Cover Story
Detroit Stars in Low Winter Sun
When seeking out a long-term relationship, wisdom has held that you do your research up front and, to his credit, Chris Mundy did just that. The Hollywood producer chose not to simply accept the national storylines and stereotypes about Detroit as fact. He came to experience the city for himself. Man, did he ever. Last…
City Slang: Weekly music review roundup
Remember – if you send it, it will get reviewed. That’s the City Slang promise. It doesn’t matter what genre the music is – as long as it has a Metro Detroit connection, it’ll get in. Preferably, we’d like to concentrate on new releases but, while we’re getting warmed up here, feel free to send…
Changes to medical marijuana law kick in
As changes to Michigan’s medical marijuana law kicked in on Monday, the overriding question is: How will the Legislature’s alterations to the law passed by voters in 2008 affect patients? The answer it: We’re not completely sure. As with a lot of things related to the state’s medical marijuana law, these new changes could take…
City Slang: The Flaks and Empire! Empire combine for Royal Oak show
Four Michigan bands – Birmingham’s the Flaks, Fenton’s Empire! Empire!, Clawson’s Trotsky and Grand Rapids’ This is the Year – will play a show with two Philadelphia bands, Glocca Morra and Luther, at the Genesis Church (South Hall), 309 N. Main St., Royal Oak. The show starts at 7 p.m., and they say, “No drugs,…
City Slang: New Luddites album and show
The self-proclaimed “noisiest acoustic band on Earth”, the Luddites, will celebrate the release of new album Twisted In on Saturday, April 13 at the Lager House. Brooklyn francophone rockers, Les Sans Culottes, open the show. According to a statement, “The Luddites are an 11 piece folk orchestra that redefines the image of acoustic music. The…
Third Man Records Singles Roundup
In the past month or so, Third Man Records released a bunch of singles, some of them part of the continuing Blue Series- where bands passing though Nashville are invited to record a single at Third Man headquarters, to be produced by guitar virtuoso and label owner, Jack White. Two of the new singles are…
City Slang: Jamaican Queens at Trinosophes
Detroit duo the Jamaican Queens will play Trinosophes on Friday, April 12, in support of their Wormfood album. According to the band’s camp, “The band is on a spring tour through SXSW in support of Wormfood, which was just deeemed “The Coolest Debut Album of 2013” by The L Magazine. Ryan Spencer and Adam Pressley…
Film Review: G.I. Joe: Retaliation
G.I. Joe: Retaliation| D+ Welcome to Wayne LaPierre’s cinematic wet dream! Since the 1980s, Hollywood has had a serious hard-on for military hardware and gadgetry, depicting an ever-growing idolization for the implements of war. Which is what you get when you let 14-year-old boys dictate the content of your blockbuster season. Make no mistake,…
City Slang: Crud at the Ritz
Industrial rockers Crud plays a show that the band are tagging “Spring Freak” at the Ritz in Warren on Friday, April 19. Doors are at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. According to the press release, “Crud’s “Spring Freak” promises to be a night of thrilling live entertainment.…
Film Review: The Host
The Host | C+ Having thoroughly exploited all the pathos possible in human-werewolf-vampire love triangle scenarios, Twilight author and empire builder Stephanie Meyer set her sights on another shopworn genre in which to inject her brand of swooning teenage angst: the alien invasion. Meyers’ latest potential franchise, The Host presents an Earth already conquered by…
Federal lawsuit challenging EM law is filed
Standing on the steps of Detroit’s federal courthouse, the Rev. Al Sharpton on Thursday announced that, in addition to the filing of a complaint challenging the constitutionality of Michigan’s new emergency manager law, the measure will also be vigorously opposed in the streets. Sharpton, head of the National Action Network civil rights group, pledged that…
Silent Lions premier “Terrible Days” video
Here’s a fresh spin on zombie culture. Toledo’s sludge-funk trouncing murk-pop grooving duo Silent Lions’ premiered a music video at last night’s show (down in their hometown, just an hour south and over the river from MT HQ) and it’s a dazzlingly/hauntingly lit ethereal collage of starkly shadowed, angular and claustrophobic early German Expressionism with…
City Slang: Tucos at the Dodge
On Friday, March 29, Jeremy Porter & the Tucos will play the New Dodge Lounge in Hamtramck in support of the new Partner in Crime album. Also on the bill is the Ryan Dillaha Band and Oak Bones. Doors are at 9 pm and cover is just $5. Ages 18 and over are welcome to…
Saturday Selections: Folk Fest ~~ Rap Show
It’s Wednesday and that likely means we’re each already thinking about the weekend. For the folk-singers or for the rappers… For the psychedelic twangers or for the breakbeat rhymers… For the acoustic plucked balladeers and/or the turntable-(er, CD-J)-taut thesaurus leafing EmCees… There’s A FOLK FEST …and A RAP SHOW – Both on Saturday night. …
Film Review: Beware of Mr. Baker
Beware of Mr. Baker| B+ A gifted malcontent with a thunderous soul built for percussion and driven by his own relentless personal metronome, Ginger Baker treated the whole world as if it were just another drum kit to be pounded into submission. This ultimate rock ’n’ roll badass is best known as the fierce…
Food Stuff
Side Dish No beef with that! — One interesting discussion that resulted from our Best of Detroit issue concerned Bread Basket Deli. We had heard a rumor that the local mini-chain sold more corned beef than any other retailer in the state. It had the ring of truth. Their website says, after all, they…
Film Review: Beyond the Hills
Beyond the Hills| A- The films of Romanian writer-director Cristian Mungiu are not for cinematic sissies. They are stark, undemonstrative and emotionally devastating. For anyone who saw his Palme d’Or-winning 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, it’s very clear that his deceptively simple work — characterized by long takes and sparse exchanges —…
Virgin bro
Q: My brother is 22 years old and mentally ill with social anxiety on the scale of agoraphobia (officially diagnosed). He’s made significant progress in the past few years, but he’s stuck on the fact that he’s a virgin and is convinced that he’s not going to make any real social progress until that’s no…
Do it again
From the outside, the choices made by musicians can appear baffling. Take Anthony Gentile, formerly of the Jehovah’s Witness Protection Program. That duo worked its four collective butt cheeks off for years, scrapping and scratching its way up the local underground rock ladder. Just as it appeared they were catching the eye of people outside…
Letters to the Editor
I read with great interest the March 20 article “Facing emergency management,” and I agree with Jack Lessenberry’s closing statement: “Let’s start saving Detroit” as it comes under the emergency financial manager (EFM), Kevyn Orr. Detroit can ill-afford to continue along the road it’s on or to continue “to kick the can down the road.”…
Lovers’ feasts
$=$5-$10; $$=$10-$25; $$$=$25-$50; $$$$=$50+ Amadeus Cafe & Patisserie 122 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor; 734-665-8767; $$$: Amadeus is a unique restaurant designed after the Old World cafés of Vienna. A variety of traditional dishes from Central Europe are offered, as well as desserts and a unique list of wines and beers. Enjoy candlelit dinners…
Cannabinoids and Cancer
I got a good bit of reaction to my last piece on cannabis and cancer, so I want follow up on it before moving on to other subjects. Obviously, many folks out there are suffering and seeking relief, but I don’t want to peddle false hope; there is already too much of that going on.…
The Real Stolen Government
Detroit now has an emergency manager, and there’s a lot of rumbling that, as a result, government has been stolen, and democracy has died. Greg Bowens, for example, had an eloquent column arguing that in the Free Press last Sunday. “A bloodless coup of the largest democratically elected government in our state has occurred,” he…
Giving the EM a fist? Or just the finger?
How big will the backlash grow to be, and will it be enough to make any difference? That is the question we were preoccupied with on Monday as attorney Kevyn Orr assumed control of the city of Detroit. An unelected emergency financial manager — who becomes, through the magic of lame-duck legislation, an emergency manager…
Tokyo Sushi and Thai
Tokyo Sushi and Thai 1225 Woodward Heights, Ferndale 248-336-9370 haveasushiday.com Handicap accessible Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday. Local restaurant chain Tokyo Sushi, with established locations in Auburn Hills, Commerce Township, Oxford and Royal Oak, has recently decided to try its luck in Ferndale. With a young and…
City Slang: John Sinclair at UM-Dearborn
Poet, activist and former MC5 manager John Sinclair will appear at the University of Michigan – Dearborn on Thursday, April 4 for two events. According to a press release, “From noon-1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, 2013, Sinclair will perform live with His Blues Scholars in Kochoff Hall A, inside the UM-D University Center (UC). Later,…
