Rock steady

May 15, 2011

Rock Steady with Two Earthshaking Events
By Rick Coates
If you’re looking to get your summer off to a flying start, two headbanging events will get you there this week, with a run-up to Memorial Day Weekend:
Rock and Roll Circus
“The circus is coming, the circus is coming to town!” -- the four-ring Rock and Roll Circus that is. Ground Zero Nightclub in TC is hosting four nights of rock over the course of six days featuring 13 bands. 
Owner Doug Street came up with idea of packaging four concerts together with one ticket. For $67 and a $3 handling fee hardcore rockers will be able to see over $100 worth concerts. Individual tickets for all shows are available.
Saving Abel kicks it off on Friday, May 20. The Mississippi-based modern rockers roll into town with their number one hit “The Sex Is Good,” off their current “Miss America” CD. Saving Abel took their name from a Bible passage that said “there is no saving Abel.” They burst onto the scene in 2008 with their self-title debut CD that featured three top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Charts, “Addicted,” “18 Days,” and “Drowning (Face Down).”
Joining Saving Abel will be Machine Gun Rodeo and Evershine of Northern Michigan. Led by vocalist Ida Reed, these hard driving rockers have clawed their way to the top of the local music scene.
Hinder performs on Sunday May 22. Originally from Oklahoma, Hinder formed in 2001 and built a following by heavy touring and releasing an EP, “Far From Close,” in 2003. Their 2005 debut CD “Extreme Behavior” went triple Platinum, built around hits including “Lips Of An Angel,” “Get Stoned,” and “How Long.”
Their sophomore release “Take It To The Limit,” featured the hit “Use Me.” Currently they are touring in support of the 2010 release “All American Nightmare.” Joining Hinder are label mates Red, a Nashville-based Christian band that has created a buzz in recent months by appearing on Conan as well as The Tonight Show. Their new release, “Feed the Machine,” climbed to the top of the Billboard Rock Album Charts last month. Irish rockers Kopek along with Royal Bliss will share the bill.
Canadian rockers My Darkest Days  will anchor Tuesday May 24 with their hit single “Porn Star Dancing.” Joining them will be Detroit’s Critical Bill, a local favorite, and Cheboygan’s The Darwin Project with their heavy alternative rock sound.
The Rock and Roll Circus will close out with Trapt on Wednesday May 25 with Westfall and Northern Express 2011 Readers Choice for best new band, 12 Year Reunion.
The Rock-N-Roll Circus Package includes 1 ticket to each of the shows for  $67 + $3 handling. Go to www.groundzeroonline.com or call the box office at 231-932-1300. 

Metal Mayhem
The Southside Hideout in Buckley explodes with searing metal action on Saturday, May 21 with five metal acts and a Heavy Metal Hottie Contest.
Promoter Joey Callahan has a lineup that includes Warning, Skullcrusher, Commonfaced, Beneath Me and the Black Sabbath tribute band, In The Name Of.
Of special note, Beneath Me is a fusion of two Chicago bands who’ve been on a tear in the Windy City since 2007.  A nationally-touring band, they’ve played venues across the country including the Hard Rock Cafe and House of Blues, also opening for bands such as Saliva, Distrurbd and Type O Negative.  They’re currently promoting their album, “Wish I Wouldn’t Care.”
Metal Mayhem offers a wallet-friendly admission: a $1 cover for each band.  The Hideout will also feature specialty metal burgers designed by each band and the audience is encouraged to wear full metal regalia.