Choose or lose? Vote or die? Red or blue? Would you like a drink with that combo meal?

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with this election.

I will be at the Magic Stick tonight to watch Friendly Foes and Locksley. Locksley is on tour supporting the MTV "Choose or Lose" campaign. I would like to see first hand what it's all about. It's an all ages event. I am going to yell at some 15 year old for not being able to vote.

The Baltimore Round Robin at the MOCAD is supposedly going to be awesome tonight. It was supposedly awesome last night.

Foe Realz.

It's futile to resist the faultless pop Friendly Foes flaunt on their debut record, Born Radical. A faction against the Detroit garage rock scene, this power trio pilfered the scene early this year with their infectious noise. Born Radical stands apart from frou-frou, cutesy indie rock with cutthroat, fetching boy-girl vocals, provided by Ryan Allen and Lizzie Whitman, and finesse behind the drum kit, courtesy of Brad Elliott, that is anything but flat. With most songs clocking in less than three minutes, FF keep the frills to a minimum, leaving only their talent to effortlessly impress you. After hearing "Get Ripped," it's hard not to be fiercely jealous of Lizzie's frantic, yet refined vocals. The fondness of days gone by rings loud and clear in "Wild (Once in Awhile)," where lead singer/guitarist Ryan reminisces of simpler times, when kids could act like fools with friends without the fretting. Friendly Foes are showing you their fangs, telling you to "Get Yr Shit Together." They even drop the "f" bomb a few times for good measure. But don't let their defiant attitude fool you: this album was born to be radically fun.

Where my girls at?

I was having a conversation with a fellow female musician in the area, and she pointed out the Detroit scene is a little sausage dominated. Now, it's not something we were necessarily complaining about. This scene is also chaulk-full of awesome bands (please do not be an ass and try to argue that they are awesome because they are dudes, you will fail). The conversation stemmed from trying to find other female musicians*. I know a lot of people, and I was stumped. Of course, we all know the powerhouses: Alicia (The Nice Device), Lizzy (Friedly Foes/Kiddo), Leann (The Von Bondies), Marcie (Silverghost), Ko-Ko (Hard Lessons), etc. I did some digging to find some ladies you may not have heard of just yet.

Darling Imperial, a new project of some Detroit veterans, boosts an amazing lead singer by the name of Sarah Sadovsky. Imagine White Chalk album-era PJ Harvey, mixed with a little Tori Amos, but certainly not as old or weird.

Sh! The Octopus has pianist/vocalist Christine Baxter providing lush harmonies and rocking out on the ivories.

Got anyone to add to that list?

In other news, I had a dream last night that I joined Spice Girls as their guitar player. Weird.

*Is anyone else sick of hearing, "There is a girl in that band!"? It seems like such a novelty still, which is ridiculous. It is almost as if we are hard-wired to believe that women playing instruments are rarities because women aren't hard-wired to play instruments. So, is the lack of women musicians because of the male-dominated musiciandustry (I made up a new word!)? Or is it more of a general social issue (women are conditioned to find rewards in areas of society other than creative outlets/being creative holds no rewards for the modern woman who is supposed to be family and career driven at the same time/artistic women are seen as living on the fringe of society/etc)? Discuss.

OK, is there anyone with FIVE bands playing at the RCF? Anyone? Anyone?

Will Yates' Rock City Fest, formerly known as Ryan Allen's Rock City Fest, formerly known as Detour's Rock City Fest, is now going to be known as Christian Doble's Rock City Fest.

Doble can be seen in the following bands:
Friendly Foes
Child Bite
Cooper Thieves
Kiddo

Thanks, Will Yates, for clearing that up.

Chances are, folks, you will see one of Christian Doble's bands this weekend. Even if it is on accident. So don't try to stop it from happening. Resistance to the Doble is futile.

Yeah, check out those sweet photoshop skillz.