Cover Story
Remembering the funky, out-of-this-world life of Detroit’s Amp Fiddler
Back in the day, orbiting above the Detroit skies, the Motown Satellite showered the city in soul music. Everyone in the Motor City bopped to the beat of Young America. But eventually, the Motown Satellite sailed off to another solar system, leaving hundreds of wannabe soul children in its wake. After years of dutifully imitating…
Detroit’s UFO Factory is not dead, actually
We’re sorry for scaring you with our reporting that the UFO Factory is closing. We were wrong. Well, sort of. The popular Corktown bar and music venue will instead be reopening with a new owner and name but will mostly keep its lovable essence. Roula David, the owner of Detroit nightclub, art gallery, and record…
Four Tops singer sues Detroit hospital for racial discrimination, mistreatment
The lead singer of the Four Tops filed a federal lawsuit against a metro Detroit hospital and two staff members Monday, saying they falsely labeled him as “mentally ill” and restrained him because they didn’t believe he was a member of the Motown group. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges that Alexander Morris…
With James Beard win, Clawson Chef Hajime Sato proves Midwest sushi’s greatness
A metro Detroit chef won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes, and we’re proud. Chef Hajime Sato, owner of Clawson’s Sozai, was honored with the prestigious title at the annual awards ceremony on Monday night, marking the first time ever a sushi restaurant has received the award in this category and the…
Chief judge in Inkster makes nearly $169K a year but won’t pay her water bills
Sabrina L. Johnson, who makes nearly $169,000 a year as the chief judge for the 22nd District Court in Inkster, owes $2,500 in delinquent water bills, according to records obtained by Metro Times. It’s unclear why Johnson is so far behind on her bills, especially since she makes more than four times the average salary…
You could be the diamond of the season at this Bridgerton-themed ball coming to Detroit
If you’re a fan of period pieces (or you’re just horny), you’ve probably watched the popular Netflix series Bridgerton and are anxiously waiting for the second half of Season 3 to be released on Thursday. Soon, however, you’ll have the chance to experience a night of Regency-era royalty for yourself at “Bridgerton Ball: The Queen’s…
Lapointe: What timing! New Lions book looks at past, present
Two summers ago, I lunched with author Bill Morris in Lower Manhattan at a place called “Paul’s Da Burger Joint.” Although long a resident of New York City, Morris grew up in suburban Detroit and never forgot his roots. Among them is to root, root, root for the Detroit Lions, and Morris told me then…
AUDIO: Mayor Sheldon Neeley accused powerful Mott Foundation of pulling strings that caused Flint water crisis
In a recorded conversation, obtained by Detroit Metro Times and reported at length in my upcoming book, We the Poisoned: Exposing the Flint Water Cover Up and the Poisoning of 100,000 Americans (available for pre-order now), then-Flint mayoral candidate Sheldon Neeley, unaware he was being recorded, told me that the Mott Foundation — a powerful…
Detroit’s Baobab Fare is among finalists for upcoming James Beard Award
This year’s James Beard Awards ceremony is happening on Monday and Detroit’’s popular East African restaurant Baobab Fare is in the running. The prestigious event will recognize chefs and restaurants across 22 categories, showcasing a diverse array of cuisines and expertise. Among the most anticipated categories are Outstanding Restaurateur, Outstanding Chef, and Best Restaurant. Baobab…
How Michigan Central’s all-star concert came together
On Thursday, some of the biggest names in music came together to help Ford Motor Co. unveil Michigan Central, Detroit’s grand former train station which it spent nearly $1 billion rehabbing for its new corporate campus. Even before the acts were announced, interest in the free concert was so great that it crashed Michigan Central’s…
Warren Democrat aims to unseat scandal-plagued Macomb County Prosecutor Lucido
Christina Hines is fed up with the never-ending scandals from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, and she’s determined to do something about it. The Warren Democrat, who spent nearly a decade as a professional prosecutor in Wayne and Washtenaw counties, is aiming to unseat Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido in the general election in November.…
‘SKALAR’ light and sound show draws inspiration from Detroit techno
You must see SKALAR for yourself to truly experience its magic. The large-scale immersive art installation, created by German light artist Christopher Bauder in collaboration with electronic music producer Kangding Ray, merges movable mirrors with reflective light and dynamic audio to evoke a range of emotions in the viewer. The dark space and hazy atmosphere…
‘American Pickers’ is coming to Michigan this summer
American Pickers is hitting the road this summer, and plans on stopping in Michigan. The popular History Channel antiques show is looking for local collectors to possibly feature on the show when it visits in August. “We’re looking for leads throughout the state, specifically interesting characters with fascinating items!” says Anthony Rodriguez, a producer with…
Michigan Central Station is hosting 10 more days of entertainment, art, and exhibitions
If you missed Michigan Central Station’s surreal star-studded concert of Detroit icons on Thursday, you still have plenty of opportunities to experience local art and entertainment at the historic landmark over the next 10 days. After a six-year restoration by Ford Motor Company costing nearly $1 billion, the train station is officially opening its doors…
Afro Nation Detroit is here to stay
The world’s largest Afrobeats festival is returning to Detroit for its second consecutive year this summer. As the only U.S. date for Afro Nation in 2024, many fans of the event are asking: why Detroit? Since it launched in 2019 in Portugal, Afro Nation has been on a mission to amplify Afrobeats music on a…
Palestinian-American group calls vandalism on Jewish regent’s law office ‘deeply hurtful’
A long-standing and prominent Palestinian-American organization in Michigan denounced “deeply hurtful and offensive” graffiti scrawled across the Southfield law firm of a Jewish member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents. In an open letter to Jordan Acker of the Goodman Acker law firm on Wednesday, leaders from the American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine…
Detroit gearing up for ‘The World’s Wildest Hair Party’
Detroit is known for many things, but most people might not know that the Motor City is also considered by some to be the Hair Capital of the World. Starting at Detroit nightclubs in the 1980s, local stylists have been showcasing wild and out-of-this-world hair creations at events around the city dubbed “Hair Wars.” What…
‘None of us saw this coming’: Michigan confronts bird flu in cows
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between IPR and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization. Laurie Stanek shovels hay in front of a group of young, black and white Holstein cows. “We’re out here at 5 o’clock every morning to get started feeding the babies,” she said. In a nearby barn, she points…
Hudson’s Place is now serving artisan pizzas and gelato in Bloomfield Hills
Hudson’s Place is now open at the southwest corner of Long Lake and Telegraph, offering artisan pizzas, pastas, gelato, coffee, and more. It’s owned by husband-and-wife team Amanda and Tom Quni, who say they only use the highest-quality ingredients and claim the restaurant is among the first in Michigan to source the imported Italian flour…
The poetry in Benny Ciccarelli’s Italian sausages
Folks — it’s grillin’ season in metro Detroit, which means one can almost hear the sound of Italian sausage sizzlin’ in the background. For the most part, Italian sausages are one of those dishes people purchase at the meat counter at Whole Foods or Kroger, or prepackaged. The broad public view seems to be that…
Detroit Dye House opens on Avenue of Fashion
Tie-dye shop Detroit Dye House has expanded with a second location. The new store is located at 18981 Livernois Ave. on Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion. It celebrates its grand opening from noon-4 p.m. on Sunday. Attendees are invited to create their own piece of dyed art during an open tie-dye session, and the store’s studio…
Detroit’s Brightmoor neighborhood welcomes Abbott Resource Center Coop to tackle food insecurity
In Detroit’s Brightmoor neighborhood, the struggle with food insecurity, heightened by very few local grocery stores with healthy options, poverty, and transportation challenges, is a harsh reality for many families. Now, a new food and wellness cooperative is offering hope. With a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony set for this Saturday, June 8, the…
House of Dank Set to Open 11th Retail Location in Kalamazoo, Michigan
KALAMAZOO, Michigan – House of Dank is gearing up to launch its latest recreational cannabis retail store, on June 14th, in Kalamazoo. Operating daily from 9am to 10pm, this store invites adults 21 and over with a valid photo ID to enjoy an exceptional cannabis shopping experience. Situated at 1986 S Sprinkle Rd, MI 48906,…
Activists mobilize to raise money for federal lawsuit challenging Hamtramck’s Pride flag ban
LGBTQ+ activists are raising money to help support a federal lawsuit challenging the city of Hamtramck’s Pride flag ban on the grounds that it violates free speech rights and numerous other state and federal laws. The GoFundMe campaign seeks to raise at least $10,000 to assist in paying for the growing costs of the lawsuit,…
Opinion: Detroit police struggle to adjust to legalized weed
Police love the scent of marijuana. If they detect the odor during traffic stops in jurisdictions where cannabis is illegal, they can search the vehicle and seize any cash they find. They can even take the car. Once the government has possession, it can start civil forfeiture, a law enforcement maneuver that allows agencies to…
Free Will Astrology (June 5-11)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): What potentials should you strive to ripen as the expansive planet Jupiter glides through your astrological House of Connection, Communication, and Education in the coming months? I’ll offer my intuitions. On the downside, there may be risks of talking carelessly, forging superficial links, and learning inessential lessons. On the plus side,…
