Win Tickets to See The Contortionist

Prog Metal band The Contortionist is coming to town this Sunday and will be hitting the stage at St. Andrew's Hall. This stop is the last on their tour in support of the band's latest release Language. The album came out over a year ago, and the band has been hard at it, touring the world in support of it. Check out the band's video for Language I: Intuition off that album.

The Contortionist will be joined by Entheos and Sleepmakeswaves this Sunday, May 1. Tickets for the show are only $15 and can be purchased in advance here. All ages are welcome to attend this show and doors are set to open at 6:30 p.m. Thanks to Live Nation Detroit, we are also giving away a pair of tickets to this show! If you would like to enter, just send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Contortionist in your subject line. We will draw our winner on Sunday morning and will email them details on how to claim their prize. Good luck! 

~C

First Residency Gallery Opens at The Red Bull House of Art this Friday

For the least three months three artists have been living in Detroit. They were brought to town by The Red Bull House of Art and they will be showing off the fruits of their labor this Friday, April 29th at The Red Bull House of Art.

Traditionally, the gallery would pick a few local artists to work with and the those artists would show their work at the end of the style. But, this year they switched it up and brought some out of town artists to live here and learn about our city while working on their art. Katy Ann Gilmore, Carl
Rauschenbach and Scott Vincent Campbell will all be showcasing what they have worked on during their time in Detroit. Gilmore is a visual artist currently living in Los Angeles. her work is "heavily influenced by topography and the relationship between 2D, perpendicular planes and their distortions into 3S space". Rauschenbach lives in New York, but is originally from New Zealand. His work is heavily influenced by skate culture and graffiti. Campbell is a visual artist and curator based in New York City. "He uses a variety of mediums to examine how personal experience and constitution shapes the way people interact with other individuals and greater society."

The show will open this Friday and it will run from 7-10 p.m. It is free to get in and all are welcome! RBHOA is located at 1551 Winder in Eastern Market. If you can't make it out this Friday you can check out the gallery on most Saturdays. To find out more about RBHOA or to check their hours visit their website here. 

~S

The 25th Annual Detroit Music Awards

This Friday Detroit will celebrate its amazing music scene for the 25th year in a row at the Detroit Music Awards. This award show recognizes musicians both young and old in every genre from Classical to Metal.

Over a span of about 6 months, musicians are first submitted by fans and fellow musicians. Then those submissions are looked over and nominations are made from that list by a panel of Detroit Music Awards voters. Finally, in the final round those voters cast their choice from the nominees. It's a long process, but it allows everyone to get involved, at least for the first round. If you want to be considered for a DMA, you can even submit your own name or band's name during that round. The voters that are allowed to participate in Phase II and III must register, but if you have any affiliation with the Detroit music scene, it's pretty easy to become a voter.

So, the months of work and deliberation are over and the 2016 DMAs are finally here! The award ceremony will be held this Friday, April 29th at The Fillmore in Detroit. Personal favorites like Zander Michigan and 1592 are up for awards this year, you can see a full list of nominees here. In addition to musicians, the DMAs also honor other aspects of the music industry in Detroit, like studios and record labels. Throughout the night awards will be given away and there will also be live performances. Some of this year's performers include Child Bite, Def By Stereo and Jill Jack.

If you would like to attend this year's DMAs, general admission tickets are available for just $20 here. Doors for the event are set to open at 6 p.m. For more information on the Detroit Music Awards and to find out how you can get involved next year, head to DetroitMusicAwards.com.

~C

24 Hour Ticket Giveaway: Todd Barry @ The Crofoot

This Friday, April 29th comedian Todd Barry will be making his way to Metro Detroit. You may know Barry from his Comedy Central special, appearances on late night shows, or even just recognize his voice from shows like Squidbillies or Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Hailing from Florida, he has been a part of the comedy scene since the late '80s. Watch a few minutes from one of his appearances on Conan below.

Todd Barry will be hitting the stage at The Crofoot this weekend. Joining him for the night are local comedians Brad Wenzel and Jon Lynch. Tickets for this fun night of comedy are only $18 and can be purchased in advance here. Thanks to our friends at Fusion Shows, we are also giving away a pair of tickets to this show! If you want to spend your Friday night laughing your ass off at The Crofoot, just email your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #comedy in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Friday morning and they'll attend the show with a friend for free. 

Doors are set to open at 8 p.m. on Friday. The Crofoot is located at 1 S. Saginaw St. in Pontiac. For more info on this show, click here. 

~C

Cash'd Out Pays Tribute to Johnny Cash at The Loving Touch

There's no denying that Johnny Cash is a legend. When they make a movie about your life, you must be doing something right. His songs are loved by fans of all ages and his musical career spanned over nearly 50 years. He was an amazing musician, singer and performer. 

If you never had the chance to see Mr. Cash himself, this weekend you have the opportunity to see the next best thing. Cash'd Out is the ultimate Johnny Cash tribute band. Based out of San Diego, this band travels around the country playing Cash's tunes. They are the only tribute band that is endorsed by Johnny Cash's website and they even brought his daughter to tears when she attended one of their shows. They're the real deal and a must see for any Johnny Cash fan. See for yourself below. 

We had a chance to chat with the man behind the microphone, Douglas Benson, about Cash'd Out and Johnny Cash. Read what he had to say. 

HID- Let's just start out big. Why Johnny Cash? What is it about him that you love?
Doug- "I picked Johnny Cash because of my love and respect for the man and his music. He had genuine care for everyone, especially for the common man, the hard working man, the honest man."

HID- How did you guys start playing together?
Doug- "I put an ad in the San Diego Reader that read, "Johnny Cash band needs a guitar player, MUST PLAY LIKE LUTHER PURKINS!". Kevin answered it and the rest is history."

HID- Isn't it sort of intimidating playing tribute to such a legend every night?
Doug- "It's an honor. The intimidating part comes when you have Lou Robin (Johnny's mgr for the last 30 years) and Cindy Cash (one of his daughters) sitting in the front row watching as I try to remember all the words to the songs."

HID- What's your favorite Johnny Cash song of all time?
Doug- "That's easy, all of them. But seriously I like "The Wreck of the Ol' '97" a whole bunch."

HID- What can people expect at the show at The Loving Touch?
Doug- "Expect a few stories about Johnny Cash and a whole bunch of his music done proper, or as close to as he did it with the Tennessee Three that's possible."

HID- Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
Doug- "Remember to keep the real music alive in the hearts of our youngins. And thank you for allowing us to sing Cash tunes for you. It means a lot to us."


Cash'd Out will be hitting the stage at The Loving Touch in Ferndale this Saturday, April 30th. Joining them for the evening are Dear John Tractor and Nick Ciolino. Tickets for the show are $15 in advance or $18 the day of the show. Thanks to the wonderful ladies at Black Iris Booking, we are also giving away a pair of tickets to this show! If you would like to enter to win, please send your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Cash'd Out in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Saturday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize! Good luck!

~C

Win A Pair of Tickets to Eddie Logix's Ohana Tape Release Party!

This Friday, April 29th everyone's favorite "Lights on Rider" Eddie Logix will be releasing a new beat tape called Ohana. You can check out all of the new tracks here. You can also see him perform live at The Elizabeth Theater this Friday alongside Pig Pen, Peace to Mateo, Blair French, and DITCHPLNES. Tickets are already for sale here, if you buy them you also get a FREE download of all the new music! Alley and Eye will have a pop up shop set up for the night and new #coOwnaz shirts will be available for purchase

We also have one pair of tickets to get in to the show! If you would like to enter to win a set of tickets for FREE please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Ohana. We will draw one lucky winner this Friday and they will get to check out the show for FREE with a friend! #coOwnaz shows are always a good time period!

~S 

Win Tickets to See Mountclair Friday Night at The Loving Touch

This Friday Detroit based Atmospheric Pop band Mountclair will be playing their first headlining show. You might be asking yourself, what the heck is "Atmospheric Pop". It's what happens when you bring together a group of musicians with "influences that range from Chillwave to Indie Rock and R&B". The band is made up of five guys; Ty, Jake, Nick, Antonio and Armando. They are currently in the studio recording their first EP and recently released a music video for their song "Graffiti". Check that out below.

For their big show on Friday the guys in Mountclair have invited some great acts to share the stage with them. The lineup includes American Arson, James Linck, Mango Lane and Mac Saturn. It's all happening at The Loving Touch and it's only $8 to get in. Tickets can be purchased in advance here and all ages are welcome.

We are also getting some fans into this show for free! We are giving away two pairs of tickets and all you have to do to enter to win is email your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Mountclair in the subject line. We will draw two lucky winners Friday morning and they will be able to attend the show with a friend for free.

Doors for this show are set to open at 7 p.m. For more info, click here.

~C

Win Tickets to See Reverend Horton Heat at The Loving Touch

Reverend Horton Heat has been playing all over Michigan  and the Midwest the past few days and this Thursday, April 28th he will be making a stop in Metro Detroit. The rockabilly legend and his band will be playing at The Loving Touch alongside Unknown Hinson, Nashville Pussy and Lucky Tubb. This is an amazing lineup that you do not want to miss!

REV is the most recent release from Reverend Horton Heat, it came out back in 2014 on Victory Records. This is the 11th studio album from the man and his band, who have been making music for over three decades now. You can listen to that album in its entirety here. We also suggest you check out the music video for "Mad, Mad Heart" off of REV below.

If you want to see this great lineup, you can pick your tickets up online for $28 here. Thanks to our friends at The Loving Touch we are also getting one lucky reader into this show with a friend for free! If you would like to enter to win a pair of ticket to see the Reverend himself, just email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Reverend in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Thursday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize. Good luck!

~C 

Video Exclusive: Rarewolf "Manimal"

Last week we introduced you to Rarewolf and released their first singe called "Manimal". This week we are helping them release the video that goes along with the single.

Rarewolf plans to release a video alongside every single that they release. They already have the next one in the works. So, without further ado, this is Manimal: 

HID- How have people reacted to the new song we released last week?

Rarewolf- "So far so good! We have had long time friends as well as some newcomers all chime in with good things to say, which is SUPER relieving. When you spend so much time on something, especially one song, you end up really invested in it and want it to represent who you are as a band. We think this song does a good job of that."

HID- Who came up with the concept for the video?
Rarewolf- "The song was actually written before we decided to do the video for it, so the initial concept was already there. When we decided that Manimal was going to have visuals accompany it, we thought the idea of making a video about some irresistible lover was played out, so we put a twist on it. And that's how real love works, right? There's always a twist."

HID- Where was it shot?
Rarewolf- "A majority was shot in Ferndale, in the downtown area. There are bits and pieces shot in Pontiac and all of the live band shots were done at CMNTv in Troy. John Blanchard (aka BizzyStudio) has access to a killer studio area there."

HID-Why did you decide to work with BizzyStudios?
Rarewolf- "Simply put: John is the type of person we want to work with. He approaches his work with a clear vision and purpose, but also views it as a learning experience- which, by the way, EVERYONE SHOULD. Additionally, even being relatively new to film production, he was all about taking this project and making it his as much as it is ours. We really believe that when everyone is taking ownership over something and viewing it as a vehicle for their own personal growth, it shines through in the final product."

HID- Who are the actress in the video?
Rarewolf- "Lin-SAY and JRAE are both local musicians and huge talents. And, they are DEDICATED. Wow. Get 100 people in a room and ask them to walk around in high heels for like 14 hours or something ridiculous, in the cold, to shoot a video for a band without any breaks and see how many people volunteer. These girls stepped up without any hesitation and honestly killed it, and we cannot thank them enough for that.

If you want to support musicians who put in the work and hustle every day, make sure you check them both out! Lin-Say just dropped her new album, Shut Up & Pick Me Up, and JRAE is super active online with visual art in addition to her music."

HID- Is it true that you plan to release a video with every song that you release?
Rarewolf- "Yeah! (If we can afford it.....) But for real. Yes. We're trying to release content a little differently than the norm with this band. Instead of going all in on an album, we're going to spend a lot of time on each individual track, making them really unique from one another so that the entire catalog is strong and we have content coming out as regularly as possible. The more we produce, the better we'll get at it, hopefully."

HID- Do you have the ideas for your videos on your head while your writing the songs?
Rarewolf- "Initially, no. Now that we've committed to this work flow, though, it is definitely in mind from the beginning. Once vocals start to form for a song, that's when the video ideas usually start to follow.

Video ideas are especially important for which songs we want to record next. If we write two great songs, but only have a really great idea for visuals for one, we'll opt to record the song with a better video concept. Maybe the other needs some time to stew, you know?"

HID- How important are visuals in music in your opinion?
Rarewolf- "It is super important for a band like us. We want to affect people, move them, make them feel good. Our generation is honestly kind of numb from the constant barrage of news feeds, ads, comment threads, beeps, swipes... you get it. If you want to really grab someone's attention, you have to immerse them in something that tunes out all that noise. I think that's why even simple visuals like KEXP Sessions or Take Away Shows blew up as quickly as they did. If those same performances were only available as live audio, I don't know that they would be as successful. I've caught myself more than a few times 2 hours deep in a Youtube hole without realizing it because I am completely engrossed in an artist's channel, and that is a difficult thing to do these days."

~S

24 Hour Giveaway: Win a Pair of Tickets to See Britney Stoney, ONEFREQ, and Vox Vidorra at Cliff Bell's

Cliff Bell's is one of the most beautiful restaurants and venues in town. The space originally opened in 1935 and it was named after John Clifford Bell, an entrepreneur in Detroit. The club closed down in 1985, reopened in 2005 and was fully renovated in 2006. It is a great place to grab a drink, have a good meal, and hear great music. I had the privilege of seeing the Bad Plus perform there once and it was magical. I ordered a fancy dinner, a couple glasses of wine, and sucked in the tunes.

This Thursday, April 28th three Michigan artists will be taking the stage. Traditionally, Cliff Bell's hosts only jazz shows, but they are trying something new. They will be having Detroit artists Britney Stoney and ONEFREQ perform alongside Grand Rapids based Vox Vidorra.  

Britney Stoney is one of my favorite up and coming artists. She has the voice on an angel, you can check out some of her work here. 

ONEFREQ is a Detroit based group with Trey Priest on Guitar, Omar Aragones on vocals and Jason Rickett on bass. They recently released a music video for the song "Drug of Choice", you can check that out and listen to more tunes here. 

Vox Vidorra also released a new video, you can peep that and listen to their tunes here. We loved what we heard when we checked them out and we with you will too! 

All of these acts have a soulful feel, but they are a little different than what we usually see coming through Cliff Bell's. This show is going to be amazing and we have one pair of tickets to get one of our readers in the door with a friend for free. If you would like to attend the show, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #cliffbells. We will draw one lucky winner this Thursday and will send them details on how to claim their prize.

~S

24 Hour Ticket Giveaway: Win a Pair of Ticket to See Behemoth

Polish extreme metal band Behemoth is currently on tour and they have been holding rituals across the US. These dudes are pretty intense. Check out their latest music video for the song "Messe Noire" and you will see what I mean.

The band will be hosting their next ritual at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit this Wednesday, April 27th. Myrkur will be opening the show, which is only $22 to get in to. We also have one pair of tickets to give away to the show courtesy of Live Nation Detroit. If you would like to enter to win a pair of tickets to the show please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #metal. We will draw one lucky person this Wednesday morning and they will get to see Behemoth live that night.

~S

Win a Pair of Tickets to See Into It. Over It.

Into It. Over It. are currently on tour in support of their latest album Standards which was released this past March. The band is the brain child of Chicago singer Evan Weiss. He locked himself up in a house in Vermont and didn't emerge until the album was finished. Then, once it was finished, he packed up his bags and took his show on the road. But the tour is almost over. In fact, Detroit will be one of the last three cities on the bill.

Into It. Over It. will be playing alongside The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die, The Sidekicks, and Pinegrove. Tickets for the show are $15 in advance and $17 the day of the show. We also have one pair of tickets to giveaway to one lucky winner. If you would like to enter to win a pair of tickets courtesy of Black Iris Booking, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #intoitoverit. We will draw one lucky winner this Thursday and they will get to attend the show at The Majestic Cafe that night for free!

~S 

Catching Up With the Ill Boyz in The ILL Itches

This weekend The ILL Itches will be taking the stage at Marble Bar to play some of the tunes of their latest self titled album. The music has been written and recorded over the last few years and it is finally time for it to be pressed and put out to the masses. In fact, Jett Plastic Recordings has already started offering pre-sales of the new album, and some of the packages are already sold out!

Last week they released an in-depth interview with Jeff Milo that gives you a deeper look into the album. They also sat down with us over a few cocktails and talked music, tour, and the future of the band. Check it out and make sure to come by the Marble Bar this Saturday, April 30th to see the boys play alongside The Hentchmen, Moonwalks, and The Idiot Kids. 18+ are welcome and the dudes are only asking for $5 at the door.

~S 

You Have to Try the Almond Boneless Chicken at The Peterboro

According to historical researchers Detroit had two locations that were once called Chinatown. The first was located where the MGM Grand Casino now stands, it was established in 1872 and relocated to to Cass and Peterboro sometime in the 1960s. The last business, called Chung's closed its doors in 2000 and the area has laid dormant for the last 16 years. Then, about a year ago, there were whispers that Detroit's Chinatown might be coming back.

Over the last year, lots of new businesses have returned to the area. This includes Iconic Tattoos and Plato Beer Company. Most importantly, a Chinese restaurant has returned to Chinatown, aka the corridor.

The Peterboro is the latest new edition to the rich food scene that is taking over the city of Detroit. They serve "contemporary American Chinese food" and lots of unique craft cocktails. Chef Brion Wong has crafted a one of a kind menu that offers a twist on your typical Chinese food. This includes items like Vegetable Fried Rice and Almond Boneless Chicken, Fish Croquettes and Mushroom Salad.

I visited the space on Friday night with a friend and we sampled our way through the menu. Overall, I enjoyed the food and there were a few items that really made my taste buds dance. We started out the night with Scrambled Duck Egg with Morels, Asparagus Tips, and English Peas:

We followed that up with English Peas with Burnt Soy and Butter:

Crispy Pork Belly:

and Scallop Crudo (top) and Fish Croquette (below):

Then for our meal we split the Almond Boneless Chicken:

and the Mongolian Hanger Steak (add rice if you want!):

Finally, for dessert we split the Sugar Egg Puff:

My favorite items were the Pork Belly (I don't usually like pork!), the English Peas (think edamame, but better), the Scallops (spicy!), the Fish Croquettes (great dipping sauce on the side) and the Almond Boneless Chicken. The Duck Egg was a little too eggy for me, and the steak was a little too salty (my dining mate disagreed BTW). The Almond Boneless Chicken was unique, unlike any other version I have ever had. It was better than the gravy covered stuff I'm used to and I highly recommend it. I also loved that a lot of the dishes included mushrooms, they are a personal favorite of mine and they make any meal a little better by just being there. Dessert was wonderful, light, flaky, sugary and sweet.

I also threw back a few perfectly mixed Skeleton Keys at the recommendation of the bartender. The quality of the drinks made it clear that the minds behind Sugarhouse are also running the bar at The Peterboro. To top it all off, we received impeccable service from the second we walked in. I highly recommend checking this out the next time you're craving Chinese. 

~S

24 Hour Giveaway: Win Tickets to See Bane's Final Detroit Show

This Tuesday,  April 26th Bane will be performing in Detroit one last time. After 20 years together the band is embarking on one last tour before calling it quits. It's funny to think that once upon a time this band was formed as a side project. Throughout their career, Bane remained true to hardcore and to Equal Vision Records, the label that put out all four of their albums. You can listen to some of the band's best tracks here. 

They will be preforming at Populux alongside Grade, Expire, Malfunction, and Thin Skin. So, there is more than one reason to attend this one. We have one pair of tickets to give away to one lucky reader thanks to ladies who bring all the great bands to town, Black Iris Booking. If you would like to enter to win the tickets, please email your name to hipindetroit@gmail,com with the subject line #Bane. We will draw one lucky winner in the morning and they will be at the show saying goodbye to Bane this Tuesday. 

~C

Play on The Swings at Campus Martius

Head down to Campus Martius Park for a fun way to enjoy a beautiful spring day. The already inviting park has a new feature that is there for a limited time; swings. These aren't the same swings that you played on at recess as a kid. These swings are a new play on the classic, they play music and light up.

This is the creation of Canadian design studio "Daily tous les jours" in an effort to get the community to come together. Each swing plays notes as you swing. However, if you get all of the swingers to sync up and swing together, you will start to notice that the swings are actually playing a tune rather than random notes. Whether you just swing to your own tune or team up with the strangers on neighboring swings to play a song, this is a pretty fun thing to check out. I went down to the swings on a Sunday, and although there was a crowd around, I only had to wait a few minutes for my turn to play. If you head down in the evening, you're in for even more of an experience because the bottom of each swing lights up with LED lights. 

If you would like to head out and check out the swings for yourself, you better hurry up and get down to Campus Martius! The swings are only in town for a limited time and will be heading on to their next stop after May 8. Until the 8th, the swings are open daily from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. There is a security guard on site making sure that everyone gets a turn. 

The swings are located right on the edge of the park on Cadillac Square. For more information on the swings, click here. While you're down at Campus Martius, make sure you head around the corner to see Detroit's newest art, a mural by How & Nusm! Two great reason to get out and play in Detroit!

~C

Party with Cadaver Dogs Sunday at Small's

There's an excuse to party every night this weekend and Sunday night the party is at Small's with Cadaver Dogs! You've probably heard of Cadaver Dogs a time or two before. These guys truly know how to bring the party to town. If you haven't heard of them before, they're pals of Wilson and PRTY Crew Collective, so that should explain what you're in for.

In case that's not enough reason to head out to see this band on Sunday, here's a little background on them. Cadaver Dogs is a "Rock N' Fuck N' Roll" band from Ohio. The two piece features Mathew Franklin on vocals and guitar and Lex Vegas on drums. Their live shows are always outrageous, full of energy, and a party. To get an idea of their sound, crank your speakers all the way up (or your headphones if you're at work) and hit play to hear their album Too Much below.

Sunday's show is only $8 to get in to and 18+ are welcome. Also joining in on the party are FREAKABOUT from Nebraska and Detroit's own The Erers. Doors are set to open at 8 p.m. and The Erers will kick things off at 9. There's no pre-sale for this show, so just show up early and pay at the door! 

Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck. For more info on this event, click here.

~C

How & Nosm Add Art to Detroit

If you've been downtown this week you may have noticed a new mural being created alongside Shepard Fairey's piece. The mural is the creation of How & Nosm, an art duo that has been brought to town in part by the Library Street Collective. This mural will add to the collection of large scale murals that these artists have created throughout the world, including works in Hong Kong, Art Basel Switzerland, and Chicago.

Photo taken from Library Street Collective's Facebook page

Here's some background on the artists. How & Nosm is actually the stage name for Raoul and Davide Perre. They are artists based out of Brooklyn, who also happen to be twins. Although they are Brooklyn based now, they actually grew up in Europe, born in Spain and raised in Germay.

The two artists are not only in town to work on the mural, but they also will have an exhibit at Library Street Collective this weekend. The show, which is being called In Between, is set to open on Saturday, April 23rd and will feature 12 works on canvas as well as 30 drawings. Their art is vibrant, and incorporates their background in graffiti and street art with classic influences like Dali & Picasso. You can some of their amazing work here.

Saturday's opening is set to begin at 7 p.m. and goes until 9 p.m. In Between will then be on display until June 12th. If you can't make it out to the opening this weekend, the gallery's regular hours are Wednesday thru Saturday from Noon until 6 p.m.

The Library Street Collective is located at 1260 Library Street in Detroit. For more information on the gallery, click here. If you would like to check out How & Nosm's mural, head downtown to One Campus Martius and look up. It's right around the corner from the park.

~C 

Tom Green Comes to Town this Weekend!

This weekend a man that was made famous because of his disgusting and hilarious antics is making his way to Metro Detroit. Funny man Tom Green will be entertaining fans at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle this Sunday, April 24th in Royal Oak. Green is best known for his show The Tom Green Show, which aired on MTV in the late '90s and into the early 2000s. He also played roles in comedies like Freddy Got Fingered and Road Trip, which left the image of Tom dangling a mouse above his wide open mouth burned into our minds forever.

Since Tom first entered our homes via MTV he has battled testicular cancer, started a web series entitled Tom Green Live, and of course, hit the road on live tours. Word on the streets is that his stand-up is absolutely hilarious and that you won't want to miss it. Check out this clip of Green performing live in NYC a couple of years ago and decide for yourself. 

If you're laughing as much as we are and want to see more, make sure you make it out to the Comedy Castle this Sunday. There are still some tickets available, but they're going fast! You can pick yours up online for just $25 here. Doors are set to open at 7 p.m. and the show will start with Kevin McPeek at 8 p.m. In case you didn't already assume so, kids will not be admitted to this show. Only 18+ are welcome, so leave the kiddies at home and head out for a night of hilarious comedy! 

Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle is located at 310 S. Troy St. in Royal Oak. For more information on this event, click here. 

~C

NEW MUSIC: Detroit's RareWolf Drops New Track "Manimal"

Detroit has an ever evolving music scene. Sometimes the embers from the ashes of one band spark the fire of another.  RareWolf is a new band that was formed when all three members' former projects came to an end. One of those members, singer Lauren Long, is an artist that I have been following for awhile now. She sang in Seven Birds One Stone and did the best Amy Winehouse cover that I have ever seen at Creepy Cheapy. She has one of the sexiest, sultry voices I have ever heard and you can hear her passion for music when she belts out a tune.

RareWolf is a very different project for Lauren, so it sparked our interest when she sent over their first track. I took a listen and loved it. It's poppy, it's dancey, and her voice is still full of passion. Push play on the band's first track "Manimal" and read ahead to learn more about the band. I have a feeling that you will be seeing and hearing a lot more from this band in the future.

HID- Who is RareWolf?
RareWolf- "The band consists of longtime friends Lauren Long (vocals), Brian Loch (pad/instrumentals), and Joe Garofalo (keyboards). All three members grew up locally, and are passionate participants in the Metro Detroit music community. RareWolf blends our infatuation of electronic music with sonorous vocals to create a juicy, bouncy sound as thick and as sweet as honey. Although there are many variations, the traditional recipe for "RareWolf" is: 1 part pad synth, 1 part smoky vocals, 1 part heavy-effect keyboard, a dash of city-pop, 2 pinches of booty shaking, and 1 cocktail of choice."

HID- How long have you been playing together? How did you meet and decide to form the band?
RareWolf- "We started RareWolf in January of 2015, and played our first show together in August 2015 at B One Ballroom in Keego Harbor. We were all in previous projects, and had musically crossed paths before. Lauren and Joe were both members of the Indie Pop band Seven Birds One Stone, and Brian was a member of Dinosaur Twins. We played our very first Seven Birds show with Dinosaur Twins, and have been supporters of each others musical careers ever since.

When our previous projects came to an end, we were all hungry for a new music outlet. That's when the magic happened. The three of us connected and decided to experiment with a style of music that we all had a common love for, but never the opportunity to fully pursue in the past: Electronic music.

We played live shows from August until November, and then decided to take some studio and practice time to get comfortable with our new set up and record our first few singles. Now, our singles are recorded and our set kicks a$, and we are back on the scene with shows scheduled throughout the spring summer and many more on the way!"

HID- How do you describe your sound?
RareWolf- "We think we bring a fresh sound to the Detroit music scene by playing a fun and upbeat brand of synth pop blended with hip hop style beats and powerful vocals."

HID- Tell us a little bit about the first single Manimal.
RareWolf- "Our first single, "Manimal" blending elements of dance and synth pop. We think it is the perfect song to blast on your stereo system when your cruzin' to a party on a Friday night with your friends! We will get your blood pumping and your ride bumping with this lusty, high energy tune!"

HID- When will we hear more new music from the band?
RareWolf- "We just recorded a new song called song "Hotel" at 37 Studios with Matt Dalton. We will be releasing "Hotel" this spring and will shoot a music video for it this spring or summer. We are continually recording in the studio and will release a video with each song we put out! 37 Studios is also where we recorded "Manimal"."

HID- Will you be playing any live shows?
RareWolf- "Yes! We have some spring and summer shows lined up, and are continuously adding more shows to the schedule. Here are a few:

We will be playing with Chicago based band "North by North", as well as "The Zots" and "Mountain Club" at PJ's Lager House on 5/4 at the venue's new location on Moran Street in Detroit.

We are playing "Whateverfest" in Scripps Park on 5/8.

And, we are playing at The Phoenix Café on 5/14 with "Lost in Artificial Reality", a synth-pop band from Paris, as well as "Maya Mereaux", "Kitty Kush", "Telephon 9", and "Dos Lopez".

We are also playing the "Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival" held in Bay City on 9/22.

HID- Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
RareWolf- "We would like everyone to know that YOU are what keeps the local music scene alive! YOU as in the fans, the supporters, the community, the musicians, and the venues. We are all pieces of one big, giant, grinding machine that work together to reach a common goal, and that goal is expressing ourselves through the power of music and creative energy. We thank you for coming out to shows and festivals, for following our social media, and for smiling and getting down to our music. As the members of RareWolf, we would like to commend all of the hard working musicians in the area! Detroit's artist and musician community grows every day and is so inspiring. We are fans of so many local acts, and show our support whenever and however possible. Whether it be by featuring other artists in our songs or videos to introduce you to other local talent we love and support, or by heading out to a new band's show to check them out, we will always be active members in the local Metro Detroit music community. Please help us by communicating with us about what you would like to see, hear, or experience at a show! We welcome and would appreciate your feedback."

~S

Check out Queen Kwong wsg Tart, George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus and Those Hounds at The Loving Touch

Queen Kwong has been compared to everyone from Queens of the Stone age to Hole. Front women Carré Callaway is one of those performers that leaves a strong impression on people. In fact, she began her career at 17 by opening for NIN on the 2005 With Teeth tour. The best part is she was hand picked by Trent Reznor himself. 

She formed Queen Kwong in 2009 and the band released their latest album Get a Witness this past August. You can check out their tunes here. Or, you can see them preform live at The Loving Touch alongside some of our local favorites this Friday. They will be playing alongside Tart, George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus and Those Hounds. Tickets to get into the show are only $8. Doors are at 7 p.m. and bands start around 9.

~S

Win a Pair of Tickets to See Bleached at The Loving Touch

L.A. based band Bleached has been making a name for themselves since 2010, but their latest album Worms has redefined the band. The band got a little more raw on this recording, singer Jenn Calvin poured her heart into her music to get herself through some personal traumas. The result was the band's most raw and honest music to date. Don't get me wrong, it's still full of poppy goodness. But the lyrics are anything but silly. You can check out some of the new tunes from the band here.
I love how fuzzy and fun the album is. It's heavier than pop is supposed to be, but poppier than heavy music is supposed to be. In other words it's just right.

The ladies will be playing in Ferndale this Thursday, April 21st alongside No Parents. If you would like to see them perform the new stuff live, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmailcom with Bleached in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner this Thursday morning and we will email that winner details on how to claim their prize.

~S

24 Hour Giveaway: Win Tickets to See Napalm Death, The Melvins and Melt Banana at The Majestic This Wednesday

This Wednesday, April 20th The Melvins, Napalm Death and Melt Banana will be performing at The Majestic Theatre in Detroit. This is one of those lineups that I had to look at twice. All three bands could carry a tour on their own, but together they form a trifecta of awesome.

The Melvins have put out over 20 records over the last 30 years, This includes two "new" records that were released this year.  The first record, Three Men and a Baby, was recorded 17 years ago and finally made its way out into the world thanks to Sub Pop Records. The second album is called Basses Loaded, it is a collection of the latest and greatest that the band has to offer. The funny thing is, this isn't the first time that the band has released two albums in the same year. They are one of the coolest, longest running bands in rock and if you haven't seen them we highly suggest that you go for this alone.

To top it all off, Napalm Death are metal legends and Melt Banana are grindcore legends. Like I said, it's a trifecta of awesome. Tickets to get into the show are only $25 and all ages are welcome to attend the show. We also have one pair of tickets to give away to the show courtesy of the ladies over at Black Iris Booking, If you would like to enter to win a pair of tickets to the show please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #Wednesday in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner this Wednesday morning and they will be attending the show with a friend that night!

~S

Lights, Camera, Action: A Look at Tour Life from Matt Meyers from Houndmouth

Houndmouth isn't your typical band. They are a unique four piece from Indiana that started playing music together in 2011. They released their second EP called Little Neon Limelight last March and they are currently on tour with Lucy Dacus. They will be making a stop at The Majestic Theatre tomorrow night so we reached out to do an interview with the band. We sent some questions over to singer Matt Myers and got back an interesting response. Instead of answering our questions one by one he gave us a detailed look at life on the road with the band.

Matt- Me and my business partners and associates like to keep it real on the road. We enjoy eating our breaky together in the mornings. Eggs. Toast. Jam. Bacon. Coffee. It's important to start with a good meal because the days get long and if you're not careful you could become an asshole. A tired grumpy asshole. 

After breakfast we have a light yoga session with our guru and instructor Caleb Hickman (keys//you may recognize Caleb "the slasher" Hickman from such projects as Diane Coffee and Night Beds). After the sesh we explore. Who knows what town you're gonna wake up in and the only way to find out is to walk the streets. Find your beat. Look at the signs and shit. Find a clothing store because in this line of work you've gotta keep yourself in the fresh fits.

From 2 pm-6 pm no funny business. The gear doesn't load itself folks. Lift some stuff. Work 4 a sweat. After load in comes the sound check. Not one of those "open door come hang out and watch ticketed event" sound checks radio stations like to give away to listeners. This is the real deal sound check. With sound engineer Tim Smiley aka Timmy Buffet aka Tom Frowny on a real bad day. You horse around and fuck with The Tim Smiley's sound check and WELL THEN you've got another thing coming, Sally. He'll be naked and have you in a headlock before you can say, "1 2 check". He only gets naked because of primal instinct. He feels it necessary when performing hand to hand combat.

Now to a most exciting time in the evening. The pre show dinner. You'll want something substantial but not too heavy. You don't want to be weighted down before a show, and you definitely want to save room for a cocktail or two. I find that sushi is a safe option but sushi is everywhere and easy to get burnt out on. You can always double back and have breakfast for dinner as well. Try to avoid chicken and waffles specifically.

After dinner marks the first round of lounge hangs. Light drinking if you wish. Easy convo. Good vibes. We do this to keep from napping or going off and getting into some kind of trouble. Everyone needs to be around before showtime.

When Drew Miller (Saxophone//fashion guru) puts his suit on that's when we know the time is nearing. He's a punctual fella and I find it helpful to follow his lead in all aspects of life. His Exquisite two toned trousers/blazer combination with a geometric button up. Such a sight to witness. 

Now it's Showtime. No explanation necessary. Playing music is one of the oldest rackets going. If ya got it ya got it. If ya don't ya don't. Regardless it's all good.  

Stay safe out there y'all! Drink responsibly and love people 4 who they are and not 4 their Instagrams. 

Houndmouth will be performing at The Majestic Theatre this Tuesday, April 19th. Tickets to attend the show are only $17, they can be purchased here.

~S

24 Hour Ticket Giveaway: Win a Pair of Tickets to See Pears and Such Gold at Small's

This Tuesday, April 19th Black iris Booking will be bringing Pears, Such Gold, The Dewtons, and
Bastardous to the Small's in Hamtramck.

Pears are a hardcore quartet from New Orleans. They recently released their latest album Green Star on Fat Wreck Chords. You can check out their latest tunes here.

Such Gold is is a punk rock band from Rochester, New York signed to Razor and Tie Records. You can check out their tunes here.  

The Dewtons are a punk rock three piece from right here in Detroit. Their latest record, Kill Bozy, can be listened to here. 

Rounding out the lineup is Bastardous, a sort of super group formed from some of our all time favorite Detroit bands. This includes Tony Del Bel, Nick Gigler, and Rich Tschirhart. You can check out some of their music here.

Tickets to attend the show are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. We also have one pair of tickets to give away to the show courtesy of Black Iris Booking. If you would like to enter to win a pair of tickets, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #pears. We will be drawing one lucky winner tomorrow morning and will email that person details on how to claim their prize!

~S

Go Shopping at UFO Factory this Weekend

This Sunday, April 17th head to UFO Factory for a day of shopping and cocktails. UFO Flea Market will feature 10 vendors selling everything from record albums to vintage clothing. The list of vendors taking over the venue for the day includes Marcie Bolen, Kara Meister, Andrea Morici, Aran Ruth, Ruthie Underwood & Scott Michalski, Johanna Ulevich, Eliza Godfrey, Chad Gilchrist and Kelly Jean Caldwell. Photos of some of the goods these fine folks will be selling have been posted on the Facebook event page, so head over and give that a peep here.

This event is 100% free to get into, giving you an excuse to spend more money once you're in the door. The sale is set to start at 11 a.m. and will go until about 5 p.m. UFO Factory is located at 2110 Trumbull in Detroit. While you're there make sure to grab some lunch at Laika Dog at the back of the venue. We guarantee that you will love it!

~C

Ride the Streets of Corktown with Wheelhouse Detroit

It looks like the warmer weather might finally be here, so it's time to bust out your bike and hit the pavement. This Sunday is the perfect day to do that! The weather is supposed to be beautiful and Wheelhouse Detroit is hosting an awesome ride through Corktown. 

Once a month through September Wheelhouse will host this bike tour, with the first one of the year happening this Sunday, April 17th. The tour will take you on a 10 mile trip through Corktown while one of their guides gives you some history lessons and points all of the sights out to you. Some things you can expect to see while rolling through the streets are Victorian homes, urban farms, Most Holy Trinity, Ponyride, the site of Tiger Stadium, Michigan Central Station and Roosevelt Park. The ride will last about 3 hours and they will even stop at St. Cece's to get a bite to eat. 

Tickets for the Corktown Bike Tour are $30 and can be purchased in advance here. If you don't have a bike or you don't feel like hauling it to Corktown, there is also an option to rent a bike for the tour. Those tickets are $40. The ride is set to start at Noon and takes off from Wheelhouse Detroit (1340 Atwater St. in Detroit). For more info on this event click here. For a full list of bike tours that Wheelhouse Detroit is hosting click here. 

~C