iSPY Magazine // December 2012

AbsofactoBad Indians

Mittenfest VIIShop & Save Local

Jamaican Queens

MAGAZINEDecember 2012

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Inside iSPY Magazine

2012

Publisher Tim Adkins

EditorialAmanda SlaterEditor in Chief

Tim Adkins & Casey Maxwell

Pakmode Media + Marketing

Bruno Postigo & Kristin Slater

Sales [print + online]tim adkins / [email protected]

[business development]bilal saeed / [email protected]

WritersAmanda Slater, Tim Adkins, Stefanie Stauffer, Richard Retyi, P aul Kitti, M arissa M cnees, Aimee Mandle, Mary Simkins, David Nassar, +FGG�.JMP �&BTVSF�(SPI �+BTNJOF�;XFJnFr

ArtDesigners

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The Washtenaw County Events and Entertainment Guide

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© 2012, iSPY. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part granted only by written permission of Pakmode Media + Marketing in accordance with our legal statement. ISPY is free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. For additional copies you m ust b e granted w ritten permission, w ith a possible

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Publisher Tim Adkins

Editorial Amanda TrentEditor in Chief

Tim Adkins

Bruno Postigo & Kristin Slater

Sales [print + online]tim adkins / [email protected]

[business development]bilal saeed / [email protected]

WritersAmanda Trent, Tim Adkins, Stefanie Stauffer, Richard Retyi, Paul Kitti, Aimee Mandle, Mary Simkins, David N assar, J eff Milo, Treasure (SPI �+BTNJOF�;XFJnFS �"NFMJB�'SBODFTDIJ�

ArtDesigners

Photographers

December

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Cover Photo by Doug Coombe

The Buzz06 Band of Horses, Rockin’ for the Hungry, Maia Sharp and AG07 Erin Zindle Holiday Show, Wagon Wreck, The Killers,

Nothing Elegant Ugly Sweater Party

Foodie12 5IF�%JTI��#FF[Z�T�$BGF��'PVS�ZFBST�PG�TJNQMF �IPOFTU�GPPE13 "EWFOUVSFT�JO�-PDBM�'PPE��

Scene09

Shop & Save Local

10 Mittenfest VII1115

*O�'BDUDan Savage

Around You16

December Events Calendar

Features20

Jamaican Queens

Review

22

Absofacto26

Bad Indians

31

Snap Shot: November Events

28 Rate it: The Cut - Lincoln, Skyfall

08 Passalaqua and House Phone, Skrillex, Greensky Bluegrass BOE�'SPOUJFS�3VDLVT

18 End of the World Party Guide19 %BWF�-B'BWF�7BSJFUZ�)PVS

29 Rate it: Sounds - Crystal Castles30 Rate it: Sounds - Chris Good

14 Drink Up: The Bar

ONE DAY ONLY!FRIDAY, DEC. 7 at 7pm & 10pm

RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE TICKETS AT TICKETMASTER.COM AND ALL TICKETMASTER OUTLETS.

CHARGE BY PHONE 800-745-3000.

TICKETS ON SALE FOR BOTH SHOWS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 AT 10AM!

PRESENTS

FRI FEB 8 8PMYO LA TENGO

BLUES AT THE CROSSROADS 2:Muddy & The Wolf

The veteran indie-rock trio embark on a 2013 tour in support of their

13th studio album “Fade,” out on Jan. 15.

A MUDDY WATERS & HOWLIN’ WOLF tribute performed by THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS with

JJ GREY, JAMES COTTON, JODY WILLIAMS, and BOB MARGOLIN.

SAT FEB 9 8PM

AND

ANN ARBOR’S DOWNTOWN CENTER FOR FINE FILM AND THE PERFORMING ARTS

facebook.com/ispymagazine // www.ispymagazine.co6 i SPY DECEMBER 2012

THE BUZZ //

Maia Sharp and AG //The Ark / Dec. 10

BY MARY SIMKINS

Back in 2004, it seemed that Band of Horses might be on the verge of being the next big thing to come out of Seattle after emerging from the ashes of front man Ben Bridwell’s previous band, Carissa’s Weird. While there was nothing extraordinary about their sound, they seemed to FDSWXUH�D�GLVWLQFWLYH�SRVW�JUXQJH�PL[�RI�ĻDQQHO�laden melancholy, guitar-driven experimentation and melodic vocal arrangements with broad appeal. The band’s success peaked in 2010 with the release of the Grammy winning VRXWKHUQ�URFN� LQĻXHQFHG� q,QĺQLWH� $UPV�r��7KHLU� ODWHVW� DOEXP�� q0LUDJH� 5RFN�r� ZDV�

released in September to mixed reviews, but it’s been their consistently exceptional live shows that have maintained a loyal fan base. Band of Horses will play the Michigan Theater Monday, December 3 with opener, Jason Lytle. Tickets start at $42.50 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit MichiganTheater.org.

Band of Horses // Michigan Theater / Dec. 3

BY DAVID NASSAR

Rockin’ for the Hungry // Kroger / Dec. 5 - 9

BY ISPY TEAM

� � +HOS� ĺJKW� KXQJHU� ZKHUH� ZH� OLYH�� -RLQ� )RRG�Gatherers, ann arbor’s 107one and Kroger for Washtenaw County’s largest outdoor food and fund drive, Rockin’ for the Hungry, Wednesday, December 5 through Sunday, December 9. The event will be broadcast live by ann arbor’s 107one FM at Kroger, 400 South Maple Road, Ann Arbor from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Simply stop by the Maple Road location or any Washtenaw County Kroger store to make a non-perishable food donation or to donate to Food Gatherers. More than 100 volunteers will be onsite at the Maple Road store collecting donations and qIUHH]LQp� IRU� D� UHDVRQr� ZLWK� )RRG� *DWKHUHUV�staff and radio personalities from 107one. This year our goal is to raise 200 tons of food, including cash donations collected at the event. Donations of non-perishable high protein items are especially needed; tuna or other canned meats, beans and peanut butter. Financial contributions of any denomination will be accepted at the Maple Road store by Food Gatherers’ staff during the event or online at www.foodgatherers.org. Donations of $1, $5 or $10 will also be accepted at the register of any Kroger store in Washtenaw County.

Maia Sharp will join longtime friends AG �$GULDQQH� *RQ]DOH]� RI� WKH� 5HVFXHV�� DQG�*DUULVRQ�6WDUU� LQ� WKHLU�ĺUVW�HQVHPEOH� WRXU�ZKLFK�is coming to The Ark on Monday, December 10.

Sharp is an accomplished singer and songwriter in her own right and has collaborated with inter-genre superstars such as Cher and Art Garfunkel. 7KH�&DOLIRUQLD�QDWLYH�UHFRUGHG�KHU�ĺUVW�VRQJ�DW�WKH�DJH�RI�ĺYH�DQG�ZHQW�RQ�WR�VWXG\�PXVLFDO�WKHRU\�LQ�FROOHJH��6KDUSpV�MD]]\�IRON�VW\OH�KDV�LQĻXHQFHV�such as Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt and Sting. $*� ZRQ� 2YHUDOO� *UDQG� 3UL]H� LQ� ��pV�

USA Songwriting Competition, and her band’s music has been featured in several popular TV shows. With nine solo albums XQGHU� KHU� EHOW�� $*� KDV� EHHQ� LQĻXHQFHG�by Melissa Etheridge and the Indigo Girls.

One of the founders of the band Among The Oak & Ash, Garrison Starr has been playing music for over 20 years and has recorded nine solo DOEXPV�� PDUNHG� 6WDUUpV� ĺUVW� VHOI�UHOHDVHG�DOEXP�� q$PDWHXUV�r� ZKLFK� FDPH� RXW� LQ� 0D\�

Doors are at 7:30 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16. For ticket information and to view a seating chart for the show, visit theark.org

7 DECEMBER 2012 i SPYwww.ispymagazine.co // @ispymagazine

// THE BUZZ

Nothing Elegant Ugly Sweater Party // The Majestic / Dec. 23

BY DAVID NASSARWhile some of us might be

dreading the oncoming cold and snow of a Michigan winter, there’s one thing that warms the heart and makes it all worthwhile t� KLGHRXV� KROLGD\� VZHDWHUV�� ,WpV�time to raid your grandmother’s closet and look for anything that includes tinsel woven into the fabric or requires batteries to operate because Detroit’s Majestic Theater is celebrating

tastelessness with the Nothing Elegant Holiday Sweater Party. /HW�\RXU�KROLGD\�IUHDN�ĻDJ�Ļ\�DV�

you dance to DJs Lady Fantastic, Amy Dreamcatcher and Uno Mas. The ugliest ensemble of WKH� QLJKW� ZLOO� HDUQ� D� VSHFLDO� SUL]H�and make you a legend in your own right. Admission is $5 for those with a sweater, $7 for those without. For more information, visit MajesticDetroit.com.

About eight years ago, the Killers burst onto the music scene with WKHLU� GDQFH\� DOEXP� q+RW� )XVVr�that was deeply rooted in the heart of their hometown, Las Vegas and twinged with just the perfect amount of sin city’s dark side. And ever since their somewhat SHUSOH[LQJ�ĺUVW�VLQJOH�� q6RPHERG\�7ROG�0Hr��6RPHERG\�WROG�PH��\RX�KDG� D� ER\IULHQG� �� WKDW� ORRNHG� OLNH�WKH�JLUOIULHQG��WKDW�,�KDG�LQ�)HEUXDU\�RI� ODVW� \HDU�� KLW� DLUZDYHV�� WKH�Killers have continued to reinvent themselves on their way to the top.

In 2009, Rolling Stone named WKHLU�VHFRQG�DOEXP��q6DPpV�7RZQ�r�DV� qWKH� PRVW� XQGHUUDWHG� DOEXP�RI� WKH� GHFDGH�r� 7KH� EDQGpV� ORQJ�list of awards and nominations

received includes four NME Awards and seven Grammy nominations. They won the BRIT Award for Best International %DQG� LQ� �� DQG� q6DPpV� 7RZQr�ZRQ� q%HVW� ,QWHUQDWLRQDO� $OEXP�r�DQG� WKH\� UDQN� WKLUG� RQ� $PD]RQ�com UK’s list of best-selling artists and albums of the decade.

There’s no doubt that the Killers are not only a huge band, but one WKDW� EULQJV� VWDGLXP�VL]HG� HQHUJ\��And, on December 20, they will be bringing that energy to Eastern Michigan University’s Convocation Center along with the indie favorite twin sister duo, Tegan and Sara, who will be opening. Tickets start at $32.50. For more information, YLVLW� HPLFK�HGX�FRQYRFDWLRQ�

BY AMANDA TRENT

The Killers //EMU Convocation Center / Dec. 20

From the minds that brought us The Michigan Roots Jamboree, Dragon Wagon plans to warm up this winter with the the 2012 Wagon Wreck at LIVE LQ� $QQ� $UERU�� 7KH� WZR� GD\� q:UHFNr�ZLOO� GLVSOD\� VRPH� RI� 0LFKLJDQpV� ĺQHVW�roots, rock, bluegrass, jam bands and regional music. The lineup includestwo sets from Dragon Wagon, Rumpke Mountain Boys, Covert, Third Coast Kings, Rootstand, Joshua Davis, Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys, Ben Daniels

Band, Me 3 Mind, October Babies, Hullabaloo, Match By Match, Lawless Carver, Ghost City Seachlight, Johnny Lunchbox, People Being Human, and acoustic sets by Tony Lajoye Trio, Adam Labeaux and Cold Tone Harvest. For more information on the inaugural Wagon Wreck, check out Dragon Wagon’s website at www.dragonwagonband.com. For more infomration about upcoming shows and events at LIVE stop by www.livea2.com.

Wagon Wreck // LIVE / Dec. 14-15

BY JASMINE ZWEIFLER

Erin Zindle Holiday Show // The Ark /Dec. 15

7KLV� \HDU� PDUNV� WKH� ĺIWK� DQQXDO�tradition of The Ragbirds’ Erin Zindle KRVWLQJ� D� KROLGD\� H[WUDYDJDQ]D�featuring an array of local musicians. Zindle not only acts as frontwoman for The Ragbirds, but she is also a skilled songwriter and string musician. It’s clear to those who have seen The Ragbirds live that Zindle derives great joy from her music, but most people probably don’t know that she attributes her initial love of music to the Christmas season. -RLQLQJ�q(ELUGr�WKURXJKRXW�WKH�QLJKW�DUH�many familiar musical faces, such as Laith El-Saadi, Madcat Ruth and Tyler 'XQFDQ��(OOD�5LRW�DQG�0\�'HDU�'LVFR��In the spirit of getting quite a few birds with one stone, attendees will likely get

their fair share of laughs, as the event will be MCed by comedienne Shelly Smith.7KH� 5DJELUGV� DUH� D� ĺYH�SLHFH� IRON�

EDQG� WKDW� ERUURZV� LQĻXHQFHV� IURP� DOO�over, leading to a truly unique and varied sound. Led by Erin Zindle, many of their songs include optimistic lyrics and danceable beats which have caused The Ragbirds to grow steadily as one of the most popular bands around. A live performance by The Ragbirds is sure to hold one or two musical surprises.

Doors are at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16. For ticket information and to view a seating chart for the show, visit theark.org

BY MARY SIMKINS


THE BUZZ //

Admit it – you’re tired of the same old thing for New Year’s Eve. Feverishly looking for DQ� RXWĺW� DSSURSULDWH� HQRXJK� IRU� ZKLFKHYHU�swanky locale your friends have chosen, spending hours getting ready only to have it UXLQHG�ZLWKLQ�WKH�ĺUVW�WKLUW\�PLQXWHV�RI�WKH�QLJKW�and shelling out perhaps hundreds of bucks in order to ensure a perfect evening is all far too tiresome to even slightly be considered a joyous occasion. So this year, try something new, and head to the Majestic Theatre for some stompingly delicious bluegrass with Greensky Bluegrass and Frontier Ruckus.7KH� TXLQWHW�� EDVHG� LQ� .DODPD]RR�� 0LFK��

effortlessly takes the loveable, classic sounds of traditional bluegrass and updates them, breathing new life into the tunes with a fresh take that includes a dobro player, distortion pedals and a rock n’ rock infusion. Over the past 12 years that the band has been active, they’ve released four studio albums, LQFOXGLQJ� WKHLU� PRVW� UHFHQW� q+DQGJXQV�r� DV�well as three live albums. While fans wait

with bated breath for new material, they can certainly catch up with the gents – Michael Arlen Bont, Paul Hoffman, Anders Beck, 0LNH� 'HYRO� DQG� 'DYLG� %UX]]D� t� DQG� ULQJ� LQ�the New Year jamming with the best of them.

Not to be forgotten, fellow Michiganders Frontier Ruckus warm up the party with their own brand of folk rock laced with reminiscent tales of places close to home – which adds an extra layer of fun to the evening. Ring in the New Year with both acts at the Majestic Theatre on December 31, of course. Doors are at 8 p.m. Advance tickets are available at majesticdetroit.com for $25. All ages welcome.

Greensky Bluegrass w/ Frontier Ruckus //

The Majestic / Dec. 31

BY PAUL KITTI

Chances are, you’ve had a bass dropped on you at least once. 6\PSWRPV� LQFOXGH� WUDXPDWL]HG�nerve endings, shredded ear drums, profuse sweating and momentary disorientation. Basses have been dropping like mortgage rates all over the country, and a good number of them have fallen from the hands of reserved LA punk kid, Skrillex. His crunchy, metal-LQĻXHQFHG�VRXQG�KHOSHG�VSDZQ�WKH�GXEVWHS�FUD]H�DQG�KDV� WDNHQ�KLP�from massive venues to Grammy nods to collaborations on Kanye :HVWpV� SULYDWH� MHW� �VWD\� WXQHGf��

The kids are addicted to the stuff, evidenced in the genre’s swift transition from underground oddity to mainstream sensation. Few things are as viscerally thrilling as the collective roar of a thousand head-bangers with hands reaching in the air for that seismic bass, the swell and surge, the tension and release… Wait for it… it’ll be dropping hard at the Palace of Auburn Hills on December 31, as Skrillex rings in the New Year louder than anyone else.

Skrillex //The Palace /

Dec. 31

BY TREASURE GROH

,WpV� WKDW� WLPH� RI� \HDU� DJDLQ��1R�� QRW�just the one where we gorge ourselves on turkey and pie, but the one where we cast away our preconceived style notions and don the ugliest of the ugly – the holiday sweater. The time-honored tradition of sporting a bulky NQLW� VZHDWHU� LQ� DQ� RUJDQL]HG� JURXS� RI�people in order to drink and be merry is being brought to the forefront in a major way this year at Saint Andrew’s Hall.

Not only will you get to shamelessly URFN� WKDW� VQRZĻDNH� DGRUQHG� VZHDWHU��but you’ll get to listen to some of the best music metro Detroit has to offer. The recently skyrocketing hip-hop group The Black Opera will be performing their new tunes from q(QWHU0LVVLRQ�r� ĺOOHG� ZLWK� TXDOLW\�beats and lucid lyrics that aim to start a revolution in the music industry. :H�FDQ�DOVR�ORRN�IRUZDUG�WR�D��r�YLQ\O�

collaborative release with Passalacqua and James Linck of House Phone and performances to accompany said release. And, if you’ve never seen either of these bands perform, you’re GHĺQLWHO\� LQ� IRU� D� WUHDW�� 3DVVDODFTXD�never disappoints, continuously bringing down the house with their upbeat, funky vibe that makes you want to party into the wee hours of the night. Also expect spectacular performances from Of Mice and Musicians, D.Allie and Detroit Cydi to round out the evening of holiday debauchery.

The most important part of this shindig – the timeless ugly sweater – doesn’t just serve as a fashion faux pas, but will also gain you tickets for upcoming shows if you win the ugly sweater contest. Tickets are $5 at the door. For more information, visit saintandrewshalldetroit.com.

BY TREASURE GROH

Passalacqua & House Phone 7” Vinyl Release (Ugly Sweater Party) // St. Andrew’s / Dec. 23


// SCENE

We’ve all heard how important it is to shop local, especially during the coma inducing FDSLWDOLVP�EOLW]�WKDW�LV�WKH�&KULVWPDV�VHDVRQ��What’s that phrase? Buy local or bye bye local. And with how spoiled we are here in the DetArbIlanti area in terms of holiday shopping options, there really is no excuse not to – herewith, a far less than comprehensive list of some of your best bets this year.��',<SVL��GLS�VHH��LV�VRUW�RI�OLNH�WKH�KROO\�MROO\�version of the summertime Shadow Art Fair. It will take place from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. on December 8 and from Noon – 6 p.m. on December 9 at the Corner Brewery on Norris St. The offerings at DIYpsi are reliably top notch with all of the warm knitted goodness you’d expect and lots of things you may not. Vibrant hand printed silkscreened canvases from Perfect Laughter, seductive scents from Goest Perfumes and birch bark jewelry pieces from Bettula are all there and are all local. Just a hop skip and a jump over to Ann Arbor DQG�\RXpOO�ĺQG�WKH��7LQ\�([SR��ZKLFK�LV�being held on Felch St., inside both Pot and Box DQG�0HWDO��<RXpOO�ĺQG�JUHDW�JLIWV�IRU�WKH�\RXQJHU�ones on your list with handmade dolls by Simpli Jessi or hand bound journals and sketchbooks

by Abby Bennett. The Tiny Expo will be the place to be this year when shopping for the decorating disinclined. Featured artists include print impresarios VG Kids, Shawn Knight’s surreal creations as well as Jeremy Wheeler’s iconic gig posters. For those of you looking eastward, you’ve got the Detroit Urban Craft Fair at the Masonic Temple on December 1 and 2. With over 100 vendors, this is the big one. For the pretty one on your list, they’ve got the prescription with YHQGRUV�OLNH�%UD]HQ�&RVPHWLFV�DQG�&HOODU�'RRU�Soap Co. – a handmade soap company that PDNHV�EDUV�ZLWK�QDPHV�OLNH�q0HGLHYDO�0LVr�DQG�q6KHQDQLJDQV�r�&OD\ODE�'HWURLW�ZLOO�DOVR�EH�DW�DUCF selling some of the weirdest kitchenware \RXpUH�JRLQJ�WR�ĺQG�DQ\ZKHUH�

ABRACADABRA JEWELRYANN ARBOR ART CENTER ANN ARBOR MAGIC SHOP ANN ARBOR SPORTS MEMORABILIA SHOP ANTELOPE ANTIQUESBANDITOS CALIFORNIA STYLE MEXICANBARRE BEE FIT CAROL ROEDA STUDIO CRAZY WISDOM BOOKSTORE & TEA ROOMDOWNTOWN HOME AND GARDENELMO’S MAIN STREET T-SHIRTSFALLING WATER

FOOTPRINTS FOUR DIRECTIONS THE GOWN SHOP THE HIMALAYAN BAZAAR LA BELLE MAISON M-DEN MELANGE MOOSEJAW PERPETUA BOUTIQUE THE RAVENS CLUB REAL SEAFOOD COMPANY ROCK PAPER SCISSORS RUNNING FITSABOR LATINO SALON VOX TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES UNDERGROUND PRINTING VAULT OF MIDNIGHT WIRELESS ZONE

NOVEMBER 30Downtown Ann Arbor

Stores Open Late Special Holiday

Discounts

www.mainstreetannarbor.org

Shop & Save LocalBY JASMINE ZWEIFLER

THE ALLIGATOR FACTORYSIMPLI JESSI ABBY BENETT


SCENE //

Woodruff’s doesn’t just close out the year, they close it down. On the subject of local music events LQ�<SVLODQWL��0LWWHQIHVW�LV�WKH�ĺQDO�ZRUG��,WpV�D�ĺYH�GD\�0LFKLJDQ�PXVLF�PDUDWKRQ�WKDW�ĺOOV�WKH�SHVN\�gap between Christmas and New Year’s parties WKDW�\RX�PLJKW�RWKHUZLVH��KRUURU�RI�KRUURUV��KDYH�to spend with your family. Banish the thought and FOHDU�\RXU�FDOHQGDUV��GHDU�UHDGHUV��:LWK�GR]HQV�of bands, hundreds of your closest friends and HQRXJK�ERR]H�WR�ĻRDW�WKH�$UN��:RRGUXIIpV�LQ�'HSRW�Town is going to be the only place to be December 28 through January 1. There is always a particular excitement surrounding Mittenfest because admission is never a guarantee. Woodruff’s minimal square footage and obstructed views galore means it reaches capacity pretty much every night of the ‘fest, and a good view probably involves a bit of jostling. With that being said, you have three options. You can pay the $10 one night admission price at the door, come early and stake out your spot, you can shell out a whopping $82.60 for a V.I.P. pass (available QRZ�RQ�WKH�0LWWHQIHVW�ZHEVLWH��ZKLFK�JXDUDQWHHV�

you entrance to each night or you can roll up right before your favorite band is about to play with $10 LQ�\RXU�ĺVW�DQG�VD\�D�SUD\HU�� Now in its seventh year, Mittenfest has moved around a bit. In past years it has occupied venues from The Corner Brewery to The Blind Pig and The (OERZ�5RRP��5�,�3��EXW�:RRGUXIIpV�KDV�EHHQ�KRPH�since 2010. A skim of past performers reads like a who’s who of Mitten music luminaries. Names like: Childbite, The Juliets, The Sights and Misty Lyn bring music to your ears. 2012 promises the usual ZHDOWK�RI�WDOHQW��DQG�DW�WKH�SUHVHQW�WLPH�FRQĺUPHG�acts include newcomers Jamaican Queens and Shigeto as well as perennial favorites (and notable WRZKHDGV��0DWW�-RQHV�DQG�WKH�5HFRQVWUXFWLRQ�DQG�Lightning Love. The acts may change, but one thing that never does is the charitable heart of Mittenfest. Since its KXPEOH�EHJLQQLQJV��LW�KDV�EHHQ�D�EHQHĺW�IRU��0LFKLJDQ��LV�DQ�$QQ�$UERU�EDVHG�RUJDQL]DWLRQ�that helps children and young adults hone their writing skills. They provide drop in tutoring, after-school workshops and publishing assistance

among other things. So you can feel good about dragging everyone you know out to Woodruff’s to share in the Mittenfest madness. ��0LWWHQIHVW�LV�FUDPSHG��FUD]\�DQG�WKH�DQWLGRWH�to awkward family gatherings – and I think you and I both know that it couldn’t hurt to come to Woodruff’s and dance off those pounds the eggnog and cookies put on.

MITTENFEST VIIBY JASMINE ZWEIFLERPHOTO BY KRISTIN SLATER


It starts with a beat, blooms with bass, colors-in with chilly synths and coagulates with dreamy distortion. Then those staggering, sweet and soulful lead vocals breathe in such humanity onto the glitched-out electro-pallet of In Fact’s sound, the marvelous melodic element (of singer Brittany :LOOLV��IXOO\�UHDOL]LQJ�WKH�DWPRVSKHULF��OHIWĺHOG�hip-hop tinged dance-pop visions of heretofore indie-rocking songwriter Joel Skene. Those cool, woozy synths plume around atop staticy beats and buzz-grumbled bass swoons, setting a fog of mystique – an enticing, uneasy but coaxing ambience evoking the distinct dissonance of blurred-by nights across the headlight-blazed neon-club-dazed metropolis. Skene’s pop rock resume includes Lone Wolf & Club, Fields of Industry and, currently, Team Ethic. But lately he can’t stop making loops and beats on his Roland SP 404, spurred to actuate “hypnotic atmospheres” through the repetitious beats and swirled, synth-fuzzed melodies. Their debut’s four songs tell the story of a girl who is in a bad situation but can’t seem to get out, said Skene, having collaborated, lyrically, with Willis (the latter’s talents having been bolstered by training at Boston’s Berklee &ROOHJH�RI�0XVLF��,Q�)DFWpV�ĺUVW�IRXU�PRYHPHQWV�(the opener a dynamic display of trip-hop featuring Detroit MC SelfSays), deal with Skene’s views on “party music.” “Life’s far too short not to have as much fun as possible but,

fun…can also be dangerous. I hope our music is able to hold both those ideas simultaneously.” Rhythmically, Skene cites Flying Lotus, LCD Soundsystem, the Neptunes and Hi Tek as current inspirations for his own electro-experimentation. “Clearly we end up being a little darker though, and I’m not sure why, it just works,” he says. The otherwise indie-rock guitarist now mans keyboards/sampler and sequencer while former Lone Wolf & Cub band mate Del Belcher brings live bass grooves and their former college comrade (and Nashville-trained drummer) Michael Edwards effectively matches his live kicked kit work to sequenced beats. ��7KH�JURXS�ĺQGV�WKHPVHOYHV�FHQWUDO�WR�D�QHZO\�more open, more diverse music community, being asked to play with hip hop acts as well as indie-folk bands. “I think people are pleasantly surprised at how much more bombastic and energetic the music is live. It’s a different animal, and we’re hoping to capture more of it on our LP.” Said LP is currently coming together, featuring a “straight-up pop song – no way around it,” and other “more danceable” fare. Meanwhile, catch them twice this month around town. They will be at Woodruff’s in Ypsilanti with Jim &HUHZLFN�RI�&RQJUHVV��.��6QLIĻHV�DQG�$FWUHVV�on December 5. On December 27, they will SHUIRUP�DW�WKH�%OLQG�3LJ�LQ�$QQ�$UERU�ZLWK�.HQML�Urada.

In FactBY JEFF MILO

PHOTO BY WHITNEY KANE

// SCENE

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FOODIE // THE DISH

ARTICLE AND PHOTO BY STEFANIE T. STAUFFER

��2Q�1RYHPEHU��%HH]\pV�&DIH�TXLHWO\�WXUQHG�IRXU�\HDUV�ROG��$OWKRXJK�QRW�TXLWH�DW�WKH�ĺYH�\HDU�PDUN�WKDW�ZRXOG�PDNH�LW�qRIĺFLDOO\r�DQ�LQVWLWXWLRQ�in the restaurant world, I think that if you talk to most people in Ypsilanti, you’d get the sense that it already is. Whether they prefer the breakfast EXUULWR�ĺOOHG�ZLWK�ĻXII\�IUHH�UDQJH�HJJV�DQG�FKRUL]R�from Dos Hermanos market down the street, the roast chicken club with layers of Amish-raised chicken and applewood bacon topped with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and blue cheese pesto mayo or WKH�VRXSV�t�D�VHHPLQJO\�LQĺQLWH�YDULHW\�PDGH�IURP�scratch every day by the owner herself – everyone VHHPV�WR�DJUHH�WKDW�WKH\�ORYH�%HH]\pV�� I had the pleasure to sit down with owner Bee Roll to talk about the past, present and future RI�WKH�%HH]\pV�FDIH�WKDW�ZH�DOO�ORYH��$V�VRPH�RI�you may already know, back in September, Bee and her husband, Jim, welcomed their son Ziggy Sebastian. So you may not have seen her around the kitchen too much recently, as Riki Tiki Pies maven Theresa Rickloff and other staffers have been running the show, but the day we spoke was KHU�ĺUVW�RIĺFLDO�GD\�EDFN�WR�ZRUN�DV�ZHOO�DV�=LJJ\pV�RIĺFLDO�GHEXW�DV�%HH]\pV�UR\DOW\��:KR�NQRZV"�<RX�may even be lucky enough to spot them both the QH[W�WLPH�\RXpUH�WKHUH�IRU�\RXU�ĺ[�RI�VLPSOH��KRQHVW�food. Throughout our conversation, Bee kept stressing that although she is always scheming DQG�GUHDPLQJ�DERXW�WKH�IXWXUH�RI�%HH]\pV��WKH�XSFRPLQJ�\HDU�LV�WKH�qGUHDP�SKDVHr�RU�q\HDU�RI�UHĻHFWLRQr�WKDW�ZLOO�JLYH�KHU�WKH�WLPH�WR�HQYLVLRQ�

ZKDW�WKH�QH[W�IRXU�\HDUV�ZLOO�ORRN�OLNH��qEHH�VWUR�r�DQ\RQH"��,Q�WKH�PHDQWLPH��VKH�GLG�PHQWLRQ�WKDW�they have a new, exceedingly popular item on the breakfast menu – Tempeh Hash with Poblano Peppers. I haven’t been lucky enough to taste it yet since the two times I tried they were sold out, but perhaps your luck will be better than mine at brunch on the weekend. ��6SHDNLQJ�RI�EUXQFK��%HH]\pV�DFWXDOO\�ZRQ�Best Brunch in Washtenaw County in the 2012 Metrotimes Reader’s Poll, alongside Cafe Zola in Ann Arbor. For those of you who have been to %HH]\pV�IRU�EUXQFK�RQ�6DWXUGD\�DQG�6XQGD\��\RX�probably voted for them, but for those of you who haven’t been, you totally need to go. Weekend EUXQFK�DW�%HH]\pV�IHDWXUHV�VSHFLDOV�WKDW�JLYH�%HH�the freedom to showcase her culinary imagination and skill – whether in the form of a peanut butter banana french toast inspired by Elvis fest, an egg strata made with special Ypsi-Grown pink tomatoes from Nightshade Army Industries or even homestyle biscuits and gravy. Believe me, you will not be disappointed by your experience. Aside from the food, the other thing that keeps people from Ypsi, Ann Arbor and elsewhere coming EDFN�DJDLQ�DQG�DJDLQ�LV�WKH�DWPRVSKHUH��%HH]\pV�is one of those places where the staff actually know the names of customers and are genuinely interested in striking up a conversation with them. 7KDW�LV�VRPHWKLQJ�WKDW�KDV�GHĺQLWHO\�QRW�FKDQJHG�LQ�WKH�IRXU�\HDUV�%HH]\pV�KDV�EHHQ�RSHQ��,W�WUXO\�LV�RQH�RI�WKRVH�UDUH�SODFHV�WKDW�H[LVWV�ĺUVW�DQG�IRUHPRVW�to build relationships with people in the community,

with the secondary goal of attracting business. ,Q�IDFW��RQH�RI�WKH�ĺUVW�WKLQJV�WKDW�DWWUDFWHG�%HH�to Ypsilanti is the community feel, and she sees her restaurant as her way of engaging with the community and leaving it better off than when she IRXQG�LW��,Q�RSHQLQJ�%HH]\pV��VKH�qZDQWHG�WR�EXLOG�VRPHWKLQJ�WKDWpV�JRLQJ�WR�ODVW�r�DQG�DW�IRXU�\HDUV��she clearly did just that. After all, Downtown Ypsi looks a lot different now than it did back in 2008. Today, almost every VWRUH�IURQW�RQ�0LFKLJDQ�$YHQXH�LV�ĺOOHG��DQG�WKHUH�are three new restaurants that opened around the FRUQHU�IURP�%HH]\pV�LQ�WKH�ODVW�\HDU�t�5HG�5RFN�Downtown BBQ, the new Wolverine Grille and Bona Sera. Bee welcomes the arrival of these new restaurants to Downtown and to other parts of Ypsi – like the Wurst Bar on Cross Street. She sees these developments drawing more and more people to Ypsi to support independent, locally-RZQHG�EXVLQHVVHV��DQG�%HH]\pV�KDV�QHYHU�EHHQ�busier. To Bee, the desire to support local businesses is not a trend or fad but it’s how she has always lived her whole life since she does not drive. To her, EHLQJ�D�qORFDYRUH�MXVW�PDNHV�VHQVH�r�DQG�\RX�FDQ�GHĺQLWHO\�WDVWH�WKDW�VLPSOH��KRQHVW�DSSURDFK�WR�OLIH�in her food. ��%HH]\pV�&DIH�LV�ORFDWHG�DW��1��:DVKLQJWRQ�Street in Downtown Ypsilanti. For more info, follow %HH]\pV�RQ�)DFHERRN�RU�7ZLWWHU�RU�FKHFN�RXW�ZZZ�EHH]\VFDIH�FRP��

Beezy’s Cafe Turns Foura simple, honest retrospective


// FOODIE

Adventures in Local Food #24Two Years of Local FoodBY STEFANIE T. STAUFFER

It’s totally incredible that this installment of

ORFDO�IRRG�DGYHQWXUHV�PDUNV�WZR�\HDUV��$QG�an incredible two years at that – from small

producers’ struggles with the constraints of food

safety legislation to the deregulation of genetically

PRGLĺHG��*02��FRUQ�IRU�HWKDQRO�DQG�RWKHU�*02�q5RXQG�8S�5HDG\r�FURSV�OLNH�DOIDOID��VXJDU�EHHWV�and even lawn grass, to the recent loss of California

Proposition 37, which would have required labeling

RI�DOO�IRRGV�ZLWK�JHQHWLFDOO\�PRGLĺHG�LQJUHGLHQWV��From the victory of the students, teachers and the

community of Detroit over the closure of Catherine

Ferguson Academy and its farm, to the huge

increase in the amount of urban land used to grow

food in Flint, Detroit and Toledo, the story of more

people starting to grow their own food in cities

resonates across the Rustbelt as it does across

the country and the world. There’s also been an

upsurge in the number of people who want to know

more about where their food comes from and have

subsequently started to buy their food at farmer’s

markets and direct from producers through CSAs,

farmstands and from the local restaurants that

source local ingredients.

In the realm of farm to school programs, there

have been many positive developments at all grade

levels, with more school gardens being built and

planted, more schools serving up locally grown

food in the cafeterias, more garden education

entering the curriculum and other ways that food

producers are becoming more visible as an integral

SDUW�RI�WKH�IRRG�V\VWHP��)RU�LQVWDQFH��q)DUPHU�LQ�

WKH�&ODVVURRP�r�LV�DQ�$JUDULDQ�$GYHQWXUH�SURJUDP�that brings growers into Ann Arbor public schools

to teach kids how food is produced to empower

them to make healthier choices throughout their

lives.

And it’s totally working. I recently visited a

FODVVURRP�ZKHUH��DPD]LQJO\�LQ�IDFW��HYHU\�VWXGHQW�had been to a farmer’s market or farmstand at

some point with their family. As these examples

attest, the local food movement has seen some

pretty major achievements in the last two years of

WKLV�FROXPQ��DQG�HYHQ�PRUH�LQ�WKH�ODVW�ĺYH�\HDUV�that I’ve been eating, sleeping, breathing (and

JURZLQJ��ORFDO�IRRG��0RUH�SHRSOH�DUH�JURZLQJ�it, buying it, cooking it and eating it and, in the

process, are getting their friends and family

members enthusiastic about locally-grown, raised

and produced food, too.

But with that said, there have also been major

setbacks, often times achieved due to the

economic pressure that powerful agribusiness

companies like Monsanto and global food and

beverage conglomerates like Coca Cola exert over

the political process, as we saw with the huge

donations that heavyweights in the industrial food

system made to stop Proposition 37 from labeling

GMO ingredients in California. Other setbacks have

come from structure of politics, whether it be the

current uncertain status of the 2012 Farm Bill or

the city of Detroit attempting to move forward on

a sale of just under 1,952 vacant city-owned lots

IRU�WKH�+DQW]�:RRGODQGV�SURMHFW�EHIRUH�DSSURYLQJ�

an urban agriculture ordinance that would allow

residents to buy lots adjacent to their home for

growing food.

Luckily, however, even when the political

process may be too easily swayed by money

spent on advertising or may fail to uphold the

interests of many people who support the local

food movement, grassroots work is continuing

to expand. For example, the vibrant, diverse

network of Detroit urban farmers and activists have

PRELOL]HG�DQG�WKH�'HWURLW�)RRG�3ROLF\�&RXQFLO�LV�calling on City Hall to ensure that all land sales

in Detroit happen through a fair and transparent

process and that any land sale of the magnitude of

+DQW]�:RRGODQGV�EH�VXEMHFWHG�WR�D�SXEOLF�KHDULQJ��On the GMO labeling issue, a DIY response to the

failure of Proposition 37 has emerged online, aptly

FDOOHG�q/DEHO�,W�<RXUVHOIr�RU��/,<��7KH�FUHDWRUV�GHVFULEH�WKH�FDPSDLJQ�DV�qD�GHFHQWUDOL]HG��autonomous grassroots campaign born out of

our broken food system. We have been asking

our government to label food products so we can

make educated decisions about what we eat. The

government has ignored our requests and so we

DUH�WDNLQJ�PDWWHUV�LQWR�RXU�RZQ�KDQGV�r�� Label It Yourself has stickers to print out and

encourages you to post pictures of yourself labeling

GMO food items – sounds like a fun way to help

PRUH�SHRSOH�OHDUQ�DERXW�WKH�EHQHĺWV�RI�ORFDO�IRRG�to me. Go on, you know you want to. For more

information, visit labelityourself.org.


Some places, you just know you are going to like the minute you walk in. So it was with this bar. Bar Bar. Bar at Braun. 327. TBa327BC. Or just The Bar. That last one makes Eric Farrell, co-owner of 7KH�%DU�DW��%UDXQ�&RXUW��ODXJK��q,�ZRXOG�QHYHU�have opened a bar and called it just ‘The Bar.’ That seems so pretentious. But some people do call LW�WKDW�r��:H�PD\�QRW�NQRZ�ZKDW�WR�FDOO�LW��EXW�ZH�know that we like it. A year after opening, The Bar at 327 Braun Court has settled into itself and its space. It’s the kind of place where you instantly feel at home – if your home has funky décor and a fetal shark on the bar. After a few visits, the bartenders and servers will welcome you back and greet you by name. Owners Eric Farrell and Ted Kennedy opened the kind of bar that they wanted to drink in. You could FDOO�LW�DQ�XSVFDOH�GLYH�EDU��2U�PD\EH�DQ�qDUWLVDQDOr�public house. The cocktails are well made, but not pretentious. The bartenders are knowledgeable but not opposed to pouring a beer and shot if that’s what your evening calls for. The cocktail menu has something for every taste, from an improved :KLVNH\�6RXU��WKH�5R\DO�3DLQ��WR�D�JLQ�DQG�WRQLF�

with housemade tonic to the best White Russian in town. What makes this bar extra special is the commitment to local beer. They could have skipped beer altogether or – even worse – slapped some Bud Light cans together and called it good. But they made it a point to focus on craft beer. Milan’s own Original Gravity was featured on tap the night we were there. The cooler boasted selections from Bells, Founders, Dark Horse, Shorts, Keweenaw and Motor City Brewing Works, along with a few non-Michigan options. The atmosphere changes through the week. Come early on a weeknight and you’ll have a chance to soak up the scene, chat with your bartender or strike up a conversation with one of the regulars. If you’re hungry, they offer a simple menu of bar foods – like cured meat and cheese, chips and salsa and one of our favorites – a single hardboiled egg for $1. Look for the food menu to get even more interesting in upcoming months, as they partner with different chefs to offer a weekly rotation of unique eats. Right now that means Asian street food from San Street on Tuesday nights and

brunch not only on Saturday, but Wednesday night as well. We’ll let you in on one more secret about this SODFH��DQG�WKDWpV�WKH�KRXVH�SXQFK��%RR]\�DQG�delicious and only $5, it’s the best deal in town. But only on Thursday and Friday nights, so ride your bike, take the bus, drive (or, if you are Patti, walk DERXW�IRXU�EORFNV��RYHU�WR�WKLV�.HUU\WRZQ�KRWVSRW��

The Bar at 327 Braun Ct327 Braun Ct, Ann Arbor

(734) 585-5440Facebook: 327 Braun Court

Hours: Tues – Fri 4 p.m. – 2 a.m.Sat 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (brunch),

7 p.m. – 2 a.m.closed Sun & Mon

The Bar

BY TAMMY COXEN & PATTI SMITH

FOODIE // DRINK UP

BY JASMINE ZWEIFLER


If you’re anything like me, when you pick up that local Detroit weekly, \RX�EUHH]H�SDVW�WKH�DGV�IRU�DOO�WKH�ZHLUG�WKHPH�QLJKWV�DW�EDUV�LQ�3RQWLDF�DQG�'HDUERUQ��\RX�LJQRUH�WKH�P\ULDG�RI�SHUVRQDO�DGV�IRU�qSULYDWH��GLVFUHHW�PDVVDJHVr�DQG�WXUQ�ULJKW�WR�WKH�q6DYDJH�/RYHr�FROXPQ�DW�WKH�back – the reason being that the man behind the column, Dan Savage, is one of the most reliably insightful, funny and salacious working sex writers out there. He has done for sex what Julia Child did for cooking – he has opened new avenues of dialogue and soldiers tirelessly to demystify and educate every week. Not only that, but his additions to WKH�OH[LFRQ�OLNH�OLNH�q'70)$r�DQG�q6DQWRUXPr��DKHPf*RRJOH�LW�LI�\RX�GRQpW�NQRZ��DUH�D�FRQWLQXDO�GHOLJKW��/XFN\�IRU�XV�KHUH�LQ�<SVL�$UERU��KHpV�EULQJLQJ�KLV�EUDQG�RI�QR�KROGV�EDUUHG��UDSLG�ĺUH�TXHVWLRQ�DQG�DQVZHU�WR�Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theatre on December 2. His articles are always good for a chuckle or a gasp, but Savage has become so much more than just a sex columnist in recent years. His tireless political advocacy on behalf of LGBT programs has changed legislation and raised awareness. Along with his husband, Terry, Dan founded the It Gets Better Project, an initiative to prevent suicide among LGBT youth. Since its creation, the project has spawned thousands of videos and testimonials from both gay and straight people assuring young people struggling because they feel different that things will indeed get better. Tickets to his upcoming lecture are only $15 dollars for students, which is super fab because I am of the opinion that students and young people have the most to glean from what Savage has to say. During his last trip to The Mitten, Savage packed the ballroom at the EMU student center and rapped with the all of us squished in there about DOO�RI�WKH�WDERR�WKLQJV�\RX�ZRXOG�H[SHFW�KRSH��%XW�KH�DOVR�GLVFXVVHG�relationships – not just romantic relationships but relationships with friends, family, roommates and colleagues. Savage preaches ethics for our generation, often eschewing traditional social conventions and politeness for politeness sake. He will make you laugh, and you may come away from the afternoon with a new perspective on sex, love and interaction. Pearl clutchers need not apply. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and range between $30 and $40 for non-students.

Dan Savage BY JASMINE ZWEIFLER

// SCENE


11/30:

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ENTERTAINMENT

December// 2012

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COmmunity @ midnight


SCENE //

The bad news: While details are still sketchy, I can tell you with absolute certainty that the world will end on December 21 at 11:11 p.m., as the Mayan FDOHQGDU�ĺQLVKHV�RQH�RI�LWV�KHIW\�F\FOHV��$SRFDO\SVH�WKHRULVWV�DQG�D�ORW�RI�SHRSOH�LQ�ODE�FRDWV�DUH�ZRUNLQJ�DJDLQVW�WKH�FORFN�WR�LGHQWLI\�H[DFWO\�KRZ�ZH�ZLOO�DOO�SHULVK��ZLWK�VRPH�RI�WKH�PRUH�SRSXODU�LGHDV�EHLQJ�JDODFWLF�DOLJQPHQW��SRODU�VKLIWV�RU�DW�WKH�KDQGV�RI�WKH�(QJOLVK�,ULVK�ER\�EDQG��2QH�'LUHFWLRQ��2WKHUV�DUH�FKRRVLQJ�WR�VSHQG�WKHLU�ĺQDO�GD\V�LQ�GHQLDO��DV�HYLGHQFHG�E\�VWHDG\�&KULVWPDV�VSHQGLQJ�LQ�WKH�PRQWK�RI�1RYHPEHU��,�WKLQN�WKHVH�SHRSOH�ZLOO�EH�WKH�ĺUVW�WR�JHW�sucked into the black hole or consumed by the alien mothership.

The compelling evidence:$V�LW�LV�ZLWK�DQ\�IDQWDVWLFDO�FODLP��\RX�JRWWD�FKHFN�WKH�FUHGLELOLW\�RI�WKH�VRXUFH�EHIRUH�\RX�EX\�LQWR�LW��7KH�0D\DQV�GHYHORSHG�DQ�DGYDQFHG�ZULWLQJ�V\VWHP��SHUIRUPHG�LQWHUFUDQLDO�VXUJLFDO�SURFHGXUHV�DQG�ZHUH�VRPH�RI�WKH�EULJKWHVW�PDWK�QHUGV�RQ�WKH�SODQHW��$SSDUHQWO\��WKH\�ZHUH�UHDOO\�JRRG�DW�PDNLQJ�FKRFRODWH�DQG�ZHDYLQJ��WRR��6R��LI�WKH�ODVW�F\FOH�RI�WKHLU�FDOHQGDU�V\VWHP�LV�VHW�WR�H[SLUH�WKLV�\HDU��,pP�RSHQ�WR�WKH�LGHD�WKDW�PD\EH�WKH\�NQHZ�VRPHWKLQJ�,�GRQpW��2U��SHUKDSV�,pP�PRUH�LQFOLQHG�WR�HDW�XS�WKHVH�UHVXOWLQJ�GRRPVGD\�prophecies because…

I just want to party!6R�KHUHpV�WKH�JRRG�QHZV��:KHQ�WKH�LQHYLWDEOH�HQG�UHDFKHV�RXU�SODQHW��LW�ZLOO�EH�JUHHWHG�E\�WKH�ELJJHVW�SDUW\�LQ�WKH�JDOD[\��<RX�JRWWD�PDNH�\RXU�SUHFLRXV�ODVW�KRXUV�FRXQW��DQG�\RXpUH�JRQQD�EH�SUHWW\�GLVDSSRLQWHG�LI�WKH�DSRFDO\SVH�FRPHV�DQG�\RXpUH�LQ�D�PDOO�VXUURXQGHG�E\�ODVW�PLQXWH�&KULVWPDV�VKRSSLQJ�VWUDQJHUV��2U�LW�FRXOG�EH�D�ZHOFRPH�UHOLHI�LQ�WKDW�VLWXDWLRQ��%XW�GHFLGH�ZKHUH�\RX�ZDQW�WR�EH�EHIRUH�LWpV�WRR�ODWH��:HpYH�KXQWHG�GRZQ�D�IHZ�RSWLRQV�DQG�OLVWHG�WKHP�EHORZ��$QRWKHU�SRVLWLYH��WKHVH�SDUWLHV�DUH�JXDUDQWHHG�KDQJRYHU�IUHH�

Necto Voltage presents End of the World Party featuring Fedde Le Grand with dBerrie and Doddsy at 9 p.m. on November 28 at Necto Nightclub

End the World with iSPY Magazine featuring DJZU and DJX10Sive on December 21 at 9 p.m. at Woodruff’s.

Tree Town Sound presents The End of the World Party featuring Absofacto, Celsius Electronics, Flash Clash, Wild at Heart and DJ Ell at 9:30 p.m. on December 20 at the Blind Pig

The Official “End of the World Zombie Christmas Bash” presented by Zombie Nation Detroit at 9 p.m. on December 21 at Jazz Café in Detroit (Note: Depending on how the world ends, it may be tough to distinguish costumed attendees from actual flesh-eaters.)

Party like it’s the end of the world

BY PAUL KITTI

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// SCENE

Party like it’s the end of the world. If you feel like you’ve seen all Woodruff’s has to

offer: acoustic open mic, Hairy Karaoke, Elbow Deep …rinse…repeat, you aren’t alone. But if you look closer you’ll notice a familiar face with a new reason to pop in to our favorite local watering hole. The Dave LaFave Variety Hour is but a few KRXUV�ROG�DQG�VKHpV�DOUHDG\�KDQJLQJ�RXW�DW�EDUV��Her daddy Dave LaFave answered a few burning questions for me about his little monster. LaFave beams when asked of his Variety +RXU�WKDW��qWKH�PDQDJHPHQW�DW�:RRGUXIIpV�KDYH�kindly given me the keys to the castle, as it were. Allowing me to treat the stage and interior of the EDU�DV�D�EODQN�FDQYDV�r�:KHQ�DVNHG�WR�GHVFULEH�KLV�LQVSLUDWLRQ��KH�ZD[HV�SRHWLF��q,�ZDQWHG�WR�give Depot Town a fun mix of Muppets and Gong Show and Puppets and Wrong Show to expose the truly unique attributes of Ypsilanti’s Art &XOWXUH��SHUIRUPDQFH�DQG�RWKHUZLVH�r�+RZ�FDQ�qWKH�ZURQJ�VKRZr�IHHO�VR�YHU\��YHU\�ULJKW"��7KH�answer to that question may be that TDLFVH is at LWV�KHDUW�D�FKDULW\�HYHQW��ZLWK��RI�WKH�qGRRUr�

JRLQJ�WR�RUJDQL]DWLRQV�WKDW�EHQHĺW�WKH�KRPHOHVV��gay teens or the hungry. ��7KH�PÆODQJH�RI�DFWV�\RXpOO�ĺQG�RQ�WKH�ELOO�DUH�perplexingly and enticingly disparate, and that’s the way LaFave likes it. He makes it a point to highlight new talent – delightfully abundant here in our fair city. Everyone from The White Ravens to -D\FRE�6D\UDI�DQG�1DURR]�6ROLPDQ��$OH[LV�)RUG�WR�Devil Elvis. They are all a part of LaFave’s savory qVDODG�QLÄRLVH�RI�SXQN��IRON��QRL]H�DQG�PXVLFDO��XQGHU�WKH�LQFUHDVLQJO\�WKLQ�YHQHHU�RI�o$UW�pr�%XW�the acts aren’t the only draw – LaFave taps a different MC each month to keep this mad parade moving. Some of his favorite ringmasters include local celebrities like robo-master and consummate blouseman Cre Fuller, and DJ Dickslap (Phil $WWHH��/D)DYHpV�IDYH��VHH�ZKDW�,�GLG�WKHUH"��LV�'-�+XPDQĻ\��ZKR�LV�QRW�RQO\�UHVSRQVLEOH�IRU�FUHDWLQJ�the soundtrack to all of his sightscapes for years EXW�LV�DOVR�/D�)DYHpV�OLIH�SDUWQHU�DQG�qWDVWH�DUELWHU�r�:H�DOO�QHHG�RQH�

BY JASMINE ZWEIFLER

Muppets and Gong Show and Puppets and Wrong Show-----------

-----------


FEATURE //

PHOTO BY DOUG COOMBE

Ryan Spencer of Jamaican Queens would rather not talk about his music. What would he say about it, anyway? Here’s a few starters – super-heavy bass, heavy textures and heavy beats, strange and dynamic rhythms you can almost dance to and bumping, bendy, ERPEDVWLF�PHORGLHV�SDWWHULQJ�DWRS�IX]]\�VKHHQV�RI�bursting 808s and snaky synths with dark but droll O\ULFV�WR�GLVDUP�WKH�GDQFHĻRRU�KXGGOHUV�� But Spencer would rather talk about his tour with post-funk duo Passalacqua. He’d rather talk about the bonkers-out-of-their-minds transvestites that he chilled with until four in the morning last week in Montreal, having just danced his ass off after JQ’s packed-loft-space performance that night. Or he’d rather talk about the Brooklyn Electronic Music festival that these paired Michigan bands toured through or maybe the he’d talk about the grimy Club Rap mix-tape he’s been rocking lately. Spencer would probably rather talk about how KH�ZDV�KRSLQJ�OR�ĺ�OHJHQGDU\�JRWK�$PHULFDQD�troubadour Will Oldham might actually come to see their last show of the tour that night. When I ring XS�WKH�'HWURLW�VLQJHU�VRQJZULWHU��KHpV�SDFLQJ�VRPH�Louisville coffee shop, telling me he’s wearing another man’s socks, a bit under the weather, swigging his fourth cup of the day (on an empty VWRPDFK��%XW�ZKDGG\D�NQRZ�t�KH�WHOOV�PH�KH�MXVW�toasted a macchiato with the Oldham, a.k.a. Bonnie

q3ULQFHr�%LOO\��.HQWXFN\pV�RZQ��,I�6SHQFHU�WDONHG�DERXW�KLV�PXVLF��ZULWWHQ�UHFRUGHG�SHUIRUPHG�ZLWK�$GDP�3UHVVOH\��ERWK�PXVLFLDQV�IRUPHUO\�RI�ORFDOO\�ORYHG��qFRXOGD�EHHQr�TXLUN�URFN�TXDUWHW�3UXVVLD��WKHQ�KHpG�TXLFNO\�TXLS�it to be a mutant melding of experimental pop with raw southern rap beats. ��q%XW�DVN�PH�LQ�VL[�PRQWKV�DQG�,pOO�SUREDEO\�tell you that all I listen to is country, so we’ll be a oFRXQWU\�EDQG�p�WKHQ�r��$QRWKHU�IRUPHU�3UXVVLDQ�GHHPHG�-4�WR�EH�qWKH�FUHHSLHVW�EXEEOHJXP�SRSr�KHpG�HYHU�KHDUG��6R�there you have it. And that’s that – Spencer and Pressley (with GUXPPHU�5\DQ�&ODQF\��DUH�QRZ�RQH�IXOO�\HDU�LQWR�this still new band but just wrapped their second PDMRU�WRXU��WKHLU�ĺUVW�RQH�KDYLQJ�DOLJQHG�ZLWK�<SVL�WULR�/LJKWQLQJ�/RYH��7KUHH�VRQJV�IURP�WKHLU�IRUWKFRPLQJ�IXOO�OHQJWK��q:RUP�)RRGr�t�)HE��DUH�IRUHFDVW�WR�EH�FLQHPDWLFDOO\�UHDOL]HG�IRU�VWUHDPDEOH�online premiers throughout the winter. So during our chat, it’s the last day of tour and, well, maybe it’s the four cups of coffee talking, but Spencer sounds quite spirited. He’s not sure how their eclectic electro-heavy aesthetic will play in ZKDWpV�SHUFHLYHG�DV�D�IRON�IULHQGO\�EDVWLRQ��L�H��<SVL�$UERU�0LWWHQIHVW��HWF��%XW�WKLV�\HDU��KRSHIXOO\��FDQ�further bridge any lamented lingering genre-gaps. ��q:RUP�)RRGr�LV�D�EHJXLOLQJ�EXVW�XS�RI�PXUN\�atmospherics and effervescent synth-textures

coolly stirred into swaying grooves. Detached rhythmic rains decant Clancy’s live kit into sequenced beats while Pressley’s hip-hop sensibilities and stately guitar styling augments Spencer’s signature rasped-wailing, waving out sweet and swirly melodies stung with dark lyrical fare. ��q,WpV�GDUN�RQO\�LI�\RX�OHW�LW�EH�GDUN�r�VDLG�6SHQFHU��speaking not just of his songs but of the album’s title, an empowering motto suggesting: live life now t�EHFDXVH�RQFH�\RXpUH�GHDG��\RXpUH�MXVW�qZRUP�IRRG�r��q<RX�FDQ�FRPH�WR�WHUPV�ZLWK�LW�r�VDLG�6SHQFHU��who admits to digging into some deeply existential exchanges post-shows with rapper Mister (a.k.a. %U\DQ�/DFNQHU�RI�3DVVODFTXD��q$QG�WKHQ��MXVW�OLNH�Oldham or Morrisey, come to it in a comedic way, almost. Lyrically, I just like to keep things as honest DV�SRVVLEOH�r� Who wouldn’t be spirited, really, after their trip through Montreal and Brooklyn (the latter locale resulting in pleasingly packed shows bolstered E\�HDUO\�EORJ�EX]]�DOUHDG\�VWLUULQJ�IRU�WKHVH�ORFDO�ER\V�" It’ll be good to have them back home, though. q:RUP�)RRGr�GURSV�LQ�DERXW�WZR�PRQWKV�ZLWK�WKH�trio heading to SXSW soon after. We’ll see if they VRXQG�OLNH�D�qFRXQWU\�EDQGr�E\�WKHQf

Jamaican Queens: Dance Country BY JEFF MILO

MITTENFEST VIIDEC. 28 - JAN. 1

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Confessions of a music nerd and food addict.

FEATURE //

Ending the World with Absofacto

BY AMANDA TRENTPHOTO BY BRUNO POSTIGO


// FEATURE

��:KHQ�\RX�ĺUVW�PHHW�-RQDWKDQ�9LVJHU��KH�VHHPV�like just the kind of guy you would expect to meet LQ�WKH�<SVLODQWL��$QQ�$UERU�DUHD�IRU�PDQ\�UHDVRQV�– he’s smart and cultured with an understated way about him, a dry sense of humor and an appreciation for local microbrews. He’s the kind of guy you could mistake for either a computer geek in the best sense of the term or a doctoral candidate working on his dissertation in literature or creative writing. However, Visger is actually the mastermind behind Absofacto, which is simply his experimental-pop creating alias. ��q,�FKRVH�WKH�QDPH�EHFDXVH�,�ZDQWHG�VRPHWKLQJ�a little bit open ended and intangible but that also felt familiar – that way the music could fully become WKH�PHDQLQJ�RYHU�WLPH�r�KH�VD\V��q,�UDQ�DFURVV�‘absofacto’ in some argument on the internet, where this person was trying to act really smart and said ‘absofacto’ at the end of their statement. They used it as if it just meant ‘absolutely factual.’ Something about them trying to sound really intelligent while not only getting the meaning of WKH�ZRUG�V��ZURQJ�EXW�DOVR�PLVVSHOOLQJ�oLSVR�IDFWRp�and combining them into one word …the sheer ZURQJQHVV�RI�LW�VWXFN�ZLWK�PH�r It’s this kind of thoughtful creativity that is characteristic of everything about Absofacto from the music to the lyrics. As Absofacto, Visger FUHDWHV�ZKDW�KH�UHIHUV�WR�DV�qVHFUHW�PXVLFr�DORQJ�ZLWK�%ULDQ�.RQLFHN��q:H�FUHDWH�MXVW�ZLWK�WKH�WZR�RI�XV��1RERG\�KHDUV�LW�t�QRW�HYHQ�RXU�IULHQGV�r�9LVJHU�VD\V��WKDW�KDV�YHU\�TXLHWO\�WDNHQ�WKH�XQGHUJURXQG�music world by storm – especially after being QDPHG�DV�RQH�RI�3DVWH�PDJD]LQHpV��0LFKLJDQ�Acts You Should Listen to Now last February. When I catch up with Visger at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti, he says he isn’t completely sure how Paste discovered his music and how he made it on the list but that the honor was ERWK�qUHDOO\�FRRO�DQG�XQH[SHFWHGr��HVSHFLDOO\�IRU�VRPHRQH�ZKR�PDNHV�VHFUHW�PXVLF��7R�GDWH��Absofacto has released many albums and singles but has only played two live shows – one at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor and one at TEDx Detroit, both of which were short sets. However, the reason that Absofacto hasn’t ventured out on stage more is not due to stage fright. In fact, both Visger and

Konicek have had plenty of experience on stage as Visger was formerly the frontman and Konicek was the guitarist for the Alpena, Michigan-based rock band Mason Proper. However, this time around, they’re a little more leery of live shows simply because Visger takes the music that he makes as Absofacto very seriously and is reluctant to toy with any entity that might tamper with the creativity behind the music – whether that’s a live show or a record label. ��q7KH�QHHG�IRU�$EVRIDFWR�ZDV�D�SHUVRQDO�QHHG�r�KH�VD\V��q:KHQ�\RX�DUH�LQ�D�WUDGLWLRQDO�EDQG�LQ�the music industry, it places a lot of constraints on \RX�r According to Visger, one of those constraints is creating material that is very focused on a certain style or genre, which, he says, is the very reason he started Absofacto to begin with – to give him DQ�RXWOHW�IRU�PDWHULDO�WKDW�ZRXOGQpW�ĺW�ZLWK�0DVRQ�Proper’s overall style.��q,�MXVW�OLNH�WR�PDNH�ZKDWHYHU�,�IHHO�OLNH�,�VKRXOG�EH�PDNLQJ�ULJKW�WKHQ�r�KH�VD\V��q)RU�PH��$EVRIDFWR�is about throwing off those constraints and doing song by song exactly what I think I should be – working on it until I’m happy with all the elements WKDW�ZHQW�LQWR�LW�r� Visger puts so much work into each song (he says that on average a song takes him about 15 days of work to complete, although his longest VRQJ��q/LHV�r�WRRN�KLP�WZR�PRQWKV��WKDW�RQFH�KH�ĺQLVKHV�D�VRQJ��KH�OLNHV�KLV�QH[W�RQH�WR�EH�VRPHWKLQJ�FRPSOHWHO\�GLIIHUHQW��q,W�NHHSV�LW�IUHVK�IRU�PH�DQG�NHHSV�PH�H[FLWHG�DERXW�LW�r�KH�VD\V� Before Visger began seriously pursuing music, he went to Michigan Technological University for a semester where he planned to study computer science. A semester later he dropped out so that he could move back home and start Mason Proper along with Konicek. However, his techy side has served him well when it comes to Absofacto. Visger says that he has recorded his own music for a long time, which eventually morphed into adding electronic elements into his songs. ��q,pP�LQWHUHVWHG�LQ�D�ORW�RI�GLIIHUHQW�W\SHV�RI�electronic production. I’m just kind of getting into GDQFH�PXVLF�SURGXFWLRQ�D�OLWWOH�ELW�r�KH�VD\V�t�clarifying that he’s thinking along the lines of artists

like Caribou as opposed to house music. ��q7KHUHpV�VRPHWKLQJ�DERXW�HOHFWURQLF�PXVLF��The shows appeal to me because they’re more about the audience having a good time than about ZRUVKLSSLQJ�VRPH�EDQG�r�KH�VD\V��q,WpV�DERXW�WKH�audience, not about some icon – and I know I will never be that. It’s a more pure show, and it’s an HYHQW�IRU�SHRSOH�WR�HQMR\�r� But for every part of Visger that enjoys the electronic side of music and the enjoyment that audiences get out of it, there is a part of him that also enjoys thoughtful lyricism – and, with the help of his dry sense of humor, that comes with its own added enjoyment. In fact, aside from his catchy hooks and diverse style, it’s Visger’s lyrics that make Absofacto’s music stand out in the crowd of indie electronic music engineers that have started WR�ĻRRG�WKH�XQGHUJURXQG�PXVLF�VFHQH�t�DIWHU�all, anyone can make a catchy beat, but making a catchy tune accompanied by complex lyrics that actually mean something and stick with you is another thing entirely – and it gives his music the humanity that seems missing from so much electronic music.��q,�FDUH�D�ORW�DERXW�O\ULFV�r�KH�VD\V��q,�KDWH�ZKHQ�a song that could have been good has some kind of cliché line – I especially hate when I feel like it’s pandering, which so many lyrics do – either pandering to your emotions or the writer dumbed it GRZQ�RQ�SXUSRVH��%XW��RQ�WKH�ĻLS�VLGH��,�GRQpW�OLNH�when people show off through lyrics, either. There’s that element of trying to be too sophisticated or too weird. There’s a middle ground you can hit where it still feels honest, but it feels creative and LQWHUHVWLQJ�r��q,�UHDOO\�OLNH�LQGLYLGXDO�OLQHV�WKDW�WXUQ�EDFN�on themselves really quickly and sort of nip WKHPVHOYHV�LQ�WKH�EXG�EHIRUH�WKH\�JHW�JRLQJ�r�KH�VD\V��q7KHUHpV�D�0DVRQ�3URSHU�VRQJ�FDOOHG�o)RJp�WKDW�ZDV�NLQG�RI�ZKHQ�,�ĺJXUHG�WKDW�RXW��7KDW�VRQJ�is just full of these things. One example is the line that goes, ‘I found a crystal ball, but I lost it.’ It nips WKH�ZKROH�VWRU\�RI�ĺQGLQJ�WKH�FU\VWDO�EDOO�LQ�WKH�EXG��It’s not, ‘I found a crystal ball and looked into it, and it showed me your beautiful face and I fell in love with you and it told me we were meant to be WRJHWKHU�pr

”

We are purposefully sort of unpredictable. We’re a little outside of the mainstream. The independence of it is inherent to what is good about it.”

INTERVIEW CONT. -->


BY AMANDA TRENTPHOTO BY LAURE VINCENT BOULEAU

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I ask Visger if there is any particular song that he’s made that sticks out to him or really speaks to KLP��+H�PHQWLRQV�WKH�VRQJ�q/LHV�r��q,�IHOW�YHU\�VWURQJO\�DERXW�WKH�EDVLF�O\ULF�RI�LW�r�KH�VD\V�DQG�TXRWHV��qo,�XVHG�WR�OLH�DOO�WKH�WLPH��,�NQRZ�you know that, but I’ve drawn that line. I’m not making up any new ones. I’m just maintaining the ROG�RQHV�pr��q6RPHWKLQJ�DERXW�WKDW�UHDOO\�VWXFN�ZLWK�PH�r�KH�VD\V��q,�KDGQpW�KHDUG�WKDW�EHIRUH�LQ�D�O\ULF�t�WKDW�,�know I shouldn’t be lying. I’m telling lies, but once you’ve told them, sometimes they have a life of their own and it’s easier to keep it going than to FRPH�FOHDQ�r

��q7KH�ĺUVW�OLQH�LV��o7KHUHpV�D�IXQQ\�WKLQJ�WKDW�KDSSHQV�HYHU\�WLPH�LW�UDLQV�RXWVLGH�r�KH�VD\V��TXRWLQJ�DQRWKHU�OLQH�IURP�WKH�VRQJ��q7KHQ�\RX�JR�through the whole song without getting told what that is. I went through a few different versions of where that was going to end up – if it was going to be that I never told what it was or that the statement itself was a lie. But over the course of

the song, I end up getting to this point where the DFWXDO�SHUVRQLĺHG�OLHV�WKHPVHOYHV�FRPH�RXW�RI�WKH�UDLQ�t�NLQG�RI�D�ZHLUG�)LHOG�RI�'UHDPV�WKLQJ�r�,WpV�here that he mentions how he likes magical realism and employs this approach in his own writing – which perhaps validates the whole doctoral literature student vibe (because, after all, who else ZRXOG�NQRZ�ZKDW�WKDW�PHDQV"�� As far as what lies ahead for Absofacto, it remains a mystery as usual. ��q,�GRQpW�SODQ�VWXII�YHU\�IDU�LQ�DGYDQFH�r�9LVJHU�VD\V��q:H�DUH�SXUSRVHIXOO\�VRUW�RI�XQSUHGLFWDEOH��We’re trying to make something different and interesting. We’re a little outside of the mainstream. The independence of it is inherent to what is good DERXW�LW�r However, we do know that Absofacto will be playing a rare live show on December 20 during the Blind Pig’s End of the World Party. ��q,W�ZLOO�EH�D�ZKROH�H[SHULPHQW�LQ�LWV�RZQ�ULJKW�r�9LVJHU�VD\V�UHJDUGLQJ�WKH�XSFRPLQJ�VKRZ��q:H�are trying a completely new performance style that we’ve never done before. It’s incorporating

elements of live looping, kind of the repetitiveness of dance music with a vocal element with guitar, instrumental, hip hop… It’s going to be a whole set of material that is going to be brand new and written around the performance style. It’s a total experiment for us. But we want it to be enjoyable for people – because we’ve all seen some pretty self-indulgent, not very enjoyable experimental performances. This isn’t that. It’s still the good foundational building blocks of good music and a JRRG�VKRZ�r Come see Absofacto perform live at 9:30 p.m. on December 20 at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor along with Celsius Electronics, Flashclash, Wild at Heart and DJ Ell. Tickets are $5. 18 and up welcome. For more information on Absofacto, visit absofacto.com. You can check out Visger and Konicek’s other secret project, Hollow & Akimbo, at hollowandakimbo.com.

FEATURE //

The employee-owners of New Belgium Brewing would like to thank the following for making our folly possible: the inventor of the bike, our farmers and maltsters, the energy-

stingy Merlin brew kettle, our seven proprietary yeast strains, our local water source the Cache la Poudre river, the Wyoming wind, anyone who lives like there is a tomorrow, and everyone in Michigan who enjoys our beer. NewBelgium.com

Cruising into Michigan Aug. 27, 2012Cruising into Michigan Aug. 27, 2012fat tire amber ale is brewed by new belgium brewing fort collins co


FEATURE //

The spirit of the sixties is alive and rocking in Bad Indians, Ypsilanti’s under-the-radar source of WKURZEDFN�SV\FK�URFN�MDPV��7KHLU�IX]]\��OR�ĺ�VRXQG�holds plenty of sunny pop complete with vocal harmonies, organs, harmonicas and three-chord guitar grooving. But these Indians keep sturdy footing. Songs are simple, catchy and instantly OLNHDEOH��DYRLGLQJ�WKH�SV\FK�URFN�WUDS�RI�ĻRDWLQJ�into acid-dream obscurity. Guitarist Jules Nehring, who founded the band in early 2008, and drummer Autumn Wetli tag-teamed some questions we had about the band, such as how they create their style and what they’re looking forward to about returning for this year’s Mittenfest. Can you tell me about how Bad Indians

formed and give a little bit of background about

the band members?

��,��-XOHV��KDYH�EHHQ�VWDUWLQJ�EDQGV�ZLWK�ZKRHYHU�will play with me since before I knew how to play a chord on the guitar. Members would join and leave and none of the bands went anywhere. I formed

Bad Indians when I was 20 with my friends Matt DQG�-RVK��-RVK�OHIW�WKH�EDQG�DIWHU�D�IHZ�PRQWKV��DQG�ODWHU�SXW�RXW�RXU�ĺUVW�UHFRUG��q/LYH�)URP�WKH�%XULDO�0RXQG�r�,DQ�MRLQHG�DV�D�VHFRQG�JXLWDU�SOD\HU�but switched to bass with Josh gone. Matt lives in Brooklyn now, but after the release of our record, we decided to keep the band going so Autumn stepped in on drums. Then Ian switched to guitar after Erin joined on bass followed by Morgan on the organ. Together we recorded and released a tape ZLWK�/LIH�/LNH��D��r�RQ�*LQJNR�5HFRUGV��D��r�RQ�Urinal Cake Records and our forthcoming LP will be put out by CQ Records. Ideally, what do you think is the best way for

people to experience your music?

}��/LYH�LQ�D�EDVHPHQW�RU�OLYLQJ�URRP�}��Within a few seconds of putting on one of

XNTQ�RNMFR��@�ATMBG�NE�ONRRHAKD�HMlTDMBDR�came to mind, and it’s refreshing to hear this

style being done so well and so close to home.

"@M�XNT�QTM�SGQNTFG�RNLD�NE�XNTQ�HMlTDMBDR�

and bands you admire, and how you determined

this was the kind of music you wanted to make?

The Index from Grosse Pointe, Roky and the 13th Floor Elevators, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Mark Fry, the Gories, Blue Cheer, the Stooges, the Velvet Underground, and Love are all bands that have KXJH�LPSDFWV�RQ�KRZ�,��-XOHV��ZULWH�VRQJV�DQG�think about music. We are all very infatuated with music and the experience it gives. There is no predetermined style that we seek out. We just write songs that we wanna hear but haven’t found yet.Ů��'NV�CHC�SGD�M@LD�NQHFHM@SD� We are big fans of the band Gun Club. They have D�VRQJ�FDOOHG�q%DG�,QGLDQ�r�DQG�VRPHWKLQJ�DERXW�LW�MXVW�ĺW�ZKDW�ZH�ZDQWHG�WR�GR�}Ů��6GN�CDRHFMR�XNTQ�@KATL�@QSVNQJ� We’ve had different people do it every time so IDU��0DWW�GLG�WKH�ĺUVW�DOEXP�q/LYH�IURP�WKH�%XULDO�0RXQG�r�$XWXPQ�GLG}DUW�IRU}WKH�ĺUVW��r�DQG�VHOI�released tapes. Aubrey Nehring created the artwork IRU�WKH�PRVW�UHFHQW��r�RQ�8ULQDO�&DNH�DQG�IRU�

BAD INDIANS BY PAUL KITTI

PHOTOS BY KRISTIN SLATER


// FEATURE

We just write songs that we want to hear but haven’t found yet.”

WKH}q$UH�2Q�WKH�2WKHU�6LGH�r�ZH�DVNHG}IULHQGV�DQG�family to create their own interpretation of a tarot card for the cover.}��Do have a release date for “Are On the Other

Side?” Also, what goals did you have for this

album, concerning how you wanted it to sound

and what direction you want it to take the band?

It is being released just before the end of the world – December 21, 2012. We are having a release party at Arbor Vitae on January 5. The album isn’t about the direction we are going since we recorded it almost a year ago. It is more of a snapshot of what we sounded like then. We still play some of the songs, but right now we are working on recording more chilled out stuff. We have been recording without full drums using

more acoustic guitar as well as with piano, violin, harmonica and lap steel.}��What kind of audiences do you see at your

RGNVR�NM�SGD�QN@C��'NV�CN�SGDX�QDRONMC�SN�SGD�music?

People have responded really well so far. It’s always fun to see new places and meet new people. We haven’t been on the road too much, but the little we’ve done has been a really positive experience.}��What are some of your favorite hangout spots

in the Ann Arbor / Ypsi area?

Encore. Our space at Spur Studios.}�� Are you excited to play Mittenfest? What

are you most looking forward to about it and

what are some good memories about past

experiences at the event?

��<HV��,WpV�DOZD\V�EHHQ�D�JRRG�WLPH�DQG�LWpV�IXQ�to play for a different audience than we would VRPHWLPHV�QRUPDOO\�UHDFK��7KH�ĺUVW�\HDU�ZH�SOD\HG�New Years Eve. Everybody dressed up, and that was a lot of fun.Ů��6G@S�@QD�XNTQ�OK@MR�ENQ��:HpUH�KRSLQJ�WR�WRXU�JR�WR�6;6:�WKLV�\HDU�DQG�DUH�DOVR�ĺQLVKLQJ�XS�UHOHDVLQJ�DQRWKHU�DOEXP� Bad Indians will be playing at Woodruff’s during Mittenfest VII, which takes place from December 28 through Jan. 1. Visit mittenfest.org for the full schedule and lineup.

A casual gourmet European inspired restaurant.

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Now accepting resumes at

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FILM: LincolnDIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg4.5/5 TOWERS BY PAUL KITTI

Steven Spielberg’s brilliant vision RI�WKH�ĺQDO�IRXU�PRQWKV�RI�RXU�country’s most iconic president is dark, urgent and remarkably alive. $Q�RSHQLQJ�VFHQH�ĺQGV�EORRGLHG�FRUSVHV�SLOHG�RQ�D�PXGG\�EDWWOHĺHOG��a grim product of a divided nation that looms like a ghost through the remaining two-and-a-half hours of sharp, weighty dialogue. Props to screenwriter Tony Kushner for delivering a story about calculated SROLWLFDO�SURFHVV�ZLWK�ZLW��ĺHUFHQHVV�and a stirring sense of gravity. If you passed fourth grade American history, you know that Lincoln managed to push the Thirteenth Amendment through Congress and negotiate an end to the Civil War shortly before his assassination. But, through GHFDGHV�RI�LGROL]DWLRQ�DQG�QDUURZLQJ�impressions, we’ve become GLVWDQFHG�IURP�WKH�ĻHVK�DQG�EORRG�Lincoln – the brilliant and haunted man who was as warm and affecting as he was forceful and controlling. Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance is an exercise in possession. He

is a dominant presence in every scene, lanky yet sturdy, deliberate in his movements and meticulous with his words. Day-Lewis carries Lincoln’s demons on his hunched shoulders and brings his soul to surface through a weary but impassioned glare. He’s supported by the most impressive cast I’ve seen this year, including a stern and bracingly funny Tommy Lee Jones as Republican Thaddeus Stephens. This is dialogue-heavy stuff, with the setup of most scenes being old men gathered around a table. But the battle behind the battle – the political warring of wits and wills with slavery and a civil war in the balance – couldn’t have been made more riveting by any DPRXQW�RI�JXQSRZGHU��q/LQFROQr�LV�a gripping and complex work of a master, another remarkable piece of illuminated history from Spielberg.

FILM: SkyfallDIRECTOR: Sam Mendes4.5/5 TOWERS BY JASMINE ZWEIFLER

REVIEW // THE CUT

rate it+++ It’s a tradition of long standing to judge a James Bond movie by its opening scene, and if you’re ZRQGHULQJ�KRZ�JRRG�q6N\IDOOr�LV��I’ve got three words for you: rooftop motorcycle chase. That kind of stomach turning, armrest clutching action free-fall is what you are in for for the duration. And with a runtime RI��KRXUV��ZKDW�D�GXUDWLRQ�LW�LV� Above almost everything else q6N\IDOOr�LV�GDUN��$EVHQW�DUH�WKH�Bond staples of sunny, tropical locales and hot chicks in bikinis. The locations range from dreary London to dreary Scottish moors with a quick stop off on an abandoned island of scorched and broken buildings. But you’d be foolish to expect anything lighter from director Sam Mendes. The man has given us such knee slapping romps as q5HYROXWLRQDU\�5RDGr��GHYDVWDWLQJ��q5RDG�WR�3HUGLWLRQr��EOHDN��DQG�q$PHULFDQ�%HDXW\r��GHDGSDQ�� Daniel Craig’s Bond is nearly WDSSHG�RXW�LQ�q6N\IDOOr�t�KLV�JUL]]OHG�countenance attests to the toll this

job has taken on him. It seems that any hedonistic glimmer in his baby blues has been extinguished like so many cigarettes, snubbed out. I really can’t shake the fact that &UDLJ�LV�MXVW�DQ�RGG�ĺW�WR�SOD\�%RQG�t�qEORQGH��-DPHV�EORQGHr�GRHVQpW�have the same ring to it. But his performance is a satisfying one the thaws the chill of Craig’s Bond. The real killer performance here is Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva, a former MI6 operative with some real unresolved mommy issues with M’s Judy Dench. Bardem plays his gay computer genius supervillan with a healthy dose of Buffalo Bill from q6LOHQFH�RI�WKH�/DPEV�r�%DUGHPpV�NQDFN�LQ�WKLV�ĺOP�IRU�EXLOGLQJ�D�uniquely disturbing psychopath is the same he brought to the screen in q1R�&RXQWU\�IRU�2OG�0HQr�DV�$QWRQ�Chigurh. Silva’s twisted rage seems WR�RR]H�RXW�RI�KLV�SRUHV�DQG�PDNHV�him, to my eyes, the best Bond villain in recent memory.


SOUNDS // REVIEW

Punk EDM rebels Crystal Castles have emerged from recording reclusion with their most focused and important album. It’s also their darkest. Take WUDFN� WLWOHV� OLNH� q3ODJXH�r� q:UDWK� RI�*RG�r�q3DOH�)OHVKr�DQG�q9LROHQW�<RXWK�r�where obscured notions of cruelty and YLFWLPL]DWLRQ� DUH�ZHDYHG� LQWR� GHOLFDWH�layers of noise. The quick-hitting bursts of bratty aggression are gone – this album is more consistent and controlled than anything we’ve heard from Crystal Castles up to this point.

So what prodded the change? A huge clue is the album’s cover photo, where, in stark black and white, a veiled woman cradles her wounded, naked son. The haunting image came from a street demonstration in Yemen just over a year ago, where snipers and artillery tanks were set against protestors of the country’s oppressive government. The picture has become the band’s inescapable banner, looming over the stage before shows

and standing as the sole image on their website. It communicates affection in a climate of oppression and depravity, a soft sentiment overwhelmed by the darkness provoking it. It’s the perfect visual accompaniment to an album about helplessness and UDJH�� ZKHUH� HYLO� LV� LGHQWLĺHG� DV�inescapable and without reason. q,pOO� SURWHFW� \RX� IURP� DOO� WKH� WKLQJV�

,pYH�VHHQ�r�VD\V�VLQJHU�$OLFH�*ODVV�RQ�q.HURVHQH�r�D�EOHDN�FU\�IRU�GHOLYHUDQFH�in the form of whispers and high, manipulated vocal tones. Glass explained her feelings in a pre-release VWDWHPHQW�IRU�q,,,r�t�q$�ORW�RI�EDG�WKLQJV�have happened to people close to me VLQFH�q,,�r�DQG�LWpV�SURIRXQGO\�LQĻXHQFHG�my writing… It feels like the world is a dystopia where victims don’t get justice DQG� FRUUXSWLRQ� SUHYDLOV�r� :LWK� q�,,,��r�Crystal Castles have created their own slow-burning counter-strike using the unique vehicle of EDM to spread feelings of disgust towards injustice.

rate it+++

ARTIST: Crystal CastlesALBUM: (III)4/5 TOWERS BY PAUL KITTI

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Save The DateSaturday, Feb. 16

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REVIEW // SOUNDS

ARTIST: Chris GoodALBUM: Beautiful3/5 TOWERS BY AMELIA FRANCESCHI

rate it+++

TOGETHER WE WIN.EMUTIX.COM // PROMO CODE “WINCAR”

$5 TICKETS

��,�QHYHU�LPDJLQHG�,pG�ĺQG�D�WKHPH�VRQJ�ĺW�IRU�VDXWÆLQJ�VXPPHU�JUHHQV��<HW�,�GDQFH�DQG�KDUPRQL]H�WR�ORFDO�songsmith, organic farmer and bearded free bird &KULV�*RRGpV�q6RQJ�IRU�WKH�9HJJLHV�r��q0D\EH�ZH�OLNH�VSLQDFK��PD\EH�DUXJXOD��VR�PDQ\�JUHHQV�WR�ORYH�r��,�am all smiles, sun licking the windowpanes. This is some positive, albeit mundane, music for appreciating life and seeing the light. But Chris Good offers more than hearty breakfast-prep background music on his debut disc. A self-SURFODLPHG�qODERU�RI�ORYH�r�q%HDXWLIXOr�LV�D�FROOHFWLRQ�RI�pure, honest tunes that burst with life and occasional instrumental color. Known around town and on his ZHEORJ�DV�WKH�q)XQN\IDUPHU�r�&KULV�KDV�D�UDZ�YRLFH��freckled with grit and soil. He reaches at truth and vaguely channels Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips or an Earthbound Neil Young. Though without strain and innovation, this reach is just a jubilant morning wake-up stretch. Yes, the sun shines and life as grand, but where’s the pure soul, the unique sunspots? Chris decorates with textured African percussion and writes D�IDPLOLDU�VRXO�SRS�PXVLFDO�QDUUDWLYH�IRXQG�LQ�VROLG�projects from the Ann Arbor area – think My Dear 'LVFR��7KH�0DFSRG]�DQG�IULHQGV�

Local music fans will appreciate a healthy bushel of FROODERUDWLYH�WUDFNV��PRVW�PHPRUDEO\�7KHR�.DW]PDQpV�IHDWXUH��+LV�VPRRWK�FURRQ�RQ�q/RYH�,Vr�DGGV�VRPH�XQLTXH�ĻDYRU�WR�D�FRPPRQ�VRXO�MDP��&KULV�DGGV�VRPH�paprika to the mix and keeps ears perked, with a nice FROOHFWLRQ�RI�NH\V�t�:XUOLW]HU��+DPPRQG��)DUIHVD�DQG�D�few other retro sounds. They’re a sweet slice into the rhythmic pop pulse and add some unexpected Aretha ĻDYRU��q+XPEOH�'RZQr�NHHSV�RQ�UROOLQp�ZLWK�VLPLODU�heavy keys, solid horns and a sweet minor chorus. While Mr. Good’s lyrics often bleed social concerns �LI�\RX�WKLQN�LWpV�SURPLQHQW�KHUH��OLVWHQ�WR�KLV�ĺUVW�JURXS��0XWXDO�.XPTXDW��KLV�HDUQHVW�YRLFH�DQG�DTXHRXV�blue eyes couldn’t be overbearing or preachy. His DLP�VHHPV�SXUH�DQG�XQLYHUVDO�t�IRU�DOO�WR�UHDOL]H�how beautiful it is to live and grow. When tomatoes ripen, wheat sprouts and seeds germinate, Chris sees beauty. The wonder in existence is more easily explicable through nature’s bounty than song. It is a hard task to translate this light to musical language – no matter the musicianship, spectral horn parts, unique African percussive riffs or driving pulse. So it, instead, molds into music that is too saturated with blatant message.


SNAP SHOT // REVIEW

KELLER WILLIAMS - BLIND PIG

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iSPY Magazine // December 2012

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Transcript of iSPY Magazine // December 2012