The Corner Record Shop is a place to learn all about music you might not know much about – or to delve even further into something you know you like. Be it by asking the employees, buying records on a gamble, or checking out any of the numerous shows, you’re likely to expand your musical horizons easily in this place.
And where else on a Monday night will you get such a compelling mix of live music?
COMFORT FOOD– are a noisy jazz two-piece, with a distinct sound that even puts it somewhere near No Wave. It’s angular, harsh at times, but with a distinguished groove. They’re traveling from Chicago to our humble town, and will eventually have their newest release out on Already Dead Tapes (based both here and in Chicago).
Supporting Comfort Food, local ringleader and founder of guitar noise outfit Forget The Times, SEAN HARTMAN will be brandishing his musical weapon of choice solo, which is a rare experience.
Plus a newer project, CARDBOARD HIGHWAY will be showcasing their skillful shoegaze and post rock tunes.
Show starts at 9:00! Bring extra scratch to donate to Comfort Food, and maybe even a bit extra after that for a record or two – if that’s your thing. Be excellent.
Maybe if you were in Kalamazoo in 2008, you went to Rocketstar Cafe. Primarily a coffee shop, sometimes also hosting all ages shows of a variety of genres. Maybe at that time you, like me, saw Ghost Mice and Eric Ayotte play a lovely and energetic folk show.
Photo by Jes Kramer
And if you’re familiar with Kalamazoo, you’ll also know that accessible venues have had a hell of a time remaining open. Shortly after this, Rocketstar ceased to be. Other spots have come and gone through the years, and many houses have picked up the slack – though not in a particularly legal or accessible way either.
Around the time of this Ghost Mice show, there was talk of creating the Kalamazoo Collective Arts Center. Tons of work was done on creating bylaws for this all ages art space, but when nailing down a location became exceedingly difficult, the project fizzled out. But now it’s back! A new group of people are picking up where the originators left off, and are looking to create an affordable, accessible space for all art and all ages.
And also through this all, the Kalamazoo Peace Center has offered a space on campus for music, radical discussion, workshops and speakers. This sort of activity goes hand in hand with the not-for-profit, DIY ethic that is entrenched in the Kalamazoo music scene.
The KCAC and Peace Center are looking for your support, and have thrown together a nostalgic show for the purpose! Featuring:
THE ALMANAC SHOUTERS – Formed in 2009, the Almanac Shouters are a local band, playing their first (and only planned) show in almost 2 years. They’re a loud folk band with reflective and metaphoric lyrics you can scream and dance to. The line up for this show features Axel Quinlan, Fiona Dickinson, Nola Wiersma, and Rory Svekric.
GHOST MICE – A band synonymous with Plan-It-X Records, a DIY label known for the slogan “If It Ain’t Cheap, It Ain’t Punk” and putting out some of the best of folk and pop punk over the last 20 years. Ghost Mice are straightfoward and honest songwriters whose earnest dedication to their words is compelling.
THE MINOR KIND– Eric Ayotte, folk song writer and short film enthusiast, has a new project and this is it. It’s a country band, it’s sweet, you’ll like it.
This show also features a ROOT BEER KEG for all who donate. Please be excellent to eachother and respect the house! The show is likely to be packed, so make sure to take care of those around you.
9:00 PM start time. Putting the punc back in punctual. Email ditkalamazoo@gmail.com for the address.
Eclectic doesn’t necessarily mean difficult, and here is a prime example of artists drawing from many different sources to create compelling and catchy music that’s hella tasty for your earbuds!
PORCHES. a full band and sometimes solo project of Aaron Maine, is a blend of folk and indie rock in an unexpected way. Traveling all the way from New York to our humble basements, PORCHES. are here to share with you captivating and moving songwriting you can get your dance on to. This group is labelmates of such wonderful groups as Pile, Speedy Ortiz, Krill, Kal Marks and many others who may have already impressed you.
This show will also feature a resurgence of Double Phelix man of mystery GITIS BAGGS! Although Gitis has been playing music consistently in a myriad of local projects, his solo work has not been heard for some time. That being said, Gitis plays wonderful experimental and thoughtful folk that is lush, ambient, and strange. You wont want to miss!
PLUS while we’re at it, TRANCERS, a newer local project, will be making their basement debut. From influences all across the board, you can tell these folks have deeply entrenched themselves in music fandom, and are sharing their findings with us all.
Show starts at 9:00. Please donate what you can, as PORCHES. have traveled quite a ways to get here, and need to sometime get home. Be excellent to each other. Dance yr butts off. Contact DITkalamazoo@gmail.com for the address.
Well y’all, WIDR WEEK is upon us again! That wondrous time of the year where the DJs of Kalamazoo’s only source of Radio Evolution guilt us all in to donating money to keep the boards lit up, the turntables spinning, and the tower broadcasting 24/7.
Of course, WIDR WEEK also means a slew of fantastic events! This WIDR week is no exception!
The WIDR ALL-NIDR kicked off the week on Monday, bringing oodles of live bands to the studio back to back. Good times were had by all, I was informed! Tonight, The Doctor hosted a special WIDR-themed Cinema Fantastique at the 411 Club featuring the film Faster Pussycat: Kill! Kill!
Kalamazoo, forever splitting at the seams with music, is unruly almost every day of the week. Saturdays are usually the most chaotic, as that’s when the most band requests come in and the most shows are able to be set up. Sometimes, bands that fit perfectly together will all want the same day, though they have nothing to do with each other. Sometimes, you’ve just got to have three touring bands play at one show. With there, Saturday March 8th is filled to the brim with hard hitting punk, post hardcore, distortion and feedback.
GREYS coming all the way from Toronto, Ontario are a loud rock band encompasing well-melded aspects of punk energy and passion with a subtle catchy appeal. Personally one of the best live shows I witnessed last year.
DEADSETfrom Milwaukee are a new band featuring old friends from ALTA. Heavy hardcore and metal, brought to you by the experts in our Wisconsin sister city.
STELLA of Columbus, Ohio bring their own brand of noiserock and post punk that’s weird enough to get you interested, heavy enough to keep you listening.
PLUS LOCALS BODIES (A new screamo two piece featuring some of the swellest folks you ever did meet) and ANYBODY BUT THE COPS(local favorite disaster punk band without microphones)
STARTING AT 8:00 PM. THREE BANDS ON THREE TOURS DONATE DONATE DONATE. RESPECT THE HOUSE AND BE GENERALLY EXCELLENT.
DITKalamazoo 
