20 years of loud music: a look back at music hot spots
[ad_1]
Rich tupica
The start of City Pulse came just after the end of an era on the Lansing music scene – the Small Planet era. Located on MAC in downtown East Lansing, the Small Planet was the hub for local and touring bands from 1991 until it closed in 2000.
From Verve Pipe to Wally Pleasant, playing Small Planet was a rite of passage for local artists.
âI would play everything from Small Planet to the East Lansing Art Festival,â Pleasant said in an interview with City Pulse in 2016. âPrior to 1992, I played at Castellani’s Market, Hobie’s on Trowbridge, Wherehouse Records, Erickson Kiva and MSU Union. I also organized an open mic party at the Riv. My weekly shows in Cuppa Java generally attracted between 30 and 60 people, âhe added. “A lot of times it was high school kids who weren’t old enough to go into other places.”
All of these gigs are fondly remembered by the generation of the 90s, but as the year 2000 hit, these gradually faded from the map. While it had been around for many years, Mac’s Bar doubled down on its rock and hip-hop shows, hosting dozens of legendary indie acts, and even some larger audiences.
Ask any East Sider who has patronized Macs over the past two decades and they will no doubt be able to tell countless legendary shows. In 2007, Blue Cheer performed at the CBGB type waterhole. Small cult bands like Captured By Robots (a one-man band with a bunch of programmed robots backing it up) have also made Mac’s a frequent stop on its touring schedule. Over the years, notable local bands like Frontier Ruckus, Goddamned Gallows, The Plurals, Wastelander, Tyrant, Fun Ender, the Cartridge Family, Know Lyfe, Peoples Temple and the Hard Lessons (to name a few) all cut their teeth on the Mac’s Bar Stage. Of course, Michigan-punk legends like the Meatmen and Easy Action have ripped the roof off on more than one occasion as well. Next to the loud guitars was Mac’s Monday Comedy Night and Neon Tuesday – a long-running EDM night that often filled the area’s DJ room.
Hip-hop was also a staple, including many Mic-Club events, hosted by Sincere. In June 2012, Lansing’s hip-hop scene suffered a tragic loss when rapper and promoter Cameron Doyle, aka Big Perm, died in Sparrow Hospital after a stroke. The local scene persevered. A monthly hip-hop showcase called Respiration has become a staple for rap fans across Mid-Michigan. Meanwhile, a new group of lyricists emerged when emcees like James Gardin, Jashua Smith, and Jasmine Hamilton-Wray formed the BLAT! Collective pack. The results? A pile of acclaimed albums and countless crowded rooms.
For over 20 years, just down Michigan Avenue from Mac’s, The Green Door has continued to host the best blues and roots music, including performances by Twyla Birdsong, Root Doctor and the weekly spot held by Steppin ‘In It – that was, of course, before singer / guitarist Joshua Davis rose to fame for “The Voice” and bassist Dominic John Davis joined Jack White’s band and toured the world. Beyond that, Jen Sygit’s open mic at Dagwood’s provided an intimate space to listen to locally sourced Americana. The Pump House and, of course, the Ten Pound Fiddle concert series in East Lansing also regularly booked top-notch American performers, while “Jazz Tuesdays” at Moriarty’s Pub was the perfect place to listen to local jazz on Michigan. Avenue.
Over the past 20 years, other places have also emerged. In February 2010, The Loft offered space not only for local artists of all genres, but also a 400-person room for mid-sized artists like Danny Brown, Esham and The Used, to name a few. . “This is not a restaurant or a sports bar,” said manager Jerome White just after it opened. “There is no confusion in what this room is – it is a room for live entertainment.” Recently, The Loft closed its doors – but its list of many unforgettable concerts will be forever cemented on the local scene.
Then, in 2012, another Michigan Avenue hot spot emerged when Gone Wired Café was renamed The Avenue Café. From there, the cafe used a stage and sound system, and local bands quickly filled their ever-busy concert schedule. In fact, The Avenue just released a few upcoming shows, so be sure to check out what’s on the list. The experimental music crowd spent countless hours at Basement 414 (aka B414), where not only local noise makers filled the huge artistic space behind The Loft, but big names like Andrew WK and Dead as well. Prez hosted unforgettable evenings in the unconventional lair. It closed in May 2012.
As for most of the things mentioned above, it’s in Lansing’s past. Fortunately, City Pulse was there to cover and document much of it. That column you’re reading right now, Turn it Down !, launched in 2009 and was named after the strong and flourishing music scene that has long been a part of our city’s history. This weekly diary page is a simple document of what happens now and what happens next in Lansing, but also, it was meant to leave a trail of breadcrumbs detailing what happened in the past. Along with the Pulse, journalist Anne Erickson of the now defunct Lansing NOISE newspaper also helped report on the scene for the past decade – until her last issue in print in 2011.
But this brief glimpse of the past two decades shouldn’t be a matter of nostalgia. There are a lot of emerging bands on the horizon. From Smog Moon Recordings to GTG Records, there are still plenty of records being cut here in Lansing and bands working hard to support those records – you just need to keep your eyes and ears peeled as you drive down Michigan Avenue. .
Ssupport City Pulse – Donate Today!
[ad_2]