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DJ Minx returns to Spot Lite: It’s been a banner year for DJ Minx (real name Jennifer Witcher). Despite her 30-plus years behind the decks, the DJ has recently started to gain wider international recognition, with a career-spanning cover feature on DJ Mag last December and an entire stage dedicated to her during the 2022 Movement Festival. Minx returns to Spot Lite on Saturday for her popular, fan-favorite residency “DJ Minx and Friends.” To close out its first year, Minx is going out with a bang, inviting fellow electronic music legends Soul Clap to share the decks with her. Like their name implies, the DJ duo Soul Clap provide soulful, groovy dance tunes that share a kinship with Minx’s brand of soul-driven house and techno beats. Soul Clap contributed a remix on the recent reissue of Minx’s cult-classic “A Walk In The Park” single, so you can hear for yourself how well the artists compliment each other. If you like what you hear, head to the party this weekend at Spot Lite to dance to it all night long. Tickets are available on See Tickets.
Blue Hawaii head to Haute to Death: Although hailing from across the border in Montreal, Blue Hawaii gained many local fans after a raucous Detroit show at UFO Factory earlier this year. The electro-pop duo (consisting of distinctive production from Agor “DJ Kirby” and soaring vocals from Raphaelle “Ra” Standell-Preston) is returning for a victory lap, hosted by Haute to Death for their last monthly party of 2022 at Marble Bar on Saturday. Blue Hawaii pairs anthemic vocals with a wide-variety of dance music genres, usually treading into the disco and jazzy lo-fi house territories with the occasional trance remix thrown in. Their energy matches that of the typical Haute to Death night: freeform, warmhearted and glamorous. Expect plenty of audience interaction with some call and response from Ra, whose own dance moves and head-bobbing is nothing short of inspiring. Local support from rising DJ Psychick, plus the usual Haute to Death residents Jon and Ash, is worth the price of admission alone. Tickets are available on Resident Advisor.
Monday is the New Monday: When we first moved to Detroit, our main way of meeting new people was going to music shows. We particularly enjoyed more casual events that were as much about the crowd as they were about the artists. We’re pretty sure that the Monday is the New Monday parties at Motor City Wine started around that time, 2017 or so, and it is that we met many of our future friends and collaborators in “the scene” for the first time. Current residents Shigeto, Kenjiro, Ryan Spencer, and Tammy Lakkis always bring the heat, and they have a rotating array of special guests that has proven to be pretty impressive as well. It’s a great spot to be at any time of year, but particularly in the summer when the patio is open, setting the scene for one of the dreamiest weeknight parties you’ll ever go to. With good music, good people, good wine, and even good food when they host pop-ups, Motor City Wine is the place to be on a Monday night. Who knows, maybe your new best friend awaits you across the bar.
Willis Show Bar presents Ro Spit: You may know Willis Show Bar for its live music and elegant atmosphere, and you may know Ro Spit from his work in fashion including a recent collaboration with the Jordan brand, but if you haven’t seen the two in action together you’re in for a treat. While Willis continues to program live music for their early shows Thursday-Saturday, at night they have shifted to hosting an array of recurring and one-off DJ nights that bring an electric energy to the usually calm and collected space. Think fancy cocktail bar meets block party, dance floor in the corner, booths available for rent, with great music and delicious drinks flowing all night long. The classic feel of the space — which was open from 1949-1978 before reopening in 2018 — along with the incredible sound system make for an excellent listening experience. This Friday, Ro will be hosting a few friends to join him as he celebrates the one year anniversary of his Willis residency. Spots will fill up fast and the venue has limited capacity, so we recommend getting your tickets ASAP on Willis’s website, and be sure to check out the rest of their offerings this month and into 2023 (an honorable mention to the dueling pianos show on Thursday as well).
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