Select events happening in the Detroit area. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See our online calendar for more ideas for things to do, or add your event: metrotimes.com/AddEvent.
VANTA
Detroit artist and musician Stacey MacLeod is known for fronting the local band Dear Darkness, whose posters feature her black-and-white visual art style. Her artwork will be on display in VANTA, a one-night-only exhibition of new ink drawings as part of Motor City Brew’s long-running Wednesday Night Art Series. The show takes its name from Vantablack, a coating known as “the blackest black,” and the artwork reflects MacLeod’s fascination with the intensity and balance of light and dark. “My high-contrast drawings explore black as a kind of darkness and a representation of gothic sophistication,” MacLeod says in a statement. “The markings are strange shadows, crooked lines, and forms that melt and merge. I want witnesses of my art to celebrate the power of a composition that is strangely distorted, and yet, somehow, impossibly balanced — such as is the night with the day, matter with void, life with death — black and white.”
From 7-10 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5; Motor City Brewing Works, 470 W. Canfield, Detroit; motorcitybeer.com. No cover.
Matthew Smith Group with John Krautner (solo)
Led by the former frontman and songwriter of cult favorite rock ’n’ roll outfit Outrageous Cherry — also known for his work with Volebeats, Nathaniel Mayer, Andre Williams, Rodriguez, and more — the Matthew Smith Group continues his long-running journey through psychedelia, folk rock, and art pop that has earned fans in Detroit and beyond. The group’s new self-titled album on the Tall Texan label will be available to purchase on vinyl at this show. John Krautner (The Go, Conspiracy of Owls) is set to open the show by performing tracks from his latest album Cinnamon Lake.
Starts at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6; 1464 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; trinosophes.com. Tickets are $10.
The Collective: The Jazz Experience
The Collective, a hub for small businesses and entrepreneurs on Detroit’s west side, is launching a new jazz series featuring singer Sky Covington and November Fourth. “The Collective has been doing great things for the city,” Covington said in a statement. “Now we’re adding to that energy — bringing the sound of jazz to one of Detroit’s most historic corners, where something special is emerging.” The series kicks off with a three-night residency, including a VIP Sneak Peek Soirée on Thursday, Nov. 6.
From 7:30-10 p.m. from Thursday, Nov. 6-Saturday, Nov. 8; The Collective, 15400 Grand River Ave., Detroit (2nd floor); eventbrite.com. Tickets are two for $30.
Book talk — Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy
This November marks the 50th anniversary of the infamous shipwreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank in Lake Superior during a wind storm, killing its entire crew of 29 men. In his recently published book, Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy (Michigan University Press), author Thomas Nelson argues the tragedy wasn’t only the result of a natural disaster but is inextricably linked to the decline of industrial manufacturing in the Midwest, exploring the effects on the families of the survivors to this day.
Starts at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7; Dossin Great Lakes Museum, 100 Strand Dr., Detroit (Belle Isle); detroithistorical.org. Admission is $5.
Mini Hip-Hop Museum Pop-Up
Founded by Baltimore’s Milly Vanderwood, the Mini Hip-Hop Museum offers visitors a lesson in hip-hop history through interactive exhibits, art installations, and music. The “In My Lifetime” pop-up will bring three days of activities to the Detroit area, including games, “puff and paint” sessions, and plenty of old-school magazines, CDs, and posters on display.
Starts at noon daily on Friday, Nov. 7; Saturday, Nov. 8; and Sunday, Nov. 9; Spaces At Stix, 19646 W. Nine Mile Rd., Southfield; eventbrite.com. Tickets start at $12.62.
Detroit Roller Derby Season Opener
It’s been 20 years of Detroit Roller Derby. For its season opener, D Funk will face off against the Grand Prix Madonnas in an epic match of athleticism… on roller skates!
Doors open at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8; Masonic Temple, 500 Temple St., Detroit; eventbrite.com. Tickets are $11.59-$22.19.