Getting Evicted from the Pig

The Slackers in Ann Arbor was one of the weirder shows we've attended, what with the wild nature of the evening's crowd and all. They played a song we've been dying to hear live for years, Eviction. However, technical difficulties made their inevitable entrance, and Vic's keyboard and mic took a little vacation during the song. There was more dancing than usual at this show, and the whole feel was both chaotic and fun. It doesn't seem to matter how many times we see them, or what happens during the night, they always entertain.

Make Us a Sandwich

This here is our formal request for the Blind Pig show.

However, we're willing to settle for a cover of Morning Sun by Al Barry and the Cimarons. Of course, that would really make a good addition to a hopefully upcoming Slackers album. Just our two cents. 

The Slackers Are Coming 2 May

Who else is going to The Slackers at the Blind Pig on 2nd May? As far as we know, tickets are still available, but they tend to pack the house, so you'd better hurry!

It's looking like a lean year for national acts in Michigan this summer, in terms of rock musicians. Or is it? If you know of good bands coming to the area or looking to tour, comment here or email us at morningshadowsannarbor@gmail.com. We're always on the lookout for new music and shows worth attending.

News from Sweden

It looks like our Swedish friends have all released little tidbits of information or music recently. Coincidence? Or perhaps their label has something up their sleeve? We can only hope.

Priest

On 29th March, Priest released a 5 song EP, Obey (found here on Bandcamp).

Photo by Dietmar H. Grabs, live in Oberhausen, Germany

Hӓllas

Hällas announced that they've finished recording new music.

Quoting from their FB page:

          "After two weeks of recording at Riksmixningsverket/RMV Studio our upcoming album is almost                   done. The record will be released by RMV Grammofon sometime during the darker half of this                   year. Keep yourselves updated for further information!

           We are so grateful to Linn and Vilma. Thank you for everything!"

Photo by Malin Åsberg

MCC

Furthermore, Magna Carta Cartel, also on 29th March, released this excellent video of live performances recorded in their secretly located studio. Check it out.

If you're still reeling from their mood shift with the release of the Sun and the Rain, Martin gives a little reassurance in a September interview with Jorge Fretes from Goetia Media of Spain. He talks about tour plans, upcoming music, and more.

Oh, and apologies again to Simon Sӧderberg, since we have now learned how to add the umlaut but lack the motivation to correct the previous posts.

Upcoming Concerts

Upcoming Events

On Thursday, 2 May, The Slackers will be playing at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor.

Fuzz Fest 6 is approaching, and we're awaiting updates on the event.

After the Melt

Spring Thaw

So we missed the 2019 Hamtramck Music Festival. It's early March in Michigan, which is when the plague is still thick in the air, and the weather is still unpleasant. We were really interested to see a handful of bands at a single venue, and to drop in on an old friend who had a spot with his current act. It didn't happen, and we can only blame it on the rain.

Recent Concerts

So far, we've recently seen Public Image Ltd., which was really just the only way to see Johnny Rotten these days. They play some catchy, but excessively long and monotonous material. Either they need to take all of their songs and snip them into parts of a single song, or write more parts for the rest of the songs so that they at least go somewhere. They have infectious grooves, but their length and lack of changes wears out the groove long before they stop playing it. Or maybe it's just our ADD.

We also went to see Mephiskapheles, which was a solid show. Unfortunately, however, they have either canned or lost their keyboard player, which eliminated the bulk of the reason we listened to them in the first place. That's a crying shame. They still play well together, and they're friendly enough to their fans. There's no mistaking the canyon-wide gap left where the keyboard noise should be, though, and we'll only forgive them when they find a suitable player to correct this.

Suggested Listening

In other news, we've been listening to some great bands lately, and are hoping to get them to come to the US. Haken, The Laze, and Hällas should get together and plan a tour. Have you heard them?

Hällas

The Laze

Haken