Arts and Entertainment

(page 7 of 8)

Music

 

 

Mayer Hawthorne & the Country perform May 15 at Detroit’s Majestic Theatre. (PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF STONES THROW RECORDS.)

 

Weird Al Yankovic

Alfred Matthew Yankovic was considered “weird” by his peers as early as elementary school, when he entered kindergarten a year earlier than most kids and subsequently skipped the second grade. The nerd persona he came to embody in his later professional life skewering popular music songs and videos was solidified then. But the “weird” was watered down in the late ’90s, when Yankovic shaved his signature mustache, received corrective-eye surgery, and grew his hair out to hippie length. OK, that’s still pretty weird, and so is the artist currently still known as Weird Al. 8 a.m. May 5. $19-$49.

Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward, Detroit; 313-983-6000.

 

Rammstein

German industrial metal band Rammstein gained quite a following in the late ’90s with its worldwide German-language hit, “Du hast.” Subsequent singles have failed to gain as much traction outside of Europe, but the band’s literally hot live shows — complete with over-the-top pyrotechnics — have earned Rammstein a loyal following, despite the language barrier. 8 p.m. May 6. $45-$88.

Palace of Auburn Hills, 4 Championship Dr., Auburn Hills; 248-377-0100.

 

Andrew Bird

Bird’s name is quite fitting (and real). The multi-instrumentalist and songwriter is also quite an accomplished whistler — a great skill for attracting birds. His signature warbles also make a Bird tune easy to pick out from the brush of understated indie rock. 7 p.m. May 10. $35-$45.

The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward, Detroit; 313-961-5451.

Glen Campbell

Last summer, pop and country-music star Campbell announced that he’d been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. After a 50-year career in show business, Campbell recorded a farewell record, Ghost on the Canvas, his 61st studio album. The day after the album’s release, Campbell embarked on a goodbye tour, set to wind down this summer. Surrounded by a band featuring three of his children, Campbell’s strong guitar work during a set at this year’s Ann Arbor Folk Festival showed he’s still a fine entertainer. Make no mistake, this is your last chance to catch Glen Campbell in metro Detroit. 8 p.m. May 11. $25-$69.

Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile, Warren; 586-268-3200.

 

Kid Rock & DSO

The unexpected pairing of DSO Music Director Leonard Slatkin and rockstar bad boy Kid Rock can be credited in part to Quicken CEO Dan Gilbert, who, along with Mr. Rock, came up with the concert to raise money for the beleaguered symphony. All musicians are donating their time for the one-night-only event, which hopes to raise $1 million to keep the DSO buoyant. 8 p.m. May 12. $100-$1,500.

Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward, Detroit; 313-983-6000.

 

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

The TSO, who’ve been making annual appearances in the Detroit area every holiday season to play their overblown metal versions of Christmas folk songs, are making an out-of-character spring appearance. In 2000, under the guidance of founder Paul O’Neill, the TSO expanded their horizons to release a concept album titled Beethoven’s Last Night, about the composer’s last night alive. They’ll play the whole thing at 9 p.m. May 12. $60.11-$77.06 (Canadian).

The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor, 377 Riverside Dr. E., Windsor; 888-345-5885.

 

Zonjic & Friends

Zonjic learned to play the guitar at 9 and was lead guitarist of an R&B band by 15. At 21, he picked up a jazz flute and it took him roughly a year to grasp the basics. Since then, he has released 10 solo albums. 8 p.m. May 13. $30.

Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile, Warren; 586-268-3200.

 

Mayer Hawthorne & The County

“Mayer’s my middle name, Hawthorne’s the street I used to live on,” the former Ann Arborite told Hour Detroit last year. The artist formerly known as Drew Cohen has been enjoying quite a bit of success with his blend of Smokey Robinson-inspired new-school soul songs. If you missed his gig at Hour Detroit’s Best of Detroit party last year, here’s your chance to catch him again. 8 p.m. May 15. $25. 

Majestic Theatre, 4120 Woodward, Detroit; 313-833-9700.

 

The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers might not assault your eardrums like the Black-Eyed Peas, but their disregard for the rules of language is evident on their latest album, the Rick Rubin-produced I and Love and You. Thirteen songs comprise the disc of understated, banjo-laden folk musings that hint at a hidden punk undercurrent. 8 p.m. May 18. $36.50-$59.50.

The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward, Detroit; 313-961-5451.

 

Il Divo

A French pop singer, a Spanish baritone, and an American and Swiss tenor walk into a bar. That could be the beginning to a killer joke, but it’s just what happens when the international operatic vocal male quartet, Il Divo, walk into a bar. Created by American Idol and X-Factor impresario Simon Cowell, Il Divo (which means “divine male performer” in Italian) has sold more than 26 million albums made up of operatic versions of popular songs worldwide. 9 p.m. May 18. $71.41-$139.21 (Canadian).

The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor, 377 Riverside Dr. E., Windsor; 888-345-5885.

 

B.B. King

Even if your blues collection is made up entirely of B.B. King, that’s still more than 130 songs spanning more than half a century — and those are just the tracks that have been released as singles. At 86, the King of the Blues continues to shred on his signature Gibson guitar, Lucille. 8 p.m. May 23. $32.50-$65.

Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward, Detroit; 313-983-6000.

 

Sam Roberts Band

The Sam Roberts Band should be quite comfortable playing Windsor. The Juno Award-winning Canadian quintet led by its namesake lead vocalist and songwriter found success across the river with the song “Detroit ’67,” an ode to the Motor City. “I was always wide-eyed whenever we came across the Ambassador Bridge,” Roberts told the Free Press a few year back. And just because he’s not crossing the Ambassador on this night, you can still expect wide-eyed tunes to begin at 9 p.m. May 25. $31.86-$54.46 (Canadian).

The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor, 377 Riverside Dr. E., Windsor; 888-345-5885.

 

Creed

Christian rock band Creed can add a new accomplishment to their résumé — saving a life. In 2010, a 13-year-old Norwegian boy was reportedly walking home from school when he was confronted by a pack of wolves. Luckily, he was listening to Creed’s “Overcome” on his cell phone, which he turned up and pointed in the direction of the beasts. The wolves trotted away. The band is hoping to garner a better reaction from their fans when they perform their first two albums in their entirety beginning at 7 p.m. May 31. $25-$69.50

The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward, Detroit; 313-961-5451.

 

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