Live Music Returns to Small's with the Debut of Bill Kozy's Rising Force

Live music returns to Small's this Wednesday night with one of Detroit's newest bands! Bill Kozy's Rising Force is a new power house featuring Austin Ahmad, Dan Gillies, John Clark, and the man, the myth, the legend, Bill Kozy. This is the first show at Small's since March of 2020 and this band is sure to kick things off right! Originally, the show was planned for midnight on July 1st, when the state would be lifting restrictions. But, Big Gretch had other plans and opened things up early. So now, the band is set to hit the stage around 10:15 p.m. and Heavy & Beyond will be supplying the tunes until then. 

Bill Kozy's Rising Force doesn't have any music available online yet. So, we can't really tell you what to expect. Just show up and prepare to be amazed! With this lineup, we are sure that this band will be nothing short of amazing! (Not to put any pressure on them or anything.) 

Doors are set to open at 8 p.m. and cover is $7. Make sure you bring some extra cash with you to pick up some limited edition Bill Kozy's Rising Force merch that will only be available at this show. To purchase tickets in advance, click here. 

~C

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: June 25-27

Friday, June 25th - Friday Night Vibes @ Eastern Market (Shed 2): DJ Seven Whales and Sam Morykwas have been  throwing a virtual party every Wednesday night, but now they are bringing the part to Eastern Market live and in person! The soundtrack for the night will include Hip-Hop, R&B, House, Afrobeats, Soul, and Pop and they'll be joined by Problematic Black Hottie. This will also be your first chance to pick up some Wednesday Night Vibes merch! The party starts at 7 p.m. and goes until 11 p.m.

Saturday, June 26th - Thrash & Smash 2 @ Ride It Sculpture Park - Moved to New Dodge: There's a party at Ride It Sculpture Park this Saturday starting around noon and lasting until the sun goes down! Over a dozen bands will be playing starting at 1 p.m. The lineup includes Stacked Deck, Detroit 442, Toe Cutter, Shitlife, Busby Death Chair, EKG, The Strains, Trunk Ride, UDI, Timmy's Organism, High Totals, Blue Collar Stompers, and Public Serpents. KO Prints will also be on site screen printing and there will be food available from vendors. Check out set times here. 

Saturday, June 26th - LiverNOISe: Live music hits the streets of Ferndale this Saturday afternoon! Bands will be performing on the porches of homes throughout town. There will be 9 bands, performing on 4 porches, starting at 1 p.m. This is not a city sanctioned event, but the police have been notified and are aware that it's taking place. So, stay cool, and only drink once you're on private property. For participating addresses, set times, and rules, head to the Facebook event here. 

Saturday, June 26th - Vinyl Up Your A** Volume 11 @ Small's: Heavy & Beyond will be spinning heavy metal all night at Small's this Saturday! Food will be available from Renegade Kitchen. $2 gets you in the door. The music starts at 8 p.m. 

Sunday, June 27th - Twistin' Tarantulas @ Cadieux Cafe: Twistin' Tarantulas will bring rockabilly to the stage at Mussel Beach, outside at Cadieux Cafe this Sunday! The show goes from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m., giving you plenty of time to get home and get some sleep before you're back to work on Monday. Cover is $10. Get a look at Cadieux Cafe's outdoor space in this video created by our friends Jeff Tabb & Joe Gall!

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: June 18-20

Friday, June 18th and Saturday, June 19th - Thirst Wave + Industrial Is Not Dead @ Small's: Your favorite dance night is back! Dance the night away at Small's this Friday AND Saturday night while DJ Pleasure Kitten and DJ Aaron Hingst provide the tunes. Friday they will be joined by DJ Elektrosonik and DJ Jon Noble and Saturday DJ Jon Noble will return along with DJ Chris Rohn. Cover is $5, masks a required, and capacity is limited to 100. Bring proof that you're vaccinated and get $1 off  tallboys & wells. 21+ are welcome. 

Saturday, June 19th - Family Matters Season Finale: Edible Installation @ Atomic Coffee: Commemorating Juneteenth, Artist Tony Rave will be holding the season finale of his art series "Family Matters" this Saturday night at Atomic Coffee. You may know Tony as a visual artist, but he is also an amazing chef that has worked at top notch restaurants throughout the area. For this installation, the artist will feature a food installation saluting twenty black artists working and thriving in Detroit. The meal will include six courses of vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free food. Tickets are $100 per person. For more details, click here. 

Saturday, June 19th - John Salvage @ Outer Limits Lounge: Earlier this year, John Salvage released a new LP "Coyote Hasten" and this Saturday night, he finally gets to celebrate that release with a live show. John will be joined by his new band New Twenty Saints as well as Sara Marie Barron, Toeheads, and DJ Father Dukes. Cover is free, but donations are being accepted for the Ruth Ellis Center. Things get started at 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 19th - "What We Do In The Shadows" @ The Film Lab: If you're looking for some comedic relief this weekend, head to The Film Lab for a screening of "What We Do In The Shadows". If you aren't familiar with this movie, it is a comedy that tells the story of vampire housemates trying to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster some of the perks of being undead. The showing will take place outdoors on the patio. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased here. 

Sunday, June 20th - Sunday Markets @ Eastern Market: Sunday Markets are back at Eastern Market! This is a super fun way to shop local and support artists, makers, and vendors all in one place. The market is open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and admission is free. 

Good Coffee and Good Donuts at Sabbath Coffee Roasters

When you live in the city, it's easy to find a good cup of coffee and some vegan treats, but out in the burbs, the search gets a little bit more challenging. There are lots of great independent coffee roasters and a few bakeries that cater to vegans, but they rarely cross paths and you have to know where to look. So, we wanted to let you know if you are in Downtown Clawson, you need to make a point to stop into Sabbath Coffee Roasters. 

This family-owned coffee roaster only opened their doors 6 months ago and they are already running circles around some of our favorite long-time brewers. They have a unique brewing process that ensures that you get the same great cup every time and their menu features a variety of specialty and seasonal drinks, many of which are or can be made vegan. Their coffee is delightful and it's brewed in-house, but somehow this isn't the best part about Sabbath. 

This little coffee shop is also one of the only places in Metro Detroit that you can get a fresh vegan donut from a local bakery called Dooped Donuts. If you haven't heard of Dooped, they are an all vegan bakery that makes HUGE out of this world donuts in a variety of unique flavors, including our favorite the "munchie".  Their donuts are the ultimate vegan treat, especially when paired with an oat milk-based latte. 

Sabbath Coffee is currently open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. 7 days a week. They have a small menu of delicious staples and some seasonal drinks that they post in the shop. They always have two or three different Dooped flavors inside their counter and you can purchase beans to go so that you can keep brewing up delicious cups of coffee long after you leave. You should follow Sabbath on Facebook or Instagram to stay in the loop! 

~S

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: June 11-13

Friday, June 11th - Crafted in Michigan Collaboration Series Release with Arsenal Handicraft @ Founders: Founders Brewing Co. has been collaborating with Michigan artists and makers for their Crafted in Michigan Collaboration Series. This Friday, they will be releasing their latest collaboration, Skyshift, with Arsenal Handicraft. There will be a release party beginning at 4 p.m. at the Detroit taproom, featuring the new brew. Arsenal Handicraft will be on the patio selling prints and pint glasses. 

Saturday, June 12th - Record Store Day - Drop #1: Record Store Day has once again been split into more than one day and the first day is this Saturday! There will be special RSD releases and record stores throughout the area will be joining in on the fun. Some of the stores that are participating include Village Vinyl, Solo Records, Dearborn Music, Flipside, and UHF. Check out the list of RSD releases here. 

Saturday, June 12th - Reggae & Ska in the Park @ Palmer Park: Pocket Sounds will be bringing together DJs and MCs for a day of Reggae and Ska at Palmer Park this Saturday. The event runs from noon until 6 p.m. and is free to attend. Donations will be accepted at will go towards local charities and organizations. There will also be Jamaican BBQ available for purchase. For more info, click here. 

Saturday, June 12th - Corktown Yard Sale: Find some new to you treasurers in Corktown this weekend! Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. homes and businesses throughout Corktown will be having yard sales. For a map and full list of participating homes and businesses, click here. 

Nosh Pit Has Officially Opened Their New Royal Oak Location

We waited all week to write about Nosh Pit to give them some time to catch up with their instant demand. Sure, they may have just opened up their new location in Downtown Royal Oak, but getting to this moment took a lot of hard work and perseverance. In 2015, owners Karen and Stefan met and opened a food truck, in 2018 they opened a brick and mortar restaurant in Hamtramck, and in 2019 they pivoted their entire business model to help people get the food supplies that they needed during the lockdown. Then, they closed their doors and announced their biggest pivot yet. First, they retired their old food truck to upgrade to a bigger and better model, then they announced their new location in Royal Oak.

They officially opened their doors last Sunday and have been selling out of almost everything on a near-daily basis! We were lucky enough and early enough last Sunday to catch their dinner service and our first visit did not disappoint. Their kick-off menu was slimmed down which meant they didn't have all our usual favs (mozzarella sticks) so we went with buffalo wings and nachos for our first meal at the new location. The buffalo wings were sweet, spicy, tender, crispy, and delicious and the nachos were extra special because they featured lentils instead of beans, a much-appreciated twist. We will 100% be eating both of these items again.

Currently, Nosh Pit is only offering take out, but they also have a first-come-first-serve patio right outside their doors where you can sit down and enjoy your food. Eventually, they will have some sort of dine-in service, mozzarella sticks, and a full bakery, but they do not have an exact timeline for all of this right now. It's important to note that they will be serving a 100% vegan brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The restaurant opens at noon Wednesday through Monday and is closed on Tuesdays. You can also order delivery through most of the popular app services if you are in their delivery service area. Stay up to date about all the yummy things Nosh Pit is doing by following them on Instagram or Facebook and stop by for a meal asap, you won't regret it! 

~S

Coriander Offers Good Food and Good Vibes Canal Side

Photo borrowed from Coriander's Facebook Page

After spending a year and a half making most of our own meals and ordering in, we truly understand what a luxury it is to have someone else cook your food and serve it to you. We've missed the experience of dining out and trying new food, and we have missed people watching. So, the second we were fully vaxxed, we made a reservation to relax fireside at Detroit's newest canal-side restaurant Coriander Kitchen and Farms. This little hidden gem was exactly what we were looking for,-good food, good vibes, and great people watching!

Owners Gwen Meyer and Alison Heeres have completely converted an abandoned fisherman's marina into a canal-side paradise that serves farm-to-table food. This includes herbs and vegetables that are grown directly on their farm. Coriander's menu features a variety of appetizers, salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, and desserts. All their dishes are thoughtfully prepared, unique and they have a decent selection of vegan and vegetarian options.

Photo Credit: Sadie Q.

For our first visit, we tried the jerked tofu with fruit and cabbage slaw (tofu marinated and grilled in farm hot peppers and warming spices, served with Michigan cabbage and tropical fruit slaw) and we were more than impressed with the crispiness of the tofu and the seasoning on the slaw. It paired well with the irresistible sweet potato fries that we added as our side. We also enjoyed a few drinks while we watched people pull up on their boats to meet friends or order something to go. The music was loud, the staff was friendly, and the fire pit was the perfect place to relax and enjoy the whole experience. We loved the food, the setting, and the canal-side vibes and we can't wait to go back for another meal.

Photo borrowed from Coriander's Facebook Page

Coriander is located at 14601 Riverside Blvd. in Detroit. They are currently open for walk-in service Friday through Sunday. Fire pits must be reserved in advance and there is a fee to do so. All orders are placed using a QR code and the menu changes seasonally. Follow Coriander on Facebook or Instagram to stay in the loop and make a point to get out and try this spot as soon as you can!

~S

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: June 4-6

Friday, June 4th & Saturday, June 5th - Detroit Women of Comedy Festival: The Detroit Women of Comedy Festival is going virtual this year and taking over Planet Ant's streaming platforms for two nights of hilarious comedy! The shows start at 6 p.m. each night and are free to watch. There are also virtual workshops during the day Saturday. Check out the full schedule of events and performers here. 

Saturday, June 5th - Hoe Army Car Wash: Hoe Army supports a lot of important causes in the community throughout the year and they need funds in order to do that. This Saturday, they will be holding their annual car wash fundraiser at Breckenridge & Tillman Street in Detroit. Bring your car or bike by to get washed, and grab some vegan food or something from the CBD Bar. The car wash will be open from 2-6 p.m. and then there will be bands starting at 6. The lineup includes Detroit 442, Dusty Rose, Astro Band, and Unabomb. Head to the 304 Army Instagram for more details.  

Saturday, June 5th - Night Market @ Beacon Park: The first Night Market at Beacon Park of the season is this Saturday night! Shop with local makers and vendors from 6 - 11 p.m. and grab a drink or a bite from a food truck. There will also be music provided by 313 LIVE Experience and DJ iNViSiBLE. 

Saturday, June 5th & Sunday, June 6th - Palmer Park Art Fair: Spend the day in the park and support local artists at Palmer Park this weekend. Their annual art fair features booths to shop as well as family art activities, food trucks, and more. The art fair is free to attend, but you can reserve timed tickets online here. Tickets will guarantee you VIP entry if there is a line at the entrance. 

Saturday, June 5th & Sunday, June 6th - Detroit Fashion Weekend @ Marble Bar: Head to Marble Bar to check out fashion from local designers this weekend! Saturday is the pre-show mixer sponsored by La French Vodka. Drink and mingle with the designers and artists behind the show. Sunday, is the fashion show featuring After430, Intelligent Degenerate, SeamstressBee, and Keiko Koakutsu, with a live performance by Xay Astro, sound by DJ Kawsan, and runway set design by Mesh Detroit. Tickets for Saturday are $10 and Sunday are $75. You can purchase tickets for each day and get more details here. 

Win a Copy of The Idiot Kids New EP "Nothing"

Album and t-shirt designs Kasper Ray

It's been a really long time since we got to announce a new release from a local band that we loved. It's also been a really long time since we got to do a giveaway. Thankfully, one of our favorite pre-pandemic bands to see live has decided that it's time to release an EP that's catchy as hell.

Today, The Idiot Kids (Jon-Mikal Bartee - Vocals/Guitar, Andrew Maslowsky- Drums/Backing Vocals, Nicholas Zambeck - Bass) are dropping a new four-song EP called Nothing. To celebrate the album and to reconnect with the band, we had a quick chat with lead singer and writer Jon-Mikal Bartee. Please read what he has to say and then head to the bottom of this post for details on how you can win a prize pack that includes the new EP, a shirt, and more!

Live photos Erick Bucholz

Hip- Let’s start with, how have you been doing? Tell us a little bit about how you are!
Jon-Mikal Bartee- I’m doing well! Very excited to be releasing new music.

Hip- Do you miss live music? Performing? If so, what do you miss the most?
Jon-Mikal Bartee- I miss performing more than anything! We recorded these songs in February of last year and we were very excited to share them and start planning a tour, but then everything shut down. It was devastating because performing live is very cathartic for me. The thing I miss most is the shared experience of performing live with friends.

Hip- How has COVID influenced your creativity?
Jon-Mikal Bartee- The uncertainty of the pandemic at first was overwhelming but it forced me to focus more on writing since there was no option to play shows. There was a need to create just to stay grounded. It gave me a lot of time to experiment. I recorded a bunch of demos that I might not have had it not been for isolating at home.
 
Hip- When did you write this new EP? What was the inspiration?
Jon-Mikal Bartee- These are all songs that I needed to write at different times in my life as sort of diary entries. Written very quickly on the spot and then fleshed out over time. Some dating back to 2011 when we started the band. Stylistically all these songs have more of a pop feel to them. That’s why I felt they all worked well together as an EP.

Hip- Why this music? Why right now?
Jon-Mikal Bartee- These are some of my favorite songs that we’ve done. I’m releasing them now cause I honestly just don’t want to wait any longer. I’m really proud of these recordings.

Hip- What does "Nothing" mean to you? Why is it a central theme of the album?
Jon-Mikal Bartee- “Nothing” was one of the first songs I ever wrote. It’s a sort of nonsense song that’s about screaming out frustrations with things you can’t control. The whole EP deals with coming to terms with and accepting yourself for who you are.

Hip- What is the quiet game?
Jon-Mikal Bartee- The title comes from a children’s game where everyone has to be silent and the first one who makes noise loses. I wanted to write a song where I fully and unapologetically embrace my queerness. Growing up in the church as the pastor’s kid, I had to keep quiet about who I was. So “The Quiet Game” is me making noise.

Hip- What's next for The Idiot Kids?
Jon-Mikal Bartee- Hopefully we will be able to play shows again soon. I want to get out and start playing again by the end of summer/early fall. We have a lot of new material and I’m excited to get back in the studio and get another album out.

If you would like to win a prize pack from The Idiot Kids please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. We will draw 1 lucky winner 1 week from today and we will connect them with the band to set up a convenient way to get their goods.

We loved the new EP's upbeat vibes and we think you will too, make sure that you give it a listen!

The Idiot Kids · Nothing EP

~S

Vegetarian Detroit Returns with a Series of Conversations that Explores How Detroiters are Getting Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

The Bite Tonight just dropped the second season of their popular podcast Vegetarian Detroit. During the first season host, Jewell Dziendziel explored the Metro Detroit Food landscape and chatted with Brad Greenhill of Magnet (RIP), Lamar Farhat of Leila, Mike Ransom of Ima Noodles, and more. 

This season, Jewell will focus on how COVID-19 has affected Detroit's fresh food supply. This will include an in-depth look at the city's fresh food suppliers, restaurants, and farms. Jewell invited guests like Billy Wall-Winkel, Assistant Curator for the Detroit Historical Society, Patrice Brown, Senior Food Access Manager of Eastern Market, and Tepfirah Rushdan, Co-Director of Keep Growing Detroit to give their perspective. Her goal was to help expose weaknesses within our food system and to showcase how restaurants, workers, and patrons are adapting to the pandemic.

The second season of the Vegetarian Detroit Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Learn more about The Bite Tonight here.

~S