Etienne Ramousse
Baba Commandant and the Mandingo Band plays at Third Man Records this week.
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Burkina Faso’s Baba Commandant touches down: The enigmatic Baba Commandant is making his way to Detroit, with his Ngoni guitar and lightning-fast melodies in tow. He’s coming with his latest group, the Mandingo Band, which plays a fusion of Mandingue and afrobeat styles, blurring the boundaries between modern and traditional West African music. While the band often improvises and solos throughout the live versions of their songs, the infectious rhythm is constant throughout and sets the dancefloor on fire. Baba Commandant and the Mandingo Band are setting out on a massive national tour this fall, with one of the first stops at the intimate Third Man Records Cass Corridor venue on Saturday, Sept. 30. With a special opening set from local veterans Ultimate Ovation, the evening will be a potent blend of soulful sounds. Advance tickets available via DICE. —Joe
A rare John Beltran set: Although he’s a Michigan native and pioneering electronic producer, it’s not often we get to experience a John Beltran set in our neighborhood. That’s slowly changing this summer, with Beltran playing Rocksteady Disco’s Viva La Resistance party at Motor City Wine over Movement weekend, and appearing as a special guest at the bar’s most recent Tropicalia night. Since some of his latest releases are on Motor City Wine Recordings, I’m hopeful this trend will continue. As label boss for both the aforementioned Rocksteady Disco and MCWR, Peter Croce’s affinity for blending funk, jazz and Latin rhythms is evident, and a great compliment to Beltran’s latest output (see his Back to Bahia series, and his album with Sol Set). The two are going in on the underground decks at SPKRBOX this Friday for an all-night set of “intimate vibes and deep tunes.” While they take care of business in the basement, Moppy will take over the upstairs lounge. More info available on the Resident Advisor event page. —Joe
SHADOWWORKING exhibition opening: The project SPIRITUALS is the work of Kevin Bernard Moultrie Daye, an architectural designer, teacher, curator, theorist, and visual artist. His new exhibition SHADOWWORKING will be opening at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit on Friday, and it is described as “an exploration of folk ritual in the realm of advanced material.” The event will feature robotically fabricated carbon fiber monuments and blacklight-activated sculptures setting the scene for high energy work and musical activations from some of Detroit’s finest, including Bruiser Brigade’s Zelooperz and FXHE’s HITECH. Sculptor Hazmat Raheem will also join SPIRITUALS for the audio component of SHADOWWORKING, making for a jam-packed night of music and art to stimulate your senses. More information is available on the MOCAD website. —Broccoli
Knifeplay enlists Detroit acts for local show: Philadelphia dream pop band Knifeplay is in the midst of a month-long national tour, and they’re stopping at Lager House in Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Having received praise from the likes of NPR, Pitchfork, and more for their most recent album Animal Drowning, they have established themselves as a band to watch, carving their own lane with their take on “bruising shoegaze and sprawling slowcore.” Joining them for thew will be Detroit’s own Zastava and Zilched, who have just returned from their own tour supporting Zilched’s latest album Earthly Delights. Tickets are $13 in advance and $15 at the door, and can be purchased through the Lager House Detroit website. —Broccoli
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