Hip In Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: October 13-15

Friday, October 13th - Friday the 13th @ The Painted Lady: Celebrate Friday the 13th with Jason at The Painted Lady in Hamtramck! Once again this year, The Painted Lady will have dozens of Jason masks on display, adorned with designs from local artists and customers. There will also be raffles throughout the night with lots of cool prizes. Proceeds from the raffle will go towards the Pepper Spray Project. KO Prints will also be on site screen printing special shirts for the event and tunes for the evening will be provided by DJ Blayd. 

Friday, October 13th - James Linck @ Ghost Light: One of our favorite musicians, James Linck, will be performing at The Ghost Light in Hamtramck this Friday night. James will be playing along with The DeCarlo Family and Jeff St. John. $10 gets you in the door and things kick off at 9 p.m.

Friday, October 13th - Monster Mash: A Bunnefit Show: Get spooky, dance, laugh, and help some bunny rabbits this Friday night. Sounds like quite the combo, doesn't it? It's all happening at Monster Mash: A Bunnefit Show at ArtBlock (1411 Holden St.). There will be music from DJs Sam Morykwas, Seven Whales and LILAHK as well as Emily Rose and Rose St. Germaine. Then, there will be comedy sets from Joe Aasim, Nicole Melnyk, and Sarah Lynn. And last by not least, there will be delicious vegan food from Radical Plants and Coffee from Dessert Oasis. $10 gets you in and proceeds go to Hay Monsters Rabbit Sanctuary. The fun goes from 6-10 p.m.

Saturday, October 14th - Hellmouth @ The Sanctuary: After years, Hellmouth will return to the stage this Saturday night at The Sanctuary! If you don't have tickets already, you'll be sad to hear that this one is sold out. But, if you keep an eye on Facebook and IG, there are some fans that are selling extra tickets. Just be sure you know who you're buying from so you don't get scammed. Hellmouth will be joined by Steve Greene from Voagy3r for this one. They also have a daytime show on Sunday at Berkley Coffee with SNAFU (also sold out [insert sad trombone here]). If you were able to score tickets to either or both of these shows, consider yourself lucky! 

Saturday, October 14th - Corktown Fall Harvest Fest: Celebrate fall this Saturday in Corktown at the Fall Harvest Festival. This family friendly event will feature bounce houses, clowns, live music, face painting, a beer tent, and more. Admission is $20 and the event goes from 2 p.m. - 11 p.m. For the full schedule of events and more details, click here. 

Saturday, October 14th - Carrie and The Thing @ The Redford Theatre: The Redford Theatre has two classic thrillers showing this Saturday! First, at 2 p.m. Carrie will be shown. Then, at 7 p.m., get ready for The Thing. Tickets for each show are $7 and can be purchased in advance here. 

~C

Win Tickets to Hellmouth's "Oblivion" Release Show

This weekend Detroit's own Hellmouth will be hosting the release party for their long awaited new album. Fronted by Jay Navarro along with Justin Malek, Jeff Uberti and Alex Awn, this band has built a cult following over the years. It's rare for them to play a show and it has been years since they released a new album. So this Saturday, The Loving Touch will be packed for Hellmouth's Oblivion release show. You can listen to the entire album via Decibel Magazine here. Then head over to Fast Break Records' to pick Oblivion up on vinyl or CD.

You will also be able to pick up the album at the official release show this Saturday, February 25th. In addition to Oblivion, Hellmouth will also have a very limited edition 7" available at the show, with unreleased material from the Oblivion recording sessions as well as a Black Flag cover. There will only be 50 of those records up for grabs, so if you want one, get to the venue early! This show will definitely be packed! The lineup for Saturday is stacked with Nuke, Warhorses, Braidedveins and Poison Tongues. Admission is only $10, but if you're a true fan and have a Hellmouth tattoo, you will get in the door for free. You can pick your tickets for this one up in advance here. We highly suggest that you do because we're sure it will sell out.

If you want to test your luck, you can also enter to win a pair of tickets to the show. Thanks to Black Iris Booking, we are giving away one pair of tickets to this show to one lucky person. If you would like to enter to win, send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #oblivion in the subject line. We will draw our winner the morning of the show and will send them details on how to claim their prize.

Whether you buy your tickets now or enter to win a pair, you definitely do not want to miss this show! Doors are set to open at 7 p.m. For more info, click here.

~C

Win Tickets to Hellmouth's Only Show of 2016

It's been a minute since Hellmouth has played a show. The band, featuring Jay Navarro, Justin Malek, Jeff Uberti and Alex Awn, used to play around town quite a bit, but now it has been about a year since we've heard from them. But, this weekend you have a chance to see them live and it's the only chance you'll have this year!

Black Iris Booking is bringing Hellmouth to the stage this Saturday, July 30th at The Majestic Cafe. Joining them for the night are Build and Destroy, Thin Skin and A Purple Cloud, who will be releasing their new album at this show. Since this is the only show that Hellmouth plans on playing in 2016, you definitely do not want to miss it! Admission is only $10 and tickets can be purchased in advance here.

Thanks to BIB, we are also giving away a pair of tickets to this show! If you would like to enter to win those tickets, please send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #cultovhellmouth in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Saturday morning and they will be heading to the show with a friend for FREE!

Since this is Hellmouth's only show this year, there's a good chance it will sell out! So get your tickets now or get your name in the hat right away! If you're going to wait to pay at the door, make sure you get there early. Doors are set to open at 8 p.m. and all ages are welcome.

~C

Win Tickets to See 7Seconds, Hellmouth and More @ The Shelter

We have really enjoyed watching Black Iris Booking branch out and book shows at new locations over the last year. One of our all time favorite venues has always been The Shelter/ St. Andrew's and they have had quite a few exceptionally good shows there over the last few months.

This Thursday, August 20th the ladies will bring the heavy sounds of 7Seconds, Hellmouth, Bishops Green and Success to the stage of The Shelter. 7Seconds are punk rock legends, they have been making music together since the early 80s and they do not show any signs of slowing down. Hellmouth is sort of a Detroit mega group. It has members from bands like The Suicide Machines, Fordirelifesake, Left in Ruin, and more.

Tickets for the show are only $15 and doors are at 7 p.m. We have one pair of tickets to give away to the show courtesy of Black Ir is Booking. If you would like to enter to win a pair of tickets to the show, please email your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com and use #7Seconds in the subject of your email. We will draw one winner early on Thursday and we will email them details on how to claim their prize.

~S

Tips for Touring Bands from Touring Bands

To any of us that are not in a band or that have never gone on tour before, the whole idea sounds pretty awesome. You get to travel, meet new people, go to shows every night, and share your music with people across the country, or even the world. Although there are of course great things about being on tour, sometimes it's not all that it is cracked up to be. You're away from home for days, weeks, or even months. You're stuck in a van for hours on end with a bunch of other people (usually a bunch of dudes, and dudes can get smelly). You're stuck in a van for hours, period. You sleep on floors a lot and don't always get to shower. And you're at shows every night, which is pretty awesome, but we're sure can also get pretty tiring.

Even though we just listed a bunch of cons, touring definitely has its appeal, otherwise bands wouldn't continue doing it. There are upsides and downsides, but it's an amazing thing to be able to experience.

Well, touring season is upon us and a ton of bands from Detroit and elsewhere will be hitting the road soon. Some of them will be heading out for the first time, while others have been doing it for years. We decided to check in with some guys and gals from Detroit that have done the touring thing a time or two in the past to get some tips from them. Find out what a few of our favorite rockers had to say about life on the road, surviving the tour thing and making the best of it.

"1. Let things slide. if it doesn't directly harm you, it's none of your business. 2. Fast food = shitty feeling. Shitty feeling = shitty playing.  3. Party after you play." 

- Rob Nowak (Against the Grain)

"Gold Bond and don't be a dick - ever." 

- Jason Spencer (Wilson)

"When in doubt, get a side salad. And if your singer downloads a beat machine on his phone make sure you crank your radio loud enough to drown it out."

- Louie Badalament (Axe Ripper, Crumble, Rawdogs)

"1) Be early for everything! You never know when there’s going to be an unexpected set back or if the person who’s supposedly navigating happens to be slacking off. A wise man once said, “if you’re 10 minutes early, you’re already late” (that wise man is Shades, our tour manager). 2) Go to every record store and bookstore possible and bring a record player! One of my favorite parts of touring is going into brand new record stores and finding new albums you’d never find otherwise. I always bring my portable turntable because we get really excited about our finds and don’t want to wait until we get home to listen to them! 3) Always be kind and respectful to the people you’re touring with. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in van all day with people that don’t get along! Eric Allen, the bassist, Kyle Schanta, the drummer, Shades, tour manager extraordinaire, and I are a power team. We have so much fun together and love being around one another, which makes touring the best time! 4) Set aside some time to explore the cities you’re playing whenever you can. Being able to see new places is one of the best parts of touring. It gets tiring only seeing the inside of bars, hotels, and the van! 5) When loading equipment in and out of the van, remember S.F.W.E.F.T.: same fucking way every fucking time (more wise words from Shades). 6) The final and most important rule by far: If somebody needs to break wind in the van, it’s their responsibility to say “window” so everyone else can roll down their windows as quickly as possible. Don’t wait until the genie is out of the bottle!" 

- Blaire Alise & The Bombshells (Blaire Alise & The Bombshells)

"Sometimes when you're out there for a while it begins to seem like a waste of time, playing to no one, getting screwed over, leaving your loved ones at home. Then you start to think about all the other squares back at home working the jobs they hate and it makes it all worth it." 

- Kyle Davis (Against the Grain, Rawdogs, Her Dark Host)

"Headphones, tooth brush, deodorant are most def luxurious items we can all afford that would make your trip better not only for yourself, but the other van residents as well. Odd item that makes everything 100 times better: an inflatable pool raft. One big enough for one person. It works the same as an air mattress, cost $5, and you can easily break it down and get it out of the way. We also utilized it at a seat in a van with only two captains chairs. Other than that, you're fine. If you have $200 and aren't an idiot with you're money, you can be out for 10 days and be a okay."

- Vincent Troia (Cheapshow)

"Tip one, if you are touring to become rich and famous then you are in the wrong world. I only say this because it's for the adventure! The drive! God I love long drives anywhere, mountains, deserts, forest, cities sunsets and a sunrise from an overnight drive. Do it to meet people and to open your eyes to the rest of the world. Hear awesome music chances are you would have never gotten to hear. Make a best friend or friends! To learn.... It may keep you forever young, but it really does make u grow as a human if you let it." 

- Jason Navarro (The Suicide Machines, Hellmouth, Break Anchor)

Definitely some good advice from some great people! You'd be wise to take their advice. If you're heading out on tour this spring or summer, our tip is to have fun, but be safe! We want you to spread your music to the masses, but we also want you to make it back to Detroit! And, we know the people listed above aren't the only ones from our area that have spent some time on the road. If you have some advice to give, feel free to comment below! We imagine heading out on the open road can be pretty intimidating, so why not spread your knowledge and help out other bands? 

A huge thanks to everyone that shared their input with us so far! We here at Hip In Detroit have certainly never been on tour and really can't imagine what it would be like and don't know how we would survive. So, we hope these words of wisdom come in handy to a few of you out there! 

~C

Win Tickets to Black Christmas!!!

December 24th and 25th are two days that most of us spend with family and friends exchanging gifts, eating meals, and sharing some holiday love. But, after two days of being nice, we're all going to need to get naughty and we have the perfect place for all of us to gather to behave badly this holiday season, Black Iris Booking's Black Christmas!

For the third year in a row some of Detroit's best bands will take over The Majestic complex and we will all get unruly and have a good time! The 2014 lineup includes The Suicide Machines, Mustard Plug, Negative Approach, Telegraph (20 year reunion), The Meatmen, Fordirelifesake, Wilson, Koffin Kats, Walls Of Jericho, The Creepshow, Fireworks, Hellmouth (Detroit), Mrs. Skannotto, PEARS, The Dewtons, St. Thomas Boys Academy, Destroy This Place, Poison Tongues, Tharsis They and CbJ. This year they will also be a featuring an art show inside the Majestic Cafe, featuring works from artists at Signature Tattoo and Big Top Tattoo.

The night will kick off at 6 p.m. and the event will feature three stages. Tickets are $20 for the first 250 people then they will be $25 in advance. They will go up to $30 on the day of the show. We also  have one pair of tickets to give away to one lucky reader courtesy of the ladies over at Black Iris Booking. We love these girls more than they will ever know! They bring some of the best bands to town and take care of our readers by making sure that at least one of you gets in the doors for FREE.  To enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Black Christmas in the subject. We will draw a winner the day before the show and email them details on how to claim their prize.  

Good luck! This is a do not miss event, so we expect to see all of you there. Let's drink whiskey and get weird together this holiday season!

~S

Fordirelifesake, Fordire is back!

Everyone in Detroit has that band, the band that you saw three thousand times and adored during the most formidable music years of your life. The band that defines the best era in rocking out that you can remember to date. The band that you sang along to, attended every show, and just plain loved. For me that band was Fordirelifesake.

Fordirelifesake formed in 1999, and from the first time I saw them I was hooked. Their shows were epic, people came out and went crazy. They were different than anything that anyone was else was doing at the time. They were screamo with super metal riffs and some bad ass guitar shredding. They were intoxicating and quickly became the band to go out and see. I can remember getting their first CD. It was clear and had a picture of a razor blade with some blood on it. My parents hated it, which of course made me love it even more.

Fordirelifesake put out music through 2004 and called it quits a few years later. I have asked them countless times when they would be playing a reunion show, and they always said NEVER! Apparently that was a promise that they couldn't keep because it was recently announced that they would be playing this year's Black Christmas on December 26th and releasing some new music. Be still my heart, a live show and new music! They put out one song last week which can be heard here. They will be also be releasing two more new songs on December 16th.

I contacted Brian Southall to find out more about this reunion show and the release of the new music. Check out what he had to say and make sure to be there on the 26th.

HID- What made FDLS decide to reunite to record some new music and play this year's Black Xmas?
Brian Southall- "The lovely Ramona Caldwell had made a few mentions throughout the year about wanting us to play Black Xmas. Reunion shows are a tricky thing, and all of us felt a little odd about that... but then we realized it would be a chance to finish up some music that we had worked on years ago, and that fueled the fire to all get together again and have some fun."

HID- When did you write the new songs? Are these old songs that never got recorded or new songs?
Brian Southall- "There are actually many FDLS songs that never got properly recorded and obviously never got released. This particular batch of songs actually dates back to about 3-4 years ago. Some ideas Justin and I had documented for fun one summer. Being that these were the most complete/new song ideas, we approached Wedge, Eric and Dave and asked if they would all want to bring these to the table and arrange and record them as Fordirelifesake songs."

HID- Why did you name the new EP Speak Ill of the Dead?
Brian Southall- "The title was actually something we had kicked around for years, something that Wedge always liked. In this case it seemed pretty fitting and also gave us a chance to make fun of ourselves as well with a slight double entendre. The double part being a foreshadow of the hate we would likely get for reuniting and releasing new music, instead of remaining a dead band! I won't clue you in to what the deeper real meaning is, you'll just have to analyze the lyrics and see who we hate these days."

HID- Fordirelifesake had some lineup changes over the years. What lineup will be playing together for Black Christmas?
Brian Southall- "This will be the original lineup, minus the great Frank Saponare of course from our 2 singer days. Eric, Justin, Brian, Wedge, Dave."

HID- What vintage Fordire song are you most looking forward to playing again?
Brian Southall- "We actually posted a poll this time to let the fans choose our set for this show, so our secret favorite songs didn't have much of a chance to make the cut. I think I personally have the most fun playing the "Deluge Split" era songs. I think that was when we hit our stride and really defined our sound."

HID- Off the top of your head, what was your favorite live show that FDLS ever played?
Brian Southall- "Sadly it was probably the final show at the Magic Stick. First of all, to share the stage with The Weakend and Wafflehouse* made it perfect. Second, it was definitely the biggest show we had played as a headlining band, and everyone lost their damn minds in that place. I think we set the record for most fights during a Magic Stick show. Our fans are angry angry people."

HID- Will there be more songs or is this it?
Brian Southall- "It's hard to say right now. We are all having an amazing time hanging out again, and I know everyone would love to make some more music, so it will really just depend on time. Life's different at 32 than it was at 22!"

HID-What bands from the Black Christmas lineup are you are most looking forward to seeing ?
Brian Southall- "The Suicide Machines, their keyboard player is very attractive. Other than that, I can't wait to watch Hellmouth burn the building down."

HID- What other projects are all of you working on now?
Brian Southall: "Brian - nothing yet, but the last failure was https://www.facebook.com/TheCompanyWeKeepJustin - https://www.facebook.com/cultovhellmouth & obviously the Suicide Machines
Wedge - https://www.facebook.com/rebelspies313 / https://www.facebook.com/theagangDave - http://facebook.com/yeswaitnoEric - https://www.facebook.com/ScornedDeity"

HID- What are your New Year's resolutions?
Brian Southall- "We all want to be able to deadlift 500lbs, and hope for world peace."

Catch the band Friday, December 26th at Black Iris Booking's Black Christmas at the Majestic Complex in Detroit. Tickets are only $25 in advance and can be purchased here.

~S

Temple of Void Releases "of Terror and the Supernatural" at Corktown Tavern Friday Night

Friday night Corktown Tavern will be metal as fuck and loud as fuck. Temple of Void will be taking the stage for their album release show along with Hellmouth, Gutrot, and Beast in the Field.

Temple of Void is a five piece Doom Metal band from the Detroit area. This show is the official release for their new album of Terror and the Supernatural. The album has been reviewed by numerous media outlets and blogs and is receiving great reviews from all corners of the globe. Hard copies will be available at the show on Friday (as a CD, cassette, or double LP) or you can order yours online through SawHerGhost.net and Naturmacht.com. You can also pick up a digital copy or stream the album on bandcamp here. To get a taste of what you can expect, check out the music video for "Savage Howl" below.

Doors for the show will open at 8 p.m. on Friday and it's only 8 bucks to get in. This is a killer lineup from beginning to end, so make sure you get there early to catch all four bands. For more info, check out the Facebook event page here. Corktown Tavern is located at 1716 Michigan Ave. in Detroit.

~C

TONIGHT - The Best of Hardcore at the American Hardcore Series Finale

Thursday night at the Magic Stick Lounge some of Detroit's best hardcore bands will be coming together to pay tribute to some of the best hardcore bands of all time. The event is called the American Hardcore Series and this is the final installment of the event that has spanned over the last couple of years.

The lineup includes Old Gods, Child Bite, Golden Torso and Hellmouth. This time around, these bands will be covering songs from Bad Brains and Minor Threat. The bands will be playing songs throughout the night, but they also recorded a handful that will be available on two  7" albums at the show.
As you can expect from any event involving Child Bite and Shawn Knight, you can also walk out of this show with something extra bad ass. There will be custom printed wooden boxes available at the show to house the 2 records you will pick up Thursday night, along with the other 3 from the past shows in the series. The boxes will be available for $10 each, but there will be a very limited amount up for grabs. The 2 new 7" albums will be yours with admission, which is only $12.

Doors for the American Hardcore Series Finale will open at 8 p.m. and all ages are welcome. For more details, check out the Facebook event page here. We guarantee this is going to be an awesome show that you won't want to miss!

~C

Friday Night with The Suicide Machines and S.N.A.F.U. (Videos)

The Suicide Machines are a staple in the Detroit scene. Many of us grew up listening to this band and going to their shows. Although it has been awhile since the Machines have released any new material, over the last few years they have began playing around Metro Detroit more and more frequently. Usually you are going to catch them at places like the Majestic Theatre, but every once in a while they decide to take over one of the smaller stages in Detroit. That was the case this past Friday when they played Trumbullplex.

The band added on to the show that was already featuring one of Jay Navarro's other bands, Hellmouth. The lineup also included Germynation, S.N.A.F.U., Opposition Rising and Disaster Strikes. The combination of that lineup and this venue pulled out a different crowd, with quite a few old school fans, but a ton of new faces. It is quite possible that this was the first Suicide Machine's show for many in the crowd. It made for a different night than expected, but a great time, just as you can always expect at one of their shows.

Before the show we caught up with Jay outside the Trumbull to find out what's going on with him and the Suicide Machines, as well as Hellmouth and Break Anchor. See what he had to say.

We also managed to finally catch up with S.N.A.F.U. This band has been on our radar for quite a while now, so we were excited to have the chance to meet up with them. Get all of the background on the band in this interview. Then head out to see them play on August 23rd at Blackout BBQ, featuring S.N.A.F.U. along with a whole list of other great bands like The Koffin Kats, The Goddamn Gallows, Against the Grain, Rebel Spies, Axe Ripper, and a ton more. It's a Black Iris show and there will be free food. Need I say more???

~C

Talking 5 Years of Snakewing with the Guys in Snakewing

Tonight one of the most badass metal bands in Detroit is celebrating their Fifth Anniversary, fittingly on Devil's Night. Snakewing is made up of Phil Berry on vocals, Nick Hamilton on guitar, Cris Golan on bass, and Kevin Hickner on drums. They're probably one of the heaviest and most badass bands in town, but they're also some of the nicest and coolest dudes around (sorry to ruin the façade, guys). They will be celebrating their anniversary tonight at The Park Bar along with Old Gods and Misfortunate Sons. To get ready for their big five year bash we caught up with the guys to look back on Snakewing's history and find out some of the band's "Top Fives". Here's what they had to say:

Hip In Detroit- What's the best show you guys have played over the past 5 years?
Snakewing- "Pearl Necklace with SNAFU. Basement Show, Mosh Pit, Cops Came, Fist Fight, Blood on Wall, Black Eyes, Drunken Madness!!! Or the All leather show when Kevin fogged the sound guy's face!!"

Hip In Detroit- The worst show?
Snakewing- "Theater Bizarre in 2011 was pretty bad due to the sound being awful and our fans not being able to find us in the maze of the Masonic Temple. But, the worst is probably the show Cris went to jail after....bad night."

Hip In Detroit- 5 most memorable moments in Snakewing history?
Snakewing- "1. Beating down another "band" during our set for throwing full beer cans at us while we played...all because they wanted our time slot. Sucked for them. 2. Playing with Negative Approach!!! 3. Releasing a split record with Easy Action!! 4. Opening for Coliseum. 5. Our buddy Brendan Joyce's bathroom sink with a volcano of hair/debris coming out of the drain...unforgettable!!"

Hip In Detroit- What are your top 5 bands in Detroit?
Snakewing- "Hellmouth, Easy Action, Year of the Pig, SNAFU, Against The Grain."

Hip In Detroit- What are the 5 worst things ever in the universe?  
Snakewing- "Government, Religion, Pollution, Money, Liars."

Hip In Detroit- What are the 5 best things ever in the universe?
Snakewing- "Sex, Marijuana, Beer, Music, Sex."

Hip In Detroit- 5 best boobies?
Snakewing- "Durgan, Durgan, Durgan, Durgan, and Kyle Green."

Hip In Detroit- Give us 5 reasons everyone should listen to Snakewing.
Snakewing- "1. We mean it. 2. We don't sound like anybody else. 3. We mean it. 4. You want to break things. 5. We mean it."

Hip In Detroit- What are the top 5 reasons why people should come out to the show on Wednesday?
Snakewing- "1. Snakewing Prayer Candles!! 2. Old Gods. 3. Misfortunate Sons. 4. Henry Pardike DJ'ing. 5. It's Wednesday and you need a break from the grind. Bring it!!!!!"

Doors for tonight's show open at 8 p.m. and it's only $5 to get in. The Park Bar is located at 2040 Park Ave. in Detroit (attached to Bucharest Grill). For all of the details on the event, or to congratulate the band on 5 years of being awesome, click here.

~C

Win Tickets to See Dead Ending with Hellmouth, Snakewing and From Hell!

When Jay Navarro of The Suicide Machines stepped away from his punk rock roots and up to the mic to front Hellmouth, one of the hardest and heaviest bands that Detroit had ever seen, I was more than a little shocked. What happen to the man who just wanted to sing about his New Girl? That man had seemingly grown up, gone through some shit, and wanted to scream about it. The fact that Justin from Fordirelifesake and Jeff from Left in Ruin were also in the band just sweetened the deal and made it clear that this project was going to be something to pay attention to.

It is fitting that Hellmouth will play with Dead Ending this Thursday at The Magic Stick because this band has also been formed by those with some very rich music roots. It's one of those projects that you haven't heard about yet, but once you hear the lineup of talent that has formed this band your interest will at least be peaked. Dead Ending is composed of Vic Bondi from Articles of Faith, Jeff Dean from All Eyes West, Derek Grant from The Suicide Machines and Alkaline Trio, and Joe Principe from Rise Against. They too seem to be angry about something and just need to get it out. They describe their sound as no frills 80s influenced hardcore and with one of the best drummers in the world (in my humble opinion) they seriously couldn't have went wrong. They have only released 2 EPs so far, but are in the process of recording and releasing their first full length. This band echoes the same anti-government and anti-capitalism ideals that Hellmouth has been known to scream about and does it just as heavy and as hard.

The show starts at 8 p.m. and is $10 in advance (purchase tickets at ticketweb.com) or $13 at the door on the day of the show. Joining Hellmouth and Dead Ending on the bill are Snakewing and From Hell. All ages are welcome and Black Iris Booking has given us the opportunity to get one lucky person (and a friend of their choosing) in for free. Thursday morning we will be choosing one ticket winner to have their name on the guest list +1. All you have to do to enter is email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line Dead Ending.

After the show there is a bonus performance down at the Garden Bowl featuring Dirty Kid Discount. This event will be free to all those that are 18+ so as soon as the music ends upstairs head downstairs to keep the party going!

~S

Catching up with Eric Abbey

We have been advertising Hooligans for Heroes events because we believe in the organization and their mission to put money back in the hands of wounded warriors. What we didn't know is that organizer Eric Abbey is a big time Detroit player who has done a lot in this city. He plays in the Reggae band 1592, has won multiple Detroit Music Awards, plays trumpet during Detroit City Football Club games, and has written two books about music in Detroit. He was willing to sit down with us and tell us a little about himself and all the great things that he has been a part of, including his second book that will feature a whole chapter on Hellmouth. The next Hooligans for Heroes show is this Thursday, March 14th at The Loving Touch in Ferndale at 8 p.m. Read what he has to say and come out this Thursday to hear some great music and support a great cause.
 
Hip In Detroit- How long have you been playing music in the Detroit area? What bands have you been part of ?
Eric Abbey- "I have been playing music in the Detroit area professionally since 1994. Bands that I have been in include: 1592, 1592 and the Hooligans, The Red Lights, Superdot. Bands that I have played/recorded with include: Sir Nose from Parliament Funkadelic, The Ryan Dillaha Band, Desolation Angels, The Elevations, there are more that I am forgetting I’m sure." Hip In Detroit- What instruments do you play ? 
Eric Abbey- "Trumpet- Keys- Drums - Sing"Hip In Detroit- You have written a book about Detroit music. Tell me about that, what did you learn? Eric Abbey- "The book’s title is Garage Rock and Its Roots: Musical Rebels and the Drive For Individuality. It was published in 2006 and is available through McFarland Books. This book was the culmination of my graduate program and was a study on the music that I was witnessing in Detroit while I was performing. I chose to write on this scene as it was coming up because I was outside of the scene looking in. It was a great time to be in Detroit with the many clubs and bands just getting back to the music. The biggest thing that I took out of the research was that playing music doesn’t have to be technical to have feel and soul. I had always felt this coming up in the punk world, but doing academic research on it was interesting and great."Hip In Detroit- You are currently writing a second book, will that also feature Detroit?
Eric Abbey- "Yes, the next book will be out on Lexington Books and is an edited collection on Aggressive Music entitled Hardcore, Punk and Other Junk: Aggressive Sounds in Contemporary Music. This collections has chapters from all over the world on aggressive music. The chapter from me is on Hellmouth and features Cold as Life and the development of Detroit Hardcore. The website is a great place to read more on the book as it comes out. http://hardcorepunkandotherjunk.com" Hip In Detroit- You have won multiple Detroit Music Awards. Where do you keep them? What do they mean to you?
Eric Abbey- "I do not think I have ever been asked the where do you keep them question… That’s great. I keep them where I write and record music. They are on top of the studio monitors. They mean a great deal to me as they are recognition that the material that I write has been well received by the music community. There has always been discussion about the awards but for me it is the one night a year that you get to see a whole bunch of people that you are always performing with just hanging out. To have them recognize the work that is put into creating the music with 1592 is a great thing." Hip In Detroit- You play trumpet for the Detroit City FC. I have always wanted to attend a game. Tell us about that.
Eric Abbey- "First, I play trumpet in the stands for the Detroit City Football Club. They play in the National Premier Soccer League. Anyway, the team’s home field is at Cass Tech and the season starts May 12th and the first home game is May 17th. This is by far the greatest time you can have at a sporting event. The team is great and the fans are something else. We chant, drum, light off flares, have a great time all for the team and the love of soccer. The schedule and tix are available here http://www.detcityfc.com/ Everyone should come to a game." Hip In Detroit- Why did you start Hooligans for Heroes?
Eric Abbey- "I did not start Hooligans for Heroes. The supporters of Detroit City Football Club known as the Northern Guard, of which I am a part, began this charity. The short story of it is that Gene and Ken Butcher and Drew Gentry wanted to start a charity based on the soccer fans and a fan had a brother stationed in Iraq who was blogging about his experiences. Gene, Ken and Drew found out about this and got the idea to start the charity to donate all proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project. Go to https://www.facebook.com/HooligansForHeroesDetroit.
As a musician and knowing a lot of people who have served I was drawn to the cause and wanted to help, so I organized the concert on March 14th at The Loving Touch to support the cause." Hip In Detroit- Tell us about the 7" that you are releasing.
Eric Abbey- "The 45 that we are releasing is all about the Detroit City Football Club and the way that you feel when you are at a game. I started writing punk songs to support the team because the songs just wanted to come out. My band 1592 is a reggae and rocksteady band so I decided to create 1592 and the Hooligans for the punk stuff. I wrote a song called “City Till We Die” and put it up on Youtube. It got a huge response so I wrote another one called “Saturday Night” which did the same thing. Then I had a discussion with Motor City Special records. We decided to release a 45 with 1592 and the Hooligans on the A side doing “Saturday Night” and 1592 on the B side doing a rocksteady tune called “Sunday Morning”
I really want to thank everyone who supported this project. We had people donating funds to help with the production and Motor City Special has been great.
It is at the plant now and should be done by the start of the season. All of the proceeds from the sales of this record will go to Hooligans for Heroes as well."

Hip In Detroit- Favorite local band, bar, restaurant?
Eric Abbey- "My favorite local band right now is Hellmouth. The power and writing ability in this band is beyond compare. Favorite local bars are Harry’s and Corktown Tavern. Restaurant is Imperial."Hip In Detroit- Anything else you think our readers needed to know?
Eric Abbey- "The main thing for anyone is to do what you love and make sure that you are doing it for you. Come out to the benefit concert on March 14th, see 1592, come to a Detroit City game, have fun. There is so much in this city that is great. You just have to look. Cheers!"

~S

Tribute to Jason Lockwood at the Trumbullplex

I'm not going to claim that I was close to Jason or that I knew him well. But, I would call him a friend. Just as many of you did.

It's not often that you get to say a proper goodbye to someone and tell them exactly what you would want to say to him. Back in the spring I bumped into Jason on the Alley Deck and had that opportunity, which I will forever be grateful for. Those of you that know me, know I'm pretty shy towards those that I'm not super close with. So, I'm glad that I actually opened up to Jason that night. I'll sum our conversation up with one statement that I said to him, "Detroit won't be the same without you". On that night I thought I was just saying goodbye to a friend that was jumping ship to Chicago. Little did I know that I was actually saying goodbye to him.

Jason was a great guy and more passionate than most people I have met in my lifetime. I definitely idolized the guy, as most Detroit Punk Rock kids did. He was someone we looked up to. He knew music, he wanted to create a community, he threw awesome shows and opened a record store that would change the Detroit scene and live on as a legend, just like the owners. But, more importantly, he was genuine and made everyone feel important. From hall shows, to the parties in Rochester, or the encounters at shows. It didn't matter if you were the lead singer of the headlining band or the kid standing in back alone, he knew who you were and made sure you felt like you were a part of it all. Hell, I crashed the guys wedding and he even made me feel like he was happy that I was there.

For a while, I had the pleasure of working with Jason during my short-lived "sound guy" career at The Stick. When I first started, there were only about 2 people I even "knew" there. Jason and Chris, well and of course Royce, but only because I hunted him down and he was nice enough to give me a shot. Jason was supportive from the get go, but that's not to say that he didn't give me plenty of tough love. Although I was happy to see him on the nights we worked together, I was also super intimidated. He had been around the block a few times and had been to a show or two. I had to make sure to be on top of my game when he was around. I felt like I had to make him proud or something. The guy was a legend, even though he was a friend.

This Saturday we have another chance to celebrate Jason Lockwood, to remember him, and to make him proud. Hellmouth is hosting a tribute to him at The Trumbullplex with some of Detroit's finest. The night will be full of music, memories and plenty of whiskey, I'm sure. The bands playing along side Hellmouth include Against The Grain, Bump-N-Uglies, The Dewtons and Downtown Brown. It sounds like there might even be a Whiskey Diaries sing-a-long or two. Doors open at 7 p.m. and it's only $5 to get in, all of which will go to Jason's family. For more info on the event, and to see some pictures and memories, head over to the Facebook event. 

~C

80's Metal Halloween Faux Guns N Roses, Metallica, and Faith No More

Last Thursday, The Loving Touch was packed wall to wall for a day after Halloween celebration. Some of Detroit's most talented musicians came together and put on quite a show. Personally, I threw on leopard print spandex and my brightest pink lipstick and headed out for the show. 

Three bands were featured including Guns N' Roses, Faith No More and Metallica. Guns N' Roses consisted of members of The Suicide Machines, The Grand Nationals , Faith No More had members of The Meatmen and Old Gods; and Bahamut did their best recreation of Metallica. 

All three bands killed it and really did justice to their namesakes. Thanks to the amazing Matt Moy we were able to get video from each set to share with all of you.  

   

~S

American Hardcore Tribute Series II

American Hardcore Tribute Series II is bringing you some of the best metal bands this town has to offer and two super exclusive 7" albums that will be available for one night only. Small's and Black Iris Booking present Hellmouth, Golden Torso, Old Gods and Child Bite all together for one night under one roof. This is by far the most metal show of the year and is a guaranteed good night. To top it off, all of these amazing bands will be playing some of your favorites from Dead Kennedys and Misfits! Here's some background on the bands playing Thursday night.

Hellmouth is here to bring back a time when music actually meant something. They assert that music has lost all integrity and become soft. They are here to bring back the fear, anger, and honesty that they feel once existed. They currently have three albums, “Destroy Everything. Worship Nothing”, “The Demo 08” and "Gravestone Skylines". They were released in limited quantities and once sold out will likely not be repressed, according to the band.

Golden Torso is a band born out of other bands, known for being topless and getting a crowd moving. They describe themselves as three chubby dudes and one little man. They rock harder than most bands around, even if one of the guys is on the smaller side.

Old Gods is the brainchild of Jeff Tuttle, former guitar player for Dillinger Escape Plan. He joined forces with former Heads Will Roll teammate, Derek Swanson, and friends Randall K. and Tony W. to create this new entity and some new music. They just released their first record on Forge Again Records, appropriately titled "Old Gods" and it can be found on their bandcamp.

Child Bite is known for great music, an amazing website, and thanks to artist Shawn Knight, some of the best looking merchandise I have ever seen. Their latest release is called "Monomania" and is available at http://childbite.bandcamp.com/.

The best part of this whole event is that the first 250 people who enter the door will receive a copy of the two previously mentioned 7" albums, one of which is Dead Kennedys covers and the other is Misfits covers.

The American Hardcore Tribute Series II is October 25 at Small's in Hamtramck. It is $12 dollars at the door and pre-sale tickets are available at www.smallsbardetroit.com. Doors are at 8 p.m. and all ages are welcome! This is a don’t miss event!

~SC

Time Travelin' In Toronto with Fordirelifesake, The Swellers and The Fullblast

If you grew up in the Metro-Detroit area and you were into music from 1999 to the present, you have likely heard of a little gem called Fordirelifesake. This band defined my twenties, as well as Christie’s, and changed my life. I met one of my best friends, Angie Mcbride (Peace Love Spandex), at a show during the blowout at Tight Fittin' Jeans when I was only 18 years old. Years later, when they changed bassists, I met what would become one of my lifelong friends, Ryan Podlubny, when he moved to Detroit to join the band. From 1999 until just a few years ago, if this band played, I was there. Period. So, when I heard they were playing a reunion show under the fake name Fat Dirty Love Snakes, I knew that I had to be there and cover the show for all those that love this band as much as I do. 

The lineup was pure gold. The Swellers, Fordirelifesake and The Fullblast all playing in the same place for one magical night. The show was at Sneaky Dee’s in Toronto, Canada and tickets sold out in under 5 minutes. 

The Swellers got it started and showed the crowd why they are touring around the world. They are amazing musicians who have mastered their instruments and know how to entertain a crowd. I have always loved watching Ryan Collins shred on his guitar while he defies gravity jumping around. Check out their latest release “Good For Me”. 

Fordirelifesake sounded better than I remembered. Justin is a better drummer now than he ever was, Wedge can sing like no other and what Eric Kempa can do with a guitar is still mind blowing when you see it in person. These songs, that were written so many years ago, still hold up. It says a lot about B South and his mastery of music. Dave and Pud shared the duty of playing bass (Ryan for only one song) and really looked like they were having a great time.

 

Finally, The Fullblast got up and did what they do best. They played fast music and got the room moving. The bass player who now plays in a band called A Wilhelm Scream, was so entertaining to watch. He is one of the best bass players I have ever seen and he's funny and animated on stage. The room was literally shaking from the music and the movement as they played an almost 2 hour set. I went nuts when I heard the words “all i need is a jetpack and roller skates”. So many memories!

We were able to get you pictures and videos of the whole thing. Sorry if they're a little shaky, but you go up front at a reunion show of this caliber and see how steady you can stand! Remember to check out the newer projects of these talented musicians including Hellmouth, The Company We Keep, A Wilhelm Scream, The A-Gang and Scorned Deity. 

~S

Ah, The Smell Of Punk!

This past Saturday we made it out to the mayhem that is Tesco Fest at the Magic Stick. If you weren't there, you really missed a hell of a night! The place was packed and the bands were awesome! Once you reached the top of the stairs, the smell of punk rock filled the air!

We were at Motors & Music earlier, so we got there a little later than we had wanted to, but we were able to catch Bill Bondsmen, Hellmouth and The Meatmen. We've seen Bill Bondsmen and Hellmouth before and we love them every time. We especially love Jay Navarro's stories in between songs- we love him for getting out of the car and yelling at the anti-abortion people on Woodward!

The Meatmen closed out the night with quite the performance. Tesco, Danny Dirtbag, Hindu Kush and Swarthy "Bun-Length" Franklin were awesome, but the special guest at the end of the set was something else. And don't worry if you missed it, we have it on video!

Before their performance, we caught up with Danny Dirtbag and Sadie chatted with him about the night, their upcoming tour and among other ridiculousness. See what he had to say:

Make sure to check out these 2 videos from The Meatmen's performance. We can't wait to see more of these guys and wish them luck on their tour in Europe, even if the UK doesn't want anything to do with them! 

And as always thanks to Black Iris Booking for putting on an awesome show!

~BCS

Tesco Fest

Saturday, August 18 Black Iris Booking brings you Tesco Fest, a day of punk rock mayhem at the Magic Stick Lounge. They are setting up two stages for the day and unleashing a list of bands that any booking agent can be proud of. The list includes The Meatmen, Negative Approach, ANTiSEEN, Gang Green, Iron Cross, HELLMOUTH, Bill Bondsmen, Against the Grain and Golden Torso. 

Doors are at 7 and the music starts at 8 sharp! Tickets are only $15 in advance and will be available at the door for $17. You can purchase tickets at the Garden Bowl with no service fee, or you can get them here.

This is a great lineup that you do not want to miss! Hope to see you and all your friends there! 

 ~S