Local Music: Are you feeling lucky, ready to drink green beer? That's right it's March and St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. Get well prepared with Pre-patty weekend March 12 and 13, hosted by Jukes Bar and Ten Second March. Shows are scheduled Friday and Saturday evening for 21+ and a special sat afternoon show for all ages from 2-6 p.m. Among the ds are Ohio's The Pinstripes, and Detroit's A-Gang ... After you get your Patty practicing done make sure you head out for the real thing. On St. Patrick's Day, Grand Rapids Celtic rockers The Waxies will kick it off at 6 p.m. at Jukes. All shows are free. For more information check out myspace.com/tensecondmarch ... Kalamazoo drum and bass duo, Terror Terror Oh My! (formerly known as Cheeky Rider) heads into the studio this month. The duo has been making the rounds as half of the band Kids With Cobras, but seeing them play separate is a necessary event. Check them out at myspace.com/cheekyriderband ... Come to Papa Pete's for pizza specials, great music, and great company. Plus, every Tuesday DJ Josh takes the sound booth over about 9:30 p.m. to play ‘80s new wave and indie college rock ... Be sure to swing by Papa Pete's on March 13 at 9 p m. for homegrown ska rockers Mustard Plug. Show is ages 18+ and admission is $8. For more information check out myspace.com/mustardplug ... If you thought mall concerts were left in the ‘80s, you thought wrong. Schuler Books and Music has been doing in-store performances for some time now, as well as Coat of Many Colors. Last month, The Fainting Generals and AB! and Coconut Brown performed at Centerpointe Mall and Frayed in Kalamazoo has recently become a venue for local music performances.
Local CD Releases
Greensky Bluegrass get ambitious with its new live album, All Access: Volume 1. The two-disc album features nearly 30 live tracks from a fall 2009 concert. The band will release All Access: Volume 1 at Wealthy Theatre on March 6. For more on the release, visit revuewm.com to read the story ... Benjamin Riley is celebrating his CD release with a bash at Founders on March 25 at 9 p.m. Also playing that night is The Wildfire, Those Eighty Acres, and Justin Vanhaven.
Touring
Ireland's own internationally renowned band Dervish visit's Fenian's Irish Pub (19683 Main St., Conklin) on
Tuesday, March 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 for the ultimate Irish traditional music experience ... Canadian alternative metal band Three Days Grace will mix it up at the DeltaPlex Arena on Mar. 26 ... Sherwood, an indie-rock band from Cali, stops at the Intersection on March 23 ... To finish out the month, Grammy award-winning adult alternative band Train will drop by The Orbit Room on March 30 with its latest hit "Hey, Soul Sister" ... Virginia's Americana/roots band The Steel Wheels is stopping by Billy's Lounge on March 17, as well as Foundry Hall on March 16. The band has been compared to the Avett Brothers, Langhorne Slime and Old Crow Medicine Show. Visit revuewm.com for more information about the show and for an interview with the band ... After a successful New Year's performance, Michigan native Uncle Kracker is coming back to his home state. He stops by The Intersection on March 12 ... G.Love is bringing his Special Sauce to The Intersection on March 11. Stop by revuewm.com for an interview with the soulful white boy.
National Releases
New, unreleased material from the Jimi Hendrix Experience is set for release on March 9. The Hendrix Estate and Sony Music Entertainment have worked together to remaster a dozen songs with longtime Hendrix engineer, Eddie Kramer. The greatest-guitarist-on-planet-earth's new album is called Valleys of Neptune ... In his last album, Chamillionaire told anyone who would listen why he's "hot." Is he still fly? We will find out when he releases Venom on March 16 ... Indie wunderkinds Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward - also known as She & Him - are releasing their sophomore album Volume Two on March 23 ... Also being released that day is Goldfrapp's latest, Head First. The electronic twosome looks like it's going back to its electro roots after the surprisingly mellow Seventh Tree.
Beer
Summer is here! Well, not officially, but in the beer world it is. Bell's Oberon is set to be released on March 29, which is just as exciting as the real first day of summer. HopCat is nixing the St. Patrick's Day tradition of green beer on March 17. Instead, the beer bar will feature Irish beer, Irish food and music all day with the Angry Piper, Rich O'Burkholder, An Dro, and The Lash ... The evening before St. Patty's, HopCat is hosting PussyCat Beer Guild, described as "A bunch of cool chicks sitting around drinking great beer talking about anything other than husbands, kids and work." The ladies-only guild starts at 6 p.m. ... If you're on the lakeshore and don't have time to get out to Arcadia Brewing Company in Battle Creek, Fennville's Salt of the Earth is bringing Arcadia to you. On March 25, the restaurant will feature an Arcadia Ales beer dinner. Cost is $55 per person and seating is limited to the first 40 people who reserve their spots.
Community
Bring a seat and stay for Conklin's 23rd Annual "Wearin' of the Green" St. Patrick's Day Parade, beginning at 10:55 a.m., featuring the Grand Rapids Catholic Central HS Marching Band, and followed by a traditional Irish Hooley (dance party). Then visit Fenian's Irish Pub, Michigan's #1 Irish Pub, for the only Guinness approved Guinness around ... The lovely Stephanie Stowbridge of Moxie Salon was recently featured showing off her body art in Savage Tattoo Magazine's March issue.
Theatre
Whoever said boy bands went out with the Aughts has never seen Altar Boyz. The Boyz are a fictional Christian boy band from Ohio and the driving force behind the award-winning play of the same name. They'll be making a stop at East Grand Rapids High School on March 13 for a 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are $10-$30 and proceeds will go to the Music and Stage Boosters and be used to provide scholarships and purchase instruments, band and orchestra uniforms, and theater improvements.
Film
On Feb. 17, filmmaker - and Michigan native - Michael Moore stopped by Muskegon to support the Harbor Theater. The theater, which shows primarily independent films, announced in January that it would not be able to schedule films unless it came up with $4,500. A fundraiser was held and Moore's appearance/event combined funds from the previous event ... The Peas are invading Celebration Cinema on March 30. Not the green ones, the Black Eyed ones. At Celebration Cinema's Grand Rapids North, Rivertown, and Muskegon locations there will be a live showing of The Black Eyed Peas: The E-N-D World Tour. The event will feature 30-minutes of backstage and behind the scenes footage and a rousing concert performance.
Sports
Arena Sports Racing continues its mid-season series of racing at the Deltaplex. Upcoming races are March 7, 20, and 27. Also, running events include the Spectrum Health Irish Jig on March 20, 7:30 a.m., and the Walker Pump and Run, which features weight lifting as well as running.
Random Notes is compiled by REVUE staff and minions including Theo Andrews, Rebecca Lee, Elena Nieman, Lindsay Patton-Carson, Kelli Ponstein and Matt Simpson Siegel.
For more breaking news about music, arts, entertainment and sports, visit the REVUE blog at revuewm.blogspot.com. Send your news to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Coming in April...
It's tax season, which means it's time for our second Cheap Issue. If you had to give up your "fun" money to Uncle Sam, don't worry, we'll show you the best places to find cheap - and free! - entertainment.
Random Quotes:
"I wish I could say I did something spectacular, but I really don't. I pretty much wake up every day and it just looks like this."
-Andrea "SuperDre" Wallace on her giant hairdo
Overheard:
"What the hell is an Interweb anyway?"
"Never trust a guy who wants to buy stock in Spam."
"She went Eighth grade angry on your ass"
"You dance like a hula dancer on a dirt road."
"I wouldn't Skype you right now because I have a sweatshirt on."
"It's not butt surgery, it's colon surgery."
If You're Into It: Hip-Hop
WHERE TO SEE:
Louie's Bar and Rocket Lounge
608 Bridge St NW, Grand Rapids
myspace.com/louiesandtherocketlounge
A spot frequented by local hip-hop artists Nixon, Ed Niño, and AB! & Coconut Brown, Louie's offers more than the typical humdrum bar. This multi-level complex's electrifying ambiance will get any straight-laced somebody droppin' rhymes and workin' rhythms. Live bands and DJs hit the stage downstairs while chill, euphoric beats stream in through speakers in the upstairs lounge. Both venues promise to help guests fulfill Louie's motto-live well, drink well.
OTHER PLACES TO GO:
Billy's Lounge
1437 Wealthy SE, Grand Rapids
billyslounge.com
(616) 459-5757
The Orbit Room
2525 Lake Eastbrook S.E., Grand Rapids
orbitroom.com
(616) 942-1328
WHO TO SEE:
Nixon
Winner of five Grand Rapids Hip Hop awards in 2009, Nixon has proved himself on and off the stage as the best artist and best producer of the year. On the national level, he has been highlighted on satellite radio station Hip-Hop Nation. This self-proclaimed "white boy up in a rock shirt" will no doubt go far.
Others to see:
Ed Niño, Rick Chyme, Suport, AB! & Coconut Brown, Poor Sports
