Leaf Erikson walks us track-by-track through his new record, ‘Monumentum’
Detroit rapper Leaf Erikson recently teamed up with producer Dakim for the release of Monumentum, a 16-track collaboration of short, sweet introspective tracks. On the A side, eight tracks feature the vocals of Erikson, while the B side is called Unannounced and features Mario Dell aka AC Pull. Metro Times caught up with Erikson to discuss the…
Celebrate Detroit’s birthday with ‘Raise the Flag Fest’ this weekend
If patriotism were a concept that could apply to a municipality, Detroit native Ali Thrower would have it in spades. On any given day, you can find the 42-year-old repping his city through the Detroit flag screen-printed on his tee shirt or — in the winter — embroidered on his beanie. But Thrower’s love for the…
Po’ boys are popping up at this weekend’s Gabriel Hall dinner
It’s hard to find a good po’ boy in Detroit. Even the city’s very few chefs who trade in cajun/creole dishes don’t have too much in the way of the New Orleans’ signature sammies on their menus. And that’s a borderline crime. Fortunately, Dameon Gabriel and Ederique Goudia of Gabriel Hall are hosting a pop up on…
Lyft to offer discounted rides to Beacon Park grand opening
As you may know, Beacon Park, the new entertainment space in Detroit is celebrating its grand opening this upcoming weekend. Starting on Thursday, July 20 until Sunday, July 23, the park will be hosting free events throughout the day. There will also be a night market with food trucks and craft beer. If you do…
Anthony Bourdain wants your Detroit home movies for CNN doc
If you lived in Detroit in the 1950s and 1960s, Anthony Bourdain wants to take a look at your archives. The television personality is producing a four-part documentary about Detroit for CNN. To help with the project, the producers are seeking films and photographs from the era. Related The call for entries is looking for home…
Waking Windows Festival at El Club releases set times for this weekend
The new music festival that is taking over Southwest’s El Club this coming weekend already impressed us with its lineup — featuring acts like Carseat Headrest, Whitney, Margaret Glaspy, Moodyman, and many more. The genres range from garage rock, folk, and a little bit of house music. Another thing that impressed us with the festival…
Ballot group hoping to end gerrymandering in Michigan says state is slowing it down
Voters Not Politicians has had enough of the state government. The grassroots organization is devoted to ending gerrymandering, or the manipulation of political district boundaries in favor of a particular party, in Michigan. Its committee is currently unhappy with the state’s Bureau of Elections, claiming they are taking far too long to review a proposed petition. The…
‘Origins of the Urban Crisis’ author Thomas Sugrue to speak at Wayne State
Dr. Thomas Sugrue — author of the seminal 1996 urban study Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit — will return to his native city for a free public lecture later this month. The lecture will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, July 24 at Wayne State University’s Community Arts Auditorium (450 Reuther…
Dreams do come true: A doughnut shop is opening next to a weed dispensary in Detroit
If you’ve driven down Eight Mile recently near Hazel Park and Detroit, you might have noticed a new sign on a building that reads “Donut Shop” and “Coming Soon” and continued on driving. With a closer look, one will notice that this soon-to-open shop is nestled next door to a marijuana dispensary, and honestly, I…
Narrow Way Cafe coffee shop opens Wednesday next to Kuzzo’s
The Narrow Way Cafe coffee shop is readying for its soft opening on Wednesday on the Livernois Avenue of Fashion. The shop, at 19331 Livernois Ave., will serve Zingerman’s coffee and Avalon baked goods. Its freshly renovated, sharp interior – complete with hardwood floors, industrial lights, and exposed ductwork – includes a garage door that…
LCD Soundsystem add second Detroit show in November
Good news for fans of LCD Soundsystem but missed out on tickets — the reunited band has added a second show in Detroit for when they made a stop on their upcoming tour. The band’s first show is schedule for Friday, November 3. The new show will happen the next night, Friday, November 4. Both…
Sen. Stabenow says GOP Senators pulling a ‘political exercise’ over health care bill
Q: Is there anyone you talk to in the Senate who loves this health bill? STABENOW: "No."(via @Morning_Joe) pic.twitter.com/4oMyQxN4fb — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 17, 2017 Senator Debbie Stabenow made the morning TV rounds today where she discussed the dangers of the health care bill that the Senate is supposed to vote on. Stabenow tells…
Detroit strippers sue club boss for wage theft
The owner of a pair of iconic Detroit strip clubs is being sued in federal court for a second time for allegedly failing to pay dancers and other workers a proper wage. A class action lawsuit filed early this month says that Alan Markovitz — once hailed by the former Real Detroit Weekly as “arguably…
New Order Coffee’s Insta-worthy brews debut in Detroit this Wednesday
There’s a new kid on the block in Midtown. New Order Coffee will open its doors this Wednesday, July 19th at 3100 Woodward Ave., just blocks away from the soon-to-open Little Caesars Arena. With a highly equipped team of coffee aficionados, the nano-batch specialty roaster is the perfect meeting place for your next job interview…
Bob Seger joined Eagles on stage this weekend and it was magic
Two metro Detroit legends came together at Dodgers Stadium in LA this past Saturday and we’re incredibly jealous that we missed out. While the Eagles played their first show without metro Detroit-native Glenn Frey, Bob Seger stepped out on stage to lend his vocals to the classic “Heartache Tonight,” a song that Frey took lead…
You can adopt a dog at Carhartt’s flagship store this weekend
Thanks to Detroit’s favorite workwear brand, the dog days of summer have only just begun. On Saturday, July 22, Carhartt is hosting a dog adoption event in partnership with Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit. The event will take place from noon to 3PM at their flagship store at 5800 Cass Ave. near Wayne State University.…
Joe Biden is going on tour and making a stop in Ann Arbor
It seems like a million years ago that Vice President Joe Biden was walking the hallways of the West Wing, cracking dad jokes at White House staffers and always making sure that his boy Barack Obama was doing OK. So if you’re longing for the days of the Obama administration, or just want to see…
Record review: Che, ‘Chenges’
Nothing is more refreshing than being able to witness an artist grow musically and as a person — enter the emcee formerly known as Detroit Che. She’s dropped the “Detroit” part of her moniker (which might carry its own symbolism), and she’s taking the proverbial next step in her evolution with her EP, Chenges. The…
Michigan’s best summer beers
Oberon – Bell’s ABV: 5.8% There isn’t a summer beer made in Michigan that embodies the taste of summer better than Oberon does. For one, you can only buy it during the spring and summer months, but it’s that delicious wheat beer with a hint of orange that makes you always want to have another.…
How artisans are keeping Michigan’s legacy of furniture design alive
Before Detroit put America on wheels, on the other side of the state Grand Rapids had already earned a reputation as a manufacturing powerhouse in its own right. Thanks to its Lake Michigan location, the city became a lumber hub in the 1800s; this soon gave rise to enough quality furniture makers to earn Grand…
From car parts to chemicals, the manufacturing sector is responsible for a fifth of Michigan’s output
We couldn’t do a guide chronicling all of the cool things made in Michigan without taking a page to talk about the state’s biggest economic driver: the manufacturing sector. Sure, Michigan — and the United States overall — is not the manufacturing powerhouse it once was, largely due to a drop in demand for domestic…
Shinola joins the vinyl resurgence
For luxury watchmaker Shinola, the decision to launch an audio division may very well have been an inevitability. The company has cultivated a decidedly nostalgic aesthetic since setting up shop in Detroit in 2012, and the turntables it debuted late last year join its other retro-chic product lines, which include watches, leather goods, and bicycles.…
Nine must-try Michigan wines
Black Star Farms’ Arcturos Pinot Noir 2013: Black Star is considered by many to be the best Michigan winery, and Arcturos Pinot Noir is perhaps its best red wine. The dry wine holds aromas of violets and plums, while its taste is defined by fruity and spicy flavors of dark cherries, currant, and oak from…
Here are Michigan’s strangest, wildest, and most interesting crops
Weird cucumbers and the world’s hottest peppers at Meadows Produce You won’t have to look far to find a pickling cucumber in Michigan, as the state is one of the nation’s top growers of the vegetable. But if you really want to get weird with cukes, you’ll have to stop by Meadows Produce farm in…
The dos and don’ts of foraging and feasting morels
Every spring, after a week of ideal conditions, dedicated morel mushroom foragers will travel to their favorite spots — the locations of which they guard with much secrecy — and begin searching for the distinctive fungi. They’re easily distinguished from other mushrooms due to a prominent honeycombed cap, and they’re loved for their rich, buttery…
Michigan’s literary lesser-knowns
When it comes to things that come from Michigan, it’s easy to get people to embrace the idea that Michigan produces culture in the form of music: From the Amboy Dukes to Alexander Zonjic, the state has been at the forefront of important, tone-setting musical movements that have included techno, Motown, proto-punk, and hardcore. No…
These historic Michigan theaters are getting a new lease on life
The way Jarret Haynes sees it, every downtown deserves a historic theater. As the current director of Flint’s Whiting venue, he has studied theaters closely. At one point, he says, virtually every major city had one — and for a reason. The model of a having a large theater wrapped with retail on the ground…
Michigan’s capital destinations all have something that sets them apart
Home of Michigan’s Largest Rifle In Ishpeming, road-trippers will find one of the most honest pitches and some of the most lighthearted attractions. It’s home to Da Yoopers Tourist Trap, the brainchild of Jim “Hoolie” DeCaire. DeCaire, a key member of the comedy troupe disguised as a band Da Yoopers, bought the place in the…
Local fashion makers find inspiration in the Motor City
With a scrappy, up-and-coming fashion industry, metro Detroit is home to some truly talented artists. Whether they’re using the backdrop of the nitty gritty Motor City or a more refined inspiration, these local fabricators are churning out ambitious lines and bespoke designs. Laura Collier A professional by day, Laura Collier is a lot like most…
In search of a cocktail that trades upon Michigan’s state heritage
One of the great things about being a resident in the United States is being a traveler within your own country. Pity the little countries like Monaco, San Marino, and Liechtenstein, all smaller than Madison, Wisc. You can walk across them at a leisurely pace in hours. But in the good old U.S. of A.,…
