Cover Stories
Month-long exhibit ‘Mighty Real/Queer Detroit’ celebrates 77 years of LGBTQ art across 17 galleries
Despite the narrative some conservatives and uninformed clowns try to push, being LGBTQ is not a “liberal trend” that just emerged within the last decade. Queer people have always been a part of society, making integral contributions to art and culture, especially here in Detroit. Take LeRoy Foster, for example, a gay Detroit painter who…
Where to celebrate Pride 2022 in metro Detroit
Pride feels a little bit different this year. For the last two summers, Pride has been modified to adjust to the ever-changing climate of the pandemic. Well, outside is back open and there are a lot of reasons to celebrate. While June might be Pride month, the celebrations are not limited to just those 30…
U.S. Supreme Court’s draft ruling on abortion poses grave risks to LGBTQ rights in Michigan and beyond
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion could imperil hard-fought LGBTQ rights, such as same-sex marriage and gay intimacy, legal experts warn. When the court’s draft decision to end the recognition of abortion rights was leaked on May 3, supporters of gay rights were alarmed by…
Detroit-born comedian Alex English just finished his first season writing for ‘SNL’
Alex English has always been funny. This isn’t a cliché opener to a story about a comic, it’s a statement based on the fact that I’ve known him since high school. When we speak, the stand-up comedian has just wrapped his first year as a writer for Saturday Night Live. It’s a job that took…
Where to celebrate Juneteenth 2022 in metro Detroit
When we talk about a celebration of freedom and independence, the average American will think of July 4th and all things red, white, and blue. But what about red, black, and green Those are the colors of the Pan-African flag, most often seen during Black History Month and increasingly for Juneteenth. While Americans have spent…
Members-only art collectors club to launch in Detroit with ‘mystery work’ from local artists
Would you be willing to throw down $1,000 on an art collection that you couldn’t see beforehand if it meant supporting local artists? That’s how members-only art collector’s club Commissioner works. The club started in Miami in 2018 and will soon launch in Detroit. To join Commissioner, members pay for a 10-month season that gives…
State Senate Democrats walk out of hearing over bill to ban teaching about systemic racism
Two Democratic state senators walked out of a committee hearing Tuesday in protest of a bill that critics say will prevent teachers from frankly discussing racism in classrooms. Sens. Erika Geiss, D-Taylor, and Sen. Dayna Polehanki, who are both former teachers, said they refused to participate in the Senate Education and Career Readiness Committee, where…
Burlesque and aerial performances come to Hamtramck’s Planet Ant with ‘Midnight Garden: Fairytales of Good and Evil’
This event at Hamtramck’s Planet Ant Theater combines burlesque with an added dimension of aerial dancing, performed high above the audience, presented by burlesque performer Marina Casanova and aerialist Sal T Mutha and hosted by Lottie Ellington. In addition to performances by Casanova and Sal TMutha, entertainers include Céleste Vé Dette, Mimi Southwest, Dede DeVain,…
More than 60 bands will perform in Detroit as part of the Corktown Summer Days fest
How many music festivals can one town have? Apparently Detroit’s appetite for live music is insatiable. The Corktown Music Festival debuted in March, launched by music fans who wanted to keep the momentum going after the Hamtramck Music Festival had pivoted to a summer schedule due to the pandemic (which itself was launched years ago…
Michigan Fashion Week celebrates its 10th anniversary with a runway show in Detroit’s Eastern Market
While there are a number of events in store for this year’s Michigan Fashion Week, which aims to lift up our local fashion scene and celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, the big one is Friday in Eastern Market. More than 25 brands will be on hand for this runway show (this year’s theme is…
GOP-led Legislature seeks to intervene in lawsuit opposing 1931 abortion ban in Michigan
The Republican-led state Legislature is trying to upend a lawsuit aimed at keeping abortion legal in Michigan. The House and Senate are asking the Court of Claims for permission to intervene as defendants in the lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood, which argues that Michigan’s constitution protects abortion rights. The Legislature also requested the court to…
‘Crimes of the Future’ provides a wry, unsettling comeback film for David Cronenberg
Playful, wry, and perversely optimistic, the latest from David Cronenberg merges spheres once easier to imagine as discrete, or naturally apart. But what’s “natural” here, as has so often been the case for him, seems fairly beside the point. The 79-year old director of Videodrome and The Fly situates his intimate, small-scaled dystopia in an…
Detroit duo Torus Eyes showcases technical prowess and creative potential on debut LP
Detroit electronic duo Torus Eyes exists as a partnership between two individuals who can often operate like two sides of the same mind in separate bodies. By making creative decisions rooted in a deep respect for collaboration, including the sharing of the lead-singer role, members Gwendolyn Dot and Rho Solomon are able to create bodies…
Michigan’s Mackinac Policy Conference was a COVID-19 superspreader as movers and shakers come down with virus
At least 15 people who attended the three-day Mackinac Policy Conference last week have tested for COVID-19 so far, making the event a superspreader. About 1,345 politicians, government and business leaders, and reporters attended the annual conference. Most of the attendees weren’t wearing a mask, according to numerous photos and videos from the event. Among…
Michigan initiative to legalize psychedelics won’t be on November ballot
Looks like Michiganders won’t be voting on legalizing psychedelics this year after all. Activist groups Decriminalize Nature Michigan and Students for Sensible Drug Policy announced they are withdrawing their efforts to get an initiative legalizing psychedelics on the Michigan November ballot. They had been gathering signatures for the ballot proposal since March. The proposed bill,…
Major week ahead for 10 Starbucks stores in Michigan set to vote on unionizing
Workers at 10 Starbucks stores in Michigan are set to vote on unionizing this week in what could be a major victory for the growing labor movement among coffee employees. Five stores in Ann Arbor are scheduled to vote Tuesday. An additional five stores in Clinton Township, East Lansing, Flint, Grand Blanc, and Lansing are…
Kraftwerk performed in Detroit with German precision for its 3D concert tour
Eins, zwei, drei, vier! At precisely 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, pioneering German electronic band Kraftwerk took to the stage at Detroit’s Masonic Temple for the return of its 3D concert experience, where the iconic group’s songs were paired with lights and graphics enhanced by those tastefully gauche white paper ’50s-era 3D glasses. The…
Second lawsuit filed against Detroit’s revised recreational marijuana ordinance
A second marijuana company has filed a lawsuit against the city of Detroit over its revised recreational marijuana ordinance, saying the new law “serves as the kiss-of-death” for medical cannabis facilities already operating in the city. JARS Cannabis, which operates two medical marijuana dispensaries in Detroit, filed the lawsuit Friday in Wayne County Circuit Court,…
Anita Baker brings her show home and James Craig gets booted off the ballot: The top 10 Metro Times headlines of the week
Soul songstress Anita Baker has been doing great performing a residency at The Venetian in Las Vegas, but our readers were most interested in the details about her first Detroit show since 1995. Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig was also in the news after a court ruled that he cannot appear on the Republican…
Pietrzyk Pierogi is selling ‘Rainbow-Rogi’ to raise money for Detroit’s Ruth Ellis Center during Pride month
Eastern Market pierogi purveyor Pietrzyk Pierogi has come up with a fabulous way to raise funds for a good cause. The company is selling rainbow-striped pierogi to celebrate Pride month. Pietrzyk says it will donate 25% of all sales from the “Rainbow-Rogi” to Detroit’s Ruth Ellis Center to help LGBTQ youth. It’s the third year…
Dooped Donuts opens up shop in downtown Detroit
Friday is National Donut Day, and Dooped Donuts is celebrating by finally opening its own storefront in downtown Detroit. The vegan doughnut brand’s first standalone shop is located at 1555 Broadway St. If the address sounds familiar, it’s because it used to be Ashe Suppy Co café. Dooped will be continue to sell Ashe Coffee…
Man found crushed to death inside an abandoned funeral home in Flint
Three urban explorers made a gruesome discovery inside an abandoned funeral home in Flint. In the dark basement of Swanson Funeral Home on Saturday was the body of a Black man crushed underneath a hydraulic coffin lift that had fallen through the first floor. Just inches from the body was a cell phone. “You could…
Detroit’s Saint Andrew’s Hall venue reopened this week following floor repairs
After nearly three months, live music has returned to Saint Andrew’s Hall in Detroit. The venue was shut down for repairs after a joint in the floor became loose during a March 8 concert by rapper Baby Keem, cutting the show short by 20 minutes. During its downtime, previously booked shows were relocated to other…
Jeeter cannabis expands into Michigan with infused pre-rolls
Jeeter, which claims to be the top-selling pre-roll brand in the U.S., is coming to Michigan. The cannabis company officially announced its expansion into the Michigan market Thursday, and will hit the ground running by introducing infused pre-rolls on Friday, June 3. To assist with the transition, Jeeter has opened a new 17,000 sq. ft.…
The Second Amendment means whatever you want it to mean
Before the bodies of 19 children in Uvalde, Texas, had turned cold, the Republican leaders of North Carolina’s General Assembly announced plans to tackle a crisis in education. Not the easy access to the kinds of assault rifles favored by mass shooters, of course. Nor the underfunding of public schools that state courts have declared…
Photographer Doug Coombe celebrates the music scenes of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti with multimedia exhibition
Over the years, Metro Times contributor Doug Coombe has photographed a dizzying array of musical artists from southeastern Michigan. His photos from the fertile Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti scenes are the subject of a new exhibition that opens on Friday, the cheekily titled Last Night a Camera Saved My Life. “I seriously think southeastern Michigan…
Detroit’s Eastern Market will go vegan for VegFest this weekend
The metro Detroit area has a surprising number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants, many of which will come together on Sunday, June 5 for VegFest at the Eastern Market. The festival brings together nearly 100 vendors selling vegan food, desserts, drinks, and more, all in the name of plant-based living. Local faves like Cooking with…
James Craig cannot appear on the ballot in Michigan’s gubernatorial election, court rules
Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig lost his appeal to appear on the ballot in the Republican gubernatorial primary after turning in thousands of fraudulent signatures. The Michigan Court of Claims ruled Thursday that the Board of State Canvassers made the right decision by kicking him off the ballot for failing to turn in enough…
Vernors is releasing a limited-edition black cherry flavor this summer
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, we say. Still, that’s not stopping regional ginger ale favorite Vernors from releasing a new black cherry flavor this summer. Vernors Black Cherry will hit shelves for a limited time only starting in August in Michigan and the Toledo area. Makes sense, seeing as Vernors was created in…
Downtown Detroit’s Beacon Park Saturday Night Market series starts this weekend
The freaks come out at night in downtown Detroit’s Beacon Park. And by freaks, we mean small businesses and vendors. The park’s Saturday Night Market series starts back up on Saturday, June 4, and runs through Aug. 27. A variety of vendors slinging handmade jewelry, food, artwork, sweet treats, and beyond will post up at…
Detroit officials throw out ballot drive to repeal city’s controversial recreational cannabis ordinance
A petition drive aimed at repealing the city of Detroit’s controversial recreational cannabis ordinance was rejected Tuesday. The city’s Department of Elections upheld an opinion from the city’s law department that concluded the petition missed the deadline to make it on the November ballot. At issue is the new recreational cannabis ordinance, which the Detroit…
Gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson failed to qualify for the ballot, appellate court rules
Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson, the self-described “quality guru” who pumped more than $2.5 million of his own money into his campaign, lost his appeal to get on the ballot for the August primary election. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the Board of State Canvassers made the right decision by kicking him…
Electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk, who were both inspired by the music of the Motor City and also influenced it, perform in Detroit on Saturday
An argument that comes up over and over again is who should be credited with creating electronic music writ large: the German synth-driven band Kraftwerk, formed in 1970, or Detroit techno producers like the Belleville Three. In reality, both were heavily inspired by what The Guardian described as “a feedback loop between Germany and Detroit.”…
Detroit Music Weekend to honor blues guitarist John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was working as a janitor in Detroit when he released his first hit single “Boogie Chillen” in 1948. The rest is history. That history is being celebrated at this year’s Detroit Music Weekend festival. The free, all-day-long festival is on July 2 at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts. Hooker…
Anita Baker announced date for Detroit show and you’re going to have to be quick
Yesterday, the soul songstress of Saturday morning cleanings finally announced that she would be performing in Detroit after nearly 30 years. This morning, Anita Baker announced the date for her one night only at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena. On Friday, July 22, the “Sweet Love” singer will return to the Motor City for a special…
Detroit’s Palmer Park Art Fair returns this weekend
Palmer Park is one of those hidden Detroit gems for nature lovers, and in the summer it comes alive during the Palmer Park Art Fair. This June, the park will host the ninth annual Palmer Park Art Fair in the area next to the log cabin, which will be transformed into a strolling fairground. Hundreds…
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is coming to metro Detroit this weekend
We interrupt your regular programming with some totally kawaii news: the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will be making a stop at Novi’s Twelve Oaks Mall on Saturday. The pink truck will be posted up from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. near the food court, selling limited edition Hello Kitty merchandise including dolls, mugs, lunch boxes,…
Ypsilanti’s Bellflower restaurant serves up deep cuts
If a restaurant with prices in the $30s can fill the room regularly on Monday nights, that’s a sign that it’s doing something right. It seems Ypsilantians think so, and I agree. The nearly two-years-old Bellflower has an eclectic menu with an emphasis on seafood. Out of 15 items on a recent list — it…
Free Will Astrology (June 1-7)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Who loves the truth better than you Aries people? Who has the greatest potential to speak the real story in every situation, even when it requires extra courage? Who has more fun than you in discovering and defining and expressing the raw facts? In my Book of Life, you Rams are…
Banning abortion and critical race theory will hurt Black women
“African Americans have a higher incidence of maternal mortality,” Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy told Politico on May 19. “So, if you correct our population for race, we’re not as much of an outlier as it’d otherwise appear.” Understandably, that remark quickly met with a tsunami of derision. To critics, Cassidy, a physician, had betrayed the…
‘Creem’ magazine is returning as an expanded universe
The rock ‘n’ roll magazine Creem, founded in Detroit in 1969 and known for its writers whose over-the-top personalities rivaled those of the stars they covered, has officially returned — for real for real, this time. The new chapter of the iconic music publication cheekily billed as “America’s only rock ‘n’ roll magazine” launched online…
