In the Round – Livonia’s Brian Perrone Joins Tonight’s Songwriter Showcase at Parliament Room, Releases New ‘Dog with Ball’ EP

At tonight’s “Singers in the Round” Songwriter Showcase, Brian Perrone will debut tracks from his new “Dog with Ball” EP in a live, intimate acoustic setting in Ferndale.

He will perform at The Parliament Room at Otus Supply, 345 E. 9 Mile Road, starting at 7 p.m. with Tom Butwin, Shiny Penny and JonPaul Wallace.

“It’s such a neat experience because every person is clearly different, so you might have somebody playing blues, somebody playing folk. I feel really honored and blessed to have an opportunity to take the stage with the three people I’ll be playing with,” said Perrone, a Livonia singer-songwriter.

“I get to do four songs, and I’m going to do at least one from ‘All Growns Up,” and then I’m going to do two from ‘Dog with Ball.’ My fourth one is either going to be this brand new one I just wrote or another one from ‘All Growns Up.’”

Today also marks another significant musical milestone for Perrone – the release of “Dog with Ball,” a new five-song EP with stripped-down, piano-based tracks that chronicle changing relationships, personal growth and inner reflections. It’s a warm, dreamy follow-up to his 2014 jazzy debut, “All Growns Up.”

Perrone collaborated with a host of talented, established Detroit area musicians on “Dog with Ball,” including Ypsilanti producer and guitarist Steve Somers, Re-Cure and Ethos guitarist and Siamese bassist Eric Cojacari, bassist Ronnie Smith, guitarist James Peltier and Honey Monsoon vocalist and guitarist Ana Gomulka.

“I think I’m gravitating toward more rock, that’s where I’m really rooted, and I love acoustic simple stripped-down basic songwriting,” said Perrone, who features his bulldog Sookie on the EP’s cover. “I love the singer-songwriter movement that’s going on.”

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‘Be Careful Be Safe’ — New E-Man Bates Album Honors Mother’s Memory, Addresses Inner Struggles

Emmanuel “E-Man ” Bates keeps the phrase, “be careful, be safe,” close to his heart.

The Canton hip-hop artist frequently heard that cautionary, heartwarming phrase from his mother while growing up.

“Every time I left the house, no matter what I was doing, no matter if I was going out with friends or doing some sports stuff or going out to shows,” he said. “It was ‘be careful, be safe, make smart decisions.’”

Bates decided to name his latest album, “Be Careful Be Safe,” which drops today, as a tribute to his mother, who passed away in January. He also timed the album’s release to coincide with his mother’s Oct. 6 birthday.

“The original title was going to be ‘Green Balloons,’ which is the theme for the whole album, but then my mom passed, and I decided to go with the quote she always said to me,” he said.

Throughout the eight-minute title track, Bates sings about heeding his mother’s timeless advice and the lasting impact it’s had on him.

The song speeds up and down against a jazzy sonic backdrop, courtesy of metro Detroit’s Honey Monsoon, to chronicle the rollercoaster of emotions he’s experienced since losing his mother. Bates also included the lyrics from the slower part of “Be Careful Be Safe” in his mom’s obituary.

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Ypsilanti’s Foster Records Supports Local Music Scene, Hosts Friday Ch’i Machines and Baby Fangs Show at Hamtramck’s Korner Bar

Foster Records’ Nate Zuellig, Griffin Schultz, Jerry Heiss and Matt Wagner at 734 Brewing Co. in Ypsilanti.

Four Ypsilanti friends are fostering creativity and collaboration in metro Detroit’s burgeoning music scene.

Known as Foster Records, Nate Zuellig (Ch’i Machines), Griffin Schultz (Baby Fangs), Jerry Heiss (Jeremiah Mack & the Shark Attack) and Matt Wagner (promotion) bring an eclectic mix of groovy rocktronica, experimental pop and acoustic alternative rock to Washtenaw County and the Motor City through their own record label.

In early 2017, they formed the homegrown Ypsilanti-based label to focus on artist development and management, music, multimedia production and promotion. While working together, Zuellig, Schultz, Heiss and Wagner realized the collective value of combining their music, artistry and industry expertise.

“Foster Records was born over cups of coffee when we realized the path to success was spreading us too thin, and we started the label because we were booking shows by ourselves,” said Zuellig, Foster Records co-founder. “We started combining our talents and then recruiting the talented among us. Together, we elevate each other’s musical vision and know that no one creates alone.”

As a unit, the group recently released their first “Foster Records” sampler album, which includes two tracks by Zuellig, two tracks by Schultz, a collaboration between Zuellig and Schultz, and two tracks by Heiss. The album serves as a strong example of Foster Records’ emerging diverse artistry and musical approach.

“We have a team now with Griffin doing graphic design and communications, including posters and promos, he’s got the eye,” said Zuellig, who hails from Ypsilanti and shares a home studio with Schultz. “Jerry does video and web design while I’m doing the booking now, and Matt oversees public relations and promotion for us as artists.”

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No Alarms Hits the Ground Running with New Uplifting Single, ‘The Landing’

With “The Landing,” No Alarms soars hopefully above the indie pop stratosphere before enthusiastically hitting the ground running with both musical feet.

The Detroit indie pop quintet released their new four-minute, uplifting synth-fueled single last week as a follow-up to their vibrant, self-titled debut EP, which dropped in March.

“‘The Landing’ is about taking a leap of faith and having it work out. I had just watched the ‘Black Mirror’ episode, ‘Hang the DJ,’ and was riding high off of optimistic inspiration, and felt compelled to make something purely joyful, purely hopeful,” said Andrew Boles, No Alarms frontman.

“I wrote the verses to climb and climb, leading to a chorus that just exuded optimism, and that made you want to move. Overall, I wanted to capture the feeling of landing on your feet after taking a leap of faith.”

One listen to “The Landing,” and it’s optimistic, inspirational lyrics and spacious indie pop grooves are infectious. It’s the perfect song to help you take flight after long day.

“I hope fans are imbued with the same positive energy that I put into the song,” Boles said. “I think it’s distilled hope and elation captured in song form, and when it comes down to it, makes you want to move.”

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Strength in Numbers – Stephanie Belcher Launches New Online ‘Business Management for Musicians’ Course

Stephanie Belcher prepares for her new online course, “Business Management for Musicians.”

With an incredible knack for numbers, Stephanie Belcher is one of the music industry’s premier economic and financial educators.

She has an innate ability to interpret and define the complex world of financial management, economics, and tax accounting for emerging and established creatives.

Belcher became fluent in the language of financial management after spending nearly two decades working in artist management, booking, promotions, and marketing. She’s also served as an accomplished business manager, marketing and economics entrepreneur, and tax accountant for 10 years.

“After moving to Michigan and regularly attending concerts, I started to hear there were musicians who needed their taxes done,” said Belcher, who’s based in Livonia, Mich. “More and more people kept coming to me for advice, and I absolutely loved helping them.”

Now, she’s ready to share her music, financial management, and economic expertise with artists, musicians, and creatives through a new online course and mastermind group.

Through the online course, interested participants can subscribe to Belcher’s content, which includes videos, chat sessions, online workshops, and other tools for those wanting to sharpen their financial, economic, and business knowledge while working in the music industry.

“I’ve come to embrace my role as an educator for financial information to creative people, and I enjoy it because it allows me to combine emerging music, financial management, and economics while connecting with people,” she said.

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‘Acoustic Introduction’ – Trey Simon Celebrates Latest EP with Friday Release Show at 20 Front Street

Trey Simon knows how to make an introduction – an acoustic one, that is.

The Rochester, Mich., soulful singer-songwriter will introduce his latest EP, “The Acoustic Introduction of Trey Simon,” to fans at 8 p.m. Friday during a special release show at Lake Orion’s 20 Front Street.

Simon will play tracks from his current EP, debut songs from his upcoming full-length album and perform with special guests Kenny Watson and Stephie James.

“We’ll have physical copies of ‘The Acoustic Introduction of Trey Simon,’ which will have bonus tracks from the full-length that’s coming out,” Simon said. “If people buy the CD, then they get the four acoustic songs, but they also get one-minute clips of these full-production songs that are coming out.”

Simon released the four-song “The Acoustic Introduction of Trey Simon” EP in July as a follow-up to his 2014 debut EP “What the Future Holds.” With “Acoustic Introduction,” Simon and Grammy Award-winning engineer and producer Quentin “QueWeezy” Dennard II opted for a simple, stripped-down sound with upbeat pop songs and romantic, soulful tunes.

“My whole vision for the EP is that I really want to build a relationship with people. I’m not looking to get rich quick, I’m not looking to become some big overnight thing,” Simon said. “I really want to build a community and movement around my music and with people. I want people to fall in love again, I want to blend cultures together, and I think the best thing to do is just give people an unfiltered, un-jazzed, unpretentious, just right-to-the-core introduction of me.”

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A Cut Above – Detroit’s Allye Gaietto Hosts Saturday Freight Yard Show, Brings Smart Jazzy Pop to Motor City

For Allye Gaietto, the Dequindre Cut Freight Yard serves as the quintessential outdoor music venue for burgeoning artists.

The Detroit jazz pop singer-songwriter decided to host Saturday’s live show at the freight yard after biking through the former Grand Trunk Railroad line.

“Having a car-free greenway in Detroit is great. It’s fun to see so many people out walking, running, biking and just hanging out on any given weeknight,” Gaietto said. “When I saw the post asking for musicians to play at the Freight Yard, it felt perfect. Detroiters never have enough summer, so the chance to play outside on a Saturday afternoon is a no-brainer, and with the BUILD Market, food trucks, beer and games, it looked too fun to pass up.”

Gaietto will play her first freight yard show Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and perform her newest song, “Normal Stuff” as well as tracks from her 2016 debut EP, “Some Kind of Heaven,” a few covers and some deep tracks for her headlining set.

Neo-soul singer-songwriter White Bee, also known as Shannon Barnes, and pop singer-songwriter Ally Evenson will join Gaietto to round out the freight yard show.

Earlier this month, White Bee released a new video for her single, “Beat State,” while Evenson’s latest single, “All My Days and Nights,” is featured on the Detroit Institute of Music Education (DIME) Sessions Vol. 4 album, which drops today.

“I’m excited to have White Bee in the lineup for her vocal talents, guitar chops and songwriting skills. I feel lucky that she was able to hop on the bill at the last minute and bring her talents to the show,” Gaietto said.

“Ally is a student at DIME, where I work. I’ve heard her play a few times for student shows and other events, and kept thinking that she needed more attention from the Detroit music scene at large. I think all three of the songwriters on this show make music that is interesting and often challenges the listener to go a little deeper, while still being accessible ‘smart pop.’”

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Riding High — The Lows Perform Saturday at Inaugural Motor City Muscle Festival

The Lows will play Motor City Muscle on Saturday.

The Lows will be riding high this weekend with a coveted slot at the inaugural Motor City Muscle festival.

The Detroit-based hard rock band will join more than 120 artists, including Ace Frehley, The Dead Kennedys, Belinda Carlisle and Sponge, during the free festival, which includes seven stages of music and a muscle car showcase today through Sunday in downtown Detroit.

The Lows will take the stage in Detroit’s Hart Plaza at 3:15 p.m. Saturday for their hour-long, 15-song set. Fans can expect original Lows’ tunes and covers from Detroit music legends, including Alice Cooper and The Stooges, as well as ‘90s grunge classics.

For Angelo Coppola and his Lows bandmates, the festival is an incredible chance to help revive the rock music scene in the Motor City.

“Basically, I think there’s not enough of the straight-up rock sound going on anymore,” said Coppola, frontman for The Lows. “There are some great bands like Greta Van Fleet and some others from Detroit doing it. I think the world needs more of it, and I think tons of people personally want something to change with mainstream music. We’re just trying to hopefully be part of it carrying the torch and bringing it back around.”

Coppola learned his band would join the all-star rock music festival lineup after he submitted “Road Trippin’,” a track from The Lows’ 2017 self-titled debut EP for a 12-song Motor City Muscle compilation album.

“The criteria for that was the song had to be about cars, and it had to mention Detroit in the song,” he said. “I went back into the studio where I recorded the EP, and I just changed one line of the first verse with producer Chuck (Alkazian) to include a reference to Detroit in there, then I submitted it, and they picked it for the album.”

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Jena Irene Asciutto Ascends to New Musical Heights with ‘Cold Fame’

With her rich, soulful voice, Jena Irene Asciutto sings of a life lived well beyond her 22 years.

The Ann Arbor, Mich., singer-songwriter shares tales of personal growth and self-reflection in her debut album, “Cold Fame.”

Released in June 2017 on Detroit’s Original 1265 Recordings, “Cold Fame” solidifies Asciutto as a powerhouse vocalist and composer who mixes elements of pop, rock and alternative against a cinematic backdrop.

“I wanted it to be a little bit of a story, like a complete chapter of my life,” she said. “A lot of those songs were written in the same period of time so I wanted to take the listener on a little bit of a journey when they listen to it from start to finish.”

Deconstructing ‘Cold Fame’

Hearing “Cold Fame” from start to finish allows fans to delve into Asciutto’s artistic metamorphosis from American Idol runner-up to burgeoning songstress.

“I just want to make people feel something when they listen to my music,” she said. “Some of (the lyrics) are super close-knit because you know exactly what I’m talking about, and some of it’s a little bit more generalized.”

“Cold Fame’s” 14 raw, emotional tracks propel listeners on a sonic journey through self-exploration in “Song of Myself” to the dark side of life in “Black Magic” to peppy “no f*cks given” in “White Girl Wasted.”

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Musical Matrimony – FeRn Whale Husband, Wife Duo Bring Meditative Folk Rock to Metro Detroit

Tom and Angela Sheppard of FeRn Whale — photo by Rose Catherine Hohl

As FeRn Whale, Tom and Angela Sheppard are married to the music – and each other.

The Ypsilanti, Mich., husband and wife indie “meditative” folk rock duo started playing together seven years ago in the metro Detroit area and have built a lasting musical and personal partnership.

“We just have totally different roles when we play together so there’s not much of any conflict,” said Tom Sheppard. “Angela does all the writing. I support her writing by coming up with parts to go with it, but she does the singing. I set everything up and carry all the stuff, which I like to do.”

Together, they carry equal parts of FeRn Whale’s musicianship, which includes writing, recording and performing their own material and playing regular gigs at local venues, including Plymouth Rock in Plymouth and Northville Winery and Brewing Company in Northville.

Musical Metamorphosis

Earlier this year, FeRn Whale released their latest single, “Cocoon,” a soothing indie folk rock anthem focused on a personal transformation coinciding with spring’s arrival. They recorded the single on reel-to-reel tape at Royal Grand Studios in Redford last year with producer and friend Mike Bush.

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The Stratton Setlist

Catch the opener. Stay for the encore.

Tag: Detroit