Courtesy Coma Nova's Myspace

Tomorrow night, The Strutt isn’t going to be the only place to weather the Midwest Snowpocalypse 2o11, but it is going to be one of the most awesome. That’s because 2010 Fight for the Tuna winners Coma Nova are putting out a new CD. Also, they’re gonna rock.

Coma Nova is a quartet from right here in kalamazoo that specializes in loud, distorted garage rock that will get your blood going in the best way. There’s a reason that these fellas opened for Lightening Bolt last October.

Joining them is technical rock monsters and also local yokels Pan. They play the tunes that melt the faces. I’ve seen these guys a number of times and they never disappoint. Not ever.

The Wrap will also make an appearance, just to mix everything up that much more.

The show starts at 8:30 pm, Coma Nova are playing two sets and the whole show is free. Plus, if you drop the 5 bucks to pick up their new album, they’re also throwing in a Coma Nova does The Cure disc for free. I don’t see any reason not to rock the Strutt tomorrow.

THE WRAP

For a few years now, The Strutt has almost invariably held an Open Mic every Tuesday evening from 8pm to close. It’s a fast moving, well-oiled hyper-fest of 15-minute acts ranging from absolutely baffling to drop-dead amazing.In short, it’s usually a recipe for a good time.

Now The Strutt is a welcoming place by nature, and so it only makes sense that at the open mic, it’s real easy to come down by yourself with a guitar (or without one – the house provides a backline of standard gear) and end up playing with a full band. This ‘jump-in-and-jam’ mindset is one of the many ingredients that, in my opinion, consistently puts the Strutt’s open mic a cut above the rest.

Well this ingredient, for the last few weeks, has been a feature of the end-of-the-night on Tuesdays. Essentially, a host of the Strutt’s usual suspects grab the stage about 1am or so. At this point, the drums start thumping a beat specifically engineered to get a body moving. This is the first sign that a Jungle Jam, as it has been lovingly christened, has come under full swing.

Next, the bass and guitar jump in with anything from southern foot-stompin’ to afro-cuban groovin to cha-cha to whatever might strike the fancy of the impromptu orchestra. Then, the auxiliary instruments ice the cake with strange percussion and andassortment of ornamentation. Finally, the remainder of the bar – patrons and staff alike – get out of their seats, push the tables to one side, and dance like nobody’s watching. Of course, nobody is watching. Everyone else is busy getting down.

The 21st century scholar and philosopher G. Clinton once said this, on the subject of health, wellness, and the general existential crisis that each of us is faced with on a daily basis: Free your mind, and your ass will follow. Now I don’t have a medical degree, but I have been watching a lot of House, so I feel safe to say that if you’ve got the night free and can stand to get a little less sleep for a night, you should come on down to the Strutt open mic. It’s for your health.

Tonight, No Fun is fielding one of those bills that almost-but-not-quite fits together. While all three of these bands are quite a bit different, they all share the fundamental similarity of being most excellent.

Courtesy Midair's Myspace

First up on the bill is Midair, a mildly-experimental, very atmospheric outfit from Richmond Virginia. Through clever use of counter-movement and mixed time-signatures, and a masterful touch from the hands of each band-member, these guys create a swirling, moving wall of sound that tends to envelop and surround the listener in a very big way. If you like experimental music, these this is absolutely your cup of tea (Or rather storm in a teacup?).

Cool moon thingy courtesy Pistolbride's Bandcamp page

Next Up, Pistolbrides are on loan from Grand Rapids. An up-and-coming outfit, these fellas know how to write rock-and-roll. Equal parts surf-tune, Americana and just plain excellent music, the jams these guys kick are clean, solid, and are money-back-guaranteed to make you dance. I know I’m gonna be dancin’, anyway.

Photo by Jarab Selner

Finally, local yokel James Duke will be pickin’ and grinnin’ all your favorite Son Drop songs. He writes about love, long drives, and getting your shoes wet in the winter time. He plays songs about roughly the same things. If you haven’t seen Son Drop before, this is a great chance to get to know the music. If you have seen Son Drop before, then you already know this is a rare acoustic performance. Either way you slice it, it’s gonna be a good show, so try and stop on by.

Angry Octopus Jerry Reed demands it.

and I Am No Longer Afraid To Die. What a mouthful.

Photo courtesy of The World is... 's Bandcamp page

At any rate, these two excellent bands are going to be tearing up the No Fun Basement.

TWiaBPaIANLATD is an emotive guitar-driven band with teeth and claws and everything, similar to our home-grown heroes The Reptilian. Long story short, this is an excellent and awesome-billed-show waiting to happen. Come on down and rock with ’em.

Show starts at 8:30 NO PUNK ROCK TIME. Make sure you’re there and ready to get down, ‘cuz we gonna get down

The Reptillian gets no credit at DIT(K)

Tonight, three excellent acoustic acts take the ‘stage’ at the House of Love. On a bit of a road-trip, Chris Darby is coming in from Chicago to strum his guitar and sing his tunes about life on the road.

Tim Tapper will also be bring his new project – the Useless Worries – to light tonight in it’s first official live performance. No telling what is in store exactly, but tell has been heard of protest aplenty.

Finally, The Almanac Shouters will be bringing their own brand of foot-stompin’, song-shoutin’ punk-influenced folk tunes. High-energy is the order of the day with these guys, and they always promise to put on a good show.

The House of Love is in a secret spot, but if you email ditkalamazoo@gmail.com, we’ll let you in on it. See you guys there!

Wednesday night is a night of back-woods splendor at The Strutt, when Red Tail Ring returns to play what is sure to be an excellent show. Haunting acoustic music punctuated by lilting vocal melodies is the order that Red Tail Ring serves, and in excellent form.

Joining them will be Putnam Smith. Fella gets down on that banjo, just a pickin’ and a grinnin’. It’s going to be nothing short of a good time.

Kalamazoo’s newest active House venue, the Ant Hill (Ant Colony, Alien Ant Farm, Whathaveyou) is playing host, this Friday, to a host of absolutely rockin’ Michigan bands from all over this great mitten-shaped state of ours.

Kalamazoo’s own Pan will be taking the stage at this one. This super-tight three-piece outfit delivers all-instrumental progressive goodness with a smooth set of curves to boot. Your brains will melt. Your face will melt. You will not be disappointed.

From Muskegon, the boys in Chordis Bell will be down to move you. Stretched out funky rock is their forte’, with songs about all the tough parts of life. I’ve had the pleasure of playing with this outfit in the past, and I can tell you first-hand that they put on a hell of a show. Or you can check out this youtube video:

Down from Grand Rapids, MINNESOTA will also be tearing things up. These guys call themselves Alternative and that seems about right. Fast, heavy, and hard-hitting, MINNESOTA is just the right thing to get your blood pumping on a Friday night.

Finally, the excellently technical Drawing Mountains will be in town from Royal Oak. Expect clean time changes, strange guitar melodies and an overall feel that boarders on ambient despite the high-energy playing. These guys also just got signed to Start/Finish Records, a newer record label based out of Flint Michigan.

I, for one, will be at the Ant Hill this Friday. That said, if you don’t know where the Ant Hill (or any other place, for that matter) is located, you can always email us at ditkalamazoo@gmail.com and ask.

Despite the pun, it’s true: Local math-rock experts Good News and Hometown Fight-for-the-tuna-winning heroes Coma Nova are tearing up the No Fun House basement tonight.

If you haven’t caught Good News yet, then you should make an extra-special trip out tonight to see these boys. Two-piece technical rock-and-roll wizardry at it’s finest, the tunes that Good News lays down are high-powered and friendly all at once. If you want to hear good music, check it. If you want to see two excellent players rip it up like it’s goin’ out of style (whatever ‘it’ may be), check it. If you just like the name Good News, check it.

Coma Nova is another most excellent local band that hits hard and gets weird. Stretched out garage jams are good for the soul (just ask any doctor), and Coma Nova’s special brand of awesome is no exception. Plus, these boys (and girl) won this year’s Fight For the Tuna, and made it on the front cover of November’s West Michigan Noise, so you know they’re good. Now I’m no medical professional, but I’ve been watching a lot of House, M.D. this past week, and I’m fairly confident in stating that seeing this set will be good for your health.

Finally, the real reason to come on out tonight, is a Chicago trio by the name of DICK WOLF! They’re tight, technical, and super sweet, with lyrics that will make you reconsider what lyrics are really all about in general anyway. Math Rock meets excellent songwriting. I personally have been anticipating this show for quite some time. Come on down if you know what’s good for ya, dig?

Tonight at No Fun house, we’re pre-gaming Halloween No Fun Style. DJ Dad of Totally Rad!/HMS Victory fame will be mixing down his favorite tunes in a socially awkward way for all us kids and the like to groove to. Come on down and get your dance on while practicing your pronunciation of severely alliterated sentences.

We’ve also got LIVE MUSIC. The Cell Phones will be in town all the way from Chicago, jammin’ out their own particular style of rockin’ hardcore-esque tunes.

Then, from Providence, Rhode Island, Tik Tok will be jammin’. I caught these cats last night at the Fletcher House Halloween What-Have-You, and was thoroughly impressed. An excellent blend of old-timey dixieland, cajun folk music, and even rock-a-billy, these guys are a must-see if you’re in town tonight.

Plus, there may be a secret special guest that pops through. Who knows? Only time will tell.