The First Edition of Shadow and Honey Presents

This Friday night at The Magic Stick Lounge Shadow and Honey present the first in what they plan to be monthly shows. Shadow and Honey is a blog produced by Nik and Kim from The Philter. This first show includes some bands you might not be too familiar with yet, along side some names we're sure you know. The lineup includes Rayning, Characteristics, Odd Hours, and The Philter.

Entry is $7, which is worth it for The Philter alone, and doors open at 8 p.m. We're looking forward to this new monthly event and can't wait to see who they have next!

~C

Celebrate Dia De Los Muertos at Imperial!

By now you already know about the great food at Imperial in Ferndale. Not only do they have some of the best tacos around, but they also have some of the best looking waitresses and bartenders in town, male and female. Once a year Imperial has a Dia De Los Muertos celebration, a.k.a. Day of the Dead.

Last year, the staff had their faces painted and they hosted an art show to raise money for charity. They auctioned off hand painted paper mache skulls and raised over $2,500. This year, for the 2nd annual celebration, they will once again be auctioning off hand painted paper mache skulls, this time to benefit Roosevelt Schools and the Ferndale Eagles Scholarship Program. On November 1st there will be an artist reception at 7 p.m. and on November 2nd they will have an all day celebration for the Day of the Dead. This will feature tamales, special cocktails, face painters, and more. Some of the local artists include Lyle Hayman, who you might remember from the Chop Shop video, Mark Heggie, owner of Big Top Tattoo, and Jerry Vile, a local celebrity.

This event is sponsored by Pinwheel Bakery and Real Detroit. This would be a great time to stop and have a couple cocktails, a couple tacos, and maybe even buy some art for a good cause. Believe me it's worth it just to see the good looking staff!

~S

Day of the Dead Party with Ryan Dillaha & The Miracle Men!

After you have a few tacos and drinks at Imperial on the Day of the Dead you can head over to PJ's Lager House to continue the celebration and hear some good music. November 1st, Ryan Dillaha and the Miracle Men will be joined by Crooked Little Reasons, The Rushmore's, and The Dirty Dirty Dollars from Chicago for a spooky Dia De Los Muertos themed show. Costumes are encouraged and the Detroit Circus face painters will be there if you need a little help getting done up for the celebration! Doors open at 9 p.m. and it's only $5 at the door. For further details check out the event page here.

~S

Talking 5 Years of Snakewing with the Guys in Snakewing

Tonight one of the most badass metal bands in Detroit is celebrating their Fifth Anniversary, fittingly on Devil's Night. Snakewing is made up of Phil Berry on vocals, Nick Hamilton on guitar, Cris Golan on bass, and Kevin Hickner on drums. They're probably one of the heaviest and most badass bands in town, but they're also some of the nicest and coolest dudes around (sorry to ruin the façade, guys). They will be celebrating their anniversary tonight at The Park Bar along with Old Gods and Misfortunate Sons. To get ready for their big five year bash we caught up with the guys to look back on Snakewing's history and find out some of the band's "Top Fives". Here's what they had to say:

Hip In Detroit- What's the best show you guys have played over the past 5 years?
Snakewing- "Pearl Necklace with SNAFU. Basement Show, Mosh Pit, Cops Came, Fist Fight, Blood on Wall, Black Eyes, Drunken Madness!!! Or the All leather show when Kevin fogged the sound guy's face!!"

Hip In Detroit- The worst show?
Snakewing- "Theater Bizarre in 2011 was pretty bad due to the sound being awful and our fans not being able to find us in the maze of the Masonic Temple. But, the worst is probably the show Cris went to jail after....bad night."

Hip In Detroit- 5 most memorable moments in Snakewing history?
Snakewing- "1. Beating down another "band" during our set for throwing full beer cans at us while we played...all because they wanted our time slot. Sucked for them. 2. Playing with Negative Approach!!! 3. Releasing a split record with Easy Action!! 4. Opening for Coliseum. 5. Our buddy Brendan Joyce's bathroom sink with a volcano of hair/debris coming out of the drain...unforgettable!!"

Hip In Detroit- What are your top 5 bands in Detroit?
Snakewing- "Hellmouth, Easy Action, Year of the Pig, SNAFU, Against The Grain."

Hip In Detroit- What are the 5 worst things ever in the universe?  
Snakewing- "Government, Religion, Pollution, Money, Liars."

Hip In Detroit- What are the 5 best things ever in the universe?
Snakewing- "Sex, Marijuana, Beer, Music, Sex."

Hip In Detroit- 5 best boobies?
Snakewing- "Durgan, Durgan, Durgan, Durgan, and Kyle Green."

Hip In Detroit- Give us 5 reasons everyone should listen to Snakewing.
Snakewing- "1. We mean it. 2. We don't sound like anybody else. 3. We mean it. 4. You want to break things. 5. We mean it."

Hip In Detroit- What are the top 5 reasons why people should come out to the show on Wednesday?
Snakewing- "1. Snakewing Prayer Candles!! 2. Old Gods. 3. Misfortunate Sons. 4. Henry Pardike DJ'ing. 5. It's Wednesday and you need a break from the grind. Bring it!!!!!"

Doors for tonight's show open at 8 p.m. and it's only $5 to get in. The Park Bar is located at 2040 Park Ave. in Detroit (attached to Bucharest Grill). For all of the details on the event, or to congratulate the band on 5 years of being awesome, click here.

~C

Wrestlemania Halloween Party at Green Dot Stables!!!

In the 80s I can remember watching TV with my Grandpa and he always wanted to watch the same thing, Pro Wrestling. Back in those days The Iron Sheik, Hulk, and Randy Savage were his heroes. They strutted their stuff in the tightest spandex you could think of and no one really knew how fake wrestling truly was.

Wrestling has changed over the years and this has become known as the golden era. I had no idea that people were still interested in wrestling, but have recently learned many of my friends still watch Pro Wrestling, even know they know how fake it is.

Green Dot Stables happens to be one of my favorite local restaurants and this Halloween they are hosting a Wrestlemania Halloween party. They are encouraging people to dress up as their favorite 80s wrestler and come out to celebrate the holiday. They will have drink and food specials and will be playing the theme songs of your favorite wrestlers all night. This party takes place on Halloween (October 31st) at 8 p.m. There is no entry fee and Green Dot is located at 2200 Lafayette Boulevard in Detroit. This is a great chance to get out and try their food while wearing your brightest spandex!

~S

Halloween at The Loving Touch!

If you missed all the fun that was Creepy Cheapy last week you can still catch a couple of great cover bands, including two bands that actually played at The Crofoot. This Halloween, October 31st, The Loving Touch has joined with Ole Smoky Moonshine to present four cover bands for your enjoyment.

Woodpeckers From Mars will be performing as Faith No More, this band will include members of Golden Torso, The Meatmen, and Old Gods. Wild Side will be performing as Motley Crue and this band will include members of Grande Nationals, Nice Device, and Dark Avenger. Tres Hombres will be performing as ZZ Top and will feature members of The Muggs, Duende, and Ciccarelli. And finally, Steve Tuthill of The Beggars and Michael Alonso from Electric Six will be spinning DJ sets between the bands.

It's only $5 at the door with a costume an $8 without. The Loving Touch is located at 22634 Woodward Ave. and the fun starts at 9 p.m.

~S

Win Tickets to We Came As Romans!!!

Last year when The Used came to town they invited We Came As Romans to open the show for them and I'm pretty sure that as many people were there to see WCAR as were the for The Used reunion. This band originated from none other than Troy, Michigan and has taken over music in the last few years and become one of the biggest metalcore/post hardcore bands around. They are signed to Equal Vision Records and their latest album Tracing Back Roots has spurred another tour called the Tracing Back Roots Tour. This show will feature WCAR alongside Silverstein, The Color Morale, Dangerkids, and Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!.

The tour will be coming to St. Andrew's Hall on November 3rd and the show starts at 7:30, doors are at 6:30. Tickets are $29+ service fees and are available for purchase here. You can also purchase special packages for this tour that range from $30-150. These packages include all sorts of bonuses from a laminate to standing on the side of the stage while the band plays. You can check out those packages here.

Another way you can get into this show is by winning tickets from Hip In Detroit! We have three sets of tickets to giveaway to three lucky readers. To enter to win these tickets email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will draw our winners a few days before the show and email them the details of how to claim their tickets. Good luck!

~S

Celebrating 5 Years of Slow Jams!

Your favorite way to get down on Monday nights is celebrating their 5th Anniversary tonight! Slow Jams has been putting on free events every Monday night at Woodbridge Pub for a half a decade now where they spin some of the best Motown and Slow Jams (obviously) around. For this special edition of Slow Jams you can enjoy music from you weekly favorites along with some of the rotating guest DJs. The list includes Frank Raines, Eastside Jon, Erno the Inferno, DJ Psycho, DJ Head, and DJ Dez. 

As always, it's free to get into Slow Jams and the music starts at 10 p.m. Woodbridge Pub is located at 5169 Trumbull in Detroit. There will also be an after party to keep the celebration going. Keep an eye on the Facebook event page for details on that! So grab a $5 shot and a beer and cheers to many more years of Slow Jams! 

~C

Pixey Meat Jewelry

 

Halloween is upon us and all that is creepy, spooky, and weird is in high demand. While skulls, bones, and ghoulishly evil trinkets are part of my daily wardrobe, they seem to become part of everyone's during October. This is the perfect time of year to introduce you to one of my favorite local jewelry designers Kristy Kelley, owner and genius mind behind Pixey Meat Jewelry, a jewelry line that's a little outside of the box. She has made me everything you can think of, including rings forged out of old clocks, necklaces that say "Cunt" in candy letters, and necklaces with various designs wrapped in wire. Every item I've ever purchased from her has been made well and was priced incredibly low. Each item is unique enough to be considered one of a kind, no two pieces come out exactly the same, and each one is made with love (and a little anger depending on how well the wire is cooperating).

Kristy specializes in mixed media jewelry that is gothic, kitsch, kawaii, dark, and fun. Think Katy Perry meets Lady Gaga, meets Courtney Love, meets hippie chic. Her jewelry, like her, is eclectic and beautiful, and a little dark. She sells her wears both online and at a lot of the local festivals over the summer, all kinds of people seem to be attracted to her designs. Her new line of skull earrings are to die for and would be perfect to rock this fall. I thought I'd ask her a couple of questions about her designs and let our readers know where to get your hands on this stuff. My favorite thing about Kristy is she's always trying something new. Who knew old teeth could be turned into jewelry? Apparently she did! Read ahead to learn more about Kristy and check out her Etsy for some reasonably priced new sparkles.

Hip In Detroit- Why did you name your company Pixey Meat?
Kristy- "Pixie Meat is a nickname that Courtney Love used to call Kurt Cobain. (Yes. I'm a Hole fan). Also, when I started my shop, I had a fat meatball of a cat, named Pixey. (spelled with an EY). So it's a combination of both of those things."

Hip In Detroit- Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
Kristy- "All over the place! Old books, dead trees, anatomical medical stuff, oddities, specimens, and pretty much anything from another era (Except the 80's. I'm not a huge fan of shoulder pads and Peter Gabriel)."  

Hip In Detroit- I love your unique style of wire wrapping, how did you learn how to do this?
Kristy- "Well, for so long, I tried to do it in the traditional way, very uniform, and precise. Then I came to the realization that I just don't have the patience for it! So the way I wrap my pieces is just kind of something that I taught myself. I just kinda free form it, while trying not to poke an eyeball out."

Hip In Detroit- What is your target customer, who are you designing for?
Kristy- "Honestly, I get into a little bit of everything. I've been described as a Morbid death hippie, haha, so most of my stuff is a on the gothic and macabre side, but I'm also into bohemian style as well as kawaii and super kitschy stuff."

Hip In Detroit- How often do you cut yourself when working with wire? Ever do any serious damage?
Kristy- "It's a good thing I have to wear my glasses while wrapping (getting old is awesome like that) or else I would've been the lucky recipient of more than one eye patch. I do stab myself sometimes though, so I have had many a cat flee from my lap and hide while I'm unleashing a string of profanities."

Hip In Detroit- You did a lot of festivals this summer and have done others in the past. Which ones were your favs and why?
Kristy- "My all time favorite was the Detroit People's Arts Festival which, unfortunately, isn't around anymore. So many different kinds of people attended, so I got to meet all kinds of new customers. I also also liked doing the D.I.Y Festival in Ferndale. There’s so much talent at that one, and they always have the best bands!"

Hip In Detroit- Where can someone go to purchase your jewelry?
Kristy- "Ooh, shameless self promotion time! You can find me at www.pixeymeat.com. It will take you right to my Etsy shop. I also have a Facebook page under Pixey Meat Jewelry, where I post coupon codes and sneak peeks of stuff in the works. And, of course, I have an Instagram account which is Pixey_Meat_Jewelry." 

Hip In Detroit- How often do you list new items? I have seen you do designs with teeth and bones, are they real? Where do you get these items?
Kristy- "I try to create and list as much as humanly possible! As for the teeth and bones I use, YES they are real! I have lots of friends who have given me awesome stuff like coffin nails, their wisdom teeth, dog jaw bones found at the Packard Plant, and mouse skulls from their own backyard. Other stuff, I do buy online, but I do my research to make sure that it's humanely obtained. I’m not a fan of bugs though. There will be no centipede necklaces made, ever. Those guys terrify me."

Hip In Detroit- I know you once sent a necklace backstage to my hero Courtney Love. Did she get it? Do you know if she wore it?
Kristy- "I did! My friend Shawn is their bass player, and he said he gave it to her, but really, I think he kept it to wear himself. Because what guy wouldn't want a necklace with green crystal and ivy leaves on it? haha"

~S

Win Tickets to The HandGrenades with Born Ruffians and Twin Peax!

The HandGrenades are easily one of my top three favorite local bands at this point. Not only do they sound great live, but they put on a great show and are very entertaining. They were the best act at last month's Fallout Fest and they keep getting better each time I see them play.

It's no surprise that they have been asked to open for the Born Ruffians at the Magic Stick on Wednesday, October 30th, also known as Devil's Night here in Detroit. They will be joined by Twin Peax, who is also opening the show, and we want to give our readers a chance to check all the bands out for free. We have one set of tickets to giveaway to one lucky winner. To enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will draw a winner and email them back on the morning of the show. They will have their name on the guest list plus one when they arrive.

The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets can be purchased in advance at ticketweb.com. Good luck, we promise you will enjoy this show.

~S

Detroit Fall Beer Festival

It may seem like all we are doing this week is telling you about ways you can celebrate the Fall season. We can't help it! There's just so much going on. Apparently Detroiters love this season! Well, along with Fall comes another yearly event that is happening this weekend. It's time for the Detroit Fall Beer Festival!

This is the 5th year for Detroit's Beer Fest, taking place at Eastern Market this Friday and Saturday. The festival will feature 450 craft beers from 60 different Michigan Breweries. The list includes a ton of favorites, including Short's, the W.A.B., Lily's, Black Lotus, and Kuhnhenn. There will also be food available for purchase and live music by The Muggs, St. Thomas Boys Academy, and more!

Tickets for the festival are $35 a day, with Friday's hours running from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday from 1-6 p.m. Tickets will grant you admission to the festival along with 15 beer tokens that will get you 3 oz. samples of beers. You can purchase more tokens inside for 50¢ a piece. If you aren't much of a beer drinker, but you still want to go hang out, there are Designated Driver tickets available for just 5 bucks. If you buy one of those tickets though, make sure you don't drink! Not even a sip! If you get caught, you will be escorted off the property, made a fool of, and probably grounded when you get home too. Not really though, you'll just get kicked out. To purchase tickets ahead of time click here. Tickets will also be available at the gates, as long as the event doesn't sell out, which it typically does. The fee for online ticket sales is only $3 though! A small price to pay if you'd rather be safe than sorry!

~C

Two More Ways to Celebrate Halloween at Small's

Tonight and tomorrow night there are two more excuses for you to head to Small's dressed like a goblin or a ghost. But, even if you're not in the mood to dress up, these are a couple shows you don't want to miss.

Tonight at Small's check out The Independents with The Gutter Ghouls, Break Anchor, and Cbj. The Independents are a Horror Punk Ska band that is sure to get you in the mood for Halloween. They have been around since 1992 and shared the stage with bands like Ramones, Cheap Trick, and Misfits. They're currently finishing up a tour that has taken them across the country and back again over the last year. This show is only $10 to get into if you wear a costume or $12 if you don't. For those of you that wear a costume, there will be a costume contest with a $50 gift certificate to Hardline Tattoo Co. as the Grand Prize.

Friday night, if you aren't going to Creepy Cheapy, you HAVE to make it out to see Queens of the Static Age. This Misfits cover band used to be a Halloween ritual, but they have taken a break for a few years. Featuring members of Fordirelifesake, The Suicide Machines, The A-Gang, and more, this band will make you feel like you are seeing the Misfits themselves, but they may be even a little better. Joining them for the night are Can I Say (Dagnasty), also featuring members of The Suicide Machines, The Grande Nationals, and Left In Ruin amongst others, and Rawdogs, who show up dressed to impress and ready to rock out at every show, not just at Halloween. It's only $5 to get in the door and there's not a discount for wearing a costume, but why not? It's Halloween bitches!

For more info or to order tickets ahead of time, head over to SmallsBarDetroit.com.

~C

Zoo Boo at the Detroit Zoo

This is one of the few times in my life that I am actually a little jealous of all of you parents out there. Don't get me wrong though, I still wouldn't want your job. But, there are some events that are geared towards kids that just sound too fun. One of those said events is Zoo Boo at the Detroit Zoo.

Zoo Boo is basically when Halloween takes over the Zoo. There's trick-or-treating, pumpkin displays, monsters, witches, graveyards, and a whole slew of other fun things going on at the Zoo. Since it is for kids though, none of it will be too scary. I'm a huge chicken so that sounds perfect for me. The festivities have been going on during weekends throughout the month of October, with this weekend being the last chance to get in on the fun.

Tickets for Zoo Boo are $8 for everyone 2 and up. If you have a membership to the Detroit Zoo you still have to pay to get in, but parking is free for you. Tickets can be purchased online here and are separated by time slots, which seems like a great idea since some of these events can get pretty crowded!  Some tickets will be available at the gates as well in case you aren't sure when you'll be able to make it. Zoo Boo runs this Friday from 6-8 p.m. as well as Saturday and Sunday from 5-8 p.m. So throw a cute costume on your kids and head out to the Zoo for some Halloween fun. Well you're at it, invite one of your childless friends too!

~C

Touch 7" Release Show

Touch (a.k.a. Touch of North America) is getting ready to release a new 7" this Thursday. This punk/metal/with a touch of grind band is the newest project of Jeremy Damaske, Shayne O'Keefe, and Matt Conzett. The band started back in January of this year and has already release a full length CD and now this 4 song album. We really think a lot of you are going to dig them, if you don't already. You can check out all of their music on their bandcamp and the first release is even available as a free download.

Touch's 7" Release Show is this Thursday at Jumbo's. Joining them are S.N.A.F.U., Les Rhinoceros (DC), and Reverend. 7 bucks gets you in the door and gets you a copy of the 7". The show starts at 9 p.m. For more details head over to the Facebook event page and while you are there make sure you read their descriptions of the bands. Pretty hilarious.

~C

Meet Sean Forbes and Find Out More About D-PAN

We have all made corny statements about music being the universal language. We say things like, "it has the power to bring people together and transcends petty differences", but I never realized how true that statement was until recently. My dad and I may not be able to agree about politics, but we can agree that Pink Floyd rules, we can bond over a mutual love of Billy Joel, and we can rock out to an oldies station when we need to find a middle ground. Music is the one thing that me and my father can have a conversation about without arguing. But, music is so much more than that, it is a way to express how we feel and to interpret how we feel. Watching a great band perform and singing along is literally one of the best experiences I have ever had. What I didn't realize until now is that just because you can't hear the music doesn't mean you can't feel it.

It never occurred to me that the person standing next to me at a show may not be able to hear what I hear, but they are able to feel what I feel. Let me explain, I have never had a friend who was deaf or hearing impaired, so I had never thought about what music would mean to someone who couldn't hear. What could music mean or be to someone who has never heard, someone who was born deaf or maybe became deaf at a young age? I truly could not answer that question, but I just met someone who can. Sean Forbes is a local artist who is deaf. He has started a charity call D-PAN and has put out music for the deaf and hearing impaired.

Sean became deaf shortly after birth and was still able to teach himself how to play drums and guitar. He opened up my eyes and made me realize that music also connects the hearing to those that can't hear, because even if we don't hear the same thing music can make us feel the same thing. Please take a minute to read my interview with Sean and learn a little bit more about him and his foundation. Once you do I promise you will be blown away by how amazing and truly talented he is. He will be debuting D-PAN's latest release this Friday at the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale, and I guarantee you will want to support what he is doing. The benefit starts at 7 p.m. and all ages are welcome to attend. Tickets will be $20 in advance and $25 at the door. You can purchase tickets at dpandetroit.eventbrite.com. Sean will be preforming live along with other artists, and word has it there may be some bands featuring horns (I love horns!). Halloween costumes are encouraged and ASL music videos will be played for all to enjoy.

Hip In Detroit- Were you born hearing impaired or did you become hearing impaired?
Sean- "Hearing impaired is not the right terminology, I preferred to be called deaf whereas the community as a whole likes to be represented as the "Deaf and Hard Of Hearing Community". For a more in depth analysis of this please read an article by my guitarist Mark Levin: http://limpingchicken.com/2013/09/23/mark-levin-lets-eradicate-the-term-hearing-impaired/ "
I was born hearing and became deaf at a year old as the result of a high fever."

Hip In Detroit- How do you communicate with others? Do you read lips or use sign language?
Sean- "I am lingual meaning that I communicate both in American Sign Language and I speak for myself as well. Depending on the mode of communication of any specific person I communicate with I chose that mode, sometimes I communicate solely through sign language or sometimes I solely speak..... when I perform I do both and this is not an "accepted" form of communication as sign language is not a spoken language, but I look at my performances as "works of art" and it amazes people that I'm able to speak and sign at the same time, it's like using both sides of my brain.... like walking and chewing gum."

Hip In Detroit- How old were you when you started playing music?
Sean- "I got my first drumset when I was five and it's been love ever since then. I started playing guitar and writing songs when I was 10. It wasn't until I was in my 20's that I realized that if I wanted to do something with music I was going to have to think outside the box and do something drastically different."

Hip In Detroit- I read you play drums and guitar. I guess I can understand drums, but how does one learn an instrument like guitar when you can't hear what your playing? How do you tune a guitar?
Sean- "Playing guitar is all about feeling, the way a song moves, the way you want the groove to go, or the melody in a song.... anyone can play guitar, but how you can move someone with a guitar is what makes listening or feeling it great. I can see how someone is playing, having played guitar extremely loud for many years gave me a sense of what I'm feeling when I watch someone play guitar. I can't tune a guitar on my ears, but I do own a tuner and can tell when I play a guitar when it's out of tune, usually I'll look at a hearing person and shoot then a weird face and they'll respond, 'yeah, it's really out of tune.'"

Hip In Detroit- When did you start D-PAN and why?
Sean- "I started D-PAN back in 2005 because growing up in a musical family, I felt really lucky to be involved with something that my family was so passionate about. When I was in high school I didn't have a lot of other deaf and hard of hearing friends who enjoyed music. It wasn't until I was a college student at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) where NTID (National Technical Institute for the Deaf) is located that I started to realize that there were many others who appreciated and enjoyed music. I would often sign songs to my friends so that they could be involved in music and it was those moments that inspired me to want to setup D-PAN."

Hip In Detroit- D-PAN's page talks about "feeling music" the same way I hear it, can you explain that to me?
Sean- "Music is all about feeling, the way you feel it in your soul, but also how you feel it physically. Many of us like to turn up the music extremely loud and bump along to it, just like anyone else. Any musician who writes a great song wants you to "FEEL" it not just "listen" to it..... if you don't feel it then it's probably not a great song."

Hip In Detroit- Are there certain instruments or types of music that you "feel"more?
Sean-"Drums and bass are the most prominent."

Hip In Detroit- Tell us about the DVD you are releasing, It's Everybody's Music Volume 2.
Sean- "This new DVD continues in the tradition of D-PAN making music accessible for the deaf community. On this DVD we have 6 new music videos "Fireflies" by Owl City, "We're Going To Be Friends" by the White Stripes, "You Brought The Sunshine" by the Clark Sisters, "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen along with an original song and video called "Watch These Hands" which I wrote and another song by a deaf and hearing couple called "Parents, Nothing More". I'm excited about this DVD and can't wait to show more of what D-PAN is doing. We host camps for deaf and hard of hearing kids to get involved in music and creating music videos with sign language. I never dreamed in a million years we would be doing this and I love this part of my job."

Hip In Detroit- What are some of your favorite acts around Detroit and what do you love about them?
Sean- "My access to music is very limited, in order for me to follow along I have to know the lyrics. I'm good friends with people like Tino Gross from the Howling Diablos, Johnny "Bee" Badnajek from Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Vinnie Dombrowski from "Sponge" and many more..... I've known these guys pretty much my entire life and they've been a part of this journey. I also like those guys from Wilson, they put on a pretty bad ass show."

~S

Against The Grain Halloween Party!!!

Small's bar in Hamtramck is throwing a Halloween party on October 26th. One of our favorite bands, Against The Grain, is headlining the show along with Bison Machine, Temple of Void, and Borrowed Time. But, the lineup isn't even the best part about this show. There is also a costume contest taking place with a killer prize. The winner of this contest will have free admittance to any shows at Small's for the next year!

The show starts at 8 p.m. on Saturday and it's $7 for those over 21 and $10 for 18-21. This is worth ruining a dress with some fake blood or investing a little money in a good costume! Good luck!

~S

Creepy Cheapy

When I was younger I fell in love with a woman named Courtney Love. I fantasized about what it would be like to be her, to be married to Kurt Cobain, singing, writing, and touring on Lollapalooza, and generally being the most badass girl in rock and roll. I sat in my room and screamed out the lyrics to Live Through This on a near daily basis. My brother can literally sing "Miss World" because he heard me sing it so many times, he wouldn't be happy to admit that. I always wondered what it would be like to do my version of Courtney in front of a crowd, but I never dreamed I would get the opportunity to do so.

At Hip In Detroit's one year celebration I got the chance to sing "Violet" with Destroy This Place at the end of their set. It was by far one of the coolest moments I have had since we started this website. Who knew that it would open up the opportunity to actually perform as Hole at this year's Creepy Cheapy at The Crofoot. That's right kids, I will be joining Destroy This Place this Friday, October 25th on the stage and doing a set as my idol. I can't wait to do this, I've been practicing for months. But, there's one thing I need to make this dream a true reality, I need a crowd there screaming along with me! I need everyone of you to bust out Live Through This and give yourself a quick refresher of the lyrics. Let's make this one big 90s tribute to the queen of grunge! But, unfortunately for me the show is not all about me.there's also a lot of other great cover bands playing.

This year's lineup also features members of the Grande Nationals as Motley Crue, Search The City as Jimmy Eat World, Chase Morris as Ludacris, The Hounds Below as Pavement, Lord Scrummage as Ween, Flint Eastwood as The Ramones, El Dee as No Doubt, and many, many more. For a full list of acts go here.

The best part about Creepy Cheapy is that tickets are only $5 for a regular or $10 for the enhanced ticket. The enhanced ticket gets you quicker access to the show. If you've been there before you know that the line can get long very quickly. In fact, I think the show was completely sold out by 10 o'clock last year, so you may want to think about starting your night earlier than you're used to or risk the chance of not being able to get in on the fun. Throw on whatever costume you want get there early and let's party!

~S

Zombie Dance Party 10 - The End!!!

Out of all the costumes I've come up with, covering myself in blood and pretending I'm a zombie always seems to be the the most enjoyable and easiest way to have a good time on Halloween. Plus it's a great way to freak out little kids. 

This Tuesday The Loving Touch is hosting the 10th and final Zombie Dance Party, fittingly called The End. It will feature music by Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs tribute band at 11, After Dark Amusement Park at 10:15, a Slasher Dave listening party at 9:30 and DJs Dave Lawson and Betsey Young throughout the night. They will also have $4 pints of an Autumn IPA and the Zombinator ghoul makeup station will return. 

Anyone 21 and older is welcome and it's only $6 to get in the door. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and The Loving Touch is located at 22634 Woodward Avenue. This is a great way to kick off the Halloween season and since being a zombie is so easy, anyone can participate!

~S

Talkin' with Vic Victor of The Koffin Kats and Givin' You a Chance to Win "Born of the Motor"!!!

Detroit's own Koffin Kats are getting ready to release a new album. Born of the Motor is the 7th release from the band with the last album released just last year. The album will be available this coming Tuesday on vinyl, CD, and of course as a digital download. The band's label, Sailor's Grave Records, is actually running a pretty sweet deal too. You can get a CD, shirt, poster and 4 stickers for $20. Plus, every 25th person that grabs that bundle will also get 2 tickets to see The Koffin Kats. 

The band is currently out on tour on the west coast. In anticipation of the release, singer/bass player Vic Victor was nice enough to catch up with us via email and answer a few questions. Here's what he had to say:

Hip In Detroit- Tell us about the new album. What can fans expect?
Vic- "Well, to quote Road House... Expect the unexpected. Actually any fans of ours reading this probably know by now that we don't like to record the same album twice. I felt the last release set the bar really high, so the challenge was to not ribcage it on the bar with this new one. We just wanted to put out a solid album, where every track has some kind of hook in it that sticks your brain."

Hip In Detroit- You guys recorded this album with John Kay at Stu Stu Studio. How was that? Why did you decide to record there?
Vic- "This isn't our first rodeo with ole' John. Haha. Back in '07 he recorded, mixed, produced another release of ours. Since that time we have been in and out of Stu Stu doing most of our tracking there. John knows his stuff. We work great with him. Plus he only a few miles from where we live. He also has really comfortable couches in the studio. So the question is... what's the real reason we record there?"

Hip In Detroit- Speaking of John Kay, I heard that you guys kind of switched places over the summer and helped John out with a song that's a tribute to our friend Jason Lockwood. Can you tell us about that?
Vic- "Well... he needed some manly voices for some group vocals and we were conveniently in the studio doing gang vocals for our album that day. On a serious note though, it's a great song and a very nice tribute."

Hip In Detroit- The band has toured A LOT over the years and it doesn't seem like you are slowing down anytime soon. Where's the best place you've ever played and is there anywhere you haven't played yet that you would like to?
Vic- "Honestly, a "best stop" can be any town that has a crowd that knows who we are or is at least receptive. I mean I'll never forget our first visits to SoCal and seeing huge crowds that knew our music. But, you learn that "huge" doesn't always mean it's a memorable stop. We have had a blast with 2 people in front of us. We need to play Alaska and Hawaii so that we can officially say we've done every state in the U.S."

Hip In Detroit- So there's one thing I always want to ask people that play the stand up bass, especially in this case. And I'm pretty sure from the question you can tell that I'm not a musician. How did you learn? Did you just start off playing the regular bass guitar and it really isn't that different? I can't imagine you were a jazz band kid in high school, were you?
Vic- "I picked up playing guitar when I was 12. Once I figured out that I wasn't going to be the next Dimebag Darrel or Brian Setzer, I decided to think out of the box. Besides, almost all of my friends growing up played guitar to some extent. Once I started listening to bands like Reverend Horton Heat and Living End, I really started digging the sound of the upright bass. The problem was that you couldn't exactly walk into the pawn shop and pick one up. So when I was 17 I worked a terrifying holiday shift at Toys R Us and after the season was over I had enough saved up to order a bass. I figured out the basics from watching local players, like Pete from Twistin' Tarantulas. But really it wasn't until we started touring that I learned all the tips and tricks to handling an upright bass. If you understand how the neck of a guitar works, you can translate that over to the neck of an upright. The slapping part comes in time. It's a bloody and painful process."

Hip In Detroit- Who are some of your biggest influences musically and why?
Vic- "Bad Religion got me into the world of punk rock the first time i heard them on the radio back in '94. Reverend Horton Heat got me into the whole "billy" thing when I saw them on Beavis and Butthead as a kid. I remember I only listened to Bad Religion and Pennywise during my freshman year of high school. These days I listen to a lot of music spanning a many genres. But one of my all time favorites is Waylon Jennings. As a musician, the worst thing you can do is keep a closed mind to other styles of music. Granted, you wont be hearing me on a rap or dubstep album. But in order to expand your ability of writing and performing, you have to keep an open mind."

Hip In Detroit- What's next for the Koffin Kats?
Vic- "Well be back home from this current tour right before Christmas... then we hit the road again in mid January. Well be out for most of 2014 doing North America and Europe."

Hip In Detroit- Any chance Detroit fans can plan on seeing you at Black Christmas this year?
Vic- "Chances are very good. We had a blast last year. So many great local bands in one night."

Hip In Detroit- We like to ask most bands that we talk to what some of their favorites in Detroit are. So do you have any Detroit bars, restaurants, shops that you have to hit while you are home or any Detroit bands that you love?
Vic- "Small's! We've done quite a few shows there over the years. Honestly, I don't have a car and I'm over in Garden City. So whenever I am home I don't venture into the downtown all that often like I used to. So I'm out of the loop when it comes to what is still in Detroit or what's new. As far as food, I love Greektown. Pegasus to be specific. Or if you're on 8 mile just East of Woodward there is this drive through coney place that has "fish dogs." A "must stop" after closing time! As far as bands go, oh man, I could fill this page up with shout outs. But I'm going to say what's most relevant to the time of doing this interview. The last few weeks I've been on a Detroit Cobras kick. I do enjoy them."

Born of the Motor comes out this Tuesday, October 22nd. In honor of the release we are giving two lucky winners the chance to have a free copy of the CD delivered to their doorstep. All you have to do to enter is email your name and address to hipindetroit@gmail.com. If you want to double your chances of winning, you can also tell people about Koffin Kats' new album on Facebook, twitter, or Instagram. If you tag us in the post so we see it, you'll be entered again. We will draw our 2 winners early Tuesday morning. That way if you don't win, you can still head out to the store and pick it up the day it's released. Good luck!!!

~C

Your Guide to Cider Millin' this Fall!

Cider and doughnuts! Who doesn't love them? And yeah, of course you can just go up to the grocery store and grab a gallon and a dozen, but it just isn't quite the same as heading out to the cider mill. Warm doughnuts and fresh cider with the smell of leaves in the air and the country atmosphere, it pretty much is the ultimate way to enjoy fall. There are a ton of cider mills in the area, so we wanted to share a few of our favorites with you and let you know what they have to offer.

Yates Cider Mill - This is probably my favorite cider mill, but mostly for nostalgic reasons. I grew up going here and it's super close to home, which makes it nice if I'm not looking for an all day outing. Yates has been around since 1873 and has made their cider from a press powered by a water wheel since 1876. They don't have any self pick areas, but they do have small petting farm, pony rides on the weekends, and an awesome trail that runs along the Clinton River. Yates is located at 1990 E. Avon Rd. in Rochester Hills, but it's right on the edge of Shelby Township off of Dequindre near 23 Mile Rd.

Franklin - Franklin Cider Mill is a fan favorite for those a little more on the South West side of the 'burbs. Located on the corner of 14 Mile and Franklin (just west of Telegraph) this mill is a little smaller in size, but is genuine and takes pride in their cider. They've been around since 1914 and this was the first mill in Oakland County.

Rochester Cider Mill - Located just outside of Downtown Rochester, this Cider Mill not only features great cider and homemade pies, but also some free activities for the kiddos. They have a hay bale pyramid that kids can climb, a petting farm and tractors to play with. They are located at 5125 N. Rochester Rd. in Rochester.

Paint Creek Cider Mill - This is probably one of the more lavish looking cider mills around. When you are driving up, the sun just shimmers off of their endless windows and although you are right outside of Rochester, you feel like you are up north in some fancy woodstown. Not only is Paint Creek known for their cider, but also their pizza and barbeque. For that reason, we're going to call this more of an adult cider mill. They're open 7 days a week and are located at 4480 Orion Road in Rochester.

Blake's Big Apple - If you feel like going for a drive up Van Dyke, which I feel like many people do when they are looking for a cider mill, Blake's is pretty much the full experience. They have U-Pick apples and pumpkins, hayrides, a train ride, hay bales to play on, a petting farm, and a bunch of robot/mechanical people and animals that sing songs and dance. Some are a little old and on the creepy side, but would you have it any other way? There are additional fees for some of the attractions, ranging from $3-10, but this is definitely a cider mill that you can spend the entire day at and have a ton of fun. Blake's Big Apple is located at 71485 North Avenue in Armada. They also have a smaller location at 17985 Armada Center Road in Armada. There are still fun attractions at this location as well, but not quite as many as at Big Red. On the other hand crowds and lines aren't quite as big either though.

Hy's - Hy's is a smaller, family owned cider mill located in Bruce Township at 6350 37 Mile Rd. They have a great Pick Your Own Apple area and also feature BBQ catering sometimes! Hy's is only open on the weekends and is only open through October. So time is running out if you want to check this one out!

Westview Orchards - Located in Washington Township, but pretty much in Romeo, this one is located at 65075 Van Dyke just north of 30 Mile. They have a great petting farm and including ramps for the billy goats where they can climb up to the clouds. Westview actually is celebrating their bicentennial (that's 200 years) this year! That's pretty amazing! So you can experience a piece of history while having fun on their hay rides, apple picking, and going down their 40 ft. Apple Shoot Slide. There are fees for some of the attractions and although Westview is open 7 days a week, there are different prices and attractions during the week and on the weekends. 
 
Goodison - This hidden gem is located just north of Paint Creek Cider Mill on Orion Rd. in Rochester at 4295 Orion Rd. Not only do they feature cider and doughnuts, but also Pistachio Nut Bread, which I haven't tried yet, but it sounds delicious! They are open 7 days a week through Thanksgiving and then on weekends through Christmas. So this is the place to get your cider fix all season long! Until Halloween, they often feature bounce houses and pony rides on the weekends. They also have a swing set that is available to play on all week long!

Miller's Big Red - Miller's features a U-Pick area with apples and pumpkins this time of year. Make sure you keep them in mind for the summer months though as they also have U-Pick strawberries and raspberries. Although it has also been around for years, with this being the oldest U-Pick in Washington Twp., Miller's is a little more modernized with greenhouses on site. But, it is just as fun with pets to pet, hay to climb, and a wagon to take you back on the trails where you can pick your own produce. There's even a corn maze too! Miller's Big Red is located at 4900 32 Mile Road in Washington.

Past Tense - I had to save this one for last because I just went recently and it was so much fun. Past Tense is a cute country store located in Lapeer. They have 2 stores on site; one that sells antiques and the other that sells home decor type items and has a whole floor dedicated to whichever holiday is happening that season. When I've been there in the past it was usually Christmas, but this time around it was Halloween. They had some of the coolest Halloween decorations ever, and even if you aren't looking to buy any you have to go up there and check it out. The displays are awesome. There was still a whole Christmas room too for those of you that are already in the spirit. So, if this is a store why am I bringing it up? Well, there is also a cider mill on site. It may be a little smaller than some of the others, but their treats and cider are just as tasty. Also, through Halloween, they are featuring a Fall Festival every weekend. There are bounce houses and a tractor pulled train ride for the kids and hayrides for the whole family too. There is a charge for most of these activities, but it was extremely reasonable (like $1-3). There are pumpkins for sale, live music, and many of the kids that attended wore their costumes. It was just like a fall day from the movies. Also, quite a few people had their dogs with them, so that may be a plus for some of you!


Obviously there are more Cider Mills in the area that aren't on the list, but these are some of the best in our opinion and the ones that we are most familiar with. If you have another favorite, feel free to tell us and others about it in the comment section below. This is a wonderful time of year, so head out and enjoy some time with family & friends and some cider & doughnuts too!

~C

Win Tickets to The Pretty Reckless at St. Andrew's!

I'm a sucker for good girls gone bad, but I have a sneaking feeling that Taylor Momsen from The Pretty Reckless was never good to begin with. Sure, she started off as sweet little Jenny on Gossip Girl, but quickly grew into one of the most dynamic characters on the show. Remember when she was dealing drugs via mini boat in central park? You can say I became a fan of hers because of the show, but once I heard her music I realized there was a lot more to her than meets the eye.

In Momsen's bio she talks about seeing Jack White for the first time when she was nine years old. She says at that point she realized that being a rockstar wasn't about wearing skimpy clothes and running around on stage, it was about playing good music. She states that she's a sucker for a good male front man and credits Zeppelin, Floyd, Oasis, Nirvana, and Soundgarden as being some of her biggest inspirations.

She channeled all of her raw energy into her latest album to be released in 2014 called Going to Hell and released her first single off this album under the same name. This album has been getting great reviews and seems to show a whole new side of Momsen. She is currently going across the country promoting the album and is making a stop at St. Andrew's on October 25th. Tickets are $24 at the door, but we have 3 pairs to give away to three lucky winners. To enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com . We will email the winners back a few days before the show and their name will be on the guest list plus one. Good luck! XOXO Gossip Girl ;)

~S

Win Tickets to Trick Trick!!!

A few months ago we had the opportunity to give away a couple pairs of tickets to see Trick Trick playing in his hometown of Detroit. He's coming back around for another preformance and we have a couple more pairs of tickets to give away to our readers.

Christian Mathis, better known as Trick Trick, shot into fame in the early 90s when he signed his first record deal with Click Click's label, Click Boom Records. He became well known for his associations with the Goon Squad and has put out music with artists like Eminem, D12, and Obie Trice.

He will be performing on October 24th at The Majestic Theatre at 8 p.m., but we have to put up this giveaway a little early so we have time to mail you the tickets. To enter please send your full name and address to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will email the winners when we draw them and let them know to expect a package in the mail. Good luck and thank you to Embarco Entertainment for this giveaway.

~S

Your New Favorite Restaurant - Rock City Eatery (VIDEO)

A new restaurant located in the heart of Hamtramck just opened its doors a few weeks ago and it's already becoming the new hot spot for dinner. Rock City Eatery is located at 11411 Joseph Campau and features a wide variety of food, amazing cocktails, great beers, and delicious desserts. It blends owner Nikita Santches' Eastern European roots with Detroit Style to make it a place that's all its own.

Rock City's Menu features a vast selection of food, ranging from burgers to brussel sprouts. It also features an assortment of pies daily, as Santches got his entrepreneurial start with Rock City Pies at the Rust Belt Market. There is definitely something for everyone on the menu, even for those that are a little more adventurous, such as the Smoked Beef Sandwich which features Lingua (a.k.a. beef tongue).


On our dinner outing, Sadie and I went for something a little cheesier. I ordered the Rock City Mac-Cheese and she ordered the RC Grilled Cheese. First off, her sandwich was not your mom's grilled cheese, as it was made with 3 different cheeses, on an amazing toasty, crusty bread. It was also served with field greens.
 


On my plate was some of the best mac & cheese I have ever had. It was served in a bowl made out of cheese and topped with the same crispy cheese. Seriously delicious! This is a completely different take on macaroni and cheese than the fan favorite at Slows. However, I have a feeling it's going to become another Detroit staple, just the same.



While you are at Rock City Eatery you have to also make sure to get one of their signature cocktails. Although there is a long list of great beers as well, we went with the French 75 and Death in the Afternoon. Both were amazing!!!

After dinner we had a chance to chat with the owner to learn more about him and the eatery. Here's what he had to say:

Once again, Rock City Eatery is located at 11411 Joseph Campau in Hamtramck. They are open Monday-Thursday from 4 p.m. 'til Midnight and Friday-Saturday from 4 p.m. until 2 a.m. They also just started serving a awesome late night Ramen, so make sure to keep this place in mind for after the bar too!

~C

PJ's Lager House Halloween Cover Show 5!

'Tis the season for cover band shows and each venue has its own special twist on the idea. The Lager House will be hosting back to back Halloween cover shows October 18th and 19th. These shows will feature two stages and 20 bands. The lineup includes The Replacements, Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, The Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Bob Dylan & the Band, The Foo Fighters, The Grateful Dead, and more.

Costumes are encouraged, but not required and it is only $4 to get in each night. The Lager House is located at 1254 Michigan Avenue in Detroit. Don't forget, they stream all of their shows live on their website! So, if there's an act that you don't want to miss and you can't make it out, you can always check them out online!

~S

Partying, Hip Hop & Food

This Tuesday, October 15th, The Grasshopper Underground and Comfort Food Detroit are joining forces to bring you good music for a good cause. They have recruited Cold Men Young, Josef Coney Island, Nameless Face, DJ Mel Wonder, R.C.U., and Teej to preform for a free event at the Underground. All they ask in return is for those of us that can afford it to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to local families in need. In addition to collecting canned goods they will also be taking used books for the Sit On It Detroit project. It is not necessary to bring a donation to get in the door but it is highly encouraged.

The Grasshopper Underground is located at 22757 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. The show starts at 9 p.m. And goes until 2 a.m. Time to check out some great hip-hop and give back to the city we love!

~S

Win Tickets to Fidlar with The Orwells!!!

This Thursday, Fidlar will be hitting the stage at the Magic Stick Lounge. You may have first heard of Fidlar when they opened up for The Hives last year at Clutch Cargo's, well that's when we first heard of them at least. Although their popularity has peaked over the last couple of years, the four piece from L.A. actually got their start back in '09. Fidlar's latest release is a 7" that came out back in the spring. You can check that out along with all of their other tunes that show their own style of surf rock mixed with punk on their bandcamp.

Fidlar is currently out on the road with The Orwells. Once this tour wraps up they are getting ready to head out on tour with the Pixies. After that we're sure everyone will be talking about this band. So whether you are already a Fidlar fan or you've just been meaning to check them out, you're not going to want to miss the chance to catch them in this more intimate setting.

Tickets for Thursday's show are only $10 in advance or $12 the day of. This is an earlier show, with doors opening at 6 p.m. So you can head over to this show and still check out another after or you can even hit the sheets early if it's a work/school night for you. So there's no excuse to miss this. AND we're giving you a chance to get in to the show with a friend for FREE, which means you really don't have an excuse to miss out on this great show! All you have to do to enter to win is email us at hipindetroit@gmail.com with Fidlar in the subject line and your first and last name in the body. We will announce our winner the morning of the show! Good luck!!!

~C

Win Tickets to Minus the Bear with INVSN and Slow Bird!

Finally, a ticket giveaway for all of our indie rock fans! Seattle's Minus the Bear is coming to town and we have a chance for you to go for free. I have always been a fan of this band and some of their former projects, including Kill Sadie, loved the name, loved band. If you don't know this group, they are known for their ever changing time signatures and "Pele-esque" guitar taps. Don't know what that means? Come to the show and check it out for yourself, I guarantee you will fall in love with this math rock band!

Minus the Bear will be playing at The Majestic Theatre on October 18th along side INVSN (featuring Dennis Lyxzen) and Slow Bird. The show is going to cost you $20 in advance or $24 at the door. Or, you could roll the dice and be our lucky ticket winners! To enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. The show starts at 7:30 and all ages are welcome. The Majestic is located at 4140 Woodward Avenue in Detroit.

~S

Theatre Bizarre: The Procession

Halloween season is upon us and that can only mean one thing, it's time to dress up and pretend you're something you're not and get weird. My favorite masquerade ball, Theatre Bizarre, is the most deviously delicious place to throw on a mask and celebrate all that is evil this October.

Theatre Bizarre is more of an experience than an event, it is unlike any other Halloween party in Michigan. The Masonic Temple is transformed into Hell for one night, each room has it own form of debauchery. This year's ball will feature music from Duende, Nice Hooves, Detroit Party Marching Band, Scorned Deity, and many more. The Weird Sisters Circus will be performing and there will be all sorts of burlesque dancers, suspension artists, and other freak show acts. Two years ago I watched a guy get dollar bills stapled to his body while doing shots with some of my best friends. It was awesome, to say the least.

The fun starts at 6:30 p.m. on October 19th and the party ends at 4 a.m. Drinks stop being served at 2 a.m., so you have a couple hours to sober up before you go home. Tickets will run you around $70 after service charges and can be purchased online, at Noir Leather in Royal Oak, at Showtime on Woodward, and at the Rust Belt in Ferndale. You must wear a costume to attend this event. I'm not talking about heading up to the Halloween store and finding something slutty, this is all out mayhem. Slutty is fine, just make sure it's slutty and evil.

~S