16 FRI-18 SUN • FUN FOR ALL African World Festival — One of Detroit’s most cherished summer festivals, the African World Festival comes to Hart Plaza (at the foot of Woodward, Detroit) to celebrate the African diaspora, from crafts to cuisine, from history to culture. Headliners include Moroccan rocker Hassan Hakmoun (Saturday at 10 p.m.), reggae star Frankie Paul (Sunday at 10), not to mention hustle lessons (Friday at 6) and a step show competition (Saturday at 2). Call 313-494-5824 for info. Or check out www.maah-detroit.org.
16 FRI • LITURATURE Thurston Moore Poetry Reading Bookbeat — Maybe it’s just an effort to "coadunate" the two most pretentious subsets of pop culture on Earth, but as soon as you start into Thurston Moore’s slangy, nonnarrative language-based poems, it becomes clear that the Sonic Youth frontman has about as much clout in the world of poetics as the Chicago Bears have in the world of rap (remember the "Superbowl Shuffle"?). With bandmate and fellow "author" Lee Renaldo, the Sonic Youthfuls will read at Bookbeat (26010 Greenfield, Oak Park. Call 248-968-1190) before their performance at the Royal Oak Theatre (318 W. Fourth, Royal Oak. Call 248-544-7949). They’re going to need a Tootsie-Roll dancing William "The Refrigerator" Perry not to get upstaged by opener Brendan Benson.
16 FRI • MUSIC Twinemen — The surviving members of Morphine, Billy Conway and Dana Colley, did everything right. After the death of friend and frontman Mark Sandman, the duo intuitively began again — adding Laurie Sargent (member of Orchestra Morphine), and spending months recording and releasing a mesmerizing self-titled debut on their own upstart label, Hi-N-Dry. Though the band doubtlessly gives tributary nods to the formidable work of Sandman with pocket-conscious drums and soulful, simple tenor saxophone lines, Sargent’s vocal element and explorations into light trip-hop, soul and groove-heavy rock make Twinemen every bit as progressive and emotionally filling as Morphine ever was. At the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward, Detroit. Call 313-833-9700 for information.
17 SAT • MUSIC Peelander-Z — Describing themselves as "Japanese Noodle Samurai Punk," the trio of Peelander-Z combines two great traditions of zany Japanese noise rock and ever-popular rock ’n’ wrestling. Opening for the Electric Six (former Wild Bunch) at the Magic Stick (4120 Woodward, Detroit. Call 313-833-9700), your checklist for the night should include furious noise punk, Mexican wrestling masks, ably executed drop-kicks and a lot of flying choco-panda candies. What’ll these crazy kids think of next?
17 SAT • COMMUNITY Skullfest — Sure, a whole day of music from some of Detroit’s finest fist-waving power-punk bands might not immediately bring thoughts of brotherly love to mind, but in the case of Skullfest, the bottom line is all about peace, love and understanding. The festival at Salt River Park (Lenox Township, north of 27 Mile Road on Gratiot. E-mail [email protected] for information), will host local punk giants such as The Amino Acids, The Dead Heroes, The Bitter Pills and many more in an effort to raise funds for the Care House of Mt. Clemens for Child Abuse. For a mere $10 you get to enjoy a day in the park, the summer’s best BYOB punk picnic and the satisfaction of contributing to a good cause without having to take off your studded bracelet. The show is open to all ages, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
17 SAT • MUSIC Detroit Music Festival — With performances by Musiq, Soulchild, Mary J. Blige, George Clinton, and the P Funk All Stars and Ja Rule, the Detroit Music Festival is the summer’s hottest ticket for fans of major hip hop, R&B and funk acts. The event begins at 5:30 in Comerica Park, located at 2100 Woodward, Detroit. Call 313-471-BALL for information.
