Calling all intellectuals, friends, softies, listeners, and thinkers : Milhouse has something for you. Plan-It-X songsmith Eric Ayotte is coming back to town. His previous visit was last minute, and even then a fair amount of people came to show their support for his project. His music provokes re-thinking your cultural standing, remembering family, and embracing the world around you.

http://www.lastfm.com/music/Eric+Ayotte

Singer-songwriters can easily be over-rated and over-abundant, but Kalamazoo continues to produce those who are intelligent and unique. Both Frank Fuzz and Alex Quinlan, Kzoo residents, will be opening for Eric.

Fuzz Quinlan has gathered experience playing music in several different genres, including : noise rock, ska, punk, folk, and folk punk (which OF COURSE is different from just folk or just punk). His ability to express emotion through a grabbing string melody never ceases to silence a crowd. Mature, well-thought lyrical content allows his songs to be personal yet very relatable. Reflective comment : one of the only Kalamazoo musicians who continues to find new ways to make me cry. In a good way.

http://alexquinlan.bandcamp.com

Frank Fuzz remains another Kalamazoo gem. His unique use of audio-visual interaction continues to please crowds. For those who don’t know, Frank’s performance is accompanied by a movie of himself playing key instrumental and vocal parts of the songs he presents. The footage of past Frank with interaction from present Frank is a new and interesting experience compared to most other Kzoo artists. The (possibly un-intended?) comedy of self-interaction through pre-recorded musicality will stimulate your auditory and visual senses.

http://www.last.fm/music/Frank+Fuzz

Eric isn’t in Michigan on a whim – he’s on his way to Canada – so bring a few bucks to get him there so he can fruitfully continue his journey north. Respect the artists, respect Milhouse, and enjoy!

John Follet of Everyone and Their Empty Cups, Ryan Koster and many other folks have been hard at work on organizing Kalamazoo’s latest music and art related magazine. Entitled Deja Vishnu, the magazine is dedicated to music, art, comedy and creation happening in our fair city. Deja Vishnu aims to cover creative happenings in Grand Rapids as well.

 The magazine makes its debut this Saturday with a free show at The Strutt. There will be performances by Blank (2/3 Pan, ¼ Ackley kid), Everyone and Their Empty Cups, and Invisible Mansion from Grand Rapids. Everything is set to kick off around 9:00.

 Come on down and enjoy some free music. See what all of the buzz is about. The first issue of Deja Vishnu will be available for purchase $6 for black and white and $10 for color!  This is not to be missed!

On this fine, brisk February evening, The Strutt invites you to come celebrate the release of Elk Welcome‘s new CD! It’ll be gas! What else are you going to do tonight? Sit at home and sulk about how you never get out of the house? Well, here’s your chance to change that! New Year, New Elk Welcome tunes, New You!

Also gracing everyone’s presence will be Max Dandyslax and former Good News-ers Lost in Translation!

Tonight, Feb. 10 / The Strutt / 9:30 / 3 bonez (5 with a cd!)

DO IT.

It’s that time of year again. The time that decor magically shifts colours to red and pink and everyone becomes inexplicably infatuated with the idea of love. The time where sending someone an e-mail about how beautiful they are and how you’ve often admired them from afar or mysteriously leaving a sentimental forget-me-not on a person’s mode of transportation outside their workplace becomes a most acceptable and romantic idea.

In accordance with this most adorable sentiment, DiT and the Fireplace Club cordially invite you to the 3rd Annual Love Song Open Mic. In addition to a warm fire to hang out by, a guitar, bass, banjo, various percussive instruments, and a small drum kit will be provided for any attendees to serenade their sweetheart in a most amourous environment.

“We’ve made many special memories by the fire with some of Kalamazoo’s finest. Here is a recording from last year (http://www.mediafire.com/?pzseyn8zy8wkj8e), and the first one in 2010 (http://www.mediafire.com/?z8s4n8crq596dt5).

Really it’s the best way to spend valentine’s day, you don’t have to wallow in loneliness and you don’t have to buy anything.”

See you at the show.
http://www.facebook.com/events/211230125633035/

Who’s excited to see some good pop punk bands play this week? I know I am!  This Sunday, Toronto natives Junior Battles will visit Kalamazoo to bring us some sick tunes from the chilly north.

Grand Rapids foursome Cain Marko will also be in attendance, bringing their brand of gritty pop punk rock reminiscent of Hot Water Music.

Indie Punks Tiger! Tiger! will be joining us as well and I’m really stoked to see them play again. It’s been far too long.  Fans of Weatherbox or The Wonder Years are going to really like these guys. (Photo credit: Mike Rice Photography)

And no Kzoo show would be complete without at least one local in attendance. Lucky for us, we get two! The boys in Natural Disasters and Ackley Kid will grace us with their rowdy presence and balance out the out of town pop punk with some harder local flavor.  Expect to nod your head, move your feet, and shout along!

The show is $7 and starts at 7:30. It’s a punk show, but there’s no punk time so show up on time so you don’t miss all the bands!

Having some midweek Wednesday woes? Treat yourself to some quality pop punk! On Wednesday, February 22^nd, The Swellers will be playing at The Strutt.

Hailing from Flint, The Swellers are arguably one of Michigan’s best pop punk band. These dudes have toured with bands such as Motion City Soundtrack, Paramore and Bayside. With energetic riffs and relatable lyrics, you’re bound to have a great time watching this band. Their live shows do not disappoint.

Opening up for The Swellers will be Kalamazoo’s very own Bike Tuff. If you have been to a pop punk show in Kzoo, you have seen this band.

Battle Creek natives and now Lansing residents, Hometeam will be sure to bring the energy to the stage. While only having played a few shows in Kalamazoo, these guys never fail to have a slew of folks in the audience raising their fists and chanting the lyrics.

Lastly, but surely not least, the noodly guitar goodness of Witch Fingers! This band consists of members from your other favorite Kzoo bands: Ackley Kid, The Reptilian and Forget the Times, so you know they’re good.

This show is going to be just great. If you don’t believe me, I’m giving up a whole evening of cuddling with my cat just so I can attend this show. If that’s not a sacrifice, I don’t know what is.

Doors open at 6:30 PM with $10 advance tickets and $12 tickets at the door. GET YOUR TICKETS RIGHT MEOW!

Kalamazoo’s favorite folk pair Red Tail Ring are comin’ ’round to grace everyone’s presence once again tomorrow evening at the Kalamazoo Peace Center (perhaps colloquially known as the basement of the Wesley Foundation on WMU’s campus).

Also sharing  is Alex Quinlan (former guitarist of the Almanac Shouters), bringin y’all some tunes from the mountains, and none other than ramblin’ man Andru Bemis! This evening is sure to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

Indeed, it will be an evening full of revelry and friendship, of laughter and tears, and more importantly, of some gosh-darned good folk music!

Friday / 7 p.m. / Kalamazoo Peace Center / Donationzz PLZ!

This week only! Legendary hardcore punk outfit Headnoise will be making a rare appearance in Kalamazoo at The Ant Hill on Saturday, February 4^th with Grand Rapids punk/metal band Rise Into Ruin, Saginaw punks Broken Tooth, and our very own esteemed Ackley Kid.   Here’s a rundown of the show:

Headnoise:  Since 1994 (yeah they’ve been a band longer than some of you have been alive), Chicago punks Headnoise have annihilated their way through the Midwest and the coasts with their own brand of hardcore punk that strikes any hard music lover’s sweet spot with just the right amount of devastating guitar riffs, hard hitting vocals, and killer bass lines. Oh, and did I mention there’s a chick on vocals?  Fans of Bikini Kill, Officer Negative, and Bad Religion might want to check this band out! (photo credit: Headnoise’s facebook)

Rise into Ruin: Get your mosh on with the punkest of the metalheads (or the metalest of the punkheads?) Rise Into Ruin.  With dueling vocals and a guitarist prepared to slay all who hears him with his axe of destruction, these guys (and lady!) will bring you to your knees begging for more before the night is out.  I know I did something of the sort when I first saw them play.  Fans of Gather, XKingdomX, and yes, even Slayer might be interested in RIR.

Broken Tooth: For the punx (up them!) in the crowd who prefer their music hard and fast with no fancy stuff, Broken Tooth is prepared to deliver songs that could be the anthem to a night of rebellion or a day of protesting.  You might like these guys if you’re into Operation Ivy, Leftover Crack, or Choking Victim. (photo credit: Broken Tooth’s facebook)

Ackley Kid: You know ‘em, you love ‘em. And if you don’t know ‘em, you will grow to love ‘em.  Fellow DIT contributor Zach S. and his boys like playing hard and they like playing fast and your ears will be ringing by the end of their set.  Be prepared to shout along! If you like Minor Threat, Circle Jerks, or Title Fight you might also like these righteous dudes. (Photo credit: Ackley Kid’s facebook)