Cover Story
Take a spill down the rabbit hole with Detroit spring fetish fashion
One thing can be said of Detroit — we’re all a little mad here. When it comes to 2019 spring fashion, we believe it’s lust or bust. Whether you dare to pair athleisure with pure pleasure, or prefer to wear a leather harness underneath your Sunday best, being playful (or sinful) with your wardrobe never…
Tlaib’s Washington battles get the headlines, but Detroit comes first
When it comes to U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the world mostly only knows the highlights — she’s one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress, and she isn’t playing nice with Trump or the pro-Israel lobby. But while a vocal Muslim woman standing up to the president and powerful lobbies may be…
Ground control to Jason Pierce — Spiritualized will defy gravity at Royal Oak Music Theatre
Pretty much anyone who fancies themselves a musician, singer, band, or artist can coin pretty much any genre they want — cuddlecore, horrorcore, comedy rap, and cock pop come to mind. However, when it comes to Spiritualized, the genre “space rock” doesn’t seem ridiculous — in fact, it’s beyond fitting. Led by Jason Pierce (aka…
Music-focused Monroe Street Fair celebrates 18 years alongside Hash Bash
Each year, on the first Saturday in April, Ann Arbor becomes the hottest ticket in town. First, you’ve got Hash Bash. And for those not looking to toke in public but don’t mind a contact buzz, the Monroe Street Fair is also underway in conjunction with the bash. Primarily a music festival, this year’s street…
Bollywood and beyond — DIA hosts two-day Celebrate India event
Nearly 8,000 miles away from Detroit is a vibrant, rich, and deeply influential culture. This year, the Detroit Institute of Arts will dedicate a weekend of programming to educate, demonstrate, and experience Indian culture through dance, music, cuisine, and Bollywood. “Celebrate India” will offer yoga in the Rivera Court, Henna, a Rangoli ritual demonstration, as…
Punk artist Tim Kerr will host one night engagement at UFO Factory
When one clicks on the “art” tab on musician and artist Tim Kerr’s (the Big Boys, Poison 13, Bad Mutha Goose) website they are redirected to a Flickr page titled “examples of the paintings I have done.” There’s something incredibly modest about that header, considering Kerr’s body of work is vibrant in both color and…
Get higher — Ann Arbor’s Hash Bash goes legal with 48th annual blaze-a-thon
It wasn’t a dream, you guys. The recreational legalization of marijuana in Michigan actually happened, which makes this year’s annual Hash Bash super special, especially when one considers how the event came to be. For 48 years, Hash Bash has attracted thousands of smokers, tokers, and activists to the U-M campus Diag, where stoners are…
Tangent Gallery hosts 4th annual Detroit International Festival of Animation
Size matters — especially when it comes to the power of short films, which are inarguably having a big moment. Returning to Tangent Gallery for its fourth year is the Annual Detroit International Festival of Animation, which will showcase 90 minutes of animated shorts from local and international filmmakers ranging from “experimental to sophisticated.” In…
Lasers and robo-alien overlords, oh my! Muse brings latest tour to Detroit
Though they copped the moody neon color pallet made popular by Bladerunner 2049 as the aesthetic for its eighth studio record Simulation Theory, Muse dabbles in a cyberpunk world that screams more Tron: Legacy pinball rather than a soul-searching replicant. This is par for the course, though, when it comes to the longtime tech-obsessed progressive rock…
Detroit will host second Democratic primary election debate
Detroit will take center stage during the Democratic presidential primary election when it hosts the second televised debate in July. CNN will broadcast what is expected to be a two-day debate, with as many 20 candidates duking it out for a chance to square off against President Trump, the Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday. “Detroit…
Detroit Jazz Festival celebrates 40 years of free music with 2019 lineup
The world’s largest free jazz festival announced its return to Detroit on Tuesday by revealing its 2019 lineup. This year, the Detroit Jazz Festival will continue its tradition of making world-class music accessible to the public with its 40th annual event on Friday, Aug. 30 through Monday, Sept. 2. As part of this year’s celebration,…
The Raconteurs reveal details for ‘Help Us Stranger,’ first record in 11 years
The Raconteurs — Jack White’s other other band — will return with its first LP since 2008 with Help Us Stranger, due June 21 on White’s Third Man Records. The band — which also features Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence, and Patrick Keeler — has previously shared “Sunday Driver” and “Now That You’re Gone.” Those appear on Help…
Mercedes used Detroit murals in ads. Should the artists be compensated?
Mercedes-Benz claims in a federal lawsuit that it has the right to prominently display colorful graffiti murals in the backdrop of advertisements for one of its vehicles. At issue are now-deleted photos on Instagram showing the Mercedes G 500 driving past murals at Eastern Market in Detroit. Four artists whose murals appeared in the photos…
Rapper Big Sean hosted competition in Detroit to teach financial literacy
Platinum-selling artist Big Sean is focused on more than just rhymes these days. Over the weekend, the 31-year-old rapper returned home to Detroit to host the first ever ‘Moguls in the Making’ event. In an effort to teach young people the importance of financial literacy, Big Sean’s own Sean Anderson Foundation partnered with Ally Financial…
‘He covered it up:’ Judge reinstates Rick Snyder as defendant in Flint lawsuit
In surprise move on Monday, a federal judge who last year dismissed former governor Rick Snyder as a defendant in Flint residents’ and businesses’ class action lawsuit reversed that decision. U.S. District Judge Judith E. Levy agreed to reinstate Snyder as a defendant after considering new evidence presented by the plaintiffs. That means Snyder can…
Blac Rabbit will bring ‘Fab Four’ energy to PJ’s Lager House
A lot had to happen before twin brothers Amiri and Rahiem Taylor could release their debut record as psychedelic rock five-piece Blac Rabbit. For one, they received the Beatles Rock Band game as a gift and it cracked their worlds wide open. Then they began performing in NYC subways, crooning to commuters with harmonization and…
Judge spares about 50 marijuana dispensaries from closure in Michigan
About 50 medical marijuana dispensaries in Michigan were on the verge of shutting down Monday until a judge intervened. Michigan Court of Claims Judge Stephen Borrello issued a temporary restraining order Thursday to prevent the state from forcing unlicensed cannabis shops to close. The order gives dispensaries another two weeks to obtain a license. Applicants…
Internet hero dubs Spartan win over Duke with ‘My Heart Will Go On’
Michigan State University basketball celebrated a monumental win on Sunday against NCAA tournament rivals Duke University. Michigan State’s 68-67 win over the number one seed helped to clinch the Spartan’s place in the Final Four thanks to a set-up-and-shoot three-pointer from graduate student Kenny Goins. The crushing win over the Blue Devils sent home freshman…
Drifter Coffee opens its new Ferndale shop
Ferndale’s Drifter Coffee’s new shop on Woodward Heights Boulevard is up and running. Owner Alleah Webb held a soft opening last week and is currently rolling with a limited menu, but she plans to roll out the full menu during a weekend-long grand opening party on Saturday and Sunday. The full menu includes baked goods…
Detroit City FC CEO: ‘We are committed to paying a living wage’
Detroit City FC’s much-hyped transition from amateur to professional this season means many things for Detroit and professional soccer across the US. It means more matches per season, more travel across the country, more improvements to the stadium, and more money needed to fund all this – including to pay players – for the first…
Tenacity Craft is opening a taproom in Detroit’s Virginia Park neighborhood
Flint-based brewer Tenacity Craft is planning a brewpub and cafe that could open in Detroit’s Virginia Park neighborhood by mid-summer. Crain’s reports that the company will brew beer on produce cider on site, and is seeking approval from the state to serve wine and mixed drinks. It’ll also roast beans that it imports from a…
Vegetarian Indian fusion restaurant Veg-O-Rama opens next week in Canton
A new vegetarian international “street food” restaurant is hosting an April 10 grand opening in Canton. It’s the second location for Veg-O-Rama, which is introducing a bigger menu than its Ypsilanti shop. The bulk of the items hold Indian flavors, but the restaurant gets a little more “international” with dishes like a Cuban sandwich and…
Twitter’s office in Detroit gets slammed for lack of diversity
Twitter’s Detroit office has come under fire for its glaring lack of diversity. The criticism came immediately after the downtown office tweeted a photo Thursday showing CEO Jack Dorsey with a room full of white employees in Detroit. 👋 pic.twitter.com/JEktP0mb2d — Twitter Detroit (@TwitterDetroit) March 28, 2019 The same day, the office tweeted a live…
Premiere: Jenny & Jackie get steamy with ‘Murderers’ video
Last week, Detroit’s notorious trash incinerator announced that it would cease operations. And this week, Detroit’s answer to John Lennon and Yoko Ono took to the plumes of cinematic sidewalk steam à la the incinerator for their latest video, “Murderers.” After releasing their 2018 diarial debut LP, Summer, Metro Times’ cover stars, Jenny & Jackie…
Pusha T showcases protégés in Detroit as part of 1800 Tequila project
On Thursday night, rapper Pusha T helmed the 1800 Seconds showcase at Detroit’s Garden Theater. Part mega advertising opportunity and part new artist showcase, the event was the culmination of a marketing campaign that saw Pusha T unite ten up-and-coming artists for a compilation album that clocks in at 1800 seconds (the aptly named 1800…
Detroit bands organize benefit to support recovery of musician Justin Walker
Musician Justin Walker should be gearing up for a soundcheck at any number of Detroit venues with any one of his many projects (J.Walker & the Crossguards, Carjack., Isles of ESP, Ultimate Ovation, to name a few.) Instead, Walker is focused on recovery. After suffering a debilitating stroke last month, Walker was robbed of complete mobility…
Hail Zombo! Theatre Bizarre announces 2019 dates
In the shadow of Detroit lurks a mysterious presence awaiting its return during the cover of night, during the most sinister and macabre season of them all. Well, that can only mean one thing. Theatre Bizarre has announced the back-to-back return of the annual hedonistic spectacle on Friday. The performative display will return to the…
Techno documentary ‘God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines’ to screen at Freep Film Festival
Motown has become a household name and people are familiar with the phrase “Detroit Rock City.” But what fewer people know is that black Detroit artists helped to birth a billion dollar dance music industry – and yet they see almost none of the income. The documentary God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines hopes to…
Sterling Heights has selected a name for its Golden Butthole — and it’s holy af
And on the seventh day, God bestowed a most-holy name upon the Sterling Heights $300,000 roadside attraction previously – and unofficially – dubbed The Golden Butthole. From here on out, it shall be known as ‘The Halo.’ After announcing a public official naming contest last week, the city of Sterling Heights received more than 6,000…
5 bullshit claims at Trump’s raucous rally in Grand Rapids
President Trump swooped into Grand Rapids on Thursday and was in true form – derisive, arrogant and full of shit. In his first rally since Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report on alleged Russian collusion, Trump claimed the auto industry was roaring back, Democrats are executing newborn babies and liberals want to eliminate airplanes…
Dems legal challenge halts work on Mackinac Straits oil, gas pipeline
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday issued an executive directive ordering all state departments to stop any activity related to an oil pipeline replacement project in the Great Lakes bed. The move followed an opinion issued by Attorney General Dana Nessel that challenged the constitutionality of a GOP-supported law that created an authority to oversee the…
Madonn! Detroit Film Theatre to host free Italian Film Festival
Italy has gifted the world with some of cinema’s most precious films. From Life Is Beautiful to 8 ½, La Dolce Vita, and the original Suspiria — there is no shortage of great Italian works. This year, the Italian Film Festival will tour the country with a stop at the Detroit Film Theatre. The free…
Kid Rock announces modest four-show run at DTE Energy Music Theater
Kid Rock, metro Detroit’s rebel without a cause, announced his first set of hometown shows since courting controversy and teasing a Senate run during the christening of Little Caesars Arena with six consecutive shows in 2017. On Friday, it was announced that Kid Rock would take the stage for a relatively modest four-show, two-weekend run…
Paramita Sound launches Kickstarter for permanent record store and bar downtown
Anna Atanassova and Andrey Douthard, founders and co-owners of the West Village record store Paramita Sound, moved out of the original storefront at 1417 Van Dyke St. about a year ago following reports of noise complaints. Since then, they’ve operated out of Detroit Is The New Black and then moved into the Siren Hotel at…
Student banned from suburban school because he was shot in Detroit
A 17-year-old black student has been banned from the grounds of Walled Lake Western High School because he was shot in Detroit last month. In a letter obtained by Metro Times, school officials told the student’s parents that he can’t return to school because the unknown shooter “is still out there and potentially armed.” “It’s…
47th annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow returns to Ann Arbor
Each year, just as the spring season begins, the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow welcomes the return of abundant sunshine as well as hundreds of tribe and community members to Ann Arbor. Founded in 1972 by the University of Michigan Native American Student Association (NASA), the powwow is now a two-day celebration of Native American…
Poll shows Warren’s Mayor Fouts is hemorrhaging support ahead of election
Warren Mayor Jim Fouts has been so popular that he won his past two elections with more than 80 percent of the vote – the largest margins of victory in the city’s history. But a new poll obtained by Metro Times shows Fouts, who has been plagued by scandals and allegations of racism, is shedding…
A new circus-themed diner is coming to Grand Circus Park
A new 4 a.m. diner with a circus motif plans to open next week in a storefront in Grand Circus Park’s Broderick Tower. Deadline Detroit reports that the Grand Circus Diner’s menu will include burgers, filet mignon, pasta, ribs, a pastrami sandwich, prime tenderloin meatballs, fried chicken, Cincinnati chili, and a soup that includes a…
Iggy Pop reunites with Jim Jarmusch for zombie movie alongside Bill Murray and Tom Waits
Filmmaker and honorary Detroiter Jim Jarmusch, and Detroit’s prodigal son Iggy Pop are reuniting for The Dead Don’t Die — a zombie movie worth staying alive for. Iggy will join the film’s all-star cast which is being described as “the greatest zombie cast ever disassembled” alongside fellow Jarmusch veterans, Bill Murray, Tom Waits, Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, and…
Secretary of State launches ‘Redistricting Michigan’ web portal
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced the launch of a new web portal on Wednesday for residents interested in being involved in the redistricting process. In November, Michigan residents overwhelmingly passed a ballot initiative to eliminate gerrymandering, or the rigging of districts to favor one party over another. In Michigan, the districts were redrawn by…
Detroit Tigers announce opening day lineup with nostalgic Nintendo spoof
The nerds over at the Detroit Tigers’ social media team deserve a raise. The team took to Twitter to announce its opening day lineup against the Toronto Blue Jays with a nostalgic, 8-bit Nintendo Major League Baseball spoof that should appeal to fans of a certain age. The Tigers opening day lineup is as follows:…
Premiere: Detroit’s Honeybabe get heavy on ‘Everything Happens For A Reason’
When tragedy strikes, it seems as though just about any band with more than three members will eventually reach its Arcade Fire Funeral phase. Such is the case for Detroit five-piece, Honeybabe, who are doing some major soul searching on “Everything Happens For A Reason.” Described as a “psychrockjazzpunk” outfit, Honeybabe is reeling with heavy…
Budget Icelandic airline WOW Air grounds Detroit flights amid bankruptcy
Budget airline WOW Air left passengers stranded Thursday morning after it suddenly ceased operations. The Reykjavik, Iceland-based airline grounded at least six planes in North America late Wednesday evening in Detroit, Toronto, Baltimore, Boston, Montreal, and New York, CBS News reports. An additional seven flights were grounded in Europe as WOW airlines ceased operations after…
Updated: Detroit’s garbage incinerator is about to belch its final cloud of toxic gas
(Editor’s note: The incinerator is ceasing operations this week, but will take between 60 to 90 days to fully close.) In Midtown and other neighborhoods near downtown’s east side, the rancid stink of Detroit’s garbage-burning incinerator is as much a part of life as coney dogs and Tiger games. The source is the Detroit Renewable…
Review: Tim Burton gets sentimental with smart ‘Dumbo’ remake
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Dirty Detroit cop arrested for selling drugs, threatening people
A Detroit police officer was fired Tuesday after an internal investigation found she was dealing drugs and threatening people. Police Chief James Craig said the 29-year-old probationary officer was arrested Sunday after receiving a tip that she was a drug trafficker. Police also arrested a companion who was a felon in possession of a firearm.…
Sister Pie owner Lisa Ludwinski, Zingerman’s Roadhouse are James Beard Award finalists
Sister Pie owner Lisa Ludwinski and the Zingerman’s Roadhouse are finalists for a James Beard Award in the Outstanding Baker and Outstanding Service categories, respectively. A James Beard Award is one of the highest honors in food service — the award is often called the “Oscar’s of the food industry” — and it’s somewhat rare…
Betsy DeVos defends Trump’s plans to cut funding for Special Olympics
U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday defended Trump’s proposed plan to eliminate funding for the Special Olympics, and refused to give a clear answer about her stance on sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in schools. DeVos was testifying before a House subcommittee when she was asked questions about charter school funding by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI).…
Bingo! Dino DNA: Jurassic World Live tour heads to Detroit
If you, like us, have ever dreamt of getting up close and personal with a Brachiosaurus, escaping the jaws of a nasty Indominus Rex in a poorly designed Jeep, or just taking some weed-infused edibles while comfortably seated in an arena while actors and animatronic dinos do their thing, well you’re in luck. Jurassic World…
Flint resident finds thousands of bottles of water left behind in vacant church
The last thing Jimmy Cowell expected to see inside an abandoned Flint school were thousands of bottles of water stacked to the ceiling. After all, the city has been devastated by tainted water for the past five years. Cowell doesn’t drink water by the faucet and takes quick showers because the water tastes like a…
Former Oakley police chief sold guns to wealthy metro Detroiters for personal gain
Robert J. Reznick, the former police chief of the Village of Oakley, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges of wire fraud and filing a false income-tax return for 2012. Reznick was the center of a bizarre scheme to create a self-funded police department by soliciting donations from wealthy or otherwise prominent metro Detroiters in exchange…
Dream Theater’s keyboardist Jordan Rudess on the anniversary of ‘Scenes From a Memory’
Jordan Rudess says there is one type of Dream Theater fan — a lifer. “If you’re a fan, you’re still passionate about it,” he says. “If you’re not into Dream Theater, then you don’t know about it.” He also says that there’s a huge crossover between people who are into technology and Dream Theater fans,…
Review: Tim Burton gets sentimental with smart ‘Dumbo’ remake
No one ever accused Tim Burton of being a traditionalist, but underneath the patina of technicolor quirk and mall-goth dirt that the director obsessively lacquers on everything beats the tender, sticky-sweet heart of a sentimentalist. Nostalgia is entwined around every strand of Burton’s creative DNA, and his deep abiding love of mid-century kitsch has driven…
Review: Playful Besa is quietly becoming one of Detroit’s best new restaurants
When an artist, musician, or chef creates something that’s unusual, experimental, or otherwise outside the bounds of what’s normal, they heighten the stakes. If one gets playful or cute but doesn’t land the trick, then they fall a little harder, looking a little more ridiculous and coming off as pompous. At downtown Detroit’s Besa, chef…
Savage Love: Quick hits from Revolution Hall
Savage Love Live stormed into Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon. Comedian Corina Lucas absolutely killed it before our sold-out crowd, singer-songwriter Elisabeth Pixley-Fink performed an amazing set, and two lovely couples competed in our first (and most likely last) Mama Bird Cupcake Eating Contest. I wasn’t able to get to all of the audience-submitted questions,…
Horoscopes (March 27-April 2)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 It might be time to switch horses in midstream, or consider the fact that decisions that were made a month or two ago need to be repealed. If you feel hesitant, it’s because your sense of responsibility is on the loudspeaker. Give yourself one more week to look at…
Review: ‘Us’ is a messy, genuinely frightening sophomore effort from Jordan Peele
The plot of Us — the latest from Jordan Peele, who made his directorial debut in 2017 with the more-clever-than-scary Get Out — revolves around an unsubtle, pervasive motif of doubling, going so far as to cast doubt upon the very notion of the previous film (itself a case for originality). Peele’s new sophomore effort…
Commercial Cannabis Craft Act takes aim at homegrown marijuana
Homegrown marijuana was once a derided substance. It only got you a little bit high, and it tasted awful. Marijuana from anywhere else — Mexico, Jamaica, Colombia, Hawaii, Thailand — was preferred to a domestic product. It’s a good thing those growers kept at it in their basements and attics, despite the derision of their…
Photographer Jeff Morrison sets his sights on Detroit’s ‘guardians’
For many years, Jeff Morrison preferred to shoot nature photography and architecture. Eventually, he found he could use his telephoto lens to shoot another type of creature — the many sculptures and gargoyles of Detroit’s buildings. “It’s a little easier to get the shot,” he jokes. As Morrison began exploring Detroit’s architecture, setting his sights…
Catholic church says not to worry about our cover story on John Nienstedt
One of the world’s worst scandal-tainted bishops living in your parish? Not to worry, say local Catholic Church leaders. By means of a letter signed by the pastor of St. Edward on the Lake, the Archdiocese of Detroit is assuring parishioners that it “is patently untrue” that Archbishop John Nienstedt could be a “potential threat”…
Trump is a man surrounded by smoke, shouting that there’s never been fire
Two years of drama ended in a Friday night news dump, a brief note from Attorney General William Barr to Congress. The Mueller report was in, he wrote. No more indictments. The MAGA crowd gloated: President Donald Trump was in the clear. So were Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner. Liberal fantasies of the Trump…
Pusha T is ready to push up-and-coming Detroit emcees to the forefront
It could be argued that 2018 belonged to Pusha T. The 41-year-old Virginia rapper and president of Kanye West’s GOOD Music label unleashed Daytona — an impenetrable lesson in focus and flow. The West-produced opus earned Pusha T a seat at many a best-of table, as well as a Grammy nomination, and Complex hailed him…
