You can go fly a kite at the second annual Detroit Kite Festival this weekend
Returning to Belle Isle for its second year, the Detroit Kite Festival is a free nonprofit event that aims to provide a platform for play. Guests are invited to purchase or borrow kites onsite: Children will have an opportunity to visit the DIA Education Studio’s Kite Making Tent to craft their own high-flyers, while guests…
Michael Che steps away from SNL’s ‘Weekend Update’ desk for stand-up at Royal Oak Music Theatre
You may know him as the charmingly deadpan co-anchor of “Weekend Update” on Saturday Night Live, but comedian Michael Che is more than his headline-riffing gig. Che, whose early years were spent slinging graphic T-shirts on the streets of NYC, took flight as a comedic force on a limited run of Daily Show appearances. After…
Slum Village keeps Detroit’s underground hip-hop alive at Saint Andrew’s Hall
Rapper and producer J Dilla left his mark on his hometown of Detroit and the world of hip-hop at large in so many ways — both before and after his untimely death in 2006 due to cardiac arrest. One of his seminal projects was that of Slum Village, the hip-hop group made up of high…
Grab your hash pipe — Weezer and the Pixies are headed to DTE Energy Music Theatre
The alt-rock gods have spoken — Pixies and Weezer have teamed up for a co-headlining tour. While both bands have some new-ish music to play, there’s no doubt that both will tap into their extensive hit-filled catalogs. Even Pixies frontman Black Francis has adoration for Weezer, saying in a statement, “We’re all big Weezer fans,…
Report: Michigan sees greatest decline in black homeownership in nation
African American homeownership has plunged further in Michigan than in any other state, from 51 percent in 2000 to 40 percent in 2016, according to a new study. The report from the Washington-based Urban Institute finds Detroit and its surrounding suburbs at the epicenter of the decline. Oakland County led the state, with a 12…
MGM Grand Detroit says goodbye to plastic straws
On Monday, MGM Resorts International will be phasing out the usage of plastic straws at all of its US resorts, including the MGM Grand Detroit, per The Free Press. An estimated 250,000 plastic straws will be removed from landfills each day, which translates to 100 million straws a year, according to a statement from MGM.…
30 years after his death, Roy Orbison will tour as a hologram
The future is now — and it’s really fucking weird. The most transcendent voice in rock ‘n’ roll history is quite literally transcending space and time whilst defying our feebly formed constructs of the afterlife. Thirty years after his death, Roy Orbison is hitting the road as a hologram. After a successful European debut earlier this year, In Dreams:…
Bar Louie set to open in Royal Oak amid city’s parking kerfuffle
Bar Louie, a Chicago-based chain, is set to open a new location in downtown Royal Oak in the former Blackfinn Ameripub space. The latter shut its doors last fall after 10 years in business, according to the Detroit Free Press. City documents show that Bar Louie franchise owner Anthony Marougi plans to pump $450,000 into…
According to report, Detroit ranks as the worst city to drive in
There’s no doubt that long commutes in rush hour traffic can add unnecessary stress and extra grey hairs to your work week. Whether you’re hit with bad weather, a traffic jam-inducing accident, or a pothole the size of Texas, there’s plenty of headaches to be found behind the wheel. According to one report via WalletHub, our…
A stage play based on Shri Thanedar’s life will premiere in Detroit
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Shri Thanedar detailed his rags-to-riches life story in a 2008 memoir, The Blue Suitcase: Tragedy and Triumph in an Immigrant’s Life, in which he recounted growing up lower middle class in India to becoming a wealthy businessman in the United States. While a Bollywood director was at one point reportedly tapped to…
Gerrymandering foes stage protest as lawsuit advances to Michigan Supreme Court
Can a protest get the Michigan Chamber of Commerce to drop its opposition to a proposal to end gerrymandering in Michigan? Activists are hoping so. The nonprofit, anti-corruption group Represent.Us will today host a rally outside the downtown Detroit office of Michigan Chamber of Commerce chairman Mark Davidoff, who is also Deloitte’s managing partner for…
Penske to present plans for keeping Grand Prix on Belle Isle
As expected, billionaire Detroit Grand Prix organizer Roger Penske is rolling out a proposal to keep the controversial race on Belle Isle. The plan will be presented Friday morning at a public meeting of the Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee (BIPAC) on Belle Isle. As of now, the meeting is the only chance the public…
Rapper Kool Keith is headlining the Michigan Glass Project
The man of many names is making his Michigan return this August. Kool Keith (a.k.a. Dr. Octagon, Black Elvis, Crazy Lou, and Dr. Dooom; among others) will be headlining at the Russell Industrial Center as part of the Michigan Glass Project which takes place Friday, July 20 through Sunday, July 22. The last time Kool…
Thanks to Jack White, vinyl record sales continue to grow in 2018
In an era where music listening is dominated by digital streaming services, there’s still plenty of interest in good old fashioned vinyl records — and Jack White is leading the resistance. According to new figures released by Nielsen Music, vinyl album sales were up 19.2 percent in the first half of 2018, with 7.6 million…
Is third time the charm for the Cass-Henry Historic District?
UPDATE: 2 p.m. July 10, 2018 After more than a dozen public comments in favor of the Cass-Henry Historic District, including several residents of the remaining occupied buildings, Detroit City Council voted to 8-0 in favor of establishing the district. For the last few weeks, we have been watching as hearings on the proposed Cass-Henry…
Snowy owls seeking summer sun have found a home in metro Detroit
Brace yourselves, winter is coming. Well, not winter exactly but it appears as though snowy owls have returned. Or is it that they never left? As it turns out, metro Detroit’s mysterious invasion of snowy owls is not limited to winter, which is when Metro Times first reported the recurring feathered phenomena after a mass…
Michigan’s state park officers want to be armed with guns and Tasers
The Michigan State Employees Association is demanding that Michigan state park police officers receive body armor, Tasers, and guns to handle incidents it claims are “increasing in frequency and becoming ever more dangerous.” MSEA, the union that represents state park officers, claimed in a release that issues officers encounter include gang activity, drug and alcohol…
Pig & Whiskey announces set times ahead of boozy blowout
What do a finalist on NBC’s The Voice; an on-again, off-again post-hardcore outfit from Highland, Mich.; and a dude named Pokey LaFarge have in common? They are three of 19 scheduled artists performing at this year’s Pig & Whiskey festival in Ferndale. One might assume the event is all about the barbecue and booze (and…
Good Charlotte announce Detroit date for ‘Generation Rx’ tour
When Good Charlotte first worked their way into our pop-punk vernacular they were taking aim at celebrity with their 2002 hit “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Nearly 16 years later, they’re taking on tougher topics with a more refined angst, sans sky-high spiked hair. Announced Monday, the band will hit the road in support of…
Roving music house prepares for weekend residency at Dabls MBAD African Bead Museum
A little bit of the Big Easy will call Detroit home this weekend when a popular interactive music installation visits Dabls MBAD African Bead Museum. Conceptualized and brought to life by New Orleans Airlift (a nonprofit focused on creating large-scale community art, and known best for their world-famous Music Box Village) is Porch Life — the group’s…
Gas station hackers give Detroit drivers 600 gallons of free fuel
Gas prices are a major point of pain for many Michigan drivers. Although we’ve become accustomed to $3 per gallon prices without going full Mad Max, it appears some people have had enough, with thieves managing to hack the Marathon gas station at Seven Mile and Southfield in broad daylight. Police are currently looking for…
Detroit’s semi-pro soccer club will host a First Division team tomorrow night
The rowdy rouge and gold will host a top-tier team for the first time when Mexico’s Club Necaxa makes stops at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck tomorrow for a friendly. It’ll be Detroit City Football Club’s second-ever international game. Related The nearly century-old Club Necaxa is part of Liga, MX, Mexico’s premier football league and arguably…
Boblo Boat owners launch GoFundMe in effort to rebuild burned-out steamer
What do you do when fire engulfs an abandoned structure intrinsically tied to memories of Detroit’s heyday? Apparently, you try to rebuild. SS Ste. Claire co-owners Ron Kattoo and Saqib Nakadar, who had been renovating the boat with plans to open it to the public, have launched a GoFundMe to cover the cost of rebuilding…
Andiamo’s Royal Oak location closes, owner blames city
Andiamo’s downtown Royal Oak location is closing after 19 years, and owner Joe Vicari says it’s partly a result of the city of Royal Oak’s mismanagement of its downtown. Vicari told the Detroit News that the city took away its parking and valet parking, and left customers nowhere else to go. He also cited an…
Sheefy McFly made so much art he will have three solo shows this summer
When he’s not making music (like that catchy jit remix of the ’90s toy Bop It that he dropped earlier this year), Sheefy McFly, née Tashif Turner, is a visual artist. And he’s been busy. “I’m just like a hermit painting this shit,” he tells us of his new body of work, which he says…
Killer Flamingos’ Hot Pocket and cut-off jean party will raise money for suicide survivors
For several years, metro Detroit rock band Killer Flamingos held down a regular Sunday night gig at Royal Oak’s Luna. Fans came and went, but one of their regulars was a guy who lead singer Michelle Katitus describes as “quirky, intelligent, and extremely well-loved” — Dave Thomas. Some of the funnest evenings the group had…
ICE is targeting Hamtramck’s Muslim community
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are active in Hamtramck and have been targeting people in the city’s large Yemeni and Bangladeshi communities. Council on American-Islamic Relations Michigan (CAIR-MI) attorney Amy Doukoure tells Metro Times that the agents are demanding proof of citizenship from immigrants in recent days, but so far she isn’t aware of any arrests…
Michiganders have until Monday to register to vote in the August primary
If you want to help decide which candidates will make it to the general election in November, you’ll have to make sure you’re registered to vote by July 9. Here’s how to exercise the greatest right this country affords you: Step 1: Go online and see if you are already registered at the appropriate address.…
Drunk bros ruined Neil Young’s Detroit show
Neil Young brought his brief six-date solo acoustic tour to Detroit’s Fox Theatre on July 3, choosing the venue in part because of his love for the city and the venue. He took the stage surrounded by a circle of guitars, a banjo, and a ukulele, and launched into a batch of primarily early ’70s…
Detroit high school kids create app to teach classmates about ‘the birds and the bees’
“The Talk” is something every responsible parent must have with their kid at some point. Or is it? Now, there appears to be an app for even that — and it was designed by students at the Detroit Institute of Technology at Cody High School. The “Human Nature” app is intended to help educate their…
Boblo Boat catches fire outside Detroit marina
One of the old boats from Boblo Island caught fire Friday afternoon at Detroit’s Riverside Marina. Live video from WDIV showed flames and dark smoke billowing from the boat over the Detroit River. The cause of the fire is not yet known, the station reports. This particular Boblo Boat was purchased in 2016 by a…
Meanwhile, 35 miles west of Detroit, a transit funding measure faces certain victory
In metro Detroit, commentators are still mumbling their eulogies over a regional transit plan. Whatever the merits of the RTA plan, with Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan on board, the main obstacle in metro Detroit seems to be officials north of Eight Mile Road. It was in late May that…
Michigan State Police go undercover to catch seat belt law violators in metro Detroit
An undercover Michigan State Police officer this week donned plainclothes and held a cardboard sign at a metro Detroit freeway intersection to catch people who weren’t wearing their seat belts. And though the officer certainly looked like a panhandler holding a sign, a Michigan State Police spokesman wouldn’t refer to it as that. He also…
New metrics quantify Michigan’s extreme gerrymandering problem
A new report by a nonpartisan group attempts to objectively measure gerrymandering in Michigan’s Legislative and Congressional districts. The Citizens Research Council used several statistical measures to put an objective number on the problem, and determined that the state’s districts are indeed gerrymandered. That’s significant because the crux of the argument against gerrymandering is that…
St. Clair Shores restaurant will hoist a food truck onto its roof on Monday
A few months ago, we introduced you to Mike LeFevre, the ambitious, big-thinking proprietor of Mike’s On The Water who wants to put a food truck on the roof of his waterside restaurant. In March, he pitched the idea the St. Clair Shores City Council. Some scoffed, some chuckled, some said it was impossible. But…
Detroit-area man threatens neighbors over fireworks, neighbors respond with lots of fireworks
The threat was said to have been delivered to multiple households along the same Chesterfield Township street. “If I hear one explosion after 9 p.m. any days this week I will make your lives on Dove Lane insanely miserable,” it read. So, the neighbors responded accordingly: According to WJBK, they threw a block party with…
Campaign finance watchdogs: Moroun money flooded Detroit City Council races
In the monthlong afterglow since the Moroun family graciously allowed Ford to buy the long-vacant Michigan Central Station, perhaps one notable report escaped many metro Detroiters’ notice: the quantity and quality of money the Moroun family spent on Detroit’s most recent City Council elections. We’d reported on one instance of Moroun money affecting the race…
Visiting view: Detroit’s settlement in tax foreclosure lawsuit offers hope, but fight continues
In July 2016, the ACLU of Michigan and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund sued the city of Detroit and the Wayne County Treasurer in the wake of the largest tax foreclosure crisis since the Great Depression. Despite salient arguments about unconstitutionally over-assessed properties, disparate negative impact on African-Americans, and violation of due process rights, there…
Juggalo makeup can thwart facial recognition technology
The Juggalos — those jolly fans of the Detroit rap duo Insane Clown Posse — have taken great pains to insist they are not a criminal gang. However, it appears that their signature clown makeup can have an unintended effect of allowing them to fly under the radar, so to speak, by thwarting facial recognition…
Lawsuit: Bill Schuette is using his personal email to conduct state business
Leading Republican gubernatorial candidate and Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette bills himself as a Trump-like figure, but it seems in some ways he has more in common with Hillary Clinton. A lawsuit filed with the Michigan Supreme Court alleges that Schuette used personal emails to conduct state business. The lawsuit was brought by Progress Michigan,…
Socialist hero Ocasio-Cortez endorses El-Sayed for Michigan governor
When democratic socialist firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat Wall Street-backed incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley in the primary for New York’s 14th Congressional District last week, it was an upset of historic proportions. A poll conducted a couple of weeks before the election reportedly showed the novice candidate losing to the 10-term Congressman by 35 percentage points.…
Review: Michigan finally gets an excellent French restaurant in The Standard Bistro & Larder
(Find photos of Standard Bistro & Larder’s excellent dishes here.) There’s really not much in southeast Michigan’s suddenly exciting dining scene like the Standard Bistro and Larder, chef Alex Young’s new French restaurant. For all the flavors that you couldn’t find here a decade ago, this is the only spot where one can discover the…
How the Detroit artist Sixmau went from Highland Park to Dreamville in two years
On April 20, the world got its first glimpse of the cover art for hip-hop recording artist J. Cole’s newest album, KOD. It turned out the occasion was a breakthrough moment for a Detroit-based artist who’d designed the trippy album art. The artist, known as Sixmau, gave a brief interview to Vibe, revealing how he’d…
Seeing signs at Detroit’s ‘Keep Families Together’ rally
While getting ready to head over to the “Keep Families Together” rally protesting the Trump administration’s immigration and family separation policies on Saturday, June 30, I made sure I was prepared for the 90-plus degree weather. Water bottle, straw hat — check. But then it occurred to me that maybe I should carry my passport…
Savage Love: It got better
In a recent column, you said you never hear from married couples whose sex life got better and more frequent over the years. Well, now you have. My wife and I were married 24 years ago, and we are currently having more sex and better sex than we did in the first years of our…
Horoscopes (July 4-10)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 You are back in the saddle again. For better or worse, it looks to me like you let go of your pride and woke up to the virtues of taking care of yourself. Every now and then we have to do what’s expedient, and this is one of those…
