LOCAL TIDBITS: SCIENCE ROCKS, FRANK EXITS & MORE STOOGES...
by: Bill Holdship on 3/17/2010
Just a reminder that Wonder Twin Laura Witkowski is the brains behind yet another "Science Rocks" extravaganza -- the second one, actually -- tomorrow night, March 18th, at the Detroit Science Center. The local musical faves appearing include Silverghost, the Prime Ministers, Darling Imperial a ... [MORE]

IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE 'JAZZ,' DON'T CALL COPS AT MOCAD
by: W. Kim Heron on 3/16/2010
ROVA Saxophone Quartet plays Detroit for the first time on Friday (hey, they’ve only been around since the late 1970s), which gives us an excuse to write about the bizarre contretemps involving ROVA saxophonist Larry Ochs, a disgruntled fan and Spanish police late last year. According to an account ... [MORE]

IGGY POP: BEST. SPEECH. EVER!
by: Bill Holdship on 3/16/2010
I just spent several hours on the Internet, searching for Iggy Pop’s entire acceptance speech following the Stooges' induction (finally – “It’s about fucking time!” Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong bellowed at the end of his excellent induction speech) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame l ... [MORE]

LOCAL TIDBITS: WEEKEND SHOWS, UPCOMING RELEASES, WHITE STRIPES, RUNAWAYS & MORE...
by: Bill Holdship on 3/12/2010
A couple of notable shows this weekend to mention: Scott Campbell, leader of the Sillies and co-owner of the legendary Bookie's punk club is hosting another "Bookie's Anniversary Reunion Show," tonight (Friday, March 12th) at the Rack & Roll Club in Riverview (13634 Sibley Rd., 734-283-3100. A f ... [MORE]

IGGY ON JULIEN TEMPLE'S DETROIT FLICK...
by: Bill Holdship on 3/11/2010
To go along with Jeff Meyers' blog item (in B-Roll -- see below) about limey director Julien Temple's upcoming BBC documentary about Detroit and its decline, we thought it worth mentioning that Iggy Pop addressed it in the MT cover story about the Iggy & The Stooges' reunion that ran l ... [MORE]

BING ADMINISTRATION MOVES PRESS OFFICE TO BASEMENT (BUT DON’T TAKE IT WRONG)
by: on 3/17/2010
Even during the most embattled days of the Coleman Young, Dennis Archer and Kwame Kilpatrick administrations, Detroit’s city hall reporters remained housed in offices just outside the mayor’s quarters.That era ends with Dave Bing.The City Hall bureau that is still rented and shared by the dailies an ... [MORE]

PROSECUTOR LISTS STUDENTS AS POTENTIAL WITNESSES
by: Sandra Svoboda on 3/12/2010
Wayne County prosecutors have made an unusual move in a murder case that could be likened to calling defense attorneys to testify against their own clients.Seven University of  Michigan law students and a California journalist who was a U-M fellow are on the witness list submitted by assistant ... [MORE]

ACORN WINS AGAIN IN COURT
by: Curt Guyette on 3/11/2010
The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known as ACORN, scored another victory in court Wednesday when a federal judge in Brooklyn reaffirmed her December decision that congressional efforts to cut off all federal funding of the embattled nonprofit antipoverty group were unconstit ... [MORE]

MATTY GETS SLAPPED BACK; NEW BRIDGE SPAN HITS WALL
by: on 3/2/2010
Big news today regarding the Detroit International Bridge Company and its attempts to build a new span adjacent to its Ambassador Bridge. In a letter dated Wednesday, March 2, the U.S. Coast Guard notified bridge company President Dan Stamper that it is returning the company’s permit application bec ... [MORE]

BOBB REPORT: DETROIT SCHOOLS STILL IN CRISIS
by: on 2/24/2010
Within the next few months, the emergency financial manager of Detroit Public Schools said on Wednesday, there will be announcements about new school design, new teaching strategies, more investigations and updates about the troubled district’s finances.“Let’s make no mistake about it. This is a sch ... [MORE]

AN ENGLISHMAN IN DETROIT
by: Jeff Meyers on 3/11/2010
Julian Temple is a British filmmaker who's made most of his career worshiping at the rock and roll altar, and who could forget his debut, the Sex Pistols' whacked The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. There was a brief and, arguably, successful foray into musical feature filmmaking (Absolute Beginners, E ... [MORE]

ART-DAMAGED
by: Corey Hall on 2/5/2010
Untitled Adam Goldberg, Marley Shelton, Vinnie Jones.Directed; by  Johnathan Parker Rated: R     Run Time: 96 Grade B+Untitled is a diamond-sharp and unsparing satire of pompous, New York gallery culture, so sharp in fact, it’s in constant danger of slicing clean through ... [MORE]

ANOTHER CRITIC, ANOTHER LIST....
by: Jeff Meyers on 12/21/2009
I guess I'm one of those haters Corey's talking about because while I found Up In The Air fine in a Jerry Maquire sort of way, I think it's a pretty superficial film that wants to pretend it actually has something to say. For me, the top films of this year were the ones that'll probably be forgotten ... [MORE]

BRITTANY MURPHY ESSENTIALS
by: Brian Smith on 12/21/2009
Two Brittany film essentials that went unnoticed: It’s a tragedy that Brittany Murphy’s dead. Maybe not only because she was young and beautiful and had a suitcase pimp of a hubby, but because she was a mighty skilled actress, a fact that’ll likely be overshadowed by her ditzy film personas. See, ... [MORE]

AND MY NOMINEES ARE...
by: Corey Hall on 12/11/2009
The Detroit Film Critics Society, of which I am a proud member, has announced its nominations for 2009, and just like the group, it's pretty eclectic. The full list can be found elsewhere, but just for giggles, I've included my personal picks, many of which made the final list, and some that didn't. ... [MORE]

ELMORE LEONARD NEW TV SHOW!
by: Jim McFarlin on 3/15/2010
There is a theory in TV criticdom that one can usually tell how high a network's expectations are for a new series by how much money they've sunk into its press kit. The media guide for Justified, the Old West saga for the 21st century premiering at 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 16 on FX, is gorgeous: mute ... [MORE]

FIGHTER PILOT AND THE MONK
by: on 2/26/2010
Did you hear the one about the fighter pilot and the monk?If that sounds like the beginning of a joke, think again! We just got an announcement for a speaking engagement featuring those unlikely bedfellows.In this case, it’s a talk about staying fearless in a tough economy, featuring ordained monk M ... [MORE]

PRIZE TO LUST FOR IN MT POLL
by: W. Kim Heron on 2/19/2010
And the winner of our Live and Lust Poll III drawing is ... 27-year-old Annika, who told us she looks for hands in a man, small waist-to-big ass ratio in a woman, who wold like two guys at once, and who advises (for long-term relationship mojo maintenance): "Make sure sex is on your list of things t ... [MORE]

BENEFIT FOR MICK VRANICH ON SATURDAY
by: on 2/19/2010
Those who know Mick Vranich, whether through his Word Band, his books of poetry, his spoken word performances, or through the private gallery space he runs with his wife Sherry Hendrick, know he is a kind and gentle person who's not easily forgotten. But now is an especially important time to rememb ... [MORE]

KSM TERROR TRIAL IN THE D?
by: Michael Jackman on 2/11/2010
Recently, New York City declined $200 million in federal funds for hosting the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other alleged 9/11 terrorists, citing the traffic jams and other hassles it would bring. We can understand Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s reluctance to green light it, even with the generous ... [MORE]

A BETTER-LATE-THAN-NEVER REFLECTION FROM BLOWOUT INTERN BILL
by: Maria Stella on 3/8/2010
Intern Bill is back and still can't get over the set at the New Dodge Friday night. Here's what he had to say:It started out like just another Friday night at Blowout. We got a chuckle about how a bunch of fools skipped on their gig the night before due to their bad attitude; we ran, harder than Thu ... [MORE]

WHAT I LEARNED FROM BLOWOUT 2010
by: Scott Bragg on 3/8/2010
In terms of a final (and late) report, I thought I'd share what I learned at Blowout this year: From Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr I learned that great musicians in Detroit can turn the cover song into an art form all its own.I also learned from Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr that the sound at the Magic Stick can actu ... [MORE]

SO...ABOUT THAT MARCHING BAND LAST NIGHT
by: Scott Bragg on 3/7/2010
So, you may have been hanging out at Small's last night sipping a drink in the bar room waiting for the next band to start, or may have been hugging a wall in the hallway of the Gates of Columbus when, out of nowhere, you see...a marching band?Not part of the Blowout schedule or planned by Metro Tim ... [MORE]

ANYBODY ELSE'S FEET FEEL LIKE BLOODY STUMPS?
by: Eve Knepp on 3/7/2010
SATURDAY NIGHT: MILLIONS OF BRAZILIANS AT GATES OF COLUMBUS HALL. ... [MORE]

SATURDAY RECAP: MAKE YOUR TRANSITION
by: Carleton S. Gholz on 3/7/2010
DTR-001 and U.R.'s "Transition"After congratulating the Detroit Threads massive on their first 12-inch release, buying the 7-inch accapella [sic] of Underground Resistance 's classic Transition, and congratulating Terri "Whodat" McQueen on her new business cards (new record shop, Ya Digg, coming soo ... [MORE]