Events this Month
4.2

The Rite of Spring
Hash Bash time again, boys and girls. The venerable event began in 1970, when John Lennon, Allen Ginsberg and other counterculture heroes descended on Crisler Arena to protest the10-year sentence of John Sinclair, who had been arrested for possession of two joints. The Bash has been beleagured in recent years, as Ann Arbor has attempted to shrink it by denying vendor permits and other festival necessitiesa, but the true believers are not deterred. The Smoke In march begins at 11 a.m. in front of the Federal Building on Liberty Street between 4th and 5th streets. The Hash Bash “Hour of Power” begins at noon on the Diag. Rally later on Monroe Street. Lots of bands playing around town, too, like Smokestack, (pictured) at the Blind Pig.

4.3 Movement at Necto
Kevin Saunderson, Stacey Pullen, and Necto resident DJ Binzo galvanize technoheads at a Sunday night fundraiser for Fuse-In Detroit, the Saunderson-produced electronic music festival in Hart Plaza that has undergone many incarnations and name changes. $10 minimum donation. The Necto, 516 E. Liberty, A2.
4.7 The Sound of Silents
Metropolis, the silent 1927 Fritz Lang masterpiece of industrial urban angst and paranoia, will be shown at the UM School of Art and Design, accompanied by the Alloy Orchestra, a renowned three-man ensemble that specializes in music for silent movies, played on synthesizers, clarinet, accordian, saw, banjo, and “junk.” UM School of Art and Design, 2000 Bonisteel Blvd, A2
4.8 The Hentchmen
The last release from these hard-rockin’ stalwarts from Detroit, called Form Follows Function (Times Beach Records, 2004), showed a new level of garage rock perfection. The Elbow Room, 6 S. Washington, Ypsi.
4.9 Brendan Benson
All eyes are on Brendan Benson with the release of The Alternative to Love, his third album. The Detroit native’s first album, in 1996, met with a particularly discouraging example of the good-reviews-lousy-sales two-punch, and a second one in 2002 fared much the same, but the new release (on V2 records) just might be the charm. Doors 9:30 p.m. $15Blind Pig, 208 S. First, A2.
4.12 Mark Doty
Award-winning poet Mark Doty reads from his seventh book, School of the Arts. He writes about his dog, an oncoming train, a gay bar, a movie shoot with an unflinching eye and deep compassion. Presented by Shaman Drum Bookshop. 7:00 p.m.Angell Hall Auditorium, B 435 State S. State Street, A2.
4.15 Mason Jennings
Cutie-pie troubadour Mason Jennings earned a cult following with sweet lines like “After all that I’ve run from, where the fuck did you come from? Butterfly, I still have my doubts about you. Butterfly, cuz I can’t find nothing bad about you.” Doors 9:30. $12 adv., $14 door. The Blind Pig, 208 S. First, A2.
4.16

Death From Above 1979
Another two-person outfit creating a lot of noise with a drum, a bass, and a preoccupation with sex, sex, sex. These Canadians are heavy in a Motorhead kind of way, but their album You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine was accessible enough to make myriad “Top Albums of 2004” lists. Show’s said to be hot stuff, too. Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit.

Crispin Hellion Glover
You loved him in River’s Edge (as the whining, giggling drug-using teen leader Layne), Back to the Future (as George McFly), The Doors (as a creepazoid Andy Warhol) as weirder-than-weird rat-loving Willard in the movie by the same name and in plenty of other roles that make the most of his nasally voice and unnerving gaze. Well, now Crispin has this one-man performance piece called “The Big Slide Show,” and a movie, What Is It?, a surreal, deeply dark movie featuring talking snails getting salted, a man with cerebral palsy lying on a seashell, a naked women in a monkey mask and other nightmarish imagery. $15. 8:00 p.m. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty, A2

4.21 Jucifer
Another boy-girl duo, yes. But Amber Valentine plays a mean, loud guitar, and Ed Livingood’s back there on the drums. The pair started in Athens, GA; eight years and a few albums and EPs later, their admirers are steadily reaching critical mass. Doors 9:30 p.m. $8. The Blind Pig, 208 S. First, A2.

4.22

Earth Day Celebrations
Dance for the Earth, the Mary Beth Doyle Memorial Fundraiser. Music by Dave Boutette, Mike Boyde, Dave Keeney, Eric Kelly, John Latini, Jim Roll, Jack Spack and others. All proceeds go to the Ecology Center, an environmental education and activism organization (ecocenter.org). $25, cash bar. 8 to 11 p.m Downtown Home and Garden, 210 S. Ashley St., A2.
4.24 Earth Day festivities in the Farmer’s Market in Kerrytown include music, storytelling, demonstrations, local crafts, environmentally friendly products for sale and other eco-conscience happenings.  
4.27 Rasputina
Last year a pair of winsome cello-rocking waifs in Victorian clothing, accompanied by a bearded fellow in Witness-style trousers and suspenders, played to an intensely amorous, largely corset-wearing crowd at the Pig. Encores abounded. If the words “cello rock” scare you, fret not, little one. Melora Creager, Zoe Keating and Jonathan TeBeest will make a believer out of you. 9:30. $12 adv., $14 door. The Blind Pig, 208 S. First, A2. .

COLUMNS
Deep Background The conundrums of calling Michigan home, by Drew Franklin
Girl on Love Friends. How many of us have them? by Anonymous

BOOKS
reviews
Niice Big American Baby by Judith Budnitz, reviewed by Steven Gillis

Preview the work of the four writers on the First Fiction tour by Laura J. Williams

MUSIC
Interviews
The Hard Lessons It ain't easy being the Hard Lessons. By Jason Gibner
W anda Jackson The Queen of Rockabilly rolls into Michigan. By Laura J. Williams
Fred Thomas The hero of the Tuesday series of local CDs. By Scott Sellwood
Kelli Hicks A singer/songwriter with sad, dreamlike work. By Davy Rothbart
Detroit Techno Militia DTM is all around. By Denis Baldwin

MUSIC - Reviews
ADULT. D.U.M.E.
Noisetank (loves you), Glee, Ad Nauseum, and how It All Works Out

PLUS:

CHOICE A2P's selected events of the month
PublicEye You Belong to the City. You Belong to the Night
A2 Astrology