18 diverting reasons to leave the house this week

Thursday, 1/26
Rich the Kid
@ The Crofoot
Rich the Kid may only be 24 years old, but he’s done a whole lot with those years. In addition to his 16 mixtapes, he’s also started his own record label, Rich Forever, and has collaborated with the likes of Fetty Wap, Soulja Boy, Rich Homie Quan, and more. The Southern rapper’s biggest influences are Young Jeezy, Jay Z, and Nas, to name a few. However, his style and talent are all his own, and that’s definitely apparent to those who have heard “I Don’t Care.” Detroit is just another stop on his Keep Flexin’ Tour, but it’s sure to be his best show.
Doors open at 7 p.m.; 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; thecrofoot.com; Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of.

Friday, 1/27
The Dropout
@ El Club
Lead guitarist and vocalist Andrew Ficker from Nigel and the Dropout is straying away from the hip-hop/indie cross sound, and conquering the post-EDM pop side of music in his new solo project. Based out of Detroit, Ficker describes himself as “Post-EDM Indie Pop Hangover straight out of Detroit, and the lesser educated half of Nigel and the Dropout.” The Dropout’s music sounds lighter than Ficker’s previous project, with synths and steady beat tracks that sound dreamy and induce a similar endorphin release you get after feeling the warm sun on your skin after a harsh winter. Separating from the aggressive and harsh sounds his duo project produced, Ficker is changing it up and creating soft and groovy tunes to dance to.
Doors open at 8 p.m.; 4114 W. Vernor Hwy., Detroit; $7, all ages.
Friday-Saturday, 1/27-28
Ann Arbor Folk Festival
@ Hill Auditorium
For 40 years now, the Ann Arbor Folk Festival has drawn audiences who appreciate ethnic music, folk, roots, and good times in general. The lineup includes the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, We Banjo, and even the Indigo Girls. Also, Kiefer Sutherland will be there. Yes. That Kiefer Sutherland. The actor released his first folk album in March, and it was pretty darn good. So, if the Indigo Girls weren’t enough to draw you in, remember Kiefer Sutherland.
825 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor; theark.org; Tickets are $37.50-$50 for a single night and $67.50-$90 for two nights.

Friday, 1/27
Andrew Bird, Lumineers
@ Palace of Auburn Hills
For a few years now, everyone who listens to 93.9 The River has had the Lumineers’ “Ho Hey” stuck in their head. This year, that’s been expanded to their track “Cleopatra,” after their album of the same name. They’ve become one of the biggest new alt-folk bands in the world, but Andrew Bird is pretty spiffy as well. Bird is a real renaissance man who plays a variety of instruments, sings, and writes songs. Normally, prodigies like Bird who start learning violin at the age of 4 stick to classical or jazz, but the Midwestern NPR favorite has branched out and created his own eclectic type of pop music. Even if you’re also sick of that overly cheerful mess the Lumineers churn out, Bird is a guy you’re going to want to check out live.
Show starts at 5:30 p.m.; 6 Championship Dr., Auburn Hills; thepalace.net; Tickets are $29.50 to $59.50 in advance.

Friday, 1/27
Louis the Child
@ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Louis the Child, who are easily one of the best electronic duos from Chicago, is making their way to Royal Oak while on their first headlining tour. You might’ve heard their single, “It’s Strange,” on the radio or on Spotify, or wherever it is you listen to music. You also might’ve heard them in 2015, when they had a busy year serving as the opening act for the Chainsmokers, Kaskade, and Madeon.
Doors open at 8 p.m.; 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak; royaloakmusictheatre.com; Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 the day of.

Friday, 1/27
Those Hounds release party
@ Small’s Bar
If you’ve heard their album Mother Earth Is Sick, you know that Those Hounds is one of the best independent noise rock bands in the city. Their music is loud, fuzzy, hard, and fantastic. Plus, this release party is going to be especially awesome since the EP being celebrated, Matrimony, will be included in the cover fee. Of course you’ll get to see a great performance from Those Hounds, and you’ll also get to check out Bogart, Red Robe, and the cleverly named Iron Downey Jr.
Doors open at 8 p.m.; 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; smallsbardetroit.com; Cover is $8.

Friday, 1/27
Stacey Pullen
@ Grasshopper Underground
You may know him as Kosmik Messenger, X-Stacy, Silent Phase, and even Bango, but the electronic god now goes by his birth name, Stacey Pullen. Pullen’s been around in Detroit’s electronica scene since the 1980s, and an active performer since the ’90s. He’s not just a formulaic electronica. He’s electronic with a kick — or a jolt, rather. His music is infused with house and garage that keeps listeners from expecting what he’ll do next. His two-day stopover in his hometown is not one to be missed.
Doors open at 9 p.m.; 22757 Woodward Ave., Detroit; facebook.com/thegrasshopperunderground; Tickets are $10.

Friday-Saturday, 1/27-28
Breaking Borders
@ Tangent Gallery/Hastings Street Ballroom
Dubbed “taboo” night, the installation of the Breaking Borders series will include a Friday night with music by Dixon’s Violin plus an “explicit” performance by Leslie Blackburn, complimentary shots (to get you loosened up, I guess), a nude body ice luge, and access to a “play dungeon.” There will also be burlesque, fire, and fetish performances, interactive art, and live music from Zombie Jesus and the Chocolate Sunshine Band. Saturday promises a body modification fashion show, a three-act circus side show, and a piercing and suspension act. Also, a book burning (guests are asked to bring a book to sacrifice to the fire), which kind of seems out of place at such an event.
Starts at 7 p.m.; 715 E. Milwaukee Ave., Detroit; tickets are $15 to $25.

Saturday, 1/28
Out of Africa:
The African Origin of Humanity and Civilizations
@ Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
In honor of Black History Month, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History has curated a schedule of tours to honor and celebrate African and African-American culture. Historian, educator, and Association for the Study of African American Life and History leader Jamon Jordan will lead tours with topics like “The Maafa: The Holocaust of Slavery and the Fight for Freedom,” and “Black Paradise: Black Bottom & Paradise Valley in Detroit.” This special kick-off tour centers around African gods like Dingnesh and Kemet.
Tour starts at 10:30 a.m.; 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit; 313-494-5800; thewright.org; tickets are $12 for museum members and $15 for non-members plus and $8 admission fee.

Saturday, 1/28
Artist Talk: Ryan Standfest
@ Hatch Art
Ryan Standfest is a Detroit artist and editor and publisher of Rotland Press, whose work often mixes equal parts humor and despair. Hatch is hosting an exhibition of his work, titled Random Negotiations Toward an Unreasonable Happiness, and on the last day of the exhibition, Standfast will give an artists talk. In his own words, “Perceiving the world as a series of absurd situations, I assemble narratives establishing an equally absurd causality. The meaning I manufacture is knowingly held in place by the flimsiest of scaffolds, serving as gags or little black jokes that acknowledge a more profound irrationality.” Sounds fun!
Starts at 2 p.m.; 3456 Evaline St., Hamtramck; 313-346-5465; hatchart.com; free.

Saturday, 1/28
Jeff Dunham
@ Joe Louis Arena
The most bizarre part of this show (which is part of the “Farewell to the Joe” season) is that it starts at 5 p.m., so I guess you’re going to dinner afterward. Anyway, people who find Jeff Dunham and his brand of puppet comedy funny will surely enjoy this show, which promises to include both new and beloved skits. Did you know that Dunham has acquired accolades like being named to Forbes’ 100 most powerful entertainers and also holds the Guinness World Record for the most tickets sold for a stand-up comedy tour?
Starts at 5 p.m.; 19 Yzerman Dr., Detroit; 313-471-6606; olympiaentertainment.com; tickets are $39 and $49.50.

Saturday, 1/28
Afrofuturist Cinema Series
@Detroit Film Theatre
The DFT has tapped Detroit’s expert on Afrofuturism, Ingrid LaFleur, to curate a film series that takes a closer look at the genre. The series kicks off on Saturday with Les Saigantes, a 2005 satirical erotic thriller about a pair of beautiful young women who use magical powers to charm the corrupt elite in a futuristic Cameroon. Throughout the film, director Jean-Pierre Bekolo drops title cards commenting on the difficulties of filmmaking in an oppressive political climate, offering a post-modern commentary that eviscerates Cameroon’s elite. LaFleur will be on hand to introduce the films and moderate a Q&A session afterward.
Starts at 9:30 p.m.; 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-3237; dia.org/dft; $9.50.
Sunday, 1/29
Nayika Project
@ Detroit Institute of Arts
The brainchild of educator Paige Hernandez and choreographer Chitra Kalyandurg, the Nayika Project mixes theater, hip-hop music, classical Indian Kuchipudi dancing, and spoken word to offer a contemporary take on the Indian myth of the Ashta Nayika, a popular theme in Indian painting, literature, sculpture, and dance. While recovering from a tough breakup, a woman named Nina encounters a mystical woman named Sakhi, who promises to enlighten her by sharing the nayikas, or the eight stages of a woman in a relationship. The project features original music by Anjna Swaminathan (percussionist), Rajna Swaminathan (dramaturg, violinist), and Roopa Mahadevan (vocalist).
Starts at 2 p.m.; 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-7900; dia.org; admission is free.

Sunday, 1/29
Tom Green
@ Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle
In the early 2000s — at least among the MTV-worshipping sect — Tom Green was an ubiquitous pop culture phenomenon. As the host of the network’s Tom Green Show, he owned a brand of transgressive, stunt-based humor that would later get aped by Jackass. He landed major roles in comedies like Road Trip and Freddy Got Fingered (and was even immortalized with a dig in Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady”). Now Green is taking his comedy to the stage with a stand-up performance. Now that he’s older, should we expect a calmer, gentler sense of humor from Green? Only one way to find out.
Doors at 6:30 p.m.; 310 S. Troy St., Royal Oak; 248-542-9900; comedycastle.com; $30.

Tuesday, 1/31
My Friend’s Comedy Show with Brody Stevens
@ El Club
Detroit-based comedian Travis Grand started this monthly comedy showcase only a few months ago, but already he’s brought in some notable comics from both Michigan and Los Angeles. This month’s set features LA-based stand-up comedian and actor Brody Stevens, who has appeared on Comedy Central, Conan, and was a regular on Chelsea Lately. He has also appeared in The Hangover (I and II) — minor roles he took very seriously. “My call time to show up on set was at 6:30 in the morning. I showed up at 4,” he recounted on a Comedy Central stand-up.
Starts at 8 p.m.; 4114 Vernor Hwy., Detroit; elclubdetroit.com; $12.
Wednesday, 2/1
The Holler Sessions
@ Max M. Fisher Music Center
A Detroit Public Theatre production, The Holler Sessions is written and produced by East Lansing native Frank Boyd, a self-proclaimed American jazz enthusiast. The show is fraught with rants, insights on the genre, and of course tons of music. This night is a preview and thus tickets are a little bit cheaper. Opening night is Friday, Feb. 3 and tickets are $75 for that show, then $35 for matinees and $45 for evening shows. The show runs through Feb. 26.
Show starts at 8 p.m.; 711 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-576-5111; detroitpublictheatre.org; tickets are $35 for this showing.
Wednesday, 2/1
The Lion King
@ Detroit Opera House
Children of the ’90s will likely know every song in this captivating musical based on the animated Disney film — they’ll really have to fight to keep from singing along. The groundbreaking musical is both visually and sonically stunning. It’s really important to arrive on time for this show as the opening number is, shall we say, immersive. Those who come in late will be seated once that number is completed and it would be a shame to miss that iconic scene you’ve been practicing with your cat all these years.
Starts at 7:30 p.m.; 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; broadwayindetroit.com; tickets start at $69.
Wednesday, 2/1
Daniel Bachman
@ Donovan’s
Virginian guitarist Daniel Bachman has been in the biz for nearly a decade, and has charmed audiences around the globe. He has a unique blend of South Asian and Appalachain/“American primitive”-derived folk-rooted styles that makes for an immersive experience. Donovan’s is a fantastic venue, and we notice that there are also more acts this night, including the Muggum House Band and DJ Mike McGonigal (full disclosure, he’s our music editor) there to entertain concertgoers. Plus, the show is affordable, requiring only a $5 donation for the show — although they’re so good that you’ll probably want to go with the suggested donation of $12.
Doors open at 9 p.m.; 3003 W. Vernor Hwy., Detroit; Suggested donation is $12.