TURN IT DOWN: A survey of Lansing's musical landscape

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Steel Wheels roll into the Fiddle

Based out of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, The Steel Wheels is rooted in traditional American musical styles. The band combines blues and bluegrass, old-time sing-alongs and foot-stompin’ fiddle tunes. The band performs at The Ten Pound Fiddle this Friday. Lead singer and guitarist Trent Wagler has a unique, scratchy tenor voice that sets the band apart from other bluegrass acts. Fans of the Avett Brothers, Frontier Ruckus and Old Crow Medicine Show may want to check this show out.

Friday, Oct. 8 @ Ten Pound Fiddle Unitarian Universalist Church 855 Grove Street, East Lansing Gate opens at 7 pm; doors open at 7:30 p.m. 8 p.m. show. Tickets $12 public, $10 Fiddle members, $5 students.


Know Lyfe returns to The Loft

Who says rap metal died along with Limp Bizkit? This Friday, Universal recording artist Rich Nix is set to throw down his hybrid of metal, electronic and rap at The Loft. Nix is a 24-year old Canadian singer, songwriter and producer who recently released the “Note to Self” EP. He has shared the stage with the likes of Papa Roach, Ke$ha, MGMT and Weezer.

Opening the show is local metal veterans Know Lyfe. The band has been playing high-energy shows across the country for just over 10 years. Fans of Chiodos and Coheed and Cambria may want to check out this local fixture. Also sharing the bill is Herd, Atavan and Kid Coma.

Friday, Oct. 8 @ The Loft 414 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing $6 in advance. 18 and over, 9 p.m. doors. Tickets available at FBC, Music Manor and The Tin Can.


Experimenting at the head shop

For those sick and tired of watching experimental shows at traditional music venues, this Saturday you may want to stop by Blown, a pipe shop across from the old Temple Club building in Old Town Lansing. Set to perform at the shop are Lansing’s most detached improv rockers, Hordes.

Also on the bill is Ay, an Ohio-based experimental musician who uses a ton of musical hardware to make brilliant noise. Loop Goat (a.k.a. Jessica Arnold) will also perform her brand of experimental jams. Based out of Ann Arbor, Arnold combines loops and samples with gritty synths and old-school recording methods. Lansing electronic veteran Pat Wenzel performs with his latest project, Holy Lost! Wenzel is a highly prolific musician and is best known as the founder of local acts such as Public Pubes, Sex Ghost!, Torture Chair and Ghoulie.

Saturday, Oct. 9 @ Blown 523 E Grand River, Old Town, Lansing Free show, 18 and over, 7 p.m.


Unique venue, original music

Robert Lutes is a soulful, singer/songwriter from Montreal. His quiet, raspy tunes can be heard this Sunday at the Pump House concert series. Lutes has a John Hiatt vibe, but still delivers his own original songs. For those who enjoy introspective lyrics and acoustic guitars, Lutes may be worth checking out.

The Pump House is a neighborhoodrun listening room, and all door money goes to the artist. This interesting venue is a converted water-pumping house built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s.

Sunday, Oct. 10 @ Pump House 368 Orchard St., East Lansing $10 suggested donation, all ages.


Indie folk at Mac’s

Chris Bathgate has steadily become a prominent figure in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti indie-folk music scene.

Bathgate, who was voted best solo Michigan artist by Real Detroit Weekly, will perform Wednesday, Oct. 13 at Mac’s Bar.

While he has released EPs and albums since 2002, after being signed to Quite Scientific Records, Bathgate released his most acclaimed album, “A Cork Tale Wake” in 2007.

Bathgate often draws comparisons to folk singer-songwriters Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine and Damien Jurado — although he cites American novelists John Steinbeck and Kurt Vonnegut as a couple of his primary influences.

Opening the show is Carter Moulton, Joe Hertler and Jeff Pianki.

Wednesday, Oct. 13 @ Mac’s Bar 2700 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing

$7, 18 and over, 9 p.m.

If your band has an upcoming show, post it at www.facebook.com/turnitdown

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