Cover Stories
A roundup of Detroit’s best Halloween parties
Oct. 25-29 Various parties @ Elekricity On Wednesday, Oct. 25 is the Bass Mission Halloween Takeover. On Thursday, Oct. 26 is the Paint vs Foam and Zombie Blast. On Sunday, Oct. 28 is the Rave from the Grave and the Massacre on Saginaw Street. On Sunday, Oct. 29 is the Rave of Thrones with DJ…
How pumpkin spice flavor took over America, becoming a seasonal trick — and a treat
We’re weeks into fall, which can only mean one thing: a preponderance of all things pumpkin spice. Of course, there’s the ubiquitous Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, or the #PSL as it is affectionately known on Instagram. There’s pumpkin spice doughnuts, pumpkin spice cookies, and pumpkin spice beer. You can have pumpkin spice Cheerios for breakfast,…
If you’re in the mood to be scared, try these Detroit area haunted attractions
Field of Screams at Bonadeo Farms Bonadeo has daytime, family friendly activities such as pumpkin patches, mazes, and cider and doughnuts. However, when the sun goes down everything that makes Halloween great comes into play, with attractions like a haunted maze and house. 1215 White Lake Rd., Highland Charter Twp.; 248-787-4553; bonadeofarms.com/field-of-screams Erebus Haunted Attraction…
According to legend, these Detroit venues host more than live bands
From the Cass Corridor to Southwest Detroit, here are a few local venues that are known to host more than just live bands. The Masonic Temple 500 Temple St., Detroit Just a week before Harry Houdini arrived in Detroit for a performance at the Garrick Theatre in October 1926, he was approached by a student…
Update: Prime + Proper, an ‘interactive’ steakhouse, opens today in downtown Detroit
Long-awaited downtown Detroit steakhouse Prime + Proper opens of Friday. The 175-seat restaurant was built out over the last year on the ground floor of the Capitol Park Building at Griswold and State streets. In addition to the main seating area, there’s a 20-seat private dining section, an invitation-only lounge, and 65-seat patio. It’s the…
Stef Chura signs to Saddle Creek, releases ‘Speeding Ticket’ video
We’re feeling pretty vindicated! Another artist named in Metro Times’ 2017 “bands to watch” feature has scored a record deal. Today, we can report Stef Chura will join Saddle Creek (Bright Eyes, Big Thief, the Faint, the Thermals) for a reissue of her debut record, Messes, originally released earlier this year on local indie label…
ACLU intervenes over rules barring female Michigan college wrestler from mat
Earlier this year, we had written a splashy cover story about the female scholastic wrestling scene in Michigan. A big part of that story was female wrestlers were confronting sports officials who’d been slow to adjust to the reality that women are getting involved in wrestling in a big way. That story had centered on…
Human garbage Richard Spencer wants to speak at University of Michigan
The University of Michigan confirmed Tuesday morning that white supremacist and actual human garbage Richard Spencer wants to speak at the campus. U-M spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald told the Free Press that, “The university will carefully consider the request, paying close attention to the safety and security of our community.” He also told Freep that they are…
Marijuana activist pictured handcuffed on cover of Metro Times now running for office
A political activist who was targeted by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office after he helped spearhead a marijuana decriminalization initiative is running for office in Oak Park. Andrew Cissell, 29, is one of three people vying for two seats on the city’s council. His challengers are Regina Weiss and Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn Burns. If elected,…
Betsy DeVos dressed up as Ms. Frizzle for Halloween and Twitter is pissed
U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos attended the White House’s annual Halloween party dressed as Ms Frizzle — the eccentric teacher made famous by the ’90s cartoon The Magic School Bus. Is there a German word for the feeling you get when you see Betsy DeVos dress up as Ms Frizzle for Halloween pic.twitter.com/whURyivdt6 — 🎃All…
You can see Michigan’s fall colors from outer space
Alright, so these “fall colors” aren’t as breathtaking as taking a drive to northern Michigan in the middle of fall, but Michigan from outer space looks pretty damn cool during this time of the year. People venture up high mountain peaks to enjoy the warm colors of the fall leaves. Here’s a view from a…
REVIEW: Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile’s ‘Lotta Sea Lice’ tour lives up to the hype
If I had a time machine and could only go back to one time and place, it would be to last night, when the Royal Oak Music Theatre brought generations of rock ‘n’ roll lovers together in the name of Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett. Flanneled-out 20-somethings, PDA-y hipster teens, and older people with a…
We tried Little Caesar’s artisanal wood-fired pizza, and it’s actually good
Look in the nation’s best pizza kitchens and you’ll often find thin crust pies baking in excess of 800 degrees in wood-fired ovens. The crisp crusts they produce are a mark of quality, and the ovens are a tool utilized by high end local pizza purveyors like La Lanterna, PizzaPlex, and Mani Osteria. Conversely, the ubiquitous Little Caesar’s…
New comedy premieres this week at the Detroit Repertory Theatre
A new show opens this week at the Detroit Repertory Theatre, and it will mix laughter, romantic foibles, and fish. Yes, those finned underwater creatures that swim around are involved. You see, it’s a comedy about one woman’s obsession with salmon. But this is no “fish story.” It’s a serious comedy called Swimming Upstream, and…
You guys, stop tweeting mean things to George Papadopoulos from Novi
Ask any regular person out there who shares a name with a famous person just how annoying their lives can be. There is a Taylor Swift from Seattle, a Donald Trump from Virginia, and a Matthew Broderick from Boston. Now, after Trump’s former foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in Robert Mueller’s Trump/Russia investigation,…
The Women’s Convention brings fiery speeches, hope to Detroit
If you missed the memo regarding influx of out-of-towners or sparsely scattered pink “pussyhats” spotted around Detroit lately, it was because Cobo Hall hosted the first annual Women’s Convention this past weekend. The convention was a spin-off from the Jan. 21 Women’s March, where people all over the country marched for equality in the workplace,…
Coleman Young II holding ‘Take Back the Motherland’ rally night before mayoral election
Despite being behind in the polls, Coleman Young II isn’t stopping his campaign efforts to beat incumbent Mayor Mike Duggan. Young is holding a last minute rally at Soloman’s Temple Church on Seven Mile Rd. called “Take Back the Motherland” the night before the election, Monday, November 6 at 6 p.m. “The Mothership,” is in…
Eminem will appear as music guest on ‘SNL’ Nov. 18
Well, my friends, we’re pretty sure this announcement confirms that Eminem has a new album coming out this November. Saturday Night Live announced today that Eminem will be the music guest for the November 18 show, the day before Eminem is rumored to drop his new album, also rumored to be called “Recovery.” Ready for…
Ferndale is one of the first cities in the country to permanently wave the LGBT Pride flag
Last week, Ferndale’s mayor and city council moved to permanently display the LGBT Pride flag in its city council chambers — an almost unprecedented move among U.S. cities. Nicknamed “Fabulous Ferndale,” the city is known for being an inclusive place with a large LGBT population. According to Wikipedia, the city began attracting LGBT residents in…
A shipping container cookie dough cafe is planned for Detroit’s NW Goldberg neighborhood
Detroit Dough, the city’s first edible cookie dough cafe, is expected to open in 2018 in northwest Detroit’s NW Goldberg neighborhood. Co-founder/CEO Autum Kyles will offer over 50 mix ins, 20 signature creations, and five base flavors, and her cafe will be composed of six shipping containers, a patio, and a bar. Kyles says the…
For some reason city council gave Cardi B a Spirit of Detroit award
Before her show at Detroit’s Masonic Temple on Saturday, rapper Cardi B was awarded a Spirit of Detroit award. Per the city of Detroit’s website, “A Spirit of Detroit Award can be requested from any Council Member for a person, event or organization being honored for an outstanding achievement or service to the citizens of…
Protomartyr fights the man and kombucha in new music video
Detroit-based punk band Protomartyr was the subject of a recent Metro Times cover story, but the media attention didn’t end there. Today, The New Yorker released a piece on the band and debuted the video for their new single, “Don’t Go to Anacita.” The song is something of an allegory — lead singer Joe Casey…
Winners for 2017 Knight Arts Challenge announced
The submissions came in and 29 hopefuls were announced as a winner in this year’s Knight Arts Challenge, a huge honor that will help these artists push their craft even further. According to the Knight Arts Challenge website, about 900 projects were submitted to be a winner that would split the $1.87 million grant. Victoria…
Is Eminem’s new album being teased with fake pharmaceutical ads?
While we’ve been patiently waiting for November 17 to roll around (the day Eminem’s newest album is supposedly dropping), Marshall Mathers has been keeping fans on edge with some wacky pharmaceutical ads that the internet thinks link to this new album. Eminem’s longtime manager Paul Rosenberg posted a photo to his Instagram on Oct. 25…
Facing eviction, Detroit families get unprecedented chance to save their homes
The most identifiable feature of the bungalow at the corner of Maine Street and East Grixdale Avenue is the large piece of plywood covering the window next to its front entrance. There’s no need to knock upon arrival; your voice can carry up through a gap between the board and window frame, past a piece…
Here comes Detroit’s Christmas tree
We’ve not yet celebrated All Hallow’s Eve, but Detroit’s Christmas tree has already been selected and a ceremony to raise it is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 1. The 60-foot Norwegian spruce was grown in Cadillac and will arrive at Campus Martius Wednesday morning when a team will set it atop the Woodward Fountain via crane.…
City of Detroit confirms new Meijer store on East Jefferson
On Wednesday afternoon Crain’s reported that a new Meijer grocery store with attached residential apartments was planned for a spot on East Jefferson near downtown Detroit. Today the city of Detroit confirmed this information. The $60 million development is expected to be open by 2019, and will employ 70 people. The city says that there…
Maroon 5 will stop in Detroit on new tour in 2018
While nothing from Maroon 5 will ever be as great as their debut Songs About Jane (just try listening to “Sunday Morning” without getting a catch of the feels), we’re excited to learn that Adam Levine and company are gearing up to release their sixth studio album Red Pill Blues early next month and a…
Two Detroit men charged with rape and kidnapping in string of cyclist assaults
Two young Detroit men have been charged in connection with a series of assaults and sex assaults of female bicyclists in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park. The incidents happened over a three month stretch. Aaron Rashard Stewart, 22, and Quentin Davon Flemons, 19, are believed to be behind the recent abductions of two cyclists in their…
Nexus pipeline construction cleared, court fight remains
Having obtained approval from federal regulators, the backers of the Nexus pipeline stand ready to begin building the controversial project. As Cleveland Scene reporter Eric Sandy wrote earlier this month, “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted final approval to the Nexus pipeline construction job, which is now set to begin within the month. This formal decision comes…
Rose McGowan announced as speaker at the Women’s Convention
The Women’s Convention, a three-day seminar organized by the same people as The Women’s March on Washington, D.C. last January, is set to take place this weekend. It hasn’t been without a hitch though. Organizers faced scrutiny over booking Bernie Sanders as a featured speaker as well as exclusionary ticket prices that had some would-be…
A new brewery is planning to open in 2019 near Belle Isle
Founders of Brewery Faisan Rachel and Paul Szlaga are planning to open a brewery and taproom in Islandview, just a short bike ride away from the bridge to scenic Belle Isle. Setting up show in Islandview was a key factor for the founders of the brewery, reports Eater. Rachel Faisan says that the couple own…
Meet Detroit emcee Moses the God
Moses The God is a Detroit-born emcee that has carved out a name for herself with rhymes about relationships, ego, and emotions — along with a super swagged-out persona. Metro Times caught up with the emcee to discuss her current album With or Without You, musical influences, and future endeavors. Metro Times: The name, Moses…
Coleman Young II is Donald Trump
OK, stay with me here. Coleman Young II is Donald Trump. Mike Duggan is Hillary Clinton. Sure, the analogy isn’t perfect. The Detroit electorate has little in common with the “Make America Great Again” red hat-wearing populist uprising that elected Trump in a surprise upset last year, and as a Senator, Young has far more…
Wyandotte bar the Rockery could see ownership change — possibly demolition
The Rockery has been a staple in Wyandotte for many years. Some theorize it is the third oldest bar in the city, and that’s really saying something — Wyandotte has a lot of bars, and once held the Guinness World record for having the most bars and Catholic churches per capita. Despite being quite popular, the…
New Center’s Wilda’s, an ‘everyday food’ restaurant, plans an early 2018 opening
Lucy Peters, a former partner at Rose’s Fine Food, is now targeting an early 2018 opening for her new project, Wilda’s. She told Metro Times in a March interview that she hoped to have the 2,200- square-foot restaurant at the corner of East Grand Boulevard and Woodward Avenue open this year. But she says funding and design-related…
Carmen Harlan and Big Sean named Thanksgiving parade grand marshals
The Parade Co. announced on their Facebook page this morning that angel on Earth Carmen Harlan and key-to-the-city-holder Big Sean will be the grand marshals for Detroit’s Thanksgiving day parade. This is the parade’s 91st anniversary and an exciting time for both of these Detroiters to be the grand marshals. Harlan recently retired from WDIV…
Report says Detroit is the third worst city for Halloween
Financial website “WalletHub” released a report on the best and worst cities for you to spend your Halloween in. Turns out, Detroit is one of the worst. Of course, this is all based on their own findings (we know how much fun Halloween can be here) that are broken down into three different categories: “Trick-or-Treater-Friendliness,”…
Outrageous Cherry founding guitarist Larry Ray dies
Larry Ray, the founding guitarist of Detroit psychedelic rock band Outrageous Cherry, has died after a battle with lung cancer, according to a statement posted by the band on Facebook last night. He was 63. Born Larry Ray Piekutowski, Ray co-founded Outrageous Cherry with Matthew Smith in 1991. He and Smith were the only consistent…
Eminem wins New Zealand copyright suit over ‘blatant ripoff’ of ‘Lose Yourself’
After more than five months, Eminem and his publisher emerged victorious in a New Zealand suit against that country’s right-wing National Party, that (let’s be honest) seemed like a pretty clear case of copyright infrigement from the begining. In question was a “Lose Yourself” copycat track — literally titled “Eminem Esque” — used by New…
Michael Moore’s anti-Trump Broadway show is hitting the road
Flint’s Michael Moore has been living it up on Broadway the past couple of weeks with his anti-Trump show called The Terms of My Surrender. While tickets at the box office haven’t been exactly stellar, Deadline reports that now that the show ended its run on Broadway, Moore plans to take his act on the…
New brewery planned for Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge
A new brewery will be a part of a $32 million development planned for a 13.2-acre industrial site in Pleasant Ridge and Ferndale. Crain’s reports that the project will include 225,000 square feet of space in new and renovated buildings at 10 Mile and Bermuda roads. Plans call for a market space; a biergarten; a brewery;…
Where tarot cards and social justice intersect
Rita Moisson was born and raised in Salem, Mass. She lived in Boston during adulthood and later moved to Wyandotte, to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law. The Moissons owned a little cafe in the downriver city and Rita would offer to read customers’ tea leaves once they’d finished their meals. It wasn’t long…
The unstoppable Jill Jack returns with her 12th LP
Even given her extraordinary talent, remarkable longevity, and famous (in Detroit) celebrity, homegrown roots-rock chanteuse Jill Jack has been waiting a quarter of a century for that one really big break. This cannot possibly be what she had in mind. “Careful what you put out in the universe,” Jack smiles faintly, showing us on a…
Horoscopes (Oct. 25-31)
ARIES (March 21- April 20): You have more than one option. It will be interesting to see which one you choose. Too many things are at stake for you to miss out on the opportunity to turn your life around. If that sounds dramatic, that’s the way things are at the moment. The sooner you…
Detroit: beyond the election
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will almost certainly win re-election in a couple weeks, and I think he deserves it. But he also deserves to be challenged more about his vision for the next four years. Sadly, State Senator Coleman Young II has failed to articulate any kind of alternative vision or coherent plan. If you…
10 minutes with Tee Grizzley
On Oct. 30, rapper Tee Grizzley will perform at the Fillmore for the final show on his Ain’t It a Blessing tour. Along with the significance of holding a show in Detroit on the city’s once-infamous Devil’s Night, it marks a return home for the rapper after the viral success of his breakthrough single “First…
Jen Cloher feels America’s pain
Jen Cloher describes the experience of growing up in Australia as being a “crab in a bucket.” “That’s actually a real thing. I didn’t realize,” says Cloher. “You never have to worry, when you have a bucket full of crabs, that one of them will escape. Because the minute one gets to the top of…
Review: How Dearborn’s M Cantina reinvents the taco
If on your next taco quest you head west on Michigan Avenue through Southwest Detroit, keep driving when the signs turn from Spanish to Arabic near the Dearborn-Detroit border. Just as you pull into East Dearborn you’ll find M Cantina, a restaurant that its chef and co-owner Junior Merino — aka the “Liquid Chef” —…
Detroit police crack down on sound amid city’s resurgence
Every last Friday night of the month for the past three years, Paramita Sound’s free, all-ages Beat Profile has been a place where music lovers or passersby stop in to hear something new. In the winter, listeners pack closely together, thankful for warmth amid the occasional startling breeze as the door creaks open to welcome…
‘Sacred Deer’ is the year’s oddest allegory
Samuel Beckett, meet Sophie. This unlikely introduction of the Absurdist playwright to the woman who had to choose which of her two children would die is courtesy of Greek writer-director Yorgos Lanthimos. The union is not entirely fruitful in Lanthimos’ new psychological horror, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, but if you can overlook the…
Mom and pop could be squeezed out of Michigan’s marijuana industry
Attorney Clarence Dass addressed the crowd assembled at the Reserve in Birmingham for Howard & Howard’s “The Business of Cannabis conference”: “All of you are going to be very wealthy people.” That is yet to be seen as the state rules for the medical marijuana regulation and distribution system take form. However, as we learn…
Savage Love: Necking
Q: In a frank exchange early in our courtship, I told my girlfriend that I have no kinks. As a faithful reader of Savage Love, I’m obviously not opposed to kinks — but I’ve never had any inclinations in that direction and am probably a typical hetero vanilla. As a result, I’m damn near clueless…
Talking demons, clowns, and the ghouls in the White House with Detroit artist Bailey Scieszka
We first got put on to visual and performance artist Bailey Scieszka when we heard a couple of friends talking about her in 2014. “Do you know Bailey?” asked Gentleman No. 1. “Yeah,” said Gentleman No. 2. “Honestly, her stuff really scares me.” At the time, Scieszka was developing a demonic shape-shifting character called “Old Put,”…
