Monday, August 13, 2007
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rants, "We are the ones against the
media terror / Pop-culture propa-
ganda that's been shoved in our CALENDA R
face." That anti-posturing attitude
suits the band perfectly. The hon-
esty and emotion at the forefront Since we won't be in publication
of their mosic is undeniahie and again until Sept. 4, here are some
authentic. of the noteworthy events and film
of course, like their well-known releases through the end of August.
predecessors, Freer doesn't draw
the line at being earnest and real.
Their music is, for all its rawness, 8.17
extremely well-crafted with an The Invasion
undeniable pop sensibility that Quality 16 and Showcase
will appeal to fans of the Shins and Superbad
a playful sense of experimentation. Quality 16 and Showcase
Jeremy's practiced keyboard skills
tie the band's sound to decades of
the best pop. "Ordinary Beauty," 8.19
another track from the debut, fea- Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band
tures sweeping synth flourishes The Ark
while drummer Nick Adams deliv- 7:30 p.m. $15
ers choppy beats reminiscent of
the Flaming Lips. Later in the same 8.21
song, Jeffrey Freer's melodic bass Nashville
and Mike Latcha's plodding guitar The Michigan Theater
arpeggios combine with dreamy 7 p.m. (Regular ticket prices)
multi-part harmonies to invoke a New Rilo Kiley Album
uniquely beautiful transcendence. Released
Live, Freer has a habit of - to Under the Blacklight
use Jeremy Freer's own words -
"freaking the fuck out." On at least 8.24
one occasion, they have taken cues
from the Who and smashed equip- The Macpodz
eqi-The Blind Pig
ment on stage, and Jeffrey has a 930 p.m. $7/Under 21 $10
tendency to launch himself into
the crowd. Their shows are power- Mr.tBean'ssHoliday
ful and exciting, and their tireless
touring has led to more exposure The Nanny Diaries
and wider acclaim. This is the kind Quality 16 and Showcase
of band any fan of local music loves Rufus Wainwright
to see - an original group talent- The Michigan Theater
ed enough to mix the best of the 7 p.m. $32.5O-$d4.00
old with their original sound that The Ten
belongs in the same league as any The Michigan Theater
of today's best indie acts.
With their originality and bold 8.27
honesty, Freer does their prede-
cessors proud, and proves them- Duck Soup
selves to be more than just this The Michigan Theater
year's replica of the old greats. 7 p.m. (Regular ticket prices)
8.28
M F Doom
The Blind Pig
9:30 p.m. $25
This Thursday, Freer w I be, as one member put it, "freaking the fuck out" at the Blind Pig.
A bit 'Freer' than
your average rock
Punk rockers pay, screaming dudes with Mohawks.
Once upon a time, artists like
homage to their roots the Clash and
Elvis Costello Freer
played tuneful
By MATT RONEY pop-rock that Thursday
Daily Arts Writer was neverthe- at 9:30 p.m.
less impacting $6,18+ $9
Punk rock wasn't always neces- in its own way,$'+
sarily about loud power chords and defying expec- At the Blind Pig
tations and smashing boundaries.
Detroit's Freer seeks to follow in
their footsteps.
Formed by brothers Jeremy and
Jeffrey Freer, Freer takes a cue
straight from the early punk-rock
greats. Their music is raw and
often holds a bit of righteous rage.
In "I Think You Know," from Fre-
er's debut Secret Chorus, Jeremy
Although not without its flaws
- some sequences go on a bit too
long - "Stardust" is a huge irre-
FILM IN BRIEF
Shining 'Star'
"Stardust"
At Quality 16 and Showcase
Paramount
Just because you've already
seen this summer's "Harry Potter"
grind and "The Golden Compass"
is still months away, that doesn't
mean you can't still get some big-
screen fantasy satisfaction. And
"Stardust," based on the not-quite-
for-kids fairytale by perennial cult
favorite writer Neil Gaiman, cer-
tainly satisfies.
Downtrodden shop boy Tris-
tran Thorn (newcomer Charlie
Cox) goes in search of a fallen
star to impress his beloved. To
his surprise, the star is a young
woman named Yvaine (Claire
Danes, "Shopgirl"), and as they
dodge witches bent on eating
Yvaine's heart for immortality and
power-hungry, fratricidal princes,
Tristan learns what it really is to
love, and how a shop boy may just
be a boy who temporarily works at
a shop.
sistible charm with the spirit and 8.29
sly sense of humor of "The Prin- The Ditty Bops
cess Bride." Its earnest sentimen- The Ark
tality and cheerful performances 8p.m. $17.50
make it the perfect film for a date, Balls of Fury
or for any adult who doesn't think Qualityh16and Showcase
that growing up means losing his Courtesy of Paramount
imagination. "Ican't believe 'Rush Hour 3' beat 8.31
MATT RONEY us in the box office, eitheri"
Death Sentence
Quality 16 and Showcase
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ot August.