Cover Story
Welcome to MT Blowout 18!
Metro Times Blowout is now in its 18th year! This means that if it were a person, it could sign up for military service, or pretend that it cares about voting. Thankfully, it’s not a person, but a festival — a very badass festival, if we don’t mind saying ourselves. The festival has spread its…
Heroin, ruining someone near you
(**Editor’s Note: This story originally ran in the April 29-May 5, 2015 edition of Metro Times and includes an additional piece on Governor Snyder, which you may read -and chuckle at- below). Back in the 1960s and ’70s, nearly everybody I knew smoked pot. It was like sneaking a beer in high school. You did…
Update: The Detroit Bubble Tea Company is now open
Breaking bubble tea news: The Detroit Bubble Tea Company is officially open for business. Though the original plan called for a Saturday, May 30 opening, the husband/wife owner duo decided the demand for bubble tea just could not wait. Stop in and check out the new digs for yourself. We're open for business!! A photo…
Movement 2015: the full lineup and schedule is revealed
Woo hoo! The full lineup for Movement 2015 has been released. You can buy a three day pass here. We’re particularly excited about the “Kevin Saunderson presents Origins” show. If the above image is hard to read, a higher resolution PDF is here. The press release for this year’s iteration of the iconic and killer…
On Proposal 1 and Lansing’s grand ploy to punt road funding to voters
There’s going to be plenty of hand-wringing Wednesday morning over the utter failure of Proposal 1 at the polls on Tuesday, as well as what Plan B is now in play to Fix The Roads. For those who didn’t vote, the proposed constitutional amendment was a quote-unquote “solution” to fixing Michigan’s dilapidated road infrastructure. We’ll…
Black Business crawl planned for Saturday, May 16
Check out this tour of locally owned black businesses
Filmmaker asks Detroiters “What’s the last photo on your phone?”
San Francisco-based artist and filmmaker Ivan Cash is traveling around the country and beyond asking strangers on the street one simple question: What’s the last photo on your phone? The results, as you can imagine, vary dramatically. He recently came through Detroit with his project, aptly titled “Last Photo.” Here are the results:
Concert review: Space Lady at UFO Factory
WHO: The Space Lady WHERE: UFO Factory, Detroit, MI WHEN: Saturday, May 2, 2015 While the terminal mania of Blowout rose to a fever pitch across the rest of the city, the Space Lady landed at UFO Factory for a moment of Casio-inspired reflection. Known for her stripped down, reverberation-laden covers of radio hits like…
A few suggestions for celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Detroit
Just last month we asked you to cast your votes for your favorite Detroit people, places, things, and ideas in our annual Best of Detroit poll. You came up with a whole lot of great answers, some of which may be helpful if you’re on the hunt for some Cinco de Mayo fun tonight. Here…
Detroit Bikes’ flagship store opens on Friday
Detroit Bikes’ flagship store opens on Friday
Photo of the day: Detroit stop sign, you had one job
What’s your favorite Detroit sign fail?
Report: More than $8m was spent on Proposal 1 in Michigan
If you’re heading to the polls today to vote on Proposal 1 (which, if you have no idea what we’re talking about, see here), here’s something sure to warm your heart while you’re deciding to fill-in ‘yes’ or ‘no’: More than $8 million has been spent on the campaign for this single proposal — in an election…
Real Housewives of Atlanta’s NeNe on Detroit schools donation: ‘I’m not going to be forced to do anything’
Last May, NeNe Leakes — known for her time on the Real Housewives of Atlanta — made headlines for saying she’d donate $20,000 to Detroit Public Schools. That hasn’t happened — and Leakes is tired of hearing about it. She appeared on a “Housewives” reunion show over the weekend. Host Andy Cohen lobbed her a…
A quick guide to the May 5 Michigan election
The main issue on the ballot is Proposal 1, a confusingly worded solution to fix our crappy roads.
New joint offers gourmet sliders in Clinton Township
A new place where tiny burgers are packed with flavor.
Canine to Five will move to a bigger Ferndale location
Canine to Five’s Ferndale location is moving
Detroit homeowner fatally shoots intruder
A Detroit homeowner on the city’s east side Monday shot and killed a home invasion suspect, and sustained injuries from a gunshot wound himself, according to Detroit police. Police say the suspect, a 45-year-old black male, forced the victim’s girlfriend into the house in the 14900 block of Liberal Street around 12:20 a.m. The victim,…
Detroit in the running to be one of the ‘Best Towns in America’
Lists! Detroit is on another one — this time from OUTSIDE Magazine, which focuses on, you guessed it, the outdoors. The magazine announced Monday that it’s asking readers to pick the Best Towns in America, which it says would include “top-notch restaurants, vibrant farmers’ markets, friendly neighborhoods, and unparalleled access to hiking and biking trails.”…
Watch Ford’s first Mustang commercial from 1964
We missed the 51st anniversary of Ford Mustang by a few days, but that’s okay, we can still celebrate with this commercial for the vehicle’s first edition, which debuted at the World’s Fair in New York on April 17, 1964. Give it a watch below, and thanks to YouTuber King Rose Archives for uploading.
Detroit’s new book store: Pages Bookshop
Like many new bookstores, it’s part boutique, part gathering spot.
Photo of the day: Quite possibly the most immature Red Wings jersey we’ve ever seen
We’re guessing it’s a big hit with the coveted 11-13 year old demographic.
Kraftwerk return to Detroit in October
View image | gettyimages.com Electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk announced a 12-date tour on Monday, including an Oct. 5 gig in Detroit at the Masonic Temple Theatre. The date is part of Kraftwerk’s “3D Concert” tour, which features visuals enabled by 3D glasses provided for the audience to wear. Tickets for the show go on sale at…
Robin Thicke et al.’s lawyers request ‘Blurred Lines’ retrial
The ‘Blurred Lines’ vs. Marvin Gaye estate battle continues.
Concert Review: John Krautner expands on bubblegum and we all danced
A truly good time was had by all, and really, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Report profiles Detroit’s labor market and demographics
View image | gettyimages.com The narrative may be that Detroit is a boom town full of economic activity, but the city’s high poverty rate may inhibit that growth, according to writer Rick Haglund, who opined Sunday about a new report from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget. Written by two employees of the…
Concert review: Fred Thomas closes out Blowout at Small’s
Give this stuff a chance.
Concert review: another look at Fucked Up at Blowout
Fucked Up, Heavyweight Championship at Metro Times Blowout, at the Loving Touch, May 2 “Thank you for not liking boxing,” Damian Abraham cheerfully greeted the crowd as Fucked Up took the stage at the Loving Touch for the final night of 2015’s Blowout festival. Abraham seemed pleased his fans passed up watching the Mayweather vs.…
Concert review: Fucked Up at Blowout, May 2 at Loving Touch
To the murmurs of attendees talking about The Fight between welterweight boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, Toronto six-piece Fucked Up took the stage at MT’s Blowout on Saturday around 11:30 p.m. at The Loving Touch in Ferndale to rip through a set full of the driving, sprawling punk songs they’re known best for.…
Concert review: Waajeed at Blowout, Majestic Café, May 1
Waajeed at Blowout Festival, Majestic Café, May 1st 2015 “I should be at home in my underwear. This shit is over ten years old!” exclaimed Waajeed mid-set at Majestic Cafe, where he performed last night in front of a modest, yet reverent crowd. Jeedo, as he invited us to call him, often comes across as…
Concert review: Alvvays rock at Blowout
Did you check out Alvvays’ Blowout show at the Loving Touch?
Carmen Electra will headline Motor City Pride 2015
Carmen Electra, the bombshell first made famous by Prince and later by exercise videos, is set to headline this year’s Motor City Pride, a source tells MT. If you’re scratching your head wondering what Electra will be doing on stage, that’s because you (like us) forgot that the Playboy model got her start as a…
How Southwest Detroit’s ‘Blessing of the Lowriders’ came to be
The story beyond Southwest Detroit’s annual tradition.
Concert review: Black Lips at Blowout, April 30 at Loving Touch
I haven’t seen Black Lips in years, and for some reason because I hadn’t seem them in a while, I believed they were on the decline. Midway through the set tonight, watching as a bunch of young kids going bat shit crazy while they played, I realized that Black Lips weren’t on the decline —…
Wayne County assistant prosecutor resigns after Facebook comment says to ‘shoot’ Baltimore protesters
A Wayne County attorney has voluntarily resigned after suggesting on Facebook that Baltimore police officers could end violence in the city if they “shoot” protesters demonstrating in wake of 25-year-old Freddie Gray’s death. “This afternoon Assistant Prosecutor Teana Walsh called Prosecutor Kym Worthy to announce that she is voluntarily resigning her position with the Wayne…
Zagat names Detroit No. 3 Next Hot Food City
Zagat names Detroit one of Americas :Next Hot Food Cities.
21 clips for International Workers’ Day, a.k.a. May Day
Happy May Day, friends! Here are some songs to fill your heart with inspiration, unless you are some kind of heartless toady. What songs did we miss? How are you celebrating your May Day? Downtown Boys 7" by Downtown Boys
Concert review: How long can the Black Lips keep doing this? As long as they want
Did you see the Black Lips as part of Metro Times Blowout on Thursday night?
Rick Snyder has a slim chance for president, according to FiveThirtyEight
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder says he’ll decide whether he wants to join a crowded field for the Republican presidential nominee within the “next couple of months or so” — but even if he does, the nerd’s chances are slim, according to Nate Silver’s wonky crew at FiveThirtyEight. No one is winning the Republican presidential primary right…
Koi return to Belle Isle tomorrow
Belle Isle Aquarium’s annual koi transfer is tomorrow.
Check out the schedule for Cinetopia 2015
Cinetopia is bigger and better than ever. Check out the schedule here.
Tangerine Supper Club owner Darnell Small will probably be moving soon
Looks like Tangerine Supper Club will be moving
Concert review: Rebel Kind at the Blowout launch party April 29
C86 by-way-of ’68.
Saved by the burger: Motor City Sports Bar
An interesting item appeared on Eater this month, in case you missed it: a piece crediting the hamburger at Motor City Sports Bar with saving the tavern from tough times. Is that a stretch? We don’t think so. We’ve been praising the joint’s hamburger for at least five years. We used it to inaugurate our…
Detroit man cashes $1m lotto ticket he kept in flour a few days
Fred Morgan, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier who lives in Detroit, plans to retire soon after cashing a $1 million lotto ticket this week. Morgan matched the first five winning numbers on the April 17th draw of the Michigan Lottery’s Mega Millions game on a ticket he bought from a Mobil gas station in…
Concert review: Andrew W.K. at the Blowout launch party April 29
“Remember, this isn’t a show — it’s just a party.”
Have a listen to Death’s brand new album, N.E.W.
Detroit proto-punk brother act Death have just released a brand new record, N.E.W., on their own imprint of Chicago-based Drag City, called Try Angle — you can buy the record and hear snippets of it here. There’s also a full stream of it on this soundcloud link. This is their first new album’s worth of…
Here’s (mostly) everything you need to know on Proposal 1
Voters will be heading to the polls Tuesday, albeit not many, to decide whether Michigan’s sales tax should be increased from six-to-seven percent — with the extra boost earmarked, mostly, for road repairs. After Republican Gov. Rick Snyder announced his call for more than $1 billion in additional funds for road repairs, this complicated ballot…
Former pickle factory hosts Detroit Boom City art exhibition
Looking for something to do this weekend?
What are you doing? You should be at the Blowout launch party at St. Andrews right now.
You really should be here. I’m sorry I take such awful photos, but Doug Coombe is here tonight and his pictures will look a lot better. This party is happening right now and it’s the most fun. It’s your last chance to get wristbands for only $20, which covers any venue and show at all…
Gawker on Detroit’s Tale of Two Billionaires
Peter Moskovitz writes a good article on Gilbert and Ilitch for Gawker.
“Used To Be Confused” by the Johnny Ill Band is perfect for this warm weather
We haven’t heard anything new from the Johnny Ill Band in a spell; hopefully that will be resolved soon? The weather got really nice today here in the Detroit metropolitan area — like, really nice. And I thought that this might be a perfect Detroit summer jam. What do you think? It’s at least a…
So, where are you supposed to buy wristbands for Blowout?
These are the places to pick up wristbands for Blowout after tonight.
Mixed reaction among some for Riverside Park deal with Moroun
A deal that would bring new windows at Michigan Central Depot and millions of dollars of investment to Riverside Park has drawn a mixed reaction among Detroit officials. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced the deal Wednesday alongside Matt Moroun, son of billionaire Manuel “Matty” Moroun, whose family owns the Ambassador Bridge and train station in…
Former Wyandotte nightclub is being transformed into a microdistillery
Wyandotte’s getting a microdistillery.
Lowrider culture on display in Detroit this week
Get ready for the “Blessing of the Lowriders” in Southwest Detroit with a gallery talk at the Scarab Club.
Detroit paid $20k to settle case involving ICE officer who fatally shot Terrance Kellom
The city of Detroit paid $20,000 in 2000 to settle a lawsuit involving a federal agent who shot and killed a 20-year-old Detroit man this week. The agent — identified by The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Officer Mitchell Quinn — fatally shot Terrance Kellom on Monday during a…
A solution to Detroit’s pothole problem?
Detroit is notorious for its god-awful, car-eating pothole problem, one that causes a wide range of responses from weary residents, from blind rage to entrepreneurial resolve. And while there’s a time and place for these particular reactions, maybe we could also use some external consulting. Take, for example, this anonymous pothole patrolman in the UK…
Report: ICE agent involved in fatal Detroit shooting allegedly pointed his gun at wife’s head in 2008
The federal agent who fatally shot 20-year-old Terrance Kellom on Monday was charged in 2008 for allegedly pointing his handgun at his wife’s head, according to The Detroit News. The incident sparked a press conference and demonstration near Kellom’s home on Detroit’s west side. Conflicting accounts have since emerged on what took place inside the…
Watch what is probably Jack White’s last live show for a while
Jack White played what he claims will be his last live performance for a while in Fargo, N.D.
Savage Love: Age play
Q: My partner is 31 years older than I am. I know the math: He’ll be 60 when I’m 29. But that isn’t the problem. The issue is he’s been a lifelong bachelor and never been monogamous. He’s fucked hundreds of women and is close friends with a lot of his former fuck buddies. Because…
Your guide to all of the bands of Blowout 18
Here they are — the more than 100 acts who will be gracing stages across Detroit, Hamtramck, and Ferndale as part of Metro Times Blowout 18. Be sure to check mtblowout.com for the most up-to-date information on venues and set times. 72 BLUES This is actually the tenth anniversary show for these blues rockers, who…
Zen and the art of party maintenance, with Andrew W.K.
The last time I saw Andrew W.K. perform, all I really remember was the horse heads. Last August, I got a text from Andrew saying he’d be playing a solo set in Pontiac in a few days as part of something called Rock the Mitten, and I was on the list if I could make…
Thirteen acts not to miss at Blowout
With so many bands playing Metro Times Blowout, it sure can be hard to know where to begin. Here are 13 acts, which mix and match hip-hop and punk, dance and folk. Some are local, others from as far away as the frozen wastelands of Canada. Of course, these are not the only worthwhile acts…
Flint Eastwood’s Jax Anderson on changing and staying the same
Jax Anderson is Flint Eastwood. Formerly a band filled out by a guitarist, drummer, and bassist, things quickly changed a few months ago. According to Anderson, the parting of ways with her former bandmates was amicable, just one of those things that happens in life. And maybe it’s for the better. The lead singer has…
Drummer Jonah Falco talks about the Canadian punk band’s past and future
Yes, the band is called Fucked Up, and that doesn’t matter. The renowned six-piece ensemble from Toronto originated in hardcore punk circles, but has since over time transcended just about every restriction on classifications you could name. Dating back to their early years, with classic, still completely relevant songs like “Police” and “Baiting the Public,”…
Autumn Wetli on how love can be hard, and some other stuff
Autumn Wetli is the lead singer, guitarist, chief songwriter and vocalist for the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti-based Rebel Kind, who topped our list of local releases for their 2014 Urinal Cake LP, Today. In anticipation of their playing Blowout, we spoke with Wetli. Metro Times: Tell me two things about you, to start, please: one that everyone…
Rapper Trick-Trick on the No Fly Zone, Eminem, and the state of the music industry
Dressed in a white tee, gray jogging suit, and sporting gold jewelry, the gargantuan emcee known as Trick-Trick (given name Christian Mathis) looks more like a retired defensive end than a legendary local musician. The 41-year-old is in his private studio scrolling through his own work — film scores, tracks from his forthcoming album, voice-overs,…
Poet Marge Piercy takes us to the Detroit of yesteryear
Marge Piercy is known for many things. She’s a novelist, a memoirist, and a poet. She’s an activist, a feminist, and a thinker. She’s a trailblazing author of speculative fiction; William Gibson called one of her works, 1976’s Woman on the Edge of Time, the birthplace of Cyberpunk. But even her ardent admirers might not…
Feedback: Andrea Lavigne strikes again, and other letters to the editor
Andrea Lavigne strikes again Dear Alysa: My response to “Human trafficking survivor forum to be held in Detroit” on April 20, 2015, by Alysa Offman. Since when is the Metro Times/Misogyny Times concerned about sex trafficking? The Metro Times/Misogyny Times publishes the most vile, sexist sex ads that sell naked women into legalized sex trafficking…
Drink Up
Three Olives Vodka Made from quadruple-distilled winter wheat harvested in England, Three Olives Vodka has been a staple for drinkers since its inception almost 20 years ago. The 80-proof liquor proved to be America’s fastest-growing brand when it first hit shelves, and it hasn’t slowed down since. Though the brand might be best known for…
Ask a Juggalo: What’s the best way to hook up at the Gathering?
Q: OK, this question comes from some guy named Cory Scheffer: I’m going to the Gathering of the Juggalos this year and I have never been. I’ve been a Juggalo for 10 years. I was just wondering what’s the best way to hook up at the Gathering? Seems like with girls, it might be easier…
Rail & Anchor is a hipster’s shopping haven
The word “hipster” gets overused these days. What is its true definition? Is a hipster simply someone who likes everything before it was cool? Or is this subsect of the human population defined by their desire for everything old to be new again? They seem to universally love suit vests, craft cocktails, beards, and fancy…
Higher Ground: Drug-free living
A year ago, Kimberly Cole was taking 11 different prescription drugs to try to control her epileptic seizures, neuropathic pain, and other health issues. Then, on her doctor’s advice, she tried marijuana. Today she doesn’t take any of those 11 drugs. Marijuana was a choice of last resort. Cole has suffered from epilepsy since birth…
Food Focus: Accountant Salvador Zavala pursues food as a passionate sideline
Given his Mexican heritage and his origins in the Los Angeles area, Salvador Zavala has a giant head start when it comes to appreciating authentic tacos. We joke with him about how we grew up eating Taco Bell, and hadn’t tried an authentic taco until embarrassingly recently. Zavala, of course, serves the real thing. He…
Fred Thomas talks ‘All Are Saved’
We love longtime Ypsi/Ann Arbor resident Fred Thomas’ new record, All Are Saved, so much we had to ask him about some of the songs. Metro Times: Let’s start with the first song, “Every Song Sung to a Dog.” Why are there steel drums for the first sound of your album? Fred Thomas: It’s actually…
Nine things you need to know about dining in metro Detroit this week
Drinko de Mayo — No, it’s not Mexican Independence Day (that’s Sept. 16), but it’s a date dear to Mexican patriots who prevailed over French forces in 1862. (There’s a reason James Monroe told Europeans not to muck around in this hemisphere.) For many Americans, it’s a day to casually slough off the other 364…
Horoscopes (April 29 – May 5)
ARIES (March 21-April 20): There’s so much new energy around, within all the stuff that is calling you to change the way you do things, the potential for success is huge. As you come to terms with the fact that you are about to get your wish, the fear of failure is nipping at your…
Zeke’s Rock and Roll BBQ pleases on many fronts
Found in the heart of downtown Ferndale, just across the street from Public House and Rosie O’Grady’s, Zeke’s Rock and Roll BBQ has quickly found its way into the hearts and minds of locals. The place has been open for less than three months, but it’s gotten rave reviews from both the public and the…
‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’ builds its brand (and occasionally entertains)
Even genocidal robots believe in corporate synergy
