The Buzz

by Amanda Slater

James Blunt//Michigan Theater/Ann Arbor: 4/27

At one time, British musician James Blunt was named James Blount. Despite the fact that, in Britain, the latter is pronounced exactly the same way, Blunt thought it would be easier for audiences to both spell and pronounce “Blunt.”  Since then, the name has made for a good deal of speculation regarding Blunt’s extracurricular activities. However, Blunt got what he wanted. Now, not only is his name easily recognizable, but, after the release of his smash single, “You’re Beautiful,” from his first album, Blunt also became a household name. Since then, Blunt has been wildly successful internationally. His second album debuted at No. 1 in 10 countries, and, between his first and second albums, he sold an impressive 18 million records. Blunt will be making a stop at Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater at the end of April to promote his most recent album entitled “Some Kind of Trouble” (which he describes as “optimistic” and “upbeat”).  And with two Brit Awards, two World Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, an MTV European Music Award and five Grammy nominations under his belt, he’s achieved international superstar status and is one of the biggest acts to come through Ann Arbor in a while. Blunt will perform at 7:30 p.m. on April 27 at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, starting at $25. For more information, visit www.michtheater.org/events.

Neil Young//Fox Theatre/Detroit: 5/4

Widely regarded as a brilliant musician and poignant lyricist, Neil Young continues to produce gripping tracks permeated by his signature part folk, part rock sound that are as fresh and relevant today as they were when his legendary fourth solo album, “Harvest,” was released in 1972. Candian-born Young performed as a solo artist in the early sixties before moving to California in 1966, where he co-founded Buffalo Springfield. He later became the fourth member of Crosby, Stills & Nash (which was renamed Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young). It was after this that he began to gain recognition as a solo artist. Young’s career spans 40 years, 34 studio albums and many awards and recognitions, the most recent being a 2011 Grammy for best rock song for his track “Angry World” and several 2011 Juno Awards  (Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award). Now regarded as one of the most influential folk artists of all time, Young is a phenomenon in the fact that tracks like “Ohio” from his CSN&Y days in the sixties and his solo hits, such as “Heart of Gold,” from the seventies, are just as popular and recognizable today as they were when they were first released. Young will perform at 8 p.m. on May 4 at The Fox Theatre in Detroit. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and StubHub.com.

Adele//Royal Oak Music Theatre/Royal Oak: 5/23

British songstress, Adele, was instantly made famous when her debut album, “19” and its soulful tracks like “Chasing Pavements” won the hearts of listeners and two 2009 Grammies (Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance). Prior to her Grammy-winning days, Adele attracted the attention of now label XL Recordings with demos that she had posted on MySpace, and the rest is history. She said that the album was named “19” because it was about “being between 18 and 19 and in love.” So, it should be no surprise that her newest album, “21,” which debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. and U.S. charts (selling 352,000 copies in its first week in the U.S.), contains tracks that she wrote when she was twenty-one. The songs’ often very personal lyrics come out of Adele’s own poetry, which she says she loves to write. Although somewhat darker and more experimental than “19,” “21” doesn’t disappoint, as it features all the charm, soul and storytelling that has made Adele so beloved by critics around the world—and audience members can expect the same from her live performance on May 23 at the intimate Royal Oak Music Theatre. Although the show is already sold out, tickets are popping up on StubHub and eBay. Grab yours before they are gone!