If you haven’t checked out the Granada yet this month, you have surely missed out. With only one week of April down, the theater’s storied stage has witnessed psychedelic trance insanity, belly dancing world music mashups, and, of course, a little metal. There was also a basketball game, but I don’t recall the details.
Anyway, we here at the Granada figured that, if we want to keep this venue both rocking and rolling through the month, we better give the fans a little bit of a preview of what’s to come from the Granada in the remaining three weeks of April.
For starters, April seems to be the month for metal. Counting We Came As Romans last Sunday, and there are four metal shows in April. That’s more than a sore ass’s worth of kicks to the face, fists in the kidneys, and general cathartic mayhem. Contributors to April’s bruise count include All Shall Perish featuring Carnifex, Fleshgod Apocalypse, The Contortionist and Renouncer April 24.
This coming Sunday and Monday (April 15 and 16) sports a metal double-header of multi-band bills. Sunday features the Metal Alliance Tour, including Devil Driver, The Faceless, Dying Fetus, Job for a Cowboy, 3 Inches of Blood, Impending Doom and Wretched. Monday night offers more, if you’re up for it. The Decibel Magazine Tour features Behemoth, Watain, The Devil’s Blood, and In Solitude. In all honesty, it might be enough metal to stop your heart.
On a much lighter note, the April calendar also has some of the most anticipated hip-hop performances in recent memory. The super group de jour, Slaughterhouse, makes an appearance at the Granada April 19, while reigning alt hip hop champ Talib Kweli performs April 27. Though the two acts couldn’t be further apart in themes, style, or genre, they both represent some of the finer hip hop acts recording and performing today. Hell, Talib Kweli was in Black Star with Mos Def. He’s like the St. Peter of hip hop. As for Slaughterhouse, the buzz about their performance has been circulating around the Granada for quite some time. If you’re a fan of real hip hop, i.e. Wu-Tang Clan, then Slaughterhouse is not a show to miss.
April is also the month for Motown and soul inspired indie rock bands, as well. Both Cults and Electric Guest perform at the Granada this month (April 14 and 26, respectively), with each providing ample shares of virulently infectious dance-pop tunes tinged with only the slightest bit of smirking irony. In all honesty, these would bet the two shows to go to if you’re looking for a new indie band to fall in love with, as both of these acts are catchy beyond necessity.
Beyond these two, the indie rock train continues to roll with Lovedrug April 29. Though not quite as infectiously danceable as Cults or Electric Guest, Lovedrug does have their own particular style of unadulterated, guitar-driven rock n’ roll flecked with small bits of power balladry and earnest, sympathetic songwriting. Don’t mind me, though; let you ears do the listening and then decide. Of the three indie darlings coming this month, however, you should, at the very least, pick one and roll with it.
So, there you have it—a brief, albeit inclusive, list of some of the best acts taking the stage at the Granada this month. Take your pick, mix and match, or whatever—just remember that the Granada is, in keeping with the pattern set by the performances earlier this year, providing the best music in Lawrence, hands down.
–the Granada Crew
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