At first glance, the world of The Hives might seem to be quite monochromatic. However, the color that is lacking in their wardrobes is overwhelmingly present in their music and their personalities. There has always been something about this band that made them different from the other bands that I like. Maybe it's their catchy tunes, their whimsical style or their charmingly arrogant attitudes. Something about The Hives brings out a different level of excitement from me. Well, not just from me. The Hives even make some of Detroit's biggest rock stars giddy. But, we won't name names.
Since I have been a huge fan of this band for years, I couldn't wait to see them perform this past Wednesday. The Hives had kind of fallen off the radar for about 3 years while they were writing and recording their new album, Lex Hives. Once their return was announced, I began counting down the days until I would have the chance to hear their new tunes and then see them on stage again. As I told a couple of my friends prior to the band's performance at Clutch Cargo's the other night, this band puts on a live show unlike any you have ever seen before.
The evening was full of tops, tails, ninjas and great tunes. It doesn't matter what size the venue is or how many people are in the crowd. The Hives give every performance their all.
One thing that made this evening extra special to me, along with Becca and Sadie, is that we had the honor to sit down with Pelle and Matt before their performance. Going in to this interview we weren't quite sure what to expect. Coming out of it, one thing is for sure- there are definitely two sides to the guys from The Hives. Although they are members of "the best band in the world" while on stage, they are laid back, down to earth and extremely nice guys when they leave the stage. It is our pleasure to share this video with you! We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
As Pelle said, this tour will last about a year and a half total. We are unsure if The Hives will be returning to Detroit during this tour. If they come anywhere remotely close though, I cannot stress this enough, GO SEE THIS BAND!!! There are not many bands that are so good live that you listen to them on the drive home from the show! We did! It's days later and I'm still listening to them! Until we are blessed with the presence of this great band again, at least do yourself a favor and go pick up their latest album, Lex Hives. You will not be disappointed!
A few months back we had our minds blown when we stumbled onto the artist that is Tunde Olaniran. We went to the Magic Bag to see a different performance, and instead left with a copy of his EP and dreams of seeing him again.
We have been waiting patiently for him to book another show in the area so we could attend it and get an interview with him. I also need to see his act live again, videos on Youtube are not cutting it! Tonight we will finally get the opportunity.
Tunde is a well dressed performer who, along with his dancers, will put on a show like you have never seen before. He is a lot of things- handsome, talented, activist, stylist, friend and hip hop artist.
As you know, there's an emerging fashion scene in Detroit. In the past few years there have been numerous designers popping up with their own lines. We have shared some of our favorite local designer with you over the last few months including, Sarah Lapinski (WOUND Menswear), Kelly Lynne and Angela McBride (Peace Love Spandex). Well, we wanted to let you know that not just girls are making clothes. Guys are doing it too!
Since starting this website, we have met so many people. We are constantly finding out about new people, events and ideas. Recently we were contacted by one of our readers, Jay Poljanac, about a new clothing line his friend started called Ghost Cloth. The guy behind these threads is Kevin Brown. We asked him a few questions about his line and the Ghost Cloth Launch Party happening this Saturday.
Hip In Detroit - Tell us about Ghost Cloth. When did you start working on this project? Kevin - "I started working on Ghost Cloth in November and officially launched it in February 28th of this year."
Hip In Detroit - What made you want to start your own clothing line? Kevin - "I started it for two reasons: I have my own screen printing press and I thought it would be cool to just start making my own stuff and I don't like most other clothing companies. "
Hip In Detroit - What type of clothing do you make? Kevin - "Shirts, hoodies, tank tops, zip-ups, girl tank tops, those girl sweaters that don't quite cover the shoulders; all of those things are bought and printed on, but I am planning on making my own wallets, dresses and socks sometime in the near future. I also am starting to print 12.5" x 19" posters that will be ready in time for the June 30th party."
Hip In Detroit - Do you design everything yourself? Kevin - "Most of the them are designed by me, but if my friends show me something I like that they made for me I will print it. "
Hip In Detroit - Can you tell us about your launch party this Saturday? Kevin - "The party this Saturday has Tharsis They, Undesirable People, Reverend, Stoopkids, Steamroller and a band that doesn't have a name yet performing. Its at a house in the Woodbridge neighborhood ( 1553 Merrick Street Detroit, MI 48208 ). This is a party so its free, but its also a concert so the drinks will cost you money. Ghost Cloth stuff [will be] available and all the bands will [have] their merch available. We're also shooting a promo video that night so if you come, you might also be in that... so that's cool. "
Kevin would also like to say: "Thanks to everyone that helped me out so far; my brother Brian, Chris L., Jay P., Undesirable People, Reverend, Endeavors, Martin E. for filming, everyone who understands why I make things hard to get and bought something."
The party is this Saturday, June 30th. They are charging for drinks, but it sounds like they will be pretty cheap. Even if you aren't into clothing too much, there are some good bands playing. Our new friends Undesirable People will be there! Here's an interview we did with them earlier this month!
Everyone has an opinion when you say the words Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Blog. Some people love the growth of social media and others flee from it. Most people try to remain in some sort of healthy limbo, making a point to put down the smartphone when they eat dinner but use the hell out of it while you're waiting for an oil change.
For all the annoying aspects of social media there is always something positive that can be discovered while you're clicking around. For instance, finding out that an ex-boyfriend got fat, discovering a band you like is playing a show or learning that someone you know is very talented. In this case, Facebook tuned me on to a painter that creates art that is beautiful and original.
I emailed him and asked if I could do a feature on him so I could share his amazing art with the people that are nice enough to read what I have to say. What I discovered was that he is a sweet, kind, creative and talented person who has already done a lot and has a big future ahead of him. We also go the privilege to share our logo on a poster that he created for Wild in the Streets. Now I suppose I get to brag that we are part of his body of work, and once you see what he can do, you will understand why I think that is so great.
Mark Penxa definitely has a unique style to his painting. I am obsessed with this bee print I spotted when going through his pictures. I also love that he works on skateboard decks. A cool skateboard deck is such a bad ass thing to have, and eventually ruin from overuse and grinding. From his personal charm to artistic style he's all around impressive. Here's what he had to say:
HipInDetroit- How did you get started as an artist, what is your background? Are you self-taught? Mark- I am self taught, yes. Well, that’s not entirely true. I took a “How To Draw Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” class when I was 9 and some drawing classes at CCS when I was in grade school.
My first real job came In the Summer of 1991, I was at a camp for skateboarding and I sprained my ankle and I wasn't able to skate. To keep my sanity and not die from boredom I was drawing all day long in my sketchbook and taking photographs. One day a counselor looked at my drawings and introduced me to Mike Ternasky, who was the owner of a few different skate brands and he told me to call him once I got home. About a month later he got me my first job in skateboarding when I was 15. I stopped after a year because I didn't like who I was working for at the time and I wanted to concentrate on music. I was doing a lot of graphic design work for bands, but that was about the only artwork is was doing at the time. Then, in 2004 Andy Jenkins from Girl Skateboards sent me an email and asked me if I wanted to draw a board graphic for Rick Howard and I've been drawing for them ever since, whenever they need me.
HipInDetroit- What made you decide that you wanted to be a painter? Mark- I didn’t really have any desire to be a painter until my mid to late twenties. Tony Larson, an artist at Girl at the time, really pushed me to explore painting and try new things. I had painted before, but it was mostly just illustrations on canvas. Nothing that I would consider “fine art” by any means. Once I learned about abstraction and expressionism, I was hooked and knew that I wanted to work towards being a serious painter.
HipInDetroit- Why do you always cover your face in pictures? Mark- I’m terribly shy and I really hate having my picture taken because I don’t think I’m very good looking to begin with. I don’t know why covering my mouth makes me feel safe, I really have a hard time eating in front of people and I will usually have my hand in front of my face the entire time. It’s weird. I don’t know where it comes from.
HipInDetroit- Tell me about the Stealing Signs project? Where did you come up with idea? Mark- Stealing Signs began as a “Thank You” card for my Grandfather who had become ill. Baseball was the one thing we always talked about and the idea was to create a new way that we could still have these conversations. The project is an illustrated history of sports lore, but told through the stories that were told to us by our parents/grandparents.
For example, when I was a kid my Dad would tell me stories about how great of a hockey player Maurice Richard was. The way he described him to me and how passionate he was about making sure I understood the greatness of this person left me wide eyed and painting this visual in my head of a superhero on skates, 7ft tall, bleeding all over the place with the Montreal logo hanging by a thread off of his sweater (jersey). Completely untrue and it wasn’t until later that I was able to reference all these stories with YouTube to get an accurate visual, but for me, what I had in my head is what stuck with me.
Since I started the project in 2005 a lot of people have shared their own stories with me about their Dads and Grandfathers and the stories that were handed down to them. So, I thought it would be great to reach out to anyone who was willing to share and illustrate them all and put them online.
HipInDetroit- What is the goal for the Stealing Signs project? Mark- Once it is finished, I would really love to put it all into a book and have all the stories written out. I think that would really be the best way to present it and enjoy it. So, hopefully I can make that happen at some point. That would be a great way to end it all.
HipInDetroit- Tell me a little bit about the paintings that you are selling to raise money for charity? Mark- If I’m not drawing sports related pictures or skateboard graphics, I am just drawing random things that are in my head. Lately, I’ve been into the idea of animals and the idea of cross breeding them in this fun sort of way. It was received really well and has been getting a lot of attention. So, I’ve decided to use that momentum and do something positive with the series. I decided that 20% of the paintings are going to go towards purchasing specially designed oxygen masks for animals for the Detroit Fire Department and EMS, who have been using their own oxygen masks to revive animals on site because of a lack of funding. Human masks don’t always work for reviving cats or dogs with a smaller snout, or no snout at all. The kits are less than $100 for a set of three different sizes and I couldn’t believe that something so inexpensive wasn’t readily available and on every truck, so I decided I would put that money aside to purchase them myself and donate them to the individual fire houses. In the grand scheme of things and the current situation, this is miniscule but, hopefully it can help and I am more than happy to do it.
HipInDetroit- What is the charity and how does one purchase the paintings? Mark- There is no actual charity set up. This is purely grassroots, but I will be posting receipts and photos as soon as we are able to purchase the masks and start delivering them to the different departments.
There is an Etsy store set up and a Facebook page devoted to the project which will be updated constantly as this moves along. The more people that are involved and talking about it, the better. The idea of making sure every fire and EMS truck has at least one kit on board is not too insurmountable and I think we can make this happen quickly.
HipInDetroit- What was your involvement with the “We Are Here” art gallery? Mark- I was a co-curator along with Allison and Dave Graw. We Are Here was an art exhibition of artists from Detroit whose work we loved and felt wasn’t receiving the proper attention in the art world, but more importantly, it was meant to be a conversation starter amongst artists in the city to talk about what we are all doing and how we can help one another. In our eyes, it was a great success. Over 700 people attended our one night only show and we look forward to doing it again in the Fall.
HipInDetroit- I love the flyer that you whipped up for Wild In the Streets, how do you make something like that? Where did you learn how to make art on the computer so well? Mark- Most of that was drawn by hand and colored on the computer. I like to work in a more traditional way just because it is more rewarding for me, but learning how to do that just comes from trial and error. I’ve never taken a class or anything like that. I just played around with the programs and used them in a way that works for me.
HipInDetroit- What is the goal for you and your art in the future? Mark- I never really have a goal in place as far as where I want to be with art. I just want to always make sure I am doing good, relevant work. To study and practice as much as I can is always on my day-to-day “to do” list but, to do more gallery exhibitions overseas is something I would like to focus on next. After that, it is anyone’s guess.
Thanks again for your time Mark. It was awesome getting to know you a little better! Can’t wait to see what you do in the future!
A couple of months ago we told you that The Swedes were going to be invading Detroit this summer. Well, the first invasion is tomorrow. The Hives will be hitting the stage at Clutch Cargo's tomorrow night! And you are in luck! There are still tickets available!
Photo Credit: Travis Schneider
It has been a few years since we heard from The Hives. After touring in support of "Tyrannosaurus Hives" the band took a break from the spotlight to write their next amazing installment. They recently released their fifth album, Lex Hives, on June 5th. The album is 12 tracks of mind blowing music that the band describes as, "...holy laws after which all life from now on must be lived." The Hives recently made their way back to the U.S. of A hitting the stage at Coachella and shared their new music with the world when they played on Jimmy Kimmel.
Tomorrow night you will have the chance to see a rock and roll show unlike any you have seen before. The energy these guys bring to the stage is contagious and their music is infectious. Trust us. You want to be at Clutch Cargo's tomorrow night. Tickets are $25 in advance and are available here. Be sure to get your tickets ahead of time! We will be shocked if this show doesn't sell out!
Fidlar and Flesh Lights will be opening tomorrow's show. Doors are at 6:30. So leave work early to make sure you get there on time!
Here's the music video for the first single off Lex Hives, "Go Right Ahead"!
Remember a few months ago when we got a chance to sit down with a band called Odd Hours while they were styled by Tunde Olaniran and photographed by Lisa Marie Krug for their newest press shots.
Well, the time for one of the shows they were speaking about has finally come! Odd Hours is playing June 30th at The Old Miami, located at 3930 Cass Ave. The are playing with N2- Submission (Featuring The Impaler), Ferndale Acid Scene and Future Slang. And get this, it's only $5 to get in!
They are officially releasing their EP "Solar Plexus Power of Babooshka" at this show and will have copies for sale.
They made this funny little video to encourage you to come:
The Weakend Reunion Show on Friday was a pretty big hit! Due to an overwhelming response in ticket sales, the show was moved last minute from The Pike Room to The Crofoot. Becca and I were quite impressed with how much they filled up the place!
Wilson put on one heck of a show, as always. It was great to hear them in such a big room! Some of the people in the crowd looked a little puzzled. I'm not sure they were prepared for a Wilson show. Hopefully everyone enjoyed them though!
Shortly after Wilson finished, The Weakend hit the stage with quite the dramatic entrance. The show was full of sing-a-longs and a reminiscent crowd. It definitely seemed like everyone in the crowd was happy to see Mark, Joe, James, Brian, Andrew and Jeff back on stage together.
We didn't capture any videos of our own Friday night, but there were plenty of cameras in the crowd. There are already a ton of videos up on YouTube. We are looking forward to our friend Pasadena's videos, as he definitely had the best view in the house! If you happened to get some footage of Friday's Reunion Show, let the band know! They are compiling a video using everyone's footage that they can get their hands on. Hopefully yours will make the cut!
It's that time of year again! The time when the sky is lit up with pretty colors from explosives. With the 4th being right around the corner, many cities are beginning to have their firework displays. Tonight, the sky will be lit up in Downtown Detroit with the Target Fireworks.
As most of you probably know, the Detroit Fireworks are set off over the Detroit River. The streets near the Riverfront and Hart Plaza tend to be pretty insane on this night. But, if you like fireworks, it might be worth it to brave the crowds to get a good seat. The display is set to start at 10:06 p.m. tonight. If you are interested in seeing the pretty colors, but aren't too keen on giant crowds, I suggest going to The Magic Stick instead. There's a great show there, too, with Snakewing, Child Bite, S.N.A.F.U., Old Gods and Retox. You can usually get a pretty good look at the fireworks from the Alley Deck, but I think the view from the sidewalk patio or the middle of Woodward are a little better.
If you can't make it down to the Target Fireworks tonight, don't fret. There are tons of firework displays everywhere this week. Here's a list of a few of our favorites:
Wednesday, June 27th: Rochester Hills, Borden Park, 1400 E. Hamlin. Fireworks are at Dusk, but there's music and fun starting at 6 p.m.
Friday, June 29th: Mt. Clemens @ City Hall Parking Lot. Fireworks at Dusk. Don't forget, Stars & Stripes Festival is also this weekend!
June 30th, July 1st, 3rd and 4th: Dearborn @ Greenfield Village. This one isn't free, though. Advance tickets are $22.50, $14 children 5-12. Event day tickets are $27, $17.50 children 5-12, 4 and younger free.
Sunday, July 1st: Madison Heights @ Madison Heights Civic Center Park, 360 W. Thirteen Mile. Fireworks start around 10, but there's music and inflatables starting at 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 1st: Shelby Township @ Stony Creek Metropark, 4300 Main Park, off 26 Mile. $10 special event daily vehicle permit required after 5 p.m. or free admission with annual permit.
Tuesday, July 3rd: Birmingham @ Lincoln Hills Golf Course, 2666 W. Fourteen Mile. Starts at Dusk.
Wednesday, July 4th: Clawson @ Clawson City Park, Elmwood and Washington. Starts at Dusk. There's also a parade at 9 a.m.!
So, there are plenty of places to get your fill of fireworks and celebrate America this week. If you are really patriotic, you can even go every night! For a full list of fireworks in the area, check out the Detroit Free Press. 'Merica!
Did you know Detroit has a football team? I'm not talking football like Lions football. I'm talking soccer- real football! The Detroit City Football Club's Le Rouge is in it's first year and is doing pretty well. It is in a midwest division, so they play teams like Cleveland, Buffalo and Erie.
I went to the Detroit vs. Cleveland game this weekend. Unfortunately I missed the game against Buffalo (where I am originally from) last week! My friend just became the announcer for the rest of the season and he told me that the fans are awesome and the games are a lot of fun, so I had to see for myself! I'm really not a sports person, but I did used to play soccer ages ago, so I was a bit more keen on this.
Tickets are only $5, plus $5 for parking in their lot and they play at Cass Tech High School in Detroit. If you go, I highly suggest sitting with the hooligans. They are crazy! I was very impressed by how organized they were and how much they do considering how new the team is. They had all sorts of cheers and songs, smoke, flags, you name it! Plus, everyone has some sort of Le Rouge merch on, whether it be a t-shirt or one of the cool, though slightly Gryffindor-looking (yes, that is a Harry Potter reference), scarves, everyone is wearing red and yellow.
One downside is that there aren't really any drinks or food inside the gates. However, just get your hand stamped and you can come and go as you please. A lot of people venture over to TV Bar in between halves, which is right behind the field, or there is always good, old fashioned tailgating. We kept seeing people with some interesting looking fries (I think there were eggs on them?), but didn't realize where the food came from until we were leaving, even though it was right on the street next to the field. There is always next time!
In summary, I highly recommend checking out Le Rouge. There are only a few home games left in the season, though. It's a perfect way to spend a summer evening and represent Detroit!
Thank you so much to everyone that came out to the Wild in the Streets After Party at Modern on Thursday. The place was packed and all of the bands were awesome! It's so great to see so many people in Detroit come together to support a great cause and have a great time while doing it!
At Modern, we finally got to chat with a band we've been looking forward to meeting for quite some time now, Child Bite. These guys have been the talk of the town lately, drawing huge crowds, making great music and doing some other fun projects. We'll let them tell you what they've been up to.
There are very few things in life that I love as much as food. Well, to be honest, there isn't really anything I love as much as food. And I love trying new food, too. I'll try almost anything at least once, and more often than not I will like it. I was recently in Mexico visiting my sister and it was so hard to not stop at all of the street vendors tempting me with all sorts of weird snacks and meats that looked delicious (since you have to be careful down there, it's better to be safe than sick I suppose). I think I may love 'street food' best of all. You can walk around and try lots of different things! It's perfect. However, I don't think we have enough of that sort of thing around here, unless you go to a market like Eastern Market or there is some sort of festival going on. This is why I am so excited for tomorrows 4th Street Eats in Ferndale.
Tomorrow (Thursday, June 21), you can head down to the alley behind Rust Belt Market and not only do a little shopping at all of the great artisans inside, but try lots of delicious foods from food trucks, seven food trucks to be exact! There will also be live entertainment and admission is free! Unfortunately, because of health codes, it is a dog-free event, so I will not be able to play with all of your adorable puppies while stuffing my face with food.
If you don't get enough of the food trucks tomorrow, there are a few other dates lined up for similar events- July 19, August 23, September 20 and October 18. So make sure to keep an eye on the Michigan Mobile Food Vendors Association so you know what is going on.
If you can't wait until next month, there is another event happening this weekend on Saturday, June 23. Woodward Avenue Brewers is presenting 'The Ferndale Truck Stop' from 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. There is a ton of stuff going on at this event. There will be 10 food trucks, a beer tent with the Detroit Derby Girls, kid activities AND this one is dog friendly! This truck rally is also free and in Ferndale, but it is behind the WAB and Emory.
If that is not enough food for you, I don't know what to do with ya. So head out tomorrow for some dinner before going to the Wild in the Streets Benefit Show over at Modern Skate and then go fill yourself up even more on Saturday.
After having such an amazing time watching Peace Love Spandex's fashion show and the Michigan Glass Blowers create art in front of our eyes, we were excited to finish off the weekend with the closing party at the Magic Stick Sunday night.
The evening began with a viewing of a documentary about the art of glass blowing and the process to bring you an event like this. To be honest, the documentary was a little long and slow-moving, but it was interesting. I wish they would have focused more on the legal battles that they have had to endure to continue to operate and create.
After the movie, the real party started as FLASHCLASH took the stage and performed one of the best sets I have ever seen. Their show included an appearance by the Empress Serilda. Generals Yorg and Bryce rallied together their troops and showed us how they do it in the future. They had me dancing and laughing and enjoying the end of a wonderful weekend.
I wish people knew what they are missing when they miss a FLASHCLASH show. They make music and perform it in a way that no one has ever done before. I encourage you to listen to their EP, Born of Astronauts, and watch their music video for "Spiraling." We have even managed to sneak our cameras in and filmed some live footage which you can find here.
If you grew up on the East Side like me, you probably
spent your high school and early college days going to hall shows,
basement shows and The Wired Frog. Well, if you are close to my age that
is. In the music scene around here there were tons of bands throughout
the years. But there were definitely familiar faces that moved
throughout those bands. They started out playing under names like
Gumshoe 49 and Skalastic Genius. Then they grew up and formed some of
the most popular bands in Detroit. I'm proud to say that I grew up with
some of the most fun-loving, musically talented guys that stuck to their
dreams and created some amazing music.
One of the bands that emerged from this group of people is The Weakend.
Ok, maybe they weren't necessarily in those specific bands that I
mentioned, but all of the guys in this band have been around since way
back then. The Weakend is a group of 6 great guys, Andrew Loehr, James
Walmsley, Joe Walmsley, Jeff Supina, Brian Connelly and Mark Smak. The
band formed in 2003. All of the current members have played in numerous
bands before and after The Weakend. The last time that these guys
performed together was back in 2008. Since then, they have grown up,
moved all over the place and moved on to other projects. Or so we
thought... until the band announced that they will be playing a REUNION SHOW! The show has been in the works for a couple of months now, but it is edging closer and closer. It is this Friday at The Pike Room! To get you ready for the show and to fill you in on the details, I had a chat with James:
Hip In Detroit - It's been quite a few years since The Weakend has been around. You
joined forces again a few years ago for Fordirelifesake's Final show,
but before that it was a little while since you were together. When was
the last time you guys played together? What made you decide that now is
the time for a reunion show? James - "The last show we played was
in November of '08. The event was befittingly billed as our "final"
show. We co-headlined with Fordirelifesake that night — well, on paper
we co-headlined with Fordirelifesake (they were most certainly the
greater draw) — as it was their "final" show, too.
Truth be
told, following our "final" performance until approximately 3 months
ago, I was pretty confident that The Weakend would never play another
show again. I mean, Teen Wolf lives in Alabama, I live in Nebraska,
Mark's always out hunting ghosts or assuming his "Tape Face" alias,
Joe's out there trying to teach the world to be more like Joe, B. — B.
is always on the C., and Supina's still breaking down his kit from the
'08 show. Not to mention, we can't find our manager, Jeremy Crawford;
Joe Lemble, our entire label, was abducted by success; and Mickey
McCranor, our everything else, went into exile. And don't get me wrong,
we've always joked about reuniting, but we were without the means to
take that joke too far…until now. We're playing a show! Get it?"
Hip In Detroit - On top of this being a reunion show, it is also the release of the
Tornado Days EP. Are these old recordings, new recordings or a
combination? James - " 'Tornado Days' was recorded in Philadelphia, PA at
Big Sky Studio during the months of September and October in 2007. The
mixed, mastered version of our efforts was delivered to us the day after
our "final" show, more than a year later. How's that for timing? "The
Curse of Old Man Perpendicular," we like to call it. Although we've been
selling and handing out copies of Tornado Days since, we thought the EP
deserved a proper debut. Unless, of course, Perpendicular has other
plans."
Hip In Detroit - Sounds like you guys are pretty excited about
getting the crowd involved at this show. You are encouraging on stage
sing-a-longs and video recordings. Tell us a little more about this. James - "My 'mates have informed me that the Pike Room stage is too small to
host the choral mix of sea dogs and landlubbers I've aspired to collect.
But YouTube tells me otherwise! I've seen cinematic depictions of
galleys, ones smaller than the Pike Room stage, sailing far more CGI
humans than I could ever dream of joining us in song. Either way, my
hope is that the whole venue will incant the chilling tale of that first
ship, "The Harbinger," to announce the death of our Lord Euphony."
Hip In Detroit - Can we plan on seeing Mr. Supina on stage for any sing-a-longs? James - "If someone can get Pasadena onstage to sing "The Harbinger" with us,
I'll die. What a legend. Otherwise, he'll make his presence known with a
freshly shaved head, tinted glasses, his XL black Weakend shirt (the
one with the bullets) and a six-shooter to boot."
Hip In Detroit - So you still haven't announced who else is playing this show. Any chance you can give us a hint? James - "CLYD DRXLR."
Hip In Detroit - Should we plan on seeing more of The Weakend in the future or is this the last time we will hear from you guys? James - "We will release a full-length album within the next five years, or my
name isn't 'James Christopher Walmsley' and your name isn't 'Hip in
Detroit'."
Sounds like the guys
are pretty excited about this show! Since this interview, The Weakend
has announced that one of their special guests is going to be Wilson. So now we are even more excited than we already were! Tickets
are still available for the show, but they probably won't be for long.
It is only $8 to get in. The band advises that you buy tickets ahead of
time because this show will most likely sell out. We have to say, we
agree with them! We can't wait to start off another great weekend with
another great show! And I definitely can't wait to see a bunch of
familiar faces again this Friday!
The Michigan Glass Project event was in full swing this weekend. The fires were burning, food and drinks were being served and there were models in spandex everywhere. We were lucky enough to get to come down and cover the event and we couldn't have had a better time. The Michigan Glass Project was created not only to promote art and build a local community of glassblowing artists, but also to help raise money to reopen the doors of the Belle Isle Aquarium.
The building consisted of two floors of fun. On the main floor, The Whitney was serving up food, including tacos and cupcakes that were to die for. There was beer and wine to drink (only $2 a glass) and there were a few local merchants including Fotoula Lambros (designer), Detroit Hustles Harder and Detroit Origami selling their wares. There were tables to sit down at to enjoy your food and visit.
Upstairs there were 20 torches set up for artists to work on projects as they pleased. Glassblowers came in from all over to make and sell projects. There were also a few DJ's spinning music, including two of our favorites, DJ Jefferson and East Side Jon.
Outside there were graffiti artists creating different works on large pieces of canvas. This was my favorite thing to watch. I love that someone can take something like a spray can and use it to create art. There was even an artist using a hair dryer to splash the paint and create a different effect on his canvas. The work turned out great and was made to be raffled off at the closing event on Sunday to raise money for the aquarium.
At about 7 o'clock, Peace Love Spandex put on a fashion show that had over 20 looks. DJ Jefferson played tunes while each girl walked out and danced to show off the clothes created by Angie McBride and Detroit Hustles Harder. The hair, makeup and clothes were colorful and fun and the crowd responded well to the show.
We stayed until well after close and we did not want to leave! We are so excited to go back today and get you more coverage including the closing party at the Magic stick with East Side Jon and FLASHCLASH.
We were also able to steal a few models and do a PBR chugging contest that is not only funny, but was sexy and fun! Nothing better than hot girls in spandex chugging PBR! I was shocked at how fast the winner took down a beer. She really was a champ! Thanks to PBR we were even able to give away prizes to the top three winners, including shirts and stickers.
Take a look at the video from Saturday and keep checking with us to find out about other Michigan Glassblowing events. We suggest that next time you don't miss out on this great event!
If you can't tell by now, I love movies. Especially old classics. A few months ago, I got to see one the best Audrey Hepburn films, and one of my all time favorite movies ever, Charade, at the Redford Theatre. It was so cool to see it on a big screen in a theatre instead of sitting on my couch and watching it on my small T.V. Seeing an older movie on a big screen makes more of a difference than you might think it would.
Lately it seems like a lot of theatres around Detroit are starting to play the classics again, and I for one am pretty stoked. Thursday night, even the Magic Bag had a Grease sing-a-long for their brew-n-view. There isn't much that is better than watching a good movie while enjoying a good beer with your friends.
Something I'm really excited for are the upcoming movies at the Cass City Cinema in the Burton Theatre. The Cass City Cinema shows all sorts of movies- classics, new and local, made in Detroit movies. Right now they have True Romance playing, and The Yellow Submarine AND The Big Lebowski are coming up soon! They advertise as also being a place for filmmakers, meaning you can rent the space for screenings and events, too. Make sure to keep an eye on their upcoming movies for one of your favorites. Plus, tickets are only $5!
I've talked about it before, and it is one of my favorites, but the Redford Theatre has some great classics playing this summer, as well. This old theatre is so beautiful! It's definitely a unique place to see a movie, and only costs $4. And as a bonus, before each movie they have a 30 minute organ performance and then they play old cartoons instead of previews! Don't be wary of the organ music, they usually play stuff you know, and it is surprisingly great. This weekend, American Graffiti is playing and throughout the summer the Wizard of Oz, North by Northwest and Cool Hand Luke. In September, Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds will be playing and you can actually spend a VIP evening with Tippi Hedren (known for her roles in Hitchcock films)!
It's a bit farther away, but the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor has The 2012 Bell's Summer Classic Film Series and it is well worth it. They are playing some of the best movies ever- Bringing up Baby, To Kill A Mockingbird, Mary Poppins (sing along!), Jaws (dun-dun, dun-dun...), The Jerk ('Waiter, there are snails in my soup!'), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Casablanca and more. It's a bit of a random mix of movies, but an awesome mix nonetheless. The series is going on all summer long, Sundays at 1:30 and Tuesdays at 7. Tickets are $10, but with a student ID they are only $8.
I know it's warm out and I'm supposed to be spending time outside in the sun, but sometimes, well most times, I can't stand the heat. So, this summer, if you're like me and need a break from the heat, check out one of these places, in addition to the New Center Park of course!
Sacha Baron Cohen's new movie, The Dictator, came out little while ago, but I just finally got around to seeing it. Based on the previews, I was pretty excited about the movie, but that is never a good sign for me.
I think it's fair to say that most people loved Borat, including my 80 year old Jewish grandparents (I think they actually liked it more than me somehow)! Borat brought on so many Halloween costumes and hilarious quotes. Then there was Brüno... I'm not exactly squeamish or one to hide from a movie if it gets to be a little too much, but all I remember from that is covering my face half of the movie. I was definitely not a fan of that one.
Now there is The Dictator. Sacha Baron Cohen plays evil oppressor, Aladeen, in the country of Wadiya who executes anyone who so much as accidentally looks at him. When the UN calls for him to make a speech or Wadiya will be bombed, he travels to NYC to speak. Ben Kingsley, who plays Tamir, comes up with a plot to get rid of Aladeen when they are in NYC. He thinks Aladeen is dead, but really he had his beard cut off and is hiding at a hippie store in Brooklyn where no one recognizes him as the evil dictator. As I'm sure most people can guess, he falls in love with the girl who owns the store and there are some obvious problems.
Overall, the movie was very predictable and I had seen all of the funny parts in the previews before seeing the movie. Don't get me wrong, I did laugh at some parts. As usual there are quite a few Jewish jokes, but overall, the movie was no Borat. There is also a random mix of actors in the movie. I never imagined Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley starring in the same movie. There was one part in particular that rubbed me the wrong way when it got a bit serious. I guess I should have expected it considering it's obviously a tool for Cohen to express his feelings on politics, but it just seemed unnecessary. But that is just my opinion, as well as the guy who sat behind me who very loudly said, 'that was terrible!' at the end of the movie (even though he brought his 10 year old son with him to the R-rated movie). It's worth a watch at the dollar theatre for sure, and I'm sure it'll be there soon.
We love Detroit and we want to be a part of the positive changes that we finally see happening around us. We are part of the grass roots movement to make a difference in the lives of those that call this city home. We refuse to let Detroit be written off as the wasteland it is so untruly portrayed as in movies, articles and films. We live here, work here, raise our kids here and we are not letting you take that away from us.
We are so proud to announce that this year, Detroit will be the 9th city to participate in Wild in the Streets, a movement created by Emerica that not only unites people of a common interest, but also raises funds to create a new place for them to gather. Started in 2004, this movement has already made its way through Philly, Chi-town, San Fran, Vancouver, Tampa, Montreal, London, Madrid and L.A. They have raised funds and built skate parks along the way while uniting the communities around them for a mass skate event and party.
The premise is simple- meet up, go for a skate through the streets and then reconvene for a big, old party.
You will be able to skate and hang out at Modern Skate park in Royal Oak. Meanwhile, the amazing music of Child Bite, Break Anchor, Snakewing, Drunk Dom and the Roaches, and Wrist Rocket will be playing live for you. When you get thirsty, 21 and older can go to the beer tent to fill up with the sweet taste of PBR! What more could you ask for?!
All of this only costs $10 and all, I repeat ALL, proceeds go to the building of an outdoor skate park that will be located in the Ride It Sculpture Park!
If you only do one thing next week, make it this! This event will not only be fun as hell but is for a good cause that will change the face of the city of Detroit for decades to come! So, make sure you're there on June 21!
Detroit is a city full of hope despite all the sadness that we see around us. We are a city that has learned to make something out of nothing and turn tragedy into a brighter future for those that remain. James Dewitt Yancey, better know as J Dilla, could have just been another sad case of a talented man dying too young. Instead his music and legacy have been used to unite a city and bring hope to those in it. According to his obituary at NPR.org, he "was one of the music industry's most influential hip-hop artists, working for big-name acts like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes and Common.” He died at 32, but his legacy continues to grow.
Today marks a historic day, the release of a video and record in tribute to him, called "Rebirth of Detroit.” Check out the video and make sure to put an order in for the CD. It features our city and the artists making their living here.
J Dilla continues to unite the city through the J Dilla Foundation, created and run by his mother Maureen Yancey. According to her, “One of the things Dilla wanted me to do with his legacy was to use it to help others, people with illness, kids who were musically gifted, but had little hope due to poverty.” To learn more about J Dilla, please go to www.j-dilla.com.
This weekend, June 15-17, Detroit will be hosting a pretty amazing event. The Michigan Glass Project is a 3 day art event at the Eastern Market, complimented by different parties around the city on each of the nights. This event is to help unite local artists and showcase their talents, while raising money to help re-open the doors of The Belle Isle Aquarium.
The Belle Isle Aquarium was the oldest aquarium in the U.S. when it closed its doors in 2005. It was originally opened in 1904 making it a young 101 years old when it had to shut down. They currently only have 12 working tanks with fish in them. The goal of this event is to raise funds to help them replace the roof and get more tanks up and running. Someday they hope to reopen this center to the public.
The cost for the events that are part of The Michigan Glass Project is $20 for the weekend or $15 for a day pass.
This glass blowing event will feature over 100 artists giving demonstrations on 20 torches that will be set up for the artist to work on. Some of the art they create will be donated to the aquarium and other art will be auctioned off on Sunday from 4 to 5 to raise further proceeds for the aquarium. That means if you see a piece being made that you like, you could win it at the end of the weekend and take it home to enjoy for years to come! There are lots of acts performing music and creating art in conjunction with this event. Two of Hip In Detroit's favorites, East Side Jon and Flashclash, will also be a part of this weekend. These are two acts that you don't want to miss! Here is a small rundown of the events happening this weekend. For a full list of performers and artists go to themichiganglassproject.com.
Friday June 15 (Kickoff!): 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.: Main Event Day 1 -Glass blowing demos/music/food and drinks at a renovated space in Eastern Market (2431 Orleans, Detroit)
7 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Belle Isle Aquarium Reception @ Belle Isle Park - Featuring food, drinks and Live Music with Frank Raines and East Side Jon. $25 at the door or $20 in advance.
10 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Whitney Garden Late Night Party (4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit)- Featuring music from Will Sessions and DJ Defiant. $10 at the door or $5 with a weekend wristband. Saturday June 16th: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.: Main Event Day 2 @ 2431 Orleans - Glass blowing demos/ food/drinks and music. $20 weekend pass or $15 day pass. 10 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Old Miami Late Night Party (3930 Cass Ave.) - Featuring music from Brad Hales, The Chiropractiers and Heady Ruxpin. $5 at the door or FREE with a weekend wristband!
Sunday June 17th: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.: Main Event Day 3 @ 2431 Orleans - Glass blowing demos/ music/food/drinks. $20 weekend pass or $15 day pass
7 p.m. - 12 a.m.: Degenerate Art Event and Closing Party at The Magic Stick (4120 Woodward Ave.) - Live music with our favorites, FLASHCLASH and East Side Jon! (Do not miss this party!)
We could not think of a better way to spend the weekend! We think this event is not only going to be fun, but it will be positive for the rebirth of the city that we love!
Last month, when we first visited The Toepfer House in Warren, the one thing that stuck in our heads was the giant PBR decal in the basement. That, and how much fun we had. Since Sadie and I grew up going to basement shows, it was nice to relive this experience. Since Becca had never been to a basement show, it was a whole new experience for her. We decided that the next time we headed to this house we would have to have some fun with their excellent choice of artwork.
That is exactly what we did on Friday night. We got together with representatives from 4 great Detroit bands (Seized Up, Bill Bondsmen, Break Anchor and The A-Gang) and one out of town band (Worlds Scariest Police Chases) and organized a PBR chugging contest... well as organized as a chugging contest could be. Better yet, we recorded the whole thing so we could share it with you!
As you can see, we had a lot of fun. Thanks to all of the guys for participating and thanks to the home owners for allowing us to have so much fun in their house!
While we were at the show, we were lucky enough to talk with Bill Bondsmen and Seized Up for a few minutes. For some reason we thought it would be a good idea to chat with them under a street light though... not such a good idea. Both of these bands are made up of a bunch of great dudes though and the interviews are definitely worth the watch!
We seriously had such a great time with all of the bands and everyone we partied with Friday night. We met some awesome new friends too! Next time there is a show at The Toepfer House, make sure you are there! So much fun! Here are some clips from The A-Gang's set as well as Bill Bondsmen's. We must add, it is crazy to see Wedge singing in a punk rock band, but it is awesome! Make sure you check out The A-Gang's video to see what we're talking about!
Wow! That's a whole lot of videos for one night! Thanks again to the owners of The Toepfer House for hosting these awesome shows! We definitely missed basement shows and can't wait 'til your next one!
