It must be obvious that as a Metro Detroit local, I am a big supporter of local bands and businesses. I frequent mostly independent local record shops such as Record Time (shameless plug for the best record store in Detroit), love local bands such as The Silent Years, The Summer Pledge, and more recently, The Great Fiction, and proudly wear Made In Detroit and Pure Detroit apparel.
In celebration of Pure Detroit's 11th birthday, 11 bands and artists gathered together last night at the Magic Stick for over five hours of pure entertainment. A diverse musical lineup that stretched from psychedelic rock, funk, hip-hop, pop-rock, country, electro, and bluegrass ensured that there would be something for just about anybody, and showcased some of Detroit's best bands.
Old Empire kicked things off with the declaration that they "made the math work," as they were apparently a last-minute replacement for Ohtis, who was originally on the bill. Despite their humble dig at themselves, their opening set was one of the evening's highlights. Their sound reaches across several musical boundaries, but seems most influenced by classic rock 'n' roll and soul (particularly on record, where lead singer Gabe Dodson reminds me of David Bowie in spots). There's a heavy dose of electric piano and excellent guitar work abounded as they performed songs from their debut record, Queen City Quandaries, as well as several new, as-yet-unreleased tracks. They are definitely a band I'll be keeping a close eye on, especially after purchasing and listening to the record.
Following Old Empire were Sister Lucas, a psychedlic fronted by sisters Julie and Loretta Lucas (as the name obviously implies), and the unique country stylings of Scarlet Oaks, who are undoubtedly one of the few bands in the Metro Detroit area performing this type of music.
The less said about the next act, the better, but following the intolerable Charlie Slick and his brand of basement electro, The Juliets took the main stage and washed the bad taste away (sorry, Charlie, just was not digging it at all).
The Juliets were the clear standout of all the bands I hadn't seen previously. A five piece pop outfit with prominent strings, their set was impeccable, opening with a tune called "The Letter" (which can be downloaded for free over at MotorCityRocks - do it now, thank me later). Frontman Jeremy Freer, who once headlined a band known by his surname, is known for being one of the best at crafting memorable pop tracks in the Metro Detroit area, and it's easy to see why. With his terrific voice flanked by cello from Kaylan Mitchell, also known for her frequent work with The Silent Years, and violin from Sarah Meyers, The Juliets have created a beautiful, sometimes haunting, and brilliant sound. Their first record is due out sometime in 2010, and is definitely at the top of the list of albums I'm most looking forward to.
Following that incredible performance were Catfish Mafia, a bluegrass band who won the crowd over quickly. I must admit, though I've never been a fan of country or bluegrass, their set was nothing short of amazing, simply for the incredible musicianship on display. Once again, it was interesting to see a local band playing such a unique form of music, and if you're into this type of music I wholeheartedly recommend checking them out because I've gotta believe they're tops in their class at what they do.
One of the bands I was most looking forward to seeing were East Pointe's The Great Fiction, featuring Daniel Zott, one half of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr along with The Silent Years' Josh Epstein. Having recently purchased (digitally only, unfortunately) their EP Hiding Under Covers, and 2007's full-length LP Slow Progress For Simplicity, I was anxious to hear them live for the first time.
Donning a bear-ear hood, Zott picked up the instant Catfish Mafia finished, but due to the nature of the event, they were only allotted 20 minutes. Showcasing material from their upcoming full-length, The Great Fiction's set was criminally short, and vastly different from the music I'd heard on their previous records, but not in any sort of negative way. The newer material seems more freeform with psychedlic and experimental flourishes, and rough versions of two of the tracks performed, "Without A Gun" and "Downtown", can be heard over on MySpace Music. It's simply a shame they didn't have more time to dive into some of their older material as well.
Prussia followed The Great Fiction with their eclectic blend of psychedlia, soul, and rock. Having seen them before, I had an inkling of what to expect, but I must say this is a band that improves each time you see them. Their music is like nothing else out there, and they seem to grow with each performance.
Naturally, I'm going to devote a little more time to The Silent Years, who put on their typically rousing set. It's always amazing to see the way the crowd packs the stage for their set, and how it tends to thin out afterwards, and it makes me wonder why the band doesn't headline their own shows in the area, but nevertheless last night's 40 minute workout was once again spectacular.
In addition to having girls dressed as maids on stage, the band offered up grilled cheese sandwiches to anyone who wanted one, with "real Velveeta and real Wonder Bread," as lead singer and guitarist Josh Epstein qualified. Also joining the regular lineup of Epstein, Mike Majewski on bass, Fabian Halabou on guitar, Cassandra Verras on keyboards and violin, and Ryan Clancy on drums, were Kaylan Mitchell and a three piece horn section, making the performance a larger spectacle and keeping the songs more in line with their studio versions.
They opened their set with "Vampires Bite The Hands Feed Them" and "Pay It Back", both utilizing the horns well, before moving into three more tracks from their outstanding EP, Let Go - the unforgettable "Taking Drugs At The Amusement Park", the emotionally charged "Forest Fire", which saw both Epstein and Halabou standing on chairs covered in Christmas lights during the song's breakdown and climax, and the utterly unique and brilliant "Madame Shocking". This being the band's first show in Detroit in months, after several attempts were thwarted by inclement weather and festival snafus, they also dug into their self-titled 2007 debut for an extended performance of "Someday" with heavy audience participation before closing out their set by debuting a brand new song from their upcoming 2010 album entitled "Teeth Like Trophies" (according to the setlist).
After The Silent Years' stunning 40 minute set, Black Lodge took over on the secondary stage with loud, abrasive guitars and shouted pronouncements from lead singer Matt Luke. The evening was brought to a close by Phat Kat featuring the Will Sessions Band, one of the best funk outfits in Detroit.
Opening with an absolutely mindblowing, lengthy funk workout featuring prominent horns and incredible basslines, local hip-hop artist Phat Kat joined the band on stage afterwards for several songs as they provided live backing tracks, much to his pleasure and amazement at their ability to completely capture the sound of the studio versions. Though the crowd had thinned out, those who remained were treated to an excellent performance, even once Phat Kat had taken his leave and the Will Sessions Band went back to their extended funk jams.
As someone who has lamented the death of true funk music for years, Will Sessions is a Godsend. I could've listened to them play for hours and days. Horns blared, organs whirred, and the hyperspeed bass guitar lines rumbled the floors. It was a sight to behold, and an amazing way to close out the evening.
You will never find a better value for $11 than last night's Pure 11 event. The varied and largely fantastic performances showcased why Detroit is still one of the best music cities in the world whose rich history will only continue to grow as bands like these bring new blood and breathe new life into music. I was as proud to wear my Pure Detroit hoodie as I've ever been last night, and here's to 11 more years of success!
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