Cover Story
Two years in, Detroit’s QLine falls far short of expectations
When the $187 million QLine streetcars debuted in Detroit two years ago this month, city and business leaders boasted that the 3.3-mile system would be a quick, reliable form of transportation downtown and the first step toward a robust, regional transit system. So far it’s turned out to be neither. The sleek, shiny streetcars have…
‘Guaranteed loser’: State taxpayers give companies over $360K for 1 new Detroit job
Michigan taxpayers are handing some of the area’s largest corporations between $68,000 and $361,000 to create one new job. In several cases, it’s unclear whether companies will create any jobs in return for hundreds of millions of tax dollars. Metro Times calculated the per-job cost to taxpayers for the Ford autonomous vehicle headquarters planned for…
Femme-fueled GalStock to shine light on women in business at Tangent Gallery
Rejoice — another kick-ass celebration of women in Detroit is upon us and it’s got a little bit of everything. Touted as both a safe space and an event “powered by women for women,” GalStock strives to give folks an opportunity to support metro Detroit’s women-owned businesses. The single-night event boasts femme-positive art and vendors,…
After a crazy year, Bonny Doon keeps it close to home with UFO Factory show
Last year found the cosmic country cowboys of Detroit’s Bonny Doon celebrating the release of their Woodsist label debut, Longwave, as well as having landed three supporting tour gigs with Band of Horses, Snail Mail, and Waxahatchee. Though Bonny Doon, (Bill Lennox, Bobby Colombo, Joshua Brooks, and Jake Kmiecik) took to the woods of Northern…
Planet Ant hosts massive pop-up food fest over Mother’s Day weekend
Unless you’ve been living under a culinary rock, then you know that food pop-ups are deliciously in vogue. Giving pop-ups their due — and an opportunity for hungry folks to do some serious taste-testing — is Planet Ant’s Hamtramck Pop-Up Food Festival brought to fruition by Carlos Parisi (Aunt Nee’s Salsa, Khana) and Dr. Sushi…
Heaven knows Johnny Marr is cooler than Morrissey — and he’s coming to Detroit
While the contentious frontman and notorious no-show Morrissey is undoubtedly synonymous with the sad-boy stylings of the Smiths, the band’s founder, guitarist, and co-writer Johnny Marr is committed to making sure the Smiths’ influential legacy transcends Morrissey’s bullshit. Having co-penned the majority of the band’s catalog, this charming man is riding the tail of last…
Ann Arbor’s Laith Al-Saadi teams up with fellow troubadour Jimmy Vivino for back-to-back performancess
You might not believe in soulmates, but one would be hard-pressed to deny the musical connection between Laith Al-Saadi and Jimmy Vivino. Best known as being the longtime bandleader for Conan O’Brien’s “Basic Cable Band,” Vivino first met Al-Saadi, the Ann Arbor native and The Voice finalist, in 2009. Shortly after, the two musicians found…
ZelooperZ drops new music with ‘Dyn-o-myte’ release show at El Club
If you fancy yourself a devout Detroit hip-hop aficionado, then you’re likely not sleeping on ZelooperZ — but if you are, now’s the time to wake the eff up. Billed as a ’70s-themed “dyn-o-myte” show, the eccentric member of Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade has enlisted Tiny Jag, Monalyse, Milfie, and Jaye Prime to perform for…
DIA hosts song and storytelling event reflecting on the complicated nature of Mother’s Day
While many will scour their local markets and roadside florists for the perfect arrangement, hanging basket, or perennial flat in preparation for Mother’s Day, for others it’s a bit more complicated. In fact, for many, it’s a downright difficult day. To shed light on the complexities of the mother-child relationship is “Songs and Stories My…
Work by KAWS to be displayed as part of MOCAD’s spring exhibition
Remember when that 17-foot creepy Mickey Mouse-esque statue curiously appeared on the grounds of Quicken Loans’ campus downtown last year? The KAWS creation, titled “Waiting,” ignited a conversation about public art and how it speaks to its surrounding community. Now, more KAWS is coming to Detroit: In partnership with Library Street Collective, MOCAD will display…
Cinetopia Film Festival returns to southeast Michigan for 10 days of handpicked festival favorites
Cannes. Sundance. Tribeca. These might be among the most recognizable names when it comes to film festivals, but Michigan has earned a place in the ranks of independent film havens. Returning for its eighth year is the Cinetopia Film Festival, which will have done the heavy lifting by showcasing a handpicked program of the best…
The Russell Street Deli fiasco highlights Detroit’s fiefdom problem
Have you been to Nelsonville? It’s in Detroit’s Eastern Market — a fiefdom made up of about 20 properties owned by wealthy investor Sanford Nelson. He and his real estate group purchased them over the last year, and almost immediately reports of longtime residents, artists, and businesses being forced out by steep rent hikes surfaced.…
Theatre Bizarre Orchestra keeps it weird all year long with Satori Circus at the Loving Touch
Normally we wouldn’t suggest dancing with the devil, but the mischievous musical stylings of the Theatre Bizarre Orchestra make it so tempting. The 13-piece outfit serves as the house band for its namesake event, “the greatest masquerade on Earth” — Detroit’s annual immersive, multi-sensory experience that possesses the Masonic Temple each October. When the Joshua…
Detroit’s Fashion Massacre celebrates 10 years of serving looks with ‘10,000 Hours’ showcase
Detroit has long held the title of Rock City, but lesser known to the masses is its reputation for street style and innovative fashion. The folks behind the Fashion Massacre collective have been hip to this for quite some time. Founded in 2009 by Tyna “Fance” Logan, the Fashion Massacre has been committed to putting…
Michigan drivers may soon pay less for auto insurance under Senate bill
Auto insurance rates in Michigan may finally drop under legislation approved by the state Senate on Tuesday. With a 24-14 vote, the Senate approved a bill that would eliminate the requirement that drivers have unlimited medical coverage in the event of a catastrophic injury. That requirement is one of the reasons Michigan has the highest…
Betsy DeVos said teachers should protest on ‘adult time’
On Monday, a day before National Teacher Day, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said teachers should protest their pay and school conditions on “adult time,” so as not to hurt children. The irony of DeVos saying teachers (and not DeVos’ own education policies) are what’s hurting children aside, phrasing it as “adult time” is patronizing. All…
After 15 years, KT Tunstall still bops and she’s coming to Detroit
When singer-songwriter KT Tunstall appeared solo, armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar, a tambourine, and a loop pedal on Later… With Jools Holland in 2004, the world was gifted one of the top bangers of the early aughts — “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” Oh, and then she dropped the uplifting earworm “Suddenly…
Going dark: Detroit braces for ‘a system-wide failure’ of its new streetlights
Some of Detroit’s neighborhoods could go dark again. Detroit’s Public Lighting Authority (PLA) filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against the manufacturer of about 20,000 LED lights that are “prematurely dimming and burning out” and are at risk of “a system-wide failure,” The Detroit News first reported. The PLA is blaming California-based Leotek Electronics USA,…
Be still our feminist hearts — baddies Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda are coming to Detroit
Eccentric divorcees and vibrator entrepreneurs on-screen, prolific feminists and legendary besties off-screen, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s friendship is a goddamn fairytale. The stars of beloved Netflix comedy Grace and Frankie announced that they would bring their conversational humor to the Detroit Fox Theatre on Oct. 30. The duo’s appearance at the Fox is a…
Shake Shack is opening a new metro Detroit location
New York City-based “ethical” fast-food chain Shake Shack opens a new location in Troy on May 13. The shop, which is the company’s third in southeast Michigan, will serve burgers at the Somerset Mall, Eater reports. The new 2,800-square-foot restaurant is just down the street from Shake Shack’s Big Beaver Road location, and the company…
Shootings, stabbings, and brawls: Greektown becomes a hotbed of crime in downtown Detroit
A triple shooting early Monday morning is just the latest violent incident in Detroit’s Greektown. Shortly after midnight, a gunman opened fire in the area of Beaubien and Monroe streets, shooting three men, ages 23, 24, and 32. The gunman was still on the loose Monday afternoon. Stretching just three blocks on the eastern edge…
Madonna skips Detroit on initial ‘Madame X’ tour
On “Medellín,” the recently released single from Madonna’s forthcoming 14th studio album Madame X, the Queen of Pop name-checks her homeland: “And if you want, we’ll go to Detroit…” Thing is, it appears that Madonna will not be taking her upcoming Madame X tour to the Motor City, at least any time soon. An initial run…
Regulators just cut off a large supply of medical marijuana for Michigan’s legal provisioning centers
Some medical marijuana provisioning centers are worried about their ability to survive the booming black market after state regulators severely cut off their supply of cannabis products. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s new state Marijuana Regulatory Agency decided last week to “immediately” ban the centers from buying marijuana from any of the more than 41,000 state-approved caregivers,…
Blink-182 and Lil Wayne bring co-headlining tour to metro Detroit
What’s our age again? It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since the delightfully foul-mouthed boys of Blink-182 had us questioning our age and making out to a song about suicide, but here we are — still laughing about the band’s 2001 album title, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. To put a twist…
Now Fiat-Chrysler wants $280M in taxpayer money for its Detroit plant
A few weeks ago, we reported that Fiat-Chrysler is requesting $160 million in public assistance for its proposed new plant on Detroit’s east side. It turns out that figure is much higher. At a Friday press conference, city officials announced additional public funds for the project, pushing the total to about $280 million. That includes…
Rock band Tart takes on the Orange-in-Chief on ‘Runnin’ Yr Mouth’
Only 550 more days until America can elect someone to replace the flapping orange windbag that is President Donald Trump — and Detroit energetic glitz-and-gloom group Tart is among those counting down. Since best friends-turned-roommates-turned-lovers-turned-bandmates Zee Bricker and Adam Michael Lee Padden added drumming virtuoso Donny Blum (the Von Bondies) in 2017, Trump had already tainted…
May the force be with you on Free Comic Book Day at these Detroit area shops
Oh shit. Someone must have harnessed the power of the time stone to make it so that this year’s Free Comic Book Day fell on the unofficial Star Wars holiday of May 4. (May the Fourth — get it?) Well, the force is strong for the 18th annual Free Comic Book Day, a holiday which…
Junk Food Junkies and Lipstick Jodi team up to support Canadian duo Partner at UFO Factory
An indie alt-pop lineup doesn’t get sweeter than one consisting of Grand Rapids-based three-piece Lipstick Jodi and Detroit snack-rockers Junk Food Junkies, both of which are supporting best friends Lucy Niles and Josée Caron, who perform as Partner. It’s no wonder these three bands are billed together, as they each strike a balance between levity…
Detroit’s Teener and Zilched make way for Atlanta’s Material Girls at Outer Limits Lounge
For lovers of frenetic, label-defying rock, look no further than Detroit’s Teener, Zilched, and the glam-goth rock of Atlanta’s Material Girls, all of whom will add a bit of chaos to Hump Day. Detroit’s rising noise-rock favorite Teener recently sat down with Metro Times and admitted that the band has made a point to “make…
Detroit’s Willis Show Bar to host a tribute to the women of funk and soul
It may be a man’s world, but we all know it’d be nothing without women or girls. But when it comes to the world of soul and funk? Well, women have always held high court. In conjunction with Willis Show Bar’s one-year anniversary, Willa Rae will lead a celebration of the incredible contributions by music…
Haute to Death will host two-day sonic multi-sensory experience in Detroit
Winter’s over, baby. Billed as a two-day soundscape, party providers Haute to Death are hosting a queen-filled experience intended to awaken our spring selves. First, the H2D crew invites folks to partake in a steam and scent ritual at historic hot spot the Schvitz. Providing the sounds and scents is New York City-based multisensory artist…
The Muggs lead Detroit’s ForeverRadiosFest at Cadieux Cafe
Detroit blues-rock mainstays the Muggs are survivors. Not only did they climb out of the pit of early-aughts era garage rock, but after bassist Tony DeNardo suffered and recovered from a massive stroke shortly after forming, they re-emerged as what they refer to as the Muggs 2.0, with DeNardo as a keyboardist. The “Ugliest Band…
Metropolitan Hotel rooftop club opens next week in downtown Detroit
One of downtown Detroit’s most stunning high-rises will soon offer rooftop access when The Monarch Club opens atop the Metropolitan Building. The 150-seat club will be the city’s highest rooftop bar when it starts service on May 11, and while it will be a club, it’ll be a chill place where one can have a…
Freep investigation ends controversial Action Before Auction program
Wayne County is ending its controversial Action Before Auction program after the Detroit Free Press exposed favoritism and other problems related to the sale of tax-foreclosed properties. “The County and Land Bank are not continuing the Action Before Auction pilot this year,” Jim Martinez, a spokesman for the county, told the paper. “We are evaluating the…
Michael Jackman reps Metro Times at the Society of Professional Journalists Awards
The Detroit Society of Professional Journalists held its annual awards ceremony at the San Marino Club in Troy on Thursday, and once again longtime Metro Times contributor Michael Jackman was recognized for his great work. Jackman earned praise for three 2018 cover stories. He won second place, print, Class A: environment reporting for “Burned,” an April 11…
Meet the women behind APX Management
As a member of Detroit’s powerful APX Management team, event producer and go-to girl Lauren McGrier makes sure to get the job done. After nearly six years of working with Joe Robinson, founder of APX Management, McGrier has made herself a necessity to the group and figure within the city as a go-getter and self-made…
Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency says caregivers can sell to licensed growers or processors
Marijuana caregivers and growers were pushed into an uneasy alliance on Thursday when Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency announced a new policy. Starting immediately, provisioning centers cannot buy supplies directly from caregivers, as has been contended in the courts for several months. Related Although a Court of Claims ruling on Thursday allowed unlicensed provisioning centers to…
Here’s what Michigan looks like from the International Space Station
Oh sweet Jesus, it’s now May and there’s still snow in Michigan. We know this thanks to NASA astronaut and Grand Rapids native Christina Koch, who tweeted a stunning photo of the Great Lakes State live from outer space on Wednesday. “Waving to the mitten! Greetings to my friends and family in Michigan,” Koch tweeted…
Gov. Whitmer targets insurers’ discriminatory practice of using non-driving factors
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered a study on Wednesday to determine how non-driving issues, such as credit scores and education, affect the cost of auto insurance premiums. Michigan has the highest auto insurance rates in the nation, and the costs are even higher for Detroiters. The state allows insurance companies to use credit scores, education, zip…
Southern food masters They Say open a Harper Woods jazz bar
As we previously reported, They Say is one of Detroit’s best spots for chicken wings, but the restaurant also has a reputation for its other meaty offerings with a Southern bent. The Rivertown location on Jos Campau Street has been a success, with live jazz accompanied by dishes like turkey chops, rib tips, lamb chops,…
Divisive chicken fryer Chick-fil-A is opening locations across metro Detroit
Chick-fil-A, an Atlanta-based fast food behemoth known for its chicken sandwiches and its support of anti-LGBTQ causes, is spreading like a homophobic cancer across metro Detroit. The Detroit Free Press reports that the fast-growing chain is now planning locations in Allen Park, Novi, Roseville, and Shelby Township. That’s in addition to restaurants that opened in…
Michigan judge slams LARA over marijuana licensing, denies motions to block caregiver sales
On Tuesday, Court of Claims Judge Stephen Borrello ruled against the state regarding setting a date for unlicensed provisioning centers to cease operating. In addition, Borrello took officials at the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to task, calling them “ill-equipped” for the job and their approach to license applications “apt to sudden change, freakish,…
State warning: Don’t touch PFAS foam
That white, sticky foam that’s fouled quite a few Michigan shorelines is more dangerous than previously believed, and state environmental officials are warning people not to touch it. Prior warnings about toxic PFAS foam advised against swallowing it, but new data shows high concentrations of unsafe chemicals in the foam, so the Department of Health…
Get ready — the Jonas Brothers are coming to Little Caesars Arena on Sept. 7
Jonesing for the Jonas Brothers? Well, there’s some good news for you: The singing relatives will be coming to town. The trio announced the details of their 40-city “Happiness Begins Tour,” which will be their first North American headline tour in nearly a decade. The brothers will stop at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, Sept.…
We tasted the wines at Detroit Vineyards, the city’s first winery in 60 years
Blake Kownacki wants to see Detroit become a wine destination, and his latest venture is a step in that direction. On Friday, Detroit Vineyards will open a tasting room in the former Stroh’s Ice Cream factory on Gratiot Avenue near Eastern Market. It’s a milestone for the company, which Kownacki co-founded in 2014. Kownacki has…
Duggan mulls joining Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, but doesn’t plan to resign as mayor
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is seriously considering joining Joe Biden’s presidential campaign team, but his office said he won’t be leaving office to do it. “The mayor will not be leaving his position to assist with the campaign,” mayoral spokesman John Roach tells Metro Times. “He’s not going anywhere.” If Duggan divides his time between…
Trash bags stuffed with dead dogs, puppies found in Ypsilanti Township
A work crew made a series of gruesome discoveries along roads in Ypsilanti Township — dead puppies and adult dogs stuffed in trash bags. One of the dogs had been cut up. Another’s head was severed. “It’s a horrific crime,” Sgt. Eugene Rush of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office told The Detroit Free Press. Workers…
Detroit rock scene mourns death of Grande Ballroom founder Russ Gibb, dead at 87
Russ Gibb — aka “Uncle Russ,” the former disc jockey, promoter, schoolteacher, and founder of Detroit’s storied Grande Ballroom rock ‘n’ roll venue — died on Tuesday night at the age of 87. According to his family he died of heart failure, The Detroit Free Press reports. Gibb is best known for founding the Grande…
Opinion: GM’s Poletown closure proves we should treat corporations like people
There is something jarring about flipping between the news stories of General Motors’ Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant closing and Fiat-Chrysler’s new east side facility breaking ground. When a plant opens, public and private sectors invest together, with millions in tax subsidies, land deals, and other incentives from local government. When a plant closes, the company doesn’t…
The case for Donald Trump’s impeachment
There’s no excuse, no alternative. What’s politically messy is constitutionally demanded. Donald Trump must be impeached. Impeachment is risky. It will drown out progressives’ messaging on health care and jobs. It will enrage Trump’s base and fuel conspiratorial “deep state” rants. It might lead to retaliatory investigations into the FBI and Hillary Clinton and the…
While downtown Detroit has the spotlight, Pontiac plots a quiet revival of its own
On a guided tour by civic booster and community activist Michael McGuinness, Pontiac can feel like the biggest small town. It is no exaggeration to say that not only does he appear to know everyone we cross paths with on the street by name, but he also has an encyclopedic knowledge of their astrological signs,…
Review: Cannelle serves up elegant treats in downtown Detroit
In case you haven’t heard, Detroit is now a bakery town. It’s official with the recent addition of Ochre in Core City, where a secret Hamtramck baker has gone legit, and Warda Patisserie inside Trinosophes, which is receiving national press for its pastries. They join established favorites like Astro, Avalon, Sister Pie, Sheila’s, Shatila, Prince’s,…
Singer-songwriter Matthew Milia returns to school for his solo debut
When Matthew Milia pulls liquor store-bought worms, fishing hooks from Meijer, two bottles of Miller High Life, and a single sheet of paper towel from his limited-edition New Yorker tote, he knows exactly how he looks. Replace the beer with some sherry, and the worms with imported caviar, and you might have a neurotic scene…
A critic’s picks for this year’s Cinetopia film festival
Navigating the vast spread of venues and works at almost any film festival can be daunting, and Cinetopia, put on each year by the Michigan Theater Foundation, is no exception. With screenings from May 10-19 all over metro Detroit (as far west as Ann Arbor, and as far north as Bloomfield Township’s Maple Theater), there’s…
Michigan ‘clean cannabis’ campaign is fighting dirty
The war against dirty marijuana has been declared. Untested caregiver-grown marijuana is dirty, dirty, dirty, according to something known as MICleanCannabis.org. And licensed, tested marijuana is clean, clean, clean. There couldn’t be a more stark comparison. The irony of the declaration is that it was made by a company that holds 12 licenses to grow…
Savage Love: It’s time to open up my relationship — how do I tell my boyfriend?
I’ve been with my boyfriend for a few months. Prior to dating, I was clear with him that I would need to open our relationship at some point. He initially hesitated to respond, but then agreed we could do that when the time came. That time has come much quicker than I anticipated, but I…
Horoscopes (May 1-7)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 If you feel like you’re between a rock and a hard place, I would not be surprised. The frustration level is high. The next few months will test your ability to keep it under control. Many of you are wondering, “Why me?” In some cases the question sounds more…
