After over five years of a wonderful time on the WordPress format, DIT is taking a leap to a new platform. After much talk and consideration, it seems that wordpress is no longer the most functional site for the most-used purposes of DIT.
Expect soon, a site which will function entirely on mobile, as well as on a computer. The site will consist of the calendar list format (ie the sidebar and shows page here) as well as a month-to-month calendar view for those not that into scrolling.
The page will also have a form to submit an event, so that anyone in town booking/playing/promoting has a simple way to share information about their DIY event. No need to email or create an account, just fill out the form and it will get to the site admins, who can add it to the site.
For those who are still interested in write-ups for events, every event on the list calendar will be clickable with a link to the facbook page, as well as a spot for more information. It would be ideal if people would write up descriptions for the site, so that people who don’t know certain bands can get a general idea! It’s always been a fun part of the site, but interest has dwindled in the last two years, so we are no longer promoting write-ups as the focus of the site.
We hope to keep this wordpress account going for archival purposes. Five+ years of show write-ups, along with useful articles is nothing to throw away. Any resource this site has now, we’d like to keep available.
Thank you all for your continued support of DITkalamazoo! Without people playing/making/doing/experiencing, this is all meaningless. Hopefully the new site means an easier way for folks to get involved. Any questions can always be directed to ditkalamazoo@gmail.com.
Satellite Records is hosting an evening of Experimental sounds tomorrow. Add that to the Jack Tell / Heavy Leaves / Aric Smejkal / Misery Loves Co. show at Milhouse and you’ve got a well rounded night of music!
Local favorites Forget The Times will be kicking off with a set of striped back Ambient drone featuring lots of Saxophone looping and feedback manipulation. Get ready for it!
Show starts at 6pm. $5 suggest donation (for the touring band). All ages.
THE KBD SONIC COOPERATIVE
is coming in from Toledo to give us a heavy dose of Electronic Minimalism. Check these videos for a sample of what’s in store:
This show starts in just a few hours (6pm), so we’ll make this brief:
SIR RICHARD BISHOP is an incredibly talented guitarist that has been making waves in underground music since 1979. He’s led the band Sun City Girls and Rangda in addition to creating an impressive body of solo work. His most recent albums have been released by the Drag City label. His sound draws heavily from various World Music and Avant-garde influences. Prepare yourself for a truly sublime and trans-formative experience tonight. This is not one to miss!
ROBERT MILLIS is a founding member of Climax Golden Twins and AFCGT. He has also produced some excellent solo work including film scores, sound installations and many contributions to the Sublime Frequencies label. Robert has self described his music as “Pete Seeger trying to cover Revolution #9 by The Beatles”
SEAN & FIONA are a local duo project from Sean Hartman of Forget The Times and Fiona Dickinson of Saltbreaker. They perform only on special occasions with this project. This will their 4th show in about that many years. Their sound draws from Free Jazz, Folk and Classical influences and is largely improvised.
Doors are at 6pm tonight and music kicks off at 6:30 sharp!
$10 cover for the touring artists
All ages are always welcome!
Satellite Records is located at
808 S. Westnedge (next door to 4th Coast and Bagel Beanery)
Any questions, call them at (269) 381-0218
Tonight, Rey Mysterio’s is hosting an event that will seriously take you on a journey.
Indigo Wild
Warning: This music has a great deal of texture that could possibly cause an eargasm.
Indigo Wild is amazing group from Columbus, OH that is often defined as dream groove/ no-coast indie. That’s probably the best way to summarize them, but let me put emphasis on the beauty behind the instrumentation this group has created with their music. Don’t believe me? Just check out the recent release, “High Point” by going to:
Indigo Wild has been gaining a lot of hype throughout the midwestern music scenes. Along with their groovy tunes, they have an electric feel to their stage presence. Super fun to watch and hear, don’t miss out!
The Class
The Class Acts are a classy indie band from Kalamazoo. They’re music is big sounding with lots of vocals and instrumentation. The music itself seems to span the entire spectrum of what could define feel-good tunes. You can close your eyes and feel yourself sitting on some grass at a festival during songs like, “Jackie”. Other songs like, “Busy Work” offer that same feeling of goodness in your soul, but has a completely different feel. Just check it out for yourself!
Pretty much all I’m saying is: If you super duper hate feeling happy, this show probably isn’t for you. Sorry.
Edith
Edith, formally known as WWEMO, is a super mysterious group that just got going a few months ago. I’ve seen them once as WWEMO and it was pretty sick. Anyone who appreciates the local basement scene would dig this group.
So yeah. This show is going to be awesome. It’s going to start at 9 p.m. at Rey Mysterio’s. Get there early so you don’t miss any parts of this musical roller coaster.
Tonight, Kalamazoo will be in the presence of greatness.
These days, that’s almost not saying much. There are so many incredible shows happening a regular, weeknight basis that it’s easy to become callous to the level of talent our little city attracts. Well, let me try to convince you that tonight stands out at least a little bit from the rest:
Let’s talk about Hypercolor.
First, I suggest letting the above link play while yr browsing. Because at the end of the day, no matter how well written a DIT post is, it’s basically just a colorful way to try and convince you to actually stop and listen to the band.
Hypercolor is from New York City. They are an instrumental trio with a wonderfully complex yet deceptively simple songwriting approach. The kind of music that simultaneously appeals to music scholars and casual listeners. Songs often have an unusual flow with slight atonal quirks or unexpected changes. But there is still a wonderful Pop edge present at all times. They’re not afraid to explore but have no wish to alienate the listener in the process.
Hypercolor just put out a new album on Tzadik Records. If you’re familiar with the label run by Avant-garde luminary, John Zorn then you already know this show can’t be missed. If not, maybe you got a chance to see their label mates Les Rhinoceros at Milhouse. This show will be of the same caliber.
Here’s what Tzadik has to say about the band: “A crazy collaborative jazz-rock unit out of the new generation of Downtown improvisers, Hypercolor is a bizarre trio that blends Beef- heart, Sonny Sharrock and ’80s punk with contemporary classical orchestral textures, spastic world music rhythms and noise improvisation. Sonic madness featuring the twisted guitar of Eyal Maoz, the deep toned bass of James Ilgenfritz and the grooving drums of African music aficionado Lukas Ligeti.”
Opening up the night will be locals The Uncanny & Forget The Times.
*This is an early show!* Music will start at 6pm
$5 donation is suggested for the touring band
All ages are always welcome
Please, no booze or drugs. Safe space!
Satellite Records is located at
808 S. Westnedge
Next to 4th Coasts & Bagel Beanery
Saturday, November 15th
9:00 PM at Bespin AKA Cloud City
Tonight is going to be a crazy night full of rocking music, heavy guitars, and emotional lyrics. Three math core bands will be showing off the technicalities behind pretty music. Please bring a little money for Merch and the touring band. You won’t regret the investment.
The Reptilian
The Reptilian is a local mathcore/Emo band that has become a bit of a staple in the underground community of Kalamazoo. If you haven’t been to a show of theirs yet, you’d best be asking yourself why not? Not only is the music killer, but the crowd is loyal and loving. Seeing The Reptilian is always an experience, so don’t miss out. The Reptilian Bandcamp
Caddywhompus
Caddywhompus hails from New Orleans, Louisiana and they bring a new twist to the guitar/drum duo. They offer a large sound despite their small set up. They’re on Community Records and have an album called, “Feathering The Nest”. They’re noisy, melodic, and most importantly, rockin. Caddywhompus Bandcamp
Mold
Mold is a Kalamazoo band said to have been born in the dredges of Snowpocolypse 2014. As we all remember, this period of time presented a new form of brutality. As we traveled through deadly nights reaching record breaking lows of -40 degrees. We should have fucking died, but we didn’t. For the members of Mold, who used the time to fester in anger and get super, mega, really good at playing their instruments, a new breed of music was born. Come witness as history is made and feel the chill that ever aches as more snow comes. Mold Bandcamp
I hope you all have your party boots on because Louie’s Back Room isn’t letting this weekend of fun end until Monday. This event will be featuring the last performance from Katy Needs A Life, a Rock and Roll Machine that’s not been out for some years, and some mother frickin’ robots. It’s going to be an event that will prepare you for Halloween and keep you stoked for what’s to come in the future.
Captured! By Robots
So, I could go on and on for days about how Jay Vance is my hero and I’ve been listening to his music since I was in the fifth grade. I could say something about how he started the Blue Meanies when he was in college, the legendary Ska band from Chicago. I could also go on and on about what his show is like and how awesome it will be to see live because its actually instrument-playing robots that Vance built. However, I received this e-mail from the robots a few weeks ago, and I believe that they can tell their story better than I can.
“2 kick ass robots, 1 stupid human. Brutal pummeling music. End of story. But you wanna read more stupid crap? Ok, idiot human.
C!BR has been touring the world since 1997, playing thousands of dive bars for millions of drunk humans.
In 1996, Jay Vance made the robots because he was extremely unlikeable, and wanted to play in a band after all his past human bands hated him. He got to work. Shortly after, GTRBOT666 and DRMBOT 0110 were born. After a horrible accident involving many drugs and a chemical spill, the Bots became self aware and captured the human, now renamed JBOT. It was decided that they would travel the country, rocking out while bent on world domination and humiliating the masked and chained idiotic human in front of his human peers.
In 2013, a critical point was achieved in robotic/human symbiosis. The Bots over went their sixth upgrade, developing human faces in an attempt to fool the pathetic humans into lowering their guard, not unlike decoys in duck hunting.
Humans are now the hunted! Hahaha!
As well, JBOT’s chains and mask were removed, after 15 years of captivity the chains were no longer needed as they were now chains of the mind, and removal of the mask serves to show how ugly and disgusting the human JBOT really is.
The Bots and JBOT’s relationship has changed, now they are much more united in hating humanity. Stockholm syndrome? Maybe… Or maybe you all just suck really really bad.
C!BR’s newly found united aggression towards humanity has been channeled into fast n loud music, designed to deafen and destroy, to pound and pummel, breaking your bones with brutal tones.
So that’s it. End of story for reals. But one more thing… Fuck you, human!”
So yeah… They aren’t the nicest robots, but the show is going to be killer.
Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine
Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine hasn’t done a solo show in years now and that’s a damn shame. Can you imagine, for just one moment, the most beautifully chaotic, energetic and borderline spastic music that reminds you that neither punk nor rock and roll are dead. Rick’s charisma makes you want to dance even though you don’t know how. He’s legendary. Besides the Rock and Roll Machine, Rick is also known for his work in Bomb the Music Industry, Wack Trucks, and Mustard Plug. Who knows when this act will happen again, so don’t miss out.
Katy Needs A Life
Okay, okay, okay. Ego, ego, ego. I don’t like to toot my own horn as a performer, but as it’s my last show, it’s going to be hype. This act has been going on for the last seven years and has progressively gotten better and better. Songs like, “Dragons in Love” have given people something to smile about just as songs like, “Albatross” have given people something to cry about. Essentially, it’s all happy music about sad things. Something that started out as an act for a high school talent show has brought years of fun and notably awkward experiences. I hope that many will join me for my send off as I embark on the journey towards learning to work well with others.
It’s not every day you get to see a band from Chile, let along one as awesome as LA HELL GANG!
Satellite Records is proud to present a night of Heavy Psych vibrations. Check the details:
LA HELL GANG
Hailing from Santiago, Chile. La Hell Gang bring plenty of 60’s Psych Rock influence played with a taste and control that makes their sound far from derivative. This band is essential for fans of Acid Mothers Temple, 13th Floor Elevators or Brown Company.
Here’s what Mexican Summer has to say about their latest album: “Imagine a still oasis on a man-made Martian desert, saturated with rust and red clay. Gravity has shifted slightly, though the atmosphere is warm and dense, and everything around you is moving more slowly than you are used to. You’re just waking up to this world, a realm not entirely beyond your comprehension, but all the same, part of a new reality to contend with and romanticize. Chilean rock trio La Hell Gang’s second album Thru Me Again is the soundtrack to this strange new land.
Earning high praise from their debut, 2010′s Just What Is Real, La Hell Gang have traded in the cleaner, ’60s-indebted sonics which populated that record with something more complex, a murkier palate that instills these eight songs with languid mystery. Thru Me Again wades through these danger-infested waters with otherworldly grace, hanging back in the frame while their brand of laced blues wander fills the room with an unassailable vibe of concentrated lust. Providing a counterpart to the sounds of fellow travelers in their homebase of Santiago, such as Watchout! and Föllakzoid, Thru Me Again is the product of a band mastering its own language, and learning that the tender moments of their music can go as deep as their proverbial paint-peelers. You might be visiting this new world, but La Hell Gang lives there, knows every crater, all the flora and fauna, and have generously offered to take you on a journey of their architected existence. You would be wise to follow.”
Doors are at 9pm
Music starts at 9:30 sharp
Locals FORGET THE TIMES will be opening the show and Grand Rapids’ own IMPERIAL SUN CRUSHER will follow
$5 suggested minimum donation (pay what you can/want. It all goes to the travelling bands)
All ages are always welcome
No alcohol / drugs / jerks
Respect the bands / Respect the venue/ Respect yrself
Buy some records
Satellite Records is located at 808 S Westnedge Ave (next to Bagel Beanery, 4th Coast, etc). Feel free to call them at (269) 381-0218 with any questions
It’s been an incredible year for Kalamazoo shows and Satellite Records isn’t slowing down at all! Tonight they’re hosting a true once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Show starts at 9pm. We’re asking a suggested minimum $5 donation for the travelling musicians. All ages. No drugs / alcohol. Satellite Records is at 808 S Westnedge (next to Bagel Beanery and 4th Coast)
PETER WALKER
Peter Walker is an American original, as eclectic and enigmatic as the songs he writes. The legendary seventy-five year old raga/psychedelic/folk acoustic guitarist, and Woodstock resident, was schooled by masters such as Ravi Shankar, and Ali Akbar Khan and his music has been celebrated by the late Jack Rose, James Blackshaw, Steffen Basho-Junghans, Thurston Moore, and Greg Davis, who all contributed original compositions to the 2006 tribute album, “A Raga For Peter Walker”. In the mid-‘60s, while musical director to Timothy Leary’s LSD explorations, Walker released the classic “Rainy Day Raga” LP in 1966, and 1968’s influential “Second Poem to Karmela or Gypsies Are Important”, both on Vanguard Records. Following that, he disappeared from recording for almost forty years, but never stopped practicing, learning, reaching. Now, on the heels of his first select tour in six years in February to celebrate the late 2013 release of his lost studio session from 1970, and his first solo guitar record with vocals, “Has Anybody Seen Our Freedoms?”, on Delmore Recording Society, Walker is thrilled to announce that he will be making a special live appearance at Satellite Records in Kalamazoo, MI tonight!
BOB BUCKO JR.
Mr. Bucko is a gifted and prolific musician. He has recorded material ranging from Free Jazz, Noise Rock, Drone, Psych Folk, Avant-garde, Guitar, Saxophone and more. We’ve been looking forward to seeing him live for quite some time now. Especially after hearing his release on Chicago’s Captcha Records.
AXEL QUINLAN
Kalamazoo’s best Folk musician. We’re not lying. Axel does it right. Dark and deeply personal songs accompanied by well crafted finger picking. This is the real deal. Not that cheese ball crap you see at far too often these days.
DITKalamazoo 