Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (July 9-15)

Select events happening in the Detroit area. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See our…

By Lee DeVito

Tyvek 20th anniversary In its 20 years of existence, Tyvek has emerged as one of Detroit’s best contemporary rock bands thanks to its scrappy raw power and ability to shapeshift over time. Lately, the band’s lineup features Shelley Salant (Shells, XV) on guitar, Alex Glendening (Deadbeat Beat) on bass, and Jake Kmiecik (Bonny Doon) on drums; its 2023 record Overground wisely brought prominent saxophone from Emily Roll into the fold. But for its 20th anniversary party at Outer Limits Lounge, the band is celebrating its origins by performing a set with its throwback five-piece lineup of frontman Kevin Boyer along with guitarists Heath Heemsbergen (Little Claw, Ugh!) and Damon Sturdivant (Puffy Areolas, Revigorant), Larry (The Intended, Isles of ESP) on bass, and Matt Z (Mountains and Rainbows) on drums. Here’s to 20 more! Starts at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 12; Outer Limits Lounge, 5507 Caniff St., Detroit. Tickets are $23.18.
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Arts & Culture

2025 mid-year best in movies and television

We’re already halfway through the year, which has somehow felt like it’s lasted somewhere between two weeks and 500,000 years. I suppose…

By Jared Rasic, Last Word Features

The Day the Earth Blew Up is the Looney Tunes cartoon I’ve been waiting for since I was a kid. Starring Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, this hit all the right nostalgia buttons while still being an energetic and imaginative instant classic for children and their parents.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (July 2-8)

Select events happening in the Detroit area. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See our…

By Lee DeVito

Royal Oak Taco Fest Now in its fourth year, this event is set to feature more than 50 food trucks, live music, lucha libre wrestling, a Kids Zone, and more in downtown Royal Oak. New this year is a mechanical bull attraction, while JARS Cannabis will return with a cannabis lounge for adults age 21 and older. (We suggest doing the mechanical bull before hitting up the cannabis lounge.) The festival will be held east of Main Street between 11 Mile Road and Fourth Street. From Thursday, July 3-Sunday, July 6; Centennial Commons, Royal Oak; royaloaktacofest.com. Tickets are $10 advance or $12 at the door.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (June 25-July 1)

Select events happening in the Detroit area. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See our…

By Metro Times editorial staff

Big Sean and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Rapper Big Sean is collaborating with the DSO for what’s being described as “a groundbreaking fusion of hip-hop and orchestral sound.” According to a press release, Big Sean will headline the show, with appearances by rising Detroit hip-hop acts Skilla Baby, Tee Grizzley, Illa J, Nasaan, and Queen Naija. The DSO is also set to debut a new orchestral arrangement honoring the late hip-hop producer J Dilla, who was born in Detroit and died in 2006 at 32. Since 2020, Big Sean has served as the Creative Director of Innovation for the Detroit Pistons, “providing creative counsel and strategic guidance on a variety of Pistons off-the-court initiatives, including team merchandise design, in-game experience, co-branded community and social responsibility activation, and more,” according to the release. Starts at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 29 at Orchestra Hall in Detroit’s Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center; 3711 Woodward Avenue, Detroit; ticketmaster.com. Tickets start at $110.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (June 18-24)

Select events happening in the Detroit area. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See our…

By Lee DeVito

Electric Forest Khruangbin, Justice, Caribou, Tiësto, and the String Cheese Incident are among the dozens of artists set to perform at this year’s Electric Forest music festival, which sees the Double JJ Resort on the west side of the state transformed into a neon wonderland. From Thursday, June 19-Sunday, June 22 in Rothbury; see electricforest.com for full schedule and tickets.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (June 11-17)

Select events happening in the Detroit area. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See our…

By Metro Times editorial staff

The Verve Pipe Saturday’s concert by Michigan rock band the Verve Pipe is a special one for local fans. Not only are we rounding this up to a hometown show of sorts (the band was founded in East Lansing), but the show serves as a release party for the vinyl version of the Verve Pipe’s 1992 debut I’ve Suffered a Head Injury, which includes an early version its biggest hit, the ’90s alt-rock anthem “The Freshman.” In an Instagram video, frontman Brian Vander Ark said this will be the only chance to grab this disc for a while. Doors at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 14 at Royal Oak Music Theatre; 318 W. 4th St., Royal Oak; royaloakmusictheatre.com. Tickets are $43-$79.
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Arts & Culture

Detroit to launch 9 new ‘Arts Alleys’ across neighborhoods

Detroit is opening nine new “Arts Alleys” over the next month in neighborhoods across the city as part of an initiative to…

By Steve Neavling

The entrance to the North End Arts Alley in Detroit.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (June 4-10)

Select events happening in the Detroit area. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See our…

By Lee DeVito

Michigan Lavender Festival While this fragrant purple flower is not native to Michigan, the state is becoming increasingly known for its lavender farms — and the Michigan Lavender Festival is a great way to learn more about them. Billed as the largest and oldest lavender festival on the East Coast, now in its 23rd year, the event features vendors, artisan workshops, and food trucks … not to mention ice-cold Lavender Lemonade. From noon-6 p.m. on Friday, June 6 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 at Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds; 195 Midway St., Imlay City; themichiganlavenderfestival.com. Tickets are $10; children 12 and under get in free.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (May 28-June 3)

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See…

By Lee DeVito

Pickleball at Beacon Park The fastest-growing sport has arrived in downtown Detroit. Through a partnership between Come Play Detroit and Downtown Detroit Partnership, Beacon Park is offering pickleball on two courts that are well-lit for after-dark play. Beginners and seasoned pros are welcome for team tournaments or open play sessions (bring your own equipment), with refreshments available from nearby Lumen Detroit. Leagues from 6-9:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, tournaments 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, and open play 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily when courts are unused at Beacon Park; 1901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; comeplaydetroit.com/beaconpark. No cover.
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Arts & Culture

The stories behind some of Detroit’s most notable memorials, monuments, and statues

You’ve likely driven past them, walked in their shadow, or even stepped over some while paying your respects to a loved one.…

By Metro Times editorial staff

Michigan Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument Campus Martius Park, Detroit Unveiled in 1872, this monument is dedicated to Michigan’s sailors and soldiers killed during the Civil War. It was re-dedicated in 2005 following the completion of Campus Martius Plaza and those who died in wars since were also honored.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (May 21-27)

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See…

By Lee DeVito

The Motown Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary with a special performance by the Four Tops.⁠
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Arts & Culture

Creative cosplay at Motor City Comic Con Spring 2025 [PHOTOS]

Motor City Comic Con returned to the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi this weekend. With a plethora of celebrities, like MCU’s Jeremy…

By Josh Justice

Image: Creative cosplay at Motor City Comic Con Spring 2025 [PHOTOS]
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (May 14-20)

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See…

By Lee DeVito

Motor City Comic Con Now in its 35th year, Motor City Comic Con is Michigan’s largest pop culture convention with celebrity guests, cosplay, panels, and other fun fan events. Highlights this year include a special screening of 2009’s searing superhero satire Watchmen hosted by Silk Spectre II actress Malin Åkerman, a live podcast and concert by wrestling legends Jeff and Matt Hardy, and a special appearance by Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye of the Marvel Cinematic Universe), among others. From Friday, May 16-Sunday, May 18 at the Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi; motorcitycomiccon.com. Hours are noon-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available starting at $35 for adults and $5 for children.
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Arts & Culture

Warren’s historic Gillett-Beer Farm hits market [PHOTOS]

A historic farm in Michigan’s third-largest city has hit the market — and the price looks good.The Gillett-Beer Farm has been listed…

By Lee DeVito

Image: Warren’s historic Gillett-Beer Farm hits market [PHOTOS]
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (May 7-13)

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See…

By Lee DeVito

Sturgill Simpson With his 2014 breakthrough Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, Kentucky-born Sturgill Simpson helped rejuvenate the genre with a neo-outlaw sound. He’s spent the rest of his career gleefully defying expectations: tapping Amy Winehouse’s former backing band the Dap-Kings for the Grammy-winning A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, soundtracking an anime film with the hard-rocking Sound & Fury, and releasing a suite of bluegrass albums in 2020 and 2021. When a vocal cord injury seemed like it might end his career, Simpson once again pivoted. Released under the moniker Johnny Blue Skies last year, Simpson’s Passage du Desir exists somewhere between Jimmy Buffet and Pink Floyd, but the live shows are on another level. Simpson and his tight band draw from his entire catalog, interspersed with long stretches of improvisational noodling to give his voice a rest — delighting fans of jam bands. And somehow, it’s still very country. Starts at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 at Meadowbrook Amphitheatre, 3554 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills; ticketmaster.com. Tickets start at $59.50.
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Arts & Culture

All the colorful characters we saw at Detroit’s Space Dive ‘Star Wars’ fan event [PHOTOS]

Star Wars fans have once again banded together for Detroit’s Space Dive event, now in its tenth year. The brainchild of the…

By Mike Pfeiffer

Image: All the colorful characters we saw at Detroit’s Space Dive ‘Star Wars’ fan event [PHOTOS]
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Arts & Culture

Detroit park turns art gallery, for Earth Day festivities

Sunshine, blue skies and vibrant green trees created a perfect atmosphere for Art in the Trees Sunday in Detroit’s Palmer Park. The…

By Erica Hobbs

With a similar embrace of the natural surroundings, artist James Rodriguez sat painting a landscape, surrounded by his other paintings of the natural world hanging from trees nearby with a Henry David Thoreau-type vibe.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (April 30-May 6)

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See…

By Lee DeVito

60th Annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Fiesta This year’s Cinco de Mayo festivities in Southwest Detroit are extra special. Not only is Detroit’s Latino community celebrating six decades of its cultural parade, but it’s also commemorating the election of Mexico’s first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum. A two-day Cinco de Mayo Fiesta starts on Saturday at Patton Park with vendors, food trucks, musical performances, and more. The parade starts at noon on Sunday at Patton Park, ending at Clark Park.Fiesta from noon-8 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 at Patton Park, 8151 Dix St, Detroit; detroitcincodemayoparade.com. No cover.
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Arts & Culture

Sprawling barn-themed Ann Arbor mansion hits market [PHOTOS]

This real estate listing looks like it could have come straight out of the hit TV show Yellowstone.A sprawling complex in Ann…

By Lee DeVito

Image: Sprawling barn-themed Ann Arbor mansion hits market [PHOTOS]
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Arts & Culture

2025 summer movie preview

With the release last week of the Michael B. Jordan-Ryan Coogler instant classic Sinners, we have officially entered the 2025 summer season…

By Jared Rasic, Last Word Features

July 11: Superman Yes, we’ve had a lot of comic book movies over the years, but this is James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) relaunching the DC Universe under his own supervision. I want to see characters like The Green Lantern, Swamp Thing, Animal Man, and Constantine through his twisted lens, so I hope Superman does well enough that we finally get some really weird comic stuff. I really want an R-Rated Swamp Thing movie.
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Arts & Culture

What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (April 16-22)

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See…

By Lee DeVito

Bridging Our Friendship Rally As anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of interacting with our neighbors to the north knows, Canadians are nice people. The nicest. One time, while visiting a record store in Windsor, I overheard the clerk politely say, “Well, which Nickleback albums don’t you own?” This would never happen in the U.S. The point is that you have to fuck up pretty bad to piss Canadians off, and it seems President Donald Trump has done just that. His bizarre threats to make Canada the “51st state” or slap it with tariffs have riled our nation’s closest ally, with some Canadians even calling for a boycott of U.S. products. This weekend, Americans and Canadians will set aside our differences for “Bridging Our Friendship,” an international gesture of solidarity. All across the U.S.-Canada border, people on both sides plan on gathering at 1 p.m. on Saturday to wave flags, sing each others’ national anthems (time to brush up on the lyrics to “O Canada,” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” for that matter), and show the world some of that famous Canadian kindness. Detroit’s protest will take place at Hart Plaza, organized by the group We the People Dissent. Protests will also be held in Port Huron by Blue Water Indivisible and in Sault Ste. Marie by Yoopers Unite. Hundreds of people showed up at the Detroit-Windsor border for a similar protest last month. Let’s see if we can top it. Starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday; Hart Plaza, Detroit. No cover.
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Arts & Culture

April indie movie roundup

There are a ton of low-budget, international, and just plain off-the-radar films coming out over the next few weeks, most of which…

By Jared Rasic, Last Word Features

Freaky Tales This passes the vibe check. A batshit-crazy anthology of interconnected stories (set in 1987 Oakland!!) following a goofily animated green lightning that shapes the fates of several disparate Californians. If you’re like me, this movie has it all: punks vs. Nazis, rap battles, narration by Too $hort, fake cigarette burns to give the film that old-school theatrical texture, a deep love of 1980s Oakland and Bay Area hip-hop culture, a deep obsession with genre movies, the Golden State Warriors, kung-fu, cartoonish violence, Pedro Pascal, sword fights, and so very much more. Filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck take all the tricks they’ve learned in 20 years as writer-directors (including their toe-dipping into studio blockbusters with 2019’s Captain Marvel) and made what feels like a deeply personal and goofball love letter to their youth and the things that make them happy. It’s not perfect, but what is? At the end of the closing credits, there’s a brief moment where the statement “This movie was made in its entirety by human beings” appears. Just a group of people making a movie about Oakland in the 1980s with sword fights and rap music. Humanity at its best. Freaky Tales Grade: B
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Arts & Culture

Everything we saw at Astronomicon 8 in Ypsi [PHOTOS]

Pop culture fans packed the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest for Astronomicon 8. Twiztid and Majik Ninja Entertainment hosted a…

By Josh Justice

Image: Everything we saw at Astronomicon 8 in Ypsi [PHOTOS]
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Arts & Culture

Estate sale of Noir Leather founder Keith Howarth releases more erotic artifacts [PHOTOS]

The estate sale of Keith Howarth has released even more objects from the collection of the Noir Leather founder, who ran the…

By Lee DeVito

Image: Estate sale of Noir Leather founder Keith Howarth expands with more erotic artifacts [PHOTOS]
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Arts & Culture

Detroit welcomes spring with its 2025 Marche du Nain Rouge parade [PHOTOS]

On the Sunday after the vernal equinox metro Detroiters welcome spring with its annual Marche du Nain Rouge parade. A tradition since…

By Lee DeVito

Image: Detroit welcomes spring with its 2025 Marche du Nain Rouge parade [PHOTOS]
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Arts & Culture

What we saw at Wyandotte’s 2025 St. Patrick’s Party and Leprechaun Crawl

On Sunday, downtown Wyandotte held a St. Patrick’s Party and Leprechaun Crawl including stops at District 142, Grand Dad’s Bar, Firehouse Pub…

By Joe Maroon

Image: What we saw at Wyandotte’s 2025 St. Patrick’s Party and Leprechaun Crawl
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Arts & Culture

Photos from Corktown’s 67th St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Obviously, Corktown is the place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. On Sunday, Detroit’s historic Irish neighborhood hosted its annual St. Patrick’s Day…

By Joe Maroon

Image: Photos from Corktown’s 67th St. Patrick’s Day Parade
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Arts & Culture

Estate sale of Noir Leather founder Keith Howarth shows a life lived on the wild side [PHOTOS]

For nearly 40 years Keith Howarth owned and operated Royal Oak kink shop Noir Leather, which helped make the once-sleepy suburb one…

By Lee DeVito

Image: Estate sale of Noir Leather founder Keith Howarth shows a life lived on the wild side [PHOTOS]
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Arts & Culture

Photos from Autorama 2025

The 72nd Autorama hot rod show rolled into Detroit’s Huntington Place over the weekend. Here’s some of what we saw.

By Joe Maroon

Image: Photos from Autorama 2025
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Arts & Culture

What we saw at the final weekend of the 2025 Dirty Show

The Dirty Show returned to the Russell Industrial Center for the second and final weekend of its 2025 event (see photos from…

By Mikel O.D.

Image: What we saw at the final weekend of the Dirty Show 2025
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Arts & Culture

Everything we saw at the Dirty Show 2025’s opening night

The temperature may have dropped on Valentine’s Day but Detroit’s Dirty Show kept things hot. Celebrating 25 years, the international erotic art…

By Josh Justice

Image: Everything we saw at the Dirty Show 2025’s opening night
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Arts & Culture

Notable Dirty Show artists through the years

Erotic art likely started on cave walls and continued for millennia, reaching its zenith in the year 2000 with the first Dirty…

By Jerry Vile

Colin Christian, 2016 I was enamored with Colin’s work after seeing pictures in Juxtapoz. His sculptures are beautiful, beyond cool, and he dominated every art show he was in. He was in our earlier shows going back to the Tangent. His work always stops viewers in their tracks. He is my favorite artist. In Colin’s own words: “I love taking part in the Dirty Show, none of us would be here without the feelings that the work on display can generate, of all the shows I’ve done the Detroit crowd is the warmest, most open-minded and diverse in nature, the city should be proud of this wild event.”
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Detroit’s Chinatown Vision Committee Announces First Annual Block Party to Celebrate Culture and Local Businesses

By Metro Times Promotions

Image: Detroit’s Chinatown Vision Committee Announces First Annual Block Party to Celebrate Culture and Local Businesses

Metro Detroit filmmaker tells rarely heard Iraqi American story in award-winning film ‘Pomegranate’

By Steve Neavling

Local filmmaker Weam Namou wrote and directed Pomegranate, a dramedy about a young Iraqi Muslim woman navigating her identity, religious expectations, and political tensions in a predominantly Christian Iraqi neighborhood.

David Klein Gallery opens new Ferndale headquarters with grand opening celebration

By Steve Neavling

The David Klein Gallery is moving to a renovated warehouse in Ferndale for its new gallery space.

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