Local rock photographer Stephanie Copperrein sent us this photo from our set with The Hard Lessons in Detroit a few weeks ago.

Hi All,

AM plays Milwaukee, WI this Friday, July 25 at the Stonefly Brewery along with The Hearers, Hearts of Stone, and The Jonathan Burkes Band. This will be our first time in Milwaukee in a long, long time and we’re glad to be going back.

This Saturday, July 26, we’re performing at The Hard Lessons record release party at The Crofoot in Pontiac, MI. Doors are at 7 with music starting at 8pm. We’re big fans so we’re psyched although we’re a bit worried that we’ll be mistaken for the band’s parents.

Upcoming Shows:

Friday, August 8
Detroit Institute of the Arts
Detroit, MI
shows at 7 and 8:30pm

Wednesday, August 13
Campus Martius Summer Concert Series
Detroit, MI
11:30am

With sadness, we report that our August shows will be our last with drummer Josh Machniak. Josh will be leaving our fair state for the West Coast in search of gold, uranium, and 24-hour bowling. We have lived richly during Josh’s time with us and thank him from the bottom of our tickers for his all he’s done. There’s no time for tears, however, and we’d like to put out the call for interested drummers to contact us via mars@americanmars.com if the chair sounds interesting. We offer a competitive benefits packages, the chance to see the world, and lots of old stories about all the bands we used to be in. Sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime? Bang a gong and give us a call.

Peace,
Thomas

David and I had a great time playing this morning on WKQL, 107.1fm in Ann Arbor, MI. We’re longtime fans of program host Martin Bandyke, who used to work at Detoit’s NPR station (before they went to all news) and know commands a great morning show that features wide variety of music. This morning’s performance was much better than last Thursday’s in-studio at IMPACT in East Lansing. For that one, my voice was blown out from a cold and a long practice the night before and I sounded awful. Great time this morning though and I hope those of you who heard it enjoyed it.

We’re looking forward to playing the Ark this Thursday with Chuck Prophet, formerly of Green on Red. David worked with Chuck several years ago while making a record with Simon Bonney. This is our first time at the Ark, so we’re jazzed.

I got to see Sunshine Doray this past Sunday night at Cliff Bell’s in Detroit. Sunshine is David’s wife Kate, who sings and plays piano, and Deanne Iovan, who plays drums and sings back-up. I honestly think Kate is the best songwriter in Detroit (and beyond) and everytime I see them I’m left speechless for a few hours. Their debut record just came out last week on the Feeny-run Gangplank label (a little nepotiz) and I would strongly encourage everyone to check it out. Find them on myspace here and their record on Gangplank here.

We had fun last night playing with Eef Barzelay at The Pike Room in Pontiac, MI. I’m a big fan of Eef’s songs, both with and without Clem Snide. His new band is really good and they’re all nice guys. The Pike Room is inside Crofoot, which is a great new venue about 20 minutes north of Detroit proper. We opened for the Avett Brothers in the big room there a few months ago and will be back again next month opening for The Hard Lessons. The Pike Room, which is a bit smaller, sounded great. I’ve got a cold so my voice wasn’t so hot but sometimes there’s something more emotional about singing when it’s a bit of a struggle. The band played great.

Still getting over the typhoon that struck during our set at The Detroit Festival of the Arts. Our set got shut town about half way through. We were playing outside under a tent when the rain started to fall. There were folks dancing outside the tent, which was fun, and I thought it was gonna be even better when it started raining and the folks came under the tent to dance. That’s when the rain started blowing sideways and I caught sight of the soundman gesturing at his throat and yelling “cut it!” We managed to finish “Marionette” but then the soundguy took the mic, announced that we were in the middle of a tornado warning and urged everyone to make their way to a nearby museum for shelter. Friends told us later that the museum was locked (nice move!) but the storm died down pretty quickly and everyone seems to have come out ok. We stayed behind to keep an eye on our gear and chat with the brave souls who stayed behind. Kind of exciting. We’d love to play again next year and finish the set.

Tonight we do an in-studio on IMPACT radio in Lansing, MI. The show runs from 8-10pm and should be fun. Listen live here. 

T

Hi All,

Good stuff coming up over the next two weeks. I’ve numbered them to make your scheduling efforts easier.

1) Tomorrow evening, June 25, AM opens for Clem Snide’s Eef Barzelay at The Pike Room in Pontiac, MI (inside Crofoot). Doors are at 8pm and we should play around 9.

2) Thursday night, June 26, we’ll be performing in-studio at IMPACT, Michigan State University’s student run radio station. We’ll be on between 9 and 10pm to play songs from Western Sides and to promote our show in Lansing coming up on Saturday, June 28 (see below). You can listen live here.

3) As mentioned above, we’ll be performing at (Scene) Metrospace in Lansing on Saturday, June 28. Doors for this show are at 7pm; music starts around 8.

4) Our very dear friends Sunshine Doray will celebrate the release of their most excellent self-titled debut this Sunday, June 29 at Cliff Bell’s in Detroit, MI. Music starts at 9pm. We’ll be there as admirers although it’s possible Feeny will make an appearance on stage with an instrument or two.

5) Next Tuesday, July 1, AM will perform a few songs on Ann Arbor’s 107.1fm as guests of host Martin Bandyke. We’ll be on between 9 and 10am (for you earlybirds) to play some tunes and to talk about our show at The Ark on July 3 (see below). Listen live here.

6) We are extremely pleased to be making our debut at The Ark in Ann Arbor, MI on Thursday, July 3, opening for Chuck Prophet. Doors are at 8pm with music shortly thereafter. The Ark is a smoke free listening room that we’ve been fans of for many years so please consider coming out.

7) Finally (for now), we will be peforming at Detoit Cityfest on Sunday, July 6, at 6pm on the Park Stage. There’s lots of great music at this year’s festival, including Calexico, De La Soul, Broken Social Scene, and George Clinton. Should be a great time.

Peace,
Thomas

Hey There,
American Mars plays the Detroit Festival of the Arts in midtown Detroit this Friday, June 6 at 9:30pm on the National City Music Stage. Should be excellent.

Let’s all start using the word “excellent” in the place of “awesome.” Just a suggestion.

Other upcoming shows include:

• Wednesday, June 25–Pike Room (Pontiac, MI) opening for Clem Snide’s Eef Barzalay
• Saturday, June 28–Scene Metrospace (E. Lansing, MI)
• Thursday, July 3–The Ark (Ann Arbor, MI)
• Sunday, July 6–Detroit Cityfest (Detroit, MI)
• Friday, July 25–Stonefly (Milwaukee, WI)
• Saturday, July 26–Crofoot (Pontiac, MI) The Hard Lessons Record Release party
• Wednesday, August 13–Campus Martius Summer Series (Detroit, MI)

Demand that American Mars come to your town!
Would you like American Mars to come to your town to rock and roll all night and to see if the hotel detectives in your fine city are outta sight? Well, you’re in luck. Eventful.com lets folks register their demands in a quick free way that tells us you want some rock and roll mayhem in your locale. Demand AM here.

xoxo,
T

We had a great time in Chicago last weekend playing Schubas with the most excellent Chris Mills. Our friend Allison shot some video of the song Western Sides that turned out pretty, pretty, good. Check it out.

Thanks to everyone who came out to see us at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor last night. Next up, the Detroit Festival of the Arts on Friday, June 6.

Hola Martians! Three interesting shows coming up next week featuring American Mars.

First, the Bohemian National Home in Detroit is hosting The Tangential Festival across six nights, from April 18-24. According to the organizers, “folk music doesn’t mean what it used to so here’s six nights of acts from around the country and right here in Detroit that defy easy categorization.” The festival starts this Friday, April 18 with The Volebeats, Misty Lyn and The Big Beautiful. On Tuesday, April 22, American Mars will be playing with Detroit friends Birdgang. The fellas will take the stage around 9pm and then AM will play about 10. Should be fun.

Next up, Friday, April 25, AM will be a playing a three song set at the Detroit Music Awards at the Filmore Detroit (formerly The State Theater).  We’re nominated for an award in the Outstanding Pop/Rock category, while David is nominated in the oustanding instrumentalist, outstanding producer, and outstanding studio categories. Feeny has the potential to walk away with four awards and we understand he’s hoping for a sweep by preparing four separate acceptance speeches. Cut to commercial!

The next night, Saturday, April 26, we head to Schubas in Chicago to open up for our good friend Chris Mills. We’re thilled to get back to the windy city and to play such a great venue with such a fine artist. Should be an excellent evening.

Finally, we’re on the block to play, Wednesday, May 7, at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor with Todd Deatherage. Doors at the Pig are at 9pm;  AM takes the stage around 10pm.

Summer dates continue to get added to the calendar and more regional shows are on the way.

Up with flowers.

xoxo,
Thomas

AM shows coming at ya! First, we play tomorrow, March 28 at TC’s in Ypsilanti, MI with Todd Deatherage, The Farewells, and Dirt Road Logic. We’ll play around 11pm.

Here’s a peek at more upcoming shows:
Tuesday, April 22–National Bohemian Home (Detroit, MI)
Friday, April 25–Detroit Music Awards (Detroit, MI)
Saturday, April 26–Schubas (Chicago, IL)
Tuesday, May 7–Blind Pig (Ann Arbor, MI)

Check the full schedule here.

We’ve also gotten some nice press over the last few weeks. First off, Chris Parker from Detroit’s Metro Times has written a great profile of the band that includes a stunning photo from pro-shooter Doug Coombe (see above). Here’s an excerpt from Chris’ article: 

“A musician’s life is mostly more affliction than avocation. Perhaps there should be a 12-step program. Like the priesthood or reality TV, musicians sacrifice much of their lives for a paltry fiscal payoff, if any at all. It definitely requires a peculiar mentality. That’s the best explanation for what drives American Mars, the smart Motor City-area band that, so far, has existed quietly on the fringes…” Read the rest of the article here.

Western Sides also got a positive review from Harp magazine’s Brian Baker. Harp recently announced that they’ll be closing up shop so the issue is now assured to be a collector’s item. Seriously though, we’re sorry to see Harp go. Along with No Depression, it is the second major music mag to go under within the last few months. A sign of the changing character of independent music. Anyway, here’s Harp’s review of Western Sides:

“For the past decade, American Mars has denied its Detroit heritage in favor of atmospheric heartland roots rock that romps like Ryan Adams and ruminates like Joe Henry. The quartet (featuring Blanche pedal steelist David Feeny) was ready to capitalize upon the buzz generated by its first two albums when bassist Garth Girard’s bout with colon cancer derailed the band. American Mars finally returns with Western Sides, the album it began in 2004 and a triumph on almost every level. Vocalist/guitarist Thomas Trimble takes lyrical and sonic cues from Bob Dylan (“Anna Marie”) and Tom Petty (“Marionette”), but is equally comfortable in applying a messy smear of Paul Westerberg to the proceedings, particularly on the Stonesy country crunch of “Democracity.” Flecks of the Jayhawks’ sparse rootsy shimmer (“Sunray”) and Adams’ urban cowboy swagger (“Who Here?”) sparkle throughout, but it all adds up to American Mars’ uniquely scuffed beauty.” See the review for yourself here.

We’ve had some nice reviews and features come in over the last few weeks:

Detroit Metro Times
A lot can happen in five years. Children go from being born to being dropped off for their first day of school. Countries are invaded. Even presidents can come and go. A lot can happen. It’s been that long since American Mars released its last album, No City Fun — and that’s long enough for the elegant, trend-defying Detroit roots rockers to have survived some hefty changes. –Read more here.

FreightTrainBoogie.com
(five stars)
This is a dynamic and studied work from Detroit-based American Mars with first rate songs from the band and exceptional production from multi-instrumentalist David Feeny. Cinematic soundscapes such as “Long Walk Home” and “Better Angels” feature lush pedal steel and mix it up with an alt rock guitar style that reminds one of the Cure. Sort of alt.country shoe-gazers Cowboy Junkies meet alt.brit shoe-gazers my Bloody Valentine, with intriguing effect. “Democracity” rocks out in a David Bowie/Lou Reed fashion while “Marionette” is a classic folk rockish cautionary tale. The jacket with this CD offers sincere thanks for finding this “endangered species of recorded music” but besides the musician’s gratitude the reward is in the listening.—Michael Meehan

Real Detroit Weekly
(four stars)
One of last year’s albums that’s really grown on me since its release is Bruce Springsteen’s Magic, quite the stellar comeback tour de force from the Jersey blue collar vet. The third release from Dearborn cowboys American Mars lassos the open range ramble of Magic with the vocals of Thomas Trimble, who crosses between Tom Petty and HOWL-era Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Feeny’s stellar pedal steel and Trimble’s weathered blues on “Long Walk Home,” hit the heart like a thunderbolt, because this is a band that has seen their own struggles, and while The Boss was born to run, American Mars stampedes through Detroit’s rich folk pastures. –Thomas Matich

Detroit Free Press
The up-and-down journey of experimental indie roots-folk band American Mars could fill an episode of VH1’s “Behind the Music.” Numerous lineup changes, family and career challenges, and a frightening cancer diagnosis almost made the band nothing more than a fond Detroit memory. But over the last couple of years, under the leadership of singer-songwriter Thomas Trimble, the members rallied and began new sessions of writing and recording. Now the Americana rockers are revitalized and set to drop a new full-length CD, Western Sides (Gangplank Records)–Read more here.