Cover Stories
Hamtramck Music Fest co-organizer Eugene Strobe goes behind the scenes
Work, appointments, deadlines, business lunches, family dinners, and pre-sleep binge-watching: For many, navigating the schedule of an average week can be taxing. What if you were throwing one of the most outrageously jam-packed and wildly anticipated music festivals in all of Detroit? It takes a handful of volunteers, a gaggle of bands chomping at the…
15 acts you won’t want to miss at Hamtramck Music Fest 2018
On the first weekend in March, more than 160 local bands will descend upon the streets of Hamtramck, filling 21 city venues with music as part of Hamtramck Music Fest. Now in its fifth year, the festival’s lineup is as diverse as ever, touching on the many sounds and styles of Detroit. With so many…
Why this man wants to get the opioid overdose antidote in Detroit clubs
“Don’t panic. Don’t leave. You can do this.” This is not meant as a suggestion or an inspirational wall art mantra. According to Mount Clemens punk rocker and addiction recovery warrior Scott Boyink, these are the first steps in saving a life. The words are printed on the card that accompanies the Narcan kits which…
Monte Carlo Night fundraiser returns to 115-year-old Belle Isle Boat House
You can’t spell fundraiser without “f-u-n” — and the second annual Monte Carlo Night at the Belle Isle Boat House is all of the above. Guests will have the opportunity to not only experience the 115-year-old space but will be able to help to play a part in the shaping of its future. Proceeds from…
Weird Al is going to perform original songs at Michigan Theater and that’s weird
Oscar Wilde once said that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” If this is true, then “Weird Al” Yankovic is the biggest ass-kisser of all time. The king of parody pop is hitting the road with his “Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour” — and it comes with a disclaimer. This is not the Weird…
Sex-music maker Miguel is coming to Royal Oak Music Theatre
There’s no doubt about it — this one’s for the lovers. Cerebral R&B sex-god Miguel Pimentel is bringing his sensual voice and psychedelic arrangements to the Royal Oak Music Theatre. Supporting his 2017 release, War and Leisure, Miguel’s show will double as a utopian shelter of funk, soundgasms, and sexual healing. The only weapons Miguel…
Detroit pop duo Aplus to celebrate record release at DIME
Detroit-bred sisters Anesha and Antea Birchetts, aka Aplus, have made quite a splash in the music world. (See our recent profile in our Jan. 3, 2018 “Bands to Watch” feature.) As a songwriting team, the duo have written songs for the likes of none other than Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Ciara, Mary J Blige,…
A Wes Anderson double-feature is happening at Redford Theatre
The hyper-stylized world of writer and director Wes Anderson is its own universe, one where a brace-faced, know-it-all playwright can befriend a depressed headmaster and fall for a widowed science teacher… and coexist alongside an eccentric oceanographer and his doomed revenge mission against a mythological shark. Technical precision, strategic use of color, storylines underscored with…
Michigan Dems back bank deregulation after taking cash from Wall Street
Michigan senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow are among 16 Democrats who’ve joined with Republicans to advance a bank deregulation bill that progressives say would pave the way for another financial meltdown if approved. And they got a whole mess of money from the financial sector before voting to do so. The so-called Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief…
Detroit rappers Hotel Seprino, Philup Banks, Courtney Bell, and B-Free drop new cypher
Emcee Network began its cypher series in September, 2016, with the goal of creating an opportunity for local artists to showcase their sonic talents with visual accompaniment. This year’s offering is no exception, featuring a beat from DDS; lyrics courtesy of Hotel Seprino, Philup Banks, Courtney Bell, and B-Free; and visuals from none other than…
You can commemorate the deadly 1932 Ford Hunger March by donating to this Detroit park
The Ford Hunger March isn’t exactly something you would fondly recall — like you might the Michigan State Fair or Kern’s Department Store. It’s more one of those things you should never forget: a cautionary tale about a society too tilted in favor of corporate overlords and unfairly rigged against their workers. Here’s what happened:…
Voting is now open for Metro Times’ Best of Detroit poll
What makes Detroit tick? How does the Motor City work? It’s time to gear up for Metro Times’ annual Best of Detroit issue, where you tell us what you think makes this area great. Once again, we take the back seat and give you a chance to sound off on all things Detroit — from…
Iconic Star Wars costumes will be on display at the DIA this spring
In a galaxy far, far away — fashion is more than a statement, it defines what side you’re on. The remarkable costumery of the Star Wars saga is headed to our very own galaxy. Star Wars and the Power of Costume will display original garb from the first seven films from May 20 through Sept. 30 at…
A new food hall and restaurant incubator is planned for Gilbertville
A food hall will soon call the Dan Gilbert-owned Federal Reserve building in downtown Detroit home. Eater reports Pittsburgh-based Galley Group is behind the concept, which will take shape in a 8,646-square-foot-space at 160 W. Fort St. Plans call for four restaurants and a 25-tap bar that will feature Michigan booze. Galley’s food halls are…
Cedar Point raises ticket prices, unveils record-breaking coaster this season
Bad news thrill seekers, Cedar Point’s hiking adult admission this season. The iconic Midwest amusement park will open the season on May 5 featuring a new $72 adult ticket price. That’s a full $5 increase from last season. There’s a few new additions to the park, including a revamped Mean Streak coaster. The old wooden…
Here’s how to live stream Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s State of the City address
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will deliver his fifth State of the City address tonight, and for the first since being re-elected mayor last fall. Issues Duggan is expected to discuss include schools and crime. The Detroit News reports Duggan will outline new partnerships with Detroit schools and describe plans to spread “crime-fighting tactics through precincts across…
Detroit Free Press misidentifies protestor as Richard Spencer supporter, and has yet to fix the problem
Violent clashes erupted at Michigan State University Monday afternoon as Richard Spencer supporters marched through a crowd of hundreds of protestors in hopes of hearing the white supremacist speak inside the college’s Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock. Related Photographers from a number of local media outlets — including Metro Times’ Tom Perkins — were on hand…
The alt-right’s turbulent Michigan visit suggests the movement is in disarray
Two days of tension surrounding white supremacist Richard Spencer’s visit to Michigan erupted in violence ahead of his speech at Michigan State University Monday, marking another blow to the alt-right movement as it continues to struggle to come out of the shadows. Punching and shoving broke out between Spencer’s supporters and a mass of protesters…
Evanescence is still a band and they are coming to Detroit this summer
In today’s breaking goth news, rockers Evanescence have announced a co-headlining tour with electric violinist Lindsey Stirling. The tour is set to make a stop at DTE Energy Music Theatre on Monday, July 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale on 10 a.m. on Friday. They start at $25 and are available here. According to…
Wayne Kramer is bringing MC5 back, and they’re going on tour
They say things get better with age. Such is true for Detroit’s beloved proto-punk pioneers, the MC5. Get ready to kick out the jams because the band is itching to celebrate a rock ‘n’ roll milestone. Announced today, Wayne Kramer, MC5’s founding guitarist, is set to launch a 35-date tour to commemorate the anniversary of their debut…
This interactive map allows you to see every single reported crime in Detroit
The city of Detroit has launched a new interactive tool to bring transparency and awareness to crime trends. The Crime Viewer, which is in its beta-testing phase, is a new visualization program and the result of combined efforts of the Department of Innovation and Technology and the Detroit Police Department. The Crime Viewer uses data…
Ben Carson admits running HUD is harder than brain surgery
Former brain surgeon and current secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson says that, actually, compared to his new job, neuroscience was pretty easy. “There are more complexities here than in brain surgery,” Carson told The New York Times in a story published Monday. “Doing this job is going to be a very intricate process.” That…
Violent clashes break out before Richard Spencer’s speech at MSU
This post was updated at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 6. Two days of tension surrounding white supremacist Richard Spencer’s visit to Michigan erupted in violence ahead of his speech at Michigan State University Monday, marking another blow to the alt-right movement as it continues to struggle to come out of the shadows. Punching and…
White supremacist arrested for illegal weapons near Ann Arbor
A man connected with a secret white supremacist convention hosting Richard Spencer was arrested Sunday night in Pittsfield Charter Township for illegally carrying weapons, according to the township’s police department. Related Pittsfield Police Chief Matthew E. Harshberger tells Metro Times there was an altercation between two vehicles — one from a white supremacist group, the other from an…
Sufjan Stevens delivers chilling performance at the Oscars (even though he didn’t win one)
On Sunday night, Detroit-bred singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, performed his Oscar-nominated song, “Mystery of Love” from the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack during the award ceremony. Backed by a dream cast of a band, including former collaborator St. Vincent and Moses Sumney, Stevens imbued a serene aura of light on the audience with his whispery…
Michigan drag racer pleased to see her twin Chevelle win silver at Autorama
Husband-and-wife duo Matt and Karri Anne Beebe are the nucleus at the center of their Beebe Motorsports race team. We did an article on them in the summer of 2016, telling the story of how the couple fell in love with one another, and finally with screaming down a dragway in a grudge car. Related…
Feminist icon Gloria Steinem is speaking in Midtown this week
Feminist icon and famed journalist Gloria Steinem will be visiting Midtown on Wednesday, March 7, to offer some insight on the future of feminism in light of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. Steinem’s keynote speech is part of Wayne State’s Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society’s 10th anniversary lecture series entitled “What in the…
Michigan Senator wants to tax Detroit sports, concert tickets to pay for first responders
A new bill introduced in the Michigan state Senate would see an additional $3 tax added to any concert or sporting event ticket sold for venues with at least 5,000 seats within the city of Detroit. Those venues would include Little Caesars Arena, the Fox Theatre, Ford Field, and Comerica Park. Sen. Coleman Young II…
Rude boy Bill Burr is coming to Detroit’s Fox Theatre
What the world needs now is laughs, sweet (and uncomfortable) laughs. The king of too-soon comedy, Bill Burr has been slinging his brash brand of no-holds-barred hilarity for a while now. From Breaking Bad to podcasts and an upcoming feature film starring alongside Hugh Jackman, Burr is also the creator of an animated Netflix series called…
Bomb threat closes Ypsilanti Middle School
Ypsilanti Middle School was evacuated this morning following a bomb threat, according to a post on the school district’s Facebook page. According to the district’s communications coordinator Taryn Reid, a threat was made on Monday morning. “In all such matters, we assume the threat to be credible then immediately begin evacuation procedures and investigation,” she wrote. The…
Everything you need to know about Richard Spencer’s visit to MSU today
After a failed attempt to hold a conference at a secret location in metro Detroit Sunday, Richard Spencer and his roving horde of Nazi friends will today descend upon East Lansing for Spencer’s big speaking event at Michigan State University. The late-afternoon talk is expected to be met with large protests. It comes a day…
More Peruvian food is coming to metro Detroit
Within a span of six months, metro Detroit will go from zero restaurants regularly serving Peruvian food to three. A new Peruvian concept called Inti will operate out of New Center’s Atomic Chicken as the share space arrangement between the latter and Buffy’s Mexi-Casian Grill comes to an end. Buffy’s operates as a food truck…
Grosse Pointe Shores to fight back against non-residents who use its park — to park
Plans are almost set for a host of improvements to be made to Osius Municipal Park in Grosse Pointe Shores. What’s that? You didn’t know there was an Osius Municipal Park in Grosse Pointe Shores? Hardly surprising, given the way it’s a residents-only park. How would you know unless you are one of those fortunate…
We found out where the alt-right is holding its secret conference in metro Detroit
Updated 6:48 p.m., Sunday, March 4: The white supremacists have relocated to the parking lot of the Ann Arbor Staples for shuttle service to their secret destination. In an email obtained by Metro Times, a conference coordinator says there are people on hand to ensure the cars of conference-goers are not vandalized. Updated at 5:50 p.m., Sunday,…
Richard Spencer’s metro Detroit lawyer dissociates from alt-right following negative press
The metro Detroit alt-right legal advocate who cleared the way for Richard Spencer to speak at Michigan State University says he’s withdrawing from politics following news stories that highlighted racist statements he’s made over the years. Kyle Bristow, the executive director of the Foundation for the Market Place of Ideas, announced he would resign from…
Le Petit Zinc is now open for business inside new Midtown location
Le Petit Zinc has relocated to the ground floor of the Strathmore Apartment building in Midtown, and is now open for business at 70 W. Alexandrine St. That’s earlier than scheduled, as it was supposed to open Monday, March 5. Related Le Petit Zinc had been located in Corktown since 2008 until a landlord-tenant dispute…
The ACLU has some questions about Detroit’s Project Green Light surveillance program
Detroit’s Project Green Light surveillance program is getting some negative attention nationally, with a post questioning its efficacy now published on the American Civil Liberties Union’s website. The blog written by Eric C. Williams, the Detroit attorney leading the ACLU of Michigan’s committee that opposes Project Green Light, makes the case the surveillance technology violates people’s right to privacy…
Check out this outrageously expensive loft for sale in downtown Detroit
Ever dreamed of having a home complete with a built-in fish tank — IN THE KITCHEN? If so, this 1,067 square foot Detroit dream loft can be yours for a cool $275,000 (that’s a mere $257 per square foot). The one bedroom, one bathroom loft on Antietam Avenue in Lafayette Park was recently listed and…
Relief is on the way — Michigan Senate approves $175M to fix crumbling roads
Michigan is millions of dollars closer to fixing its crumbling, pothole-ladden roads. On Thursday, the Michigan Senate voted 36-0 to approve $175 million to rehabilitate state roads over the next fiscal year. Preceding the unanimous vote was a flurry of partisan squabbling, with Democrats hurling claims the increased road funding wasn’t enough to solve Michigan’s…
Police confirm CMU shooting victims were the shooter’s parents
The two people fatally shot during a Friday morning altercation at Central Michigan University were the shooter’s parents, police confirmed to WLIX today. Related Police have also identified the shooter as CMU sophomore James Davis Jr. He is still at large, and has been described at a 5-foot-9-inch tall 19-year-old black male wearing mustard colored…
3 injured in car wreck that destroyed Midtown bus shelter
A Detroit bus shelter was transformed into a pile of twisted wreckage this morning when it was hit by a car. The shelter was on Woodward Avenue just south of Forest, in front of a Shell filling station. As of 10:15 a.m., police were on scene to direct traffic. We will post updates as we…
Protests planned for Richard Spencer’s Detroit appearance, but where will that human turd turn up?
Demonstrators will gather in downtown Detroit Sunday to protest an alt-right conference expected to draw the likes of Richard Spencer to an undisclosed location in the area. The conference put on by the Foundation for the Marketplace of Ideas is to take place on the eve of Spencer’s controversial visit to Michigan State University. The…
Taylor Swift announces opening acts for her Ford Field show
Taylor Swift is known for the gaggle of hot chicks who tag along wherever she goes, and she’s bringing another #girlgang #squad to Ford Field when she performs there this summer. T-Money’s Reputation tour is coming to town Aug. 28 and she announced via social media that regulation hotties Camila Cabello and Charli XCX will be join…
Fans underwhelmed by box art for upcoming Detroit: Become Human
“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” they say. But video games, apparently, are fair game. The controversial PS4 game Detroit: Become Human – to be released in May – showed off its cover today and fan reactions seemed to largely range between polite applause and thermonuclear attack. The cover image, which features the face…
Washington Post does Detroit — for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
This morning finds The Washington Post featuring a piece on Detroit dining, and no missteps here. That’s because it’s by veteran Detroit writer Rebecca Powers, who was editor at Hour Detroit and Detroit Home. You can feel the home turf advantage in the way Powers alludes to sports, square pizza, and coney dogs. But the…
Update: At least two dead after CMU shooting, suspect still at large
Police have confirmed a shooter at Central Michigan University killed at least two people Friday morning, the Detroit Free Press reports. UPDATE: The suspect is a black male and considered armed and dangerous. More information will be shared as it becomes available. — City of Mt. Pleasant (@MtPleasantMI) March 2, 2018 The City of Mount…
Vice President Mike Pence is in Detroit to hang out with Schuette and brag
Hide your kids, hide your wife, creep Vice President Mike Pence will be in Detroit today. He’s coming to town to hang with Michigan Attorney General and wanna-be Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Schuette and talk up the Trump tax plan. Politico reported Monday Pence would be visiting Michigan in support of Michigan GOP House candidates. He…
Shooter reported at Central Michigan University
Students at Central Michigan University received text alerts this morning reporting shots had been fired on the fourth floor of Campbell Hall, an on-campus dormitory. 9&10 News reports students are advised to avoid the area. The subject is still at large, but further details are not available. All Mount Pleasant schools are currently on lock down…
Dementor spotting: Michigan Muggle phones police after seeing the evil creature at a park
According to Harry Potter scribe J.K. Rowling, “Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can’t see them.” Well, a Michigan Muggle thought…
Netflix docu-series Flint Town explores poverty, police relations, and the ongoing water crisis
The Flint Water Crisis thrust the Michigan city into the national spotlight, and the new Netflix docu-series Flint Town is shining a light back on a place that has faded from the national conversation. The eight-episode first season — from the executive director of True Detective — is available now on Netflix and explores how poverty,…
Here’s the full lineup for the final Vans Warped Tour, coming to Detroit in July
Last November, Vans Warped Tour founder and producer Kevin Lyman announced the 2018 traveling festival would be the last cross-country run for the longstanding “punk rock summer camp.” Related For more than two decades, the traveling music fest has featured pop punk, emo, and punk rock acts like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and…
Ray LaMontagne is coming to Detroit, so spring can’t be that far off
In the midst of yet another dismal weather forecast, we have some summery news — low key crooner Ray LaMontagne announced this afternoon he’s got his “Part of the Light” tour all set, and it includes a stop at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre on Sunday, July 1. LaMontagne, who is behind hits like “Jolene,” “You are…
Why was Betsy DeVos at a Supreme Court hearing about the fate of workers unions?
We might as well start with a shared foundation — Michigan billionaire and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is basically known for being a garbage person. Not only is she pretty much a moron, but her richer-than-god family has reportedly worked to set up meetings between Russia and the Trump administration prior to the…
Meet the sadistic metro Detroit lawyer behind next week’s alt-right conference
White nationalist Richard Spencer owes his upcoming visit to Michigan State University to one man — metro Detroit lawyer Kyle Bristow, a self-described legal advocate for the alt-right. Bristow brought a first-amendment legal challenge against MSU after it denied Spencer permission to speak at the campus last year, prompting the school to settle and reverse…
Pay your parking tickets now — Hamtramck is offering a court fine amnesty program
Got overdue parking tickets from Hamtramck? March is a good time to pay them, thanks to the city’s amnesty program. Throughout the month of March, the 31st District Court is offering an amnesty program for delinquent tickets. All payable parking and traffic civil infraction tickets issued within the City of Hamtramck are eligible under the…
Anal worms are a thing and Michigan native Kristen Bell had them
How’s your Thursday going? Good? Great. Well, we would like to ruin that for you with two words that should never appear together ever — Anal. Worms. Actress Kristen Bell shared her harrowing, er, itchy tale about contracting anal worms from her 3-year-old daughter Delta during an appearance on The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale.…
Eminem makes history as first rapper to score more than 100 million RIAA song awards
Eminem has achieved another career milestone, racking up more than 100 million Recording Industry Association of America song awards to become the second-most successful artist in the world, in terms of singles. Em surpassed No. 3 Taylor Swift for the honor and landed just behind Rihanna, who is No. 1. It’s a big deal. For…
Detroit Zoo takes in animals displaced by sudden closure of Pontiac’s Bat Zone
Fifty-four bats, five Southern flying squirrels, a two-toed sloth, and a Cranwell’s horned frog will be calling the Detroit Zoo home in coming days. The news comes after the Bat Zone in Pontiac shuttered due to financial hardship and the recent firing of Bat Zone co-founder, Rob Mies amid allegations of inappropriate behavior in the…
The White House is so pissed at Ben Carson’s HUD right now
Yesterday we brought you news that Detroit native and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson reportedly spent around $31,000 on a custom-made table and chairs in an effort to redecorate his office. Related A former staffer and whistleblower said she was demoted after she resisted demands she spend more than the…
Ann Arbor musician and The Voice finalist faces felony charges for narcotic possession
Best known as a finalist on Season 10 of NBC’s The Voice, Ann Arbor-based musician Laith Al-Saadi (who was the subject of a Metro Times profile last summer) is now facing felony charges following an arrest earlier this month. Gaylord Herald Times reported Al-Saadi was arrested at about 6:20 p.m. on Feb. 11, after troopers…
Report: Democrat frontrunner for governor eyes Wayne County Sheriff as running mate
Gretchen Whitmer, the frontrunner in the Democratic primary race for Michigan governor, is reportedly considering Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon as her running mate. Napoleon tells the Detroit News he’s among several Democrats who’ve been recommended as possible nominees for lieutenant governor if Whitmer wins the August primary. Adding Napoleon to the ticket could mean…
Tyler, The Creator and Vince Staples merge existential crisis and crowd surfing at Detroit’s Masonic Temple
Tyler, The Creator (Tyler Gregory Okonma) vehemently rapping “Watch out for the potholes, bitch,” was arguably the most relatable moment of last night’s sold-out show at Detroit’s Masonic Temple with California-based rapper Vince Staples. While 26-year-old Okonma was metaphorically referencing people or things that will throw him off his path to success, thousands of Detroiters could…
The world’s first scented cocktail bar opens in Detroit next week
Kevin Peterson says Castalia Cocktails, a new craft lounge set to open in Midtown next week, is likely the first of its kind in the world. He and his wife, Jane Larson, are the team behind Detroit’s culinary-inspired perfume brand Sfumato Fragrances (pronounced sphoo-MA-toe), and last November the pair announced they’d open a flagship store inside…
How the hell are they supposed to build a Detroit hyperloop when we can’t even figure out potholes?
Could the Motor City become Hyperloop City? According to reporting from Crain’s Detroit Business, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc. — the California-based company seeking to build a network of high-speed electromagnetically levitated commuter trains that could travel at speeds of 760 mph — made contact with the Michigan Department of Transportation, though no further information has been made available. An MDOT…
Detroit Mayor Duggan endorses Gretchen Whitmer for Michigan governor
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has officially endorsed Democrat and former state Sen. Gretchen Whitmer for governor. “We have a lot at stake,” Duggan told a crowd packed into Whitmer’s newly opened headquarters in northwest Detroit Wednesday morning. “I don’t think we’ve ever had two choices so fundamentally apart as far as where we’re going.” The…
Some genius remixed Marvin Gaye’s ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ with a heavy metal track
It’s been a long week and it’s only Wednesday. So, we’re welcoming this unlikely mashup of a classic Motown tune and an ’80s hair metal hit with open arms. The two songs in question are Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and Ratt’s 1984 hit “Round And Round.” Thanks to one YouTube user’s…
Le Petit Zinc set for Midtown opening in March
Detroit’s Le Petit Zinc is anticipated to reopen for business next week. To recap: A landlord dispute caused the French-inspired restaurant to shutter its original Corktown location in September 2017. It then relocated to the ground floor of the Strathmore Apartment building in Midtown, and is set to open its doors to the public on…
Betsy DeVos compares poor performing U.S. Olympic team to American schools
The U.S. Olympic team fell short of its expected medal count at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. And since international sports competitions are exactly like public education policy, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos chimed in on Twitter to express her thoughts. If 4th causes the @USOlympic to take a hard look…
Study finds Detroit drivers pay nation’s highest auto insurance premiums
A new study from insurance search engine The Zebra has found Michigan drivers, and especially Detroit drivers, pay more for car insurance than drivers in any other city in the country — by far. According to the study, the average annual auto insurance premium across the country is $1,427. But drivers in Michigan pay $2,610 on average,…
Emagine Entertainment and rapper Big Sean are partnering on a downtown Detroit movie theater
Imagine this: Big Sean, the big screen, and big dreams. It was announced Tuesday afternoon that Emagine Entertainment is teaming up with Detroit rapper Big Sean to open a luxury movie theater in downtown Detroit, Crain’s Detroit reports. The theater, which is slated to open in 2020, will have between 1,000-1,300 seats and 10 to 12…
Savage Love: Quickies
I recently stumbled on an Instagram account of a young woman who’s a “knife play” enthusiast. I consider myself sex-positive, but I must say I was disturbed by the images. I was also shocked that I didn’t know this was a thing! But of course it’s a thing cuz everything is a thing, right? I…
The fun and fractured world of Phoebe Bridgers
When asked about her favorite place to cry, 23-year-old Phoebe Bridgers does not hesitate to respond. “My car,” she says, “mostly because it’s got the best sound system.” Such quick candidness is to be expected from Bridgers, whose debut record, 2017’s Stranger in the Alps, compiles the vastness of human experience into a self-aware, meandering…
Restorative justice in Detroit
There are a lot of things going on in Detroit aimed at changing the status quo, fixing things up and all that. One of the less visible efforts that could make the biggest difference is fixing people and their relationships through restorative practices. This isn’t a headline-grabbing effort. Most of the headlines are grabbed by…
Resurrection myth: A rude awakening for alleged ‘Lazarus parties’
Last year, an unusual phenomenon began appearing in the news — that opioid users were hosting “Narcan parties” or “Lazarus parties,” where users would binge on opioids until they overdosed, then be brought back with Narcan, the brand name for the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone. WWMT West Michigan Channel 3 reported: “The Drug Enforcement Agency is…
Horoscopes (Feb. 28-March 7)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 Right before everything starts to kick in, there is usually a lull in the action that makes it seem like everything you’ve been shooting for will come to naught. This is where things seem to be at, at the moment. Within this scenario, there are levels of impatience that…
Detroit intersectional femme art collective to take over the Schvitz
Art Babes — an intersectional collective made of up of 15 Detroit-based femme painters, photographers, writers, musicians, and mixed media artists — will set up shop on Sunday at the Schvitz for Problematic, its first exhibition of the year. The show will feature a variety of visual art pieces touching on topics like sexuality and cultural…
Review: Lolo Potluck, Michigan’s only Egyptian restaurant, arrives in Troy
(Find more photos of Lolo Potluck’s dishes here.) When we talk about Mediterranean cuisine in Detroit, we’re often referring to a very specific, small part of the Mediterranean Sea’s coast — Lebanon. But there’s a vast amount of Mediterranean beachfront, including around 650 miles of which represents the Egyptian coastline. The north African nation’s cuisine isn’t…
Attacking immigration is un-American
Here’s something every human geneticist or livestock breeder knows: You need to freshen up your gene pool, or your population will be plagued with all sorts of weaknesses and genetic disorders. Americans once knew we were meant to be a nation of immigrants, which is why we welcomed so many. As a result, we became…
Tune-Yards looks both inward and outward on new release
It was 2009 when the indie world was first introduced to Tune-Yards, Merrill Garbus’ indie band of kaleidoscopic musical influences. On songs with African or Caribbean drum rhythms, she laid synth loops, ukulele melodies, and her versatile, powerful voice. Though topics often veered serious — violence, depression, body image — they were delivered with a…
