Metro Detroit Concerts: Thrash For the Holidays At These Weekend Parties
CultureShift’s Jeff Milo runs down local concerts and shows to catch the weekend of Dec. 13th and 14h in southeast Michigan.
Welcome to “Milo Minute,” delivering all you need to find a local show or fest to attend this weekend in about 60 seconds, give or take. And we mean ‘local.’
Longtime Detroit music journalist Jeff Milo has been plugging ears into the Detroit scene for years with some prolific blogging, starting in the mid 00’s with Deep Cutz, and continuing with his new site and ongoing podcast, “Ideas Adrift.” Here, he gives us his rundown for what music to catch this weekend.
Click on the player above to hear WDET’s Jeff Milo talk about this weekend’s shows.
Friday, December 13
EP Release for Hellions at Armageddon Beach Party
What: Hellions are having an EP release party at the art boutique in Woodbridge known as Armageddon Beachparty.
Who’s playing: Hellions definitely has a dark ambiance to it, and it’s definitely divergent from typical indie-rock or punk; texturing things with a bit of cathartic dissonance. They’ll be joined by jazz composer and bassist Betsy Soukup, and the ambient guitar and vocal duo known as Witchpucker.
Sounds like: The song we’re sampling from the new EP by Hellions is called “Magic Wax.”
Ryan Dillaha Album Release at Ant Hall
What: Ryan Dillaha is releasing a fourth album called “Closer To Better,” with a stylized and theatrical performance of the entire record at Ant Hall
Who’s playing: Ryan Dillaha, Detroit-based indie-folk trio Jackamo and the Wagner Act.
Sounds like: “Gunsmoke”
Saturday, December 14
Nightmare Before Christmas in Ann Arbor at the Blind Pig
What: The Blind Pig is hosting a Nightmare Before Xmas party. Costumes are encouraged.
Who’s playing: There’s a stacked lineup, including some Detroit-based bands like the indie-rock/power-pop trio Float Here Forever. The hometown artists include the powerhouse rock ensemble known as Black Note Graffiti, as well as the hard-rock and groove-metal outfit known as Stick Shift, another big ensemble with rock instrumentation and sax and keys known as the Switchbacks, and then the soul-rock of Dani Darling, which is a four-piece, even if it is named for its lead singer and songwriter.
Sounds like: Dani Darling’s track, “Stranger.”
Wreck the Halls at Kelly’s in Hamtramck
What: Kelly’s is having a punk rock holiday party.
Who’s playing: Snarly are self-described post-apocalyptic punks who are touring in from Toledo. They’re joining local duo Dear Darkness, Pet Psychic, a singer/songwriter known as Slob, and Spaceskull, which is led by a red witch who has some minion-type cult members in monastic crimson garb performing heavy, hard-charging punk rock music, with ambitions to be a scourge to the entire galaxy, and maybe beyond.
Sounds like: We’re going to sample one of Spaceskull’s tracks, it’s called “Chain Saw.”
