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Hamtramck Labor Day Fest drops killer lineup: Over the weekend, the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival announced its music lineup via a flurry of posts on their Instagram page, and we are certainly not mad about it. The idea for the festival was first conceived in 1980, a dark time for the city and the region as the Dodge Main Factory had just closed its doors, and the gathering served as a way to inspire resilience and good will within Hamtramck and the surrounding areas. For the last 40+ years it has done just that, and this year’s celebration will feature an expectedly eclectic lineup of musicians, from hip-hop to garage rock to folk music and everything in between. Case in point: Rock band Tyvek will headline the North Stage on Sunday, Sept. 3, while Detroit’s resident meme-rapper Gmac Cash will headline the festival’s South Stage on Monday, Sept. 4. Other notable acts (too many to name here) include The Whiskey Charmers, Detroit 442, Zilched, Bill & Isiah, The Stools, Deadbeat Beat, and many more. See hamtownfest.com for more information as it emerges. —Broccoli
50th anniversary of hip-hop: Aug. 11 is widely regarded as the anniversary of hip-hop, and 2023 marks 50 years since DJ Kool Herc lit up a Bronx house party with two turntables in a way never seen or heard before. Obviously, Detroit has made massive contributions to the cultural movement, and this Friday, Aug. 11, Class Act Detroit is celebrating those contributions with a block party and grand opening of their “House of Hip-Hop” on Detroit’s Westside. The party will feature a hip-hop masterclass and live performances from local artists, a mural project, and opportunities to network and find out how to get further involved with Class Act’s community youth efforts. Tickets and RSVP are available on Eventbrite, or just show up to 6114 28th St. from 4-8 p.m. —Joe
Puppet film series returns this month: Cinema Lamont isn’t a movie theater, but rather a roving movie pop-up that hosts viewings at interesting locales throughout the city. On Fridays in August, they’re hosting a few screenings in collaboration with the Detroit Puppet Company, showing “films that feature the art of puppetry in all its glory.” This upcoming Friday’s movie is The Science of Sleep directed by Michel Gondry, best known for writing and directing Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but is also a prolific music video director. (Aside from eight collaborations with Björk, Gondry has also directed five videos for the White Stripes, including the jaw-dropping “Fell In Love With A Girl” made up entirely of animated Legos.) Music has always served as an important aspect of his films and The Science of Sleep stars French musician and actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, while Gondry himself plays drums as part of the score. You can purchase tickets for the Aug. 11 screening via Eventbrite, or walk-up tickets are also available ahead of showtime. Info and tickets for the rest of the puppet films are also on the Eventbrite page, or follow @CinemaLamont on Instagram to hear about other upcoming series. —Joe
Dance to the music of Stevie Wonder: Since 1999, the WONDER-FULL party series has brought people together in cities all over the world to pay tribute to the musical genius of Stevie Wonder. Featuring a remarkable selection of music including rare grooves, exclusive edits, originals, and remixes, the party has consistently packed venues in its birthplace of New York City as well as Los Angeles, Philadelphia, London, Stockholm, Tokyo, and more. From 6-10 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 12, the party comes to the home of Hitsville, U.S.A. itself, just less than a mile east of the Motown Museum on Grand Boulevard, where the one and only DJ Spinna will be bringing this venerable celebration of music to New Center Park as a part of their summer concert series. This is a summer-evening party that you won’t want to miss, and a special opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of one of Detroit’s most treasured artists in the neighborhood that helped make him a superstar. Tickets are available at mean.red. —Broccoli
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