Magic Bag Ripped!!
Holy Toledo Batman! Whoever has any doubts about the health of our local scene need look no further than the Brandon Calhoon - Robin Horlock Dual CD Release Party put on by Detroit's On The Rocks for proof positive that it remains healthy, that is if you were lucky enough to get in to see it for yourself! If not, we got ya covered as Dr2 was in the house for a first hand look at just how many people you can fit into Ferndale's Magic Bag before it rips wide open! Arriving at 8:30 or so, Dr2 was lucky enough to find a snow bank to park on top of before reaching the line to get in, standing amongst the hundred or so people waiting to get in for at least half an hour. Ok so we don't have an exact count on precisely how many people it took to rip the Bag open (rumor has it, it was the largest local show ever for the bag), BUT we can attest to the fact that by midway through the OPENING act, Dirt Road Logic, the double doors to the Magic Bag slammed shut for the night.......at 9:30!! Hell, most shows aren't even started by the time these two guys managed to sell out the Bag in spectacular style! Squeezing through the log jam at the bar, we finally secured a couple of six packs to go, then secured a spot against the pit's wall to
Dirt Road Logic Performs
catch, the set ending,
Burn It Down, Dr2's favorite Dirt Road Logic smash up off their Great Lakes Heartache disc. We hear that these guys have been in and out of the studio working on a new one, can't wait to hear it!
It may have been a sub-freezing night outside, but the temperature was quickly rising inside the Bag as the hordes of fans that did make it inside were scrambling to find a spot to stand without being push aside by one of those large black t-shirted guys with the word STAFF written across the front screaming "I need an aisle way here!" I mean, OK, so exactly where do you want everyone to go, outside? The signs on the door clearly read, "No Re-Entry, Once Your In Your In" Kind of one of those oxymoron things I'd say! But hey, this was a rock & roll show sponsored by 93.9 The River and it was just the way Dr2 likes it, packed, loud, & sweaty! When the lights turned down, Brandon Calhoon's newly formed band, complete with female back up singers, which included one Amy Folks, made their way onto the stage and launched into a fanfare that eventually saw a guitar wielding Calhoon make his grand entrance to celebrate the release of his new EP,
Detroit City.
Brandon Calhoon Released his Detroit City EP
Now Calhoon is no stranger to large crowds, having competed on the CBS hit reality show
RockStar:INXS a few years back, and his experience was evident when he came out swinging, unleashing his hugely popular single Detroit City for his FIRST song! Playing the entire EP, Calhoon even treated us to the single he wrote during the RockStar:INXS show but never got to perform it, before bringing out some guest stars (Atlantic Recording Artist Ty Stone & Don "Doop" Duprie) to back him during his final encore! With the crowd whipped to a frenzy, clutching 6-packs under one arm and waving the other madly in the air, Robin Horlock took over in celebration for his new disc called Music! We hadn't had a chance to see Robin perform with his full band before and, man, we were not disappointed. Robin came out ready to match Brandon's intensity and cranked out, what we believe, is his hottest single off the new disc, Skeleton Key!
Robin Horlock Released his CD Music.