Dreaming of the techno viking
Peaking through the slideshow of photos of people partying at the Grasshopper Underground on NYE the other day, I was a bit distracted by the DJ in the pictures. Like, where did I know that guy from? Then I realized, I don’t actually know this guy, but he looks a bit like… Techno Viking! Who? The first…
You won’t see this many Detroit 7″s in one place, outside of area record stores
When I first met Ben Blackwell about six years ago , I was super impressed by his ferocious devotion to crate-digging. I remember him saying he’d buy any obscure Detroit record that he’d never heard of, on the off chance that it might be great. Ben, who believes he’s found the first Detroit hip-hop 12″,…
Third Man revisits White Stripes’ strange ‘Get Behind Me Satan’ for album’s 10th anniversary
2005 was a weird year for the White Stripes. Following the success of White Blood Cells and Elephant, the band could have done whatever they wanted and their sizable following would most likely eat it up. And that’s exactly what they did for their follow up, Get Behind Me Satan. Instead of traveling to another…
Reuters gets it right: “Detroit killings in conflict over eviction highlight housing dilemmas”
Today Reuters published an astute story by local journo and MT contributor Serena Maria Daniels about the case of 22-year-old Alonzo Long. Daniels writes that Long is charged with murder in the killings of Howard Franklin and his 37-year-old daughter, Catherine. The Franklins had purchased the home Long was living in at auction. Under a…
Mitt Romney, devoted nondrinker, accidentally sipped on whiskey in the 1970s
While he was running for president in the 2012 election, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney drew attention for his practice of shunning alcohol and coffee. President Barack Obama, during his own campaign, set himself apart from Romney’s teetotalism by making a “conspicuous display of his own regular-guy fondness for beer,” as the New York Times…
Freep: Small business groups throwing support behind community benefits ordinance in Detroit
Though opponents of the proposed community benefits agreement ordinance in Detroit suggest it would inhibit future development in the city and hurt small businesses, local chambers of commerce have come out in support of the proposal, the Freep’s Joe Guillen reports. With Detroit City Council back in session this week, it’s expected to fire up…
Hear some rare Detroit gospel, including previously unreissued Otis Johnson
Since they started about a year ago, I’ve had a weekly radio show on a small community radio station in Portland, OR called X-Ray FM. It’s a cool station, mixing liberal talk radio in the day (notably Thom Hartmann) with a slew of genre-specific music shows in the evenings and weekends. You might be interested…
Calling all artists: ‘Door of Opportunity’ seeks artists to turn old doors into art for upcoming Thumbs Up Detroit conference
Detroit artists seem to love using found objects (hello, Tyree Guyton), so you guys will probably love an exhibition at the upcoming Thumbs Up Detroit conference that gives local creatives a chance to network by transforming old doors into works of art. It’s a “Door of Opportunity” … get it? The three-day conference, to be…
Marking the closure of Michigan Central Station 27 years ago
The anniversary of Michigan Central Station’s closing 27 years ago prompts a bit of reminiscence.
Download Red Pill’s new Eric-Garner-and-Darren-Wilson-namechecking song for free
Local rapper Red Pill released a timely and excellent song for free yesterday via his label Mello Music. “All of Us” deals with recent police-involved killings of young unarmed black youths. You can stream or download it for free here. The song was produced by the great beat-maker Apollo Brown. Thankfully, Red Pill just signed a…
Go to the Plymouth Ice Festival this weekend
It’s January which means you’re probably broke as a joke and looking for some cheap wintertime fun. The Plymouth Ice Festival returns this weekend to downtown Plymouth for its 33rd year, promising dozens of carving demonstrations, competitions, and sculptures. Highlights include the Dueling Chainsaw Competition on Saturday at 7 p.m. where local carvers go head…
John Waters to perform at this year’s Dirty Show … obviously
Jerry Vile’s annual erotic art exhibition, the Dirty Show, has always been a seedy affair, drawing the sorts of characters you might find in a John Waters movie. So the recent announcement that the cult filmmaker is slated to perform at this year’s Dirty Show in February only makes sense. Waters will be the special…
“City Slang” tops Henry Rollins’ list of “underground songs”
A few days ago, Esquire posted a list of “Henry Rollins’s Top Ten Underground Songs.” As someone who’s sold a bit of records online, via eBay and discogs, I was surprised at first that this list didn’t have a bunch of power electronics type people on it. (There is an old joke in the noise community that…
How does Kid Rock (“not just wealthy, but loaded”) stand up against his peers?
Because he has a new album out at the end of next month, the 43 year-old, Detroit-reared Robert James Ritchie, aka Kid Rock, spoke with the UK’s respected Guardian newspaper two days ago. The piece reads all in the first person, and appears to be condensed from a longer interview. It’s a mini-manifesto filled…
Obama to visit Ford plant in Wayne on Wednesday
President Barack Obama on Wednesday will travel to metro Detroit to deliver remarks at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, the White House announced today. The visit, part of a three-day tour to preview his upcoming State of the Union speech that includes Phoenix and Tennessee, was announced over the weekend. The president’s remarks…
Detroit opens three warming centers as temperatures plunge
With frigid cold temperatures creeping into the region, the city of Detroit says three warming centers have been opened for residents through March 31. Detroit recreation centers and public libraries will also be opened to let residents keep warm during the winter months, according to a press release. The city says it has contracted with…
Words to revive in 2015
A group at Wayne State University called “Word Warriors” has come up with a list of seldom-used words they’d like to see back in circulation.
$1000 Challenge: What happens when hip hop culture meets architecture?
We have some ideas, and so do you. Here’s your chance to sketch them out and possibly win $1000 in this Juxtaposition challenge. “Students, graffiti artists, architects, urban planners, landscape architects, graphic designers, muralists” and more are encouraged to enter. Even better? This competition is ALL AGES. Details on how to enter can be found…
About Detroit’s falling homicide totals
Detroit, America’s most violent big city, continues to shrink. But at least those murder totals are down.
Big Sean’s touching Instagram tribute to his grandmother Mildred V. Leonard
Here’s a bit of local news we missed due to being in a holiday haze: Rapper Big Sean’s grandmother, Mildred V. Leonard, passed away just before Christmas, at the age of 93. He took to Instagram to tell the tale, mixing his words and a series of slideshow images of her. Sean’s grandmother was one of…
“New Detroit” isn’t as “New” as some might think
There sure is a lot being said these days about “New Detroit.” From this to this to conversations in the real world, in bars and restaurants and cafés and on the street. But “New Detroit” hails back to 1967, as noted in this Deadline Detroit article: Five decades before it became a hot button, “New Detroit” was…
Six seed catalogs to help you dream of spring
Home gardeners: Here are a half-dozen seed catalogs you can order right now to warm up your winter imagination.
I hear somebody crying… crying in the streets
The Louisiana-based singer George Perkins recorded a handful of singles, his best and best-known being a secular track cut with his gospel group the Silver Stars, “Cryin’ in the Streets Pt. 1″/ “Cryin’ in the Streets Pt. 2,” on the Golden label. It was later reissued by the slightly larger Silver Fox label in 1970,…
Funk dirge with Funkadelic and Moodymann’s takes on “Cosmic Slop”
We all know that Funkadelic’s 1973 album Cosmic Slop is one of their best, though it was a commercial flop at the time. The LP was the first of many to feature Pedro Bell’s distinctive artwork (who, last we heard of the Chicago native, he wasn’t doing too well — really hope he is now).…
“Drum & Dance Jam” this evening in Ann Arbor
Looking for something to do tonight? We were sent this press release and thought we’d post it here as a suggestion for this evening. “National recording artist and drummer Curtis Glatter will be hosting a monthly Drum and Dance Jam beginning on Saturday, January 3rd, 2015 at 7:30pm at the Interfaith Center for Spiritual Growth…
You can finally hear both songs by crazed Detroit blues artists the Richard Brothers
A few days ago, the Youtube user “BobSeger1981” uploaded a song called “Stolen Property,” the flip-side to the Richard Brothers’ beyond-sloppy blues bootleg staple “Drunk Driver’s Coming.” The song was originally released on a Detroit-based label called Strate 8, a subsidiary of Fortune. This is a pretty big deal for fans of raw electric blues.…
Spirit of Detroit, wearing a Lions jersey
Check out the Spirit of Detroit, wearing a Lions jersey for the very first time. All ready to take on—and beat—Dallas this Sunday.
Here are the 13 cheapest places to get gas in metro Detroit right now, according to GasBuddy
The cost of a gallon of gas in metro Detroit this week fell below $2 for the first time since March 2009. Prices have plunged so dramatically that, as the Associated Press reported, “Gas was 42% cheaper than it was one year ago, when the average price per gallon was $3.37.” But the savings motorists…
A personal message from ‘Honest’ John Thompson
Detroit dining
Southfield gets its own app
According to a press release, the city of Southfield will soon have its very own app. The free program will be available for both Apple and Android phones as well as tablets. City Administrator Fred Zorn says the tool will help people stay connected with the city as well as provide a wealth of information…
Powell’s minimal techno is woozy, fun
Sometimes you’re a bit late to the game, as I personally am with the work of London-based Oscar Powell, who has recorded under his last name for Death of Rave, Liberation Technologies, and others. I may not have been scoping up his left-field dance 12″s from the last three and a half years, but they’ve all…
You’ll need a recreation pass to drive onto Belle Isle starting Feb. 1
Since Belle Isle became Michigan’s 102nd state park in February of last year, concerns have been raised about the multijurisdictional police force that patrols the island now that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources took over its management. Even with noticeable improvements, the beefed up patrols have had a chilling effect of sorts on visitors. …
R.I.P. Michigan Citizen
It’s official: The Michigan Citizen has ceased publication.
Alberta Adams visitation and memorial tribute this evening; Funeral tomorrow
Bert’s Market Place is hosting a memorial tribute to Detroit’s own Queen of the Blues Alberta Adams this evening, starting at 6pm. For those wishing to pay their respects more intimately, visitation will be held all day today at Swanson Funeral Home. Those wishing to attend her funeral can do so tomorrow at 11am, at…
Honest John’s sold
A longtime Cass Corridor bar has new owners.
Protest today at 2pm: March down Woodward
With the New Year brings a new opportunity to protest. Today there will be a peaceful march down Woodward in a show of solidarity with those in Ferguson, New York City, and across the nation calling for justice, equality, and an end to police brutality. March starts at the DIA, and organizers encourage you to…
Dawsey: Two deaths, unequal reactions, reveal media double-standard
Deadline Detroit’s Darrell Dawsey on local media’s double-standard on coverage of white versus black teenagers being killed by gunfire in Detroit.
News Hits: RTA faces uphill battle with tax hikes on the table
Since 2012, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder has made an increase to funding to fix Michigan’s dilapidated roads a major priority. He’s said it’s paramount to the success of the state moving forward. And after two years of intense debate that went nowhere, the recently re-elected governor finally led the Republican-led state legislature to a solution:…
News Hits: Lawmakers pass on TIF reform this year
Over the last year, some members of the state legislature has scrutinized the use of a cryptic financing tool for economic development projects called tax-increment financing (TIF). The way it works is like this: A city development agency, like a downtown development authority (DDA), creates a so-called TIF district. This allows the DDA to divert…
What would Ric Flair think of the boy named Suh?
Ndamukong Suh. This Detroit Lions’ defensive tackle is the NFL’s least liked player. Aaron Rodgers. The Packers’ quarterback is one of the league’s most liked players. This, according to a 2012 Nielsen poll. So it isn’t too far-fetched to say the altercation between Suh and Rodgers in last week’s NFC North championship game was a…
ICYMI: The Four Tops and the Temptations played a surprise show at the White House
Earlier this month, Motown musicians the Four Tops and the Temptations surprised folks on the White House tour with a performance of their classics and Christmas carols. Watch the video here.
A message for the new year from Otis + Carla
I was going to post more New Year’s songs than this one, and perhaps put up a few decent takes on “Auld Lang Syne.” But I already did a list of inspirational songs for this time of year. And really, you only need one song for this holiday, today. And that’s “New Year’s Resolution” by…
Playlist: 5 of Tyvek’s best ‘great, strange, literate punk’
Years ago, my friend Brett described a group of Detroiters as weird, working class intellectuals who know every single thing there is to know about obscure experimental punk rock from 1979. They might seem antisocial and probably drink a bit too much, but are actually really sweet when you get to know them. I realize…
Why Rincon Tropical’s fare is suited for a Michigan winter
When we Northerners think of eating in the tropics, we think of the lighter foods we eat here when it’s hot: salads, seafood, and (of course) tall, cold drinks. It’s fascinating that Puerto Rican cuisine is the opposite of light. It’s the epitome of solid and stick-to-your-ribs, well suited to a Michigan winter. I defy…
Ask a Juggalo: What flavor of Faygo is most popular with Juggalos?
Q: What flavor of Faygo is most popular with Juggalos? A: Traditionally speaking, I would say your Rock & Rye, your Moon Mist, and your Faygo Cola would definitely be your most predominant Juggalo flavors. The newest cup of tea would definitely be Cotton Candy. I’ve already been shipping it out to my boys on…
Feedback: MT a ‘far-left propaganda mag,’ MT ‘sensible and fair’
Continuing from last week’s incongruous comments, here are a few more we’ve found from letter writers, commenters, and posters throughout 2014: FUCK YOU, MT, AND FUCK DETROIT You want me to believe that it’s in the surrounding municipalities’ best interest to give money to Detroit after it has shown time and time and time again…
Bad roads, broken system: Time for a new constitution
Spineless, gutless cowards. Selfish tools of the special interests. Short-sighted, small-minded, willfully ignorant losers. That would be a pretty fair description of the Michigan legislature, though some would say that’s a little too kind. Less than two weeks ago, they stuck it to us once again. Instead of doing their jobs and passing a transportation…
Nurse that New Year’s Eve headache at ZMC Pharmacy in Royal Oak
New Year’s Eve has come and gone and chances are you have a headache. Maybe it’s from partying, maybe it’s from the mall, maybe it’s just from celebration overload. Respite has come, however — the holidays are over, but how are you going to get rid of that headache? ZMC Pharmacy in Royal Oak has…
There’s no pretensions at Donovan’s
Down near the Ambassador Bridge fly the flags of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is perhaps the only Mexicantown on the U.S.-Canadian border. In the shadow of these flags stands a brick building that looks lonely, and perhaps a bit suspect. Inside lives Donovan’s Pub. Enter through the side door, not the front,…
We spotted this delightfully aromatic fragrance by West Third Brand at ZMC Pharmacy
Does your man overdo it with the Axe Body spray? Can he not be trusted around a bottle of Very Sexy for Him by Victoria’s Secret? Does he just need a new scent? We might have the answer. West Third Brand is a niche fragrance workshop out of Seattle that focuses on making distinctive and…
Drink Up
Everfresh Juice Co. Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice Refreshingly tart, sweet but not cloyingly so, Everfresh’s Ruby Red Grapefruit is, in a word, addictive. It’s made in Warren where it’s produced by the Sundance Beverage Co. so when you’re downing this 32 ounce bottle, you can feel good about your discerning beverage purchase. Sure, it’s only…
Savage Love: The truth about ‘maintenance sex’
Q: What is your stance on maintenance sex? I’d never thought about the issue until reading Amy Poehler’s new memoir. I didn’t find anything she said controversial, and was surprised when this quote blew up in the feminist blogosphere: “You have to have sex with your husband occasionally, even though you’re exhausted. Sorry.” I’d never…
Higher Ground: Bob Marley’s family is developing marijuana products — other celebrities should follow
It had to happen sooner or later as marijuana legalization makes its way across the planet. As the plant gets commoditized, some of the world’s great stoners will lend their names to products associated with it. There is probably no stoner more well-known than reggae superstar Bob Marley. He was shown smoking a big spliff…
Predictions aimed at helping young Detroiters get the most out of 2015
View this story as a slideshow here. We can’t tell what the future holds for Detroit, but that doesn’t stop us from trying to make some educated guesses every year. Why? Because we have a sincere hope that the future holds good things for Detroit. It’s right in our city’s motto: “We hope for better…
Eight Detroit companies we’re sure to see in 2015
View this story as a slideshow here. Things We’re Bound to See Dep’t: These days, stylish young people pick and choose clothes and accessories that smack of timelessness. But given their contemporary setting, these haphazard appropriations can also seem utterly preposterous. If it’s artisanal, free-range, GMO-free, heirloom, or anything involving facial hair or Mason jars,…
MT astrologist Cal Garrison on horoscopes, Jupiter lines, and what’s in store for Detroit in 2015
To many people Cal Garrison is something of a goddess. Every week she doles out astrological advice and the folks who follow her take every word as gospel. But who is this person and how is it that her horoscopes are so dead on? Metro Times chatted with the gifted soothsayer and asked those questions…
Horoscopes (Dec. 31 – Jan. 6)
Hey, Horoscopes fans! We interviewed astrologist Cal Garrison this week. Garrison discussed horoscopes, Jupiter lines, and what’s in store for Detroit in 2015. Read the interview here. ARIES: March 21 – April 20 You don’t need to overcompensate; enough is enough. Trying too hard to prove to people that you care, or that you are…
Burger Quest: Frank’s Eastside Tavern is an old-fashioned speakeasy-style joint
Every so often, a message comes in at Burger Quest headquarters, alerting us to a burger we should try. A few weeks ago, we got the call. It was from a guy named Frank on the east side, and he said we had to see Frank’s Eastside Tavern (nope, no relation). He described an old-fashioned…
Tony-nominated Celia Keenan-Bolger on her Detroit roots, acting, and Eric Garner
For a change, Detroit’s Celia Keenan-Bolger is acting her age. In her profession – acting – that can be a mixed blessing. But for now it works for her. Keenan-Bolger may be the most youthful-looking 36-year-old in the current milieu of Broadway and off-Broadway. In most of her roles, she’s played teenagers or women in…
All Dolled Up: Eric Holka looks like a million bucks (but didn’t spend it)
Eric Holka is a busy boy. When he isn’t selling ads for Metro Times, he’s taking classes to complete his master’s degree or working with the nonprofit he co-founded called Healthy Detroit. While all three endeavors keep him busy, the latter is his labor of love. The charity is a public health organization that hopes…
In the world of craft cocktails, simple syrup isn’t so simple
When it comes to the complicated science of mixology, there’s one thing that’s very hard to get wrong. It’s so simple, in fact, that it’s right in the name: simple syrup. You can make it sweeter or weaker, but it’s generally a 50-50 mixture of sugar and water, and it’s used to sweeten such classic…
Husband-and-wife team ADULT. invites compatriots to town as part of arts grant
Two weeks ago, celebrated electro duo ADULT. announced the creation of Detroit House Guests, a project funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The husband and wife duo of Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller will bring six musicians to town, and they’ll stay at the couple’s house in order to collaborate…
Why Centaur’s PJ Thomas can’t wait for the craft cocktail trend to die
PJ Thomas cut his teeth working in suburban bars while in his 20s, but for more than eight years he’s been managing Foxtown’s Centaur, a classy Art Deco bar not far from Comerica Park. While the bar specializes in martinis (they make up the total of their featured drinks list) bartenders can make just about…
R. Andrew Lee’s minimal, gorgeous piano music is the perfect winter soundtrack
I’m reviewing all three of these releases of desolate and gorgeous piano music, despite only the double disc being brand-new, because you have until the end of December to get them at a reduced price, what contemporary classical label Irritable Hedgehog cheekily calls a Wandelweiser Bündel. The Wandelweiser Group is an international group of composers…
Everything we thought we knew about fat might be wrong
With the salad days of summer behind us, and dark, cold days approaching, fat is in season. The holidays, and the accompanying onslaught of rich feasts, present a timely opportunity to think about fat, and there is much to consider these days. I used to assume that we ate more fat in winter because our…
