Wednesday • 6
22nd Annual Funeral for Ol’ Man Winter
Fun for all
Before succumbing to spring fever, take time to send off Ol’ Man Winter with a proper goodbye, and good riddance. This week, Wayne State University students and staffers will stage a send-up funeral procession to kiss off cold weather, accompanied by the Dixieland sounds of WSU jazz students and led by a “Monster-Truck Hearse.” The 22-year-old tradition is a good, goofy way to ring in the new season. Procession will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the North Residence Hall (off Anthony Wayne Drive) and will end outside of the Circa 1890 Saloon, 5474 Cass Ave., Detroit.
Friday • 8
Southpaw
MUSIC
While many local beer lovers know John Linardos as the proprietor of the Motor City Brewing Works, they may not know that the brewer — a one-time partner in Detroit’s now-legendary Ghetto Recordings — is also a man who loves to rock out. His new band, Southpaw, is a wily new-wave concoction in which the Monkees meet the Animals. The band plays its first show at the 2500 Club, 2500 Park Ave., Detroit; 313-962-9077. Troy Gregory and the Stepsisters, and Dabenport also perform.
Saturday-Sunday
9-10
Ann Arbor
Family Days
FUN FOR ALL
After nine years, Arbor Family Days have become a tradition for residents of the college town. Hosted by nine cultural organizations, this low-cost event promises a variety of activities for the entire clan. Highlights for 2005 include a performance by the Arabic Music Ensemble, a performance group of 8- to 10-year-olds (at the Ann Arbor District Library, 345 S. Fifth St.; 734-327-4200) and two Super Science Shows (at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, 220 E. Ann St.; 734-995-5437). For other activities, locations and the full schedule, visit annarbor.org/familydays.
Sunday • 10
Songs of the Sufi Brotherhood
MUSIC
If there’s one medium that bridges the many philosophical and theological gaps of the world, it’s music. Sufism, for example, is a mystic tradition of Islam, and its music is uniquely beautiful. This week, Rizwan-Muazza Qawwali from Pakistan and Hassan Hakmoun from Morocco represent two Sufi traditions and together will be joined by Hamza El Din, an oud player who has collaborated with an eclectic array of artists, including the Grateful Dead and the Kronos Quartet. At 4 p.m. at Rackham Auditorium, 915 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor. Call 734-764-2538 for more information.
Saturday-Sunday • 9-10
Mr. B’s Blues & Boogie Piano Celebration
MUSIC
Why spend the weekend listening to regular ol’ jazz when you can soak in two full days of savvy, nimble-fingered boogie-woogie? The jaunty music comes to Ann Arbor for the Ark’s Annual Blues & Boogie Piano Celebration. A2 fave Mr. B., along with Bob Seeley — one of the genre’s most famous players (Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are huge fans) — will perform with former Detroiter Johnny O’Neal (who recently portrayed Art Tatum in the movie Ray) and many others. At 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-761-1451.
Saturday • 9
Community Teach-In on Iraq
ISSUES & LEARNING
Royal Oak native Tom Hayden is famous for drafting the Port Huron Statement, an expression of New Left idealism. He was a co-founder of the progressive political organization Students for a Democratic Society and over the years has been at the center of many civil rights and anti-war movements. This week, the former California assemblyman will be the keynote speaker at the Community Teach-In on Iraq. Panels include “Iraq and the Consequences for the U.S.: Can We Afford It?” and “After 9/11, After Invading Iraq: What Should the U.S. Policy Be?” At 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 26998 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak; 248-548-7370.
Monday • 11
National Library Week
COMMUNITY
Step away from the television set, step away. It’s National Library Week, and the folks at the Detroit Public Library want you to know you’re missing out. It’s official, the library isn’t for bookworms anymore: This year’s theme is “Something for Everyone @ Your Library.” Book clubs, computer workshops, festivals and children’s activities are standard fare these days. DPL’s main branch is located at 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-4000. Or visit Friends of Libraries
at folusa.org.
Ongoing
Community Theatre Association of Michigan Playwriting Contest
LITERATURE
So maybe your life isn’t as sordid and exciting as Tennessee Williams’ or Lillian Hellman’s, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have what it takes to write a theatrical masterpiece. If you’re a struggling playwright looking for that first break, think about entering the Community Theatre Association of Michigan Playwriting Contest. It’s open to residents of Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio; the deadline is May 15, 2005. Send your script to CTAM Playwriting Contest, c/o Mary Lou Britton, 22323 Cedar St., St. Clair Shores 48081, or visit communitytheatre.org.
Ongoing
Surfing the Century: Twentieth-Century Art
art
Called the century of “isms,” the 1900s were a glorious time for exploration and groundbreaking experimentation in art. From fauvism and cubism to futurism and surrealism, the University of Michigan Museum of Art’s new exhibit, Surfing the Century: Twentieth-Century Art, includes about 100 works from such artists as Pablo Picasso, Hans Arp, Roy Lichtenstein and many others. This is the last chance to see these works before the completion of a museum expansion, which is expected to last until 2008. 525 South State St., Ann Arbor; 734-764-0364. Ends May 15.
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