“North American punk began in the late 1960s with a loose underground of Detroit garage rock bands (MC5, Iggy and the Stooges), art house rock (The Velvet Underground) and trash/glam cross dressing bands (The New York Dolls, Jayne/Wayne County). This scene coalesced in 1973 with the opening of a club, CBGB-OMFUG (Country, Bluegrass, Blues, and Other Music For Uplifting Gourmandizers), on the Bowery in the Lower East Side of New York City.” - Lauraine Leblanc, Pretty in Punk.

Detroit City; Rock City
1968 saw the transformation of music into a whole new sound. What was once just rock and roll entered into a new scope of anger, attitude and electrifying energy that was raw, hard and dirty. MC5 (Motor City Five) and Iggy and the Stooges managed to lay the foundation for future 1970s punk and hard rock. It was Detroit’s own magazine, CREEM: “America’s Only Rock’n’Roll Magazine”, that was to be the first publication to use the labels “punk rock” and “heavy metal”.

1981, the kids of Detroit suburbs were responsible for establishing one of the most important hardcore punk scenes to grace this subculture. A phenomenon that would sweep the nation, exploding into the music scene, Detroit City helping to foster its growth. While other music hubs were knee deep in “flower power” Rock City was delving into sonic tones that were louder, harder, faster and more aggressive. This was also the decade when Detroit’s manufacturing economy began to fail and ample money became something of the past, only fueling the anger and resentment of the teenage population, dousing the punk scene with a seemingly endless supply of angst.

Now, in the new millennium Detroit has seen the revitalization of garage rock. Though some would say that punk rock is dead, the kids of Rock City will tell you differently. Especially with hot underground places such as Deft Tones continuing to rock the scene, and a record company as big as Demon Corpse signing bands left and right. The real question is though, do you have it in you to succeed? How hardcore, is your core?

Detroit City; Motor City
On the flip side Detroit is a busy city with ordinary people, with ordinary lives. They know nothing of the music scene, nor do they care. These are the people just trying to make it by in life. Trying to find a little bit of happiness in their corner of the world, and trying to find a way to survive in one of America’s most dangerous cities. Everyone from simple homemakers to teachers to students... They're all just trying to find their place in this world, fighting against the urge to conform and give into the way the world seems to want to work and are forging their own pattern of resistance.

So come, be you musician or local, Detroit City welcomes you and dares you to find your place...