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Super Happy Funtime Burlesque to celebrate 50 years at the Blind Pig

Celebrate 50 years of bawdy and hilarious entertainment with Super Happy Funtime Burlesque at the Blind Pig. Sexy clown extraordinaire Mabel Syrup will be a special guest.

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Multi-band Nirvana tribute returning to Blind Pig

A vintage Nirvana publicity photo

That show was a one-off deal, but Lince revived the Nirvana tribute concert in 2010, and has turned it into an annual event. Friday will be the third annual Nirvana tribute show at the Pig.

For Lince and other musicians his age—he's 38—Nirvana—which itself played the Blind Pig a couple of times—still stands out as one of the most important bands that came along in his lifetime.

"I was born in 1975, so they came along when I was in high school, in Pinckney," recalls Lince, who sings for one of the bands on the bill.

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with video: Ann Arbor's Colin Stetson bringing his unique sax music home to the Blind Pig

Colin Stetson

photo by Brantley Gutierrez

And that has definitely been the case: "Vol. 3: To See More Light," released last month, is the most ambitious of the three.

"It's definitely been a progression," says Stetson, an Ann Arbor native who graduated from Pioneer High School and then earned a degree in saxophone performance from the University of Michigan School of Music in 1997.

"The music on all three albums fundamentally comes from the physical act of playing the instrument, so as my abilities have grown, my compositional abilities have become more further-reaching, and more vast in scope. By the time I did the third one, I was definitely drawing on a broader palette, and using bigger musical ideas," says Stetson, who comes to the Blind Pig on Friday.

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With new outlook and lots of new music, Matt Jones playing the Blind Pig

Matt Jones

That title was a reflection of the state of mind Jones was in when he was writing and recording the songs on that disc in 2011. At the time, "in my personal life, I felt like I was stuck between two worlds," he says. So, many of the songs were, generally speaking, about "not wanting to move backward, but not knowing what direction to go in.”

In this case, not wanting to "move backward" was a reference to "drinking every night, and then getting a DUI when I ran my car into a post" in July of 2011, he says. So, he quit drinking, "and once I did, after a while, I found I was making better decisions."

So, in the last year or so, he's felt like he's been in "a much better place," says Jones—and as a result, for the last several months, he's been prolifically writing new songs that he feels are among the best he's ever written.

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with video: Talib Kweli bringing his socially conscious hip-hop to the Blind Pig

Talib Kweli performs in 2009

AP file photo

Whether being pigeonholed as a socially conscious rapper or as somehow more book-smart than many of his contemporaries, Kweli has simply refused to be placed into any kind of a box.

But with the release of his newest record, "Prisoner of Conscious," Kweli, who makes a return trip to the Blind Pig on April 14, is making plain his stand against categorization.

“People try to place you in a box and keep you prisoner,” the rapper recently told Xirius XM Radio host, Sway. “I want my musical decisions to be placed at the forefront.”

Since breaking onto the hip-hop scene in 1989 with his Black Star partner, Mos Def, that’s exactly what he’s done.

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with video: Indie folk band Family of the Year to play the Blind Pig

With all the excitement surrounding L.A.-based band Family of the Year, they may just end up being Band of the Year. The band has toured with Mumford & Sons and their track "Hero" cracked Billboard's Top 5 on the Triple A Top 30 Radio Chart.

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Macpodz, Frank Zappa guitarist highlight 2 Hash Bash-related events Saturday

T-shirts for sale at last year's Monroe Street Fair.

Chris Asadian | AnnArbor.com file photo

Less well known, but now well established, are two related events the same day: the annual Monroe Street Fair and the Blind Pig’s annual Hash Bash show, this year featuring local favorites The Macpodz and special guest Ray White, formerly of Frank Zappa’s touring band. Also on the bill are Luke Winslow King, and The Crane Wives.

The Monroe Street Fair takes place on (surprise) Monroe Street near the University of Michigan campus in the afternoon from noon-6 p.m. It’s free, and will include Memphis rapper Lil’ Wyte, Detroit-based reggae artist King Jazzy, Nashville’s Chief Greenbud (described as "Cheech and Chong" meets "Jimmy Buffett"), Fraser, Mich. rock band I.L.O., metal rockers Harm’s Way and country singer Austin Scott.

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with video: Charlene Kaye returning for Blind Pig show to display her music's edgier side

Charlene Kaye

Kaye acknowledged her sound has changed quite a bit since she moved to New York. While her first album, “Things I Will Need in the Past,” recorded in 2008 when she was still at U-M, was mostly classical-influenced pop, her latest, “Animal Love,” is deliberately edgier.

“The show is pretty rock and roll,” she said. “I’ve always been drawn to that, but I never embraced it ’till I moved to New York. I am approaching it with more fearlessness.

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Funkgrass band Back Forty saying goodbye with Blind Pig farewell show

Members of Back Forty pose with their families.

“This is the end as far as our regular gigging career,” acknowledged co-founder Andy Benes, talking about the group’s imminent demise and its final show Saturday night at the Blind Pig.

“It’s really just because family life has started to take precedence for most of us. When we started the band, two of us were married and we didn’t have any kids. And then fast-forward to now - we’re all married and we all have kids - a total of nine kids (among band members). So some of that is pulling us away a little bit.”

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Blind Pig hosting local bands' tribute to legendary Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground with singer Nico.

How else to explain the number of artists clamoring to get on the bill for VU Fest, a tribute show, of sorts, scheduled for March 2 at the Blind Pig.

“People have been very excited to take part in it,” said Dave Sharp, the local bassist and bandleader, who is putting the show together. “We’ve had three rehearsals so far and they’ve been a blast.”

Sharp and Ohio-based drummer Chuck Mauk will serve as the backline throughout the show, as other artists rotate through, offering their own, unique takes on the Velvets’ unmistakable catalog.

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martin bandyke: Local musician Chris Dupont talks about his new album ahead of Blind Pig showcase

Chris Dupont

“Anxious Animal” is a terrific showcase for Dupont’s soulful, affecting voice and thoughtful song arrangements, which skillfully incorporate strings, dobro, mandolin and keyboards. Recently I had the chance to talk to this gifted 27-year-old musician about his new album, supportive family, and Holy Grail pantheon of artists.

Chris DuPont to offer 'Anxious Animal' at his CD release party

Chris DuPont will celebrate his latest album, "Anxious Animal" at a CD release party with the help of Jetty Rae and Abigail Stauffer at the Blind Pig on Thursday.

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Logan Law, Ripple 3ffect, Park Boiz and DJ Pigpen at The Blind Pig

I stopped into The Blind Pig yesterday, January 24, to catch a few DJ sets before heading home for the night.

I walked in towards the end of the first set. The DJ was a guy named Logan Law. The first thing I noticed was his energy while performing. Spinning a style called moombahton, which is electronic beats over latin rhythms, Logan Law bounced to the beat while his long hair flew all over the place. He reminded me of a mini Bassnectar. He is heavily influence by Nadastron, Dillon Francis, Sabbo, Daft Punk, JWLS and Le Doom.

"I started as a drummer at age 10," said Law. "Switching over to DJ'ing wasn't too much of a task since I already knew how to follow beats."

'Folk the Police' turns gangster rap and hip hop on its ear

City and country collide at Folk the Police, a "folk tribute to hip-hop and gangster rap.” The event returns for the third year in a row to the Blind Pig on Sunday.

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Costume dance party Revel, at the Blind Pig, aims to spice up nightlife for area's gay community

To that end, Burdick, 21, who grew up in Ypsilanti, will present “Revel, A Queer Costume Dance Party,” Thursday night at the Blind Pig. If it’s successful, he hopes to make it at least a monthly event.

Burdick said he got the idea while he was interning at the Discovery Channel in Washington D.C., and was able to experience some of the city’s nightlife, an element of which was an occasional costumed theme party where it was typical to expect the unexpected.

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Moon Roots/Dirty Deville/Rospoem at The Blind Pig

This past Wednesday, Jan. 9, I went to the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor to check out a few bands that were playing there. I walked in halfway through the first set. The band playing was called Moon Roots.

Hidden Ann Arbor

column: Put on something sparkly and enjoy New Year's in Ann Arbor

New Year's Eve working in Jacksonville, Florida. See, even alone in a depressing hotel I keep it classy.

New Year’s Eve is so much simpler when you’re a kid. My parents always went to the New Year’s Eve dance at the Hungarian Hall, a social club my father belonged to. They’d get a sitter, leave money for pizza and let me stay up late.

Around middle school I was old enough to be put to good use, working the coat check at the Hungarian Hall during the big dance. I’d sit in a little room surrounded by fur coats and old man hats, drink free soda and eat free food and blow horns at midnight making $25 in the process. At midnight a huge net of balloons would open up above the dance floor and without fail right my parents would stumble to the coat check and give me boozy kisses and say something sentimental.

New Year’s turns sour around high school. A series of failed plans, most involving groups and girls, each more elaborate and ultimately terrible than the last. Dinner or supervised parties at a friend’s house. Then college comes and expectations increase. The lack of supervision means anything is possible. Venues fill up, crowds get bigger, there’s something called “cover,” and nothing is ever as exciting as it is in the movies or on TV.

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Pair of Blind Pig shows will celebrate 'End of the World' (or not)

Celsius Electronics

For those who’ve been living under a rock the last few years, some believe that, according to the Mayan calendar, that is the date the world will end. Maya history scholars and other academics scoff at that interpretation, and other Mayan writings contradict the Dec. 21 doomsday scenario.

But that hasn’t stopped many clubs and other concert venues from planning various End of the World parties / shows for the 21st—or, just to be safe, the 20th.

One of those is the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor.

The Pig is actually hosting two End of the World parties / concerts—one on the 20th (Thursday) and one on the 21st (Friday). They were organized and booked by two different individuals who are active on the Ann Arbor rock 'n' roll scene.

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Matisyahu reflects on new album, rocks the Blind Pig

Before reggae star Matsiyahu performed at the Bling Pig on Thursday, he spoke with AnnArbor.com about his newest album "Spark Seeker" and what it's like to share music with the world.

The deeply spiritual musician has become known for reflecting on his life and Jewish spirituality through music that defies any one genre. His musical influences—reggae, hip-hop, pop, alternative, and traditional Jewish music—come together in his newest album, and hints of all of them were heard at the Blind Pig show.

There is something unmistakably different about Matisyahu these days. It was not long ago that he cut his long beard and hair, his signature look, which he kept in accordance with Hasidic tradition. Now the clean-shaven musician has a much more secular look. But his connection to Jewish history and spirituality remains in his life and in his lyrics. He recorded part of his new album during a 2-week trip to Tel Aviv with producer Kool Kojak.

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Southern rapper Yelawolf set to howl Saturday night at EMU’s Pease Auditorium

Yelawolf

Yelawolf, named one of Esquire Magazine's Best New Rappers of 2011, found his popularity on the rise last year thanks to the album “Radioactive,” released on Detroiter Eminem’s Shady Records. With the meaning of being “active on the radio,” the album’s sound is a fusion of hip-hop and other styles, including the Southern rock he grew up with. The first single, “Hard White,” featured rapper Lil Jon, while the second, "Let's Roll," featured Motown’s own Kid Rock.

MLive recently reported that Rock's son, Robert James Ritchie Jr., will open for Yelawolf.

According to a biography on his Facebook page Yelawolf, born Michael Wayne Atha in Alabama, attended more than 15 schools “while soaking up slang and spiritualism” in various southern locales. While coping with a difficult home life, he discovered rap and it soon became an obsession, along with the classic rock (Lynard Skynard, Pink Floyd, The Allman Brothers) he was raised on.