Where to Party 2011 Away

Urinal Cake Records – “UrinFested” 6/21-6/22
Profile: Urinal Cake Records (on Metro Times Music Blahg – “Urinal Cake Records’ First Year + New Gardens (Grows)”) “Urinfested” Local Label Showcase -2 day Fest in Detroit June 21-22nd at P.J.’s Lager House (1254 Michigan Ave), Friday: The Clone Defects, Terrible Twos, Moonhairy, Obnox, Ritual Howls, Mountains and Rainbows – - Saturday: Johnny Ill Band, Protomartyr, Growwing Pains, Drugs Dragons, K9 Sniffles, Feelings, Guinea Worms, and the Keep On Trash DJs. — Visual artwork displays by Jeff Arcel, Thelonious Bone, Davin Brainard, Zak Bratto, Joe Casey, Luke Chapelle, Jimbo Easter, Andy Gabrysiak, Ben Lyon, Johnny Lzr, Kara Meister, Nai Sammon, Timmy Vulgar, and Matt 7 http://urinalcakerecords.com – pjslagerhouse.com ~ There seems to be a lot of local DIY record labels, lately. But Johnny Ill nonchalantly shrugs that into perspective: “Shit, there could be no one to put out your music. I’m not dong it, so I’m glad guys like Eric are doing it…” It’s still a rarity, says Ill (a.k.a. John Garcia of The Johnny Ill Band,) for someone (like Eric Love of Urinal Cake Records) willingly financing and spending time resources for local songwriters to produce, package and distribute their works. “The worst thing that could happen [...]
City Slang: Battlecross post-Orion news
Following their triumphant appearance at OrionFest, local metal heads Battlecross has announced that drummer Kevin Talley (formerly of Six Feet Under, Chimaira and Dying Fetus) will be staying on with the band for its forthcoming tour. See Battlecross performing Slayer’s “War Ensemble” at OrionFest here. The new album, War of Will, will be released via Metal Blade on July 9, and the first single will be “Force Fed Lies”. Battlecross will be on the Mayhem Festival with Rob Zombie throughout the summer. Follow @City_Slang
DIA ‘Courts’ New Diners
Who says the Detroit Institute of Arts is only for art admirers? The addition of a Friday night music schedule has found some new converts. And now food lovers can rejoice as the museum unveils a new go-to place for visitors to eat, drink, relax and socialize. It’s the newly revamped Kresge Court. Combining an elegant atmosphere with competitive prices, visitors can enjoy an array of gourmet snacks, sandwiches, salads and desserts that use regional ingredients. Befitting a hip hangout, the dishes skew creative. If you’re stopping by for a quick lunch, you’ve got to try the fine ficelle salad. The stars of this show are prosciutto, black mission fig jam, wild arugula and European-style thin sourdough baguette. The green goddess salad features local greens, carrot ribbons, marinated summer squash, sunflower seeds and currants. Other offerings include DIA deviled eggs and wasabi tobiko caviar; artichokes, radish, black olive aioli and flatbread; toasted farro salad with shaved fennel; surryano dry-cured ham with hot pepper pickles and more. Desserts include Italian pudding with bittersweet chocolate, seasonal fruit croustade, and an alcoholic spin on a Detroit classic, a Boston rum cooler with Vernor’s ginger ale, French vanilla ice cream, Captain Morgan spiced rum, [...]
The 1943 Detroit Race Riot, 70 years later
Mention “Detroit” and “riot” to most metro Detroiters today, and most people will think of the year 1967. Some will call it a “riot” and some will call it a “rebellion,” but chances are that nobody will talk about Detroit’s forgotten riot, the 1943 Detroit race riot. Most likely, that’s because the events of 1943 don’t neatly dovetail with our conventional narratives about the Greatest Generation, and they provide ugly examples of white racism that most area residents, if they remember them, would rather forget. And that’s a shame, because the 1943 riot offers a chance to look beyond simplistic sociological assumptions about ’60s civil disorder and the ensuing urban disintegration. This is especially interesting at a time when historians such as Thomas Sugrue are re-examining Detroit and the roles played by whites and their institutions, often uncovering sweeping antecedents that transcend a passive white exodus. And for those whites who think the ramifications of institutional racism are overstated, those old photographs of white mobs rampaging up and down Woodward Avenue, beating and stabbing black Detroiters, might change a mind or two. And 1943 is also worth another look because it helps define the early civil rights movement. It saw African-Americans effectively [...]
Oh Criminals, Where Art Thou?
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed with my Detroit experience so far. In the past 8 months, I have no gunshot wounds, stabbing scars, or even a stolen vehicle to show for it. I don’t even have a lower credit score! When I told everyone I was moving here, I got a wave of backlash and pleas to reconsider. It reminded me of the time I traveled to the Middle East and, as I was boarding my flight, received a hundred text messages and calls saying, “If you go, you are going to DIE!” Well, my time in the Middle East was just as disappointing and uneventful as my time here in Motown. Where have all the criminals gone? With a nice bout of insomnia, I used to walk to the YMCA at 5 a.m. to work out in total darkness. My Dad freaked out when I told him. What my father can’t understand is that, unless you live right downtown, and once the sun sets, the streets of Detroit are deserted. No cars. No homeless people. Even the pimps seem to take the night off. I could streak down Woodward (my apologies for the [...]
City Slang: Weekly music review roundup
Send CDs, vinyl, cassettes, demos and 8-tracks to Brett Callwood, Metro Times, 733 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 46226. Email MP3s and streaming links to bcallwood@metrotimes.com. We had previously received a sampler CD from Funky D Records signees The Royal Blackbirds, and the full album Shot Down landed on our laps this week. Thanks to the presence of singer Rebecca Saad, there’s a cool, kinda Amy Gore-esque feel to the bluesy garage rock, perfectly highlighted by covers like “I Can Only Give You Everything” and the title track. The originals are cool too, and Tino Gross has dragged out the dust and grit from these youngsters. Great piece of work, all told. This week’s City Slang stars the Horse Cave Trio sent in the 2010 single “I Am the Sheik” (Funky D), and it’s worth another mention because it’s so damned gnarly, nasty and heavy. These guys are known for their rockabilly swagger, but they can let out an unholy roar when they want to. Detroit Frank DuMont loves his hometown so much, he put it in his name. His band is called the Drivin’ Wheels, and the logo was designed by Gary Grimshaw. Mind you, his new Let Me Be [...]

The possibilities are endless for the last night of the year ... if you want to go out on the town, we've got 150 or so specifics ...

2012 NYE Celebration featuring Digital Underground. Sushi and ala carte menu available, Champagne toast at midnight and more. VIP packages available. MGM Grand - Ignite Sushi Bar & Lounge, 1777 Third St., Detroit, 877-888-2121. $50 at neptix.com.

End Times Spasm Band. Party like it's 1929 at this Jazz Age soiree. The party includes New Orleans-style sounds courtesy of the End Times Spasm Band, late night appetizers and a midnight Champagne toast. Open until 4 a.m. Period attire encouraged. Make a night of it by enjoying a prix fixe dinner before the show. Cliff Bell's, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit, 313-961-2543. $20, $10 after midnight. (9 p.m.)

Melvin Davis. Detroit's soul ambassador sings in 2012. With Pat Lewis. PJ's Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit, 313-961-4668. (9 p.m.)

Y2K12: New Year's Eve. Featuring Invincible, Tunde Olaniran, Mother Cyborg, DJ Mike Meadow and DJ Disapproval. TrumbullPlex, 4210 Trumbull Ave., Detroit, 313-832-7952. $10. (10 p.m.-4 a.m.)

By MT Staff

Published: December 21, 2011

Champagne, confetti, balloons, resolutions, cheap party favors, "Auld Lang Syne," midnight kisses and 2 a.m. pizza buffets — the familiar trappings of a modern-day New Year's Eve spent out on the town. While we by no means denigrate the equally fine choice of hunkering down inside in front of the boob tube, popcorn and flannel pajamas at the ready, it can't be denied that there is an allure to a New Year's Eve done right.

Luckily, there's a seemingly endless (OK, it's closer to about 150 by our list) number of those ways to do the town; you just have to find the one that fits your mood. Perhaps saying good riddance with a drunken bacchanalia is in order, a cathartic exorcising of a shitty year before starting 2012 with a clean slate.

Or perhaps the year was filled with personal blessings — a steady job, a new baby, a wedding or a clean bill of health — and the occasion should be marked with appropriate class. A swanky party, some dignified dancing, tearful singing at midnight.

Or you've finally paired off and want the whole couple-y shebang, complete with fancy meal and deep meaningful stares over bubbly served up in commemorative stemware. Or you're single — happily — and want nothing more than to dance, drink and snog some stranger at midnight.

Or you're single — miserably — and want nothing more than to drink (a lot) and watch the witching hour come and go without kisses, confetti or noisemakers, in blissful ignorance of everything except your impending New Year's Day hangover.

Or none of the above quite fits you — but that's alright. Because, chances are, there's a New Year's Eve out there that will match your mood. You just have to find it — which is where Metro Times' annual guide to New Year's Eve happenings comes in handy.

So hunt down the perfect night out, corral a DD if needed and make a memorable start to your best year yet. —Megan O'Neil, listings editor

Elektricity. Channel 955 Live on New Year's Eve. Giving away prizes, including 2 round trip tickets to Las Vegas and 2 round trip tickets to Paris! $10 early bird tickets available at elektricitymusic.com , Ponitac. 9PM 18+

17th Street Bar & Grill NYE 2012. Gourmet hors d'oeuvres and Champagne toast at midnight. Party till 4 a.m. 17th Street Bar & Grill, 3905 17 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, 586-264-8644. $50 advance.

50 Amp Fuse. Includes Champagne and party favors. Uptown Grille, 3100 E. West Maple, Commerce Township, 248-960-3344.

A Jazzy Christmas. Plowshares Theatre Company presents a hot, new cabaret revue featuring some of the coolest holiday songs done in the jazziest way. New Year's Eve packages include dinner, dancing and dessert. $75-$150, call for details. Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center, 311 E. Grand River, Detroit, 313-965-8430.

A New Year's to Remember. Ring in 2012 with the masters of fondue with a five-course prix fixe menu. Includes a split of Champagne and keepsake stemware. The Melting Pot, 26425 Novi Rd., Novi, 248-347-6358. $130 per couple, $70 per person.

A Punk Rockin' New Year's Eve. Featuring the Bill Bondsmen, Fires in Japan, Bison Machine and Keego Kid. Includes appetizers, Champagne toast and punk rock karaoke after party. New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Joseph Campau, Hamtramck, 313-874-5963. $10. (9 p.m.-4 a.m.)

Aaron Vaughn. Edison's, 220 Merrill St., Birmingham, 248-645-2150.

Ain't Misbehavin' New Year's Eve Celebration. The evening begins with a 9 p.m. performance of this famous Fats Waller musical, and ends with a Champagne reception and midnight toast held in the Performance Network lobby. Performance Network, 120 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor, 734-663-0681. $75. (9 p.m.)

Alexander Zonjic. With Lisa McClowry and Nick Colionne. Includes premium open bar, gourmet dinner, dancing and party favors. Andiamo Italia, 7096 E. 14 Mile, Warren, 586-268-3200. $99 & $125. (7 p.m.)

An Intimate New Year's Eve with Roy Davis Jr. Dance in the new year with legendary house music producer Roy Davis Jr. Mars Bar will provide all of the amenities to make the night: Food, Champagne toast and party favors. Starting off the night are DJs Marc Duncan & Tommy Cool. Drink specials all night long. VIP tables available. The Mars Bar, 10001 Joseph Campau , Hamtramck, 313-974-6575. $25. (8 p.m.)

Backstreet NYE 2012. With DJ Josh Karmin. Backstreet, 15606 Joy Rd., Detroit, 313-838-6699. (10 p.m.-4 a.m.)

Bar Louie's New Year's Eve. VIP packages range from $25 to $150. All include party favors and Champagne toast. Call for details. Bar Louie, 44375 12 Mile Rd., Novi, 248-662-1100. (9 p.m.)

Beer Bash New Year's Eve. Beer bash featuring Third Coast Kings with Dirty Devile and a series of special Rat Pads that will be tapped at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 p.m. The Third Coast Kings are a proper deep funk and soul outfit. In the tradition of '60s and '70s funk groups, the Kings detonate with an explosive sonic force that is guaranteed to make you move. Corner Brewery, 720 Norris St., Ypsilanti, 734-480-2739. Free. (8 p.m.-1 a.m.)

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The possibilities are endless for the last night of the year ... if you want to go out on the town, we've got 150 or so specifics ...

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