MUSIC

Mayor Hawthorne is kind of like Michigan's version of our very own Eli "Paperboy" Reed, and like Reed's ghosting to New York earlier this year, Hawthorne left behind his home base and sauntered off to Los Angeles. Fame awaits. Taking "inspiration from the music of (his) local heroes such as Smokey Robinson and the legendary songwriting and production trio of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, and Eddie Holland Jr." According to recordstore.co.uk, Hawthorne continues the soul-fed trend of revitalizing retro sounds and making them modern, not unlike Black Joe Lewis. Also on the bill are Bad Rabbits, the hip-hop fusion troupe who used to be Eclectic Collective, which moonlighted as Slick Rick's backing band and built a cult-like following. Bad Rabbits inject the raw power of Bad Brains into a greater rock and hip-hip jazz hybrid, and Boston is going to hear a lot from these cats (I mean Rabbits) in the very near future. Buff 1 and 14KT will also perform in support.