Spring and Summer 2020

In stark contrast to 2019, this year has a wealth of concert listings. It's as though musicians around the world have suddenly remembered the existence of the Midwest, and the fact that this is where the serious rock fans live. While there's no way we'll be attending all of these, several upcoming shows caught our attention, and we think it's worth listing them here. Some interest us more than others, and we've highlighted our favorites. The commentary is complimentary.

• Carnivore A.D with Sheer Terror at The Sanctuary, March 5 at 7pm

• Cactus at the Token Lounge, March 13 at 7:30pm

• Haken (opening for Devin Townsend) at the Crofoot Ballroom, March 13 at 7pm

               If you're there to see Haken, don't dick around. They are not headlining, so if you're late, you could miss them, and that would be sad.

• Sepultura at Harpo's, March 29 at 6pm

• Bad Religion with Alkaline Trio at the Fillmore Detroit, April 15 at 6:30pm

               Sometimes, it's a relief when the opening act doesn't interest you. You can grab a late dinner and a cheaper drink elsewhere, then skip the line while Alkaline Trio plays.

• King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard at the Royal Oak Music Theater, April 25 at 7pm

• Dead Can Dance and Agnes Obel at The Masonic Temple April 28 at 6:30pm

               DCD are always outstanding, and fans are fortunate that they are together again. Enjoy it while you can.

• Here Come the Mummies at St. Andrew's Hall, May 7 at 8:30pm

• Testament at St. Andrew's Hall, May 14 at 6pm

• Black Flag at the Machine Shop, May 29 at 7pm

               Is this real? Is it really them? Which singer is on this tour? Presumably, it will be Greg Ginn with a group of young'uns, fronted by Mike Vallely. That's what their website says, anyway.

• Primus with Wolfmother and The Sword at the MI Lottery Theater at Freedom Hill, June 26 at 7pm

               We'll happily skip Wolfmother, but Primus and The Sword are a fun combination. According to their website, Primus plans to honor the late Neil Peart with their performance: 

          "This summer, Primus will pay homage to prog-rock legends Rush with a "Tribute to Kings," a           cross-country tour that will feature the iconic 'A Farewell to Kings' in its entirety. Special                     guests Wolfmother will be joining the tour, with The Sword and Battles opening select dates.

          A special pre-sale, including VIP upgrade options, will go on sale, Wednesday February 19 at              10am local time. General public on sale Friday, February 21 at 10am local time."

• Megadeth and Lamb of God at DTE Energy Music Theater, July 1 at 6pm

          We're not LoG fans, but someone likes them.

• Ministry, KMFDM, and Front Line Assembly at the Royal Oak Music Theater, July 10 at 6pm

               The last time we saw Ministry, the opening act was pitiful, and we've never seen such an obvious split within an audience. It was abundantly clear which fans were there for the respective bands, and there seemed to be little, if any, overlap. This time, we have to thank Ministry for touring with KMFDM. That not only makes sense, it completely transforms the bill. We can hardly wait.

• Kansas, Europe and Foreigner at DTE Energy Music Theater, July 28 at 7pm

• Krokus at the Token Lounge, September 30 at 6pm

• Faith No More with Korn at DTE Energy Music Theater, September 10 at 6pm

               They're playing with Korn. We are torn. Korn is absolute fucking garbage. What do we do?

• Einsturzende Neubauten at St. Andrew's Hall October 24 at 9pm