AND THE WINNER OF THE 2015 DETROIT MUSIC AWARD GOES TO...

© 2015 Marty Rickard

…SWEET CRYSTAL !

What has become a very sweet trend at the prestigious Detroit Music Awards continued again this year as veteran Christian rockers SWEET CRYSTAL grabbed two more awards at the 24th annual gala.

"No, this really doesn't get old…or even expected" says founding member Marq Andrew Speck(keyboards/lead vocals).

"The voting for these awards come from all walks of the music scene in Michigan and what it says is that our associates, our compatriots, our peers in the business recognize both the sincerity of what we do and what we represent in our music and message…and that recognition is a blessing to the three of us that have been in the band since its inception."

Taking home the 2015 awards for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Act ( a 4th time in 5 years for the band; SWEET CRYSTAL was ineligible per DMA rules in 2014 because they had won it 3 years in a row) as well as Outstanding Gospel/Christian Recording for their song "Foot Of The Cross" (this song from the recently released EP "QUAD" also just won a 2015 Global Music Award in the Rock category). 

"This makes lucky number 12 and 13 for the band" cites guitarist Bill Blatter, also nominated this year for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Musician. "We just might have to add a second shelf to hold them - high class problem we're thinking."

Along with drummer Steve Wieser, the band is taking none of this for granted.; they even took the time to thank their engineer/editor Chuck Alkazian (Pearl Sound Studios, Canton, MI) for making their sound "even sweeter" with his work on 'Foot Of The Cross' (Click Song Link To View Speech).

"This is who we are, this is what we do" concludes Speck. "We've got a message, a ministry that we've been given and as long as we can put this into music, then that's what we will continue to do."

And with the 25th anniversary of the Detroit Music Awards just one year away, here's betting the SWEET CRYSTAL train will make plans to be there as well. Sweet, very sweet indeed.

Follow Sweet Crystal online via

Twitter, Facebook, CDBaby and now BandCamp

STONEY & THE JAGGED EDGE WITH VICTOR PERAINO'S KINGDOM COME MAY 16!

POSTER BY DENNIS LOREN

CLICK THE POSTER ABOVE FOR MORE INFORMATION

VAMPS PERFORMING APRIL 21 AT ROYAL OAK THEATRE

 

VAMPS, the Japanese rockers that will perform at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on 4/21.

The rock band, formed by and featuring HYDE (L’Arc~en~Ciel) and K.A.Z (Oblivion Dust), recently released their latest studio album called Bloodsuckers on March 24. Songs on Bloodsuckers include "World's End," a UK single in 2014 used in the Sony campaign for the Xperia UK mobile, and "Vampire's Love," which is not just a Top 3 single in Japan but also the song selected to launch Hollywood blockbuster, Dracula Untold, in that market.

Bloodsuckers sees VAMPS pushing their take on contemporary hard rock to exotic new heights, blending melody and message over 50 minutes of dramatic, impassioned music.

VAMPS are currently on tour with Sixx:A.M., on a rare tour of the U.S.

BBC RADIO'S HANNAH WANTS IN DETROIT APRIL 24TH

BBC Radio 1’s latest resident and breakthrough star Hannah Wants will be embarking on her first headlining tour this month, and will be performing at the Garden Theater in Detroit on April 24th.

Most recently, Hannah has earned the accolade of Best Breakthrough DJ from both DJ Mag and Mixmag in 2014, as well as Mixmag’s coveted title of Star of the Year, making herself the undisputed one to watch in house music.

What Hannah wants, Hannah earns, having a record amount of sell out shows over the last twelve months. Hannah has set herself apart with her solidly built reputation for her live DJ sets, and has dramatically risen from self-taught DJ to an unquestionable worldwide name on the house and bass music scene. This year welcomes her brand "What Hannah Wants,” which Hannah has implemented through various festival takeovers, as well as DJ competitions where she has hand-picked rising talent to join her on all legs of her tours.

https://soundcloud.com/hannah_wants

DETROIT'S HOTTEST MC'S

STEWART ARTIST MANAGEMENT AND RAW RADIO X'S ADHB SHOW PRESENT: DETROIT'S HOTTEST MC'S

Clinton Township Michigan, May 2nd Journalist103 hosts Detroit’s Hottest Young MC’s. Included in the nights performances will be a live cypher. Journalist103 best known for his 2010 release “The Left Gas Mask” and his debut solo album, "Reporting Live", which was released by the New York-based independent, label BabyGrande Records in 2012.

In which HipHopDX stated Gas Mask "captured a nostalgic prestige with Journalist playing an integral part as the mouthpiece of the group's movement.", Also on hand and headlining the event will be REDD, who’s 2014 mixtape “Rising Star” is making waves on the indie circuit. Jamsphere wrote “For me REDD can be seen as one helluva hardcore lyricist. He can battle aggressively, inject humor into a song, tell stories, and make you think all at the same time with ease and gusto. And REDD displays all that and then some on this mixtape.” Followed up with a great card including Chad Kush, Family Grind, Damien Christian, CP & Willie Green.

Tickets are $10 at the door
Ages 18 and over
May 2nd doors open at 8pm
Sponsored by Raw Radio X ADHB Show
& Stewart Artist Management

Facebook Event Page 

GO WEST: BONEHAWK & BLUE SNAGGLETOOTH

BoneHawk

Saturday night I drove out to Kalamazoo to check out the BoneHawk show, featuring Ann Arbor Rockers Blue Snaggletooth.  They played an incredible show at Bell's Eccentric Café!

Evil Deauxerz

I won’t lie, I made the drive for BoneHawk, and left a fan of the female fronted Evil Deauxerz.

I was not expecting to see a hard-edged melodic punk band open for a these fuzzy fellas, but the Evil Deauxerz more than held their own.  

Singer/bassist Janel Evil has a deep, sexy voice steeped in the tradition of Nina Simone. No big surprise to learn that her influences include L7, Seven Year Bitch, Mike Hard, just to name a few.  The band kicked through their set pretty quickly, I loved their song "Runnin'" best.  I hope to see them out in SE Michigan more; they’d be a great fit with Detroit’s Circus Boy.

Blue Snaggletooth

Next up was Blue Snaggletooth from Ann Arbor.  These guys always put on a great show.  They have stacks of gear and a solid, linear wall of sound.  Singer/guitarist Chris Taylor has a great vocal range from the melodic “Sleeping Mountain” to the wild ride “Transmutation.”  

Taylor and lead guitarist Casey O’Ryan have superb chemistry and keep the show alive with flying guitars and down-on-your-knees grooves. They ended the set with two songs from their first album Dimension Thule, “Star Flight” and “Fireball Island.”  It was nice to see the crowd sing along with the rock anthem “Star Flight,” as these guys are out of town and a lot of the kids knew that tune word for word.

BoneHawk

By the time BoneHawk hit the stage, the cafe seemed to be at capacity. I have been listening to their record for some time and checking out their videos online (Tonight We Ride), but this was my first time seeing BoneHawk live. Too many times bands put out a great record but just can't seem to deliver live. 

Not in this case, these fellas are absolute SLAYERS on stage. Guitarist Chad Houts and Singer/Guitarist Matt Helt are tight dueling guitarists, throwing down simple heavy riffs with great hooks.  It comes as no surprise that they've been playing together for well over two decades. Bassist Chris Voss offers a deep tone and has great stage presence while Jay Rylander holds it all down like a sacred anchor in the storm.  He is an excellent drummer, and kicks down some wicked backing vocals.  

BoneHawk

The crowd was way into these guys. It was an absolute thrill to see the ladies rule the first few rows in the front, as there was little to no sign of the XL dudes that generally saturate the genre.  I was trying to get a decent photo of Hout's impressive pedal board, but the hyper territorial cutie pies would not let me near him.

I had to slide a bit on stage in front of Helt in order to get a shot of Chad working his magic. At one point, I leaned over to touch one of his pedals (what can I say, I've got a thing for pedal boards) and Houts as my witness, I thought I was going to get torn limb from limb by the insatiable mob of Maenads at his feet - and hey man, that's alright! These ladies were fucking MAD for BoneHawk! Check out their Official Video “Hot Mary.”

BoneHawk

BoneHawk and Blue Snaggletooth were recently picked up by west coast Stoner Rock label Ripple Music, and plan to put out a split LP later this year. Thanks to the Internet, the world is flat. Both bands have quite a global reach, sending records to nearly every continent. Snaggletooth alone has been keeping a steady pace in Europe, with vinyl going out on a weekly basis. It's going to be really cool to watch both bands over the next 12 months. They complement one another in terms of sound and songwriting.

Author: Theresa Kiefer

GRACE THOMAS PERFORMING AT THE NEW McCREE THEATRE

ANNOUNCEMENT

Grace Thomas, Flint’s own R & B Diva, will be singing all of your favorite rhythm and blues tunes in

concert, Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at Mid-Michigan’s most exciting entertainment

destination, the New McCree Theatre, 2040 W. Carpenter Road.Admission is only $15.00.   

The Grace Thomas Experience, also featuring R’Chive and Dr. Phil Young , is the last of three in  the theatre’s professional artist series, a program in which the theatre showcases local professional artists.

Grace Thomas is a rhythm and blues singer similar in style to Millie Jackson and Aretha Franklin.

Get your tickets early.  Don’t risk being turned away because of overflow crowds.  Call (810) 787-2200 or visit McCree Theatre, or the Music Planet,517W. Carpenter Road, to purchase tickets.

The Floyd J. McCree Theatre was established in 1970 to provide training in the performing arts to inner city youth and young adults.  It’s mission is to tell the African American story in the African American voice.