Harry’s Detroit may be in the best location in downtown
If you build it, the arena will come… Or so the saying goes.
Late DPS art teacher leaves $1.71 million to DIA
The woman had been a museum shop volunteer at the DIA from 1990 to 2009.
Check this short for an abandoned documentary on Michigan noise music
YouTube member Glass Reed (A. Bearse) uploaded this twenty minute short with bits from a documentary he or she spent years working on. Orginal footage was destroyed so the project was shelved. That’s too bad, as this looks like it not only got some crucial words from some key players, but it seems to have…
Dirty Show announces sculptor Colin Christian as this year’s special guest
Anyone else find his last name ironic?
Wolf Eyes and Timmy’s Organism to head out on Third Man showcase tour next month
We just got this email about a fun little tour that Timmy’s Organism is heading out on with Wolf Eyes as well as Regressions 696 and Video, For information and tickets you can visit ThirdManRecords.com. Here is the full press release with tour dates and everything. Please note that there is a date at Marble Bar…
Ford Piquette Avenue Plant announces auto show hours
Now’s the time to see the birthplace of the automotive assembly line.
Introducing Rugby Grille’s new $55 Foie Burger, and ahem, some more affordable alternatives
WTF? $55 for a burger? Here in Detroit, we’ve got plenty of affordable, yet no less enticing burgers to choose from.
New poem depicts Gov. Snyder in hell
A poetic curse envisions Gov. Snyder’s punishment in the afterlife.
Detroit’s Redford Theatre to screen David Bowie films
As the tribute to pop music icon, the Redford Theatre will screen two films starring David Bowie — including a rare 35mm director’s cut of 1976’s The Man Who Fell to Earth.
Ron Jon Bovi is another dynamic rap duo from Detroit
Detroit’s own Phat Kat a.k.a. Ronnie Euro closed out last year with a 60 day European tour and the banger, “Rededication.” Now he’s beginning this year with a new single and a new collaboration. Enter Ron Jon Bovi, a duo consisting of Euro and Casual from the Hieroglyphics. The album is called Neaux Mursi and…
Detroit teacher posts open letter to emergency manager
In the letter, Namyslowski goes on to outline the “deplorable learning conditions” DPS teachers and students have been forced to work in for years.
Music Hall benefit concert announced featuring Chaka Khan
Organizers are trying to chip away at $4.2 million in accumulated debt they say could force the historic theater to close.
Artisanal sign-painters are nothing new in Detroit
Camilo José Vergara wishes those covering murals and signs in “New Detroit” would acknowledge Detroit’s black arts legacy as well.
Tonight: Say cheers and celebrate the life and times of David Bowie at a dance party at Old Miami
Drink and dance through the grief tonight at Old Miami
Christine Beatty just won’t be on the radio, but TV too
Kilpatrick’s other woman will star on a nationally syndicated docu-series titled “From the Bottom Up,” which follows “the journey of five women striving to change their lives, rebuild their families and live their dreams after falling from grace.”
Panic in Detroit: Local artists respond to David Bowie’s death
It’s hard to say anything about David Bowie that’s not been said already; at the very least, he was a beacon for misfits throughout his entire career, and a true iconoclast. The singer was so forward-thinking and changed his sound, look, style and personality on such a regular basis while always maintaining a core… Bowie-ness.…
DPS emergency manager criticizes ‘sickout’
The former EM being sued by Flint residents decries DFT labor action, citing the “negative impact that this is having on our students and our families.”
Moe’s Market Shoe Repair moves to Rust Belt Market
Local cobbler moves to Rust Belt Market.
Mansion transforms into first Beautiful Bridal boutique in downtown Detroit
Wedding bells are ringing in the new year as Beautiful Bridal with Keasha Rigsby previewed Sunday night in the freshly renovated John N. Bagley House. The French Renaissance Revival mansion, which was constructed in 1889, will now be the home to the most sought after professional in the world of bridal wear. Rigsby, who is…
Esquire: It’s time for Snyder to go
In a story comparing Gov. Rick Snyder to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Esquire‘s political writer deems Snyder the greater of two evils:
Get your week set up just right with ‘Motor City Funk’ by the Brightlights
Who the heck is the drummer on this thing? This drummer is amazing.
Update: Galapagos founder defends $6.25 million asking price
Take a deep breath for this one.
Update: Michigan has now deleted the ridiculous Flint water “bath time” poster
Update: You can still see the ridiculous image captured for posterity below, but the poster, which was posted and hosted by the state of Michigan on michigan.gov, is now gone. The url now redirects users to a much more straightforward and tonally appropriate FAQ sheet on the Flint lead situation. Perhaps it’s an after the…
Curt Guyette discusses the Flint water crisis with Rachel Maddow
“Anybody with even a rudimentary understanding of chemistry could’ve looked at the situation and in five minutes determined that the disaster that occurred could have been totally predicable.”
Vodka Vodka tasting event returns to the Royal Oak Music Theatre
We’ll drink to that!
Dive into Polar Beer Club at Royal Oak Farmers Market
It’s a cool event. Get it?
Recipe: Now you can make your own weed pulled pork sliders
Just in time for your next Super Bowl party.
WTF? Christine Beatty to host radio show
We suggest the new show be called “Do You Know Who The Fuck I Am?”
Grand Rapids named one of New York Times’ ’52 Places to Visit in 2016′ (but no, not Detroit)
The Gray Lady has chosen our neighbor to the west, Grand Rapids — ranking it No. 20 on a list that includes global destinations like Barcelona, Abu Dhabi, and St. Louis.
Granite City’s RenCen location is scheduled to open Feb. 10
Granite City come alive.
Wal-Mart marriage proposal ends in arrest
Going to the chapel … at the county jail.
Woah: Warren Defever mashes up John Coltrane with Terry Riley
Do you remember mashups? Here’s one from last night. Check it out before it gets yanked for copyright shenanigans. The His Name Is Alive founder obviously had a lot of fun with this one. Haven’t listened to all 35 minutes yet, but as these things go it’s probably better than that time Kenny G dueted…
Event preview: ‘Brunch with the Blackman’ at Trinosophes this Sunday, Jan. 10
“Two turntables and a bibim bowl.” That’s the tagline for an appearance at the multi-use space Trinosophes this Sunday by the Blackman. Excellent funk/ blues/ soul/ hip-hop, great food, what else do you want. You can drop by after church, or after sleeping off your hangover — or both! Or neither, just drop by, this…
MLive editorial cuts a ‘terrible blow to journalism’
Why Michigan is in dire need of quality journalism — especially now.
Wanted: Jägermeister seeking creatives for ‘Concept56’ event
According to the application form, chosen creatives will be paid “a fitting salary; participate in inspiration sessions and trips, be part of an unforgettable experience, and of course create the event of a lifetime for Detroit.”
Words and phrases to banish in 2016
An informal poll gives us the words metro Detroiters don’t want to hear anymore. And we’re just going to leave it right here …
ICYMI: Rare 13th Floor Elevators live radio performance from 1966
This was a sweet surprise which hit the Internet this past year, along the same lines as that super 8 footage of the Shaggs that showed up on YouTube (before quickly being yanked by the person who owns the rights to it — who I believe is an NRBQ member). Generally accepted to be the…
Threatened Detroit mural drew mixed reactions
Reactions to Craig’s mural varied from the start — especially among residents of the North End neighborhood.
Street artist David Choe looking for a Detroit venue for his band Mangchi
Last weekend, Choe (a graphic artist best known for being paid in stock options to paint Facebook’s offices) posted on Instagram that Mangchi would be embarking on an East Coast tour this spring, and were still looking for venues to perform in a handful of cities, including Detroit.
The Root switches up brunch menu, adds Sunday dinner service
New Year, new brunch at The Root in White Lake.
A new magazine launches in Farmington this week
A men’s magazine that doesn’t feature supermodels, abs, or pricey autos? It debuts this week in Farmington.
Just announced: David Cross at ROMT next month, Feb. 14
What could possible be more romantic than seeing David Cross do standup? If your answer is “almost anything else on this Earth or beyond,” you’re probably right. But that doesn’t mean we don’t love the acerbic comedian a lot — I mean hey, we were watching Mr. Show before anyone else, just the same as…
‘Trumbo’ and America’s dark side
The film seems to have garnered mainly negative response from critics; here’s why it deserves a closer look.
Rapper Red Pill drops brand new animated video for ’90s Money’
Detroit’s own Red Pill just released a brand new video for the song “90s Money,” which is taken from his latest EP “Day Drunk.” The song was produced by Alex Goose and the video was directed by Ruff Mercy. You nineties kids, millenials — there are a few pop culture references to things in here…
MDEQ hearing on upping Marathon emissions tonight
The hearings come at a time when MDEQ is under a bit of extra scrutiny.
Scarab Club to exhibit Detroit’s ‘Golden Age’ automotive designs
It’s a must-see event for true automotive design enthusiasts.
Cher calls for Snyder to be executed by firing squad
Cher’s watching.
Feds to investigate Flint, Snyder declares a state of emergency
The US Attorney’s office announced yesterday that it will begin an investigation in the handling of the Flint water crisis, a move that many residents and advocates hope will lead to answers and accountability around decisions that have resulted in the essential poisoning of the city’s drinking water.
Politics and Prejudices: Here comes our election!
Well, we’ve survived to see another year, or at least those of you reading this column have. And the good news and the bad news is that this is another presidential election year! Now if you are anything like normal, and have anything like, say, a life, you may be a bit puzzled by all…
Higher Ground: Down the weed rabbit hole
Apparently there is a third marijuana legalization petition that has been given the thumbs up by Michigan election officials — and it’s not the investor-backed plan from the Michigan Responsibility Council that made some waves last year. This new one comes from a group calling itself MichICan and its petition is called Abrogate Prohibition in…
Au Cochon brings approachable and tantalizing French flavors to Birmingham
View 24 photos from Birmingham’s Au Cochon here. As far as brasseries go, what you want to look for is style, energy, a varied menu that utilizes French techniques, and a cocktail list with the creativity to match the cuisine. In metro Detroit, you’ll find that fine balance in Birmingham at Au Cochon, under restaurateur…
Weekly reader responses
What are you smoking? We received a number of comments for our Dec. 30 cover story, a dining review of a medical marijuana dispensary called Dank Godz that also serves “medibles,” or cannabis-infused food. Reader Adelle Reno writes: Neat but how is pulled pork good for you on any level. Reader Jeffrey Widzinski writes: Classic…
One block, two businesses, three families: A Detroit story
The building at Mack near Chalmers resembles thousands of Detroit properties: abandoned, in tax foreclosure, burned out, dangerous, overdue for demolition. The surrounding eastside neighborhood comprises 3,430 vacant lots and a mere 1,289 buildings — only 900 or so occupied. Two carjackings recently occurred down the street. Last year, one block away, a man dressed…
Retail Detail: Birmingham boutique sees things differently
It’s rare we feature an optometrist in our retail column. We’d venture to say we’ve never written about an eye doctor before. But the eyewear boutique in Birmingham that goes by the oh-so-cool name Optik is more than just a place to get your peepers checked out. Owned by Joe Ales, Optik is a little…
GIG show pays respects to the visual artists who bring Michigan music to life
With some of the greatest musical acts, the appeal doesn’t only come from what you hear, but also from what you see. Some of the most successful bands are, in fact, successful brands — brands that have established visual identities by finding the perfect graphic artist to translate their sounds into record sleeves, gig fliers,…
Drink Up
Detroit City Distillery Homegrown Rye 47% ABV Back in October 2015, Detroit City Distillery added this rye whiskey to the liquors it serves out of it’s handsome Eastern Market tasting room and we were immediately impressed. Made with rye from a family-owned farm in Eaton County, the spirit is then distilled in freshly-charred white American…
Horoscopes (Jan. 6-12)
ARIES (March 21 – April 20): Wait and see how things roll out. Sudden surprises that change your position will put many of you in the catbird seat. Everything rests on your ability to operate impeccably. Being the best at whatever you do is what it comes down to. How you bring this to light…
Detroit predictions and prayers for 2016, by local music scene regulars
“Vice will buy an abandoned building, not rehab it, and call it ‘a new urban work environment.'” –Michelle Birawer (Harsh Tokes) “I hope to take over the world in 2016. Travel and spread the legend of Sheefy McFly and plant my royal seed on every continent. Dropping a ton of new art, music, starting a…
Detroit trio Young Punk readies its debut album
You get an email from someone you don’t know, and the headline simply says “New Young Punk single.” How do you not give it a listen? The song is “Love Abuse,” a clever, skittery track with an echoed-out guitar upfront, blown-out production, and very ace singing. It starts and ends minimally, and you absently listen…
