The eighth annual Detroit Summer Smash started last night at Detroit's Lager House, but there's still time to catch some great Detroit indie acts tonight and Saturday at the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit. Summer Smash began in 1999 when a group of Detroit area musicians decided to organize a three-day music festival. It showcased soon-to-be local stars the Sights, Slumber Party and Outrageous Cherry.
This year is rumored to be the final Summer Smash. Event coordinator Stephen Cramer has moved out of state and hasn't found anyone to take over. Playing tonight beginning at 9:30 are buzz band Siddhartha (formerly Velvet Audio), the Pizazz, Fifth Period Fever and Oblisk. The Cyril Lords, the Silent Years, Wildcatting, Loco Gnosis Super Group, Emily Jane Powers and the Low Hello close out Saturday's event, which also begins at 9:30 p.m. Both shows are all ages, and admission is $7 each day. That includes the dance parties that last well into the early a.m. hours.
All proceeds go to the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit. It's at 5141 Rosa Parks, Detroit. For more: www.summersmash.org Detroit rockers South Normal are taking their music to the big screen, landing songs from their two discs, 2003's "Book of Matches" and 2005's "No More Songs About Girls," in various independent films. The group recently wrote, recorded and starred in a commercial for the Colorado-based Burt Automotive Network. That commercial is running on radio and TV in Colorado.