Hip In Detroit 2nd Anniversary Bash!!!

When we first started this site 2 year's ago, we weren't sure how many people would actually be into it. What we did know was that there were a lot of things going on in Detroit that needed to be talked about by people who could see the positive side of a place that so many people usually put down. Well, apparently a lot of other people love this city too and wanted to hear what we had to say. The music, the food, the art, the culture, there is so much going on every night of the week, there is never a dull moment. We are so lucky to live in such a great place with so much to offer and new things popping up every day. It's not just anywhere that you can come up with an idea and actually make it happen. We say screw New York, if you can make it here you can make it anywhere, Detroit is the new frontier.

So two years have passed and we have met some amazing people  and seen some wonderful bands.  We cannot thank our readers or the people that we work with enough. Your willingness to share helps us get the word out and continue to grow.  We hope that we can continue to cover Detroit and do what we're doing for the next 50 years, but we couldn't do it without each and every one of you. Whether you check the site daily, tell us about a show, talked to us about your store, tell us about your art, or have only been to Hip In Detroit once, we love you. To celebrate making it through another year, we are planning one hell of a party to commemorate 2 years of Hip In Detroit with all of you.

Here's the details! Saturday, February 1st we will be taking over The Loving Touch in Ferndale for one night of fun. We will be having some raffles and giveaways with prizes ranging from tickets to gift cards to merch from some of our favorite Detroit companies. The list is already long, and nowhere near complete, but currently includes InkAddict, Rouge MakeUp & Nail Studio, Black Iris Booking, our favorite personal trainer Mark Culpepper, Small's, Vile Company, and many more. Our friends over at Ironclad Tattoo Co. are also sponsoring this event, so we're sure there will be some great prizes and swag from those guys too. We have so much more planned in the giveaway department, but you'll just have to hold tight until closer to the event!

And what's a party without music!?!?!? We have covered soooo many amazing musicians and bands already over the last couple of years that it was hard to narrow it down to just a few. But, we had to and we did. We managed to come up with a lineup that we love and that we think will have at least one act that will appeal to everyone. This year's lineup includes The ILL Itches, Autumn Wolf, Rebel Spies, The HandGrenades, and Tunde Olaniran! To top it off, in between sets Ancient Language will be DJing. This lineup is eclectic, buts it's also solid. There won't be a dull moment throughout the night, to say the least.

It's only $5 to get in to The Loving Touch on February 1st. Doors open at 9 pm and 21+ are welcome. For all of the details and updates on the party, make sure to check out the Facebook event page here and RSVP too! We hope to see each and every one of you at The Loving Touch on the 1st! We love you all and cannot wait to party with everyone! Here's to the next 50, cheers!

~C&S

Axe Ripper EP Release Show Saturday!!!

If you like metal and you are in the mood to venture Downriver, you are in luck! This Saturday, Axe Ripper is celebrating the release of their new 7" Split EP at The Rockery in Wyandotte.

The band just got back into town after touring the East Coast and they've really been getting down to business too. They were recently featured in Metro Times and you may have also seen them at YpsiFest last week. If you like metal with a 90s feel and you like to party, this is the band for you. The EP being released on Friday is a split with Lockgnar from Minnesota. Although it isn't available online yet, you can get a feel for what Axe Ripper is all about by checking out their album Welcome To Detroit Destruction on their bandcamp here. 

Saturday's show is FREE and 21+ are welcome. Joining Axe Ripper on the bill are Manic Outburst, Meat Beastly, and Trigger. Doors open at 8 pm. The Rockery is located at 1175 Eureka in Wyandotte.

~C

Voyag3r at New Way Bar this Friday!

If you are in the mood for something different this Friday night, you have to head to New Way Bar in Ferndale. Voyag3r is hitting the stage there along with The Oscillating Fan Club and Pewter Cub. I heard Voyag3r for the first time this past summer at Dally In The Ally and was immediately drawn to the stage. They are fun, a little bizarre, and all around awesome. If you like horror films or video games, you'll probably like this band. Their music definitely seems to be influenced by both of these things. Here's a video the band put together to promote Friday's show.

As you saw in the video, this show is being presented by Bellyache Records. In honor of Black Friday, Bellyache will have all kinds of great deals at their booth at the show. So make sure you swing by and pick up some records. There are a ton of great albums that have been released by Bellyache this year alone.

It's only $6 to get into the New Way on Friday and 21+ are welcome. Doors open at 8 pm. New Way Bar is located in Ferndale at 23130 Woodward Avenue. 

~C

Win Tickets to See James Linck with Autumn Wolf, After Dark Amusement Park and Big Brother Little Brother @ Small's!!!

Last weekend at Small's I let out a shriek of happiness when I saw a flyer on the wall that my absolute favorite singer James Linck would be playing there. I have been waiting to see him perform at this venue. Everywhere else he plays has sub par sound and I cant wait to hear a set through Small’s system. That is one of the things that Small's has on every other venue, a great system, along with great sound guys and great service at the bar. You should have heard the sound the night that The Company We Keep played there, it was ethereal. 

James will be playing this Friday with Autumn Wolf, another local artist whom we have become a big fan of. He gets up on stage and fills the room with music and gets people dancing. After Dark Amusement Park, and a new project Big Brother Little Brother will also be performing. I think that all four acts are worth checking out, so it makes sense to get there early and catch them all. 

In fact I want you to see these bands so bad that we asked Small's to let us have one set of tickets to giveaway to the show. To enter please email hipindetroit@gmail.com with your full name in the body and "Black Friday at Small's" in the subject. We will draw a winner the morning of the show and they will be on the guest list plus one. The show starts at 8 pm and ticket are $5 for 21+ and $8 for those 18-21. Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck. Check out James' new website and his album The Fortress of Solitude to get yourself pumped for the show, it is one of my favorites.

~S

Free Cold English Show This Friday at The Loving Touch!

The holidays are upon us and that means two things, there is a lot to do and you tend to be a little cash poor due to buying all those gifts to give and turkeys to eat. This week there are a lot of shows, but there are few that stood out to us that we felt were worth mentioning. One of those shows is Cold English playing at The Loving Touch this Friday, November 29th. They will be playing alongside Lola Valley, Eddie Logix, and Doc Waffles. Dante LaSalle will also be spinning records throughout the night.

I received a copy of Cold English's album a few months ago and I liked what I heard. They are rock and roll with a hip-hop twist. The best part is that they are a full band with drums, so it's the best of both worlds. They are also showing some love to their fans by making this show free for anyone that lends them a little support. All you have to do is tweet, Instagram or Facebook about this show using one of the following hashtags: #thanksb_tch #LVatLT4free #lolavalley. Help get the word out about the show and they will help you save a little money for the holidays! The Loving Touch is located at 22643 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. Doors for this show are at 9 pm and 18+ are welcome.

~S

The Warm Way to Experience The Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Thanksgiving is this week, which means so is the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Detroit. Although waking up at the crack of dawn and sitting along Woodward in 20 degree weather sounds like a blast, we have a better idea we'd like to suggest. This year, head to the Majestic for Thanksgiving!

The Majestic Complex (The Majestic Cafe, Theatre, Garden Bowl, and Magic Stick) is hosting their Thanksgiving Family Fun Fest this Thursday morning. The event features an awesome Breakfast Buffet and a great view of the parade staging area. That means all of the floats, bands, and celebrities will be getting ready right outside and you can see the parade before everyone else down the road! Not to mention, it should be a lot warmer and cozier inside the Majestic and they have plenty of windows you can look out.

Tickets for Thanksgiving Breakfast at the Majestic are $20 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under. As with all Majestic events, tickets are available at the Garden Bowl fee free. The fun starts at 7 a.m. and runs until Noon, with the parade officially stepping off at 8:45 a.m. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Coalition on Temporary Shelter. For further details and a list of all the tasty food that will be available, click here.

~C

Detroit Bands Pretending to be Other Detroit Bands - Call for Musicians for DETxDET IV!!!

It's no secret that a lot of great music comes out of Detroit. Whether it's the big shots like Alice Cooper and The White Stripes or the newer local favorites like The HandGrenades or The Sights, there's a ton of great music coming out of Detroit every year for decades now. This is the exact reason that our friend Melissa Rowe at Oh Snap! PR started an event called Detroit by Detroit.

Detroit by Detroit (DETxDET) is a showcase of Detroit bands performing songs by other Detroit bands. Some go with more well known like Bob Seger and others perform as their friend's band. It's really all up to the musicians to pick someone that they love and that they think will be entertaining. And there have been quite a few that were very entertaining over the years. Some that stick out in my mind are Flint Eastwood as Eminem, Mick Bassett as The White Stripes, and the Kickstand Band as The Amino Acids. This show is always full of a ton of great music and is a blast. To top it off, proceeds go to School of Rock. So it's fun and it's for a good cause!

The next installment of DETxDET is right around the corner. It's set for Saturday, February 22nd at the Magic Stick. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2014 show. If you would like to be a part of it, just click here. In the past there have been about 15 bands that alternate between the 2 stages at The Stick. Each band plays a handful of songs. February may seem like a little ways away, but it will be here before you know it. Get your application in now so you have plenty of time to perfect your set and get those costumes in check! The deadline to apply is Sunday, December 15th.

~C

The Katt's Meow - Your New Guide to Beauty

My friend Katrina works at Luigi Bruni Salon in Birmingham and is known to be quite the hairdresser, stylist, and makeup artist. She is always looking flawless and some of her morning selfies make me want to puke; she's more put together at 8 a.m. than I am on my best day. The best part is that it doesn't look like she is trying too hard, just knows how to highlight the right things and make the most of what she has. I was excited to find out that she had launched a new blog called TheKattsMeow.com to share her knowledge with the rest of us. She posts almost daily about the latest and greatest from hair and makeup tricks to new products. She has all sorts of amazing photo from the jobs that she has done and she's a world traveler that gets to go everywhere for her work.

I decided to use this opportunity to ask her about some of her makeup and hair tricks along with her dos and don'ts. She had a lot of interesting advice, which further leads me to believe that she is my new beauty guru. Check out what she has to say below and visit the website daily to keep learning along with me. She makes it fun to be a girl!

Hip In Detroit- What inspired you to become a hairdresser and makeup artist?
Katrina- "I have a serious love for fashion - movies - starlettes - models - artists - designers, it started when I was so young. I was obsessed with magazines and knew that when I was older it was something I wanted to pursue because doing my own hair and makeup just wasn't fulfilling enough."

Hip In Detroit-What inspired you to start your new website The Katt’s Meow? How often will it be updated? What kind of information can your readers expect to find?
Katrina- "thekattsmeow.com has been on my mind for 2 years now- people ask me for advice on EVERYTHING-I've done and seen a lot in my life and I love spreading any knowledge I have on products- how to DIY- etc. It comes easy for me so why not SHARE with everyone? I update the site every morning except Sundays."

Hip In Detroit- When applying eyeliner? Do you start from the inside and go out, or outside and go in? Is one way better than the other?
Katrina- "Start from the middle to end then stop - reevaluate and from outward in go for a wingtip -keep Qtips on hand for clean up."

Hip In Detroit- Big eyebrows are all the rage right now but mine are blonde and have to be drawn on no matter what. Any tips on how to fill them in and get them to stay there? They always seem to fade after a hour!
Katrina- "When you get your hair colored- color your brows 2 shades darker and you'll get a darker vibe. I love Anastasia's brow pencils and a lil swipe of hairspray on your finger then on top of brow helps to set it."

Hip In Detroit- What's the trick to giving yourself a great blowout at home?
Katrina- "Well it depends on your hair- if it's fine, volume mousse and start blowing, don't let it air dry- you'll get no volume. I love velcro rollers. After blowout, spray some Oribe Dry for extra push - if you have wavy thick hair use a straightening serum mixed with oil brush then and let it sit for 10 minutes before you blow. Then sectioning is key - take breaks and don't rush- when it's still warm use your fingers to push and go in the direction you want...A great blow dryer really does help!!!"

Hip In Detroit- If you were stuck on a desert island and only had three cosmetic items with you what would they be?
Katrina- "Benefit- Their "Real” mascara. Tom Ford lipgloss. Sugar Pink- Kat Von D liquid liner in Carbon. I would say bronzer, but I would be geting a great tan if I was on an island!"

Hip In Detroit- Who are you style inspirations and why?
Katrina- "I loveeeeee Marilyn Monroe (as my icon)! JLO & Beyoncé because I'm a thick girl and although I'm working on my weight, I love my curves and these 2 totally show them off . I love GLAM! I also have an insane addiction to KATE MOSS!!!!! My whole house is filled with her! LOL"

Hip In Detroit- Number one makeup or hair mistake that women make in your opinion?
Katrina- "For makeup, it's not wearing any & contouring themselves into drag queens. For hair, over relaxing/ straightening."

Hip In Detroit- Fav brands/products right now? Go!
Katrina- "Concealer - Yves St. Laurent - Touche Éclat
Mascara - Benefit - Their Real also Loreal - Voluminous
Lipstick - MAC - Kinda Sexy gloss (besides Tom Ford); Beauty is Life - Venise gloss @Barneys
Eye Shadow- Urban Decay - Naked Palettes
Face Lotion- Skin Medica - Rejuvenative Moisturizer
Nail Polish- Akastyle - MAKES NO APOLOGIES @ Luigi Bruni Salon
Curl Enhancer - Oribe Creme for Style & Oribe Apres Beach Spray @ Luigi Bruni Salon
Hair Straightener - Polish - Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing oil & Oribe Royal Blowout
Blush- NARS Orgasm & Estee Lauder in Naughty"

Hip In Detroit- The one piece of clothing, jewelry, or accessory that you can't leave home without?
Katrina- "I can’t leave home without accessories- when I'm going out I load it on - I have serious jewelry issues!"

Hip In Detroit-You travel a lot for work, what's your favorite place to visit?
Katrina- "I get to travel for work a lot, but my absolute fave was PARIS working with Oribe for Giorgio Armani."

Hip In Detroit- Fall fashion must haves according to Katt?
Katrina- "Dark lipstick- leather jacket- something furry."

Hip In Detroit- Favorite local music artists, restaurants, bars?
Katrina- "MOLA1(My Brilliant brother) & Ben Sharkey
                 Restaurant - CRAVE, Bar-Bosco"

Hip In Detroit- Anything else you want our readers to know?
Katrina- "I would love readers to know that my absolute passion in life is my WORK!!!! But, my family is the reason my heart beats. My aunt, uncle, and my bro are the push behind me that make me DREAM BIG & give me confidence to believe I can do anything..I feel like I'm just getting started 19 years later in this biz ...stay tuned."

~S

Shangri-La Detroit

For years friends have been telling me that I need to go get Dim Sum at Shangri-La in West Bloomfield. Everyone says that it is the best Chinese food in town and that it is worth the drive. Unfortunately, I have never been able to make the trek over to the west side, but I was able to finally have dinner at the newer Detroit location on Cass Avenue (where Twingos used to be). Before I left the house, I compared the menus and realized that they feature different items at the different locations. So this review cannot be applied to the other location for that reason alone.

First of all, I am not a huge fan of going out for Chinese food. I never know what to order and it is not in any way shape or form a very healthy or low calorie option. But, every once in awhile I'll get the craving and go out and splurge with a few friends. I usually end up getting sushi, if they have it, to try to cut down on grease and I was excited to see that they had
an option to get your sushi made with brown rice. I ordered soup, a spring roll, and 2 different kinds of sushi, salmon avocado and tuna avocado on brown rice. Of course I knew I wouldn't be able to finish all of , but I wanted to try a little bit of everything. My dining mates did the same thing, one ordered Kung Pao chicken with a spring roll and soup and a few items off the Dim Sum menu, including shrimp buns and fried noodle. The other ordered almond shrimp and sticky vegetable buns. We had a vast array of treats on the table and we all shared and sampled from each other.

I have to be honest, I only liked part of the food. It seems to be that this place excels at Dim Sum items, but slacked when it came to the regular menu items like the Kung Pao chicken. It just wasn't that good. And as far as brown rice sushi went, it's just not good, but I think that was my fault not theirs. Sushi needs to be made with the standard sticky Jasmine rice. The brown ruined one of my favorite foods and made it difficult to eat. The rice kept falling off every time I tried to get some soy sauce on the rolls.

I was also a little disappointed in the service. It took a long time get all of our food and then at least a half hour after we finished for them to ask if we wanted our bill. By this time we were all out of beer, tea, and water, so we really were ready to go. If I return, I will likely only order Dim Sum items, as I felt they were all very good and responsibly priced. The unfortunate part about that is that they are not open on Sundays and that would be the traditional day to go out for Dim Sum. So, you have to want to have Dim Sum on another day of the week to get it from here. I would give it like ⅗ stars overall, but ⅖ if you include the poor service. One pot of tea in two hours for three people, that's just sad!

~S

Win Tickets to Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas' First Annual Thanksgiving Show!!!

Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas have spent the year traveling around the U.S. and making a name for themselves and they are coming home to celebrate this Thanksgiving. They have announced their First Annual Thanksgiving Show that will feature them playing alongside The Sights and George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus. Not only is this a great lineup, but it promises to be the first of many Thanksgiving shows to come. Don't be the person who wasn't there for the first one and miss out.

Jessica is a self proclaimed band geek who spent a few years writing and recording the DIY route before she was signed to major label with her band The Deltas this past year. We are anxiously awaiting the release of their first full length, but in the meantime we have been enjoying their live album recorded at The Magic Bag last year. You can check that out here.

This show is all ages and is only $10 dollars. That's $3.33 a band, which with a lineup like this, is more than a deal. This event will take place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27th and we have three sets of tickets to giveaway to get some of our readers into the show for free. To enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will choose three winners and email them a few days before the show. Tickets for this event can be purchased here. St.Andrew's is located at 431 E. Congress in Detroit.

 ~S

Help John Haley Take a Plunge to Help the Special Olympics!!!

Here at Hip in Detroit we are a sucker for a charity with a good cause. We love to see our readers step up to the plate and do something to make a difference in the community. From cleaning up Brush Park this summer to gaming for a cause, we have seen all sorts of ways to give back to the community around us, but this one is probably the chilliest. I received an email from an old friend who is dipping his entire body into into very cold water to raise money for the Special Olympics. The Detroit Polar Plunge will take place on February 15th at the Renaissance Center and Milliken State Park and John will be there dipping for a cause.

He doesn’t seem to be worried about shrinkage or his own well being. Instead he just wants to be the biggest fund raiser for the cause and make his dip the biggest money maker of the day. We want to help him raise as much money as possible, so we asked him a couple questions about the event and why he decided to join in. After you read about the cause, we ask you to donate anything you can spare so that we can show him that here in Detroit we really do care about each other. 
 
Hip In Detroit- What is The Polar Plunge?
John- "The Polar Plunge is an event put on by The Law Enforcement Torch Run. It benefits the Special Olympics, to ensure all athletes are able to compete."

Hip In Detroit- Why did you choose to raise money for the Special Olympics?
John- "I'm a strong believer in the Special Olympics. If you have ever been to an event, and witnesses how much joy it brings to their faces, I'm willing to risk hypothermia."

Hip In Detroit- What costume do you plan to wear?
John- "You know, I have not really thought about that, maybe your followers can help on that front. I need ideas."

Hip In Detroit- Have you ever done anything like this before? If not what moved you to do so now?
John- "I actually stumbled upon this after finding out Honest John's Bar stopped doing the Dips for Tots. I participated in that event years ago and it was also for a great cause. The big difference between the two events is that I was 50 sheets to the wind during the dip and I feel like that was an advantage!"

Hip In Detroit- We are worried about the cold water and your balls, are you?
John- "I'm not too worried about my balls. They have been to hell and back, yet they never have failed me."

Hip In Detroit- Do you have any family or friends joining you or are you plunging alone?
John- "I decided to join on my own, I neglected to option to join a team, I have the D.I.Y mentality, I'm going it alone. After I signed up I found out another friend had joined after seeing my FB post, which is rad. The more the merrier."

Hip In Detroit- Anything else that you want our readers to know?
John- "Thanks to Hip In Detroit, and anyone who helps me on this adventure. The real winners are the athletes, but I'd sure love to be the top fundraiser, this is WHERE you come in."

To donate to John and help him raise money for this excellent cause please click on his page here. Remember, every dollar helps and in the end we are all winners for making a difference and helping those who aren't as fortunate as we are.

~S

Talking with James Brown About the Citizen Smile Release Show!

Citizen Smile will be releasing their first full length since 2009 this Friday, November 22nd at The Loving Touch alongside two bands we love, Haunted House and The ILL Itches. The new album is called Everything’s Changing and Nothing, a fitting title once you read what guitarist and vocalist James Brown has to say about the new music. This promises to be a great show with a very solid lineup, so we wanted a chance to talk to Brown about the release and what the future holds next for the band.  

Hip In Detroit- How would you describe your music to someone who's never heard you before?
James Brown- "We like to play our guitars really loud and we tend to wear our hearts on our sleeves, but at the end of the day, I’m pretty sure that it’s pop rock. Some of our biggest influences are probably Nada Surf and Tokyo Police Club (but there are a million others)."

Hip In Detroit- It has been over three years since years since you put out your last full length. Why did you wait so long to put out this album?
James Brown- "Basically, we didn’t feel any rush and we wanted to get it right. We worked really hard on making this feel like a full album and not just a collection of songs, and we wanted to let the songs evolve in practice and, for some of them, live. On our last EP, Ricky was pretty new with us on bass, and shortly after the release, Will joined on drums, so we kind of wanted to make sure that we knew who we were as a band before we jumped the gun and released anything."

Hip In Detroit- How do you think you have changed as a band over the last three years? Do you think these changes are reflected in the new album ?
James Brown- "I think that we’ve learned to write and play collectively as a band over the last three years. Nobody’s just playing their individual part to a song—we’ve all kind of learned where everything fits. Not to mention, we’ve all gone through tremendous personal changes that are reflected in the album."

Hip In Detroit- Where was the new album recorded? Who was it recorded with? Who mixed it?
James Brown- "It was recorded at Mixed Signals Studio in Waterford with Ryan Thomas, who also did the mixing and mastering."

Hip In Detroit- What is your favorite track off the new album and why?
James Brown- "Probably “People I’ve Done Wrong.” I wrote this song as a full-fledged folk song and brought it to the band; we tried to play it that way a few times and then just totally broke it down to a completely different sounding, atmospheric song. I also think that it really captures a ton of what the album is about, thematically—self-reflection and faith."

Hip In Detroit- Why did you ask The ILL Itches and Haunted House to play your record release show with you?
James Brown- "They’re friends of ours and just awesome bands. We think that the three of us together will be a really cool dynamic that will draw in (hopefully) a ton of people."

Hip In Detroit- What are your favorite local bars, restaurants, and clubs? Why?
James Brown- "I’ve always loved the Lager House; it’s a great atmosphere and always fun. I also love Green Dot; that’s some of the best food around."

Hip In Detroit- What comes next now that the record is out?
James Brown- "The next album is actually written, but we want to sit with the songs for a while. We’re actually thinking of putting out a mostly acoustic EP with a couple new songs and a couple songs from this album done differently. We’re all really into a lot of folk rock like the Acorn and Dawes, so that’s kind of a new thing we’d like to try out."

The show starts at 9 pm on Friday and there is no cover. That's right, entry is free so you have a few extra dollars to buy the record and a few drinks while enjoying the music. The Loving Touch is located at 22634 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale.

~S

Soul Ride - Helping Those In Need One Bag at a Time

It's that time of year where everyone is feeling a little more giving, but with the weather getting colder and the holidays right around the corner, the need is even greater. Two companies, One Soul Graphics and Sweet Bikes, have come together to put on an event called Soul Ride. This is a unique way to help out those in our community, and it won't cost you much money or a ton of time. Plus it sounds like a lot of fun.

Here's the plan for Soul Ride; a group of people will be meeting up this Saturday, November 23rd to pack some brown bag lunches at Town Pump Tavern. They will then ride their bikes and drive their cars around the city of Detroit to distribute these lunches to a few predetermined locations and pretty much anyone they come across that could use a meal. It's a simple idea, but it will mean a lot to a lot of people.

If you would like to help, there are a few ways to do so. First, you can volunteer. Between 9 am and 11 am on Saturday everyone is meeting up at Town Pump to make the lunches. If you can bring a bunch of brown bag lunches already assembled with you to the bar, that's even better! Then, the volunteers will head out to deliver the meals. Afterwards everyone will reconvene at Town Pump to celebrate everything they are thankful for. Another way you can help is by donating food. You can drop off any non-perishable, bagged lunch type items, such as fruit cups, juice boxes, granola bars, etc. to Sweet Bikes located at 39946 Ford Rd in Canton (48187). They will be accepting donations there during regular business hours until 6 p.m. on Friday. If you can't make it out to Canton by then to donate, you can also just drop off food to the group on Saturday morning before they head out to make deliveries. The last way you can help is probably the easiest one, donate through Patronicity here. This website is very similar to Kickstarter and other fundraising sites out there. Their goal is $1,000 and you can donate as little as $1 towards the cause if you would like. Donations can be made through Thursday, November 21st. There are also a lot more details on this event on the Patronicity page, so make sure you check it out.

We applaud Sweet Bikes, One Soul Graphics, and everyone involved for organizing this and making an effort to help out those in need in our community. I'm sure they will fill many people's stomachs on Saturday and in turn make their day. Remember, whether you help with this group or start a movement of your own, you don't have to make huge strides or donate a ton of time and money to help people out. Whether you help out a hundred people or just one person, the important thing is that you helped.

~C

~C

Win Tickets to Every Time I Die!!!

Every Time I Die is currently on tour with Letlive and Code Orange Kids and they will coming to the Magic Stick this Saturday, November 23rd. Detroit is one of the first couple of dates on this tour that will continue through the end of December.

Every Time I Die are known for a lot of things, but mostly for their extremely dark and sarcastic lyrics and a killer live show that watchers rant and rave about after experiencing it. My first thought was that this is a small venue to see a band of this caliber and it is going to be one packed and intense event. 

Tickets for this show are only $15 and doors will open at 7 pm on the day of the show. This show is all ages, so the younger fans can come out and see what an Every Time I Die show is like live and in person. We, of course, have one set of tickets to giveaway thanks to our friends over at Black Iris Booking. These ladies are bringing some of the best bands around through town and keeping the ticket prices low. We can't thank them enough for all of their hard work. To enter to win tickets, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will draw one lucky person the day of the show and they will be able to bring a friend and check out the show for themselves. In the meantime, check out an ETID video to get yourself psyched for the show!

~S

Checkin' Out What a Detroit Derby Girls' Bout is All About!

This Saturday my boyfriend and I attended our first Derby Girl back to back bouts at The Masonic Temple. Despite having a very small working knowledge of the sport, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I didn't know how big the skating areas would be, where they would have it set up within the Masonic, and how many people would come out and support the ladies.

We arrived and signs quickly directed us to where we needed to be, we got our tickets and took an elevator up to the third floor where we found a large room turned into a Derby venue for the night. The ring was in the middle and seats were all the way around the floor. You literally sit right next to the ring and can get a very up close and personal view of everything that is happening. The place was packed wall to wall and there were lots of fans using horns, tambourines, and other noisemakers to cheer for their teams. They have a large scoreboard to keep track of what's going on and an announcer giving you the play by play action overhead. The room was full of life and drinks were being poured and consumed. It was just like any other sporting event, except it was a lot more action packed and a little more violent. 

The best part about Derby is that it keeps moving. There are no long breaks, no long time outs, and there is always action. I loved watching the girls push and take each other down, some of these women are tougher than anyone I have ever seen. Their legs are 100% muscle and the power that they are able to elude while going around the track is mind blowing. I cannot imagine how much training goes into getting ready for a game and how many bruises you must have once it's all over. 

From the uniforms to the crowd to the music they played, I loved the whole thing. Especially the ref who was wearing short shorts, it made my night. I really had a good time and I look forward to going back. For a full list of all the games this season go here. Tickets are always $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Thanks for having us out ladies! We have a whole new respect for our Detroit Derby!

~S

Recap of an Amazing Saturday Night at Small's with The Company We Keep, Child Bite and Rebel Spies!

Saturday night at Small's was kind of amazing. It was one of those great nights were you enjoy every band on the bill and get a chance to hang out with a bunch of people that you love that happen to love music as much as you do.

I left the Detroit Derby game a few minutes before the end of the match to make sure that I was at Small's to see the first band of the night, Rebel Spies. They are new to the scene, but feature a great lineup of Detroit music veterans. The band has former and current members of Fordirelifesake/ The A-Gang/ Hellmouth/ The Suicide Machines/ Telegraph/ The Hard Lessons/ The Grande Nationals/ and more. With a lineup like this, I expected it to be good, but was totally impressed by their show. I had no idea that singer Jeff Sanguis had so much power behind his voice. It was pure rock and roll done well, my only complaint is they need to write more music and have a longer set, it was over too fast for me!

Photo Credit: Matt Moy

 Next up was Child Bite, a band that I have always supported and enjoyed. I was sad to hear that they are taking an indefinite break as they are losing their drummer, but will hopefully be back before we know it. They always entertain and play a solid set, and they did it again on Saturday.

Finally, The Company We Keep took the stage to play all the music that they have been working on for their latest album released just a few weeks ago called Sound No Sound. They recorded the entire album with Haden on vocals and on the day that it was released she announced, she would no longer be part of the band for personal reasons. This left the guys with two weeks to scramble and get another female singer to fill in for these shows. They picked up Kara Dupuy to fill in and she blew it out of the park.

I don't care if this comes off as crass, but I saw Haden once about a year ago and I personally think that Kara was a better fit for the music with a much better stage presence. The band killed it! This is rock and roll for 2013 at its best. The drum fills, the guitars, the keyboard, it was all amazing. I've been enjoying the album for a few weeks, but the live show blew the album out of the water. I think that this band needs to reconsider ending what they have going and instead beg Kara to go on tour with them. They really have something here and I hate to see it end before it even really started. I even had a hardcore metal fan turn to me and say, "Damn this is really good music". If you can convince a metal fan to like a rock band with a female singer, than I say you really have something worth keeping!

Either way, we wish The Company We Keep the best and congratulate them on a great album and a great album release show. If you would like to hear the album or get your own copy visit the website here. We hope that we get to see you again someday!

~S

Downtown Brown Album Release Party This Friday at Small's!

Downtown Brown is releasing their new album Friday, November 22nd at Small's in Ham Town. Their music has a very 80s rock feel to it, but also reminds me of bands like Suicidal Tendencies with cool “talking” parts within the music. They recorded this album in California with Fishbone bassist Norwood Fisher and the album is being released by DC-Jam Records. The band has been on the road for the last few weeks and are excited to return home and play their new music in front of their hometown crowd. To check out a sample of the new album, click here. Love those heavy bass lines, they make me want to dance!

Ideamen, JP from the HP, and CBJ will be opening the show. The best part is that this show is only $5 at the door. You can't beat that price these days! This show is all ages and doors are at 8 p.m. Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck. I highly recommend trying an apple pie shot if they have any of their speciality liqueur left that they use to make it. I was shooting them all last week and they were more than a treat! I also loved the Italian subs they have been making, perfect little snack to treat yourself to if you're hungry while you're there!

~S

Interview with Matt Klein of Silent Lions and New Music from TART to Get You in The Mood for Saturday's Show!!!

It’s no secret that we love the Silent Lions. What they can do with 2 people on stage a lot of bands can't do with 4 or even 5. They have been on the road for a few weeks and are coming back to Detroit to end their tour at the New Way Bar this Saturday, November 16th. They are playing with The Salt and The Sea, The Yugos, and a new project from Adam Michael Lee Padden of The Hounds Below called TART.

Tart sent over a link to the first demo that they recorded and we liked what we heard. It sounds promising to say the least. We were also able to get Matt Klein from Silent Lions to take a break from his grueling driving schedule on tour to tell us about the last few weeks on the road. I have to say, I would be crabby as can be, but it seems that hes always positive and excited to play, one more reason to love this band I guess.

The show starts at 9 pm on Saturday, it's only 5 bucks to get in and 21+ are welcome. The last time we went to the New Way we had a great time and we were looking for an excuse to get back. Sounds like this is the perfect reason! The New Way is located at 23130 Woodward in Ferndale. Check out what Matt has to say, listen tot he new song from Tart, and come out to the show this Saturday.

   
Hip In Detroit- Best show on tour so far and why?
Matt Klein- "Our Halloween-party house show at Paperhaus in Washington D.C. was very memorable. We went as Hall and Oates (pics on our Facebook/Instagram). The crowds in D.C. have been very receptive and what's more fun than a Halloween house party?"

Hip In Detroit- Worst show on tour so far and why?
Matt Klein- "The only shows I ever consider disappointing are when we have equipment trouble. Chords failing, pedal chains cutting out, kick drums refusing to stay put. That stuff can be frustrating, but we've been relatively lucky so far this tour."

Hip In Detroit- How are you traveling? Car or van? How many people are with you?
Matt Klein- "Just Dean and I. Two dudes with GPS in a minivan, pulling a trailer just big enough to fit all our amps, drums and hardware. Our trailer has often been described as 'adorable'. No, it does not have a name."

Hip In Detroit- Weirdest place you've slept and why?
Matt Klein- "We are used to crashing people's couches and floors, so the 'weirdest' would have to be when get hooked up with a hotel once in a great while. It's certainly not as much fun, but one good night's rest can help you push through another couple days."

Hip In Detroit- Go to fast food choice?
Matt Klein- "I can get in and out of Kroger pretty fast. Buying groceries is way cheaper and healthier than hitting restaurants. I've become a steadfast devotee of the 'van sandwich'."

Hip In Detroit- Have you been able to wash your clothes? If not how many days have you been wearing the same socks?
Matt Klein- "We can usually find a day out of every seven to twelve days to throw some laundry in. But that means any 'favorite' shirts or pants may be worn past the date of expiration. And these socks?...have holes. Thanks for the reminder."

Hip In Detroit- Thing you miss most about home?
Matt Klein- "I do miss taking 2 hours to get lost watching a great movie. There are just no opportunities while on tour at this point. Too much to get done during the day, too exhausted after shows. I would just fall asleep before the dinosaurs escaped anyway..."

Hip In Detroit- One reason people need to come see you at the New Way on the 16th.
Matt Klein- "Nov 16 at New Way Bar is the last show of our Fall tour and we're playing with our summer tourmates the Yugos from Cincinnati and Detroit's The Salt and the Sea, and TART. So it's going to be a killer end to our three week adventure."

~S

Punk & Junk II at Rust Belt Market

This Saturday, November 16th The Rust Belt Market in Ferndale will be hosting the second annual Punk and Junk event. This is an opportunity to hear some good music and look for some unique gifts for the hard to shop for on your upcoming Christmas list. This event will feature 20 tables of different junk for you to look through and purchase while bands play some good old punk rock for your enjoyment.

The lineup features Buck Nell, Lower Lifes, Creep Eye and Serpent Men. The “junk” will be items like records, cassettes, video games, leather goods, original art, creepy dolls, and vintage medical items, according to the flyer. They will also have all the usual booths at the Rust Belt open for you to browse.

Doors for the sale are at 4 pm and bands start at 8 pm. There is a $5 cover after 7 pm, so it's to your benefit to get there early and do a little shopping before you watch the show. The Rust Belt is located at 22801 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. Happy treasure hunting.

~S

Win Tickets to Lucero This Weekend!!!

 

Everytime Lucero comes to town it's a huge party. They are one of the few bands that everyone loves and that people seem to crawl out of the woodwork for. The Rock 'N Rollers from Memphis, Tennessee sellout pretty much every show they play in Detroit, as swarms of fans can't turn down a chance to drink and sing along with this band. Even if you aren't a Lucero fan already, you will have a blast at their show and you'll be a fan by the time you leave.

Since it's always such a good time when Lucero comes to town, Black Iris Booking has asked them to come spend the weekend here! This coming Saturday and Sunday, November 16th and 17th, Lucero will be hitting the stage at The Magic Stick. Joining them on both nights are Titus Andronicus. Tickets are $15 in advance to either show or $17 the day of and all ages are welcome. If you want to go to both shows (come on, why wouldn't you want to?) you can pick up 2 night tickets for $25.

Since we know a ton of you out there love this band, we begged the girls over at Black Iris to let us give away a pair of tickets. So, we are giving away one pair of tickets to the Sunday night show. All you have to do to enter is email us at hipindetroit@gmail.com with Lucero in the subject and your name in the body. If you would like to enter a second time you can also tweet, Instagram, or Facebook about the show. Make sure you tag us in the post so we can throw your name in the hat a second time. We'll announce the winner of the contest on Saturday morning! That way if you go to both you'll know if you have the extra dough to spend on drinks Saturday night! Get your entries in now! You're not going to want to miss out on a weekend full of Lucero!!!

~C

Punk Returns to City Club!!!

While Clutch Cargo's is closing its doors, City Club is reopening their doors as a punk venue. One door is literally closing and another one is literally opening. They will be re-christening the place this Friday, November 15th with a show featuring State from Ann Arbor, Break Anchor, Detroit 442, Hex Bombs from Kalamazoo, Pistofficer from Wisconsin, and Glitter Trash. Detroit Punk Legend HIAWATHA BAILEY will be the MC for the night and cover will only be $7. For 7 bucks you also get entry into Doc Johnson's S&M/B&D event happening the same night.

City Club is located at 400 Bagley and the festivities kick off at 10 pm. It would be nice to see this become a normal punk venue, so let's get out and show our support!

~S

Detroit Derby Girls Double Header This Saturday!!!

I have always been fascinated by Derby, it looks super fun but also super intense and very action packed. I recently attended a boot camp with one of the players and learned a little more about it. These ladies train really hard and play really hard for the love of the game.

Roller Derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short match-ups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. The teams attempt to assist their own jammer whilst hindering the opposing jammer—in effect, playing both offense and defense simultaneously. It's not all about fun nicknames and cute outfits, it's actually a really tough sport that is super competitive.

Here in Detroit we have quite a few teams that all play on a league called the Detroit Derby Girls. This Saturday, November 16th they will be having back to back bouts at The Masonic Temple. First up, at 6 p.m. the Devil's Night Dames will be taking on the Pistolwhippers. Then, at 8 p.m. the Detroit Pistoffs will take on the the D-Funk AllStars.

These matches will take place on the court at The Masonic Temple located at 500 Temple Avenue in Detroit. Tickets are $18 at the door, but two children under 12 can get in for free with each paying adult. The Detroit Derby Girls will also be collecting canned food for the Gleaners Community Food Bank. You can put your donations in the box of your favorite team and help them win the fight against hunger this winter. I'm really looking forward to seeing my first bout in person! Come out and join the fun and don't forget to bring a can!

~S

Get Ready for Ypsi Fest 9 - Interview with Anthony Gentile

I always hesitate to cover something way outside the city limits, but at the same time I feel that it is good to get out and see new things and experience something outside the social scene that is Detroit. YpsiFest, taking place this weekend in Ypsilanti, MI, is one of those rare times where I say get out of the city and head into the burbs for some great music and fun. This year's fest will feature 35 bands playing on two stages. Some of the highlights for this year's lineup include The Beggars, Child Bite, Old Gods, S.N.A.F.U., The Amino Acids, All The Wild Children, Golden Torso, Snakewing, Nice Hooves, and Ciccarelli. For a full list of bands check out the Facebook invite here. This will take place November 14th, 15th and 16th at Woodruff's bar located at 36 East Cross Street. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show doesn't stop until the bar closes each night at 2 a.m.

I had a chance to talk to Anthony Gentile, the man behind the event and find out all the details that you may want to know before making the trek out to Ypsi. Check out what he has to say and head out if you like what you hear, it's definitely a solid lineup so it promises to be a great time.

Hip In Detroit- Anthony, have you been booking this fest all 9 years?
Anthony- "Yes - I started YpsiFest in 2003, and we took a couple years off around 2008/2009. But I have been the main booker since the beginning. The first couple years I had help from Leighton Mann, a good friend who was booking at the Elbow Room back then. And in 2010 and 2011, Doug Coombe helped book one night of the fest because it was his birthday and he had some favorites he wanted to play. Otherwise, it’s been my project alone."

Hip In Detroit- Tell us the best memory you have and the biggest problem/issues/or experience you have encountered.
Anthony- "There are no real “best memories” for me. In fact, there are probably more best blurs than memories. Highlights for me go back to the early days with Heads Will Roll, Bang! Bang!, Inside Five Minutes, Chapstik, Easy Action, and so many other great bands. Of course, playing has always been a highlight for me as well. I’ve played with one of my bands every year, and while that is always something I look forward to, it always goes by so fast and I get so caught up in making sure the fest runs smoothly that it really doesn’t sink in like other shows do. The hardest part about doing the fest is deciding on bands and inevitably having to personally tell a few friends that I don’t have space for them when I wish I did. There’s simply no way to get every good band in the area on a three day fest. Also, there is always a big effort to represent a wider variety of bands, but sometimes that just turns into a weird, disjointed night. This year I simply went for the bands I most wanted to see and didn’t spend any effort trying to “mix it up” just for the sake of it."

Hip In Detroit- Why Ypsi?
Anthony- "Because I live in Ypsi, and we have a great little town and I wanted to bring as many good bands to town on a good night as possible. I figured if bands from Detroit came to Ypsi for YpsiFest, and saw the potential for a good night, that they would want to come back more often for their own shows. And I think it has pretty much succeeded at that. There are many bands from the Detroit area that played their first Ypsi show at YpsiFest and then started coming back regularly."

Hip In Detroit- The show starts at 6 everyday, will there be food for sale or do we need to eat before we come?
Anthony- "No food this year as far as I know. However, Depot Town Ypsilanti has plenty of food options within walking distance. There’s Cafe Ollie a couple doors down, Aubree’s Pizza across the street, and Sidetracks on the corner. There’s also The Ugly Mug a couple blocks up the street for coffee connoisseurs."

Hip In Detroit- Any drink specials?
Anthony- "There usually are drink specials, but that’s the bar’s territory. I try to stay out of it."

Hip In Detroit- Are you allowed to leave and come back?
Anthony- "Yes. You can absolutely leave and come back."

Hip In Detroit- This year's lineup is pretty solid, what bands are you most excited about seeing?
Anthony- "I get most excited about seeing old friends that I don’t get to see very often. Not only are these some of the best bands around, but the people in them are some of the funniest people I know. We always have a good time. And any band that shows up on time, sets up quick, plays their set, and happily finishes by the time they are supposed to will be very high on my list. But seriously, I have so many friends on this lineup that I can’t bring myself to pick any highlights."

Hip In Detroit- Since there are two stages, will bands be playing at the same time or switching off?
Anthony- "Bands will be switching off. Every half hour a new band will start. There will be very little if any time between the bands but no bands will overlap."

Hip In Detroit- How late will bands be playing each day?
Anthony- "Music ends at 2 a.m. We push it to the limits."

Hip In Detroit- Anything else you want our readers to know?
Anthony- "Ypsi is a sweet town and we have a great community here of musicians, artists, and eccentrics of all kinds. Everybody is welcome and encouraged to relax and enjoy a fun weekend with some of the very best bands around. And also, Ghost Family can be a little rowdy sometimes, so don’t worry if you see some physical expressions of love and camaraderie as the nights progress."

 ~S

The Michigan Beer Film

When you head to the bar nowadays there are so many more beer choices than you had a few years ago. It's not just some form of Miller, Budweiser, and in some cases if you're lucky, Guiness. We have so many more beer choices than our parents did. IPAs, Stouts, Hefeweizens, the choices are endless! Since craft beers have become more popular, more and more bars are carrying a vast selection of brews, many of which pride themselves on how many taps they have. But, here in Michigan, not only are we fortunate enough to have some bars with amazing drink options, but we have several breweries where we can go right to the source for the delicious beverages.

This is exactly the topic that a crew from Rhino Media Productions decided to cover in their recently released documentary, The Michigan Beer Film. With over 135 craft breweries popping up in Michigan, they realized this amazing revitalized form of entrepreneurship is taking our state by storm. Not only are breweries popping up everywhere, but people love craft beers! I know that I myself have many friends that have become beer snobs, and rightfully so! With so many great beers being produced, why stick to the same boring beers of the past?

The Michigan Beer Film spent over a year traveling around the state checking out all of the great breweries and beer festivals. I had a chance to see the finished product this past Thursday at the Detroit premiere of the film at The Fillmore. It was awesome! Full of real life characters, great shots of Michigan, and some great tunes, this film not only captured the craft beer fever that's come over this state, but they managed to also showcase how awesome our state really is. From the hops farm in the Lenawee Peninsula to the major cities like Detroit and Kalamazoo, they showed the country, the cities, and everything in between. The film shows the camaraderie that comes along with craft beers and also just the challenges of starting and running your own business.

I was excited to see a couple Detroit area favorites featured in the film, such as Kuhnhenn and the newer Batch Brewing Company in Corktown, but my friends and I couldn't help but to think of the many that weren't highlighted. With well over a hundred microbreweries in the state though, how could they hit them all? I mean you can only fit so much into about 2 hours, right? Plus, the Kalamazoo natives only featured select companies from their side of the state too, for instance they featured the big dogs at Bell's, but not Founders. Instead, the crew found several amazing companies throughout the state, some in cities and some in small towns, each with their own story. This was definitely an awesome approach to take and it opened my eyes up to a lot of beers and places that I didn't even know existed. On top of doing that through the film, they also achieved this goal by having over 20 breweries from all over the state bring in beers for the premiere. My new favorite is definitely the Distorter from Greenbush Brewing Co.. Having tons of great beers to choose from is awesome enough, but at just $4 a drink, really, how can you beat that?

Overall, The Michigan Beer Film was a great watch and the premiere was a ton of fun. There are other showings of the film going on throughout the state. You can find out more about those here. Also keep an eye on their site for updates on DVDs and distribution. Congrats to Rhino Media on a great film and on throwing a great party too!

~C

Win Tickets to The Business at Small's!!!

One of the original “Oi!” bands, The Business, is coming back to Detroit and bringing their legendary brand of punk to Small's this Thursday, November 14th. They have gained world renowned fame since their formation in 1979 and their biggest hit "England 5 - Germany 1” even became the anthem for football (soccer) matches in England.

They will be playing alongside The Stand Alones, Choking Susan, and U.D.I. Tickets are only $10 in advance and $12 at the door. All ages are welcome, so the younger punk rockers can come out and see how it is done.

We have one set of tickets to give away to one lucky punk rocker. To enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will email one winner back the day of the show and their name will be on the guest list plus one when they arrive. Free entry means more money for beer, something we can all appreciate.

Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck and doors are at 8 p.m. There are two things to remember about Small's, they make some amazing drinks with Hard Luck Root Beer Vodka and they usually have some of the best sandwiches around available for purchase, owner Mike Mouyianis is a connoisseur of food and the creations that he makes reflect that. Thanks as always to Small's and Black Iris Booking for bring some of the best bands through town! Keep it up!

~S

Hell City Remembers Jason Lockwood

November 15th, 2012 was one of the hardest days of my life, I woke up to the news that a long time friend and mentor was gone. News like this is hard to take for a million reasons, but mostly because you really wish you could just talk to your friend and tell them how much they meant to you. Jason Lockwood may be gone, but who he was and what he did will never go away.

When I close my eyes I can see him sitting at a merch booth at a hall show peddling wares for a band, a cause, or a record company. I can see him loading and unloading a million bands out the sides of bars and venues and bitching every time someone was in his way. I can hear his voice crack when he got excited about a cause that was close to his heart, he always knew how to rally the troops and get people to care. I can picture him larping in his pirate costume at a friends house party the first time he explained to me what Theatre Bizarre was and convinced me I had to go.

He was a very eccentric person whose best trait was his passion. He was the kind of guy who would let any touring band in town stay on his floor, give his last dollar away to someone that was hungry, and would stay up to sunrise to talk if you needed an ear. He was one of a kind. He was part of the music scene during a time when the people who went to shows were more like family than friends and wearing a pair of Chuck Taylor's in public meant that you would be fast friends. He took a million of us under his wing and made us feel special, like we were part of something big. From Unity Records, to Idle Kids, to Hell City Records he gave music his all and believed in it. Music will never be the same without him.

Join us this week to celebrate his life in the only way that I know how, by getting together at a bar and listening to some good bands. We can do a few shots of Jameson, tell a few stories, and celebrate someone who we all love and miss. The A-Gang, Voice Of Addiction, Dick Hickey, S.U.B., and Dad 1000 will be playing at Small's on November 15th at 8 p.m. It's $8 to get in and I will be bringing the rest of the United By Lockwood pins that we had made last year to give out to anyone that wants them. Small's is located at 10339 Conant Drive in Hamtramck.

~S