| Features
|
Last Updated:
May 6th, 2008 - 11:27:09 |
Loftfest
Rock Harder
For rock ‘n’ roll veteran Dana Forrester, branching out of Detroit was never an option. Her friends and family are here. Her tattoo parlor, Lucky Monkey, is here. Detroit is where she grew up and where her music lives. And it comes to life out of the Loft Studio.
The studio sits in a horror movie-like farmhouse on 75 sprawling acres of land in Saline. But it’s more than just a farm; it’s also where rock ‘n’ roll hopefuls go to lay down their first tracks, and where local legends Sponge recorded their platinum album, Rotting Piñata.
Since the Loft’s launch in 1988, it has continuously grown to become a local music production powerhouse. Over two decades, co-owners, co-producers and brothers Tim and Andy Patalan have used their childhood home to record over 1,000 artists that have collectively sold over two million albums.
To celebrate two decades of Loft Studio history, the Patalans will be hosting Loftfest at the Crofoot in downtown Pontiac on May 10. Over 20 Loft Studio alumni, including Sponge, Taproot, Speedball and Downriver’s own Bob “The Bachelor” Guiney and his band will be rocking out on three stages in an affordable, indoor Woodstock ... of sorts. Just about all of the Loft bands know each other and will be egging each other on at Loftfest, an event that Andy Patalan calls a family affair.
“It’s also a bit of an incestuous affair,” Patalan jokes. “Several members of bands are also members of other Loft bands. Honestly, scheduling the bands for Loftfest has been quite a challenge.”
And how. Vinnie Dombroski of Sponge also plays with local industrial group Crud. Forrester, also of Crud, plays bass for 60 Second Crush and was also a member of the Motor Dolls, who are to reunite for the first time, at the request of the studio especially for Loftfest.
Not only will Forrester be exhausting herself playing three separate sets with three different bands at the festival, but she’s also doing promotional work for Loftfest. “I’m just a huge fan of the work they do and have a lot of respect for what they’ve produced,” Forrester says. “[Tim and Andy Patalan] are visionaries in how they approach production.”
Forrester credits them for her success with Crud and 60 Second Crush, who recently won big at the Detroit Music Awards for Best Industrial Group and Best Hard Rock Band, respectively. “Bands go into Loft and come out sounding differently,” she says, referring to the studio as a “rock ‘n’ roll car wash.”
“Telling bands what they can improve on as opposed to telling them what they’re doing wrong comes off a lot better,” Patalan says. “As odd as it sounds, a lot of good can come from bad performances. Some producers stifle it, but it’s all a part of the creative process.”
At Loftfest, that creativity and ballsy, aggressive sound that puts Detroit rock on the map will be showcased for all, as they reminisce about the history of the Motor City music scene and the contributions that Loft Studio has made to it for over two decades. “Bands always like to go out and chase that pot of gold,” said Forrester. “But Detroit gives them a ton of street cred. There are no pretty boy rockers here. Playing in Detroit gives bands stories to tell.” | RDW
Loftfest • 5/10 • The Crofoot
|
|
|
 |
