DDays: Memorable happenings from 2014

As the year comes to a close, we here at DDays took a few minutes to relive our best, saddest, and most gossipy moments of 2014.

Two Become One

Earlier this year rumors were flying that

Metro Times and rival publication Real Detroit Weekly would be merging. Some believed it while others were skeptical but on May 5 a blog on MT's website confirmed it all. It read, in part: "The Detroit Metro Times, Detroit's award-winning alternative weekly media company, is pleased to announce a new venture. Real Detroit Weekly, a Detroit-based alternative weekly paper since 1999, is merging with Detroit Metro Times today, making it the largest alternative newsweekly in Michigan."

Last month, MT editor Valerie Vande Panne attended the Jewish Community Relations Council's annual luncheon for Detroit media at the Detroit Athletic Club wearing jeans. We note they were nice, stylish jeans, but according to the DAC's dress code, totally against the rules. Despite numerous attempts to get Vande Panne to change into polyester slacks (provided by DAC and meant for a lady a size or two larger and 20 years older) or leave the premises, she was able to stay and listen to the speaker, Rebecca Shimoni-Stoil, the Washington correspondent for The Times of Israel. Also in attendance were The Detroit News' Nolan Finley and James Dickson, WDIV's Devin Scillian, and Fox 2's Huel Perkins, among dozens of other local media luminaries.

If a man's true wealth is measured by the love shown by his friends, then Gary Grimshaw was rich beyond measure. His funeral/tribute at MOCAD in January was nothing less than a flood of warm memories and shared laughter with an impressive array of Detroit talent gathered to offer up a final farewell. Speeches, asides, jokes, and memories came from Charles Greene, Mark Arminski, Carl and Michele Lundgren, Leni Sinclair, Simon Rodriguez, Jerry Lubens, Becky Tyner, Cary Loren, Richard Blondy, Russ Gibb, Johnny Bee Badanjek, Peter Werbe, and Frank Bach.

At first we passed right by him, but Andre 3000 was hanging out in front of the PJ's Lager House in September, sporting paint-stained pants and a dirty beanie. He looked rather disheveled (maybe he was trying to fit in?) but, nonetheless, someone clued us in to his presence. We stepped outside to find the OutKast singer devoid of an entourage, but rather just hanging out with one single friend.

In October we dropped by the Comet Bar in downtown Detroit for the last-ever "Terry-oke," the now lost watering hole's famous karaoke session. Drinks were flowing, and everyone was having a good time. And then, right around the time a pair belted out a beautiful rendition of The Everly Brothers classic "Let It Be Me," it hit us: It really is unfortunate to lose this kind of place. Nestled along the corridor at 128 Henry, Comet was a diverse, welcoming establishment that, likely no matter whom you ask, has always been a good time for patrons. Few places offered as much character.

With mere days left in the campaign in November, one Bob Ritchie (aka Kid Rock) cut a $20,000 check in support of Re-Entry: The Orbit Magazine Anthology, a coffee-table book helmed by metro Detroit native Rob St. Mary that will look at the history of Detroit alt magazines Orbit, Fun, and White Noise. Apparently, Kid Rock hasn't forgotten his modest origins, having been featured in Orbit more than 25 different times throughout the '90s, first appearing in Issue Nine in December 1990. — mt

Got some gossip? Send DDays the word on the street to [email protected].