Starting tomorrow the Metro Detroit area will be consumed by the annual musical Godzilla that is the Metro Times Blowout.
The four day event, which has grown to span the cities of Detroit, Hamtramck, and Ferndale, kicks off tomorrow with an opening party and show at St. Andrews, featuring the undisputed king of party Andrew WK, and local bands Flint Eastwood, The Beggars, and Cheerleader.
Over the past several years, some fans of the blowout have complained about its multi-city expansion, finding it to be a burden rather than a benefit. However, with so many killer bands slammed into one long weekend, this thing was bound to outgrow Hamtramck at some point.
Thus, in order to help you (and us) sort through the lovely sonic heap and strategize your Blowout adventure, we’ve reached out to some of our favorite bands on the bill to find out whom they’re most excited to see this year.
Tickets to this year’s festival come in the form of a $20.00 all access wrist band that gets you access to each and every venue and showcase throughout the weekend. You can pre-order them here, or you can purchase one at any venue via credit/debit card, or pay cash at The Majestic, Smalls, The New Dodge, The Loving Touch, or The WAB.
So without further ado, here’s our the pick of litter … from the pick of the litter.
Jax Anderson – Flint Eastwood
RV Mendoza – The Painted Lady, Thursday, 4/30 at 10 p.m. – “RV Mendoza brings a sense of pop sassiness that Detroit is in desperate need of. With solid songwriting over disco/pop beats he’ll have you moving from start to finish. I’ll be shaking my butt come Wednesday!”
Andrew WK – St. Andrews, Wednesday, 4/29 at 11:30 p.m. – “AWK is one of the greatest live performers of our time. How can I not include him in the list?! He has an unending passion that seems to grow bigger and bigger throughout his set–the king of party will convince you to just that: party.”
Gosh Pith – Rustbelt, Friday, 5/1 at 10 p.m. – “Gosh Pith is a band I listen to on long drives to shows. Their low-key production and minimal vocal style bring a surreal feeling that everything is going to be alright in the world – I listen to their song “Window” on repeat.”
Nigel & the Dropout – Paycheck’s, Saturday, 5/2 at 11:30 p.m. – “I’ve always been a huge fan of bands that go the extra mile visually – Nigel & the Dropout does just that. Craziest setup I’ve seen of any Detroit band – plus their music is good!”
Valley Hush – Paychecks, Saturday, 5/2 at 12:45 a.m. – “Valley Hush is a solid blend of smooth melodies and catching production that will make you want to pick up their music immediately. Their slightly mellow sound will be an excellent way to keep it chill on saturday night. Their new single, ‘Children’ is so sick.”
Mack Partin – Lawnmower
Wednesday, 4/29 – The Shelter/St. Andrews – “My plan is to catch Jamaican Queens at 11 p.m. and then run upstairs to watch Andrew W.K. I don’t even care that he’s playing solo, that dude is great at everything from jazz to motivational speaking. It’s gonna be rad.”
Thursday, 4/30 – The Garden Bowl and Painted Lady – “All the bands playing this show are awesome. Pines, Mountain Club, The Cardboard Swords, and Congress are on the bill, and there should be enough time to for me to catch James Linck at the Painted Lady at 11 on my way home.”
Friday, 5/1 – Play Post #10 and Paychecks – “First and foremost on my schedule for this night is the PLAV POST #10 in Hamtown. Moses plays at 9 p.m., they’re a ton of fun to watch. Then my band Lawnmower is on next, followed by The Most Dangerous Animal – some Flint homies who always slay it. I’m gonna miss them, though, and go catch Pup at Paychecks at 12:45 a.m. I have not been able to stop listening to Pup since I saw them a few months back at the Stick.”
Saturday, 5/2 – The Loving Touch – “Go anywhere and see whoever play, just don’t miss Fucked Up at the Loving Touch at 11:30 p.m. They’re one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen.”
Ryan Clancy – Jamaican Queens
Rebel Kind – Wednesday, 4/29 at 7:45 p.m. – The Burns Room – “Chilled out post no wave indie pop band that also expresses elements of more hard hitting alternative and grunge stuff that was happening in the early nineties. Melodies that stay with you for a minute.”
Alvvays – Friday, 5/1 at 11:30 p.m. – The Loving Touch – “I ended up at their show at the UFO all stoned and kinda sad, and they were the perfect soundtrack for that. Dang catchy, too. The band is co-ed and they’re all super nerdy and hot, so you’re bound to have a crush on one of them.”
Money Pitts & Associates – Friday, 5/1 at 9 p.m. – The Majestic Cafe – “They burn big money candles as quickly as they burn funny cigarettes. Super trippy whimsical beats surrounding satirically nonsensical academic raps.”
Mic Phelps – Saturday, 5/2 at 9:00 p.m. – The Majestic Cafe – “Quipable, quick, and rambunctious word-play raps. He is sometimes poignant and sometimes sexy, but consistently stoned. DU.”
Gosh Pith
Jamaican Queens – Wednesday, 4/29 at 11:30 p.m. – The Shelter – “If you haven’t seen a JamQueens show before you’re messin’ up. These guys don’t play in Detroit that often these days – catch em while you can.”
Yada Yada – Thursday, 4/30 at 10:00 p.m. – “Groovy kids from Ann Arbor & buddies of our buddy Jonah Baseball. We played a show with them once but got too drunk by the time they played their set, so we’re stoked to see them play for the second first time.”
Pines – Thursday 4/30 at 8 p.m. – “We played a show with these youngins from rural Oakland County a while back; very cool syrupy psych rock. Lead singer Logan has an uncanny resemblance to King Krule.”
Money Pitts & Associates – Friday, 5/1 at 9 p.m. – The Majestic Cafe – “A strange & cool experimental rap project from Doc Waffles & Clyde Moop. Should be a fun & freaky show.”
Little Animal – Rustbelt, Friday, 5/1 at 9 p.m. – “Super sultry ghost pop from one of our favorite acts to share a bill with.”
The Handgrenades
The Vonneguts – Thursday, 4/30 at 10 p.m. – Paychecks – “We’ve been to probably their last 5 shows and they have no idea, they’re playing right before us at Paychecks on Thursday, definitely our most recent favorite.”
James Linck – Thursday, 4/30 at 11:00 p.m. – The Painted Lady “James plays at the same time as us, and he’s our pal, so if you think we suck then please attend his show instead.”
Tart – Friday, 5/1 at 11 p.m. – The Rustbelt Market – “Adam and Zee are just the sweetest and their songs are amazing.”
Woven Tangles– Friday, 5/1 at 12:30 a.m. – Zeke’s – “Great vocals, great harmonies, better jokes, Obama and Jesus walk into a bar…”
Mic Phelps -Saturday, 5/2 at 9:00 p.m. – The Majestic Cafe – “DU not miss this set.”
Gorge Morris & The Gypsy Chorus – Saturday, 5/2 at 12:45 a.m. – The New Dodge – “George is one of the best songwriters around and is welcome to stay in Joby’s room anytime he and Roxanne are too drunk to drive home.”
Valley Hush – Saturday , 5/2 at 12:45 a.m., Paychecks – “If you haven’t seen this band then you’re slacking. Get it together. We love them.”
Valley Hush
Jamaican Queens – Wednesday, 4/29 at 11:30 p.m. – The Shelter – “They are definitely one of our favorite bands around. Some of the most unique music we’ve ever heard and we’re lucky enough to have them here with us in Detroit.”
Mexican Knives – Thursday, 4/30 at 10 p.m. – The Loving Touch – “This show is going to be really sick. Mexican Knives are another band on the top of our list in Detroit, def some of the realest music in the city. Black Lips from Atlanta are killer too.”
The Handgrenades – Thursday, 4/30 at 11 p.m. – Paychecks – “What can we say? The Handgrenades are some of our best friends in the city and every time we’ve seen them it’s been hype. Definitely going to make this one.”
Gosh Pith -Thursday, 4/30 at 10 p.m. – Rustbelt Market – “Always layin’ it down. Josh ‘n Josh always put on a show and get people goin’ in the crowd. Always love seeing them.”
Cold Blood Club – Saturday, 5/2 at 10 p.m. – Rustbelt Market – “We saw them at Secret Friends Fest this past year! They’re a great live act and cool people from New York City. Dancey stuff, ya know?”