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April Concert Previews Nick Meador So spring 2008 doesn't seem in any great hurry to start looking like spring. Boo hoo. In the meantime, live music is great psychic therapy. Though Michigan comes up dry in that department from time to time, April is quite the exception! Here are some highlights of shows across the state this month. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4/5 Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes @ Magic Stick The real draw for this show isn't Northwestern freaks Blitzen Trapper, but one of the opening bands. Seattle's Fleet Foxes boast a warm, organic sound and a vocalist that sounds like an impersonator of My Morning Jacket's Jim James. Their first full-length doesn't come out until later this year, but this show would be a great way to pretend that the sun is shining and flowers are blooming. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4/10 Feist @ Fillmore Detroit The first stop on Leslie Feist's international spring tour is in the heart of Detroit at the venue formerly known as the State Theatre. In some ways this show – and her recent Apple commercial – represents a perversion of everything that was sacred about the indie culture from approximately 2002–2006, but that's easily forgiven by one hoping to hear her angelic voice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4/18 Destroyer @ Pike Room at the Crofoot Destroyer unleashed one of the decade's most remarkably beautiful records with 2006's Destroyer's Rubies, so Dan Bejar's gang has a lot to live up to with Trouble in Dreams. Furthermore, they seem a bit more confident in the studio than on stage. Then again, comparing a live act with an impeccable recording is probably unfair – and they may have improved in the last two years. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4/19 Iron & Wine, Califone @ Calvin College The opposite of Destroyer, Sam Beam's recordings are usually timid and restrained, but become fully realized in a concert setting. That's partly because he brings along a lot of friends – even his sister comes on some tours. Maybe the ever-present bushy beard that Beam carries around imbues him with some special ability to rock. (Also appearing at Royal Oak Music Theatre on 4/18) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4/22 EOTO @ Blind Pig Jason Hann and Michael Travis of String Cheese Incident recently formed this improvised electronica/live drum duo and began touring endlessly. According to their MySpace page, there are no pre-recorded segments used during their shows. This is quite a departure from the established jam band flavor of SCI, but serves as a testament to the true musical ability of these gentlemen. (Also appearing at Papa Pete's in Kalamazoo on 4/23). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4/27 Enon, Thunderbirds Are Now! @ Mac's Bar Enon is one of the few Japanese-vocalist-led indie rock bands scattered through the current national music scene. This one isn't as exciting as, say, Asobi Seksu. But hey, Mac's Bar is about five minutes away from everyone at MSU, and the show only costs $10. Brave that smokey little hole of a dive bar for one night, and you'll even get to see Detroit post-punkers Thunderbirds Are Now! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4/30 The Ruby Suns, Foals @ Alvin's The Ruby Suns might turn out to be another case of empty hipster fluff ("Tane Mahuta" is probably the most exciting track on their debut), but if the Kiwis are brave enough to play at a place as obscure as Alvin's in Detroit, then they deserve a mention on the April tour list. Of course, they've probably never been to Detroit before. But they must have seen RoboCop, right? Anyways, check the Suns out before making the trek to D-town. Questions or Comments? |
Feist might perform in a giant iPod costume at the Fillmore Detroit on April 10.
Other April shows: 4/1 VHS or Beta, Tigercity @ Blind Pig 4/1 Matt Pond PA @ Mac's Bar 4/2 Explosions in the Sky @ Calvin College 4/13 Galactic @ Majestic Theater 4/15 The Black Keys, Jay Reatard @ Royal Oak Music Theatre 4/20 Fiery Furnaces @ Blind Pig |
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