Detroit Gets Critical!

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Detroit Gets Critical! 

Critical Bill celebrated the release of their latest album, Underground Kingdom, on Westbound Records last night inside the Emerald Theater with what may have been the largest local concert this city has seen in quite some time! After spending the past 6 months in the studio preparing for this night, Critical Bill spared no expense in delivering their biggest show to date for the 1,600 plus in attendance, shattering their previous presale record along the way. Nights like these are more times than not reserved for the top national acts that swing through town on rare occasions to play in such an intimate setting. Not since Kid Rock launched his Rock ‘N Roll Jesus Tour right here in this very building has Mt Clemens felt such an impact that not only generated a buzz of excitement, but saw a line blocks long in order to get inside the theater. Underground Kingdom (check out the Dr2 View) drops this Tuesday March 16th at all major outlets including Best Buy and was the perfect excuse for the guys in the band to throw a huge celebration that kicked off with some great bands from the area to open up the night that began with sets from the Madonna Brothers, Lithium, Stellar Drive and Hell Rides North. By the time 89X brought out their current 3-day People's Choice Champions, Critical Bill, out on stage, the Emerald Theater was in full contact mode, literally exploding onto the stage with the title track off the new album Underground Kingdom, then incited the rabid crowd into complete mayhem with Beam Me Up, the first single from the new disc. It was awesome to see this many local music fans rocking out at one time, a sure sign that our local music scene is indeed alive and well no matter what the local blogs say. Playing a full six songs off the Underground Kingdom during the 15 song set, Critical Bill never let up, keeping it "Full Throttle" as they heated up the Emerald with such classics as This is Critical, Get High, & My Suicide. One of the most defining moments came during Favorite Drug, again off Underground Kingdom and is the song currently being played on 89X for the People's Choice every weeknight at 7pm where you the fans call in to vote for your favorite song. Judging by the response, its very obvious that in fact this song has become addictive to the radio audience through out Southeast Michigan, bringing the floor of the Emerald Theater into a swarm like sea of bodies! Beyond a doubt, last night's showing has catapulted Critical Bill to the top of the list here in the local Detroit scene, as we've yet to see any show from a local group even come close to what they as a band pulled off for a local concert. With over 1,500 copies of Underground Kingdom sold last night alone, we'll be keeping a keen eye on that Billboard Top 200 chart where it will come as no surprise to us here at Dr2 to find Underground Kingdom debut somewhere within that chart! Critical Bill will be hitting the road for a US Tour next week as they head east & south before returning home for a "Just Announced" concert back home at The Hayloft on April 10th, the stage where their extraordinary trip began some 7 years ago, before continuing the Tour across the country with stops in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, & California. As an added bonus, we've just learned that they'll also be performing at this year's Detroit Music Awards on April 16th at The Fillmore-Detroit, a sign of great recognition for the guys! If you were one of the unfortunate ones who missed this epic, if not historic night, be sure to stop by the Dr2 Photo Gallery or just check out the video below to see how the show opened! Be sure to tune in each weekday at 7pm to the Jay Hudson show on 89X and vote for Critical Bill's Favorite Drug as they defend their People's Choice Championship against an onslaught of challengers! Underground Kingdom will be available Tuesday March 16th at all Best Buys and online at the Critical-Bill web store! DetroitRockReview.com - The Only Place for Local Music News & Reviews!

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Saturday Night Blowout!

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Saturday Night Blowout

The Blowout came to end late Saturday Night with a bang that was heard across Hamtramck courtesy of  those Millions of Brazilians as they literally wiped up the Gates of Columbus hall with an all-out barrage of nonstop, streaming toilet paper that was dispersed over the crowd via strategically place lawn blowers! A truly fitting end to another awesome 4 day weekend that saw it's share of rumor's spreading faster than that toilet paper streaming through the air of that cavernous, hell-hole, GoC. But, like the 12 previous Blowout's, the music was the star. Nowhere else can you hop from bar to bar, and back to that bar, along with a few thousand of like-minded, local-music loving fans, setting the stage for a number of all out whacky situations that could only happen in a melting pot of a city like Hamtramck. Saturday night brought a double bus load of Dr2 Crew members to meander through the darkened streets of Hamtown in search of our favorite local music acts. First stop, New Dodge Lounge and a overdue date with the local "motherly" group the Mydols. Definitely not your run of the mill rockers, this engaging group of mothers rips out the pop punk music that even your youngest kids would enjoy while bringing a smile to our faces with their tongue in cheek lyrics! Holding tight at The Dodge, Dr2 had to catch the group that featured MetroTimes Music Editor, Bill Holdship and his brother Barry. Funny thing is, there were a hell of a lot of you right there with us to hear the catchy goodtime tunes of LTAG, bringing with it a lot of smiling faces, and quite a few PBRs! With the night still young, it was off to the races as we loaded up the Dr2 Bus, plus one, and headed on over to one of our favorite Blowout Venues, Kelly's Bar to "party like a rockstar" with JTX. Squeezing into Kelly's, Dr2 managed to get there right on time as our own Dr2 Don took over the mic to introduce JTX to the unbelievably rabid crowd that had Kelly's looking more like a sardine can then a neighborhood bar. JTX certainly did not disappoint, continuing the storied tradition of Dr2 consistently catching some of the best shows of the Blowout right here in one the more nondescript non-music venues of the Blowout. It is here that we have seen the likes of 60 Second Crush, Helen, The Bloids, Lies Unknown, and now, JTX "blow up" the Blowout. With no time to waste it was back to The New Dodge Lounge to catch the infectious indie pop tunes of The Marvins, featuring the lovely "Paradise" on bass, and the funked out whacky pop of Bazooka Jones before loading up the bus and flying on over to Paycheck's Lounge to catch our good friends the Beggars! Now these guys are not your ordinary rock & roll band. No, these guys add a twist to the whole meaning of rock, while Steven Beggars always brings the roll, but collectively they always bring the "Party to the People", especially when those people are a hundred or so crazy-ass fans dancing around with their arm stretched out doing the Jason chop, chop chop! Completely insane and a definite highlight to what is now building to be one of the best nights of one of the best Blowout Festivals we've attended......hmmm, don't ask, we can't remember how many it's been! As the clock approached 1 am, it could mean only one thing, The Blowout was coming to an end and we needed to get on over to the Gates of Columbus Hall to catch the Blowout closeout act, Millions of Brazilians! In an amazing display of cleanliness, the Brazilians took the stage accompanied by case loads of that streaming toilet paper that eventually became at least 6 inches deep across and in front of the stage mimicking the stunt pulled off by Jesus Chainsaw Massacre Thursday night when their street team collect what appeared to be every single copy of MetroTimes in the city before shredding them all to pieces inches deep during their Blowout set. Another Blowout in the bag, now just make sure you wake us up in time for Blowout 14! DetroitRockReview.com - The Only Place for Local Music News & Reviews!  

The Blowout……Day 2!

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March brings a sense of change, winter slowly turning towards spring. March also brings with it what is known simply as The Blowout, and a chance to romp through the streets of Hamtramck, changing venues quicker than the weather here in Michigan. Thursday night also brought with it a chance to catch some of our favorite acts beginning with Michael Seger & Everybody's Favorite Band at The Belmont, a band that has been turning heads the past year, and rightfully so with their unique blend of hopping rock that gets everyone dancing, making them "Everyone's Favorite Band". With flair for showmanship, Michael Seger delivers a flawless vocal that is matched with the equally mesmerizing backing vocal of Crystal Star, making for one of the most entertaining sets of the Blowout so far. A quick "change" of venues had Dr2 sliding back into the Dr2 bus for a quick

The Blow Out Begins!

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The Blowout jumped out of the starting gate last night with their yearly Kick-Off Party held inside Detroit's Majestic Complex with a new format that, although smaller, appeared to work out just fine, bringing everyone together in a more intimate setting. Held mainly in the confines of the Magic Stick, along with the Café downstairs, the Kick Off Party always is a great way to run into all the bands who are in the house picking up their credentials for the Blowout.

Black Irish Lager

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This is a Story of a Girl.....

 

PJ's Lager House in Detroit was the scene of a short lived "Irish Wake" held in memory of Rosey from the group, Black Irish. Unbeknownst to her close companion, Black Irish guitarist Shane Sanders, she decided to jump town and head off on a road trip with complete strangers, the rock & roll type no less, setting off a frantic search for her whereabouts that centered around this fine establishment located in the heart of Cork Town on Michigan Avenue. Although she has been known to do this on blurry occasions before, never has she stooped so low as to bail out at the last minute, even though she was quite aware of the big show tonight that would feature some high powered rock & roll, the kind that would make her just scream. With no Rosey in sight, reluctance began to set in, spreading through the tears of the now pissed off gathering inside the Lager House, Sander's scurried down Michigan Ave to Woodward before heading out towards 8 Mile in a frantic search to find a fill in for her as DarkRed jumped on stage in an attempt to make as much noise as possible, hoping that Rosey just might hear the mayhem, enticing her back in through the doors........

 

 

Frank & Jesse, out of Toledo hit the stage next, switching gears a bit with an all out barrage of upbeat rock & roll that brought the crowd out of the Lager Room & into the Jerome P Cavanaugh "Rock Room", starting an impromptu dance party along the way. Sometime during this outbreak, Sander's burst through the doors off Michigan Avenue and headed straight to the backroom of the Jerome P Cavanaugh room, drawing gasping stares from the throng as he passed by, not with Rosey, but instead with another beauty in tow, and securely placed his new found love, Genevieve, in the back room.......

 

 

 

As Frank & Jesse, who really aren't Frank & Jesse at all, but rather John, Shane & two Seths, loaded out their equipment, a debilitating, almost somber aura filled the Jerome P Cavanaugh Room. It was the moment all had been waiting for, Elliot "UTDP" Moses, Tony "Muggs" DeNardo, Paul "Hotness" Barning, Tony "BYoB" DiCello, and Shane "New Kid(s) On The Block" Sanders started their load in. Did Rosey return? Was she going to join the band on stage with a flurry of screams as she has done so many times before? These were just some of the questions on everyone's mind as the intensity of Black Irish was about to infiltrate the now overflowing crowd of worshipers who had packed themselves inside the Jerome P Cavanaugh room. It was at this very moment that Sanders reached down, strapped on, and then stood upright with that unfamiliar beauty hanging on his shoulder. Pulling out his cord, he plugged her into his head, slowly turning towards the crowd, gently stroking her strings; this was definitely not Rosey, in fact, this new girl Genevieve appeared completely silent? Was she pissed off playing second fiddle to the wonderful Rosey? Sanders looked stumped; touching, turning, playing with every knob he could find protruding from her almost red smooth skin. Frustrated, Sanders finally realized that it wasn't her, it was his head that ultimately decided it wasn't going to play tonight if he wasn't plugged into Rosey. Sensing trouble on stage, DarkRed's Rob pushed his way through the crowd, carrying something large. Was it Rosey? Had she returned? No, it wasn't Rosey at all, instead he was there to lend his head to the situation. After a quick switch, and a comforting "if it has strings, Shane can play it" statement from Elliot, Black Irish ripped into one of the most intense, blues driven rock & roll sets Dr2 has seen recently, prompting the crowd to roar with  approval! A smash up riot ensued as these gritty Detroit players took out every bit of frustration they were feeling over Rosey on the mostly oblivious crowd that were now completely enthralled over what they were witnessing on stage, a Hammond V-3 on the left, a Fender Rhode Bass on the right, a "fill in" Stratocaster next to a Les Paul, backed by a bombastic Gretsch drum kit! With the clock striking 2 am, fans filing out the door, a sweet little Black Irish Wake kicked in before Sanders confronted the DPD, virtually putting out an APB on his beloved Rosey.  The following day, the search for Rosey took to the local pawn shops, the internets, Facebooks, & MySpace pages throughout the city in an all out effort to find this heartless chunk of wood that is often referred to as a "Classic 60's Les Paul" that is pretty much irreplaceable to a local rockin blues guitar playa. After a number of mind numbing days, Sanders received a text message from PJ, owner of the Lager House. He had in fact just been informed that Rosey had been located, she supposedly had "accidently" hitched a ride to Chicago, and wasn't quite ready to come home yet. Excited as all hell, Sanders agreed to lay low; he would let Rosey hang with her new found friends, Moxie Motive for a while as they were still showing her a good time in The Windy City, finally agreeing she would return home with The Muggs who coincidently had a gig in Chicago last weekend themselves......This is a story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world....

 

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