Cover Story
Ferndale’s virtual-reality arcade VR+ Zone is a trip
At first, everything is black. Then, suddenly, I can see. I’m staring at myself in a mirror — only it’s not really me, and it’s not really a mirror. It’s a virtual version of myself, reflected in a virtual mirror. As I look around, I can also see my friends standing next to me, all…
Did you meet your true love using Metro Times’ classified ads in the ’80s and ’90s? We want to know!
In the 1990s… were you a young, single white female into “alternative music, crazy times, passionate about life or people” and just looking for a young, single white male who was into the same? Or an attractive Black male professional bodybuilder seeking a “full figured & queen sized” white female for a “discreet, meaningful relationship?”…
Outer Limits Lounge to host Honeybabe, Remnose, and Jackamo for holiday hometown show
Since 2013, self-described “pysch-rock-jazz-beach-punk” outfit Honeybabe has maintained a sound that can only be described as what happens when you listen to a record backward and are then instructed to do the devil’s bidding (but, you know, like picking up dry-cleaning). This year found the five-piece supporting In Living Memory, the band’s sophomore record and…
From the ‘Portlandia’ theme to trippy existential chill wave — Washed Out to DJ at MOCAD
The sounds of chill-wave pioneer Ernest Greene, who performs as Washed Out, quickly became synonymous with the comedic stylings of Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen’s satirical sketch masterpiece Portlandia. The show, which ran from 2011-2018, selected Washed Out’s “Feel It All Around” as its theme song, and it will forever and ever make us think…
‘The Hip Hop Nutcracker’ turns tradition on its head at Detroit’s Masonic Temple
For many, The Nutcracker, the 1892 ballet production set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, conjures imagery of pristine ballerinas and elaborate costumes — pretty much whatever the opposite of break dancing is. Entering its sixth year is the Hip Hop Nutcracker, a community-centric remix of the holiday classic that turns Maria-Clara, the Nutcracker Prince,…
In bloom — flower whisperer Anthony Ward heads to Detroit’s Armageddon Beach Party and Tangent Gallery
In recent years, millennials have been credited with killing off once-popular chain restaurants, the pet food industry, big dairy, and, in New York City, public sex. One thing they are keeping alive, however, is plants — as in those oh-so-Instagrammable houseplants, flowers, succulents, orchids, Bonsai trees, you name it. Worshiping at the altar of flora…
Menorah in the D returns to Detroit’s Campus Martius to kick off the Festival of Lights
For some cartoon-obsessed Millennial goys and girls — present company included — the story of Hanukkah was first learned through Nickelodeon’s Rugrats Hanukkah special, where the menorah was described as the “night light” for the Jewish people. Well, now Detroit gets its own giant night light. Entering its ninth year as a local holiday tradition…
Detroit’s ‘The Drop’ New Year’s Eve event is officially canceled but will return in 2021, organizers say
Organizers of “The Drop” have dropped the ball again, with the downtown Detroit New Year’s Eve event now officially canceled for the second year in a row — but they promise the event will return in 2021. The event — a Motor City take on New York City’s Time Square Ball, festooned with a giant…
Light stalking and entitled white men galore — ‘Love Actually’ gets midnight screenings in Royal Oak for Christmas
It’s been 16 years since the very British holiday rom-com Love Actually had us sobbing over unrequited love and swooning over daring declarations of obsession along with the very strategic placement of Joni Mitchell songs. Well, suffice it to say, times have changed, and so has the lens through which we view this modern star-studded…
On the naughty list? Hentchmas returns to Outer Limits Lounge thanks to Detroit garage-rock anchor the Hentchmen
What if we told you that the reason for the Christmas season was not based on religion or Santa’s thicc ass or capitalism? What if it had everything to do with a few Detroit dudes who’ve been kicking out garage rock long before its early aughts resurgence? OK, so maybe Christmas is still Christmas, but…
It takes two — the Mack Sisters head to DIA with four-handed piano performance
We’ve all heard the saying two heads are better than one, but when it comes to Japanese-born, Michigan-based sisters and pianists Yuki and Tomoko Mack, four hands — on one piano — is the norm. Don’t think of it as your typical dueling piano joint cheese-fest, though — the Mack Sisters provide a sonic experience…
Nerd Night to put anime and video game music center stage at Hamtramck’s Ghost Light
Nerd culture is no longer on the fringe. Is it thanks to the intricately layered Marvel Cinematic Universe, that attracted nerds and non-nerds alike? If so, was it Thor’s abs that did it? Or was it The Big Bang Theory’s domination of TV? Who knows. What matters is that nerd culture’s soundtrack is finally getting…
Trumpeter Earle Davis returns to Detroit to front Brain Stretching Medicine Band at Trinosophes
Though Earle Davis only left Detroit in 2017 — where he relocated to in 2014 — anytime the veteran trumpeter visits the city it’s a bit of a homecoming. Davis, who cut his teeth at legendary club Minton’s Playhouse in New York City during the 1940s with Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker, later relocated to…
State recalls cannabis vape cartridges tainted with deadly vitamin E acetate
The state of Michigan has recalled cannabis cartridges that contain high levels of vitamin E acetate, the potentially deadly chemical additive linked to the vaping-related lung illness. The state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) banned vitamin E acetate on Nov. 22 and has since required cannabis cartridges to be tested for the gooey substance, which is…
Green Peak Innovations holds license to 50 percent of what’s allowed for sale in Michigan’s recreational marijuana market
As of today, there are 29 adult-use recreational marijuana licenses in Michigan. The most recent is a retailer in Battle Creek — Battle Spring LLC. Among the 29 licensees, 12 are retail stores, 10 are growers, three are processors, two are transporters, one is a safety compliance facility, and one is an event organizer. A…
‘Heartbroken’ Rep. Haley Stevens now supports impeaching Trump
All seven Democrats representing Michigan in the U.S. House now appear to be in favor of impeaching President Trump. Rep. Haley Stevens, who represents a district that voted for Trump in 2016, announced Tuesday afternoon that she plans to vote in favor of impeachment after a “careful review of the evidence unearthed by the impeachment…
Detroit is full of assholes, according to study
Detroit couldn’t care less, at least according to one recent study. A new ranking by personal finance website WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities to measure their “spirit of compassion.” Perhaps not surprising, Detroit ranked among the lowest — clocking in at No. 94. Wallethub compared the cities across three key dimensions. Detroit scored…
Mannheim Steamroller rolls through Detroit’s Fox Theatre with beefed-up holiday classics
Ever wish your favorite Christmas songs didn’t have all those pesky lyrics and, instead, were run through an Atari game system? Thanks to Mannheim Steamroller, there’s Christmas music and then there’s Christmas music on steroids. Stick it in our veins and let’s rock out with our stockings out: For more than 35 years, composer and…
Saucy Brew Works to open Detroit location in spring 2020
Cleveland-based Saucy Brew Works is set to open a new location in the Motor City. Expected to open in spring in the Brush Park area, the brewpub will be part of Bedrock’s mixed-use City Modern space, according to The Detroit Free Press. Started in 2017 by friends Brent Zimmerman and Eric Anderson, Saucy Brew Works…
Detroit police investigate possible noose found hanging in precinct lobby
Detroit police are investigating the discovery of a possible noose hanging from a ceiling in the lobby of the 11th precinct building on the city’s east side. A city worker found the loop while removing ceiling tiles as part of a renovation project. An officer posted a photo of the suspected noose on social media. A supervisor…
Detroit’s Movement festival announces initial 2020 lineup
The 2020 iteration of Detroit’s long-running Movement techno-centric festival will feature a mix of familiar and new faces, and even at least one mysterious masked face. On Tuesday, festival producer Paxahau announced an initial lineup of ten artists. They are, in alphabetical order: • Adam Beyer • The Black Madonna • Boris Brejcha • DJ…
Rep. Haley Stevens is lone Michigan Democrat in US House still unsure about impeachment
A lot of eyes are on Rep. Haley Stevens. Of the seven Democrats representing Michigan in the U.S. House, the freshman from Rochester Hills is the only one who has not declared her intention to vote in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump. Stevens is one of two Democrats representing districts that Trump won in…
Detroit’s New Order Coffee expands to Royal Oak
There’s a new coffee shop in town. New Order Coffee, a Midtown staple, has expanded its scope with the addition of a Royal Oak location at 30955 Woodward Ave., which opened over the weekend. The 1,800-square-foot coffee shop is part of a partnership with Beaumont Hospital, and is part of the hospital’s “Woodward Corners.” As…
THC cartridges return to Michigan dispensaries after vitamin E acetate scare
The wait is finally over, cannabis vapers. Cannabis cartridges are returning to the shelves of dispensaries after the state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) began requiring labs on Nov. 22 to test the products for vitamin E acetate, the chemical additive linked to the vaping-related lung illness. The process took several weeks because only one of…
Mohawked vigilante trips man running from police in Royal Oak
A man with a mighty mohawk decided to take the law into his own hands. Jack Huffman of Royal Oak was on his routine walk on Saturday morning when he saw police cars chasing after a man. When the suspect jumped over a fence, he landed right where Huffman was standing. Huffman then made a…
Here’s where you can buy legal recreational marijuana in Michigan right now
In 2018, Michigan voters passed Proposal 1, which makes it legal for any adult 21 or older to use and possess cannabis. It’s been a slow rollout for recreational marijuana stores, which is pretty normal compared to how other states have legalized weed. The first stores opened in late 2019 in Ann Arbor, which is…
The Greenhouse of Walled Lake will start recreational marijuana sales in January
The Greenhouse of Walled Lake became Oakland County’s first state-licensed medical marijuana provisioning center when it opened earlier this year. And now it’ll be the first in Oakland County to sell recreational marijuana starting on Saturday, Jan. 4, owner Jerry Millen tells Metro Times. After seeing photos of the long lines when stores started offering…
Train hauling hazardous materials derails in Southwest Detroit
A train carrying hazardous materials derailed in Southwest Detroit on Thursday morning, but officials say there’s no risk to the public. About 15 of the 151 train cars derailed at 9:45 a.m. just south of Michigan Avenue, with one leaning over a bridge above Scotten Avenue near Clark. Emergency officials searched the derailed train cars…
Bobcat Bonnie’s to open new location in Clinton Twp.
Bobcat Bonnie’s will open a new location in February. The chain will be taking up residence at the Mall at Partridge Creek, located in the space where Max and Erma’s currently operates. “A lot of the staff has been there for years, and we are pumped to add them in our family,” owner Matt Buskard…
Detroit PD’s drug unit ensnared in ‘major corruption investigation,’ raising troubling questions about past convictions
An investigation into the Detroit Police Department’s narcotic unit has yielded breathtaking allegations of widespread corruption, ranging from planting evidence to robbing drug dealers. The eight-month, continuing probe raises serious questions about the convictions of alleged drug dealers that go back a decade. The investigation, which began in April, has so far focused on just…
Ima’s Midtown Detroit location opens its doors with new sandwich menu
Detroit’s Japanese-inspired restaurant Ima opened its second location in Detroit earlier this week. The restaurant takes over the space at the former Sweet Lorraine’s Fabulous Mac n’ Brewz at Cass and Warren. The new spot is the growing chain’s largest at 3,700 square feet. It’s also the first to feature a fryer, and features a…
Here’s the trailer for ‘Surviving R. Kelly Part II’
Surviving R. Kelly — the explosive documentary series produced by Detroiter dream hampton that aired on Lifetime last year — is getting a sequel. It’s no exaggeration to say that the original doc drastically altered the course of the case of Kelly, whose alleged abuse of girls and young women was long treated as an…
Detroit not prepared for recession, Moody’s report says
Detroit and Chicago are the two weakest big cities in the U.S. when it comes to preparedness for a recession, according to a report by Moody’s Investor Service. The 14-page report, released by the ratings agency on Tuesday, examines the largest 25 cities in the country and their pension risk, financial flexibility, fiscal volatility, and…
Score! Detroit City FC is officially a pro soccer team
Detroit City FC — the Motor City’s scrappy, grassroots soccer team — finally made it to the big leagues. The team officially joined the National Independent Soccer Association Division III league on Wednesday. “It represents an unimaginable progression that has involved too many people to count — one that started with a neighborhood soccer league…
Buttigieg’s work for Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield under scrutiny
On Tuesday, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg released a list of nine clients he advised while working at the consulting firm McKinsey & Company, following pressure from progressives and the campaign of rival Elizabeth Warren. One of those clients was Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, which Buttigieg consulted as the company was preparing…
Thanos creator Jim Starlin condemns Trump’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ campaign video
Before willing death to half of life in the universe with a snap of his blinged-out fingers in 2018’s blockbuster superhero saga Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos, played by a purple, CGI-heavy Josh Brolin, tells Thor, played by a very hot Chris Hemsworth, that he should have aimed for the head, not the heart, in his…
Elected officials, environmental activists hosting meeting over Detroit riverbank collapse
State and federal elected leaders, along with environmental activists, are hosting a meeting Thursday for Detroit residents potentially impacted by a long-contaminated riverbank that collapsed into the Detroit River on Thanksgiving Eve. The idea is to get more answers and provide “a solutions-oriented path forward.” The public was unaware of the potential contamination until the…
What the saga of Silent Sam can teach us about institutional white supremacy
There’s this story I’ve been obsessing over lately. Equal parts hilarious, pathetic, and infuriating, it’s both an example of indefensibly awful governmental decision-making and — more important — emblematic of how institutional white supremacy can be so pervasive. This is happening in my backyard — North Carolina — so let me get you up to…
Michigan’s new pot industry has some green with envy — though there are still kinks to work out
Higher Ground readers know that Detroit City Council opted out of adult-use marijuana until at least Jan. 31. Councilman James Tate told Metro Times that it was because Council was working to put together a good social equity program. Social equity is called for in the law that legalized marijuana in order to promote participation…
Detroit hardcore band Child Bite’s Shawn Knight reflects on 15 years in the underground
After a lifetime as a musician, Child Bite founding vocalist Shawn Knight figures he’ll always have a day job. The band has toured the globe for over a decade, playing with everyone from punk legends the Dead Kennedys to metal acts like King Diamond and Exodus. It’s signed to Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo’s Housecore Records.…
Hard-working Ryan Dillaha rolls up his sleeves for his fourth album of Americana
Ryan Dillaha says it’s never been difficult for him to get personal in a song. “But these,” he says, nodding to the 11 tracks on his latest, Closer to Better, “get pretty heavy.” He pauses. “There’s a certain authenticity that I prize in that,” he says, “considering that there are people who might need to…
You can pass a good time at Detroit’s New Orleans-themed Brush Street Stadium Deli
Located just north of I-75 from both Comerica Park and Ford Field, this deli is well-placed to beckon hordes of hungry game-goers, as its name indicates. It’s not really a deli at all, but a bar and restaurant, and if I were owner Mona Ross-Gardner, I would’ve taken pains to emphasize that fact, as well…
From chart-topping preteens to independent crooning dads, how Hanson hacked the boyband equation
In 1997, Princess Diana of Wales, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Gianni Versace all died, as did 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult, and the biggest movie of that year — and one of the most successful of all time — was a fictional love story set aboard a massive non-fictional ocean liner that struck…
Savage Love: I turned my husband into a kink monster
My husband and I (straight male/bi female couple) have been married 15 years. We are in our early 40s. When we met, he was inexperienced and crippled by shame from having grown up in an extremely sex-negative atmosphere. I have no hang-ups about sex and was happy to get him involved in some more adventurous…
Horoscopes (Dec. 11-17)
ARIES | March 21 – April 20: It’s always tricky getting involved with other people; we wind up getting sucked in to their chaos. Many of you are just coming out of time-consuming detours that would not have been an issue if you had just said “no.” All of this has reminded you that you…
