Cover Story
Detroit’s downtown business owners say the ‘good times’ aren’t for them
When Larry Mongo talked to The Detroit News shortly after he and his wife, Dianne, received court-ordered eviction notices from the historic Himelhoch building after operating businesses there for 30 years, he struck a note that many other black business owners echoed. “It’s not the bad times that killed us,” Mongo told the paper in…
Big Sean’s fierce new video is stark and seems to mostly take place inside an industrial elevator in Detroit
The newest video from Big Sean’s new album is really good, and here it is.
In defense of Applebee’s
Why saying “keep the chains in the ‘burbs!” is snobbish.
This U2 study might simply prove that most people don’t know how, or are too lazy, to remove U2’s horrid music from their iTunes after it was forced on there
U2 thinks these numbers mean one thing; we think they might mean another thing.
How Detroit ceased to exist 206 years ago
As a legal entity, the “City of Detroit” was incorporated, and then repealed, in the 1800s and 1810s.
Check out this track from local rapper MAHD’s new album ’13,’ out in one week
Preview a brand new track from local rapper MAHD’s new record ’13,’ which drops in one week.
Jessica Hernandez goes for simplicity in new ‘Cry Cry Cry’ video
Jessica Hernandez’s new video has just four components — Hernandez, an ex-lover, an old Lincoln Continental, and Detroit’s Mexicantown.
‘Rave of Thrones’ at MGM Grand this Saturday: Hodor brings some motherfucking Hodor straight to Detroit’s Hodor
We interviewed Kristian Nairn, who plays Hodor on Game of Thrones, in anticipation of his DJ gig at the MGM Grand this Saturday!
Detroit Bus Co. launches crowdfunding campaign for Youth Transit Alliance after-school busing program
The Youth Transit Alliance, as you may recall from our interview with Didorosi last year, puts the Detroit Bus Co.’s vehicles to work during the week by taking kids from Southwest Detroit to and from after-school programs that they otherwise would not have access to.
17th annual Allied Media Conference in Detroit taking session proposals
The 17th annual Allied Media Conference, set to take place June 18-21 in Detroit, is now accepting proposals for sessions, event organizers announced today. “Last year we had over 400 session proposals and we are excited to receive even more this year,” says Morgan Willis, Director of the Allied Media Conference, in a statement. “During…
Check out Brad Hales’ killer hour-long Yusef Lateef mix
In anticipation of an art show of visual works by Detroit jazz great Yusef Lateef at Trinosophes, Peoples Records honcho Brad Hales assembled this mix of his music.
Catch Detroit City Distillery on ‘Destination Michigan’ tonight
Detroit City Distillery to be featured on central Michigan TV show tonight.
First Applebee’s to open in Detroit
In case you haven’t yet heard, Detroit is getting an Applebee’s. TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants, a Livonia-based company which owns over 60 other Applebee’s establishments in Michigan, announced today that they’ve signed a lease for a plot at 8 Mile and Woodward with intention to break ground on the new restaurant by June. Whether you’re…
Here’s a visual guide to J Dilla’s discography
“Prolific” is a word most often associated with describing the late producer J Dilla’s output, and it can be kind of dizzying to keep track of every project he worked on. That’s why we were delighted to stumble upon this art print that visualizes his entire discography.
The Ying Yang Twins to perform at Sabrage on Friday night
Ying Yang Twins will perform at Sabrage this Friday night.
Midtown Inc. pushes back on plan for affordable senior housing complex
If the city wants to continue attracting retail and restaurants to Midtown, it needs mixed-income housing developments, according to Sue Mosey, president of Midtown Inc. What it doesn’t need, as Mosey put it in an interesting Crain’s Detroit Business story this week, is more 100 percent affordable housing projects. A senior housing complex that would consist…
Local business owners miffed after appearing in bizarre Comcast-sponsored Detroit doc
The Detroit Bus Co.’s Andy Didorosi was shocked when he started getting texts telling him he appeared in a strange Detroit doc on WXYZ Sunday night.
Where to get your free Krispy Kreme doughnut tomorrow
Where to get a free doughnut tomorrow morning.
Has Garth Brooks left town yet?
Dude was here for a 45 day stint. I totally waited behind him while he tried to order a frapuccino at Astro the other day, poor guy. If anyone near you ever plays one of his songs, try something like this to wipe it from your brain.
‘Leviathan’ takes on Russian corruption
A foreign film fueled by angry condemnation for its host country, ‘Leviathan’ was a rarity. So of course it didn’t stand a chance at winning an Oscar.
Sunday night shop obsession: The Peacock Room
Check out these photos of the Peacock Room.
The Guardian gets Detroit right again
The reporting in the Guardian doesn’t just tell what’s happening in Detroit; it’s unafraid to tell the story of the city’s growing inequality, a topic the dailies here shy away from too often.
These live clips of obscure Miami gospel act C Lord C’s are stupendous
Two live clips of the Miami based gospel act C Lord C’s, one from the 1980s and the other from last month, show the band to be lively and awesome.
Wasting a freezing-cold evening with ‘Brick Mansions’ on Netflix
OK, last night, just looking over Netflix and seeing what junk we could screen to warm up the old living room on a frigid Friday night, we found a lot of really dumb stuff. It was a toss-up between the movie about Nazi zombies and Brick Mansions, released last year (and reviewed in MT), an…
Listen to new solo music from Thunderbirds Are Now!’s Ryan Allen
It’s been a minute since we last heard from Thunderbirds Are Now!, but Ryan Allen has been busy with projects.
Hit the sauce at Whiskey Business tomorrow night
Whiskey Business is tomorrow night
Zack Sklar isn’t just opening two restaurants in Birmingham, but more in Chicago, Grand Rapids
2015 plans call for culinary powerhouse Zack Sklar’s hospitality company too expand Birmingham operations, open eateries in Chicago and Grand Rapids.
Treat Dreams ice cream flavors square off in championship competition
Treat Dreams pits its flavors against one another.
Vandal, MSK make an unlikely collaboration in Eastern Market
Kind of like playing “exquisite corpse.”
This solid citizen took the time to remaster Hüsker Dü’s watershed 1984 punk album ‘Zen Arcade’
The original sound on this classic punk record wasn’t so great, so a good citizen went ahead and remastered it her or himself!
Here’s a vintage tourism video of Michigan you should watch
On positively frigid days like today, all we can think about is summer: The days we’ll spend by the lake, and at the dunes, and camping on the outskirts of Traverse City. This vintage tourism video that we found recently on YouTube captures all this and more, so as we spiral headfirst into another bitter…
Tonic and Juice announces March pop-up at Coffee and (_______) … also, what’s up with these goofy pop-up names?
What’s up with all these goofy pop-up names? We’ve seen names like “Guns & Butter,” “Salt & Acid,” and now, “Tonic & Juice.”
Mojo in the Morning’s ‘Slut and a Virgin Spring Break’ contest is a real thing, in 2015
Our intern Lauren Madison reports how local radio show Mojo in the Morning’s ‘Slut and a Virgin Spring Break’ contest is a real thing, in 2015.
Tilted Axes to return to Detroit — and Royal Oak?
Electric guitar processional returns to Detroit, and gives Royal Oak a show!
Video: ‘These Motherfucking Potholes’
This rant may have been posted last year, but we just saw it, and it’s not like the pothole situation in Detroit is any better than it was last year. Take it away, young lady. (Hat tip to Reddit)
Historic Scarab Club seeks entries for ‘Blooms, Bugs, Beasts’ exhibition
Detroit’s historic Scarab Club has a call for entries for a new exhibition.
16 year-old local label owner and former Metro Times writer Jarrett Koral is blowing up the Internet today!
Check out this TV interview with a 16 year-old record label owner, who wrote for the Metro times when he was just 14!
Local investigations highlight Detroit’s problem with arsons
Arsons in Detroit have been in the news quite a bit, as of late: Last week, it was Steve Neavling at Motor City Muckraker, whose reporting led the Detroit Fire Department to revise figures from last year. Today, Joel Kurth and Louis Aguilar take a deep-dive into the city’s massive problem with arsons, a culmination…
Detroit Garment Group Guild is accepting applications for its Designer in Residence program
Detroit Garment Group Guild is looking for Designers in Residence.
James Beard Foundation names three local chefs as 2015 semifinalists
Local chefs named semifinalists in prestigious awards.
N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art’s ‘Psychological Gentrification’ series kicks off tonight
Last year, Detroit gallery owner George N’Namdi caused a stir with his observations regarding what he perceived to be Detroit’s “psychological gentrification.” Tonight, the gallery will kick off a series of panels on the subject.
Get ready for Western Where, a jukebox 45 country label that’s an offshoot of Urinal Cake, and the first release is by Autumn from Rebel Kind!
The other day Eric Love, head honcho of Detroit’s great label Urinal Cake, wrote to tell us of his newest venture, “I started a new label called Western Where. Just jukebox country 45’s. The first record is Autumn from Rebel Kind. Here’s the soundcloud link! She’s filming a video for it in Joshua Tree at the…
Amy Good’s ‘Claiming the Coldflame’: A book review by Jay Lonski
Claiming the Coldflame by Amy Good (Glannant Ty) by Jay Lonski From the publisher’s website: “Amy Good is a professional illustrator, and the founder of Little Potato Studios, a video game development company. She was born in Detroit Michigan, and still lives in the metro area with her husband and their two dogs.” It doesn’t…
Detroit City Council appoints union leader Janee’ Ayers to fill vacant seat
Janee’ Ayers, a 33-year-old former union rep, will fill a seat on Detroit City Council that was vacated earlier this year by longtime councilmember Saunteel Jenkins. In a 6-2 vote on Tuesday, Detroit City Council picked Ayers over Debra Walker, a Corktown resident and retired Chrysler executive, to fill the vacant seat until the end…
Thrillist tells us why all Detroit suburbs suck
Thrillist says all Detroit suburbs suck.
Jack White debuts interactive video for ‘That Black Bat Licorice’
Though famously disdainful of modern technology and a lover of all things retro and weird, Jack White’s new interactive video for Lazaretto single “That Black Bat Licorice” has a decidedly modern twist.
Little Caesars debuts bacon wrapped pizza topped with bacon and more bacon
The latest Little Caesars creation may be calling bacon lovers’ names.
Michigan lobbyists spent $37 million in 2014
Lobbyists in Michigan attempted to curry favors at the state Capitol last year by dropping $37 million, a slight uptick from 2013’s totals, according to a new report released this week by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. But with several reports still outstanding, it’s likely 2014’s total will set a new record for reported spending…
A man seeks help in connecting his father with an escort
Q: My father is 65 years old and has been a devoted husband to my mother who has been battling a medical condition for the past 30 years — a condition that prevents her from engaging in sexual activity of any kind. He has not had sex in all this time and is desperately frustrated.…
A critical guide to Detroit’s best coffee shops
Whether you want to hang out for seven hours on your laptop uninterrupted, or grab the most amazing third wave, single origin, fair trade Yrgacheff varietal you’ve ever had in your life and then take off, we’ve got you covered. All these spots offer free wi-fi, though expect it to not work as well when…
Arbor Brewing Co. presents a case study in local business ethics and crowdfunding
Arbor Brewing Co. owners Matt and Rene Greff’s decision to ask customers to chip in $75,000 via Indiegogo to upgrade ABC Microbrewery’s piecemeal, partly outdoor kitchen to a safer, enclosed space, has sparked a lively discussion among customers and business associates in the Ann Arbor area. Some labeled the campaign and the Greffs “scummy.” Others…
Gentlemen’s Consignment brings fabulous finds to Royal Oak
A few years ago Kelly Pepper had gastric bypass surgery. He lost 145 pounds as a result, and no longer fit into this otherwise fine and finely made clothing. A friend suggested he consign and, well, the rest is history. After discovering the joys of consignment, he decided to open his own high-end men’s consignment…
Detroit has some of the best record stores in the country
Record stores? Our metropolitan area is lousy with record stores. Most skew toward vinyl, with an emphasis on used stock. But if CDs are your thing, or even tapes, or if you’re in need of the newest of new releases, we’ve got you covered on all fronts. Dearborn Music 22501 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-561-1000; Open…
Drink Up
CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA Conceived and founded by actor Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander, Crystal Head Vodka is an additive-free vodka that’s quadruple distilled and filtered seven times, three of which are through Herkimer diamond crystals. It’s also gluten-free and kosher certified. And while the product is enough to draw the attention of vodka lovers…
Politics and Prejudices: Duggan unchained
Ivory D. Williams is a proud black man, a semi-retiree who likes to promote “the ancient art of African and African-American storytelling in the oral tradition.” He doesn’t think much of any of Detroit’s last few mayors. “After the death of the late great Mayor Coleman Young, every single mayor since has spewed nothing but…
Our picks for metro Detroit’s essential bars
Anchor Bar — 450 W. Fort St., Detroit; 313-964-9127; facebook.com/AnchorBarDetroit: Maybe we’ve always been partial to this place because of its reputation as a hangout for local journalists. Maybe we like the unpretentiousness of it all, or the many decades of Detroit memorabilia on the walls. That’s the kind of effortless authenticity that comes when…
Keego Harbor’s Yardbird Smoked Meats joins metro Detroit’s barbecue scene
Have you ever been to a Texas barbecue? Picnic tables baking in the sun, a rust-colored smoker pouring forth a soaring, smoky announcement of the food to be had, plastic trays, and brown paper towels. Here in Michigan, winter — violent and full of polar vortices — makes a cozy indoor environment important. After all,…
Horoscopes (Feb. 18 – 24)
ARIES (March 21-April 20): The main focus is always the same. You are the only one who can do this. If others are there for you, it’s because they identify with whatever you’re going through. They might even care. At this point, your situation requires 100 percent of whatever you’ve got. Looking around, levels of…
These days our region has enough distilleries to outfit a home bar
Here’s something you couldn’t do a few years ago: Assemble a badass bar of locally made spirits and mixers. Several factors are at play here: the loosening of distilling rules, the lowering of licensing costs, and a helping hand from the excellent distilling program at Michigan State University, among others. What it means for the…
MGM Grand Detroit opens AXIS Lounge with classy cocktails, Motown flavor, and a really, really cool ceiling
When you think of MGM Grand Detroit, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely gaming. And yes, this place has a top-notch gaming floor, the place is pristine, and without a doubt it stands out from its competitors. But MGM Grand Detroit is a lot more than gambling. Their signature nightclub, V,…
Annual Manual ’15
For decades, the world changed, but Detroit stayed the same. You could go to any one of dozens of restaurants, dance floors, stages, shops, museums, or “ethnic festivals” downtown, and you could be guaranteed nothing would have been much different from your last visit. How times change! It’s getting to the point where the annual…
Treat yo’self!
Level Naturals Soaks Don’t Suck ($10) A lot of things in life suck. Getting a pay cut sucks. Losing sleep to worry sucks. Having a bad attitude sucks. But you know what doesn’t suck? Taking a long, luxurious bath. That really does not suck. Level Naturals makes this line of bath salts that answers every…
King Quartz’s blunted, ephemeral hip-hop
George Ford, a born-and-raised Detroiter, is 24 years old, and he makes compelling music under the name King Quartz. He also performs with Axe Ripper and BLVKTOVD. Sacramento-based Colosseum Records just released a fancy-looking full-length cassette tape, his debut release, Fauxtoshop. The music is a compelling blend of hip-hop and trap with newer underground genres…
How to spend a whole day enjoying Detroit’s artistic offerings (without going to the DIA)
Detroit’s reputation as an art capital has been rising steadily, perhaps cemented in the eyes of the national media by the recent decision of the famous Brooklyn-based Galapagos Art Space to up and move here. Of course, Detroit has a long history of great art — from the world-class art and architecture amassed by industry…
Bonny Doon on the release of their first 7-inch
I don’t know what “Blood in the Bathtub” is about, exactly. And I’m not sure I want to know. But the poppy, twang-y little rouser has been stuck in my head all week, thanks to local label Salinas finally releasing Bonny Doon’s debut, a four-song 7-inch EP. It’s really a super start. If you’ve ever…
Your guide to annual events, festivals and attractions
Meridian Motown Winter Blast February 6-8; Detroit; winterblast.com February is right in the thick of a Michigan winter, so why not embrace it with ice-skating, bonfires, snow slides, and all sorts of other ways to enjoy the cold. Hamtramck Music Festival March 5-7; Hamtramck; hamtramckmusicfestival.com The annual Hamtramck Music Festival is three-day music event in…
Martha Reeves tells a great story about recording ‘Heat Wave’
Last week I was invited to attend a taping of a few songs performed by onetime Vandellas leader Martha Reeves and the Supremes’ Mary Wilson at Detroit Public TV’s studios in Wixom. Those songs will later be added as new segments to the popular television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, which originally aired in…
Dream Tap Takeover: What would you have on tap at home?
The craft beer revolution has become an evolving and permanent feature of the Great Lakes State. Where a decade ago, the craft faithful would gather at microbreweries and brewpubs to sample the beers of specific small brewers, now you can get craft beer at such drinking shrines as Detroit’s Hopcat, a 130-tap bar, grill and…
Five things happening in Detroit dining this week
Barbecuing at 14 degrees — Yeah, Michiganders are tough. We barbecue as soon as it warms up enough to wear just one layer of longjohns. Want proof? Come by the Two-Way Inn on Friday, where host Dan Pantalleresco will probably be manning the grill. If you haven’t had Pantalleresco’s barbecue, you’ve been missing out. And,…
Detroit on $10 or less
Sure, you’ve been there: You still have one week to last until your next payday, but you want to find a way to do something cheap — anything to get out of the house for a minute. Luckily, Detroit’s not Manhattan. No, it’s not L.A., Chicago, San Francisco. None of the above. Detroit is Detroit,…
Raise the Bar: Why the Hideout is the classic American neighborhood bar
If you’re looking for somewhere with cheap beer, decent specials, a ton of TVs, and friendly service, the Hideout is your place. The Clawson bar doesn’t have any gimmicks, it’s not trendy, and you probably won’t see “craft” anywhere on the menu, but it’s decent and clean, and sometimes that’s all that matters. Recently, they…
Keep your dollars in Detroit
Whether you’re decorating your living room, stocking your pantry, refreshing your wardrobe, or picking something up for that special someone, there’s a way to do it and keep all your dollars in metro Detroit. Now is a better time than ever to shop local with myriad new companies popping up seemingly every day. Here’s just…
Why the Redford Theatre was the perfect venue for Duggan’s State of the City address
As political theater, Mayor Mike Duggan made all the right moves for his State of the City address last week. For starters, he held it at the Redford Theatre, a beloved institution in a run-down neighborhood where community activism has given local residents some hope. It was a perfect metaphor for the city itself, and…
A vegetarian and vegan’s guide to Detroit
We live in a new world, one where White Castle has even conceded that some people today don’t care for meat. As of last year, an estimated 16 million Americans have nixed meat from their diet, about 5 percent of the total U.S. population. Of that total, about 1 million people say they’ve ditched animal…
33 1/3 essential albums from metro Detroit
First off, there are so many amazing records not on our list. It turns out that it really is difficult to distill an entire region’s output over the history of recorded music and pick less than three dozen long-players from that bunch to represent them all. We’re not at all complaining; this was really fun.…
Meet Armageddon Beachparty, ‘Detroit’s ambassadors of psychedelia’
When Aubrey and Elena Smyth work together, they’re not just a married couple who both create art — they’re a singular artist. As Armageddon Beachparty, the duo are a fixture at local music festivals, easily spotted by their “super-gypsy” aesthetic. We meet the two over coffee, and find them decked out in similar leather biker…
Detroit’s sweet tooth
When you think about Detroit’s burgeoning food scene, lots of things come to mind. Comfort food, BBQ, ramen, burgers, and sushi are all very strong contenders for what we do, here in metro Detroit, extremely well. One of the things, however, that oftentimes falls by the wayside is the ever-elusive sweet treat. Desserts come in…
Ask a Juggalo: What would a Juggalo political party look like?
Q: Have the Juggalos ever considered creating a political party or advancing a political platform? A: That’s something that I’ve thought about for many years. If that movement ever takes place, I wanna be on the forefront of that, brother. I definitely believe that all Juggalos need to be heard and, at the end of…
Our favorite ongoing events
Drag Queen Bingo @ Five15 If you haven’t gone yet, you have to try bingo at Five15. It’s nothing like a VFW hall, old-timey setting of the game. Check this: The host of the evening is a drag queen who spits vile, crude humor at the crowd all evening. It transcends bingo; it becomes an…
Francis Grunow declares the era of downtown demolition over
You may have heard of Preservation Detroit. Francis Grunow was executive director of it a decade ago, when it was still called Preservation Wayne. Back then, the organization was offering spirited opposition to planned demolitions downtown, facing off against the Ilitch organization, the city of Detroit, and George Jackson, whose reign as head of the…
What music venue are you?
It’s Friday night, you want to hear some music, but you’re not sure who’s playing where, how much it costs, or where you’ll feel most comfortable. Right? Well, this should help: Take a look at our handy tip sheet, and everything in this crazy world will start to make a little more sense. UFO FACTORY…
Feedback: Weekly reader responses
Jackman uncool Thanks to Michael Jackman for his blog post (“Please, please, please: Stop ‘saving’ Detroit”) responding to my story at collectively.org about Sister Pie (“Projects We Love: This Baker is Saving Detroit With Pie.”) Just wanted to mention a few things. Firstly, I have been to Detroit, for a few weeks, in 2012. Sure,…
Using the periodic table to explain metro Detroit dining
View a larger version of our periodic table here. When it comes to metro Detroit’s dining scene, the last decade has been one of major flux. Old standbys we thought would be around forever have disappeared, and a new crop of hip eateries have taken their place. The action has shifted a bit, with more…
