Alright. Holidaze are in high gear. Finals are done. Work vacations are starting. In-laws are mustering near your doorstep. Gift shopping's in full swing. Yikes…
Music, my friends, can tame the savage beast as much as it can soothe the soul. So, why not consider some of these upcoming escapades to relieve your Yuletime tension.
Thursday: Matt Jones & The Reconstruction
Matt Jones's music always makes for a magical evening. I know he'd either blush, curse, or roll his eyes at my saying so, but I'm going to emote upon the transportive and sometimes supernatural qualities of his eerily-beautiful & beautifully-eerie folk-inclined conjurings.
It's been awhile since he's brought the whole band out (The Reconstruction), and his tall-tale-esque waking-dream recalls of Civil War ghosts and knight-errant chivalry (imbued with a post-modernist's wit), should be the musical restless unwinding, warm-n-fuzzy equivalent of a crackling fireplace.
Also featured at this Ark concert is Frank Allison, a veteran folk singer and poetic lyricist who blends traditional styles with some country and Americana influences. He nearly lost his voice in the mid 1990's due to constant performing but came back around 2006.
Check out a song from Frank Allison:
And here's something from Matt Jones & The Reconstruction:
The Ark
8 p.m., Thursday, December 17
316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor
theark.org | 734-761-1800
$15
Saturday: Krampus Costume Ball
I always imagined Krampus to be the Bad Cop to Santa's Good Cop. You see, the night before Nicholas celebrated Saint Day is known as Krampus night, where all the naughty kids are snatched up by this horned beast bastard who ain't hearing any excuses.
Sometimes he snatches kids, sometimes he whips 'em, sometimes he's just some nightmarish Pagan-wrought thing straight out of a heavy metal song. So, why not throw a concert for Krampus? The Dreamland Theatre is hosting a festive (and inevitably somewhat freaky) dance party and costume ball on Saturday. Get creative and come in demonic disguises. If you stick around till midnight, you'll be marching down the streets of Ypsilanti. Just behave yourselves…you know why!
Dreamland Theatre
8 p.m., Saturday, December 19
26 N. Washington St, Ypsilanti
dreamlandtheater.com | 734-657-2337
Saturday: Black Jake & The Carnies
I was waxing poetic about Matt Jones' restorative powers up there, but when it comes to Black Jake & The Carnies…there is no rest… no rest…and it's wicked. An energizing lineup of genre-defying acts are scheduled at the Blind Pig, with Arbor/Ypsi's Black Jake & The Carnies bringing their theatrical and vaudeville-ian blend of visceral bluegrass-punk, along with the fuzzed-out fury-pop of Junglefowl, the psychedelic guitar-stylings of singer/songwriter Gregory Stovetop and the all-points-on-the-horizon hectic elegance of Detroit's Duende. This party is the official debut (locally, anyhow) of Black Jake's new lineup of Carnies.
Some samplings:
Black Jake & The Carnies:
Junglefowl:
Duende:
Gregory Stovetop:
The Blind Pig
9:30 p.m., Saturday, December 19
208 S. 1st St., Ann Arbor
734-996-8555 | Blindpigmusic.com
$10
Jeff covers music for Current, posting weekly show previews and highlighting new bands in the area.
