The Hip In Detroit Guide to New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve, it marks a new beginning for some and the end of a great year for others. Whether you are sad to see the year come to a close or you can't wait for a fresh start, one thing is for sure, New Year's Eve is a great time to party and spend time with the people you love the most!

There are a lot of great ways to celebrate this year. So we thought we'd narrow down the list a bit. Here is our guide to some of the best New Year's Eve bashes around Detroit!

 
New Year's Eve @ New Way Bar: $5 will get you in the door to this bash featuring George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus, Le Voyage and The HandGrenades (also playing at the Hip In Detroit 2 Year Bash on February 1st). Doors open at 9 p.m. with bands playing at 10, 11, and 12. There will also be a free champagne toast at Midnight. 21+ are welcome. The New Way Bar is located at 23130 Woodward Avenue in Ferndale.


 
New Year's Eve Thirstwave Dance Party @ Small's: Thirstwave Thursday is throwing a very special Tuesday edition for New Year's Eve! DJ Pleasure Kitten, DJ Elektrosonik and DJ Aaron Hingst will be spinning New Wave and Retro Alternative from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. Admission to this party is FREE and there will be a free appetizer buffet and your choice of a PBR or champagne toast at Midnight! Sounds like a great deal to us! Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck. 

 
Beat The Box: An Interdimensional New Year @ Tangent Gallery: Dance the night away and get ready for a party that's out of this world. Featuring Traxx, BMG, Outer Space and Scott Zacharias, this party will go from 9 until 4 a.m. $10 will get you in the door and 21+ are welcome. Tangent Gallery is in Detroit at 715 East Milwaukee St.




The Drop @ Campus Martius: 
Want a Times Square style party without leaving the Mitten? This is the event for you! There are family friendly festivities going on all day long, with a ball drop for the kiddos at 6:30 p.m. Then, the party for the grownups starts. There will be a food truck rally, drinks served at Fountain Bistro (only $10 for 2 drinks!), and they will drop the "D" at Midnight! It all takes place at Campus Martius and it's free to attend. And don't let the cold weather scare you away! There will be heaters all around the park! 

Nothing Elegant Presents: Come Classy or Trashy But Come To Party @ The Old Miami: 

If you want a laid back party with some great hip-hop, this is the spot for you. Music for the night will be presented by Cold Men Young, Doc Waffles, Josef Coney Island and Sleepless Inn (Eddie Logix and Laura Finlay). There will be a Jello Shot drop at Midnight and the party goes 'til 4 a.m. 21+ are welcome and it's $10 to get in the door or $5 if you bring a pizza with you! The Old Miami is located at 3930 Cass Ave. in Detroit.

 

Lager House New Year's Eve Bash: $25 gets you in the door to this one and it's one of the only open bars we've heard about! That price gets you all you can drink PBR and well drinks until 1 a.m, a champagne toast at Midnight, and some pizza too! Not to mention, White Shag and SICK will be hitting the stage while Dante LaSalle hits the decks. This party runs from 8 p.m. - 2 a.m., 21+ are welcome, and PJ's Lager House is located at 1254 Michigan Ave. in Corktown. 

New Year's @ The Loving Touch and The W.A.B.: If you're looking for something a little more low key, why not go to one of your favorite bars in town? The W.A.B. will be featuring $2 WAB Pints from 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. and FREE hugs from Midnight 'til 2. The Loving Touch will be offering a similar deal, with $2 WAB Pints from Midnight 'til 2 a.m. and FREE pool all night long! Stay close to home for the night and 

head to a bar where you're bound to run into someone you know! 

 

New Year's @ New Dodge: $15 is all you'll have to dish out for a ton of bands and a ton of food at the New Dodge Lounge. There will be a buffet, a champagne toast at midnight, circus performers, a photo booth, and music by Static Dial, The Adrays, Flatland Star, The Creepos and 7 Layers. The party goes until 4 a.m. and the New Dodge is located at 8850 Joseph Campau in Hamtramck.

 

New Year's Eve with The Gories @ The Magic Stick: If you are under 21, this might be the party for you. 18+ are welcome and admission is $18. The Gories will be headlining the show with their pals Pretty Ghouls and Apache Dropout earlier in the night. Doors open at 9 p.m. The Magic Stick is located at 4140 Woodward Ave. in Detroit. 

Mittenfest VIII @ Woodruff's:

This is the last night for Mittenfest VIII, which means it's the last night for you to head out to Ypsi and check out some great bands while supporting 826michigan. There are a ton of great acts playing, including Silent Lions, Violets and The Hard Lessons. Entry is only $10 and the money all goes to a great cause. Woodruff's is located at 36 East Cross Street in Ypsilanti.

Wherever you end up this New Year's Eve, we hope you have a great time! But, remember to be safe too! We want to see all of your pretty faces in 2014! Happy New Year from Hip In Detroit!!!

~C

 

Recap of The Hard Lessons Post Christmas Bash!!!!

Friday night we had the honor of being part of The Hard Lessons' 8th Annual Post-Christmas Bash at St. Andrew's in Detroit. We got to play dress up and pretend that we were elves while introducing the bands and playing hostesses for the night. Two things stand out about the night. First of all, everyone that performed was excellent. Secondly, The Hard Lessons have some pretty die hard fans that are willing to come early and stay late to check out all of the bands, which is really, really cool.

Blaire Alise & The Bombshells opened the night and looked and sounded great. As I watched Blaire perform, all I could think was I wish that I was this amazing when I was 17. In fact, I wish I was that amazing now. I do not know how she gets up and sings and plays her little heart out so well, but this band is sounding better and better every time I see them play.

Next up on the small stage was goLab. They were a two piece act that was loud as can be. Christie from Hip In Detroit loved this act and raved about them for the rest of the night. We found out that they are from Toledo, Ohio and were visiting Michigan for the night to play the show. They are definitely worth a listen.

Up next on the big stage was Sugar Baron. Self described as electronic dance rock, they had a great full sound and got me dancing and having a good time. I especially loved the vocals. I will be checking these guys out again soon, they were a refreshing dose of new for me.

Fourth on the lineup was Silent Lions on the smaller stage. By this point the room was full and everyone was watching them play. Christie and I are already fans, but we wanted to compliment the boys on there best set yet, you guys sounded great and we enjoyed it.

Then, Sean Forbes hit the stage and I admit that I was very excited to finally see Sean and his band perform live. I interviewed Sean about his project D-Pan a few months ago and learned a lot about the deaf music community, but I have never seen a deaf performer, especially a deaf hip hop artist. To put it mildly, I was blown away by the performance. To see him sign while he performed was simply awesome. The fact that he made jokes and talked to the crowd was icing on the cake. You must check him out, he is not only talented but also inspiring.

Finally, it was The Hard Lessons' turn to end the night and celebrate. This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the band and they just released their latest album called Start What You Finished. They played a great set and then unplugged got down on the floor and played even more right there with their fans. They never disappoint and make sure that the crowd has a good time. Right after the show they released their newest music video called “Sit and Argue” which you can check out here. It features The Heidelberg Project before the recent rash of fires that has claimed a lot of the houses.

We got you videos and pictures so you can check out what you missed and make sure to not miss out on any of these acts the next time they come around. Thanks again for letting Hip be part of the fun!

~S

A Very Merry Black Christmas!

Another Black Christmas has come and gone, the bands have all played and the fans have danced and sung along. A new year is coming, a chance to start anew. Black Christmas was a good reminder of what Hip In Detroit must do. We must all come together in 2014 and bring back the music community we had when I was a teen.

I have heard so many negative comments about the Detroit music scene over the last 10 years and every time I hear someone go on a rant, I want to puke. I am a firm believer that we create the world we live in and if you want to see things change all you need to do is start living differently, others will follow. No one emulates the unhappy, but instead we all follow others who seem to find pleasure in life. There is a reason that bands like Wilson, The Suicide Machines, Against the Grain and everyone else on Friday's roster draw intense crowds who throw themselves into the show. The fans emulate the attitude of the band. If you show them a party, they will party.

Every band that performed got on stage and had a good time, everyone there was there to have a good time. The vibe was awesome, we made lots of new friends and got to celebrate the holidays with old friends who don't live in town and don't get to get out to as many shows as they would like to go to. For one night it was like the good old days because we choose to all go out have fun and party.

The Suicide Machines and Black Iris Booking have done an amazing thing by creating this annual event. The fact that they are able to gather the best names in Detroit and bring everyone together inspires me to keep writing and keep trying to get people to go out watch a band and have fun.

Speaking of inspiring, I have to give a shout out to The Suicide Machines themselves. Jay, Ryan , Rich, and Justin all have real jobs. They all have families and friends and other obligations. They all could just say forget this and move on, but they believe in music the same way that we do. They choose to make it bigger and better and more special for the fans every year. This year they brought back their old tour manager Mike and had him dress up as Santa and serve drinks on a makeshift bar, something that they used to do every year at Clutch Cargo's. They keep traditions and make new ones and by doing this they keep the dream alive for a lot of us that want to see a return to the booming music scene that we all remember so well.

Shout out to Black Iris Booking for making a four stage show run so smoothly and for having the most solid lineup of the year. We had a great time and loved every band that we saw, including Fireloom, Fireworks, From Hell, Wilson, Rebel Spies, Against the Grain, The Suicide Machines, Mustard Plug, Size Queen, Snakewing, Braided Veins, and many, many more. We can't wait for next year!

~S

Detroit is Playing Host to a Hockey Lovers Dream This Week!

This weekend through New Year's Day, Detroit will be transformed into the Hockey Lovers Dream. That's because The Winter Classic and Hockey Town Winter Festival are taking over the town! This event features a series of outdoor hockey games being played at Comerica Park. Yes, the same Comerica Park that is home to The Tigers has been transformed from a baseball diamond into a huge outdoor ice rink. The venue has already been trying out the ice for the past week or so, playing host to some peewee, amateur, and OHL games. But, it all leads up to the main events on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

On New Year's Eve, teams of some of Detroit's favorite NHL alumni from the Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leaves will be going head to head on the ice. The roster includes many fan favorites, such as Mickey Redmond, Kris Draper, Dino Ciccarelli, Steve Yzerman and Chris Osgood. Tickets for this event are still available and range from $33 to $153. Click here to purchase tickets online through Ticketmaster.

The Main Event, The Winter Classic, is an outdoor showdown between the Toronto Maple Leaves and the Detroit Red Wings. However, this game is not taking place in Detroit. Instead, it is being held at the Big House in Ann Arbor (U of M Stadium). This game is on New Year's Day, January 1st, and the puck hits the ice at 1 p.m. Tickets are available here and range from $39 to $279.

Now, if you aren't too interested in the games or can't afford the ticket prices, but still want to get in on the fun, there are a lot of other fun events going on Downtown in conjunction with The Winter Classic and Alumni Showdown. The Coke Zero Fan Zone will be set up outside Comerica Park in lots 1 and 2, now thru New Year's Eve. This area features a giant toboggan slide, a synthetic ice skating rink, autograph and Q&A sessions with alumni players, and live music. Some of the bands set to hit the stage are Kaleido, The Muggs, The Polish Muslims, Jennifer Westwood and The Infatuations. For a full lineup of music and events taking place at the Fan Zone, click here. Admission to the Coke Zero fan zone is only $5 a day or is free with your game day ticket stub.

This is a once in a lifetime chance to check out some hockey legends and have some fun outside in the middle of Winter. If you have some time off work for the Holidays, or if you can make time, we highly suggest heading Downtown to check this out. For everything you need to know about the games and the festivities, head over to the official website here.

~C

4 Great Bands Releasing 2 Awesome Splits at The Loving Touch!

This Saturday night, The Loving Touch will be hosting a show with four great bands. Tharsis They, Golden Torso, The Armed and Nice Hooves are coming together for a dual split release show. So, two albums featuring all four of these bands. The first split is a 7" with Nice Hooves and Golden Torso, while the other features The Armed and Tharsis They. There will also be screen printed posters available at the show of the designs below, created by John Knoerl and Jason Abraham Smith.

Admission to this show is only $10, which is a pretty great deal considering that the first 200 through the door get both albums. So make sure you get there early to get your hands on both! Doors will open at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Loving Touch is located at 22634 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. Keep an eye on the Facebook event page here for updates on this show. 

~C

Funk Night at The Garden Theater

Funk Night is back and in full effect. This Friday, December 27th it will take place at The Garden Theater located at 3929 Woodward Ave. in Detroit. This month will feature a special live performance by Will Sessions featuring Coko. Funk will be spun by Frank Raines and DJ Head. Cover is still only 5 bucks and the party will go to 4 a.m. This a great way to check out this new venue while going to one of your favorite parties! For more details, check out the Facebook event page.

~S

Mittenfest VIII takes over Ypsi this Weekend!

Starting this weekend on December 27th through the 31st, Mittenfest will return to Ypsilanti for the 8th annual installment of the festival. This five day festival was originally created by Brandon Zwagerman as a fun way to raise money for 826michigan. 826michigan is a local non-profit with  writing and tutoring centers in Ypsilanti and Detroit that offer free classes to students. To date they have raised over $75,000 for the kids.

This year's lineup will feature Frontier Ruckus, Saturday Looks Good to Me, Detroit based rapper Breezee One, The ILL Itches (also playing our Two Year Show on February 1st), Disinformants, Chit Chat, Alexis, Cold Men Young, Jamaica Queens, and Tunde Olaniran (also headlining the Hip In Detroit 2 year). For a full line up go here.

Wristbands are $10 a night and can be purchased at Woodruff's bar located at 36 East Cross Street in Ypsilanti. Doors will open at 7 p.m. each night and close at 2. All proceeds from the festival will go to 826Michgian.

~S

Small's Customer Appreciation Holiday Party!

Tonight Small's in Hamtramck is saying thank you to their loyal customers by not charging cover and having a holiday party that will feature karaoke and $1 domestics and wells until 10 p.m. They will also provide free snacks and provide a safe harbor to hang out and be yourself before two days of family fun. We couldn't think of a better group of people or better place to kick off the holidays!

Small's is located at 10339 Conant and the bar opens at 8 o'clock. For further details, visit the Facebook event page here.

~S

FREE Show Tonight at PJ's Lager House with Autumn Wolf!

Tonight PJ's Lager House will feature Autumn Wolf alongside, The Bears Are Out, and Belterra. If you are not familiar with Alex a.k.a. Autumn Wolf, it's time for you to head out and get in tune with what this man is up to. Not only can he get a room dancing, but he's also one of the artists playing our Two Year Anniversary party on February 1st at The Loving Touch.

He gets on stage and with a few instruments he is able to fill a room with sound. The best part about this Monday night party is that it is FREE. That's right, save your money on cover and spend it on booze instead. One last show before the holidays is exactly what you need before explaining to grandpa why you're not married and eating that weird thing that your aunt makes because she won't stop telling you to try it. The Lager House is located at 1254 Michigan Ave. in Detroit. Doors are at 8 p.m.

~S

Win Tickets to Black Christmas!!!

It's that time of year when all the little punk rock kids gather and celebrate music in Detroit by attending Black Christmas at the Majestic. Years ago, The Suicide Machines started playing a “reunion” show around Christmas and somehow last year it evolved into a full blown event booked by our favorite ladies over at Black Iris Booking. This has become the showcase for all things punk and rock and roll in Detroit. It is an honor to be playing and even more fun to be a fan and attend.

This year's lineup will feature a long list of great bands, including The Suicide Machines, The Black Dahlia Murder, Mustard Plug, Wilson, Fireworks, Koffin Kats, Blood Sledge Electric Death Chickens, World’s Scariest Police Chases, Few and Far Between, PT’s Revenge, Against The Grain, Bastardous, Rebel Spies, Fireloom, The Gutter Ghouls, From Hell, Size Queen, Due North, Touch The Clouds, and Snakewing. The hardest task at this show will be selecting which band to watch at which moment because there isn't a bad band in the lineup.

There are a few ways to get tickets. First, you can click this link and purchase them in advance online here. You can also purchase them fee free at the Garden Bowl up until the day before the show. The Garden Bowl/Majestic Theatre is located at 4140 Woodward Ave. in Detroit. 

Or you can win a set of free tickets courtesy of Black Iris and Hip In Detroit. We will be giving one set of tickets away to one lucky winner whose name we will draw on the day of the show. We will draw that person's name and send them an email with details on how to claim their prize. To enter to win tickets you must e-mail us at hipindetroit@gmail.com  with your full name and the subject line Black Christmas. 

This is the do not miss event of the season! We will be there rocking out, so feel free to say hello and ask for a free Hip In Detroit pin or sticker if you see us there. Merry Black Christmas to you all and to all who come, we promise that you will have a very good night!

~S

the Soil & the Sun and Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers at The Crofoot this Saturday!

Grand Rapids natives the Soil & the Sun are making the trek over to to Pontiac to play The Crofoot this Saturday, December 21st. Formally a two piece band, they have grown into a 7 piece group that features oboe, violin, guitars, accordion, percussion, piano, keys and vocals. They describe themselves as new Mexican space music or experimental spiritual orchestra rock, both interesting descriptions that peak one’s interest.

They will be playing alongside Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, The Bandra Report, Stikyfut, and Fifth & Main. This event is brought to you by Fusion Shows and tickets are available in advance here. The Crofoot is located at 15 South Saginaw in Pontiac and is one of our favorite places to catch a show!

~S

Catch Liquor Store at the Lager House this Sunday with SROS Lords and Inflatable Best Friend!

New Jersey natives Liquor Store are on tour and coming to PJ’s Lager House this Sunday, December 22. The latest album, The Garden, was just released on the 15th and can be streamed in full here.

They will be playing with Inflatable Best Friend from Kalamazoo, their music can be heard here.

They will also be playing with SROS Lords, a punk band that was recently raved about by Reverbnation. You can check out that article and hear a few songs from the band here.

The show starts at 9 p.m. and the Lager House is located at 1254 Michigan Ave. in Detroit. I know it's a Sunday, but we need to show touring bands some support if we want them to keep coming back!

~S

Win Tickets to The Hard Lessons' 8th Annual Post-Christmas Blowout at St. Andrew's!

This time of year is all about spending time with the ones you love. That's why we are so excited that after 2 days of time with our families, we get to spend the evening with all of you! The day after Christmas, Thursday, December 26th, we will be hosting The Hard Lessons' 8th Annual Post-Christmas Blowout at St. Andrew's Hall! We are absolutely thrilled and think this night is going to be a blast!

St. Andrew's will have 2 stages for this show, that will be graced by the presence of Blaire Alise & The Bombshells, Sugar Baron, goLab, Silent Lions, Sean Forbes, and, of course, The Hard Lessons. This is also the release party for The Hard Lessons' new album and the first time it will be available in Detroit (on vinyl or CD).

Tickets for this great show are only $12.50 and can be purchased in advance here. We want to see everyone we know at this show though, so we are excited to announce that we are giving away FIVE pairs of tickets to this show! All you have to do to enter is email us at hipindetroit@gmail.com with The Hard Lessons in the subject line and your first and last name in the email. If you'd like to double your chances, just share this post on some form of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and make sure you tag Hip In Detroit in it! We will draw all of our winners on Monday afternoon! So get those entries in now! Good luck and Merry Christmas!!!

~C

Battlecross 1st Annual BattleChristmas!!!

This Christmas Battlecross is starting a new tradition where they come back to Michigan and play a show with a couple other kick ass bands for the holidays. For this first year, they have asked our friends in Wilson to play alongside It Lies Within and Wulfhook. They will all be meeting up for the holidays before they continue back out on their respective tours.

Battlecross has been out touring the U.S. with Killswitch Engage & Trivium while Wilson has been out with Bam Margera's FuckFace Unstoppable. It's fun to see two great “local” bands taking over the rock scene. In fact Wilson’s album Full Blast Fuckery was named best of 2013 by Roadrunner Records and Metal Hammer this past week.

The show will be held this Friday, December 20th at The Machine Shop in Flint. Tickets are only $12 in advance and can be purchased here. The Machine Shop is located at 3539 S. Dort Highway in Flint and doors are at 7 p.m.

~S

Win Tickets to Small's 14th Anniversary with Speedball Bump-N-Uglies!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Small's, happy birthday to you! Small’s is the place to see punk and rock 'n roll in Detroit, always has been and always will be. The sound at this venue is always spot on and the drinks are poured heavy and served fast. This is one of my favorite places to have a drink, see a show, and meet up with friends. The owners and bartenders are some of the best people that I have ever met and they are as into music as we are. I can't thank them enough for all that they have done for Detroit music over the years.

To celebrate 14 years, they have booked a solid lineup for this Friday night with Speedball, The Bump-N-Uglies, and The A-Gang to entertain you for the night. This is going to be high energy and fun to say the least.

We have two sets of tickets to giveaway for the show and you can enter by emailing your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. Make sure you put Small's Anniversary in the subject line because we have a few contests going on this week. We will e-mail the winners with details on how to claim their tickets on the morning of the show. Tickets are $10 and doors open at 8 p.m. Cheers to another 14 years!

~S

Vintage Trunk Show & Brunch! Sounds Like A Perfect Sunday to Us!

It can be hard to find a good place to have brunch and even harder to get your hands one some good vintage items, but somehow Rodin French restaurant in Detroit has found a way to combine the two. This Sunday, December 22nd, they have invited some of the biggest local Etsy sellers, including House of Renata, DearGolden, CreatedAndCollected, Company Man, Living Vintage Shop, Jean Jean Vintage, Waikiki Kitsch, and Farm Stand Vintage, to bring some of their wears in for a trunk show to be displayed during their Sunday Brunch. The website advertises the show as “an all high quality, secret stash, highly curated, vintage show that you won't want to miss”.

They also have a weekly special running that if you wear your PJ’s to brunch you can drink all the mimosas and Bloody Mary's that you want for only $2. Brunch starts at 10 a.m. and goes 'til 5 p.m. Rodin is located at 15 E. Kirby Suite D in Detroit.

~S

Celebrate Christmas at The New Dodge with Free Food, Dante LaSalle and James Linck!

This weekend the New Dodge will be more than one of the hip places to hang out and get cheap drinks in Hamtramck. This weekend the bar will also be the location of James Linck’s music video shoot.

On Friday night the New Dodge celebrates Christmas and shows appreciation to its customers by inviting them down for a free holiday buffet to eat while DJ Dante Lasalle spins some music. But, that's not all that will be happening. Video/Film Maker Andrew Miller will be shooting scenes for James Linck’s upcoming music video throughout the night. You can make a cameo in the video by just being there and hanging out. The more that are there, the better the video will look, so we really need to pack the place. 

The food and fun starts at 3 p.m., but the video shoot won't take place 'til later that night. If you dont want to be on camera, just go early and stuff your face and have a few drinks. By the time the camera shows up you'll be too full and too drunk to care. The New Dodge is located at 8850 Joseph Campau in Hamtramack.

~S

See Over 50 Detroit Musician's Perform This Weekend at The Sight's Christmas Potluck Waltz

For the past few years now, The Sights have been making it a ritual to do something big for Christmas. This year is no different and sounds like it will be even bigger than years past. On Saturday, December 21st at the Magic Stick, The Sights will be hosting "The Sight's Christmas Potluck Waltz".

This event, being described as, "...musicians performing unexpected and unconventional songs in unusual line-ups", will bring a long list of Detroit area musicians into the same room for one night. There are over 50 people included and they're pretty much from all over the board. We're talking everyone from Eric Abbey (1592) to Blaire Alise (Blaire Alise & The Bombshells). You can check out the full list of participants here. One of the best things about this show is that all of the people involved were picked by the fans! The Sights asked people who they wanted to see play at The Waltz and they listened to your responses. With so many great musicians together at once, how can this not be a great time?

Tickets to The Christmas Potluck Waltz are only $10 and all ages are welcome. If you would like to purchase tickets in advance you can get them online here or, as always, at the Garden Bowl fee free. Doors at the Stick will open at 9 p.m. Keep an eye on the Facebook event page here for more details and the growing list of participants.

~C

Recap of Residue 2013

Artwork by Tony Rave

If you take 11 Mile through Oak Park you may notice a large pig painted on a building. This pig was painted by Tony Rave, one of the three artists that released their work this past Friday at an art show called Residue. The other two artists, Olivia Dodson and Bone, also had work showing at the exhibit that was full of people, food, and drinks. The room was actually so crowded that it was too hot inside despite the 10 degree temperatures outside. 

I was excited about this show because we had previewed the work and talked to the artists about a month ago. I couldn't believe how well everything turned out and how many people came to party. They had music playing throughout the night, a performance by two gentlemen on guitars, and beer & wine were plentiful. There were three separate areas with artwork and every wall was covered with something interesting to look at. 

I loved Olivia’s paintings of woman with big hips and was very tempted to buy a piece myself. They even had a symbolically roasted a pig in the middle of the room to celebrate Tony’s series. 

The show will be up for a few more weeks and the gallery is called The Scharolette Chappell Fine Art Studio which is located at 14701 W. 11 Mile Rd., Oak Park, MI 48237. Check out some pictures of the show and if you're in the market for some new decor for your home or a space to hold a art show of your own, we suggest that you check it out.

Artwork by Bone

Artwork by Tony Rave

Artwork by Olivia Dodson

Artwork by Tony Rave

~S

Win Tickets to Small's Trooper Ale Party with Today I Maiden!!!

This past Halloween I played with Destroy This Place as Hole at The Crofoot’s Creepy Cheapy. I got to pay tribute to my favorite band in the best way possible and the crowd really seemed to enjoy it. Hole isn't going to be rolling through town anytime soon, so it was the next best thing. Watching a cover band that puts a little effort into it can be a really fun experience. 

This Thursday you have a chance to see a great cover band called Today I Maiden playing as Iron Maiden at Small's. Not only can you enjoy the sounds of Maiden, but you can also enjoy the taste of a great beer. This is your chance to get a pint of the hard-to-come-by Trooper Ale. 

We have two sets of tickets to giveaway to two lucky winners to this fun event. To enter to win the tickets, e-mail your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Trooper Ale in the subject line. We will pick a winner the morning of the show and e-mail them details on how to claim their prize. For the rest of you, there is a special surprise. The first 40 paid people through the door get a free pint and get to take the bottle as a keepsake! Tickets are only $12 and the doors for the show are at 8 p.m. Small's is located at 10339 Conant  in Hamtramck.

~S

Down Down Down's EP Release/Last Show Ever Tonight!!!

Tonight, the New Dodge is the place to be to see some great bands. What was supposed to be Down Down Down's EP Release Party is now the celebration of their release as well as their last show. Due to politics and some unfortunate circumstances this band is calling it quits. We didn't hear nearly enough from these guys in the short while they were around, but what we did hear, we really liked. So we are anxious to check out this EP and disappointed there won't be more on the way. Take a second to reminisce with a short clip from their set at The Loving Touch last fall and an interview with 2/3 of the band.

Tonight's show is only $5 for those 21+ and $10 if you are 18-21. With admission you will also get a copy of Down Down Down's new CD. The rest of the lineup is pretty amazing too with Fires In Japan, The Dewtons, and Bastardous. So make sure you get there when doors open at 8 p.m. 

~C

Go Back In Time for Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village

There is so much to do this time of year! With the holidays upon us it seems like everyone is having some sort of celebration or festival. If you are anything like me, you don't mind one bit. All I want to do this time of year is have fun, spend time with friends & family, and shop. Well, we are trying to let you in on some of the fun Christmas and winter festivities going on around town and we came across another one we thought you should know about; Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village. 

Greenfield Village is a constructed town at The Henry Ford that includes homes and workplaces from some of the most prominent people throughout history, such as Thomas Edison, Noah Webster, and The Wright Brothers. It is already a pretty amazing place to take a stroll through, but during the holiday season it is almost magical. With workers dressed in costume, wearing their holiday best from the 1800s or wearing their work clothes if they've been cleaning chimneys, you feel as though you've actually gone back in time to a small town on Christmas Eve. Patrons will be invited into homes where people are gathered for parties and are caroling or next door they may be baking pies and getting ready for company. On top of the homes, you can also visit the other historic buildings to warm up, but there is so much to do outside even. Guests are given rides around the village in Model-Ts, there is ice skating, bonfires, horse drawn wagons, and there are even fireworks near the end of the night. Of course, it wouldn't be Christmas without Santa and his reindeer, so they will be there too. 

I went to Holiday Nights a few years ago and it was so much fun. Even though  we happened to go on the coldest night of the year, we had a great time and made a ton of memories. It's something everyone should try at least once. So why not this year? Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village runs December 13-15, 19-23 and 26-28, 2013. The gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the fun goes until 10 p.m. Admission is $22 for adults, $16 for kids 5-12 years old and 4 & under are free. It is advised that you buy tickets in advance as it does sometimes sell out. Tickets can be purchased online here and make sure to check out the $2 coupon too!

~C

Win Tickets to Hugh Cornwell at Small's!

This is the time of year for giving so we are following suit and giving away some more free tickets! This Saturday at Small's Hugh Cornwell (The Stranglers) will be hitting the stage and we're giving you the chance to go for free. We are giving two lucky people the chance to get into this great show for free. Joining Hugh Cornwell on the lineup is Circus Boy featuring Margaret Dollrod and The Gentlemen's Guild. To enter to win, just email us at hipindetroit@gmail.com with Hugh Cornwell in the subject and your first and last name in the email. We will draw our two winners on Saturday morning.

If you don't want to wait to win, you can pick tickets up here for just $10 or pay $12 on the day of the show. Doors will open at 8 p.m. on Saturday and all ages are welcome. For further details and to get updates on this show, head over to the Facebook event page here. 

~C

It's Not Just Polka Dots and Stuffed Animals - The War Against The Heidelberg Project & The Pursuit to Protect It

Photo Borrowed from The Heidelberg Project's Facebook Page

Throughout the last several months The Heidelberg Project has fallen victim to fires that have destroyed 4 of the 8 houses that were part of the art installation. It is unclear who is responsible for the arson, but what is clear is that something needs to be done to prevent further damage.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with The Heidelberg Project, it is a slightly bizarre yet whimsical art display that is set amongst abandoned homes and vacant lots on Detroit's East Side. Created by Tyree Guyton 27 years ago, the art on the houses and throughout the area were meant to call attention to the blight that had taken over the neighborhood he grew up in, while intriguing people and brightening up the area. In turn, once the project was started, there was no reported crime in the area for 26 years and it has brought in over $3 Million to the City of Detroit. Tyree continues to update and create new art throughout the area today. On any given day you can see him outside with paintbrushes in hand.

If you have never been to Heidelberg, it's something you need to experience. From homes covered in stuffed animals to legs sticking up out of the ground there are so many amazing displays throughout the couple of blocks, featuring discarded and found items amongst an array of brightly colored polka dots. The Heidelberg Project is at the top of my list of places to take out of towners. It is unlike anything I've ever seen before. In fact, one of my friends described it best by saying, "It's so Detroit."

Only in Detroit can someone take abandoned property and goods and turn it into something interesting and amazing. Likewise, only in Detroit would people be upset about vacant homes being destroyed, but it's so much more than that. It's art. It's a statement about society. It's a statement about where Detroit has been and where it could be headed. Sadly, although The Heidelberg Project has many fans, there are also some that are not as fond of the art.

With half of the houses now burnt to the ground, the face of Heidelberg has definitely changed. However Tyree and the group involved with the project are trying to preserve what is left. They are attempting to raise $50,000 to up the security at the site. If you would like to help the cause, you can donate through their indiegogo site here. Donations can be made through December 20th.

Whether you have never been to the site before or if it's one of your favorite spots in Detroit, do yourself a favor and take a trip there soon. Next Saturday is actually the perfect chance to do it too! On December 21st they will be celebrating the Winter Solstice at The Heidelberg Project with food, drinks, bonfires, and art classes for making holiday cards and ornaments. Attendees of the event are being asked to bring coats (for adults AND children), winter hats, gloves, or socks to help those in need. The fun will happen from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is family friendly. For further details and directions to The Heidelberg Project visit the Facebook event page here. 

~C