Cover Story
The rise, fall, and stalled rebuild of Ken Holland’s Red Wings
There’s perhaps no pro sports team in recent memory that spoiled its fans with its success quite like the Detroit Red Wings. The team’s fanbase witnessed an organization with an embarrassment of riches make the playoffs for 25 straight seasons — the longest such run in pro sports until it ended in April 2016. During…
Meet the winners the 2017 Detroit Food Power awards
Each year the Detroit Food Policy Council hosts the Food Power Awards to recognize those making a difference in the city’s food system. While there are a lot of issues that need attention, progress is being on many fronts, and those making strides deserve credit, says Food Policy Council President Winona Bynum. “It’s important because there…
Michigan Brewers Guild’s Fall Beer Festival is this weekend
The Michigan Brewer’s Guild throws beer tasting events that are some of the most well-attended craft brewing festivals in the state. And this tasting in particular is sure to sell out at least one of the two days it’s set up in Eastern Market. Guests will get 15 tokens, and they’ll have to spend them…
Ballet Hispánico celebrates the vibrancy of flamenco
The culture of Hispanic countries and people is both deep and beautiful, yet it is often misunderstood by outsiders. Ballet Hispánico celebrates the rich and diverse culture of this ethnic group through the vibrancy of flamenco. A cast of all female choreographers have designed this stage show and guests will get an enthralling view into…
Lifetime’s movie trailer for ‘Flint’ showcases how the water crisis has ravaged the community
Lifetime’s movie trailer for “Flint” showcases how the water crisis has ravaged the community Lifetime has revealed the first trailer for the made-for-TV-movie Flint. Obviously based off the on-going Flint water crisis, the movie’s trailer focuses on the impact the contaminated water has had on the four main characters, as well as the city in…
Women’s Convention announces concert with Melanie Fiona, Alice Smith, Jessica Care Moore, and others
This weekend, an event billed as The Women’s Convention will take place at Detroit’s Cobo Center. While some have criticized the event for what they say are prohibitive ticket prices ($295 for all three days), others might be pleased to note the event is will also feature a “Social Justice Concert” with more reasonable ticket…
Can’t-miss show of the week: Melkbelly and Paint Thinner at Donovan’s
We know, we know: there’s a lot going on any given day in Detroit, but if harmoniously aggressive post-punk is your thing, transport yourself to Donovan’s Pub for a near-perfect bill this sure-to-be-gloomy Wednesday evening. The members of Melkbelly are veterans of Chicago’s experimental and DIY scene, which has clearly influenced the band’s style and…
Local author Josh Malerman and composer Steve Greene join forces for ghost story reading
You might know local musician Josh Malerman from his work with the High Strung, but the rocker has more talents than just music. He’s also an author, and he’s releasing a new book of short Halloween stories called Goblin. On this evening he will perform a reading from the text while composer Steve Greene casts…
Six debate questions Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and challenger Coleman Young Jr. may face
Did you know there’s a mayoral election coming up in Detroit? If you live someplace where the lawn signs dotting the city’s neighborhoods are out of view, this honestly may be the first you’re hearing of it. The low-key, high-price race is between Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who has been at the helm for the…
Melania Trump’s visit to West Bloomfield school is everything that’s wrong with America right now
On Monday, First Lady Melania Trump and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited West Bloomfield’s Orchard Lake Middle School to kick off the FLOTUS’s anti-bullying “Week of Inclusion” initiative. Trump and DeVos’ visit to the West Bloomfield school focused on “No One Eats Alone” during lunch time, where Trump told students that, “it’s very…
Lonely Planet names Detroit top destination for 2018
Detroit has been named among the top ten cities for Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel” 2018. That distinction would have had a somewhat different meaning 20 years ago. Originally aimed at such intrepid but frugal travelers as hippie backpackers, Lonely Planet is now the largest travel guide book publisher in the world, owned by an American…
Kid Rock finally admits he was never running for Senate
This morning, Kid Rock confirmed once and for all that he is not, in fact, running for U.S. Senate. (We imagine somewhere in Washington D.C., Debbie Stabenow is breathing a sigh of relief.) Rock made the big reveal on Howard Stern’s SiriusXM show, telling Stern that it was all a joke all along. “Fuck no, I’m not…
Axe throwing and board game venues to fill Ferndale’s former Local Kitchen
Urban lumberjacks rejoice: A bar catering to your passion is in the works in downtown Ferndale. Former Local Kitchen and Bar owner Brian Siegel and partner Geoff Kretchmer are opening Detroit Axe, a venue that – as the company put it on its website – offers “Metro Detroit’s first wholly dedicated, competitive axe throwing arena.” Detroit Axe will…
Detroit-based mens clothing company gets $150,000 investment via ‘Shark Tank’
Detroit-based clothing brand Ash & Erie (formerly known as Ash & Anvil) have participated in a number of contests hoping to win a bit of seed money to give their e-commerce site a boost — last year they came close to winning Hatch Detroit and they’re currently a semifinalist in an ongoing Accelerate Michigan contest…
Dan Gilbert can now add rap star to his resume
We’re not completely sure what prompted Dan Gilbert to star in a rap video and then share it with 400 Detroit students and rapper Big Sean, but we are so happy that he did. Big Sean (Sean Anderson) and Gilbert were joined by the public school students at the Gem Theatre Monday morning for a…
Mark Wahlberg is going to call up Jeff Bezos and tell him to bring Amazon to Michigan
If exaggerated windmills don’t do the trick, perhaps Mark Wahlberg’s endorsement will. On a visit to metro Detroit this weekend, the actor, burger man, and Boston native had a message for Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos: Bring your company’s second headquarters to Michigan. “Jeff Bezos, come on, buddy. This is the home of American industrial,” Wahlberg…
Comedian Lewis Black headed to Detroit in April
In these bleak political times there is one comedic voice who always seems to be the voice of reason. Well, in this comic’s case, maybe “anger” of reason is the better choice of words. Comedian Lewis Black is known for his wild rants about wild politicians fucking shit up in our country, and we can’t…
UFO Factory is starting its rebuild, plans to reopen
Detroit music venue the UFO Factory is expected to reopen. Nearly three months after a construction crew working on the $150 million mixed-use Elton Park development in Corktown damaged the neighboring UFO Factory, the popular local rock club and bar is beginning its rebuild. Owner Dion Fischer announced the news Sunday on the UFO Factory’s Instagram account. “#ufoupdate…
Ticket prices will keep people away from The Women’s Convention this weekend
The Women’s Convention taking place Oct. 27-29, will bring national, state, and community leaders who are at the forefront of the women’s rights and progressive movement under the same roof as everyday citizens — or at least those who were able to afford the pricey tickets or lucky enough to get a scholarship. Tickets for…
Michigan girls’ wrestling coach, promoter, and advocate Brent Harvey dead at 46
Female wrestling coach, promoter, and advocate Brent Harvey has died. He was 46. As postings to his Facebook page indicate, on the evening of Friday, Oct. 20, Harvey was riding his motorcycle to Whitmore Lake High School to watch a football game when he was killed in an accident. Harvey was at the center of…
A new Wahlburgers and New Order Coffee are under construction in Royal Oak
A second Wahlburgers location and a New Order Coffee are in the works on the corner of 13 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue. The stores are part of a 117,000-square-foot development called “Woodward Corners by Beaumont” that also includes a grocery store, a five-story hotel, multiple restaurants, walking paths, and areas for festivals and fairs. Construction on the…
Metro Times is returning to Detroit with new Midtown office
The rumors, we’re happy to report, are true — Metro Times is relocating its offices to Detroit. We’ll be leasing space out of the Arnold E. Frank Building in Midtown, located on Woodward Avenue and Canfield Street. For Metro Times, the move marks a return home. While we’ve been located in Ferndale for the past…
Great Scot! Pipers and dancers to take over Commonwealth Club next week
Perhaps some MT readers recall our August blog about the oldest British-American club in the United States. It’s hiding in plain sight in Warren, and on Fridays members gather for their weekly fish fry, which also gives nonmembers a chance to check in and sample the atmosphere, which is chock-full of British ambiance. Well, next…
Detroit to get yet another news source in journalism startup in ‘Detour’
Just when you thought there were already one too many media games in town (billionaire Dan Gilbert and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan have news outlets, for god’s sake) there’s more #content on the horizon. According to an email obtained by Metro Times, a coming media startup called Detour will be based on a free daily email…
Jack White will give keynote address at Making Vinyl conference in Detroit
With the resurgence of vinyl records in the last few years it’s no surprise that a conference totally dedicated to the spinning records would emerge. Or that it would be held in Detroit. That conference is called Making Vinyl, and it is happening at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel on Nov. 6-7. One man who…
Nostalgic arcade bar opens in Detroit today
Donkey Kong, Street Fighter, and Pacman— the nostalgic ’90s arcade games have made a comeback thanks to Ready Player One, an arcade serving beer and cocktails with a side of your childhood games. Downtown’s newest basement arcade bar, located in Greektown, will be available to rejoicing Detroit gamers, MLive reports. The basement space will feature…
For horror host ‘the Ghoul,’ every day is Halloween
If you grew up as a teenager in the ’70s, chances are you’ve seen or heard of the Ghoul. Ron Sweed, purveyor of the odd, developed his alter ego as the Ghoul back in 1971, as a late-night horror host with shows filled with schlock and politically incorrect humor. As for myself, a millennial born…
Sen. Bernie Sanders cancels Women’s Convention appearance — he’s going to Puerto Rico instead
Following polarizing national debate regarding Sen. Bernie Sander’s involvement in The Women’s Convention, Sanders announced he will now be meeting with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz and other officials in Puerto Rico instead. In a release issued Oct. 19, Sanders apologized for his departure and commended organizers for their efforts, but reiterated the ongoing…
‘Serial rapists’ suspected in Detroit cyclist abductions may not all be caught
A week after Detroit police said they had caught a pair of “serial rapists” they believed to be behind a series of abductions of female bicyclists, the department can only confirm that one person remains in custody. A Detroit police spokesman says a 22-year-old man was charged in connection with the incidents and is being held…
Here’s the trailer to an ‘Evil Dead’ doc that was 7 years in the making
In terms of Michigan’s movie legacy, there is perhaps no fandom like that of the 1981 horror film The Evil Dead. Sure, it’s not the most well-known or highest grossing film made here (we’re guessing that distinction probably goes to the Transformers franchise), but there’s no denying its influence. It’s kind of like the Velvet…
Shake Shack in Troy set to open on Oct. 25
We’re not sure what Troy did to become so lucky to have not only a Chick-fil-A and a soon-to-open Shake Shack, but damn are we jealous. The chain burger joint opened its first Michigan location in downtown Detroit in the heart of Campus Martius earlier this week to much fanfare and excitement. Today we learned…
Eatóri opens in downtown Detroit
Eatóri Market, a specialty grocer and bar, is opening in phases in downtown Detroit’s Capitol Park. Eater reports that owner Zak Yatim launched drink service on Thursday, will open the specialty market in around a week, and in two weeks will start offering a hot menu. When it’s fully operating, Eatóri will be open 8…
Claude Monet and Frederic Church DIA exhibitions pair well together
On Sunday, the Detroit Institute of Arts will present two new exhibitions bundled as one, featuring works by painters Claude Monet and Frederic Church. Though Monet and Church were contemporaries, they were not a part of the same movement. Church was an American, while Monet was a Frenchman. But the two exhibitions augment one another in…
Fall Out Boy, crowned princes of pop punk, to perform at Little Caesars Arena
OK, we still have no idea what the hell midwestern mavens of mainstream Fall Out Boy were talking about in its 2005 breakout hit “Sugar, We’re Goin Down,” but if they’ve proved anything it’s that it doesn’t matter. Fall Out Boy solidified themselves as pop punk royalty as early as their “Dance, Dance” days and…
Snyder docks Etue’s pay for calling national anthem protesters ‘degenerates’
Governor Rick Snyder says he is docking Michigan State Police Director Kriste Etue five days’ pay in response to a controversial Facebook post in which she called NFL national anthem protesters “degenerates” and “millionaire ingrates who hate America.” Previously, groups like the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality called for Etue’s resignation. However, Snyder said Etue will remain on the…
The Detroit Film Theater is looking to expand your cinematic horizons
From the Renaissance period in Florence, to the Colosseum in Rome, to pizza (topping misgivings aside), one can’t deny the impact Italy has had on the world culturally, historically, and cuisine wise. This week the Detroit Film Theater is looking to add Italy’s cinema scene to the list. “Week of Italian Language in the World”…
Detroit’s Amazon HQ2 bid is in, and damn does the pitch make the city look cool
If you haven’t heard, mega e-commerce corporation Amazon is poised to take over the world and is taking pitches from major cities as it mulls where to land a second headquarters. With a $5 billion investment and 50,000 jobs at stake, resurgent yet extremely job and tax-base needy Detroit has been putting its best foot forward.…
Pistons owner stays woke on anthem kneeling, still wants to buy prison call company
Pistons owner Tom Gores can come off so cool. As league and franchise owners across professional sports are made to carve out positions on athletes kneeling during the national anthem, Gores has expressed some of the wokest views. First, he went out of his way to volunteer a statement in support of players’ rights to kneel…
New video explains why Detroit needs community benefits agreements
Why are community benefits agreements that have teeth important? Plenty of community groups and activists have pointed to Little Caesars Arena as an excellent example of why developers who accept public support should be required to sit down with community members and negotiate with them. We’ve covered CBAs before. But as much value as we…
John Waters will once again celebrate his birthday in Detroit
For some reason, once again Baltimore-based cult filmmaker John Waters will celebrate his birthday in Detroit. And once again, we are all invited. Like last year, El Club will host the celebration, but the format will be different. On Saturday, April 21, Waters will perform a live commentary to Serial Mom, followed by a Q&A and a performance…
Eminem and Big Sean were at the Pistons game together last night
Two of Detroit’s finest in rap royalty made an appearance at the Pistons home opener at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday night. ran into big bro @ the Pistons home opener @eminem, new levels for our city! #NoFavors A post shared by BIGSEAN (@bigsean) on Oct 18, 2017 at 5:50pm PDT That’s right. Eminem and…
An open letter to Warren Buffett, from the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge
Dear Mr. Buffett, This letter is long overdue. I know this is out of the blue, but our Detroit neighborhood wishes you had won the bid for the Ambassador Bridge all those years ago. I know, I know, it’s too late. But it hasn’t stopped some of our older residents in the community from fantasizing, “What…
Indie duo Cults will bring their infectious indie sound to Marble Bar
New York-based indie duo Cults have found a way to balance infectious indie sentimentality with a subtle air of synthetic dark magic. Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin lace Cults’ sound with an antigravity quality, thanks to shimmering arrangements and atmospheric vocals — it’s as if the Drive soundtrack took Molly in a graveyard. Only three…
This Halloween, Michigan’s trick-or-treaters deserve better
There’s a new report out from a candy wholesaler leveraging Halloween for publicity purposes, and the results are staggering. Michigan, a place where about one in three people are obese, is really slumming it on the Halloween candy front. While people in fat states like Mississippi and Arkansas are most often enjoying 3 Musketeers bars…
See Vivica A. Fox in the touring production of ‘Two Can Play that Game’ this week
Je’Caryous Johnson is known for creating stage shows like Married but Single, Things Your Man Won’t Do, and For Love or Money — but this play is a little different. Originally a movie penned and directed by Mark Brown, Two Can Play That Game was released in 2001. The flick starred Vivica A. Fox, who…
Wu Tang Clan alum Ghostface Killah to perform in Detroit this week
If you’re going to sling the term O.G. you better be referring to Wu Tang Clan wunderkind and solo superstar Ghostface Killah. One of the few survivors from the birthing grounds of modern rap, Ghostface is keeping the spirit alive with an unmatched tenacity. Known for his slow and loud style of storytelling, Ghostface isn’t…
The internet loved Fox 2 Detroit’s weather forecast this week
Because people can’t get their mind out of the gutter on the internet, this tweet showing a screenshot of the weather from Fox 2 Detroit went viral Tuesday night. You can view the tweet below. OH MY GOD pic.twitter.com/V6aU3HKjMC — mow (@AfricaByMowto) October 16, 2017 If your mindset isn’t that of a 13-year-old boy, you…
Josh Homme seeking Detroit witnesses in assault suit
Last night, Queens of the Stone Age brought their Villains tour to Detroit’s Fox Theatre. They rocked very, very hard. However, it’s not the Queens’ career-spanning set that we can’t stop thinking about — it’s these apparently hastily written signs posted by the band throughout the venue. Sign posted outside the Detroit #QotSA show pic.twitter.com/grANbeQNid —…
Oh great, Steve Bannon is coming to metro Detroit
President Donald Trump’s former chief strategist and current chairman of the alt-right Breitbart News, Steve Bannon, will visit metro Detroit to speak at a GOP fundraiser. The fundraiser will take place, of course, in Macomb County at the Andiamo Celebrity Showroom in Warren on Wednesday, Nov. 8 — the one-year anniversary of Trump’s defeat of Hillary Clinton. Bannon…
Horoscopes (Oct. 18-24)
ARIES (March 21- April 20): On the verge of one of those peak moments, you are faced with your own mortality, or some other aspect of the hand of fate. For someone who has always felt as if they have everything under control, you are humbled by all of this. Some of you could be…
Review: Deconstructing a trend at Kaku Sushi & Poké
Poké is new enough to our area that several of my dinner invitees had to ask, “What’s that?” But it’s ensconced enough now to be offered not only at sushi restaurants but at, say, a Birmingham steakhouse and at downtown’s over-the-top Townhouse Detroit (with jalapeño and fried plantains in the former case; let fusion roll).…
Ministry’s Al Jourgensen on how to avoid the ‘corn dog circuit’
A new album from industrial-metal-weirdo act Ministry entitled AmeriKKKant is in the works, and drops sometime early next year. As is the case with Ministry, it’s shaping up to be different from most other Ministry albums, and features former Beck collaborator DJ Swamp and NWA’s Arabian Prince, among others. But when the band plays the…
Why 2017 is turning out to be the best year ever for comedian Bridget Everett
The last time comedian and actress Bridget Everett performed in metro Detroit was just less than a year ago — more specifically, it was three days after the 2016 election. For many Americans who voted for Hillary Clinton, the idea of laughing at a stand-up comedian after losing such a devastating election didn’t sound like…
Mulenga and ‘The Government Apprentice’
Mulenga Harangua had sent me a message to meet him at his chicken shack. I arrived via bicycle because he insisted, pointing out I could use the public bike share system if necessary. He didn’t want an internal combustion engine in front of his place. There was a cardboard sign out front reading “Political Theater”…
‘Happy Death Day’ is so bad you’ll be wishing for your death day
Multiple times while watching Happy Death Day, I wrote in my notes: “Who’s killing her?,” “Why?,” and “Who cares?” Attempts to humanize “Tree,” as college student protagonist Teresa (Jessica Rothe) is called, are in vain because by the time we learn her backstory we already don’t like her. When she gets killed, we can’t help…
Shigeto’s new record is a love letter to Detroit
Zach Saginaw has been making music and performing music as the solo artist Shigeto on record label Ghostly International since 2010. He and Ghostly share a hometown in Ann Arbor, and Shigeto has lived in Europe and New York City before returning to Detroit in 2013. Since then he’s become a fixture of the Detroit…
Savage Love: Parental controls
Q: My only child is 16 years old. He was curious about sex from a very young age and very open with me, so his interest in sexual matters gave me ample opportunity to talk with him about safety and consent. He went through a cross-dressing phase when he was small — mostly wanting to…
The great death tax lie
Well, here’s great news for all you peasants living in your huts out there, or in your shared condos in Ferndale: Donald Trump, protector of the weak, is ending the hated and oppressive death tax! “We are finally ending the crushing, the horrible, the unfair estate tax — or, as it is often referred to,…
Amazon swallowed Seattle. Detroit could be next
Aerial shots of the Detroit River and the Ambassador Bridge. Shiny new cars on display at the auto show. A freshly assembled-in-Detroit Shinola watch. A trolley crawling up Woodward, where it will ultimately turn around within three miles. The images laid over a revved-up beat in a video released by Dan Gilbert aim to showcase…
This Halloween, Michigan’s trick-or-treaters deserve better
Candy corn, halloween, candy, trick-or-treat, Michigan
