Cover Story
How Asian carp could soon take over the Great Lakes — and how they could be stopped
Reprinted from The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan. Copyright 2017 by Dan Egan. With permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. This selection may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means without the prior written…
Don’t miss MadeinTYO and Big Sean at the Fox on Saturday
MadeinTYO is blowing up for a reason. In anticipation of his show this Saturday, April 1 at the Fox Theatre as part of Big Sean’s ‘I Decided’ tour, we spoke with the young artist about his life, the universe, and everything. Tickets are still available, but don’t sleep on on of the shows of the year,…
Show preview: Sean Blackman’s In Transit at the Garden Theater this Thursday
The Sounds of Brazil fused with a Detroit Jazz Backline by Larry King DATE: Thursday, March 30th WHERE: The Garden Theater, 3929 Woodward Ave, Midtown Detroit, MI 48201 TIME: Show starts at 8 p.m. COST IN ADVANCE: Table seating – $30, General Admission – $20. COST AT DOOR: Table seating – $35, General Admission –…
There’s probably a logical explanation for this kangaroo on a leash in Detroit
Updated 5:59 p.m., March 28: There is a logical explanation! According to MLive, the kangaroo belongs to Exotic Zoo, a traveling educational animal show that was visiting a local birthday party. Originally posted 10:12 a.m.: A viral tweet originally posted yesterday shows a video of a man in what appears to be Detroit’s University District walking (umm,…
‘Meat-themed up north-style’ restaurant planned for Midtown
Great news for all the lovers of northern Michigan meats – a meaty restaurant dedicated to up north’s beasts is in the works. It’s a new concept that’s being floated by Jon Carlson, who, among other restaurants/breweries, owns Grizzly Peak and Jolly Pumpkin, plans a “meat-themed up north-style destination restaurant” Crain’s reports that the restaurant…
Detroit police blame the war on drugs for high dog-killing rates
Detroit police are blaming the high number of dogs killed by its officers on the city’s war on drugs, according to a recent segment by WDIV. The city has some of the highest rates of dog shootings by police, and lawsuits are costing the city thousands of dollars. But Assistant Chief James White defended the killing…
Danny Brown was the rapper that got Dave Chapelle ridiculously high in Detroit
There has been a ton of talk on Dave Chappelle’s newest standup specials on Netflix. Some are calling his jokes tired and lame, while others think that he may be a little too out of touch. But one question still remains after watching his special: who was the rapper that got Dave too high to…
‘Mr. Belvedere’ dead at 95
Local media have reported that Maurice Lezell, known to metro Detroit TV viewers as “Mr. Belvedere,” has died at the age of 95. Chances are that you’re somewhere north of 40 years old if you remember the TV spots, in which Lezell’s eyes bored straight into the camera as he promised, “We do good work.”…
April 15 ‘Tax March’ protests call on Trump to release his tax returns
On Saturday, April 15 — the Saturday before our taxes are due — protestors are marching in cities across the country to demand President Donald Trump releases his tax returns. Trump is the first U.S. president to not release his tax returns since Richard “I am not a crook” Nixon. Why? We have no idea.…
First Look: Inside southeast Michigan’s new (and only) Guatemalan bakery
(See 14 photos of Panaderia La Bendicion’s pastries here.) Though Ypsilanti’s Mexican and Central American population isn’t nearly as large as that a half hour east in Southwest Detroit, its small community of restaurants is producing dishes that can stand up to anything made by its nearby neighbors. Joining their ranks is Panadería La Bendición, southeast…
The 20 worst city mottos in the Detroit area
Is there anything in this smartphone-hypnotized, let-me-Google-that-for-you world that’s as quaint and possibly outdated as a motto? When you can get the complete stats for anything, anyplace, and anyone with a few finger taps, isn’t it sort of pointless to try distilling down an identity to a few words? And with declining levels of confidence…
New Jolly Pumpkin planned for Bastone spot in Royal Oak
Jolly Pumpkin will expand with a new Royal Oak location sometime this summer. According to a press release, the spot will occupy the space at 419 S. Main St., the current home of Bastone and Vinotecca Wine Bar. Meanwhile, Bastone will move to current Monk Beer Abbey space located on 5th Street. Jolly Pumpkin Royal Oak is expected…
Wilco to kick off U.S. tour at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
Chicago band Wilco will kick off a string of U.S. dates on Wednesday, June 7 with a performance at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 31 at 10 a.m. at livenation.com. A fan presale begins Wednesday, March 29 at 10 a.m. Wilco’s 10th studio album, the cheekily named Schmilco, was released in September 2016. Here’s the video…
Wayne County landfill to get radioactive material
According to a newsletter from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, radioactive material will be shipped to Wayne County for disposal in a landfill. This month, a newsletter for the USACE’s district office in Buffalo outlined the details of a plan to clean up radioactive material from a former Brush Beryllium site near Luckey, Ohio. Contaminated…
Detroit poet calls out Dave Chappelle’s jokes about Flint and Detroit
While it was pretty funny to find out that Dave Chappelle bombed in Detroit a few years ago because he got too stoned, his jokes about the lives of Detroiters and the Flint Water Crisis are not setting well with some. In particular, Detroit poet Casey Lynne Rocheteau published a lengthy response to Chappelle’s new…
Canada to legalize marijuana by 2018, according to reports
Looks like Windsor is about to experience a population boom. According to reports from CBC News and Bloomberg, Canadian Prime Minister and smarmy babe Justin Trudeau will introduce legislation to legalize marijuana by July 2018 — just a little more than a year from now. The reports have not been substantiated by government statements, but…
Feds raid home and office of Sen. Bert Johnson
The Michigan State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation have executed search warrants at the Highland Park home and Lansing office of state Senator Bert Johnson, according to an MSP spokesman. The warrants are connected to an ongoing joint investigation of the Democrat, who represents the state’s 2nd senate district that includes part of Detroit…
VIDEO: Detroit history in 15 minutes
Ready for your Monday morning history lesson? In just under 15 minutes, this video posted by Bravura Media Company tells the story of Detroit’s beginnings (including the fact that prior to being founded as Detroit in 1701, it was inhabited by three different tribes of Native Americans. THAT’S IMPORTANT, PEOPLE). The video and concise history…
In praise of the tacos al pastor at Southwest Detroit’s El Parian taco truck
There are so many ways that tacos al pastor seem to go wrong. The meat is cooked into dried crumbles. They’re a mouth full of straight fat. They’re grease bombs. The flavor is thin. The texture is rubbery. The tortilla could be used to refinish furniture. That’s why you need to seek out the tacos…
Aaron Foley leaves post as BLAC editor to work for mayor’s office
Beloved BLAC editor, How to Live in Detroit without Being a Jackass author, and avid complainer Aaron Foley announced yesterday he would be leaving his position in a Facebook post. The gentry were shocked and saddened (just read the comments), but Foley left no clue of what his next venture would be, saying “I’m not…
Dutch students raising money to give Detroit home sustainable rehab
Late last year, we wrote about three Dutch architecture students who spent a holiday in Detroit in 2015. It had a definite impact on them. They were impressed. They were inspired by the way the city’s residents contended with faulty infrastructure, unresponsive government, disinvested neighborhoods, emergency management, water shutoffs, and tax foreclosures. In fact, it…
Chase the Nain Rouge out of Detroit this Sunday at the Marche du Nain Rouge
Like the vernal equinox, the Marche du Nain Rouge has become a herald of springtime in Detroit: Locals gather in the Cass Corridor, clad in red and black disguises, and chase the folkloric Detroit villain the Nain Rouge (“Red Dwarf”) out of town. Of course, half the fun of the parade is the pro-Nain contingency,…
Have the ‘time of your life’ seeing ‘Dirty Dancing’ the musical
We know what you’re thinking: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner!” But, c’mon, this show has so much more to offer than this seriously iconic quote. Those things include: sexy dancing, tight pants, the tickle scene, more sexy dancing, singing, and I think that’s about it. For all its inherent corniness, the show is a…
North End Urban Farm will convert a fire-ravaged house into a cistern and outdoor community space
Remember when we reported that the nation’s first urban agrihood was being installed in Detroit’s North End? Well, things are well on their way and the folks behind the revolutionary urban farm just announced another facet that will help the two-acre farm be even more sustainable. The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) announced today that…
These metro Detroit bars will have fresh Oberon on Monday
Doing my undergrad in Kalamazoo at WMU automatically turned me into an Oberon aficionado. The beer is practically sacred in town and Oberon Day is Kalamazoo’s equivalent of Christmas Day. I even had a professor cancel class on Oberon Day so we could all enjoy one of the first signs of Summer’s return. In metro…
Just announced: Sir Richard Bishop at El Club in May
Is it cool if I quote myself from right here? OK, cool. Sir Richard Bishop is a tall, gregarious, and naturally curious dude with little time for bullshit. He’s also one of the greatest guitarists alive, and has been for some time. Bishop has a natural and deep grasp of dozens of styles and genres,…
Flint Eastwood and Tunde Olaniran have a new song together and we can’t stop listening
There is nothing better to start your TGIF than an unexpected, yet totally amazing new single from Flint Eastwood and Tunde Olaniran. The song is called “Push” and we are only slightly obsessed. You can listen to the song above. Olaniran spits fire on a verse, and Jax Anderson of Flint Eastwood croons verse-to-verse behind…
Michigan artists to look for on Record Store Day: Danny Brown, Iggy Pop, Madonna, and more
Record Store Day, an annual celebration of independent record stores, put up the new list this week with a handful of Detroit and Michigan natives present. RSD is an excuse for vinyl nerds to wait in line outside record stores for hours in hopes of there still being copies left of what they want. Not…
Belle Isle officials want input on the future of the Grand Prix and more private events
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ charge when it comes to taking care of Belle Isle couldn’t be more clear. According to a DNR press release sent out last week, its role as steward of the island park is to “protect and preserve Belle Isle Park’s natural and cultural resources, and to provide access to…
PBS CEO Paula Kerger to speak in Detroit today about Trump’s proposed budget cuts
Following President Donald Trump’s proposed funding cuts to the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, PBS CEO Paula Kerger will speak at the Detroit Economic Club today in support of public media. The event will be streamed live online by Detroit Public Television. According to a press release, Kerger will discuss how PBS, often referred to as “America’s Largest Classroom,”…
The couple behind Detroit’s Brother Nature Produce profiled in new book
It’s not often we flip through the books publishers send our way and find a person we already know. And yet that’s what happened this winter. It’s all in a book by a guy named Mark Sundeen called The Unsettlers: In Search of the Good Life in Today’s America. Unless you’re among the four or…
Get your Greek on this Sunday at the Greek Independence Day parade
Greektown will be a-buzzing with pride this weekend for the 16th annual Greek Independence Day parade. The parade is on Sunday, but Saturday is a gala to raise funds at the Detroit Athletic Club for the Hellenic Museum of Michigan. The parade committee encouraged locals of Hellenic heritage to build floats, march, and participate in…
Stephen Colbert dragged Kid Rock through the coals during hilarious segment
In case you’ve been trying to block any Kid Rock-related news from your eyes (we don’t blame you, honestly) he has launched his very own “American Badass” grill and is being floated to run for Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s seat in 2018. So yeah, we’re just as confused as you are. Of course, Kid Rock’s grill…
When the apocalypse happens everyone will move to Michigan, according to Popular Science
OK, so this may not actually happen because of an apocalypse, but the warning signs of climate change sure as hell sound apocalyptic. Popular Science, a longtime publication dedicated to everything scientific, produced a video illustrating where the most desirable place to live in the year 2100. Turns out, Michigan will be a hot commodity…
MLive lists the weirdest place in every Michigan county — Here’s the winners for Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne
MLive does a lot of things really well. But, we’re not sure we have the same sense when it comes to what makes something “weird” or “unusual.” Of course, we grew up taking school field trips to the Heidelberg Project, so it’s possible that our radar for strange needs realignment. Anyway, the local online news…
Wayne County has nation’s No. 2 largest population decline, according to new census data
The U.S. Census Bureau released its 2016 population estimates today. According to the report, Wayne County had the second-highest population loss in the county, with a loss of 7,696. (Illinois’ Cook County, home of Chicago, had a loss of 21,324.) It wasn’t all doom and gloom in Michigan, however. Washtenaw County grew by 3,862 residents. Oakland County added 3,696. Macomb County grew…
A new bar arcade is in the works near Greektown
Nerds rejoice! A bar arcade is in the works for the Globe Tobacco Building at 407 E. Fort St. near Greektown. What’s planned sounds like something different than what one will find anywhere else in town. Eater reports that the establishment, called Ready Player One, will hold around 40 machines, with 10 pinball tables and…
Heidelberg Project HQ to move, with an art sale this weekend
While artist Tyree Guyton’s infamous Heidelberg Project is located on Detroit’s east side, for the past eight years his nonprofit’s administrative offices (as well as his studio and personal residence) has been located in Midtown. This month, the artist will move his headquarters to the Heidelberg Project. And before the move, Guyton is hosting an open studio…
This food truck’s illustration of Michigan is so awful that it’s actually amazing
When we saw this photo on Reddit of a food truck with a horribly-rendered map of Michigan blasted across its side we couldn’t help but chuckle. Of course, a million follow-up questions came to light: Who painted this map? Were they drunk when they did it? Did they even look at a map of Michigan…
Under Michigan’s college funding model, Wayne State students wind up paying more
Giovanni Calandrino can be heard furiously typing at his desk as he takes my call on a Friday afternoon and asks me to hold for a moment so he can wrap up what he’s doing and step away. The 27-year-old is a busy guy, and I’m lucky to get in touch with him; as a…
Dave Chappelle blames ‘strong reefer’ for poor 2015 Detroit performance
Embed from Getty Images On April 23, 2015, comedian Dave Chappelle was booed during a performance at the Filmore in Detroit for apparently being drunk on stage. In The Age of Spin, a new stand-up comedy special released this week on Netflix, Chappelle reveals what actually happened that night. He wasn’t drunk. He was high. “If you…
Flint man pleads guilty for returning $10,000 worth of non-returnables
On Monday a 70-year-old Flint man pled guilty to returning more than $10,000 worth of non-returnable bottles and cans acquired out of state, according to the office of Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette. The scheme — which is basically lifted from an episode of Seinfeld — lasted from 2012 to 2015. The man bought uncrushed non-returnable cans in…
Mo Pop reveals 2017 lineup and it’s stellar
Mo Pop Music Festival has revealed it’s 2017 lineup. The annual festival will take place in the West Riverfront Park for the third year in a row July 29-30. This year’s excellent lineup is stacked from top to bottom that features headliners Alt-J, Foster the People, Run The Jewels, and Solange. Eek! Other notable acts…
Higher Ground: The Tao of pot
When I was young the idea of taking communion was a pretty big deal. It was a key part of the Christian faith my family reared me in. I’m not sure what I expected … but I believed that something was supposed to happen when I partook of the consecrated bread. After all, a part…
Horoscopes (March 22-28)
ARIES (March 21- April 20): Nothing is written in stone. You’ve turned this into a permanent thing without realizing that it is as subject to change as anything else. If you haven’t lived long enough to know that nothing lasts forever the next few weeks will hold that lesson. On some level it looks like…
19 things to do and where to do them in metro Detroit this week (March 22-28)
Wed, 3/22-Sun, 3/26 The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin @ Meadow Brook Theatre What happens when you go to prison for a white-collar crime only to find your family has pieced together a life without you upon your return home? The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin seeks to find out. The plot follows Durnin as…
Savage Love: Curious minds
I recently spoke at Curious Minds Weekend in Toronto at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Audience members submitted questions on cards before the show — anonymously — but the moderator (Lisan Jutras of the Globe and Mail) and I were having so much fun talking with each other that we didn’t get to many…
Politics & Prejudices: Why people support Trump
Donald Trump is tearing up long-established policies, destroying environmental protections and economic safeguards, shredding the social safety net, and is attempting to build a bigger and much more aggressive military. If you don’t think these things will affect your life and wallet — mostly not in a good way — you’ll see, soon enough. True,…
A taste of five restaurants in northwest Detroit’s small but mighty Jamaican community
(See 12 photos from Detroit’s Jamaican restaurants here.) Though Detroit doesn’t hold the sizable population of Jamaican transplants that you’ll find in New York City or Toronto, the northwest part of town is where to go to taste intensely piquant dishes redolent of allspice and garlic; thyme and scallion; scotch bonnet and ginger; and all…
Review: Fat Salmon Sushi is on a roll
There’s nothing not to like at Fat Salmon Sushi, save lack of a liquor license (note the beer cooler at EuroMart next door, which closes at 6). Owner Jea Lim brings affordable raw fish to the masses, who were filling the place up within a month of his Feb. 9 opening. On a recent Saturday…
Why you need to see Dwight Twilley’s intimate set at UFO Factory
Dwight Twilley is still on fire all these years later; it’s just that now, with decades of experience in the music industry behind him and his own home studio to hole up in, he’s in charge of the controlled burn. You probably know him from the Dwight Twilley Band hit “I’m on Fire,” released in…
