Metro Detroit Concerts: A Jammin’ Holiday Weekend With Reggae, Indie Rock
WDET’s Jeff Milo picks local concerts to check out Thanksgiving weekend, including Bars of Gold, Duende, Algebra Mothers, Detroit Riddim’ Crew and Cosmic Light Shapes.
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 to hear CultureShift’s Jeff Milo highlight his top local shows for the weekend.
Wednesday, November 27
Duende at the Cadieux Café
What: A rock party at the Cadieux Cafe
Who’s playing: After Dark Amusement Park are a fuzzy power-pop and indie-glam trio that combine super sweet melodies with a bit of distortion and grime. T. Rex comes to mind, but mixed in with so much more. Then there’s Duende, a bit of psychedelic Americana, brooding boogie, and transcendent desert rock. And, finally, there’s Algebra Mothers, a Detroit-based post-punk band formed in the late 70’s out of Cass Tech High.
Sounds like: Algebra Mothers’ 1979 single, “Strawberry Cheesecake,” recently re-released on Jack White’s Third Man Record.
An “Almost Thanks” rock party at Outer Limits Lounge
What: All of these bands fit into the indie-rock realm, but each are doing very interesting, experimental, and sometimes avant-garde operations with what’s essentially guitar-centric music.
Who’s playing: Bars of Gold, seen in the image above, Oscillating Fan Club, Milk Bath.
Sounds like: Here are some summertime vibes from the Oscillating Fan Club, with “Sympathetic Strings“
Friday, Nov. 29
Release Party for Detroit ‘Riddim’ Crew
What: An album release party for the Detroit Riddim Crew at Bowlero Lanes, the bowling alley in Royal Oak on Coolidge, recently renovated and reenergized with a sleek look and a really chill lounge.
Who’s playing: It’s a top notch ensemble of studio musicians specializing in reggae and dub. The collective of artists in this group have six Detroit Music Awards between them in the Outstanding Reggae and World music cateogry, and the group was formed to give artists in this genre a way to come to Detroit to perform with a band that specializes in Jamaican styles.
Sounds like: They have a holiday-themed full length with some reggae Christmas jams, including “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree,” “Pretty Paper,” and many more.
Saturday, Nov. 30
Cosmic Light Shapes at Bowlero Lounge with Ace of Wands
What: A gothic rock/pop group from Toronto stopping in a Bowlero’s Lounge to play songs from their new album, “Lioness.”
Who’s playing: Ace of Wands from Toronto and local group Cosmic Light Shapes
Sounds like: Cosmic Light Shapes “Can You See in 3-D?“
