Cover Stories
Inside the Dirty Show’s ‘Daddyhole’
Last year, Jerry Vile — proprietor of Detroit’s annual erotic art exhibition, the Dirty Show, now in its 19th iteration — was brainstorming on how to incorporate more from underground gay culture into the event. That’s when he, along with photographer Boswell Hardwick and Dirty Show collaborator Tim Toy, decided to build a pop-up leather…
Satori Circus kicks off pearl anniversary with show this weekend
A longtime Detroit performance artist — no stranger to Detroit’s busy burlesque scene — has a show on Saturday that will help bring a 30-year career full-circle. Our Lust Issue presents a fitting occasion to discuss this white-faced absurdist whose sensual brushes with beautiful women have put him in the midst of a sex-positive scene,…
Tindenburg! Readers’ tales of online dating gone awry
Thanks to the proliferation of online dating apps, it’s never been easier to swipe your next potential soulmate (or at least a hot fling) into your life. Stigmas against online dating have eroded in recent years, and today, nearly half of the public knows someone who uses online dating apps or who has met a…
The ’90’s are back — Gin Blossoms head to St. Andrew’s Hall
“Hey, Jealousy” — take a backseat. The band responsible for a slew of ’90s hits has reunited and they’re headed our way. Gin Blossoms may not be a household name in 2018, but they are on a first-name basis with car radios everywhere. They’ve undergone some line-up changes, some interpersonal drama, but “Found Out About…
Brooklyn’s B Boys team up with Bonny Doon for free show at El Club
Brooklyn-based rockers B Boys have a penchant for messy momentum that guarantees to wrinkle the most stubborn pair of Chinos. Andrew Kerr, Brendon Avalos, and Britton Walker say they conceived 2017’s Dada in a dream. The result? A playfully existential punk-ish take on the collective conscious wrapped in Joy Division-esque droning guitar tones. B Boys…
Paramita Sound announces temporary relocation, teases future permanent space
Detroit record store Paramita Sound hosted its final Beat Profile event at its storefront at 1417 Van Dyke St. on Jan. 26. With a lineup featuring DJs and producers Kyle Hall, Lexi, and Sterling Toles, the house was packed per usual, with an invigorated crowd primed to pay their respects to the West Village space. To…
Author Shaka Senghor to speak at Southfield Public Library
In 1991, Detroiter Shaka Senghor went to prison on a 19-year sentence for a murder committed during his drug-dealing days. He was only 19, and a father of two. But Senghor did not remain in prison. After receiving a letter from his son, Senghor turned his life around. His memoir, Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death and Redemption in…
Detroit City Hall is playing dumb over the Airbnb fiasco, but it knew what it was doing
The blowback to Detroit’s decision to prohibit Airbnb hosts from renting out rooms in single- and multi-family homes was stiff — so much so that officials backtracked and said they wouldn’t enforce the new rules, which were approved by the Detroit City Council in November and went into effect on Feb. 6. As part of…
Anthology Coffee will move to Eastern Market
Anthology Coffee will move from its Corktown location to a new 2,900-square-foot space it’s building out in Eastern Market. Since 2012, the shop has served its brew inside Ponyride, but the nonprofit is moving to a new space in New Center. Related Eater reports that the new space at 1948 Division St. will seat 42…
We tried coney paczki — here are our thoughts
Last year, American Coney Island celebrated Fat Tuesday by pairing the humble coney dog with paczki to create a uniquely Detroit invention: the coney paczki. Related This year, the culinary Frankenstein’s monster is back, and we at Metro Times had to find out what it tasted like. Our tasters were split in opinion. Senior editor Michael Jackman…
Y’all love rock ‘n roll? Joan Jett and STYX are heading to DTE
Come one, come all—rock ‘n roll’s original bad bitch, Joan Jett and her Blackhearts are sailing away with STYX for a 27-date co-headlining tour with hard rockers Tesla as support. Kicking off May 30 in Cali., this trifecta of rock legends will bring their bad reputations to DTE Energy Music Theatre on July 6. Tickets will…
Christie’s will auction off Michigan meteorite fragment in April
Remember the Michigan meteorite that lit up the January sky, terrified local residents, and fascinated meteorite hunters? Well, now you can buy a piece of that interstellar rarity, but it’ll come with a hefty price tag. According to a Detroit Free Press article published this morning, a meteorite fragment found by Royal Oak resident Ashley…
Mac Sabbath will dish out deep-fried death metal with Galactic Empire this weekend
In a galaxy far, far away — the McRib lives on. Wait, what? The kings of drive-thru metal Mac Sabbath have taken on a super-sized task — replacing Black Sabbath lyrics with fast food-centric imagery. Thus, “Iron Man” becomes “Frying Pan,” and “War Pigs” is reimagined as “More Ribs.” And in the spirit of a…
Revisit the Obama years with former White House photog Pete Souza at The Henry Ford
If a picture is, in fact, worth a thousand words, then the work of photojournalist and former chief official White House photographer for both presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama could fill anthologies. Souza, who captured Obama’s most private moments, gave us the now iconic image of the president sitting on the same bus where…
Tea and Coffee Week stirs appreciation of kombucha, chocolate, and more
When plant biologist and tea entrepreneur Elias Majid founded Michigan’s Tea and Coffee Week back in 2015, it was envisioned as a way to give local communities a chance to really see what the area’s few tea shops had to offer. Majid, an owner of one of those few tea shops, set up eight events, such as tastings,…
Ferndale’s Detroit Comics is closing
After more than a decade in business, the owners of Ferndale’s Detroit Comics announced in a Facebook post on Monday that it will soon close its doors for good. Reached by phone, owner Brian Kelly says “it was a lot of different reasons” that led to the decision to shutter the business after 10 and…
Detroit Zoo announces plans for Great Lakes Nature Center in Macomb County
Detroit Zoological Society and Macomb County leaders unveiled plans Tuesday morning to build a $10 million Great Lakes Nature Center on the Macomb County lake shore. The building will be the biggest nature center in the Great Lakes region, and the facility, which could one day be considered a “national jewel,” will focus on conservation efforts…
Brockhampton brings the mosh pit back to the Majestic
Multiple mosh pits, teenagers in blue face paint, and an endless supply of euphoric energy — these are all things that characterized the first of two sold-out Brockhampton shows at the Majestic Theatre. The self-proclaimed “greatest boy band since one direction” earned their title with a blowout performance on Sunday that ended up feeling like…
Once again, Trump wants to cut Great Lakes restoration funding
President Donald Trump released his budget proposal for 2019 on Monday, and it once again calls for massive cuts to funding for Great Lakes restoration efforts. As with last year’s proposal, Trump seeks to essentially eliminate funding that would help clean up the Great Lakes, cutting funding from $300 million to just $30 million. Kind of a…
Police targeting drivers without seat belts in Dearborn
Michigan State Police will be issuing $65 tickets on Tuesday, Feb. 13 to drivers in Dearborn without seat belts on. MSP tweeted that their Special Enforcement Section will be out enforcing this law specifically along Michigan Avenue in Dearborn. Michigan state law requires all children under the age of 8 or shorter than 4 feet…
Dust off your fedora — Jason Mraz is bringing ‘Good Vibes’ to Meadow Brook
Dig your toes in the sand, adjust your puka shell necklace, and text bae — the pauper of chill, Jason Mraz, is bringing his “Good Vibes” tour to Meadow Brook Amphitheatre on July 28. Perhaps best known for his wedding first dance/proposal mega-hit from ’08 “I’m Yours,” it’s been a solid four years since the Grammy…
A Peruvian restaurant called Culantro is in the works in Ferndale
A new Peruvian restaurant is coming together in the former Southern Belle Bistro space in Ferndale, and could be open in early April. Culantro is a family operation partly run by Peruvian and Ecuadoran immigrants who will offer what they say is Michigan’s only fully Peruvian restaurant. Alvaro Herrera, whose family is opening the shop…
A Michigan man is on a mission to get rid of all this ‘bitch-ass snow’
Last weekend winter storm Mateo brought some of the highest snowfalls of the season to metro Detroit, leaving many stuck, pissed, and cold AF. For some, shoveling or snowblowing is simply another daily task associated with the winter doldrums, but for one Michigan man, it was his chance to show this ‘bitch-ass snow’ who’s really…
Goat yoga returns to Detroit
Metro Detroit yogis needn’t look to far to find unusual pranic experiences. There’s trap yoga, pot yoga, drunk yoga, hot yoga, rooftop yoga, and aerial yoga. There’s yoga at Music Hall, and outdoor yoga at Movement. There are myriad locations to practice regular old indoor yoga. And there is goat yoga. ✖ Related The Beer…
Steve Miller Band and Peter Frampton will perform at DTE Energy Music Theatre this summer
Jokers, smokers, and midnight tokers will be happy to hear that Steve Miller Band has confirmed an additional 40 dates on a never-ending summer tour co-headlined by Peter Frampton. Frampton and the band will swing through DTE Energy Music Theatre on Sunday, June 17. The show will start at 5:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale…
Southfield church will once again offer drive thru ashes on Ash Wednesday
Once again the Lenten season is upon us. For the most devout Christians among us, that means 40 days of “fasting and repentance,” which translates to pretending you’re giving up chocolate until Easter and eating deep fried cod every Friday night. We digress. Those 40 days begin on Feb. 14, a day in the Christian…
Loss won’t keep Patti Smith from loving
When the package arrived, it was the day before my 29th birthday. I knew what it was before reading the name on the address label. It smelled like stale cigarettes. Included was a card with writing on both sides, trailing onto the back. “Forgive yourself,” it read, “and remember she loved you. Happy Birthday.” I…
Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson made a stop in Dearborn this weekend
Celebrity chef and Chopped judge, Marcus Samuelsson came to Dearborn this weekend to film his upcoming PBS series, No Passport Required. The internationally-renowned chef, who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, is touring the United States to explore the nation’s diverse palate. “Chasing flavors has been my lifelong passion,” Samuelsson said. “To now…
Ferndale’s Valentine Distilling Co. invests $1M to expand its whiskey line
Ferndale micro-distiller Valentine Distilling Co. is spending $1 million to up its whiskey game. The company announced via press release it’s purchasing a new custom-made, 1,500-gallon still it will import from an Italian distillation company called Frilli. The still will provide the capacity to produce 1,000 barrels of whiskey annually, and it will be named “Sherbert”…
Michigan furniture store founder Art Van Elslander dies at 87
The founder of the Michigan-based Art Van Furniture retail chain, Archie A. Van Elslander, died Sunday night at the age of 87, according to company spokesperson Diane Charles. Elslander had been battling cancer prior to his death, and died surrounded by his family including his eldest son, Gary Elslander, who operates Van Elslander Capital. Elslander…
Bill Murray will read to audiences on new tour that’s coming to Detroit
When he’s not manning the Belafonte or drinking his way through Tokyo or befriending an overzealous high schooler only to compete with him for the affection of a widowed elementary school teacher — Bill Murray is exploring the vast and many worlds found in the pages of Twain, Whitman, and Hemingway. And yes, he wants…
Ypsilanti bar concocts Tide Pod cocktail so you don’t have to eat the real thing
American culture hit one of its more deranged peaks with the Tide Pod challenge. For those who have yet to partake, it’s basically an an internet call for teens to chew up Tide Pod detergent packets and record the colors oozing from their mouths. Sounds like a hoot but there’s some serious risk involved, so few…
New 2018 emojis include a redhead, lobster, and woman superhero … but no coney dog
Unicode Emoji 11.0 characters were recently announced, and the list introduces 157 new emojis, including a lobster (Maine Senator Angus King reportedly lobbied hard for the crustacean — tax dollars hard at work!), mosquito, pirate flag, and “woozy face.” Other new additions include hair style updates for both the man and woman emojis. They “can…
Aussie heartbreaker and love-making balladeer Vance Joy is coming to the Fox
Little cutie extraordinaire and crooner from Down Under, Vance Joy is bringing his endearing brand of indie sap to the Fox Theatre on May 22. Vance Joy’s Nation Of Two world tour kicks off its North American leg on April 13 in Berkeley, CA. In support of his forthcoming record, Nation of Two (Feb. 23)…
Just Announced: Cardi B (and Bruno Mars) are coming back to Detroit
Spirit of Detroit winner Cardi B is headed back to the Motor City, this time as part of Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic World Tour. The pair — whose recent collaboration “Finesse” reminded everyone over 30 how much they miss In Living Color — is set to hit the stage at Little Caesars Arena on Sept.…
Anna Burch’s record release show postponed due to the snow
Detroit singer-songwriter (and recent Metro Times cover girl) Anna Burch was supposed to play a release show for her new record, Quit the Curse, at El Club tonight. But due to the wrath of winter storm Mateo, that is no longer happening. Instead, the show has now been rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 15, same time…
Is anyone really surprised Betsy DeVos’ first year as education secretary was a total fail?
U.S. education secretary Betsy DeVos, a woman with zero qualifications to run the country’s education department, recently completed her first year helming the office. Unsurprisingly, teachers around the country think she did a pretty shitty job. The woman — or more likely someone on her very competent staff — did famously misspell the name of…
Snow plows will hit Detroit residential streets Saturday morning
As we reported on Thursday afternoon, the city of Detroit has planned the very reasonable measure of plowing the roads due to the heavy snowfall caused by winter storm Mateo. City trucks have been out clearing main drags and thoroughfares since 2 a.m. Friday morning, but plows won’t hit residential streets until 6 a.m. Saturday…
Kenyan Chef Njathi Wa Kabui will talk in Detroit about colonialism’s impact on food
The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network will host Kenyan Chef Njathi Wa Kabui on Wednesday for a discussion on the impact of colonialism on food systems, with particular emphasis on those in Africa. Kabui was born in rural Kenya to parents who worked as a coffee farmer and restaurant owner, and took an active…
This winter storm has a name and it’s Mateo
It’s not Snowmageddon, it’s not the Snowpocalypse, and it’s not Snowzilla. This weekend’s winter storm is a boy, and his name is Mateo. At least that’s according to the Weather Channel, which has been in the habit of naming winter storms for the past six seasons. They announced the names for the 2017-2018 season in October,…
It’s #NationalPizzaDay, here’s some Detroit pizza deals
As if you had any other food option on this snowy hell day, it’s actually National Pizza Day! We recommend pulling out whatever DiGiorno (or Jeno’s — yeah, we see you Jeno’s) you’ve got in your fridge, and thrusting yourself unapologetically into a pizza coma and Netflix-ing the day away. You wouldn’t actually order a…
Detroit says it will not enforce its controversial new Airbnb rules
The city of Detroit says it will not enforce new rules that make it illegal for Airbnb hosts to rent rooms in single- and multi-family homes. We broke the news yesterday that changes to the city’s zoning ordinance that went into effect on Feb. 6 prohibit Airbnb hosts from renting out single rooms. Other outlets incorrectly…
Detroit nonprofit Ponyride is plotting a move to New Center
On the outskirts of Corktown, a business incubator and nonprofit called Ponyride has been operating out of a nondescript building since 2010. Phil Cooley, the guy you probably know from Slows Bar BQ, bought the building for a mere $150,000 during the Great Recession and things have been progressing nicely ever since. Related The winding…
In light of snowmaggedon, Detroit plans to plow the roads
Not sure if you heard, but as much as a foot of snow is set to fall upon metro Detroit beginning Friday morning, so you should probably head out to the grocery store to pick up every last goddamn banana and gravy packet before holing yourself up inside for the entire weekend. Now, in light…
Kanye West disciples Brockhampton head to Detroit for two shows next week
Self-described as an “all-American boy band,” the 15-member hip-hop collective Brockhampton does more than just make music. The group — which was founded in 2015 via a Kanye West fan forum — functions as their own independent creative agency, giving them complete autonomy over all of its songs, music videos, and artwork. The fraternity of…
Benefit show planned for Detroit ‘goat man’ after brutal attack
Before Jan. 16, Erick Brown was known to a small following of metro Detroiters as the “goat man,” a nickname he earned after adopting a black, horned goat he calls Deer. Brown, who suffered a head injury as a toddler and has since been considered disabled, lives in a Detroit house he purchased at auction…
Detroit begins a crackdown on Airbnb hosts after new rules go into effect
(UPDATE: Detroit says on 2/9 it will not enforce its new rules. Read the story here.) The city of Detroit is sending cease and desist letters to property owners operating some Airbnb units in R1 and R2 residential zones, or single- and double-family residences. The move comes after Detroit City Council approved in November the…
Metro Detroit will never have regional public transit as long as L. Brooks Patterson is in power
During his Wednesday night annual address, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson dug his heels in and reiterated his opposition to a regional public transit tax. His county narrowly voted against a 2016 regional transit millage, by just a little more than 1,000 votes. “I want you to know that as long as I’m county executive,…
Horrorcore rappers Twiztid created their own pop culture convention and it’s happening this weekend
For Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric, the dream of creating their own pop culture convention took root at the tender age of 13. It was then that they attended a Star Trek convention and thus began years of study, which would eventually lead to the conception of Astronomicon. Spaniolo and Methric are also known by…
Sharpen your eyeliner because Thirty Seconds to Mars is headed to DTE this summer
Sometimes we forget that Jared Leto is more than an Academy Award-winning actor— for 20 years, he’s fronted alt-rock trio Thirty Seconds to Mars (and has looked damn good doing it.) Today, the multi-platinum selling band announced “The Monolith Tour” which will kick off in Toronto on June 6 and will wrap on the West…
VIDEO: Detroit Zoo animals get early V-Day gift and it’s adorable
February blues got you feeling down? Cheer up, buttercup, and check out this video of animals at the Detroit Zoo playing with heart-shaped piñatas and other “romantic goodies.” Zookeepers gave these little guys painted rocks, ice treats, and other items that make you say “Awww!” as part of its Heart Fest event, which is described as…
Michigan woman responds to ‘Lady Doritos’ controversy and we can’t stop laughing
The internet has been abuzz over the last few days since it was shared that PepsiCo. chief executive Indra Nooyi said women don’t eat Doritos the same way as men do and suggested the company was producing snacks packaged specifically for women. “Lady Doritos” news quickly blew up online and Twitter exploded like the crunch of…
Detroit rapper Big Sean announces new tour with format that allows fans to create the setlist
Talk about #Blessed — hometown superstar Big Sean is bringing a one-of-a-kind performance to Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, June 2. Though the BET Award-winning and Grammy-nominated “Bounce Back” rapper had us scratching our heads over his surprise 2017 release Double Or Nothing, today he announced the details of his Unfriendly Reminder Tour, which has nothing…
Jay and Silent Bob are getting old — and they want to talk about it at The Fillmore
The Big Bang may have created the universe, but it was the delightfully warped mind of filmmaker and author Kevin Smith that crafted View Askewniverse —the birthplace of comedy duo Jay and Silent Bob. Smith and the Jay to his Silent Bob, Jason Mewes, are bringing their No. 1 ranked comedy podcast Jay & Silent…
Michigan may stop using private food vendors in its prisons
Michigan may stop using private food vendors to provide food service in prisons kitchens after several years of dramatic problems related to inmates’ meals. MIRS reports that Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to announce a proposal to do so in his upcoming state budget presentation. The move follows three years of Metro Times and other…
A reminder to please not park on the QLine tracks
A quick PSA to Detroit motorists — please do not park on the QLine tracks. Someone parked this gold car on the tracks this morning. It was a whole big ordeal. Yes, those are three police cars. The fine is a $650 ticket and a towed car — plus everyone waiting on the delayed streetcar…
DoorDash food delivery app launches in Detroit suburbs today
Does the snow have you homebound and hungry? Good news: A new food delivery app called DoorDash launched today in Detroit suburbs. DoorDash is an app similar to UberEats, and has partnered with 1,500 restaurants to deliver food from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, according to a press release. Those restaurants include The Rusty Bucket, which…
Don’t be ‘Paranoid’ — Ozzy Osbourne isn’t retiring, but he did just announce a farewell tour with a stop at DTE
SHARONNNNNNN! The prince of darkness is saying good-bye AY AY AY AY AY — again. Yesterday, Osbourne announced his final farewell tour, “No More Tours 2,” a throwback to his “No More Tours” psych-out in the ’90s. The tour will carry the blood-hungry, geriatric rocker into 2020, which will be the official (well, for now)…
NYC-based The Hummus & Pita Co. plans metro Detroit locations
New York City-based pita and laffa sandwich maker The Hummus & Pita Co. is planning five metro Detroit locations in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Troy, Warren, and Canton. The company now operates shops in Chelsea, Tribeca, and Hell’s Kitchen where its menus offers items like chicken taboon pita, steak taboon pita, Turkish meatballs laffa, and shawarma…
3 Doors Down’s Chris Henderson on why playing Trump’s inauguration may be the band’s own kryptonite
What do Elton John, Celine Dion, Garth Brooks, and Kiss all have in common? It was reported that these diverse artists were all offered the opportunity to perform at President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017. All allegedly declined. But have no fear — Superman, er, 3 Doors Down is still here. The Mississippi-based rockers’ longtime…
Singer-songwriter Valerie June speaks from the heart ’n’ soul
There is something undeniably magical about how Tennessee-born genre-bending artist Valerie June approaches music. Proof of this cannot be seen. Rather, it is best heard on June’s career-changing The Order of Time released last year. A favorite of Bob Dylan’s, The Order of Time is a treasure trove of her Memphis roots, gospel upbringing, and…
In search of Michigan’s best fried bologna sandwich
(Find more photos of our favorite fried bologna sandwiches here, and photos of the bologna-packing process at Stache here.) Is there a more misunderstood and maligned meat than bologna? Probably not. It’s the sweaty, flaccid meat disc that generations of thrifty moms regularly slapped between two pieces of low-grade Wonder Bread along with a sticky…
Horoscopes (Feb. 7-13)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 In the midst of a major reality check, someone just dropped in to remind you that you didn’t come here to drive around in your car and go back and forth between the Mall and the Bank. Full of ideas about what the realm of possibilities has in store…
Lebanese restaurant King’s reinvents the shawarma in Dearborn
(Find more photos of King’s pastries and sandwiches here.) Does the genre of Lebanese sandwiches — the shawarma, falafel, and others we’re lucky to know so well in metro Detroit because of our generations-deep Lebanese population — need to be reinvented? No. There’s a reason for the sandwiches’ longevity, so it really doesn’t need attention.…
Why we need Black History Month
Why do we need Black History Month? Why do we need a special time designated to trot out stories about Harriet Tubman and George Washington Carver? This is why: I saw a video a few months back in which British journalist Gary Younge interviewed American white supremacist Richard Spencer. It was part of a British…
Chomsky: Trump is ‘accelerating the race to disaster’ for planet Earth
Longtime leftist social critic and political philosopher Noam Chomsky will be in Dearborn Sunday night at UAW Local 600 to give the keynote address at a dinner honoring civil rights legends Buck Davis and Cynthia Heenan. Metro Times recently caught up with Chomsky, now 89, to discuss the state of the auto industry, the specter…
MSU’s Board of Trustees have got to go
“For the rest of my life, I will carry a diploma from Larry Nassar University.” —Dan Martel, Michigan State University student Everyone thinks they know the story at Michigan State University: a perverted physician, Larry Nassar, spent 20 years molesting female athletes and other women before he was caught. He’s now been sentenced to prison…
Greensky Bluegrass keeps it weird
The Michigan-bred band Greensky Bluegrass has made a career out of constantly evolving and delivering the unexpected. Contrary to what the group’s name might suggest, they are not purely a bluegrass band, but an amalgamation of each member’s tastes and talents, resulting in an experiential rock-folk-bluegrass sound — or whatever the listener wants them to…
No one asked for this Peter Rabbit movie
Oh my god no. No one asked for, and no one wants, a Peter Rabbit movie with explosions. I do not want my movie about a naughty but sweet little bunny and his vegetable-garden heist to come with buttcrack and crotch-injury “humor.” I do not need to see realistic CGI animals being physically abused, nor…
A paczki primer: Fast facts about Fat Tuesday’s treat
With the annual arrival of Fat Tuesday, we also see the return of our own local Polish-inspired habit of celebrating it with brandy, bar crawls, and the confections known as paczki. Polish your Polish It’s best to get the words and pronunciation correct. Paczki (POON-shkee) is plural in Polish; so you can’t eat one paczki.…
