the infatuations

 

The Infatuations is a “Detroit Block

 Party.” The Motor City starts coming

 out of your speakers the second the

 first note hits.  These guys celebrate

 every sonic movement that is

“Detroit” by combining the pop-suss

 of Motown soul, the sheer

 in-your-face bravado of Parliament

 Funkadelic, and the raw, untamed

 energy of Detroit rock ’n’ roll. The

 results are undeniably spectacular.

 

The Infatuations was formed

 by Christian Draheim and Marco

 Lowe as an acoustic cover duo in

 2009 with the aim of bringing in a

 few dollars and writing some songs

 together.

 

“Our first gig was January 9th”

Draheim says. “Marco invited J.T.

Lee to come out and sit in during

the show on percussion playing the

 Cuban Cajon. I literally met J.T. for

 the first time and a couple of

minutes later we were playing

our first gig together.

 

The boys felt that they were tapping

 into something special and, by April

 2009, they had a name, the start of

 a band and their first EP, January

 Sessions, available to the public. In

 addition to Draheim (guitar), Lowe

(vocals) and Lee (drums), the

original lineup featured Aaron

Julison of Kid Rock’s Twisted Brown

 Trucker Band on bass. After 2.5

years of searching and playing with

 a rotating cast of talented Detroit

 musicians, the lineup was complete

 featuring Draheim, vocalist Caleb

 Gutierrez, guitarist Chris Polite,

 bassist The Wolf, drummer/

percussionist Robert Myers, and

 guitarist Nick Behnan. Co-founder

 Marco Lowe is currently involved

 behind the scenes, working

side-by-side with Draheim in a

role he loves as a songwriter,

producer and on development of

 The Infatuations overall.

 

“While we were recording January

 Sessions, Marco always joked that

 he was a rock singer at heart”, says

 Draheim. “We wanted to find a

dynamic, soul inspired vocalist that

 possesses the power of Levi

Stubbs, and the smoothness and

 range of Stevie Wonder with a little

bit of Tyner grit. I was at an open

 mic night when I heard Caleb for

the first time. Caleb, started wailing

 away singing “Crazy” by Gnarls

Barkley and everyone in the room,

 stunned, turned to watch and

listen. Caleb soon joined The

 Infatuations as frontman.”

 

Since that day, Gutierrez has sung

 the National Anthem for the Detroit

 Tigers at Comerica Park as a part of

 the Latin-themed ¡Fiesta Tigres! day

 in 2012 and 2013 and several

Michigan Hispanic Chamber of

 Commerce events.  Gutierrez – and

 the rest of The Infatuations – are

strong believers in their local

community, and participate

 through song in regional festivals

 and benefit events frequently such

 as the 2013 Winter Classic Alumni

Game at Comerica Park, Arts, Beats

 & Eats, D.I.Y. Fest, Mid Point Musical

 Festival, Detroit River Days with

 George Clinton & the P-Funk All

 Stars, Campus Martius 4th Fridays

 with the Family Stone and the

 Wailer’s, the Motown Macdown a

 fund raiser for local charity Justin’s

 Vision, the Mitch Albom S.A.Y.

 Radioathon and were a part of the

 Holy Cross Children’s Services 2013

 CD compilation “A Michigan

Christmas for Hope”. The

Infatuations’ pure Detroit brand of

funk-Motown-rock–dance party gets

 festival audiences in particular

dancing in the sun since there’s

 something of everyone’s teenage

 record collection in the jams.

 

The music that The Infatuations

make is infectious. It has a way of

 getting under your skin. The hooks

 have the swagger, the flowing

sexual energy, to seduce their

audience like a hot girl on the wrong

 side of town. That is why the band

is so aptly named – because it

doesn’t simply have “fans” like other

 bands. Its followers are genuinely

 infatuated with the music.

Everybody that listens to the

 Infatuations is basically having a

love affair with the members. It’s

 intimate. It means something. It

 feels really good.

 

The band is currently working on

 their first full length release due out

 in spring of 2014 and has thus far

 released the five-track January

 Sessions EP in 2009, the “Blame It

 On You” single in February 2012,

 Recorded Live in Front of a Studio

 Audience” live EP that same month

and the video and single for

“Yesterday Morning” on

Thanksgiving Day 2013. Those

recording as well as countless

stellar live performances have led

 to The Infatuations receiving an

Emmy Award nomination in 2012 for

 the “Blame It On You” music video.

The Infatuations has won the

Vitamin Water People’s Choice

Award two years in a row (2011 &

 2012) as a part of the Detroit Music

 Awards. In 2013, The Infatuations

 received 2 Detroit Music Awards,

 Outstanding Urban/Funk/Hip Hop

 Recording & Outstanding

Urban/Funk Artist/Group, and out

of 12,000 bands were Detroit Finalist

 and Top 25 Global Finalist in the

2013 Hard Rock Rising Global Battle

of the Bands.

 

The Infatuations are one of the best

 dance rock bands, dance

 bands and rock bands to have

come out of Detroit in recent years,

and in this town that means a hell

of a lot.

 

Quotes:

Metro Times – “The Infatuations:

One of Detroit’s Hottest Bands. This

 is not your father’s Motown. It is

new music with a hint of the oldie.”

 

Real Detroit Weekly – “The

 Infatuations are like a can full of

disco-funk, Motown soul and Detroit

 rock. Yet another very Motor

City-sounding band well worth

checking out.”

 

City Beat/MPMP Guide – “Put on

your sexy pants, Cincinnati — The

 Infatuations have come to seduce

you. From funky, rockin’ ragers to

super-sensual slow burners, these

 Motor City men know how to make

 a wide range of good music.”

 

Metro Times – “The Infatuations’

 January Sessions (Acid Groove)

sounds like the sort of music that

Justin Timberlake wishes he had

the balls to make. In other words, this

 is fun and dance-able white-boy

disco-soul. “Dancin’ On My Knees”,

in particular, is a great tune.”