Cover Story
Criminalizing the unemployed
Michigan’s new computer system was supposed to save time and money. Instead, it’s charging people with fraud and leveling exorbitant fines.
Detroit artist Jerome Ferretti to exhibit career-spanning show at the Scarab Club
30 years of artwork will be on view.
Just announced: Amy Schumer, Aziz Ansari at Funny or Die’s Oddball fest at DTE Aug. 30
Tickets go on sale this Fri., July 10 for this show; direct your Internet to Iivenation.com at that time to get tickets, OK. Holy heck, comedy genius Amy Schumer is among the very many funny people who will be part of this summer’s Funny Or Die Presents Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival 2015. Nick Kroll,…
How to roast a pig, according to Nancy Whiskey’s Rock ‘n Roll Pig Roast chef
Want to roast a pig this summer? Take a lesson from Selden Standard’s Nyle Flynn.
Murals in the Market fest announces artists, presents new Meggs painting
Check out Meggs’ new mural in Eastern Market.
Dearborn’s Jazz on the Avenue series starts tomorrow night
Check it out every Wednesday night until August 12.
Huffington Post investigation looks at treatment of juvenile inmates in Michigan prisons
Back in March, a reporter from the Huffington Post, Dana Liebelson, was subpoenaed by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette for copies of notes and records on interviews she conducted with inmates inside two state prisons. When Liebelson mentioned on Twitter the fact she was followed across the state by someone from the AG’s office, the backlash…
Campaign to repeal Michigan’s prevailing wage law raises $1 million
Backers of a petition drive that seeks to repeal Michigan’s prevailing wage law has raised over $1 million so far, according to recently filed campaign finance records, with the largest support coming from a group tied to the conservative DeVos family. The state’s half-century old prevailing wage law mandates that contractors pay union wages and…
Revolver Co-Founder Tunde Wey Tangles With Immigration: NPR
Catch up with Detroit chef Tunde Wey as he treks the U.S. sharing his Nigerian cuisine.
Tart debut new track ‘Hello,’ prep EP release
The duo describes their sound as “sinister shred-pop” and “femmelectro new wave.”
1xRUN and Eastern Market to launch mural festival in September
The festival will see more than 45 local and international artists creating large-scale works in Eastern Market.
Woodbridge Pub’s Pie-Sci pop-up slowly pushes toward brick and mortar shop
After a long run as a pop-up pizzeria at Woodbridge Pub, the pizza pie makers are getting ready for the long transition to moving into a brick and mortar establishment, reports say. Eater Detroit’s Brenna Houck broke the news today that customers have just a few weeks left to enjoy the Sunday-only fare before Pie-Sci…
‘Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!’ coming to Ann Arbor in October
Eastern Michigan University’s public radio broadcasting affiliate WEMU-FM 89.1 will celebrate its 50th anniversary later this year by hosting the widely-adored NPR program “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” “WEMU has always had a special bond with Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! ever since we hosted Peter Sagal’s first station visit in 2005. We can’t wait…
Atomic Coffee to refill empty Caribou in Royal Oak
The shuttered Caribou Coffee Co. location in Royal Oak appears to be getting some new life, according to a local development company. Atomic Coffee, owned by Hanna Development and Management of Royal Oak, is the replacement for the Minnesota-based coffee chain, Caribou Coffee Co., which closed in 2013 according to an employee of the development…
Mother Jones takes a deep look at Detroit
In a deep-dive look at Detroit post-bankruptcy, Mother Jones magazine examines the city — in a piece written by reporter Alex Halperin titled “How Motor City Came Back From the Brink…And Left Most Detroiters Behind” — with a pointed question in mind: “Now that Detroit is no longer bankrupt, who are the winners and who…
The Menagerie’s pop-up dinner series will feature Michigan’s “culinary Olympic team” this Thursday
The series will continue through the summer, featuring other local chefs.
New album from Dead Weather set for release in September
Dead Weather, a rock band composed of people with really good hair, announced this morning that they have a new album done and in the can and ready for release in September. It’s called Dodge & Burn, named for a technique employed in (analog) darkroom photography. There is a super fancy version available, but you…
DeJ Loaf joins Big Sean for ‘Back Up’
Listen to the track here.
Rib Fest: Metro Detroiters make their way smoking meat, making sauce
Thousands of Metro Detroiters have already descended on the Royal Oak Farmers Market to feast and drink at Metro Times’ inaugural Rib Fest, giving ample opportunity for local smokers, BBQ chains and DIY food artisans to show of their goods. Among the stands that had meat lovers salivating was Stonewood Smokehouse out of Roseville. Stonewood proprietor…
Rib Fest starts at noon today: Eat meat, watch pigs race
Rib Fest starts at noon today
The Satanic Temple to MT: We’re not atheists
The Satanic Temple has a bone to pick with us.
Gilbert responds to Detroit News’ story with line-by-line rebuttal
Just after midnight, Dan Gilbert, Quicken Loans’ founder, issued a line-by-line rebuttal of The Detroit News’ investigation on the company’s record in Detroit, which ran this week. The chief complaint of Gilbert (or whomever wrote these responses) appears to be the framing of the piece, saying the volume of loans Quicken Loans issued in Detroit…
Here’s what the Fourth would be like if Mexicans treated it like we treat Cinco De Mayo
Then again, this seems to be more or less par for the course for most Americans’ idea of an awesome Independence Day.
ICYMI: M. Matos’ exhaustive oral history of Detroit’s OG techno club Motor
Over at the Red Bull Music Academy site, Michaelangelo Matos has posted a whopper of an oral history of the 1980s era techno club Motor, called Nightclubbing: An Oral History of Detroit’s Motor. If you’ve even a passing interest in the subject matter, drop everything you’re doing, and go check it out.
MT’s picks for ways to celebrate the Fourth of July in metro Detroit
Need plans for the Fourth? MT has you covered.
Venue change: Broken Water, Weed, Rebel Kind, Stef show Friday, July 3 moved to Trumbullplex from Lo & Behold
We found out too late that the following show had moved venues to change it in print, so here’s the spiel about it with all the proper, updated information.
Report: Adidas wants to open factory in Detroit by 2017
Footwear maker Adidas is looking to open a factory in Detroit that would be entirely automated, according to a report in Complex. The company’s executive board member for global brands, Eric Liedtke, says the factories — one is set to open in Germany next year — would be “incredibly nimble,” the report says. More from…
Free fitness day planned at Detroit’s Eastern Market
Guests are advised to bring mats, water, and a friend.
Detroit Sound Conservancy seeks volunteers to help salvage Detroit jazz history
When it opened in 1922, the Graystone was the city’s largest ballroom, able to accommodate 3,000 guests. In its heyday, the club hosted the likes of Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Count Basie.
Poll shows Michigan residents want Aramark contract canceled
Over 60 percent of Michigan residents would like Republican Gov. Rick Snyder to cancel a prison food services contract with Aramark, according to a poll released Wednesday. The company’s relationship with the state of Michigan since it received a three-year, $145 million contract has been fraught with issues. An employee has been charged with trying…
Detroit News: Gilbert’s name-calling devalues ‘the important work that was done here’
Update 7:00 p.m., July 1, 2015: Detroit News response to Gilbert’s radio interview has been included below. In response to a data-driven investigative report by The Detroit News on Quicken Loans’ record in Detroit, the mortgage lender’s founder Dan Gilbert took aim at the coverage in a WJR interview on Wednesday. Speaking on conservative Frank Beckmann’s show Wednesday,…
Watch: Stephen Colbert took over a public access show in Monroe
Colbert took over Monroe Public Access Cable Television and hosted his own 40-minute show.
How are you celebrating Canada Day?
As Michiganders, we should reflect on all of the great gifts Canada has given us.
Concert review: Alex Winston is a live wire at Loving Touch homecoming show
The crowd at the Loving Touch was everything a home crowd could be to Winston.
DIA celebrates Frida Kahlo’s birthday with cake, mariachi band, and extra hours
The museum is typically closed on Mondays, but next week, the DIA will open to celebrate Kahlo’s birthday on July 6.
Ren Cen 4 movie theater in downtown Detroit closes
The Ren Cen 4 movie theater in downtown Detroit’s Renaissance Center has closed after a near three-decade run, Crain’s Detroit Business reports. The closure leaves Detroit with only one first-run theater, the Bel Air 10 off Eight Mile on the city’s northeast side. “Larger theater spaces are required for a more comfortable experience overall, and…
Freedom Hill does two-for-one sale on upcoming big concerts
In the spirit of freedom, the venue Freedom Hill announced today a special sale, a “Buy One Get One” ticket offer for all upcoming shows. The special offer starts tomorrow, July 2, at 7a.m., and runs through to one minute before midnight on July 5.
Ask a Juggalo: Can I get a hatchetman tattoo if I’m not a Juggalo?
Q: I’ve always considered getting a hatchetman tattoo, because I respect what it represents: loyalty and protection for the ones you love. I just don’t want to disrespect any true Juggalos. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks. A: I look at it like it’s a compliment. You honestly could not possibly pay more respect…
17 upcoming concerts in and around Detroit
Aug. 20, 7 Seconds at the Shelter; livenation.com/venues/15035/the-shelter; $15 Aug. 21, the Spill Canvas performing One Fell Swoop in its entirety at the Shelter; livenation.com/venues/15035/the-shelter; $15 Aug. 28, Nash & Friends Tour with Nash Grier, Jack and Jack, Kenny Holland, and more at the Fillmore Detroit; thefillmoredetroit.com; $35 Sept. 12, Motörhead with Anthrax at the…
Politics and Prejudices: Stopping more people from voting
If you know anything about state government, you know that our elections are shamefully rigged, and most policy is written or heavily influenced by the emissaries of the super-rich and special interests in our pay-to-play political culture. What I mean by “rigged” is that district boundaries have been outrageously drawn by complete partisans to send…
Drink Up
Grind Line Pale Ale Griffin Claw Brewing Co. 5% ABV | 35 IBU At a brewing facility in Birmingham, Griffin Claw Brewing Co. makes some fine beers. They’re known for signatures like Norm’s Raggedy Ass IPA, El Rojo Red Ale, Grand Trunk Bohemian Pilsner, and their seasonal favorite, Screamin’ Pumpkin Ale. Dan Rogers is the…
5 Ela on their new album, ‘Global Warming 2022’
5 Ela, formerly known as 5 Elementz, have been a strong force in Detroit’s hip-hop scene since 1996. Rapper Proof (1973-2006) was once part of the group, who were all produced back in the day by J Dilla (1974-2006). These days, 5 Ela is composed of DJ Sicari, Thyme, and Mudd, who have just released…
Cornerstone Barrel House is turning the corner
Go to any major city, downtown, and find a bar. Most likely, it’ll be on a corner, at the bottom of a larger building, fit in across from other bars and businesses. A thriving metropolis is a patchwork of bars, restaurants, and retail surrounded by people. Detroit is moving that way. In the spacious front…
Musically rebellious Tony Molina cooks up his own power pop formula
With a title like Dissed and Dismissed and emotionally exasperated song names like “Nowhere to Go,” “Nothing I Can Do,” and “Don’t Come Back,” at first glance Tony Molina’s 2014 power pop offering seems like your basic breakup listening. However, due to his varied background in San Francisco hardcore bands like Caged Animal, Dystrophy, Scalped,…
Downtown sports bar Hockeytown Café stands the test of time
If Hockeytown Café isn’t a Detroit staple, we don’t know what is. The sports bar sits across the street from Comerica Park, next door to the Fox, and connected to City Theatre. If there’s a place that’s more intertwined with all the goings-on of Detroit, we’d like to see it. Located on the corner of…
12 things you need to know about metro Detroit dining this week
Mexican getaway — For a restaurant with a local focus, special dinners at the Root can range widely when it comes to topic. Take the “Once Upon a Time in Mexico Feast” that happens Thursday. It’s a reservation-only night for the restaurant, which is serving a six-course menu. Courses include ceviche, nopales salad, rock shrimp…
Paolo Pedini remixes the past in Heidelberg Project gallery
We first met Paolo Pedini as he prepped for a group show at the Red Bull House of Art last year, with a unique series of paintings that took ancient Greek subject matter juxtaposed against neon colored backgrounds. The mix of high art and low art, new and old, and representational and non-representational techniques resulted…
Zazz! is so much more than a place to fill up
Zazz! is so much more than a place to fill up. Generally, we behind the desk of the Retail Detail department are known for highlighting Detroit-based lifestyle boutiques, suburban vintage shops, local hat makers, and even, at times, a party store or two. But rarely do we venture into the land of gas stations. In…
Feedback: Catching a new bus
Catching a new bus A couple of weeks ago we rolled out a new online-only column called, “Riding the bus with Gary Winslow” in which Winslow chronicles his travels via public transit. Many of our readers are pleased with the new addition, although there are concerns with some of his predilections toward misogynistic dialect. Site…
Savage Love: Gymnastics
Q: This is going to sound like bragging, but my appearance is intrinsic to my kink. I’m a gay male gymnast. Most of the guys on my college team are annoyed by the kind of objectification we routinely come in for. (We actually don’t want to be auctioned off at yet another sorority fundraiser, thanks.)…
Stir It Up: Flipping the script
Mulenga Harangua was leading me into the old, abandoned Herman Kiefer Health Complex. I wasn’t sure exactly why I was there but Mulenga insisted. And when Mulenga insists I listen. He led me behind a jumble of bushes and pushed aside a couple of boards leaning against the side of the building to reveal an…
Horoscopes (July 1 – 7)
ARIES (March 21-April 20): Holding your horses, wouldn’t be a bad idea. As much as you needed this to happen yesterday, this is one of those times when your Mantra should be: ‘Not my will but thine.” After making enough headway to produce a change or two, it’s time to settle back and take a…
