Cover Story
Black Women Rock brings a dash of rock ’n’ roll to the #BlackGirlMagic era
Pop culture and social media are expressing a renewed interest, and maybe even a slight obsession with, #BlackGirlMagic — that intangible, untouchable, undeniable vitality that Black women possess and nurture in others. But trends don’t last, so what happens when girls grow into women? What happens when it’s time to nurture this hallowed togetherness in…
Everything we saw and experienced at SXSW 2018
So, straight off from the airport, Ride Austin was a nice find. A nonprofit ride share “built for Austin by Austin.” A round trip to the Hilton Austin was $20 – we used it four times, and met some cool locals. It’s free for vets, which is another pretty awesome thing, and customers can request…
The time has come once again to banish the pesky Nain Rouge
Deck yourself in crimson garb and craft your best insults, for the Marche du Nain Rouge returns. As the legend goes, Detroit founder Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac was attacked by the folkloric “Red Dwarf” who then cursed Cadillac and the city of Detroit. Cadillac died penniless after returning to his native France and Detroit,…
You can eat lunch inside the historic ‘Detroit Club’ starting March 21
When it opened in the late 1800s, The Detroit Club served as a meeting place for local business men and industry leaders — a place where they could gather to talk shop and exchange ideas. The group quickly grew and what began in a small house soon moved to a newly constructed four-story building designed…
‘It’s nothing, but we’ll take it,’ Macomb County’s Hackel says of Snyder road bill
As anyone in Michigan who has set foot outside lately can attest, our roads suck. Thanks to early thawing, potholes have rapidly multiplied — so much so that the American Society of Engineers recently gave our state roads a D- grade on its latest annual infrastructure report card. The problem is so dire that Gov. Rick…
Detroit police commander kept quiet after violent altercation that left man hospitalized and unresponsive
A Detroit police commander involved in a violent altercation that left a restaurant patron unresponsive in the hospital failed to disclose the incident and was not authorized to be moonlighting as a security guard, Detroit Police Chief James Craig says. Related Commander Timothy Leach was working off duty as a bouncer at Ottava Via in…
Dairy Queen offers free ice cream in honor of the spring equinox
I scream, you scream, we all scream for the first day of spring. Sure, it’s still cold as fuck, but as of noon today, it is officially spring. In order to celebrate the exciting seasonal changeover, Dairy Queen is giving away small vanilla ice cream cones all day. It’s limited to one per person, and…
Art by Michigan prisoners helps humanize those incarcerated in annual exhibit
Much can be done with a sheet of state-issued paper and a no. 2 pencil. Proof of this can be seen in the most unlikely of creative spaces: Michigan prisons. The Annual Exhibition of Art by Michigan Prisoners looks to humanize prisoners. In its 23rd year, the exhibition will be held in the Duderstadt Center Gallery…
Livonia hopes to attract millennial residents by roasting itself in online ad
We confess: We’ve teased Livonia from time to time — that city where “families come first.” As the hometown of Trump Unity Bridge maker Rob Cortis and former attorney general Mike Cox, it’s not exactly a place that leaps to mind when you say “cool city.” Related But we’re not blogging about Livonia to tease…
A new tiki bar is planned for Detroit’s east side
Months after the Mutiny Bar opened in Southwest Detroit, a new tiki bar called Lost River is in the works on the city’s east side. Eater reports owners Matt Mergener and Karen Green will take over a roughly 1,000-square-foot bar formerly called Memories Jazz & Blues Lounge at 15421 Mack Ave. When it opens, you’ll find…
La Feast Grill will replace China Ruby in downtown Ferndale
China Ruby’s long run in downtown Ferndale has come to an end, and a new eatery called La Feast Mediterranean Grill will open in its place. An employee with La Feast, which currently has a location in downtown Royal Oak, tells Metro Times the restaurant will be open in two to three weeks. La Feast’s menu…
Boy George and Culture Club are coming to DTE Energy Music Theatre this summer
Today is the first day of spring, yet it remains a bitter 30 degrees Fahrenheit and we’re all left to wonder if summer will ever actually arrive. Well, this sunny morning we have received a special transmission stating that ’80s music icons Boy George and Culture Club (along with The B-52s and the Thompson Twins’ Tom…
Michigan native blows judges away during ‘American Idol’ audition
Altas Township resident Genavieve Linkowski auditioned for the rebooted American Idol last night and the 19-year-old blew judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie out of the water. Richie compared Linkowski to a young Celine Dion, later tweeting to the iconic singer to check her out. Unbelievable raw talent… @CelineDion, check @genlinkowski out! #americanidol — Lionel…
Science of Grief invites Detroiters to share their pain during 14-hour performance at DIA
Natasha T. Miller had been lamenting the death of her brother for four years when the idea for the Science of Grief came to her. Miller, a local and nationally renowned poet, says the overnight event is for anyone who needs to express their grief. The 14-hour speaking event will be streamed live, but locals are…
Ford in talks to buy and redevelop Michigan Central Station, report says
Could the hulking Michigan Central Station soon be brought back to life? One local media outlet says it’s possible, thanks to Ford Motor Company. Crain’s Detroit Business reports that sources have confirmed the automotive company is in talks to buy the idling structure off Michigan Avenue in Detroit. Ford did not confirm or deny the…
Democrat side of Michigan’s AG race shaping up as a battle of progressives
One of two leading candidates for the Democratic nomination for Michigan attorney general appears to be growing more progressive in his policy positions as he takes on an opponent who has been a vocal advocate for leftist causes. Early this month Pat Miles followed in the footsteps of opponent Dana Nessel when he came out…
Michigan lawmakers consider 4 a.m. last call in downtown Detroit
New legislation introduced in the Michigan Senate could change last call from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. on weekends and holidays in Detroit’s Central Business District. As proposed, the law would only impact businesses in Detroit’s Central Business District, which is roughly bordered by Jefferson Avenue to the south, The Lodge to the west, Interstate…
Plastic fibers found in 90 percent of bottled water in the U.S.
The Guardian reports a new study found there are microplastics, tiny bits of plastic crap about as small as 2.5 microns across, in 90 percent of the bottled water they have tested from the U.S. About 83 percent of bottled water from around the world was also found to contain the plastic fibers. Naturally, the issue has…
SNL roasts Betsy DeVos yet again and it’s so spot on it hurts
Last February, after U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ horrifying confirmation hearing, Saturday Night Live roasted the Michigan billionaire and it was hilarious. Related Now, following a particularly disastrous 60 Minutes interview, SNL actor Kate McKinnon once again donned the blonde wig and cloyingly sweet smile DeVos is known for. During a “Weekend Update” segment, McKinnon…
Detroit Tigers announce Bark at the Park dates for 2018 season
Bark at the Park Night will return this baseball season, bringing dogs back into the stands at Comerica Park. Now in its third year, the Tigers’ dog day celebration has expanded to two games in the 2018 season, including one during the “dog days” of mid-September. The first will take place Monday, May 14 against…
Hang out with cats at the Meowtown grand opening this weekend
Next stop: Meowtown. In addition to celebrating their one-year anniversary, Pet Valu West Bloomfield is introducing the public to their new Meowtown Lounge and Adoption Center on Saturday, March 24. The new venture, made possible by a partnership with Pet Adoption Alternative of Warren, has been open for a few weekends, but a grand opening…
Album review: PRhyme 2 proves Royce da 5’9″ just keeps getting better
Looking back at the 20-year hip-hop career of Royce Da 5’9″ is similar to assessing Vince Carter’s 20-year NBA career: some highs, some lows, and some unexplainable shit — but when he’s on the court, you feel compelled to pay attention. Royce has ghost-written for Dr. Dre, his 11-plus mixtapes are grossly underrated, and his…
Beer hall-style eatery Lumen will debut next to Beacon Park in April
Modern beer hall-style restaurant Lumen will debut adjacent to downtown Detroit’s Beacon Park in early April. When up and running, the restaurant will offer menu items like a pretzel with rojo beer cheese and dijon mustard; a cured fish plate with smoked trout, whitefish spread, farm egg, capers, red onion, and a bagel; and a…
Little Caesars is offering free pizza after March Madness historic upset
On Friday night, the Don Draper at Little Caesars’ marketing department apparently decided to get in on March Madness and made a bet on Twitter: If a bottom-seeded team beat a No. 1 seed that night, the pizza chain would offer everyone in the country a free Hot-N-Ready lunch combo. Of course, the chances of this…
Man unresponsive after altercation with Detroit police commander working as bouncer
A Detroit police commander has been suspended with pay after reportedly getting involved in a physical altercation that put a restaurant patron in a coma. WXYZ-TV reports that Commander Timothy Leach was acting as a bouncer at Ottava Via during last weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Corktown when he confronted Michael Karpovich, who the…
Michigan officials start freeze on pot shops that don’t comply with new rules
The freeze on medical marijuana businesses that aren’t in compliance with new state rules has begun. Forty pot businesses that missed a deadline to apply for licenses under the state’s new regulatory framework for marijuana were hand-delivered cease-and-desist letters yesterday, a Licensing and Regulatory Affairs spokesman says. The letters warn that if a business does not…
Environmentalists warn proposed Michigan mine could be a ‘contamination nightmare’
With the national Environmental Protection Agency being gutted under President Trump and the state’s Department of Environmental Quality, not exactly a fierce watchdog to begin with, under assault from Michigan’s right-wingers, it seems like we’re receiving action alerts from Michigan environmentalists with increasing frequency. We’re urged to call our state legislators about Senate Bills 652…
Old punks will reunite in Ferndale this Saturday with RUR, Sillies, and more
Old punks take notice: What’s billed as a Bookie’s 40th anniversary reunion is scheduled to take place this weekend in Ferndale. Has it really been all that long since the Frank Gagen’s old Art Deco gay club on West McNichols Road was seeing its first bands with funny haircuts? If it’s to be believed, yes.…
Detroit school conditions remain dire six months after ruling promised in DPS lawsuit
More than six months ago, MT published a cover story about how a handful of Detroit students — with an able assist from a public interest law firm — took Gov. Rick Snyder and other Michigan officials to court over their right to an education. The suit never said students had a right to a…
Pueblan taco and pizza concept La Noria Bistro opens in Southwest Detroit
El Barzon’s long-awaited sister restaurant is up and running in Southwest Detroit. Like El Barzon, La Noria Bistro is an Italian and Mexican restaurant, but this time around owner Norberto Garita is focusing on wood-fired pizzas and what he describes as Pueblan street food. Many Mexican immigrants in Southwest are from the Mexican state of Jalisco,…
Federal employees accuse Betsy DeVos of union busting
The union representing nearly 4,000 federal employees working for Betsy DeVos’ U.S. Department of Education filed a complaint this week accusing her agency of union busting. The American Federation of Government Employees filed the complaint on Tuesday, after DeVos’ Department of Education implemented a 40-page “collective bargaining agreement” that took effect on Monday — a document…
What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than eating green puffy tacos in Campus Martius
One food truck is rolling into downtown with green fare for St. Patrick’s Day. El Charro, home of the famous “puffy taco,” is putting an Irish spin on its signature menu item in honor of everyone’s favorite boozy holiday. El Charro’s food truck will be posted up in Campus Martius Park with green puffy tacos…
Snyder’s lawyers fight to keep Michigan’s poorest Congressional district unrepresented
A special election would cost too much. It would leave absentee voters in Ecorse and Wayne confused. It would be unfair… to the candidates. A lawsuit filed against Gov. Rick Snyder for his failure to schedule a special election to fill the Congressional seat vacated by John Conyers in December sent the state scrambling for…
Detroit’s ‘Lion Gate Estate’ is for sale and oh boy is it insane
Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination — rather a world of lush and lavish interior decoration. And lions — lots of lions. Welcome to Lion Gate Estate — the most curiously designed and decorated home in Detroit. Built in 1951, the 1,886 square-foot home owned by industrial designer Ronald Nassar has been…
Stormy Daniels has rescheduled her Truth Detroit date
After canceling her planned appearance in a Detroit strip club this week due to strep throat, porn actress Stormy Daniels has announced a rescheduled date. Barring any additional illnesses, Daniels is set to make her Motor City appearance at Truth Detroit on Wednesday, April 11, according to a post on the club’s Instagram account. However,…
Super Mart joins list of suspended Detroit pharmacies for over-dispensing opioids
Yet another Detroit pharmacy and its lead pharmacist have been summarily suspended after the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) found they were illegally dispensing controlled substances including opioid pain reliever oxymorphone and oxycodone. According to a press release from LARA, Super Mart Pharmacy, located at 12230 E. Eight Mile Rd., had its controlled substance…
Beloved Detroit bartender Farouk Elhaje will be celebrated during Rattlesnake Club memorial
Farouk Elhaje spent 58 years serving drinks in Detroit. He crafted cocktails at the Rattlesnake Club, London Chop House, and Caucus Club, and was known for sharing stories of his famous clientele whilst mixing up the best mint julep outside of the Bluegrass State. During his career he served drinks to Barbara Streisand, Walter Cronkite, Lee…
David Byrne’s new music video featuring Detroit students will warm your cold, cold heart
For the latest installment of his Reasons To Be Cheerful series, musician David Byrne called upon the Detroit School of Arts’ vocal jazz ensemble to perform their rendition of “Everybody’s Coming to My House” from Byrne’s latest LP American Utopia. The homemade video, filmed in part by students of the radio and TV department, features the…
Southwest’s Señor López is planning a downtown Detroit location
Southwest Detroit Mexican restaurant Señor López is planning a second location for which owner Rafael López is still scouting in downtown Detroit. The current restaurant offers everything from tacos to chile en nogada to several mole dishes, but López tells Metro Times his new location will be more upscale than the laid back shop at 7146 Michigan Ave. It’s been…
Zingerman’s Deli is a James Beard Award finalist
Ann Arbor’s Zingerman’s Delicatessen is a finalist for a James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Service. Zingerman’s, which opened 36 years ago today, is the only restaurant of seven Michigan semi-finalists to reach the final round. It’s up against Boka restaurant in Chicago, Zahav in Philadelphia, and Saison and Zuni Cafe, both in San Francisco. Other Michigan…
Measles warning issued to March 6 Detroit Metropolitan Airport travelers
After an individual traveling at Detroit Metropolitan Airport was confirmed to be contagious with measles, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is urging other travelers to be on the lookout for symptoms of the disease and to seek medical attention if necessary. The department has warned anyone who was at DTW’s customs or baggage claim in…
Everyone’s favorite loser Beck is coming to the Fox Theatre
It seems like yesterday that you couldn’t drive down the street without hearing “Loser” blasting through car stereos. In fact, it has been 24 years since the song was released. Beck, rock’s favorite pint-sized Scientologist, will visit Detroit’s Fox Theatre on July 6, just two days shy of his 48th birthday. Beck last rolled through town…
The Troy Police Department is getting a cat
Put your paws where we can see them. It’s no secret the Troy Police Department Twitter account is straight fire. With Reno 911 references, snippets of conversations with traffic offenders, memes (so many memes), and legitimate policing updates, Troy PD is chill AF. So chill in fact, they are now vetting (petting?) potential cat candidates for…
Barack Obama wants MSU to win it all in March Madness
OK, we’re not exactly sports people, but when former U.S. President Barack Obama tweets out his March Madness bracket, we take note. It’s common knowledge that Obama is a big basketball fan, but it appears he’s also a fan of the Michigan State University men’s team. And, he seems thinks they’re going to win it…
Downriver city ranks No. 1 in list of Michigan’s safest cities
You probably wouldn’t be surprised by news of Detroit coming in fourth-to-last on a list of Michigan’s safest cities. It’s true that the Motor City squeaked in at 131 out of 134 cities ranked in Alarms.com’s 2018 list of the safest cities in the Great Lakes State. It’s the No. 1 spot that will surprise…
Arcade Fire is coming to DTE Energy Music Theatre this summer
Keep the car running, baby — Canada’s heavyweight champion of whimsy and depression is headed to the suburbs. Arcade Fire’s “The Everything Now Continued Tour” will bring the band to DTE Energy Music Theatre on July 7 as one of six headlining North American non-festival dates. Arcade Fire delighted with their elaborate and boxing-ring themed “Infinite…
Rock City Eatery is teaming with master pig raisers Beeler’s for a new dinner series
Midtown’s Rock City Eatery is teaming up with Griffin Claw Brewing Company and Iowa-based master pig raisers Beeler’s Pure Pork for a Duroc and Hops Dinner. Beeler’s is considered one of the nation’s top pork producers partly because it raises European red Duroc pigs that offer hard-to-match marbling and texture, along with the appropriate pork…
Cass Tech students ask for stricter gun control during a protest on National School Walkout Day
Cold winter winds and a shoddy sound system didn’t deter students at Detroit’s Cass Technical High School from walking out of class in order to stage a protest as part of National School Walkout Day. At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 14, over 2,400 Cass Tech students exited the school and marched in protest of…
You can pick up $5 tickets for Jack White’s Detroit show at Third Man Records
Detroit Jack White fans can get tickets to his upcoming Little Caesars Arena show at Hot-N-Ready prices. White’s Detroit branch of his record label, Third Man Records Cass Corridor, is offering $5 tickets for the April 19 show with the purchase of White’s “Connected By Love” 7-inch single and any other two 7-inch singles, with…
Populace Coffee opens in downtown Detroit’s Siren Hotel this week
Bay City specialty roaster Populace Coffee is preparing to open a new cafe this weekend in downtown Detroit’s freshly renovated Wurlitzer Building, which is now the Siren Hotel. Related It’s one of seven restaurants, bars, and cafes planned for the 106-room building at 1515 Broadway just east of Woodward. Related Lady Of The House chef…
Ben Carson knew about $31,000 dining set despite statements to the contrary
Newly released emails indicate Secretary Ben Carson knew more about a controversial $31,000 furniture set for his Department of Housing and Urban Development office than either he or a spokesman had initially let on. Related The emails, obtained by CNN through a Freedom of Information Act request by liberal watchdog group American Oversight, refer to “printouts of the furniture the…
10 Detroit spots offering $3.14 deals in honor of National Pi Day
Across the country mathematicians and foodies come together every March 14 to recognize the important things in life: Pie and Pi. In essence, Pi Day is an excuse to stuff your face with a slice of your favorite dessert or ‘Zza and we are totally fine with that. Check out this list of places to celebrate…
Where to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in Detroit
Ann Arbor Distilling Company Music by the Whiskey Charmers. Starts at 7 p.m.; 220 Felch St., Ann Arbor; 734-882-2169; annarbordistilling.com. Beacon Park Features heated tent, food, DJ, lawn games, and more. Starts at 5 p.m.; 1903 Grand River Ave., Detroit; no cover. The Blarney Stone Starts at 7 a.m.; 27253 Woodward Ave., Berkley; 248-541-1881; blarneystonepub.com;…
Horoscopes (March 14-20)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 If things have bitten the dust, I would not be surprised. Life is less about what happens and more about how you respond to it. If the castle is crumbling it was either made of sand, or it has less to do with who you are than you thought…
In search of Detroit’s best Irish bars
There’s something about a good Irish pub that appeals to any practiced bar-goer. The dark paneled walls, just like your granddad’s house, the hint of fug that brings back the ghosts of cigars long past, the green beer and car bombs… Oh, wait. Not those last two. Listen, if your idea of celebrating St. Patrick’s…
Dan, Mike, and the women of Detroit
It was International Women’s Day… right smack dab in the middle of Women’s History Month… right smack dab in the middle of a political season with a record number of women candidates. So it seemed something of a slap upside the head to see this Detroit Free Press headline on that very day: “2 of…
Rashida Tlaib keeping it real
Ask your average candidate why they want to go to Congress, and you are likely to hear them gas on about making a difference. When I ask Rashida Tlaib for the No. 1 reason she is running, she doesn’t hesitate. “I think this is about electing the jury that will impeach him, and I would…
Jason Singer wants Michigander to be your next favorite band
When asked where they’re from, most Michiganders will geographically round up. St. Clair Shores becomes Detroit, Okemos is closest to Lansing, and Kentwood is basically Grand Rapids. When 25-year-old singer-songwriter Jason Singer is asked, however, he’ll tell you that he is from Michigan — plain and simple. “I was born in Grand Rapids, moved to…
Review: Noodletopia is a Chinese noodle paradise
For months I drove past the freshly painted deep red brick building on a nondescript stretch of John R wondering what on earth is this place called “Noodletopia” and when will it open? You see, I love noodles. Always have. From the browned vermicelli in Syrian rice to the overprocessed, cancer-friendly Kraft OG. But despite…
