The most mysterious house in Kalamazoo is having a particularly mysterious show, featuring newer bands who have no recordings available. However, from what I’ve gathered, every performance is going to be sick in it’s own way.
What we do know about
BABY KID is out of Chicago, and they write some good warped tunes that’ll warm your blisteringly cold heart and general February existence.
APE NOT KILL APE are out of Grand Rapids and will be bringing their own blend of surf rocky noise and post punk.
CHARLES ROGERS is from Grand Rapids and that’s not actually his name
WWEMO will be playing their second show this week and also their second show ever. I got the exclusive that they are super excellent by watching their set two nights ago.
Be excellent, compliment Rey on his house and wrestling moves, donate to the outta townerz.
Saturday the 14th will see a medium-standing Vine Neighborhood tradition. For the 6th year in a row, the Fireplace Club will become an open stage for any young romantic, middle-aged cynic, or star-crossed old fool to take up an instrument and sing a few songs about arguably the best and worst thing ever: Love.
Anyone who would like to perform is welcome, with zero previous performance experience required. Each group can perform up to two love songs. ‘Love Sucks’ songs are also totally allowed, as are poems, chants, a-capella performances, tone-poems, etc etc etc. It is an unofficial ask, though, that groups limit ‘love sucks’ pieces to just one (but if you’re beefin’ with love this time around, that’s okay too).
This is an ‘acoustic open mic’, meaning the instruments should be non-electric (or super easy to set up and tear down etc etc etc).
There will also be acoustic guitars and a baby grand piano available to play.
Sign-up starts at 7:45, and the music starts promptly at 8pm. It goes on and on until there are no more people on the sign-up sheet.
When noise bands become metal, when metal becomes punk, when punk becomes indecipherable – then you’ve got this show happening at BESPIN (aka Cloud City).
This winter has seen a slow down in house shows, so if you’re looking to break up the drabness of the February weather, this would be a solid opportunity.
HORDES are long time experimenters out of Lansing, MI, who are bringing their heaviest, doomiest set yet to Kalamazoo.
SEVENTEEN AGAIN are back after a hiatus, and they’ve got new material to show off. Plus, because they’re mostly playing new stuff, their set is as short as when the first began, so you’re going to want to make it there on time to be sure you don’t miss ’em.
SHOTO are the heaviest, most technical band around Kalamazoo featuring three of the nicest guys that look somewhat like Charles Manson.
FORGET THE TIMES bring a new thing every time, and honestly it’s always been my favorite to see what their improvised set becomes on a louder set. You will not be disappointed.
This show begins at 9:00! Bring donation! Be swell as hell!
Kalamazoo DIY has been bringing incredible music from all over the world to this tiny college town, but sometimes the real gems are right here in your own backyard. This Saturday, come and see some prime experimenters right from the mitten.
STORM ROSS is a multi-faceted three-piece out of Ann Arbor merging electronic experimentation with psychedelia and heavier elements. The sound is unique and effective, if you’re looking for something you haven’t seen before.
FORGET THE TIMES are local heavy hitters, performing with a variable cast for almost five years. Since they’re improv, there’s always something new with each show. If you’ve missed ’em, then you’re missing out.
WINDJAMMER is the newest project of experimentation in town, bringing full-fledged strangeness out of just one guitar. A literal merchant sailing ship of cool sounds.
SHOW STARTS AT 6:00. BRING DONATION AS ALWAYS. BE EXCELLENT, OF COURSE. GIVE SATELLITE YOUR HIGH-FIVES.
If you haven’t heard, former Kalamazoo project turned Chicago project PROBLEMS THAT FIX THEMSELVES have released a new album. You can read all about it right here, on a lovely earlier DIT post. You can also go to the listening party at Satellite Records on the 29th, at 6:00PM, where you could win a free copy of the record!
Problems is a long-standing but ever changing noise project from Josh Tabbia, the Chicago counterpart to the Kalamazoo/Chicago tape and record label ALREADY DEAD, which you may or may not be familiar with from the Already Dead Family Reunion – a yearly musical event that happens in the fall based around the label.
Sean Hartman, the Kalamazoo counterpart to the label, will also be performing at the Milhouse show in his full band noise collective FORGET THE TIMES. A large difference in sound and performance style from Problems, this show is sure to illustrate variance of noise music to you, if you are still yet unfamiliar.
Finally, Kalamazoo favorites out of Chicago THE NEW DIET will be making another appearance. Though you may or may not have seen them before, rumor has it that this show will be somewhat of a departure from the stuff your familiar with. If you’re curious as to what that means, you’ll just have to come and find out. Here’s a snippet of an earlier performance of theirs at Milhouse.
Please please please bring money for donatin’ the outta towners, and be sure to take a look at the merch if you’re into that sot of thing! Be excellent to each other. No time for punk time, so be there at 9:00. Email ditkalamazoo@gmail.com for the address.
The Forbidden Zone is a new house venue in Kalamazoo, making their debut in late October for a Halloween industrial/noise/goth show. This show is looking to span a huge range of genres, and focus on getting regional bands involved more!
This upcoming show features shoegaze, post rock, punk rock and hardcore elements. Lots of bands traveling from out of town to see what Kalamazoo is all about, so lets show them a good genre-mashing time. Damn near guaranteed to have something for everyone.
LUME – Chicago, IL – heavy noisey shoegaze with influences from post-hardcore. Really big sound
NORTHERNER – Macomb, MI – beautiful, soundscape post-rock
THE TINY UGLY GERMS – Port Huron, MI – melodic punk / post hardcore with some elements of droney-shoegaze
SIDELINED. – Sterling Heights, MI – pop punky/hardcore/punk rock hearkening back to nights spent at The Fat Guy House
APPLEGATE– Kalamazoo, MI – ethereal blues big harmonies
Show starts at 8! Please bring donations, there’s lots of car gas tanks to feed for this show. Email DITkalamazoo@gmail.com for the address.
Technical jazz, sax-laden funk, and oddball punk all on one bill! Come drink Surge or whatever these kids are doing these days and enjoy the array.
GLIMPSE TRIO (who no longer play as a trio but as a duo) are traveling all the way from California to grace your ears with their technical, complex blend of jazz/funk/rock.
Plus locals SAXQUATCH & BRIDGE BAND and ANYBODY BUT THE COPS will
If you’re unfamiliar with these two acts, expect some funky instrumental originals – in diametrically opposed ways. Saxquatch will make ya dance and move, and ABTC will make you wish you could figure out how to dance and move to what they’ve got
Show starts at 9:00! Please respect the house, the bands, yr friends, yr new friends you haven’t met yet. Email DITkalamazoo@gmail.com for the address. Donate to Glimpse Trio so that they may someday make it home to California.
In the history of DIT Kalamazoo, it can be said that much of 2014 was sadly the year of internet communication. But since this is a loose collective of people trying to do something a little bit better, a little bit more exciting and human than sitting around on facebook – we’re looking to break up that monotony once again. DIT Kalamazoo will be hosting weekly meetings, every Sunday at 4PM, at Satellite Records (808 s Westnedge).
If you’ve never been, the meetings are primarily to keep organized what shows/events are happening in the upcoming weeks, share information about how to book/promote/run shows, and to find people to help with projects (I.E. “I have a show but I need help with making a flyer” or “I have this band from California looking for a show, but my roommates aren’t having it, is anyone interested in helping me find a place”).
Meetings are also just a good time to meet up with who is doing what and where. Every band/house/project/artist has a different thing going, and we’re all trying to support each other’s endeavors.
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
VERMILLION FATHER is a solo project of extraordinary soundscapes, that you should definitely check out even if you think that ambient works aren’t your thing (and should especially make time for if it is!)
Show is at 8:00. Bring donation plz, My Dad is on touring. Bring yr dads. Respect the house and everyone else hanging out.
making their debut in late October for a Halloween industrial/noise/goth show. This show is looking to span a huge range of genres, and focus on getting regional bands involved more!
DITKalamazoo 