The guys in the punk band Bayside don’t mind spending plenty of time in this part of the country. As part of the “Take Action Tour” back in May, the Long Island based band played to a packed house in the Crofoot [...]]]>

Bayside hits the Majestic with Saves the Day next Wednesday.

The guys in the punk band Bayside don’t mind spending plenty of time in this part of the country. As part of the “Take Action Tour” back in May, the Long Island based band played to a packed house in the Crofoot Ballroom with Silverstein. But as the band tours behind their new album, “Killing Time”, the band hits the road with longtime friends and sometimes tour mates Saves the Day in a night of two punk-hardcore heavyweights.

The band got some good news this year, as “Killing Time” had a top 40 debut inside the Billboard Album Charts, debuting at #35. It’s easy to see why fans have stuck with the band throughout all this time; with infectous tunes like “Sick, Sick, Sick” and “Already Gone”, it shows that Bayside’s signature sound is still fully intact. The album shares a lot of lead singer Anthony Ranieri’s more personal and gut-wrenching lyrics, due to some tough events between the band’s last two albums for the singer.

But with Bayside re-energized and focused on the future, “Killing Time” has been a watershed moment for the band creatively and the band has hit the ground running since the February release. With the “Take Action Tour” now behind them, they have joined forces with Saves The Day once again for a tour that will take them into mid-November as they end with a two night stint at New York’s Irving Plaza. But an early date in the tour brings them to Detroit for a big night on Wednesday, October 12^th with Saves The Day at the Majestic Theater.

If you missed Bayside back in May, this will be another good chance to see them as two of punk hardest working bands hit Detroit and rattle the Majestic’s old walls just a little more.

Bayside plays at the Majestic Theater on Wednesday, October 12^th. Tickets are $15 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional tour dates and band info can be found at www.baysidebayside.com.

Let’s be honest- pop music is just really lame today: You’ve got Lady Gaga ripping off Madonna’s 1980’s period so bad that it’s on the borderline of appalling and countless other Disney types that make the Backstreet Boys [...]]]>

Mayer Hawthorne, alongside Chromeo, deliver some great tunes to the Majestic next Monday.

Let’s be honest- pop music is just really lame today: You’ve got Lady Gaga ripping off Madonna’s 1980’s period so bad that it’s on the borderline of appalling and countless other Disney types that make the Backstreet Boys look gangsta. But there’s still some great R&B influenced pop music that still is marvelous in this day of age.

Take the New York via Montreal duo of Chromeo: mixing their love of groups like Hall and Oates with a hip-hop influence and always a health dose of a vocoder, the duo of Dave-1 and P-Thugg have put together a very smooth and fun group of songs for their latest, “Business Casual”. The guys have been on the road for well over a year since the release of “Casual”, and the cuts on the album, like “Don’t Turn Out The Lights” and “Hot Mess”, Chromeo’s chill but entertaining vibe is a real stand out.

The other R&B-pop name that is creating a buzz these days is the Ann Arbor native Mayer Hawthorne, whose debut album “A Strange Arrangement” is a complete throwback to the R&B glory days of the 1970’s. With Hawthorne’s laid back and tunes made for late nights like “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” and “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothing”, Hawthorne put together one of last year’s best pop albums and gives fans some hope for what pop music can sound like in the future. Mayer just released his latest single, “The Walk” back in August and later this year should see the sophomore release from Hawthorne, or at least we’re hoping.

Chromeo and Mayer Hawthorne have teamed up on a joint tour that will see the guys on the road through the end of October. But one of the early days give Hawthorne a near hometown show as they play the Majestic Theater on Monday, September 26^th for an evening of soulful tunes and a showcase of how pop music is done when not trying to make a shameful play at the charts.

Chromeo and Mayer Hawthorne play at the Majestic Theater on Monday, September 26^th. Tickets are $25 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional tour dates and band info can be found at www.stonesthrow.com/mayerhawthorne or www.chromeo.net.

If the name Holy Sons doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps the mastermind behind the project, Emil Amos will spark your memory a bit. For years, Amos has fronted a few very influential experimental rock bands, including [...]]]>

Emil Amos brings the Holy Sons to Detroit for the first time on Sept. 20th.

If the name Holy Sons doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps the mastermind behind the project, Emil Amos will spark your memory a bit. For years, Amos has fronted a few very influential experimental rock bands, including Grails and Om. But Amos’ most recent project could be his most diverse yet.

With Holy Sons’ first album, “Survivalist Tales”, the listener is taken through many different stylistic changes. From the laid back, 70’s singer/songwriter vibe of “Reckless Liberation” to the building momentum of “Slow Days”, Amos creates a mood of haunting despair that is hard to pull yourself away from. Probably the best example of this sound is on the track “Payoff”, which descends into eerie synths and showcases Amos’ vocals probably the best on the album.

Emil is a busy guy- with the material for the Holy Sons project dating back as early as the early 90’s, as he was working on the other projects that he became known for. But “Survivalist Tales” is reaping the fruits of his long-labored efforts and critics and underground music fans have enjoyed.

With the exception of a few east coast dates last year, the Holy Sons have not played live dates in the rest of the country- until now. Emil and the Holy Sons will be embarking on a string of eastern seaboard and Midwestern dates as the opener for Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus and his other band, the Jicks. The tour runs through October 8^th, but the tour hits Detroit and the Majestic Theater on Tuesday, September 20^th. So, check out the Holy Sons and their truly majestically haunted music for the first time.

The Holy Sons open for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks at the Majestic Theater on Tuesday, September 20^th. Tickets are $20 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional tour dates and band info can be found at www.holysons.com.

Last year, the first Scream It Like You Mean It was a successful tour that came through Detroit at St. Andrew’s Hall and featured post-hardcore/metal-ish bands like Silverstein and We Came As Romans and drove the mostly [...]]]>

I See Stars and Chiodos will bring the "Scream" to the Majestic this Saturday.

Last year, the first Scream It Like You Mean It was a successful tour that came through Detroit at St. Andrew’s Hall and featured post-hardcore/metal-ish bands like Silverstein and We Came As Romans and drove the mostly young crowd wild. Well, if you enjoyed last year’s tour, fans will be screaming once again as the tour comes back for it’s sophomore run.

The second go-round has Michigan dominated headliners, with Chiodos and I See Stars. The Flint based Chiodos is the headliner, and is continuing to tour on the release of last year’s “Illuminaudio”, which debuted in the Billboard Top 40 albums upon it’s release. The album is the band’s first with new singer Brandon Bolmer. If you haven’t seen Chiodos with Brandon, the band sounds just as tight as when they had former lead singer Craig Owens fronting things, if not more so.

Also, Warren based band I See Stars, whose metalcore sounds helped their album “End of the World Party” debuted inside the Top 200 of the album charts upon it’s release. Also on the bill are The Air I Breathe, The Color Morale and TekOne that round out the heavy and melodic bill.

With the touring already started in mid-July, “Scream” wraps up on August 26^th in Denver. But Detroit fans will head to see their local headliners as well as the other bands as they head to the Majestic Theater on Saturday, August 20^th. It’s gonna be a good night to see one of Michigan’s best and brightest up and coming band as Chiodos and I See Stars headline “Scream It Like You Mean It”.

The “Scream It Like You Mean It” tour hits the Majestic Theater on Saturday, August 20^th. Tickets are $20 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional tour dates and info can be found at www.screamitlikeyoumeanit.com/events.

Next week brings the “F—ing Awesome Fest” to the Majestic Theater complex, starting Wednesday, August 10th through Saturday, August 13th. All the venues of the complex, including the Majestic Theater, Magic Stick and Majestic Café will be busy [...]]]>

Madball leads the hardcore pack into the F---ing Awesome Fest next Friday at the Majestic.

Next week brings the “F—ing Awesome Fest” to the Majestic Theater complex, starting Wednesday, August 10^th through Saturday, August 13^th. All the venues of the complex, including the Majestic Theater, Magic Stick and Majestic Café will be busy with all sorts of bands ranging from indie rock to hip hop to metal.

One of the heavier times of the weekend festival will take place Friday night at the Majestic Theater, as the biggest venue there prepares for an exercise in hardcore as Madball and others tear up the Majestic, and sure to leave plenty of bruised bodies the next day.

If you didn’t already know, Madball is one of the longest running bands in hardcore, going back to their first releases in the mid-1990’s. Their style of relentless hardcore metal is as about as tried and true as you can get in their eight full length releases. The band’s latest, last year’s “Empire” delivers breakdown and pummeling riffs on songs like “All Or Nothing” and “Shatterproof”. “Empire” is Madball’s first album on Good Fight Entertainment, after a lengthy stint at Ferret Records.

Madball are starting their summer dates on August 8^th and are on the road for a few weeks, but the Detroit show could be a hell of a bill for hardcore fans. Not only will be Madball be on the bill, but the west coast answer to hardcore- Terror will be on the bill, who are still touring behind their 2010 album, “Keepers Of the Faith”. And locals hardcore and metal bands like Hellmouth and XTyrantX round out the bill.

If you ‘re there for Madball, or there for the others on the bill- it is sure to be a wild night as hardcore takes over the Majestic.

Madball headline the “F—ing Awesome Fest” on Friday, August 12^th. Tickets for each day run $15, and weekend passes run $30 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional F—ing Awesome Fest info can be found at www.majesticdetroit.com. Additional Madball tour dates and info can be found at www.myspace.com/madball.

The last time we discussed the Los Angeles based band the Airborne Toxic Event, the band was just coming up and getting some exposure for their debut single, “Somewhere Around Midnight”. The song was a [...]]]>

The Airborne Toxic Event play what's sure to be a packed house at the Majestic on Friday.

The last time we discussed the Los Angeles based band the Airborne Toxic Event, the band was just coming up and getting some exposure for their debut single, “Somewhere Around Midnight”. The song was a decent sized modern rock radio hit and tons of exposure on TV shows and late night TV gave the quintet their first bit of success.

After releasing a single and a live DVD/CD last year, “All I Ever Wanted: Live From Walt Disney Word Concert Hall”, the band got back into the studio last fall to work on the band’s sophomore album.

Released in late April, the band’s second album and major label debut, “All At Once” made a huge splash on the Billboard Album Charts upon it’s release, debuting at #17 on the album charts. Grabbing Oasis and LCD Soundsystem producer Dave Sardy, the band set out to expand their sound. Lead by the singles “Numb” and the Top 10 Alternative Rock track “Changing”, the album seems a bit more refined and polished than the material on the first album and making that big play for major rock stardom.

To promote the album, the band hit some venues that were way off the beaten path, such as performing with the Louisville Orchestra and playing at the First Baptist Church in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles. But now, the band has started a more proper tour, which has dates in the U.S. through the first part of August before heading off to Europe and coming back here for the Austin City Limits festival in September. But Detroit fans will get a chance to check the band out as they play the Majestic Theater on Friday, July 29^th.

With the way the new album has been performing, it’s only a matter of time before the Airborne Toxic Event plays bigger venues and by hitting the Majestic show, you can say you saw them back when years from now.

The Airborne Toxic Event play at the Majestic Theater on Friday, July 29^th. Tickets are $15 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional tour dates and band info can be found at www.theairbornetoxicevent.com.

Over the years, Thomas Gabriel Fischer (better known as Tom G. Warrior to a lot of fans) has been the key behind some of the most influential projects in metal music: Not only did he form the band Hellhammer, most fans [...]]]>

Metal legend Tom G. Warrior hits the Majestic Theater tomorrow.

Over the years, Thomas Gabriel Fischer (better known as Tom G. Warrior to a lot of fans) has been the key behind some of the most influential projects in metal music: Not only did he form the band Hellhammer, most fans know Fischer as the leader of the super influential European black metal band Celtic Frost. Celtic Frost influenced countless metal bands, no matter what genre they were and continued to put out albums consistently until their breakup in 2008. Since the breakup, Fischer has went full speed ahead with his latest project, Triptykon.

Triptykon released their debut, “Eparistera Daimones” back in April and has recently just released an EP entitled “Shutter” last month. The band is out on their first U.S. tour and before a stop in Cleveland, I had a chance to talk with Warrior about the beginnings of the new project and the major differences with the American metal scene versus the European scene.

Here’s my interview with Tom:

AM: How has the crowd reacted to the first Triptykon tour so far?
TW: It has been absolutely overwhelming so far, especially for the band’s first tour. The album was released in April, but we had been building up the profile of the band for about 6 months previous to that. We came to the US with a completely open mind, and the shows have totally exceeded our expectations so far.

AM: How long had you been working on the music for the first Triptykon album?
TW: It’s difficult to say really, I’m the type of person that never really stops recording. As we were working on the last Celtic Frost album (“Monothelist”- released in 2006), I was writing songs during that album, as that album was released and after the album had come out. Writing and recording is a constant process for me, so it’s tough to say when exactly when I started on this. But I feel that this building upon that last Celtic Frost album to create something new.

AM: Do you feel that Triptykon was the next step in your career?
TW: I think that this was a logical progression in my career- I wouldn’t have done it otherwise. We’ve got a good management staff, I own my own record company and have complete control over my music, so I can create any sort of music that I wish. When going into the studio to record, things felt really organic. I don’t think my writing style has changed that much over the years, but as you get older- the lyrics tend to become much more personal than when you were younger. More life experience helps shape better lyrics.

AM: Did you feel that there was any particular songs that were more easier to write than others?
TW: I think when you are recording a great album, it can always be a challenge. In order to create something that powerful, it takes a huge effort on all parts: the lyrics, the songwriting, the music- everything has to be right. Over the years, I have worked at being well versed in these parts and trying to make excellent albums.

AM: Triptykon just recently released an EP, was there material that was written at the time of the full length or recorded afterwards?
TW: I really pushed for the song “Shutter” to be the title track of the EP because I think it’s probably one of the darkest songs I’ve ever written. It’s reminiscent of Celtic Frost material and stands out- we just finished filming a video for the song as well. They were recorded during the same time as the full length, but didn’t fit on the album because it was already well over 70 minutes- so I don’t consider it throw away material or anything, just material that we didn’t have the space to put on the album. We also have 2 live tracks on the album as well that fit very well with the EP as well.

AM: Do you feel the American metal crowds are catching up to the European crowds?
TW: Actually, when I come to the U.S. for tours the past several years, the metal crowds tend to get smaller each time out. The crowds for our shows have been good, but I see a lot of different things these days. Perhaps it’s because of all these different influences, downloading and the metal scene being so fragmented- that may be the reason why it seems to get worse every time. I came over to the U.S. for the first time in 1986 with Celtic Frost, and I was fortunate to see the scene at a far better time. Metal just seems so underground here in the States now that it is just far different than when I first started coming here. This first Triptykon tour is hopefully a sign of playing bigger venues the next time we are around (most likely in 2011). The U.S. is an important market for me and I’m not going to give it up.

Triptykon plays at the Majestic Theater on Friday, October 15^th. Tickets are $18 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional tour dates and band info can be found at www.triptykon.net.

The Montreal based dance duo Chromeo has already had quite the summer, as they got to perform with one of their heroes when they took the stage with Daryl Hall at this year’s Bonnaroo Festival back in June. With the duo of [...]]]>

Chromeo keeps it "Casual" at the Majestic August 5th.

The Montreal based dance duo Chromeo has already had quite the summer, as they got to perform with one of their heroes when they took the stage with Daryl Hall at this year’s Bonnaroo Festival back in June. With the duo of Patrick Gemayel and David Macklovitch enjoying some new found success, Chromeo is preparing for the August 17^th release of their third album, “Business Casual”.

The album plans to be a major step forward in their quest for dance global domination. In a short phrase, David Macklovitch described the album’s vibe as simply “sex & the trials of love”- quite universal themes, no matter what era you’re in.

The duo are longtime friends and played in a few bands in Montreal prior to forming Chromeo. Before their U.S. tour began, I had a chance to speak with Chromeo guitarist/vocalist Macklovitch about performing with one of their idols and the aspirations for the new album.

Here’s my interview with David:

AM: What was the band’s mindset going into this album versus past albums?
DM: Well, it’s a bit different than the last record because it was successful (laughs). I think with the last record, we were trying to establish and master our sound. This time around- we definitely wanted to improve the lyrics, the song structure and add a layer of sophistication to our music. We really wanted to perfect the song structure and harmonies on the songs this time around..

AM: What sort of music influenced the group when growing up in Montreal?
DM: Growing up in the era that we did, we were heavily influenced by groups like Hall & Oates, but most of our influences were based with the hip-hop generation and the mid-90’s era of that music. That’s how we discovered funk music- through all of the samples used in the hip-hop songs and went back and started listening to those songs and see where the rap songs took them from.

AM: How did you guys end up meeting and working with Daryl Hall, including the performance together at Bonnaroo?
DM: We met him when we did this web-based show called “Live at Daryl’s House”, where different bands play with Daryl and do interviews. We got along really well and I guess our show with him was the most viewed show that he had. People really liked the whole cross-generational deal with us performing with him. We decided to take it on the road when we performed with him at Bonnaroo, and it was amazing.

AM: How did you get involved in the different remixes that Chromeo has done over the years?
DM: Well, working with Lenny Kravitz was more out of a corporate deal where it was done for a product. But most of the other ones were done just out of being friends with some of those people. We are friends with Vampire Weekend and decided to work with them; I met Feist in Paris and started collaborating from there. I enjoy creating your own spin on a song and this definitely does that.

AM: You and Patrick have been friends for a long time- has the friendship changed over the years with being in a group together?
DM: Well, it hasn’t really changed all that much over the years. We’re the same two buddies that we were when we were growing up. We’ll get into our fights, but it’s all good at the end of the day. We’re like an old couple, like anybody’s grandparents (laughs).

Chromeo plays at the Majestic Theater on Thursday, August 5^th. Tickets are $20 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional dates and band info can be found at www.chromeo.net. Chromeo’s new album, “Business Casual”, is due out August 17^th.