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41 reasons to be thankful for winter in Detroit
Thank goodness it’s winter. You heard that right. It’s winter, and there’s no reason to get the blues about it, chump. Sure, snow may cover the ground, and it’s cold outside. But the season is just as full of possibilities as any other. Depending on your sensibility, maybe even more so. If you love cold,…
UPDATE: Senate Ed Committee votes in favor of bills to penalize protesting teachers
Glad you have your priorities in check.
Exclusive: Autumn Wetli from Rebel Kind walks us through her new solo EP
Naturally, Autumn plays guitar and sings on the songs; four are originals and there’s a Roy Orbison one, plus a Smiths cover. The EP is called ‘Let’s Keep Things Weird.’ It’s really good.
‘Making a Murderer’ lawyers will be in Royal Oak
Making a Murderer defense lawyers coming to Royal Oak
Lansing teen’s piano performance at an area mall goes viral
This week we learned, courtesy of the Lansing State Journal, that the piano performance of a Lansing teenager has gone viral. It’s easy to see why this simple footage of a self-taught 18 year-old named Monntel West was spread all over Facebook this past weekend. Let’s hope that we hear more from him in the…
Green Dot Stables takes diners on a Malaysian-inspired journey with this week’s mystery meat
Why buy a plane ticket when you can have a taste of Malaysia in a slider?
Hamtramck: I’ll have my bar history and make it a double
In case you missed out on the first round, here’s a second chance.
Just announced: Modest Mouse and Brand New at DTE July 3
Modest Mouse and Brand New will perform in Clarkston, MI at DTE on July 3. Presale tickets are available right now over at fightoffyourdemons.com, with general sale for all shows going live on Friday, January 29. The bands are swapping who gets to open and who gets to close each night; Modest Mouse is the…
Are you ready for ‘the best fried chicken in the world’?
Because it’s coming to Detroit
Where to find Bell’s Hopslam in Detroit
Bell’s Brewery recently released its seasonal hoppy treat. Here’s a bunch of places you can find it.
Rachel Maddow to host town hall in Flint Wednesday
MSNBC personality Rachel Maddow will be holding a town hall Meeting in Flint Wednesday evening.
Show preview: Sillies, Secrets, and Science for Sociopaths at Northern Lights this Sat., Jan. 30
Calling all old school Detroit punks: Get a babysitter for Saturday night
Happy Birthday, Michigan!
And many more!
Flint class-action suit lawyers subpoena Snyder records
Today saw the first credible Flint-related legal action against the governor.
This DPS student’s open letter puts the sick-outs into perspective
“Our teachers are doing what is best for us, and my education is not being hindered any more than it was when I went a whole Semester without a French/English teacher.”
New emails reveal the switch to the Flint River was not about saving money
Wait, the decision to switch to the toxic Flint River wasn’t about saving money?
Just announced: Dave Matthews Band plays DTE July 20
Dave Matthews Band has sold more than 20 million tickets since its inception. They have sold a collective 38 million CDs and DVDs combined. This is the first group in history to have six consecutive studio albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200!
Woo Woo! Test your Simpsons knowledge tonight at Park Bar
You know you’re that guy who knows every. Single. Simpsons. Episode. By heart.
Check out this great new track by Mic Write from Cold Men Young
At its core, hip-hop is supposed to be about delivering your message hard — creatively, and cleverly. Mic Write (of the group Cold Men Young) has done just that with “Pledge of Allegiance.”
Just announced: Brian Wilson celebrates 50th anniversary of ‘Pet Sounds’ at the Fox on Sept. 30
Pet Sounds is the big 5-0 this year and to celebrate, Brian Wilson’s hitting the road.
UPDATE: Hamtramck’s drunk history this Thursday at the Hamtramck Historical Museum, SOLD OUT
Because who hasn’t wondered about Hamtramck’s storied bar past?
How Flint’s crisis lit up the media this last week
The deluge of Flint-related news shows no signs of drying up. Here’s some good stuff from the past week.
Globetrotters will not do ‘water bucket skit’ in Flint next week
The team of ball-drippling jesters is skipping the water bucket skit out of sensitivity to the residents of Flint.
Timbaland to headline Flint water relief benefit this Thursday, Jan. 28 at Bleu
The event will take place this Thursday, January 28 at Bleu. Doors are at 9 p.m., it will cost $20 to get in, and Timbaland with DJ and perform (along with Neisha Neshae and Ro Spit). All proceeds will go to relief for the water crisis.
Pearl Jam donating a bunch of money to aid Flint water crisis relief
We just got an email that your Dad’s favorite band is giving a bunch of money to to United Way towards assisting with the Flint water crisis.
Show preview: Greyhounds at the Majestic next Friday
The band has a bluesy twang to their sound, but with some hard rock undertones that make for a great live show.
Michigan Radio talks with the EPA official MDEQ called a ‘rogue employee’
Michigan Radio tracks down Miguel Del Toral, the first EPA official to raise concerns about Flint.
Help fund Chef Matthew Baldridge’s brick and mortar concept The Conserva
Because you know you want to invest in good food.
Free Event Alert: Tonight, ‘Winter Heat Detroit’ Brings Hot Chefs, Music and Cocktails to Shed 5, Presented by Lexus
Where can you get food from Chef Hassan Musselmani — a local chef who was also just featured on Hell’s Kitchen season 15 — and Chef Jeremy Kalmus — who you probably know from Novi Chophouse and Local Kitchen + Bar before he branched out on his own to start Rock n Rock + Caviar…
Crown Royal is Detroit’s latest hip-hop supergroup
You can’t lose when you come out the gate with substance and lyrics. Best of all, the trio has assured us there is more to come.
Protesters damage Michigan Capitol — with chalk and crayon?
Chalk graffiti prompts “manhunt”.
The Flint water research team could use a hand
Yes, by all means donate to the people of Flint. But don’t forget the researcher who helped show they had a problem in the first place.
Want to help Flint residents? Here are a few ways to do it.
Whether it’s bucks or bottles, there are plenty of ways to help Flint and its people.
‘SPIN’ reports collaborative LP by Iggy Pop and Josh Homme
Both dudes can yell pretty good, so we’re pretty excited about this!
First Taste: Stache International is Eastern Market’s newest lunch counter
A quiet place to chill for lunch, or grab a sandwich and bottle of Faygo to go.
Celebrated poet Anne Carson reads at the University of Michigan tonight
Anne Carson is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest living poets. She’s Canadian, but she did teach at UM once upon a time (Princeton, too). Tonight, she returns to UM to read at the University of Michigan Museum of Art, at 5:30 p.m.
What did we learn from Gov. Snyder’s Flint email dump?
So Snyder released a bunch of emails, what did we learn?
Just announced: Cedric Gervais at V Nightclub on Jan. 30
This is sure to be a super bangin’ good time with one of the most handsome and talented superstar DJs around, in an intimate and exclusive envirnment.
Breaking: Obama dines at Jolly Pumpkin… Oh, and convenes with Flint mayor regarding historic water crisis
What I wanna know is, what’s Obama’s favorite pizza topping?
New York Times reviews Detroiter’s newest Detroit play
Don’t know who Dominique Morisseau is? Read the glowing review of her latest Detroit play in the New York Times.
Biggest teacher sickout yet rocks DPS
Whether you like the sickouts, they’re drawing a very effective bull’s-eye on Lansing, emergency managers, and Gov. Snyder.
Corktown brewery has more to offer than just beer
Brew Detroit opened last February to little fanfare. Almost a year later, the place is still the antithesis of flashy. There’s little signage on the brewery, which is in a renovated warehouse on the outskirts of Corktown, and the interior kind of has a cafeteria-meets-basement feel, but in a good way. The vibe is laid-back,…
Vietnamese with a Chinese twist
Try finding parking in this congested stripmall along Dequindre and 13 Mile Roads and you’ll quickly realize what you’re dealing with. With Kim Nhung Superfood as the shopping center’s anchor, families from all around flock to this intersection to stock up on Vietnamese grocery staples. Off to the side of the popular market is Pho…
Savage Love: No place for old dildos
Q: I am no longer sexually active, but I have a significant collection of sex toys from earlier years. I’m thinking of getting rid of most of them, and it seems such a waste for them to end up in the landfill. What’s an environmentally responsible way to dispose of dildos? I wish there was…
Horoscopes: Jan. 20-27
ARIES (March 21 – April 20): You would love to be 100 percent OK with this. If you are, don’t worry about a thing. But if you’re wrestling with the thought that you can’t afford to let go of whatever it is you’re holding on to, ask yourself why it matters so much. This is…
Higher Ground: Guideless
Recently an old family friend got in contact with me because she has cancer and wanted to use cannabis to alleviate the side effects of her chemotherapy. She got her card from the state and had gone to provisioning center in Detroit to buy some items. She didn’t want to smoke or get high so…
Mary Fortuna cuts to the core at ArtNxt
Mary Fortuna has been a fixture in Detroit’s art community for more than 25 years. A Wayne State University graduate, Fortuna originally started working in drawing and printmaking. Since then, she’s created two bodies of work as a painter and a sort of puppet-maker. Both are on on view at ArtNxt, a Birmingham gallery that…
Drink Up
If we said Absolut Vodka was one of the most recognizable brands on the market, we wouldn’t be telling you something you didn’t already know. In fact, there are probably very few people in the drinking world who haven’t tasted the premium spirit. So, we’re not going to tell you about the vodka. (But if…
Recently added: Mark your calendars for these upcoming shows
Tickets are now on sale for these events. Feb. 12, Jim Norton at Royal Oak Music Theatre; royaloakmusictheatre.com; Tickets are $29.50 in advance, $35 day of show. Feb. 16, Disappears at PJs Lager House; pjslagerhouse.com; Cover is $8. Feb. 19, Fetty Wap at the Fillmore; thefillmoredetroit.com; Tickets at $25; $30; $35; $45. Feb. 23, Wavves,…
Beneath the Underdog: Jazz politics, baby
My work colleagues were sent the following email. It was signed by 112 “members of the jazz community.” For some reason, it wasn’t sent directly to me, even though I’m clearly listed as the music editor on our masthead. I’m choosing to not list all of their names here, but trust me, it is a…
Stacey MacLeod and Samantha Linn are Detroit’s rawest duo
Dear Darkness is Stacey MacLeod on vocals and guitar backed by Samantha Linn on drums and backing vocals. None of us need to waste any time pretending to be surprised that only two people can make a lot of ruckus in one rock band with such a setup — certainly not here in Detroit, where we…
Record review roundup: New releases from Smith and Jones, the John Sims Project
Smith and Jones So Far Away (Self-released) Last March, Metro Times explored the underappreciated sounds of downriver hip-hop. The region’s highly dedicated and talented emcees continue to produce extraordinary quality hip-hop. This new Smith and Jones album, So Far Away, exemplifies that. Smith and Jones is made up of Tone Smith, Jimbo Jones, and Chris…
Politics & Prejudices: Snyder: End of the illusion
Gov. Rick Snyder is really a moderate. Pro-business to be sure, but not one of those horrible right-wingers in the legislature. Actually, he’s a closet liberal on social issues and the environment. How could he be otherwise? After all, he lived in Ann Arbor for years. We’ve been hearing that stuff for the last six…
