Day 4 : Detroit

            Willie and I woke up after an all-to-brief 4 hour nap to make our way back to Akron. It was a chilly, overcast day that actually made for very pleasant driving. We would have loved to have hung out with Chuck when we got back to Akron. Alas, we had to book it back to New Baltimore right away to get Ron and head to Detroit. We got to watch some epic weather form in the distance, wondering if we’d get to see a tornado. We didn’t.

            Gary and his awesome girlfriend Amy had a wonderful breakfast waiting for our return. We had a lovely time hanging out with them and Amy’s son Landon. He is an absolute, 3 year old firecracker who can already hold a full sized guitar and was banging out songs like the king himself, including a killer new number, rock and roll sleeping bag.

We had to leave them all too soon. The weather was turning fast and we had to get to Detroit. 

            The drive was under two hours, it went by like lightning. Detroit has a gorgeous skyline. It’s always a thrill to drive into. We also saw this beautiful rainbow.

            The last time we came, our lovely host, Kari, took us all out for Mexican. This time she, Risk, and her mom grilled up burgers, bean salad, potato salad, and cake with ice cream. It was such a feast! And such a delicious one that we all ate way too much.

            We regretted that time was tight. We had to head over to Corktown right after eating. Corktown Tavern is a really great bar on the other side of the old abandoned train station from Donovan’s Pub, where we played last time we were in Detroit. It looked like an old rustic house but it was standing a line with its brick façade. The people running the bar were extremely nice, as was Hobo-Gangbang, the awesome Hard-core band we were playing with. 

             

We played first. The crowd wasn’t quite sure what to think of us at first. They were used to something a little heavier. But they stuck with us and we won them over by the end. The super-sweet bartender traded us whiskey for a T-shirt, which is always a great trade. Hobo Gangbang played next. They were a great blend of punk and metal with some Kiss influence thrown in for some good measure. They were loud and awesome! We had a kickass time dancing to their set. We met the lead singer’s fiancé and siblings and they were as nice as they could be. I did a shirt swap for one of their killer shirts. Check out the awesome design. It was drawn by a local tattoo artist that the whole band goes to. We also met members of Hobo Gangbangs bassist’s other group, the Precious Few. Check them out.

            We would have loved to have stayed at Corktown until dawn. Alas, our hosts had work in the morning and we were facing the long trek to Chicago, so we loaded up and headed out. But we would love to go back someday. It’s a great place to hang out and hear some good music. All of you Detroiters should drop by and check it out.