When writing a show preview it is often difficult to avoid hyperbole—providing the ample amount of excitement and vigor to transfer over to those that brush their eyes across words to energize legs into moving is a unique task. One doesn’t want to appear false in their enthusiasm or else it lends to a discredited event, and possibly a disappointed audience at both the show and on the article.

That’s why it often gives the writer the utmost pleasure and satisfaction when the topic , or rather the person or persons involved already possess a vigor and enthusiasm that allows for proper representation of their event. Ulysses Eatah, WIDR DJ, blogger on ufodictator.com, and owner of the small label that operates out of it, is earnest of his love for music while simultaneously holding a humble position on his role in its production, and the bands he has gathered together for the eighth UFO Dictator show at Louie’s this year. In an interview Ulysses provided a comprehensive run-down of his history of blogging, and with his inspiration for UFO Dictator, check it out. This is more his article than mine:

OK, brief history.

2007 started putting out records.

2005 first annual UFO Dictator show.

2004 I started a website called UFO Dictator to talk some shit about music and things that really mattered like baseball, OCD, and records found at Goodwill.

1997 started DJing on WIDR and playing the kind of music that I still like: loud, fast, rock ‘n’ roll AKA punk rock.

1987 I heard some weird, abrasive shit on WIDR when I was in middle school and that started me on the path to enjoying weird stuff.

The reason why I started my radio show, having an annual show, and putting out records were all for the same reason: the shit that I really dig wasn’t being fairly represented in my hometown. You gotta think that late 90s in Kalamazoo and most of the midwest was 3rd generation emo, 6th generation hardcore, and penultimate edition college rock. I’d go to shows, I’d have an OK time, but nothing got me that excited. So I apply at WIDR do 6 months of rotation and take over the Friday night slot that’s been the time for punk rock and I start playing Rip Off, Crypt and In The Red Records instead of Dischord, Vermiform and Kill Rock Stars. Dig stuff on all of those labels then and now but I was tired of Buddy Holly glasses and dudes wearing sweaters in August.

The radio show is fun, introduce the fine listeners to worldwide punk rock stuff from the late 60’s up to the current crop of stuff and I only play stuff that I personally enjoy.

In 2005 I ask my buddy Matt Dorbin who’s booking shows if he would help me get some of my favorite local bands that play loud, aggressive rock’n’roll a show and we’ll name it after the newly minted UFO Dictator website. He says yeah and we do an annual show every year since.

The label starting was more of the same. Some of my friends are in bands, I like their bands, I want to see them release on vinyl, so we did. All of the bands are based out of SW Michigan so far except for a few of the bands on the I’d Buy That For A Dollar comps where Spain, Milwaukee, Memphis, Chicago and Lafayette are represented. Haven’t put anything out since 2010 and really don’t plan on putting anything else out in the next year or two as it’s hard as hell to release records. I was going to put out a single by my own band on my label but that would mean that we’d break up within a month of the record coming out. Rimshot.

A lot of people think call this UFO Dictator fest but it’s not a festival. There’s no ninjas riding tilt-a-whirls spraying Faygo at people while Andrew WK is trolling the crowd who’re fucked up on Oxys and fried Oreos. That’s a festival. This is just a show with some bands that I wanted to see. Sometimes we have had it 2 nights and that’s fucking awesome but also a nightmare and my 25 friends already complain that I ask them to come out and watch some amazing bands play for 1 night and by the second night they’re back at home watching Soap on Antenna TV.

I’m always thankful that anybody gives a rat’s ass about music. Especially the little sub-genre of rock’n’roll that I’m still a huge fan of. This year’s show is scaled back in the fact that it’s only 1 day, 1 venue, and 5 bands. But it’s pretty huge because we’ve got 2 metal bands to start and end the night in. Beast In The Field is playing for the 2nd time this year at Louies. So crazy, 1 drummer and 1 guitar playing through 4 heads and 8 cabs. I know that you’ve seen them before, fuck. Barring any power failures it should be the loudest thing at Louies ever. The Manatees from Memphis are Abe’s baby and he’s making his 2nd UFO Dictator appearance and I think that he’s played drums in at least 5 different bands here in the past 7 or 8 years. Total fucking punk. Corrosive Kids from GR are total art scum punk Electric Eels nonsense. Kalamazoo upstarts Bat Cave are bringing the WIREy styled drone. And opening up the show with their first public appearance is Bonehawk. I guess that they’re going to play some secret style of metal at fucking 8pm when the show starts. Considering that the core of the band was in stoner jamz Mesa, the whole night should be pretty heavy.

Oh yeah, I really don’t like promoting stuff. Makes me feel like I’m selling life insurance for babies. That said though, the show is going to be awesome. I’d pay $7 to see any of these bands separately and you get them all in 1 night. Fuckit.

-Ulysses Eatah

Check out the show tomorrow night at Louie’s. Bring some seven dollars, and a pair of effective eargplugs, because your  drums (of the ear variety) are going to fly out and pierce the eyes of the person behind you if you don’t.