Recap of The Hamtramck Music Festival

This weekend the bars of Hamtramck filled with people who were ready to get out of their homes and see some live music. The First Annual Hamtramck Music Festival was held in place of the Blowout which would historically be in Ham Town the second week of March. This festival boasted over 100 bands from Detroit playing over two nights for only $10. It seemed to be thrown together rather quickly, so we weren't exactly sure what to expect.

The lineup was posted online before the event so that you could plan your route for the night, but just like Blowout, it was fun to go in with a plan and see where the night takes you. When we got down to Hamtramck on Friday we were pleased to see that there was no line to claim will call tickets and we were in and out the door with two bracelets in less than 5 minutes. Kudos to booking company Ben’s Encore for making that pickup so seamless, they seem to know what they are doing when it comes to booking a big multi bar festival. We saw a lot of great music Friday night including Size Queen, Yum, Blaire Alise & The Bombshells and Radio Burns. Saturday night Bars of Gold and Snakewing stuck out as great performances.

This festival reminded us of Blowout circa 10 years ago, before it went downhill, for a few reasons. One, there was a huge mix of music. There could have been a little more hip-hop, but other than that it was a great representation of all kinds of Michigan acts. They also used smaller bars and did not include the big Polish Hall. This made every bar packed and added to the fun of the weekend. Actually, my only complaint was that I wish that they would have advertised that there was a bus going from venue to venue because we didn't learn that until the end of the night on Saturday and we would have been using it all weekend if we had known. We also had so much fun that we forgot to be on our social media game for the weekend. We instagramed and tweeted out as much as we could, but we only captured a few pictures and videos. This is actually a compliment to the festival, it was so packed and we were having so much fun that we stayed in the moment instead of fighting to get our camera out. We did get a great video of Radio Burns for all of you to check out. They were one of the highlights of the weekend and we hope to see them more in the future.

We really only have positive things to say about the weekend. There is something about having a fest that is only in Hamtramck that makes it more fun for the attendees. It even warmed up a little, which made walking between bars that much more bearable. This festival stepped in and took the place of Blowout, but as far as I'm concerned, they did it even better than it has been done for the last few years. I hope they bring it back next year!

~S

Win Tickets to the St. Patty's Day Invasion at New Dodge Lounge!

Since St. Patrick's Day falls on a Monday this year, many people and bars are celebrating all weekend long, leading up to the big day. To be honest, there are only a few bars that I would actually step foot in to celebrate the holiday. The New Dodge is one of the bars that will be fun to go to, the staff always works their asses off and it never takes too long to get a drink.

This Saturday they are hosting a St. Patty's Invasion featuring Kopelli of Cold Men Young playing alongside Doss The Artist and Rufio Jones. They will also have DJ sets from Doc Illingsworth, Hiro, and R.A.I.D. They even have live painting planned by an artist named Lokye.

It's only $5 to get in and while they serve alcohol, I can guarantee that this won't be your typical St. Patty’s green beer, bullshit crowd. We have one set of tickets to giveaway for this show and we want you to win them! All you have to do to enter is email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with "St. Patty's at New Dodge" in the subject line. We will draw a winner the day before the show and let them know how to claim their prize. Doors for this event open at 9 p.m. and the The New Dodge is located at 8850 Joseph Campau in Hamtramck.

~S

"Detroit Unleaded" - A Detroit Made Feature Film

This week marked the official release of Detroit Unleaded on DVD and On Demand, which means it is the first chance for many to finally see this Detroit made film. Detroit Unleaded is a modern day love story that takes place in a 24 Hour Gas Station in Detroit. It was written and directed by Arab-American Detroiter Rola Nashef. She not only shot the whole thing here, but used an all local Cast and Crew too. You don't see that very often with the films shooting in our state!

The "fresh take on boy-meets-girl comedy" stars EJ Assi and Nada Shouhayib, along with Actor/Comedian Mike Batayeh (from Breaking Bad, You Don't Mess with the Zohan), Mary Assel, Steven Soro, and Akram El-Ahmar. There are even some names on the Cast List that will stick out to fans of the Detroit Music scene, like Thornetta Davis and Yorg Kerasiotis (Flashclash).

Although the film is just now being released on DVD and On Demand, it has been seen around the world at numerous film festivals, where it received rave reviews and quite a few awards too!  We can't wait to check it out for ourselves! It looks cute, funny, and plus it's full of Detroit! So, what's not too like?!?! Check out the trailer for Detroit Unleaded below:

If you like what you see, you can watch the full film right now on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, or On Demand through most Cable and Satellite providers. We know what we will be watching this weekend! If you check it out too, let us know what you think! And if you like it, make sure to tell all of your friends! Support Michigan Films and better yet, support Detroit Films and Filmmakers!

~C

Swap Out Some Clothes & Spruce Up Your Look at The Loving Touch!

This Sunday evening the ladies are taking over The Loving Touch. That's because it's time for the 2014 Clothing Swap! This super fun event is a great chance to spruce up your wardrobe while helping out a great cause.

For the price of $20 and 5 fashionable items, you get in the door. While inside you will be able to enjoy an array of services and treats from local businesses and then swap out your  items for some new ones! The fun all starts at 5 p.m. and the swap starts at 6:30. Some of the services that are being offered are eyebrow threading and nail polish changes by ROUGE Makeup and Nail Studio, henna hand art by Alchemy, hair by Salon Rehe, chair massages by BirminghamWellness Center, and Psychic Readings provided by Boston Tea Room for a nominal fee. On top of that, desserts will be provided by Treat Dreams and Pinwheel Bakery and there will be great drink specials all night on WAB Beers and Valentine Vodka Cocktails. 

The items that will be accepted to get into the swap are fashionable, clean, new or slightly used ladies clothing, accessories, shoes, purses, jewelry, and belts. The organizers ask that you bring all items on hangers as well. And make sure you bring items that other people are going to want to wear! If a sweater is all pilled up, stained, and you've had it for 8 years, chances are no one else will want to wear it either. So keep that in mind while digging through your closet. If you find more than 5 items you want to get rid of though, don't hesitate to bring them along! All items that are left over after the swap will be donated to a women's shelter. So if someone doesn't grab your garb, it will go to a great cause. As will the proceeds from the door, which are being donated to the JFK Elementary School's PTA. So help some women, help some kids, and help yourself at the same time while getting a mini makeover and some new threads too! 

This event goes from 5-8 p.m. and 21+ are welcome. The Loving Touch is located in Ferndale at
22634 Woodward Ave. To get more info and stay up to date on this event, head over to the Facebook event page here.

~C

Meet Zachary Hooligan - Photographer Extraordinaire

Photography and punk rock are two of our passions. I know that we cover all sorts of musical genres here at hipindetroit.com, but at the end of the day Christie and I are just two little punk rock girls. Lately we have been asked to do more and more in the community and when we host events or put our name on something, they usually want a promo photo to use. Our last set of photos were done by the great Camera Jesus (Joe Gall) and we will be doing another photo shoot with him this summer. But, in the mean time we met another photographer who loves pictures and punk as much as we do and we decided to give him shot at taking our latest promo picture.

We met up with Zach Hooligan on the afternoon of our Two Year Anniversary show and went around Detroit taking some pictures. He was a really cool and friendly person, so it was easy to take pictures with him. We got a few gems out of that shoot to share with our readers and formed a relationship with Zach. Since then, he has shot Break Anchor, Snakewing, and went on tour with The Gutter Ghouls. He is making a name for himself in the punk rock community and becoming a staple in the mosh pits.

We asked Zach to meet up with us to chat so that we could share his story with the rest of you. Check out our new winter promo picture and listen to what Zach has to say. Thanks so much for your time and creative talent, Zach. We look forward to seeing what you do in the future!

~S

Half Off Mondays at The WAB!

For as long as I can remember, if I planned on going out to dinner on a Monday night I planned to go to the W.A.B. They have half of food on Mondays and it was always a great way to get filled up for really cheap. My favorite items to order off their current menu are the Cashew Turkey Sandwich, nachos, the burrito, and any of their incredibly big salads. The service is always good and the half off savings mean that you can drink a little more without spending too much.

The W.A.B. is known for its home brewed beers, but since I am not a beer drinker I have always liked my meal with a glass of red wine. I have been told by others that the Raspberry Blonde is the drink of choice for all of you beer lovers.

I recently realized we have never covered half of Monday's at the W.A.B. and I decided that it was better late then never. But, when I looked into writing about it this week, I discovered that this special was actually coming to an end in the near future. In approx 2-5 weeks the W.A.B. will end half of food Mondays and will be remodeling the kitchen and putting out an entire new menu. Word on the street is that they are installing a new stove and will begin serving up pizzas along with many more new menu items. It is unclear as of now if they will keep any of their current menu, so this very well might be your last chance to ever experience the greatness that is the Cashew Turkey Sandwich. I'm not sure what kind of sauce that they use on it, but it burns my mouth in the best way and is to die for.

Basically, it is the end of an era at the W.A.B. and I implore all of you to come out one last time over the next few weeks to get a taste before the changes are made. I have already told the owner that we want first dibs on covering the new menu, so hopefully we will have a feature on that in the near future. But, for the time being, head out to the W.A.B. which is located at 22646 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale and say goodbye to some good eats in anticipation of some even better eats to be released in the upcoming weeks.

~S

Now's Your Chance to Get a Piece of Joe Gall... Or a Piece From Joe Gall, We Should Say...

Copyright: Joe Gall Photography

"A picture is worth a thousand words." It's an age old saying, but it is so true. A picture can tell a story, it can bring back memories, it can capture the feeling in a room, it can capture the perfect moment in time. Now a days we can all take a picture pretty much any second of the day with one of the many devices we carry on us. However, there are some people that can use a camera to create something beautiful and exciting. One person stands above the rest, his name is  Joe Gall.

I first discovered Joe Gall a few years ago when I saw BMX photos and videos that he took of some of our mutual friends. Even then I was impressed, but over the years he has grown as an artist and a person.

Copyright: Joe Gall Photography

His work includes amazing shots of world renowned musicians and awe inspiring views of our city, with a shot or two of President Obama sprinkled in there. But, even when he is shooting average Detroiters out on the town, he makes them look and feel like a celebrity. And if you haven't checked out his Facebook page lately, you have to see the views he has been getting from atop some of Detroit's tallest buildings. They are insane, but insanely awesome.

Yes, we've raved about Joe Gall a time or two before, but it is with good reason. After all, he is known as Camera Jesus! The reason we are bringing his name up again today is because now you have the chance to admire the work of Joe Gall on your walls instead of just on your computer screen. Joe has been posting a ton of his work from throughout the years online and through his website you can order a print of any shot he has taken. Simply look through his Facebook, Flickr, or website, find the shot you want, and e-mail him the link and size you would like at info@joegallphotography.com. For pricing details and instructions, click here.

Copyright: Joe Gall Photography

Whether you would like a print of your favorite band, the Dog Packs of Detroit, or a landmark in the City, they are all up for grabs. Hell, you can even order that awesome shot that he took of you and your friends partying one night! The pricing is all extremely reasonable and we're sure one day a Camera Jesus piece will go for a lot more than they are today. So take advantage of this offer while you can!

~C

The First Ever Hamtramck Music Festival

The Metro Times Blowout was held in Hamtramck for 15 years, then last year the organizers tried something new and made it a two weekend event. The first weekend was in Hamtramck and the second weekend was in Ferndale. This year they announced another twist, The Blowout will take place in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Ferndale over the same weekend and will be held at the end of April instead of the second week of March, as in previous years.

Hamtramck has offered a response to this and decided to create a new festival to take place the second week of March in Hamtramck. This festival will appropriately be called The Hamtramck Music Festival  and will be held March 6-8 in Ham town. Ben's Encore is the company behind booking this entire weekend and we truly believe they are onto something good.  The lineup of bars participating in the festival includes Baker Streetcar Bar, Capo Lounge, Cafe 1923, Detroit Threads, Kelly’s Bar, Lo & Behold, The Mars Bar, New Dodge Lounge, The Painted Lady, Paycheck’s Lounge, PLAV Post 10, Small's, Polish Village Cafe, Rock City Eatery, and 7 Brothers Bar. They will host a lot of local talent, including some of our favorites like Little Animal, After Dark Amusement Park, Size Queen, Pretty Ghouls, YUM, Blaire Alise & the Bombshells, Snakewing, Bars of Gold, The Amino Acids, and Voyag3r.

The interesting thing about this festival is that there are a lot of bands that we have not heard of before. For once it isn't the same old line up playing again. This will be a good chance to check out some new music and maybe discover some new talent.

The best part about this festival is that wristbands are somehow only $10! You have two options when buying tickets. You can order them online here and pick them up at will call or you can buy them at one of 15 retail locations. They include Cafe 1923, Detroit Threads, Rock City Eatery, Lo & Behold, Record Graveyard, Peoples Records, Hello Records, Dearborn Music, Stormy Records, Found Sound, UHF, Flipside Records, Street Corner Music, Melodies & Memories, and Encore Records.

I think this may end up being a really cool festival. I am antsy to get out of my house and I always looked forward to running around Hamtramck during the Blowout. So I am excited that we have a new Ham Town festival to replace that void. To learn more about the festival you can check out their website here or follow them on Facebook.

~S

Celebrate 11 Years of Almost Free This Friday!

It's hard to believe that it has been 11 years since Almost Free got their start. It isn't very often that a band sticks it out for that long, but when one does it is totally worth it. That is definitely the case with this band.

We've told you before what big fans we are of Almost Free. If you haven't taken the time to check them out yet, this Friday at The Loving Touch is the perfect opportunity. They are playing a free show with Le Voyage and The Paper Sound, while our good friend Alex Kaye a.k.a. DJ Kitten Fingers will be doing sets. This show marks the band's 11th Anniversary to the date too! Since it's such a big occasion, we caught up with Bob from Almost Free ahead of time to check in and see what's next and take a little walk down memory lane. 

You can listen to some tunes from Almost Free on their bandcamp here. Their recordings are great, but as Bob said, they are definitely a live band. If you like what you hear online, we guarantee they will blow you away live.

Admission is completely free and 21+ are welcome. Doors open at 8 p.m. For more details, keep an eye on the Facebook event page here.

We can't wait to see what's next for Almost Free! Here's to another 11 great years, guys. Cheers!

~C

Free Tuesday Night Show at The Garden Bowl!

The last couple of Free shows at The Garden Bowl have featured some killer lineups and this Tuesday's triple feature keeps that trend going. This week Due North, The Gallery, and Nick Ciolino will be playing.

Due North plays some solid rock and roll and are one of the more underrated bands in Detroit. Check out there tunes here.

I fell in love Nick Ciolino when he played at a benefit that I hosted last year. He has a killer voice and great hair. What else do you need? You can check out his tunes here.

The music starts at 9 p.m. and The Garden Bowl is located at 4120 Woodward Ave. 18+ are welcome and the cheese pizza is still only $2 a slice.

~S