Cover Story
Movement
In his book “Techno Rebels,” which chronicles the birth of techno, late author Dan Sicko wrote that Detroit “was a far cry from the teenage Utopias portrayed in 1980’s films like Pretty in Pink and John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” There were no neon discos or youth halls — instead, the youth of the…
City Slang: Sweet Crystal prepare for Callahans
Christian hard rock band Sweet Crystal will play Callahan’s in Auburn Hills on June 14. Doors are at 6.30 p.m., music starts at 8. Cover is $12 advance or $15 at the door. According to a press release, “In unprecedented style, Christian rock band SWEET CRYSTAL made it a “clean sweep” at the 22nd Annual…
It girl makes awkward look graceful in the delightful Frances Ha
Frances Ha Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver Director: Noah Baumbach Rated: R Run Time: Grade A- Golden haired, lovely and perpetually frazzled, Greta Gerwig is the current darling of indie cinema, first conquering the zero budget boho world of “Mumblecore” then moving into the slightly higher profile art house fare of notable director’s…
City Slang: Battlecross to play Mayhem Fest with Rob Zombie and more
Detroit metal band Battlecross will play the 6th Annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival across North America this summer. This tour hits the DTE Energy Music Theater (or Pine Knob) on July 28. The bill features Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Mastodon, Machine Head, Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth, the Butcher Babies, Job For…
City Slang: Jill Jack to Perform at the Music Foundation May fundraiser
Local singer/songwriter Jill Jack will perform on May 31 as part of the Music Foundation: LIVE at The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music series. According to a press release, “Jack will perform at the 1109 S. Washington Ave. location in Royal Oak. Monthly shows in the LIVE at The Detroit School of Rock…
New Electro Jams for June: Deastro, Dakota Bones
It’s MOVEMENT weekend here in Detroit. Happy Memorial Day. I’m playing back some of the newest electro-(and not so electro-)based music released by Detroit artists this week. Starting with the formidable newness from Deastro: Clear Keep…. Clicks. Pulse. Beats. A thrum of fuzz; a scramble of synths. Melody strangled under wiry, caustic layers of exquisite…
City Slang: New DJ Clay mixtape
Psychopathic Records’ DJ Clay will release a mixtape on June 4 called World Upside Down. The label is describing the release as the perfect soundtrack for a planet gone mad. According to the press release, “Featuring exclusive news tracks from Insane Clown Posse, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Anybody Killa and Kottonmouth Kings, A World Upside…
Film Review: The Hangover Part III
The Hangover Part III| Grade D Traditionally, the third installment of any hit film franchise tends to be a bit lackluster, but this thoroughly listless, unimaginative and crass sequel is so dire, so laugh-free, that at moments you can almost hear the sound of absurdly large checks being deposited into the cast’s ample bank…
Film Review: Fast And Furious 6
Fast And Furious 6 | B- It was pretty much given that the plot to Fast And Furious 6 was going to be stupid. This is, after all, junk food cinema; but did it have to be this stupid? Not only does the on-the-nose dialog have the effect of listening to your idiot cousin…
City Slang: Black Dahlia Murder live clip
The Black Dahlia Murder have posted a live clip of the song “Moonlight Equilibrium”, recorded in Columbus, OH, in November of last year. The video can be seen here. According to the press release, “Fans can watch Trevor Strnad, Brian Eschbach, Ryan Knight, Max Lavelle, and Alan Cassidy perform “Moonlight Equilibrium” on youtube. There are…
City Slang: LA loves Louder Than Love
Louder Than Love, the documentary movie about the Grande Ballroom, will be the feature documentary at a June 8 screening at the New Film Makers Festival presented by the NFMLA. More information can be found here. Apparently, “NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) is a non-profit organization designed to showcase innovative works by emerging filmmakers from around…
Barrow Swings at Duggan
Barrow Detroit mayoral candidate Tom Barrow is claiming that opponent Mike Duggan’s name should be kept off the August primary ballot because Duggan failed to meet the one-year residency requirement mandated by the City Charter. Barrow made the allegation in a complaint filed with Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey on May 20. Attorney Melvin “Butch”…
News Hits
The rabble-rousers from Detroit Eviction Defense were looking forward to showing federal officials firsthand the devastation caused by home foreclosures in the city. Uprooted families and destroyed neighborhoods would be used to convey the message in a way abstract statistics simply can’t. At least, that was the plan when the activists, with the aid of…
Why are all my windows tiny?
Q: When I open a new window it appears in half size. So, each time I have to enlarge to see it. This happened suddenly. How can I change it back so I can see each window in regular size every time I open them? I’m running Windows Vista, and it seems to happen on…
Feedback
Our May 15 News Hits column [“The Orr-acle Speaks!” May 15, 2013, Vol. 33, Issue No. 31]— which looks Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr’s initial report on Detroit’s fiscal condition — prompted Dallas to post this response: I think you’re being unnecessarily harsh on Orr. It’s difficult to deny that the public sector in Detroit…
Daft Punk
If the ultimate dance album of the mainstream music world could ever be conceived, it would doubtlessly come from the minds behind Daft Punk. By Jove, we thinks they’ve got it. Its cast of collaborators includes ’70’s icons disco/synth-pop pioneer Giorgio Moroder and breezy-dance-pop craftsman Paul Williams, along with contemporary R&B crooners like Pharrell, ambient-experimentalists…
Food Stuff
FOOD THOUGHT Scandinavian Classic Desserts by Pat Sinclair Pelican Publishing, $16.95 From candy bars to cookies to cakes and crumbles, it’s easy to satisfy a sweet tooth. However, sometimes we need something special, something different, perhaps unfamiliar. Pat Sinclair’s Scandinavian Classic Desserts is chock-full of striking photos that will coax you to duplicate such…
Steam Dreaming
As a subgenre, a movement, a fashion statement, steampunk has worn a dozen garments and none of them fit exactly the same. Depending on how you squint at it, or how the light strikes it, steampunk has chameleonic elements, with a reach extending to literature, music, graphic novels, comics, costuming — almost anything can be…
The Epic Career of Screenwriter Dan Shere
In 1999, Michigan native and U-M grad Dan Shere co-wrote a short film with his good friend Joe Nussbaum. At the time, the two had no idea their 8-minute parody, George Lucas In Love, would be at the forefront of a cultural trend. Passed around Hollywood studios as a calling card, their movie went viral…
Here are our staff picks for this weekend’s best shows.
Moby Moby used to play in a hardcore punk band called the Vatican Commandos, and then a post-punk band called AWOL. That all seems a long way away from the vegan, skinny DJ and producer we know and love today — the man who has had more songs appear on TV advertisements that any character…
Fabulous Fare
Anita’s Kitchen 22651 Woodward Ave.; 248-548-0680; anitaskitchenonline.com; $$: Salads, veggie-intensive appetizers, pita pizzas, kebabs or shawarma, lamb chops, shanks and kibbeh dazzle the palate. The bar serves beer, wine, juice, smoothies and wine and craft brews. In warm weather, a large, covered outdoor dining area allows outside dining. Blue Nile 545 W. Nine Mile Rd.;…
Gracie See Pizzeria
Gracie See Pizzeria 6889 Greenfield Rd., Detroit 313-581-8070 Pizzas: $6.99-$29.99 Entrées: $6.99-$19.99 Open noon-11 p.m. Sunday, 3-11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Tuesday. Parking in the blacktop lot, and entering the low-slung, wood paneled, kitsch-clogged interior, the visitor to Gracie See will most certainly be transported back to the…
Politucs & Prejudices
Some weeks ago, before the Democrats managed to push former Battle Creek Congressman Mark Schauer into running against Rick Snyder, I complained on the radio that Democrats really didn’t have a candidate for governor next year. Later that day, I got a call from a term-limited Democratic state representative. “What you said wasn’t true,” she…
It’s Grown-Up Time
Sometimes it’s easy to forget who you are. That’s not just a lyric opening a deep track from ADULT.’s first album in six years, its something the duo came to perceive all too well as they took time to recharge and refocus their artistic endeavors. The renowned post-techno tweaking duo returns to MOVEMENT this weekend;…
Burned, but not Burned Out
I approached Mulenga Harangua from behind as he stood in the lot next to the charred hulk of the “Obstruction of Justice House” at Detroit’s Heidelberg Project. He raised his hands to his face and I heard a blues riff slash out from his harmonica. The sound was like a spear zipping through the air…
Savage Love
Q: Twenty-one-year-old female here. When we were both 14, my first boyfriend took advantage of me. I wanted to explore my sexuality a little, but things went further than I wanted. One day, we were kissing with him on top of me. We were both fully clothed, and he started rubbing up against me.…
Film Review: In the House
In the House | B Francois Ozon (Swimming Pool, Potiche) is no stranger to dark drama or ribald farce. But few of his frantic films have found a good balance between those two instincts, too often tipping their hand deliberately in one direction or the other. With In the House, the French filmmaker has…
Film Review: The Iceman
The Iceman | C+ The fundamental problem with most biopics — even biopics about sociopathic killers — is that they remain tethered to a this-then-that chronology, tracing a predictable rise-then-fall narrative. From Ray to Walk the Line to J. Edgar and scores of others, these actor showpieces tend to boast Oscar-worthy central performances but…
Jaga Jazzist
Norway’s award-winning jazz group, Jaga Jazzist is out with an exciting new album: “Jaga Jazzist Live with Britten Sinfonia”; this is Jaga Jazzist’s sixth album release to date and is the first to feature them performing with an orchestra. This union was the result of British radio DJ Fiona Talkington introducing the band to the…
Sports
When a writer works for an alternative media outlet such as this rag, we have plenty of opportunity to be biting, caustic, satirical and droll; excited from time to time and disgusted in-between. However, every now and again something lands on our desks to which the only appropriate response is sit back, catch a breath…
Law & Order: Detroit
“There’s a new chief in town,” James Craig said during one of the stops on his whirlwind media tour after being appointed by Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr as Detroit’s newest top cop. Given that police departments are organized along paramilitary lines, self-assurance is no doubt an important quality for a chief to possess. When lives…
Saunderson and Son
When Kevin Saunderson, along with his Belleville, Mich. buddies Derrick May and Juan Atkins all but invented the genre of techno music in the mid-’80s, the idea that he might be one of the most respected electronic musicians in the world — that he’d be one of the main attractions at a Detroit festival attracting…
City Slang: Audra Kubat birthday party
Audra Kubat will celebrate her 40th birthday on Friday, June 7 at the Tangent Gallery/Hastings Street Ballroom from 8 p.m. According to a press release, “The event is a kick-off fundraiser for the recording and release of her sixth studio album, due out this Fall. She will be showcasing new songs from her forthcoming record,…
Deemable Tech: What Is a Podcast?
Hey Ray & Tom, I have a question. What is a podcast? I listen to your show all the time on the website, and you keep saying to subscribe to the podcast. I hear other public radio shows talk about getting their podcast on the web too, but what is a podcast, and how do…
