19 WED • MUSIC NOMO — While touring with their band, Saturday Looks Good to Me, saxophonist Elliot Bergman and poetic songwriter Fred Thomas found themselves hitting the rewind button on the van’s tape deck a lot. Enraptured by the Afro-beat sounds of Fela throughout the duration of their tour, by the time they made it back home, it was decided that they should start their very own Afro-beat outfit. Enter NOMO, an Afro-beat band that touts membership of several SLGTM players and, as Thomas describes, “lots of horns and percussion … short of string sections and played to the hilt.” Word on the street is that NOMO is one of the best live shows to catch this spring. See Saturday Looks Good to Me, NOMO and Terror at the Opera at the Magic Stick (4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit), call 313-833-9700 for more information. Wednesday, May 19; doors at 8 p.m. MT photo/Doug Coombe.
21 FRI • FUNDRAISER Bravo!Bravo! — Celebrating the tastes, sounds and spirit of the Motor City, the Detroit Opera House is holding its fifth annual Bravo!Bravo! gala event. Featuring the cool breezy fun of an outdoor tent, live music courtesy of jazz man Dezie McCuller, Robert Sander and others, spinners (Liz Copeland and DJ Powderblue), and a bacchanalia of delicious offerings from local restaurants and several silent auctions, this elegant fundraiser is as laudable as it is fun. The Detroit Opera House is located at 1526 Broadway, Detroit; call 313-237-SING for more information.
21-22 FRI-SAT • MUSIC/ART Slow Artist Event —Slow’s BBQ is the working name of this soon-to-be-open ghetto gourmet, pulled-pork sandwich joint in Corktown. So the place isn’t up and running yet, but restaurateur/art aficionado Philip Cooley isn’t letting his newly remodeled building sit idle. This weekend, Cooley will host Slow Artist Event, a snapshot exploration into the squealing underbelly that is visual art and electronic noise-scapes. Friday will kick off with an art opening from 7-10 p.m., followed by a performance from Marsona, the California band that pioneered the absurdist “renis movement” of the late ’90s. Saturday finds a repeat Marsona performance with special guests Goudron and Perspects. Featured artists include Mark Kelly and more. Visit Slow’s Gallery before it becomes Slow’s pigpen (2134 Michigan Ave., Detroit).
22 SAT • MUSIC Detroit Hip-Hop Summit —To the cheers of many of last year’s Hip-Hop Summit attendees, mogul-cum-icon-cum-hip-hop-figurehead Russell Simmons announced “George Bush and Colin Powell are very powerful people, but they can’t fuck with Puff Daddy and Jay-Z.” When you are talking about today’s urban youth, truer words were never spoken. With love, caring and the true spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood, 2004’s Hip-Hop Summit will feature panel discussions on political activism and its relationship with the music industry, while getting the word out on voter registration and voter turnout in D-town. At the Fox Theatre (2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit), call 248-324-2017 for further information.
22 SAT • ART Visions of Peace — When we are looking for answers about war and peace, sometimes it is best to look into the heart of a child; unsullied by the prejudices caused by life’s inevitable hard knocks, maybe children are one of the world’s last vestiges of hope when it comes to our collective future. The Swords into Plowshares Peace Gallery understands this concept and has commissioned metro area children to create art in the spirit of world peace for an interesting reminder of how precious life just is. See these unique works at the Swords into Plowshares Gallery (33 E. Adams, Detroit). Opening reception is Saturday, May 22, 1-4 p.m. Call 313-963-7575 for further information. Exhibit runs until July 24.
23 SUN • MUSIC Shakuhachi Flute Concert — The exotic sounds and tastes of the East have made their way to Ann Arbor. Michael Gould, teacher and master of the Shakuhachi flute will give a special performance in conjunction with the University of Michigan Museum of Art’s monthly Sekishu-style Japanese tea ceremony. Performed by Tea Master Yoko Watanabe and practitioners Masako Ito and Kyoko Mangyo, this serenely beautiful tradition is a sight to behold. At the UMMA (525 S. State St., Ann Arbor) at 2 and 3 p.m.; call 734-764-0395 for further information. Green Tea and desserts will be served.
Ongoing • ART World War II Sketchbook — In celebration of the dedication of the long-awaited National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., Flatlanders Art Gallery presents World War II Sketchbook, an exhibit by artist and veteran, Russel E. Snyder. Having served in the Army air corps during World War II, Snyder’s works are a vivid detail of the resilient American spirit in the brutal face of war. At the Flatlanders Art Gallery (11993
E. US 223, Blissfield), call 517-486-4591 for
further information.
