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Meet the 13 candidates trying to unseat Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
For those who’ve been paying cursory attention to the Detroit mayor’s race, it may seem as if city residents have just two choices in this election: incumbent Mayor Mike Duggan and challenger State Senator Coleman Young Jr., the son of Detroit’s first African-American mayor, Coleman A. Young. Though the two are widely expected to be…
Controversial Detroit landlord Dennis Kefallinos puts properties up for sale
One of Detroit’s most infamous property owners is trying to sell or lease a number of his vacant buildings as the city grows more strict with landlords who don’t have rental properties up to code and charges commercial properties hefty drainage fees based on impervious area. Dennis Kefallinos, who owns the Russell Industrial Center and about…
Michelle Branch heads to the Majestic Theatre, touring her first album in 14 years
Grammy Award-winner, chart-topper, and survivor of the early-2000s flood of emotional pop songstresses, Michelle Branch has come a long way since The Spirit Room, the 2001 release that branded her as a standout. But it’s been a while. Earlier this year Branch released Hopeless Romantic — her first record in 14 years. Recorded with Black…
Six local spots to let your hypebeast flag fly
For those unfamiliar with the term, “hypebeast” is the label used to classify anyone whose uniform consists of a Supreme tee and designer sneakers. If this doesn’t sound like you or anyone you know, you probably aren’t on Instagram much; welcome to the culture. Here’s a list of stores in metro Detroit that are bound…
OABI returns to Belle Isle this weekend
Born just a few years ago, “Once Around Belle Isle” will have stand-up paddleboarders, kayakers, and surf-skiers racing through a 7-mile natural and non-buoyed course around Belle Isle and through the international waters of the Detroit River. This year two-time Olympic medalist Larry Cain will participate in the race, further solidifying the legitimacy of not…
Two water tours show off the natural beauty of the Rouge River this fall
When we heard that the Friends of the Rouge were hosting kayak and canoe trips up the Rouge River this fall, our mind was swirling with questions. Chief among them was: “Are you freakin’ crazy?” After a bit of gracious chuckling, the Friends of the Rouge’s Sally Petrella helps set us straight. “Lots of people…
ICP announces lavish reissue of ‘The Great Milenko’
Good news, family: The LP from ICP that Disney yanked from shelves, sold to Island Records, and then went platinum anyway is going to have a lavish 20-year-anniversary reissue. Psychopathic Records spokespeople say the reissue of The Great Milenko will come out Sept. 1 on Island/UMe records. Juggalos can expect an “expanded 2CD/DVD and digital audio edition”…
Joe Biden tells Detroit to vote Duggan: “No mayor in America has done a better job”
Former vice president and establishment Democrat Joe Biden has given Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan a ringing endorsement in time for today’s mayoral primary in Detroit. In a robocall Chad Livengood of Crain’s says went out to Detroit voters last night, Biden calls Duggan “a very good friend” and says that “no mayor in America has done a better job…
Little Caesars introduces the ‘Pizza Portal’ to select stores
No, the Pizza Portal isn’t a place you go to after you’ve smoked so much weed that you inhale an entire Hot-N-Ready while binge watching endless episodes of Shark Tank on your couch with your roommates and contemplating life, and it sure as hell isn’t the name of a pizzeria/arcade that you would see in…
Katoi announces its re-opening date and a new restaurant
Katoi will fully reopen to the public on Aug. 28, and its owners are planning a new restaurant, the Freep reports The hip Thai-inspired Corktown eatery burned in a February fire and has remained closed since. The Freep also reports that co-owner Phillip Kafka is planning a food and beverage-focused development for the Magnet Radiator Works…
El Club benefit raises $18K for UFO Factory
El Club held a fundraiser for UFO Factory and its employees on Monday night after the Corktown bar and venue was condemned when a construction crew damaged the north side of the building. Related Between donations at the door, people selling merchandise, and bar and food sales, Monday night’s fundraiser raised a whopping $18,000 for…
PuppetART theatre to close its downtown Detroit location of nearly 20 years
PuppetArt Theatre has operated on 25 E. Grand River for almost 20 years, but today it was announced that the quirky performance space is shutting its doors at the end of the month due to the current space “no longer meet[ing] its needs as a growing center for puppetry.” This doesn’t spell the end of the…
Developer that damaged UFO Factory says it will donate $15k to employee relief fund
Updated Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018: The UFO Factory says it did not accept the money on the advice of legal counsel, says it “did not seem appropriate at the time.” Originally posted Monday, Aug. 7, 2017: The developer that caused Corktown’s UFO Factory to shut down due to construction damage says it will donate the…
Indie goddess Angel Olsen headed to Detroit in December
If Angel Olsen hasn’t been on your radar then you seriously need to reconsider your life choices and start listening to this queen and see her when she’s in town on Friday, December 8 at the Majestic Theatre. Angel Olsen’s latest album My Woman was released last year to rave reviews and made Olsen a…
Detroit Vegan Soul’s new location opens on Saturday
Detroit Vegan Soul’s new Grandmont-Rosedale location at 19614 Grand River Ave. in Detroit opens on Saturday. The 1,200-square-foot restaurant will seat 36 customers and its menu will include many of the same items as the original West Village shop. The first 32 guests to arrive on Saturday will receive a ticket to dine-in when the…
Sweetwater Tavern’s chicken wings go mobile with the launch of a food truck
As we recently affirmed in a taste test, Sweetwater Tavern has the city’s best chicken wings. Now they’re even easier to find as the restaurant is preparing its new food truck’s maiden voyage. Sweetwater owner Jeff Cain tells Metro Times he picked up the truck last week and will first roll it out at the…
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken prepares a third location
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken will open a new 1,900-square-foot location on Woodward Avenue near 13 Mile Road in Royal Oak. It’s Gus’s third metro Detroit shop as two stores are already rolling on Third Street in Detroit and in Westland. Crain’s reports that local franchisee Schmaltz Hospitality has applied for a liquor license so it…
Group of mostly black Detroiters takes photo at site of controversial Bedrock ad
On Sunday, about two weeks after Detroit’s largest developer made national headlines for plastering a downtown building with mostly white faces and the words “See Detroit like we do,” a few dozen Detroiters posed for a photo in an effort to more accurately represent the people of the city. This time, the faces at 600…
Sugar House’s Dave Kwiatkowski buys historic Delray bar
For years, the Southwest Detroit neighborhood of Delray has languished under stalled city redevelopment plans, undelivered promises of blight removal, and obscenely long construction delays that effectively marooned the neighborhood in an unreachable pocket between I-75 and the Detroit River. And with the announcement of the plans for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, residents are…
Soil tests at Detroit toxic waste facility are cause for concern
As we noted two years ago, when a neighboring business plans for an expansion, it isn’t always cause for rejoicing. Such is the case with the planned expansion of U.S. Ecology’s toxic waste facility on Georgia Street. The company is hoping Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality will issue them a permit for a tenfold expansion, and…
Mayor Duggan blasts data showing Detroit vacancies on rise
When the Free Press sat down with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan ahead of the Tuesday primary and let him make the case for why he should be re-elected, Duggan reportedly called the notion that more houses in the city are going vacant “absolutely false.” The comment was left on the cutting room floor, and made it onto…
Videos show the real people behind new ‘Detroit’ film
Kathryn Bigelow’s new movie Detroit finally hits theaters today to much excitement. As most of you know, the film follows the uprising and rebellion that took place in Detroit in the summer of 1967 and zeros in on the incident that happened at the Algers Motel. Annapurna Pictures released exclusive interviews and videos of the actual…
Jerry Seinfeld adds one more show at Fox Theatre
Due to an overwhelming demand to see America’s favorite comedian make dad joke after dad joke, Jerry Seinfeld has added a second show for when he is in town performing at the Fox Theatre on Saturday, November 11. Tickets for the newly added 10 p.m. show go on sale next Friday, August 11 at 10…
Old Shillelagh set to reopen Friday following fire
Early on Tuesday morning, Greektown’s Old Shillelagh suffered an electrical fire. Though the fire was was described as “minor” and was extinguished within 15 minutes, it still caused the popular bar to shut down for most of the week. According to a Facebook post, the bar is set to reopen at 6 p.m. Friday night,…
Flint boxer Claressa Shields goes in the ring at MGM Grand Detroit tonight
Flint native Claressa Shields is new to professional boxing, but she’s been in the ring since she first walked into a gym at age 11. She’s a two-time Olympic gold medalist and recently won a Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Award, and those are only a few of the accolades the young boxer has earned in her…
Michigan Renaissance Festival kicks off with huge party this weekend
It’s OK if you have a secret closet where you stash your Renaissance period clothing — we won’t judge you. Here’s your chance to break out the corset and giant pirate hat and cavort with kinsman. The best part? You won’t have to drive all the way out to Holly to do it. This kick-off…
The War and Treaty bring their soulful sounds to Otus Supply
So you’ve never heard of the band The War and Treaty. The soulful duo comprised of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount make Alabama Shakes look like Mumford and Sons. Between Trotter’s incredible backstory (he was an Iraq war veteran who was encamped in one of Saddam Hussein’s secret palaces when he rediscovered his voice)…
Batch Brewing Co. plans a North End expansion
Corktown’s Batch is planning a new brewery/tap room in a North End building previously occupied by an automotive parts distributor. Eater reports that the new space will allow the company to brew sours and ciders while doubling its output to around 2,500 barrels per year, and another 300 to 400 barrels of cider. The production…
Developer and UFO Factory’s contentious relationship raises questions about damage to club
Late Wednesday morning, a construction crew working on the $150 million mixed-use Elton Park development in Corktown damaged the neighboring UFO Factory, a popular rock club and bar. The project’s developer, Soave Enterprises, is building the development on land on three sides of UFO Factory’s property, and an accident during foundation work left the club’s walls cracked…
Twiztid announce comic book, launch their own pop culture convention
Detroit-based rap rock duo Twiztid announced today they will release a comic book they penned during this year’s New York ComicCon. The group have released comic books before, but this is the first that Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric wrote themselves, with some help from well-known comic writer Dirk Manning. The book, which was illustrated by…
Charivari electronic music fest returns this weekend
Are you still coming down from Movement? Yeah, so are we. Back for its fourth year, the Charivari festival returns to celebrate electronic music with more than 50 acts ranging from house, techno, disco, trance, and more over three days overlooking Detroit’s West Riverfront Park. Movement-lite? Maybe. But Charivari has put an emphasis on being…
Unlicensed dogs shot to death are ‘contraband,’ federal judge rules in Detroit case
A federal judge dismissed the case of a Detroit woman who filed a lawsuit against the City of Detroit after police shot and killed her three dogs — ruling that because the dogs were not properly licensed they are contraband, and not protected by the Fourth Amendment. “The Court is aware that this conclusion may not sit well with…
The songstress hoping to be Detroit’s ‘R&B mayor’ just dropped three fire tracks
Detroit once had a “hip-hop mayor” who was nicknamed such for reasons that had nothing to do with music. We all know how that story ended. But on Aug. 8, Detroiters will have a chance to vote for a mayoral candidate with an actual music background in songstress Articia Bomer, who, if elected, could very…
Fastball will continue to depress us at Saint Andrew’s Hall
In 1998, Fastball rocked the Billboard charts with a catchy song that felt like a good time until we learned that the song actually had a really morbid backstory about an elderly couple that disappeared in Texas — and suddenly “The Way” tricked us into happily mouthing the words of a low-key tragedy. Since depressing…
Theatre Bizarre will return for two weekends this October
In 2015, Theatre Bizarre founder John Dunivant told Metro Times that the then 15-year-old Halloween celebration was on its last leg. A cash-strapped Dunivant and a crew of over 100 artists and craftspeople were finding it hard to keep the immersive and macabre festival independent. “Essentially it’s putting me in debt every year,” Dunivant said.…
Rachel Lutz retail empire is expanding, new Peacock Room location planned
Peacock Room owner Rachel Lutz announced today that in addition to Yama, she will also open a flagship location of Peacock Room inside the Fisher Building. The stores are set to open this fall. Lutz’ original Peacock Room location as well as her second business, Frida, currently operate out of the Park Shelton building, located…
Benefit for UFO Factory employees planned at El Club next week
The UFO Factory, a popular music venue and bar in Corktown was severely damaged Wednesday morning by a construction crew working on a nearby $45 million development. Club owner Dion Fischer told MT that the venue is closed until further notice and could possibly be condemned by the city. People in the local music scene…
Sheryl Crow wrote a song about Kid Rock’s Senate run and it’s amazing
While some people are still wondering if Kid Rock is actually going to run for US Senate against Debbie Stabenow, others wonder how Kid Rock’s former duet partner and friend Sheryl Crow is feeling about all of this. Oh man, @SherylCrow must be rolling in her grave right now… pic.twitter.com/o69j53JteC — Tuna Ketchup (@TunaCatsup)…
Construction workers damage Corktown’s UFO Factory, club closed until further notice
A construction crew building the $45 million Elton Park retail and housing development in Corktown has damaged part of the UFO Factory. Dion Fischer, who owns the small rock bar/club that also holds the Laika Dog at 2110 Trumbull Ave., told Metro Times on Wednesday that the venue could be shut down for months, and the city…
Parties, events planned for ‘D-Cyphered’ hip-hop exhibit
D-Cyphered — the Detroit’s Institute of Arts’ new hip-hop photography exhibition — opens to the public on Thursday. The opening reception will feature an appearance by photographer Jenny Risher — along with many of the subjects of her photos, including Nick Speed, who will be on hand for a performance. Tickets are $25 and available…
Why ‘Detroit’ is exploitation
Danielle Eliska Lyle, a Detroit native, returned to the city to attend the premiere of Kathryn Bigelow’s film Detroit. These are her thoughts. While I admire Kathryn Bigelow’s success in the industry and will continue to root for her, I had a hunch the film would be problematic. It was confirmed when the film’s development…
Review: It’s time to try the tasty Dominican plates at Asty Time
(Find more photos of Asty’s dishes here.) Let’s clear this up straightaway: There isn’t a “T” missing from the first letter of “Asty Time.” It’s an easy enough mistake to make on first glance. Asty Acosta is the Dominican eatery’s proprietor, and you get a pretty good idea of what kind of dude he is…
Horoscopes (Aug 2-8)
ARIES (March 21- April 20): You, of all people, are totally aware of how amazing you are. Your gifts are endless, and your ability to hold space for the light, in the middle of the deepest darkness, is your strong suit. For the next few weeks, multiple forces will test your courage and your endless…
Robin Pecknold talks Fleet Foxes’ ‘Crack-Up’
After experiencing immense success as the co-founder and lead singer for Fleet Foxes, Robin Pecknold needed a break. He’d spent years touring with the band’s first releases — Fleet Foxes and Helplessness Blues, respectively — and he needed time to process an intense break up. So, he took some time off — a six-year hiatus…
Belle Isle Art Fair returns for its second year
Mom would be so proud. When Mark Loeb was a kid, he attended the Ann Arbor Art Fair every summer to assist his mother, Judy, an artist and teacher who relocated from Philadelphia with her family to join the faculty at Eastern Michigan University. “My brother and I would hang out at the fair, doing…
What we learned getting drunk with Detroit bartenders in New Orleans
It’s a thousand degrees, or at least it feels that way. The humidity stagnates somewhere between Dagobah and the Everglades. In other words, it’s New Orleans in July. The only thing that would bring a couple dozen of Detroit’s talented bar employees here is the promise of networking, free-flowing booze, and the chance to geek…
Mills Pharmacy and Apothecary makes self-care a cinch
For centuries, humans have attempted, mostly in vain, to formulate products to augment their appearance. And historically speaking, the desperate clutching at youth and beauty has not always proved effective — or even safe. They used to put lead in makeup, after all. Science has delivered us from many of those noisome practices and toxic…
Marijuana is a gateway drug — to get off of others
It was just a few years ago that now 30-year-old epilepsy patient Zahra Abbas tried her first medical marijuana on the advice of her doctor. Abbas suffered seizures almost every day and took four prescription drugs. It didn’t take long for her to notice the difference. “As soon as I started it, within a few…
Savage Love: Crossed dressers
Q: My wife has been seriously ill for three years, and I have been her sole caregiver. The doctors here weren’t getting the job done, so we made the difficult decision for her to move 2,000 miles away to start over and be near her family. Our sex life has been nonexistent since she became…
Michigan lawmakers need to get serious about guns and prisons
There is, in fact, some good news out there; the state prison population, and the violent crime rate, have both been significantly dropping over the past few years. But don’t worry; the idiots in the Michigan legislature want to do something to reverse both trends. The state house of misrepresentatives has passed a law allowing…
