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'Rock City' fest tries to edge out the Blowout
Melody Baetens / The Detroit News
Every spring for the past decade, alternative weekly magazine the Metro Times hosts the Blowout, a local music festival that takes place the first week in March mainly in the bars of Hamtramck.
This year, the Metro Times Blowout will have some competition.
A new music and pop culture Web site, Detour (http://detour-mag.com), which is local, has announced it will be hosting Rock City, a four-day music festival March 5-8 at the Majestic Theater Center in Detroit. Traditionally, the Blowout kicks off at the same site on the first Wednesday in March, but Detour claims to have that date booked.
Here's where the gossip mill goes into overdrive. Detour is published by Anthony Morrow, the man who has worked on the Metro Times Blowout eight out of the past 10 years.
Owners of the Majestic had no comment at press time.
Even before Rock City was announced, there were rumors that there would be no Blowout next year. But Metro Times publisher Lisa Rudy says the Blowout will go on as usual March 5-8.
"Metro Times Blowout is of course going on. There's no reason why it wouldn't," Rudy says.
Morrow didn't mention his old project when explaining why he chose to put Rock City in direct competition with the successful Blowout, which has been growing in size and stature since 1997.
"Our goal with Rock City is to produce a stellar event and turn people on to the bands we love," he says. "The dates we chose are perfect because the festival will act as a send off for bands attending South by Southwest (in Austin, Texas) and those starting their spring tours."
How will this competing double dose of local music festivals bode for the fans, musicians and club owners that keep the scene running?
Some see it as a direct and questionably motivated blow to the Metro Times Blowout.
"It seems a little spiteful," says Mike Mouyianis, owner of Small's in Hamtramck. "Obviously, the Detour staff knew the Blowout happens that weekend, since most of them used to work for the Metro Times.
"If you really wanted to help out local music, why throw a festival the same weekend as the Blowout?"
Some might question whether Mouyianis' concern stems from being a Hamtramck bar owner who could be part of the Blowout but not the single-venue Rock City. But he isn't the only one raising that question. Some local band members also wonder about the head-to-head aspect.
"Why compete? Trying to keep track of who is playing where during the Blowout is hard enough," says Kevin Roberts of local band Bluesong. "It seems like it'd be less of a headache to have it on two different weekends."
Still, a fresh twist on a seemingly similar event can be attractive.
"On the other hand," Roberts says, "I do like the idea of having a music festival all in one venue like the Majestic instead of driving from bar to bar, finding a place to park, etc."
Still, Metro Times' Rudy believes the Blowout will stay strong.
"The spirit of it and the success of it have been directly related to the individuals who participate in it from a musical talent standpoint, the venues who provide the environment, the people who show up to see the bands, and the paper who supports those individuals on a yearly basis," she says
"The thought of Blowout not happening because the 100th new event came to town is ridiculous."
You can reach Melody Baetens at (313) 222-2402 or mbaetens@detnews.com.
Melody Baetens / The Detroit News
Every spring for the past decade, alternative weekly magazine the Metro Times hosts the Blowout, a local music festival that takes place the first week in March mainly in the bars of Hamtramck.
This year, the Metro Times Blowout will have some competition.
A new music and pop culture Web site, Detour (http://detour-mag.com), which is local, has announced it will be hosting Rock City, a four-day music festival March 5-8 at the Majestic Theater Center in Detroit. Traditionally, the Blowout kicks off at the same site on the first Wednesday in March, but Detour claims to have that date booked.
Here's where the gossip mill goes into overdrive. Detour is published by Anthony Morrow, the man who has worked on the Metro Times Blowout eight out of the past 10 years.
Owners of the Majestic had no comment at press time.
Even before Rock City was announced, there were rumors that there would be no Blowout next year. But Metro Times publisher Lisa Rudy says the Blowout will go on as usual March 5-8.
"Metro Times Blowout is of course going on. There's no reason why it wouldn't," Rudy says.
Morrow didn't mention his old project when explaining why he chose to put Rock City in direct competition with the successful Blowout, which has been growing in size and stature since 1997.
"Our goal with Rock City is to produce a stellar event and turn people on to the bands we love," he says. "The dates we chose are perfect because the festival will act as a send off for bands attending South by Southwest (in Austin, Texas) and those starting their spring tours."
How will this competing double dose of local music festivals bode for the fans, musicians and club owners that keep the scene running?
Some see it as a direct and questionably motivated blow to the Metro Times Blowout.
"It seems a little spiteful," says Mike Mouyianis, owner of Small's in Hamtramck. "Obviously, the Detour staff knew the Blowout happens that weekend, since most of them used to work for the Metro Times.
"If you really wanted to help out local music, why throw a festival the same weekend as the Blowout?"
Some might question whether Mouyianis' concern stems from being a Hamtramck bar owner who could be part of the Blowout but not the single-venue Rock City. But he isn't the only one raising that question. Some local band members also wonder about the head-to-head aspect.
"Why compete? Trying to keep track of who is playing where during the Blowout is hard enough," says Kevin Roberts of local band Bluesong. "It seems like it'd be less of a headache to have it on two different weekends."
Still, a fresh twist on a seemingly similar event can be attractive.
"On the other hand," Roberts says, "I do like the idea of having a music festival all in one venue like the Majestic instead of driving from bar to bar, finding a place to park, etc."
Still, Metro Times' Rudy believes the Blowout will stay strong.
"The spirit of it and the success of it have been directly related to the individuals who participate in it from a musical talent standpoint, the venues who provide the environment, the people who show up to see the bands, and the paper who supports those individuals on a yearly basis," she says
"The thought of Blowout not happening because the 100th new event came to town is ridiculous."
You can reach Melody Baetens at (313) 222-2402 or mbaetens@detnews.com.