It was nearly four years in the making for Chris Bathgate’s new full-length Salt Year. Having had the chance to preview the album, I can safely say Bathgate has created a piece of work that shall be noted as one of Michigan’s finest for many years to come.

iSPY Blog

Despite taking more than a few years to create and including several musical guest appearances, Salt year seems and feels incredibly concise. I was left with the impression that the whole project must have been produced in a shorter period of time than it actually was. Here is proof that Bathgate not only knows how to marry exceptional lyrical content with lush arrangements, but he knows how to assemble these songs into something greater. I am not sure I would be correct in calling this a concept album, however, each song works remarkably well with the next and there are many themes that reappear throughout.

Whether intentional or not, the mood of the album touches upon the difficulty in its conception, yet remains ever optimistic to reach its end. Salt Year, being released on Quite Scientific Records, sounds nothing short of a triumph.

Kalamazoo will finally be able to embrace his work when Bathgate performs at The Strutt, along side Hezekiah Jones and Samantha Crain, on Friday April 22^nd.

Show starts at 9PM

$5 cover.

Tonight, The Strutt will play host to a sonic treat that has not been heard in  quite a while on this or the other side of the Mississippi. Brains will melt, eyes will bleed, and reality itself will warp when Jeremy Ruggles and the Mind Death Quintet play their country-fried psychedelia. This is their first show in a while, but I have it on good authority that it’s going to be most excellent.

Also on the bill, Moonrises from Chicago will be bringing their mesmerizing experimental sound to the fore. Mixing electronic sounds with more standard instrumentation and the dripping sensation of temporary insanity, theirs should be a set you won’t soon forget.

Finally, The Nwe Spritze are going to bust out their sweet, sweet progressive rock all over the place. These guys put out possibly the best album of 2010 last year, and possibly ever. This bill is one of the best so far this month, and you know I’m gonna be there jammin’!

Show starts at 9 and goes ’till everyone evaporates. it’s a 5 dollar cover, but what price to you put on joy?

FAT SHADOW from BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA

A quadruple feature of fine musical acts shall be appearing at Louie’s Trophy House on Monday night.

Frank Fuzz, longtime Kalamazoo slinger of concise pop tunes, shall be opening the festivities with his live performance backed by a projected video of him playing the other instrumental tracks and harmonies to his tunes.

On tour from Bloomington, Indiana in support of their new release, Foot of Love, is Fat Shadow.  Fronted by Daun Fields, formerly of the Door-Keys and Etiquette and currently playing in Vera Maleta with Will from Defiance, Ohio, their music could be described as “baroque punk”.  Bassist Erin Tobey refers to their sound as “something between Dinosaur Jr. and Jefferson Airplane.”  The band has been playing together for a little over a year and have been honing their craft, working on good songs, in preparation for the album and month-long tour in promotion of said object.  Come on out and support these DIYers on their self-booked tour!
The Philly Crawlers will play their second show since the release of their self-titled CD.  These psych pop weirdos tend to straddle the line between accessible, approachable songs and more progressive weirdness.  Bounce along!

Closing out the show will be the classic rock styles of Blackjack Mulligan.  Check out their MySpace to watch a video from a couple months back.  They guarantee to bring the party to the people!

This show is a mere $5!  Come out and support some ambitious Indiana cats and catch 3 fine locals while at it.  Louie’s is located at 440 E. North Street in Kalamazoo.  This show gets underway right after 9 p.m. so as to not go too late on a Monday night

Tonight, Kalamazoo is a busy spot to be in. There’s a show at the fat guy house, A show at Louie’s, and a show down at the Strutt all at once. Lots of Kalamazoo heavy-hitters, too, including the Go Rounds, who are putting out their second album, and first full-length studio work to date.

Also up on tonight’s roster is Benjamin Riley, a former Kalamazooan that now resides down in old St. Louis, and plays that warm roots music that moves you to the soul. He hasn’t been around for a while, and won’t be around again for some time either, so if you can, come on out and show some love.

Finally, Ben’s friends from Saint Loo, Old Lights, are playing too, and these guys can, similar to the fashion of the rest of the bill, get on DOWN.

Show starts around 9pm and is COMPLETELY FREE. Check it out for reals.

Ann Arbor’s 2194 have paired up with This City Defects out of Calgary, Alberta to cut a swath across the American Midwest. Friday night they’ll be in town to play the Fat Guy House along with the Reptilian. So if you like your post-hardcore music angular and inventive, then this is the show for you.

You may have caught This City Defects when they came through Kalamazoo last year and if you haven’t caught wind of 2194, you should know this is a hard-working, newer Michigan band whom you should keep your eyes on. I would highly recommend that if you don’t know yet what you’re in store for, check out their respective bandcamp sites because the music they have to offer is impressive and hard-hitting and will only be more enjoyable in a live setting.

As always, if you don’t know where to find the Fat Guy House, send us an email at DIT or over to reptilianband520@gmail.com and we’ll help get you to the show.

Bring some donations to help these touring bands out. Show will be starting around nine.

Hey everybody, guess what? Tobacco is awesome. They were at the Strutt last September with Dreamend, Junk Culture, and Silverghost and now they’re back again but with Shapers and Beans!

Tobacco is the solo project of Thomas Fec, front man of Black Moth Super Rainbow. His special brand of Trip Hop can be heard inside of BMSR if you listen, but out at the Strutt tomorrow night you can hear it by itself, in all of it’s Trippy and Hoppy glory.

Come down to the Strutt Thursday, April 14th.
Cover is $12
Doors open at 8pm.

from http://www.acidmothers.com

Kalamazoo, the hour is nearly upon us.  Hailing from the far reaches of the East, cloaked in mysticism, hair, and electricity, comes the salient psychedelic noise-rock collective known as Acid Mothers Temple.

Since 1995, guitarist Kawabata Makoto has lead AMT through a multitude of members, both regulars and guests, as they have recorded and released countless albums and toured extensively, all the while maintaining a constant focus on largely-improvised psychedelic rock (there is often a basic melodic theme or riff which the collective builds around) influenced heavily by space rock bands of the 1970s like Gong and Hawkwind and the experimental leanings of German musicians such as Can and Karlheinz Stockhausen.

from http://www.acidmothers.com

Makoto’s current Acid Mothers line-up, consisting of Higashi Hiroshi on synthesizer and guitar, Tsuyama Atsushi on bass, and Shimura Koji handling percussion, have been performing consistently as the main core for several years now with occasional guests.  Having witnessed their show in Pontiac last year, I can personally say that their presence as performers and congeniality as musicians is an overwhelmingly profound spiritual experience.  Do not miss this chance of a lifetime.

This happens tomorrow night, Thursday, April 7th, at The Strutt, located at 773 West Michigan in Kalamazoo.  On tour with AMT are Brooklyn-based Knitting Factory Records artists Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers and local noise-rock/free-improv dadaists Forget The Times.  Doors at 8, show starts PROMPTLY at 9 p.m.  $10 in advance, $12 at the door.  Ages 18+.  Advance tickets can be purchased at The Strutt, The Corner Record Shop, or http://www.thestrutt.com

Returning to The Strutt tonight for the third year in a row is the lethal combination of Jack Oblivian and John Paul Keith, both hailing from the rock ‘n’ roll mecca, Memphis, Tennessee.

Jack Oblivian, aka Jack Yarber, was a member of garage punk legends The Oblivians. For the last few years, he has been performing in an outfit known as Jack O & The Tennessee Tearjerkers.  These Tearjerkers backing him up are actually Jack’s tourmates and opening act, John Paul Keith & The One Four Fives.

Local skitter-stompers, Aaron Young & His Night Jars, will set the night in motion with a high-energy set of their jittery, shufflin’ tunes.

The show takes place at The Strutt, 773 W. Michigan, Kalamazoo TONIGHT, Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 starting at 9:00 p.m.   $8 at the door and ages 18 and up!