Show Review: Planet Smashers ska the heck out of Detroit

News: Montreal's Planet Smashers are sending Mixed Messages: their eighth studio album just released this spring.

2 things that surprised us: (1) We've seen a lot of shows at the Magic Stick, but we've never seen a band blow a circuit breaker not once, but twice. (2) For third-wave ska show, the audience skewed a lot younger than we expected.

Details: PS Co-founder Matt Collyer is also co-founder of Stomp Records (recently merged into the Union Label Group); alumni include Bedouin Soundclash and The Flatliners.

Songs we loved: (1) The Hippopotamus. (2) Surfin' In Tofino. The band wound the audience up like a coiled spring by insisting everyone "sit the fuck down" during an extended bridge, then launched them back to their feet when they launched into the rest of the song.

2 things we liked: (1) This show was fun, fun, fun. (2) Planet Smashers celebrate 20 years in 2014.

What we didn't like: We had planned on a nice dinner at the Majestic Cafe before the show only to find it closed for a private event. So we went across Woodward to Union Street and enjoyed some great fish tacos and French dip sliders.


Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images