THURSDAY • 5
SHIFTLESS DECAY THURSDAYS
PUNK DOUBLE SHOT
To announce the release of their new compilation, Shiftless Decay: New Sounds of Detroit, with a bit of pomp and circumstance, seminal punk label X! Records is taking over PJ's Lager House every Thursday in February for a night of rampaging Detroit punk rock. Neat! Every week, two bands featured on the disc will play two sets each (no wham-bamthank- you-ma'am of a show here), with the Mahonies and the Frustrations kicking things off this week, followed by Tyvek and the Johnny Ill Band on Feb. 12, Human Eye and Heroes & Villains on Feb. 19, and the Terrible Twos and Fontanas on Feb. 26. And all shows are free — pretty badass, huh? Kinda what old Joe Strummer had in mind all along. At PJ's Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-961-4668.
FRIDAY • 6
THE BODY ECLECTIC ART OPENING
BODIES, REFINED
The Body Eclectic is an annual juried exhibit that pays tribute to the human form in all its diverse, wonderful, and occasionally cringe-inducing manifestations. More than 100 artists entered the competition with two- and three-dimensional works in a variety of media, including photography, clay, metal and more, all capturing the grace of movement and expressiveness of face that equals the taken-for-granted natural miracle that is the human body. From 6 to 9 p.m. at the Lawrence Street Gallery, 22620 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-544-0394; lawrencestreetgallery.com. On display through Feb. 28.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY • 6-8
WINTER BLAST
COLD AS ICE
In its fifth year, Winter Blast continues, albeit in a scaled-down version. The festival has had to freeze out (ba-doom ching!) many of the icy attractions from earlier years (such as the towering 200-foot snow slide), but the ice sculptures, figure skating demonstrations, DEMF preview, live bands and frostbite continues. Performers include Rev. RightTime, HotSauce, Doop & the Inside Outlaws and Universal Temple of Divine Power. At Campus Martius (Woodward and Michigan avenues). Visit winterblast.com.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY • 6-8
THE DIRTY SHOW
BODIES, UNREFINED
The little erotic art show that could is celebrating a decade of titillating metro Detroiters this year, and it's hard to believe that after 10 years of sex, skin and guttertastic "art," the Dirty Show and its wonderfully cockeyed creator Jerry Vile can still keep the jaded masses coming back for more. But come back they do — the lone men in trench coats casting furtive glances, suburbanite soccer moms giggling like schoolgirls, bored and cynical scenesters, the excitable, the world-weary and the pretentious fine art folk — they all show up to see what fresh prurient shocks adorn the walls. And this year promises to be the most scandalous and stimulating yet — dubbed "The Greatest Dirty Show on Earth," it offers more interactive art exhibits (what could that even mean? We shudder at the possibilities!), additional exhibition space, and a bevy of performance artists and troupes from across the country doing their bizarre and exotic thing on three stages throughout the evening. In honor of the milestone anniversary, simultaneous Dirty Show openings will take place around the world, including Zurich, Sydney, Vancouver and Shanghai. If nothing else, The Dirty Show provides a space where pieces with titles such as "Boneriffic" and "Vulvulating" (two works on display this year) can be appreciated (gawked at?) by a much wider audience than usual. For all the lewd, crude and raunchy entertainment, stop by Friday and Saturday 7 p.m.-2 a.m. If quietly contemplating the meaning behind all the T & A is more your style, a special reduced-admission "reflective viewing" is offered Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. At Bert's Warehouse Theatre, 2739 Russell St., Detroit; 313-393-3233; info at dirtyshow.org. Also open 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14.
SATURDAY • 7
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY DAY
CELEBRATE HISTORY, DANGIT!
A celebration of the history of Detroit's African-American community, African American History Day features storyteller Ivory Williams, caricaturist George Ingram, the Peace Baptist Church quilters and an African drum and dance demonstration by Mubarak Hakim. The featured event is "The Descendant Speaks," a talk by Kimberly Simmons whose ancestors escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad. An expanded arts and crafts section will also be featured, and the first 100 attendees will receive a free hot dog (because history and hot dogs go hand-in-hand?). At the Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-1805; detroithistorical.org.
SUNDAY • 8
COLIN HUBBELL MEMORIAL FUNDRAISER
A LITTLE HELP FOR THE D
In memory of Colin Hubbell, a local developer and Detroit booster who passed away in August, a fund has been established to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with seed money in order to help their endeavors grow (and anyone brave enough to start a business in recession-time Detroit deserves something, no?). Grant money will also be available to nonprofits working to build stronger neighborhoods, and grantees will also have access to a mentoring program that will provide advice on marketing, finances and more. The fundraiser includes a silent auction raffle, bowling, live music and a pizza and salad buffet. From 4 to 9 p.m. at the Magic Stick and Garden Bowl, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-7665; majesticdetroit.com; $25. Info on applying for the grant will be available at detroitmidtown.com on April 1.
MONDAY • 9
MI AMI
GOT RHYTHM?
This San Francisco trio is all about deep rhythm, with chaotic, pounding percussion paired with squalling synths and screeching, indecipherable vocals. Alternately tribal and funky, the dubbed-out rhythms are contrasted with ambient and minimalist tones. The overall result is an intense sound that practically drips as much sweat as the kids on the dance floor at Mi Ami's uproarious and throbbing live shows. The overwhelming hyperpercussiveness can be heard on the group's forthcoming debut LP, Watersports, due out Feb.17. In the meantime, experience the aural assault firsthand at 9 p.m. at the Yellow Barn (416 W. Huron St., Ann Arbor) and again on Monday, Feb. 16, at the Crofoot's Pike Room (1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; 248-858-9333).
TUESDAY • 10
SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS
AIN'T NOTHING BUT A GOOD TIME
Semi Precious Weapons is a quartet of gimmicky "glam" rockers from Brooklyn whose party-hardy 'tude is succinctly represented by their unabashedly egotistical and irrepressibly rowdy front man, Justin Tranter, who wails lyrics rife with adolescent posturing such as "It's not my fault this is how my mama made me" and "I can't pay my rent but I'm fucking gorgeous" (a line that now adorns tote bags for the broke and vain). The good-time tunes can be heard on the band's debut full-length, We Love You, and the vampy style can be acquired with just a little help from Tranter, whose jewelry line Fetty is available at an Urban Outfitters near you. Jewelry designer and makeup-wearing frontman? Um, yep. With Von Iva at 8 p.m. at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-7665; majesticdetroit.com; $8 advance, $10 day of show, all ages.
THURSDAY-SUNDAY • 5-8
BLOODY BESS
AN EYE FOR AN EYE = AN EYE PATCH
Bloody Bess: A Tale of Piracy and Revenge, was first produced in the '70s, when swashbuckling pirates weren't yet the subject of Disney movies, and International Talk Like a Pirate Day was still decades away. But what Bloody Bess now lacks in novelty, it makes up with the still-compelling tale of Elizabeth Presberty, a high-class lady who is kidnapped by buccaneers but ends up becoming the vengeance-seeking captain of the ship. With ass-kicking female leads and gratuitous sword-based violence, Bloody Bess puts a little of the brutality back in good, old fashioned piracy. Oakland University, 2200 N. Squirrel Rd., Rochester; 248-370- 3013; oakland.edu; $12, $6 student. The play runs through Feb. 15.
ONGOING
WISH DOLLS
WHEN YOU WISH UPON A DOLL
Wish Dolls features works by Lisa Grix, former owner of Beads SRO in Royal Oak and new coordinator for Woods Gallery. Grix creates cross-shaped dolls made from various fibers, based on African prayer dolls. Constructed by African women using whatever materials they have on hand, prayer dolls are infused with the women's hopes, dreams and aspirations before being tossed into the fire so that the smoke will carry their messages to the gods. Grix's wish dolls are made in a range of sizes with varying materials, and are adorned with amulets and handcrafted faces. While throwing a wish in a doll's direction is certainly acceptable, burning the artwork is discouraged. At Woods Gallery, 26415 Scotia, Huntington Woods; 248-581-2696; woodsgallery.org.
