie band called The Dry Leaf Project.
/end shameless self-promotion