Mike Skill, co-founder of legendary Detroit rock 'n' rollers the Romantics, is returning to his eastside roots to rock the Cadieux Cafe for New Year’s Eve.
Skill, who co-wrote the band’s 1979 smash single "What I Like About You" and plays its signature guitar riff, brings his hard-rockin’ new band to the classic watering hole on Cadieux Road for an intimate performance just blocks away from his old stomping grounds at Finney High.
Skill and the Romantics famously cut their teeth in derelict dives and bygone Detroit bars like the Red Carpet Lounge, just blocks away on East Warren Avenue in the city’s Morningside neighborhood. They proceeded to rock their way onto the national scene in the late ’70s and finally hit the big time in the early ’80s with songs like “Talking in Your Sleep,” “One in a Million,” and “Rock You Up.”
At their peak, Skill and the Romantics played American Bandstand, their music was featured on Soul Train, and as this rag once noted, they were the only Detroit band — the only American rock ’n’ roll band — to hit the charts.
Skill, who makes his home in Oregon these days, brings a hard-rockin' crew to the Cadieux featuring the amazing Brad Elvis on drums, ravishing Ricky Rat on guitar, and the lean, mean rhythm machine Brian McCarty on bass.
“I love the idea that it’s such an intimate show,” says Rat, who also sings and plays guitar for opening act Eastside Still Alive. “Mike just loves to play. He’s got energy like a teenager, and he loves getting back to his roots … Eastside boy comes home.”
The Cadieux Cafe is located at 4300 Cadieux Road. Live music starts at 9 p.m. Champagne toast at midnight. Tickets available via Eventbrite.
