Hamtramck Music Fest 2020 - Podcast & Guide

The Hamtramck Music Fest will take over the City of Hamtramck for the 7th year in a row, during the weekend of February 27-29. This year, the fest will showcase 189 acts at 23 venues throughout the city. There are some new venues on the list this time around, like Bar/Ter, The Film Lab, Port, and even St. Florian Church is getting in on the fun. The church will feature keyboard musicians playing music on the pipe organ at St. Florian, with performances by TradeMark Psalm, Yorg Kerasiotis, and Luis Resto. Another thing that is different for this year's fest is that the kick off on Thursday night will take place at 2 different venues. This time around, it will be at The High Dive and Bar/Ter. (Ant Hall will be hosting Hedwig this weekend, so they won't be taking part in the event. But, that's an amazing show too!)

One thing that hasn't changed about HMF is that it is the best deal around. Once again this year, wristbands for the entire weekend are only $15. They can be purchased online here or at the following locations:

Dearborn Music, Detroit Record Club, Detroit Threads, Dr. Disc (Windsor), Cafe 1923, Encore Records, Flipside Records, Found Sound, Hello Records, Melodies & Memories, Nosh Pit, Paramita Sound, Peoples Records, Rat Queen Vintage, Record Graveyard, Rock City Music, Smalls, Solo Records, Stormy Records, Street Corner Music, Third Wave Music, UHF Records, Underground Vinyl, Weirdsville Records

Once again this year, proceeds from the event will go to the Hamtramck Public Schools’ Music and Art programs. In years past, these funds have provided things like instruments for the marching band, and a new state-of-the-art mixing board and stage microphones for the High School auditorium.

To get ready for this year's HMF, we sat down with a few bands playing and chatted about the event. Our guests on this episode include Sean Donnelly - The Doozers, Jack Mullen - Kimball, Chris Jarvis - Ancient Language, Noah De Leon - Leland Blue, and James Linck. Click play below to give that podcast a listen, and then hit play below that to listen to tunes from all of these artists. (Special thanks to Ghost Light for letting us record this podcast in their space!)

If you would like to see any of these acts during this year's HMF, they will be playing at the following times:

Ancient Language - Friday at 11 PM @ New Dodge Lounge

James Linck - Friday at 11:30 PM @ The Painted Lady

Leland Blue - Saturday at 9 PM @ New Dodge Lounge

The Doozers - Saturday at 10 PM @ New Dodge Lounge

Kimball - Saturday at 11 PM @ New Dodge Lounge

Check out all of the other bands that are playing HMF on the schedule below. And make sure to keep that map handy so you can get to all of the venues! Remember, there will be free shuttles running between the venues, so take advantage of that service and make it to as many of these shows as you can!

~C

Libraries are FUN-damental!

According to a recent Gallup poll, more Americans went to public libraries than movie theaters or sporting events in 2019. Data showed that visiting the library remains the most common cultural activity that Americans engage in, with the average American adult visiting their library an average of 10.5 times. Libraries have become cultural hubs for their communities with many libraries offering free community classes, family activities, and free wi-fi for anyone that needs access. 

The Ferndale Library is leading the way when it comes to local libraries. They go out of their way to bring the community into their space to learn, connect and discover new things. This month, they are celebrating their 90th anniversary with the Detroit Party Marching Band. They have invited the best party marching band around to parade through their hallways blasting music to signify 90 years of service to the community. The musical celebration will take place on March 6th and it is free and open to all ages. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and music starts promptly at 8 p.m. This is a great chance to see The Party Marching Band and to check out the library. If you are really smart you will sign up for a library card and make the Ferndale library a frequent stop throughout 2020! You can see all of the events that you can participate in here.

~S

Win Tickets to See American Nightmare at the Magic Stick

We all like to think that we aren't getting any older, but that's getting harder to believe. If we aren't getting any older, how are all of these bands that we love celebrating 20th anniversaries? Another early 2000's favorite is heading out on their 20th anniversary tour and heading to Detroit this week.

American Nightmare will be playing the Magic Stick this Thursday, February 20th. The band is playing just over a dozen shows for this tour, with dates reaching both coasts. Joining them for this tour is Ceremony. Tickets to see these bands live are $20 in advance or $22 the day of the show. You can purchase your tickets online here. Thanks to Black Iris Booking, you can also enter to win a pair of tickets to this show. To enter to win, just send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #nightmare in the subject line. We will draw our winner the morning of the show and will send them details on how to claim their prize.

All ages are welcome to attend this show and doors are set to open at 8 p.m.

~C 

It's Time to Get Snatched with Gender Bender

Are you a fan of Rupaul's Drag Race? If you enjoy watching the contestants battle it out to win, you are probably familiar with The Snatch Game. Every season RuPaul announces that it is time to separate "the basic bitches from the fierce-ass queens" before they play a round of the game. This segment is one of the most popular segments on the show because it's fun to watch and it shows off the contestant's talents. So, the queens at Detroit's "Weirdest Drag Show aka Gender Bender" have decided to embrace its popularity by bringing a live version of The Snatch Game to Planet Ant to show off their talents this weekend!

Gender Bender's Haus cast will be playing a round of The Snatch Game at Ghost Light this Friday and Saturday, February 21 and 22 immediately following the performance of Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Ant Hall. If you have tickets to Hedwig, you can get into The Snatch Game for free. If you're just coming for the game it's $10 to get in the door. This weekend's shows will include performances by Alex Knows It All, BaHa! Blast, iT, Jezebel, Lavender Scare, Remy LaLa, and Rose Ritz. To learn more about Gender Bender and to keep up with all of their events follow them on social here.

~S

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: February 14 - 16

Friday, February 14th - Heavy Metal BBQ w/ Heavy & Beyond @ Small's: Want to do a dinner date this Valentine's Day, but you don't want to make reservations? Small's is your place! Renegade Kitchen will be cooking up some delicious BBQ and the guys from Heavy & Beyond will be DJing. That means your favorite heavy metal tunes will be the soundtrack for the evening. Sounds like a great date night! Doors will open at 8 p.m. and there's no cover for this event.

Friday, February 14th - Valentine's Day Bingo @ Bagley Central: Blackout Bingo comes to Bagley Central this Valentine's Day! It's free to play and there will be fun prizes for the winners (no cash prizes). The games begin at 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 15th - "Grease" @ The Senate Theater: "You're the one that I want, you are the one I want"! Watch Grease on the big screen at The Senate Theater this Saturday night! Costumes, such as poodle skirts and bomber jackets, are encouraged and there will even be prizes for best dressed. Don't have a great outfit to wear? Flamingo Vintage and other vendors will be on site with a 1950's pop-up shop! The shopping starts at 6 p.m., the organ starts at 7:30 p.m. and the movie will begin at 8. Tickets are only $5 for this event, get yours here.

Saturday, February 15th - DIY Winter Semi-Formal Dance @ Outer Limits Lounge: Get all dolled up and head to Outer Limits for a great show this Saturday night! The lineup includes Cheapshow, Tears of a Martian, and Carmel Liburdi & Friends. There will be a photo "booth", a Valentine station, a kissing booth, and more. Cover is only $7, 21+ are welcome, and things kick off a 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 15th - Foreplay Formal @ New Dodge Lounge: There's a group around town that you may or may not have heard of, but we guarantee you know at least a few of the girls involved. They are called No Good Girls Allowed and they are hosting their Foreplay Formal this Saturday night at New Dodge Lounge. Dress to impress and grab a corsage at the door. The night will include burlesque, a free dinner buffet, a selfie station, a spanking booth, and more! Cover is $8 for one person or $10 for a couple. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Saturday, February 15th - The Muggs @ Cadieux Cafe: If you missed The Muggs' big release show last month, here's your chance to hear the new tunes at a smaller venue. The show is celebrating Cadieux Records, that released The Muggs new album Slave to Sound on vinyl. Cover for this show is only $5, 21+ are welcome, and Asphalt Flowers is also on the bill. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the music starts at 9.

Sweetheart Swap Meet @ Bagley Central

Got some cool stuff laying around your house collecting dust? Take it to Bagley Central this Thursday night for their Sweetheart Swap Meet! There will be stuff for sale, stuff there to swap, and just free stuff up for grabs. Plus, once the event is over, the fine folks at Bagley Central will clean everything up and take it to the Purple Heart to donate. So, you can get rid of the clutter, and make someone's day at the bar or at Purple Heart!

This event is free to attend and there will be great drink specials all night. Things will kick off at 7 p.m., and since it's Valentine's Eve, there will be romantic comedies playing on the big screen.

Bagley Central is located at 2545 Bagley Street. If you want to make a night of it, grab dinner at Peso nextdoor before or after. Sounds like a great night out to us!

~C

Win Tickets to See Chelsea Cutler @ Royal Oak Music Theatre

Chelsea Cutler is celebrating the new year with new music. She recently released her first full-length album called How to Be Human on Republic Records. It's her first full-length album so she's going on a huge tour to promote it. She will be making a stop at Royal Oak Music Theatre to perform alongside  Alexander 23 and X Lovers on February 21. Tickets to attend the set are $26 in advance and they can be purchased here. You can also email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject #Human to be entered to win a pair of tickets to the show. We will draw one lucky person and they will get to take a friend to see Chelsea for free. Check out this set from Seth Meyers to get a taste of what you will see.

~S

The Detroit Public Theatre Brings Hedwig And the Angry Inch to Ant Hall Every Weekend in February

Photos: Chuk Nowak Photography

In 1998, John Cameron Mitchell released an off-off-Broadway play called Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The hour and a half production told the story of Hedwig Schmidt, a genderqueer East German singer of a fictional rock and roll band. The show became so big it moved to the West End and was eventually turned into a feature film starring Mitchell as Hedwig in 2001. The movie became an instant classic and Hedwig became a touring show that has been recreated on stages all over the world. This year the Detroit Public Theatre decided to bring Hedwig to Detroit.

Hip in Detroit attended the opening night of the Detroit Public Theatre's Production of Hedwig at Ant Hall and we are proud to say that the cast and crew brought Hedwig's story to life. For this production, DPS rented out Plant Ant's hall and built out the stage to fit their needs. It is the most ambitious production that has even been done at The Ant, but they did not disappoint. For this run, Scott Anthony Joy plays Hedwig and Lily Talevski plays Yitzhaki. Both performers have amazing vocal range and with the assistance of a  live four-piece band they were able to effortlessly bring all the well-written music from the show to life. If you love Hedwig, theatre, or just want to support the arts, this is a must-see presentation of the show.

Hedwig will play every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday through the month of February. Tickets are $40 a piece and they can be purchased here. If you would like to learn more about Planet Ant click here and if you would like to learn more about Detroit Public Theatre click here. 

~S 

Win Tickets to See JASIAH + $NOT

Did you know that the team at The Crofoot Presents books shows all around Metro Detroit? They bring music, comedy, and festivals to spaces all over Metro Detroit. So, we reached out to make sure that we could give away tickets to as many of their shows as possible. This week they offered us a pair of tickets to see up and coming hip-hop artists JASIAH and $NOT at The Loving Touch on Wednesday, January 19th. $NOT is a Florida based artist whose songs are believed by the Tik Tok community and Jasiah is a genre-transcending artist from Ohio. Both are on their way to becoming household names in their industry, so it would be cool to catch them in a smaller venue while you still have the chance.

Tickets to attend the show are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the show, you can purchase them here. We also have one pair of tickets to give away. If you would like to enter to win them, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #crofootpresents. We will draw one lucky person the morning of the show and they will get to attend with a friend for free.

~S

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: February 7 - 9

We already told you about Jax Anderson, New Year New Music, and Winter Blast! Here are some more fun events happening this weekend!

Friday & Saturday, February 7th & 8th - Hedwig and the Angry Inch @ Ant Hall: This play is a must see! We had a chance to see the preview on Thursday night and it was amazing. Hedwig and the Angry Inch is being presented by Detroit Public Theatre at Ant Hall in Hamtramck. You will be mesmerized by this two person show with a live band. Whether you've seen Hedwig before or you are new to this show, you will love it! The show will be on the Ant Hall stage Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights throughout February. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased here. 

Friday & Saturday, February 7th & 8th - The Dirty Show: Get in touch with your kinky side this weekend at The Dirty Show at The Russell. This is the 21st anniversary for the show that puts all kinds of erotic art on display. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased online here. 21+ are welcome and the show runs from 7 p.m. - 2 a.m. both nights. Can't make it this weekend? Don't worry, it's going on next weekend too!

Saturday, February 8th - The Suicide Machines @ Trumbullplex: The Suicide Machines have a new song out and are about to drop a new album! Come sing along to your new favorite song and your old favorites at Trumbullplex Saturday night. This is a benefit for Food Not Class and cover is $10. The Suicide Machines will be joined by Fishgutzzz & His Stinkin' Orchestra, WOMB, and Pocket Sounds. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 8th - Signs Galore! at KO Studio Gallery: Chances are, if you have seen a hand painted sign that you love at a restaurant or store in the Detroit area, Kelly Golden probably painted it. Her work is amazing and this Saturday night, she has curated a show of her favorite signs from sign painters in the area. The show will take place at KO Studio Gallery in Hamtramck. The show opens at 7 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m.

Everything You Want to Know About Winter Blast

This weekend, Detroit will host it's 14th annual Winter Blast. This event was originally created to bring people downtown when the Super Bowl came to town, but everyone loved the family-friendly event so much that Quicken Loans decided to make it a tradition. The company closes down a huge section of downtown and hosts a variety of free and low cost events that everyone can enjoy. It's a great way to get out and do something during the slowest time of the year.

 

The Winter Blast takes place in and around Campus Martius and Cadillac Square. This year's event will run from 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Sunday and there are lots of things that the whole family can enjoy. This includes free ice skating at the ice rink in Campus Martius ($5 to rent skates), an Ice Garden at Cadillac Square, live music on multiple stages (full lineup here), and a variety of food trucks, including A Taste of Nawlins, Baked Delicious, Mr. Deep Fried, Chick A D-Fried Chicken,Crepe De Twah-Sweet & Savory Crepes, Detroit Panzerotti, Imperial Ferndale, Mercurio Foods , Niko's Gyros, Soaring Eagle Cuisine Machine and The Lobster Truck. There will also be fire pits to warm your hands with and $3 s'more kits available for purchase. You can also purchase a pass to zip-line down Woodward Avenue for $10 a person or you can spend $3 to quickly drop down a pitch-black tube slide at 22 MPH on a 40-degree angle. You can even get fitted for ski or snowboard gear and go down a beginner-level slope with the help of Mt. Brighton Ski and Ride School instructors.

There are multiple parking garages in the area and some street parking if you are able to find it.  Make sure you download the parking app and pay to park, you do not need a $45 ticket to ruin your day. Follow Winter Blast here to keep up with future updates on the event.

~S

New Year, New Music

It can be really hard to find new music, especially local music. So, Outta This World Booking teamed up with a few local companies to find some new music for you. They held an open call for artists and had lots of different singers, songwriters, and bands submit their work. They sent the submitted work to me (Sadie Quagliotto from hipindetroit.com), Brendan Derey, President of Old Main Records, and Matthew Harmon, President of Empty Mug Records. We all gave the tracks a listen and voted on our favorites. Then, from the list of favorites, Out of This World Booking put together a lineup that showcases a variety of new music from the Metro Detroit area. This includes Lotus Hotel, Our Attic, Chronic Tan,No Fun Club, Ohly, Stefan James, Frankie, The Stereo Sound, Asphalt Flowers, and Andrea Doria. Each act will be performing 2 songs and those songs will be recorded live and released in the near future. The recording will take place at The Loving Touch this Sunday from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. Tickets to attend the show are $5 at the door and all ages are welcome to come to hang out. You can find out more about the event here.

Congrats to all of the bands that are being showcased at the show and to Outta This World Booking for coming up with such a  cool event that brings Detroiters together.

~S

Win Tickets to See J Roddy Walston

This Friday night, get a double dose of J Roddy Walston at The Pike Room in Pontiac. J Roddy Walston will be headlining the show with his solo project, but he will also be playing with his new band Palm Palm. Also on the bill, is the one and only Parker Gispert. This is going to be a solid show from start to finish and things will probably get a little weird at least once through the night. After all, the tour is called A Single Dose of Strangeness.

Tickets for this show are only $20 and can be purchased online here. Thanks to our friends at The Crofoot, we are also giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky reader. To enter to win, send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #JRoddy in the subject line. We will draw our winner on Friday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize. 

Doors are set to open at 7 p.m. on Friday and all ages are welcome. 

~C

Here's the Scoop on Michigan & Trumbull

Detroit has its own style of pizza. We enjoy thick rectangular slices that are extra crispy everywhere that the crust touches the pan. If you ever left Metro Detroit and tried to get a slice, you would quickly realize that nothing compares to the way we make our pies. The owners of Detroit's newest pizzeria Michigan & Trumbull learned this lesson the hard way. They moved out of town for a few years and found that they were unable to find anything that tasted like the pizza they grew up eating, so they started making it on their own. Eventually, they perfected their recipe and decided that they wanted to share what they cooked up in their kitchen with Detroiters so they moved back to the city and found a temporary home at Fort Street Galley before making the move into their very own brick and mortar restaurant last week.

Michigan & Trumbull's menu features 14 unique Detroit style pizzas alongside a mix of salads and roasted and fried sides. Their pizza menu includes pies that feature baked ricotta, broccolini, and almond romesco, alongside pies that highlight traditional toppings like sausage, pepperoni, and mushrooms. They also have vegan options, build your own options, and lots of Detroit style twists in their recipes. This includes fries that feature a BBQ style chip seasoning and carrots that are grilled and covered in hot honey. Plus, all of their pizzas can be made gluten-free upon request. They even have vegan Parmesan in-house so you can enjoy the charred broccolini exactly how it is supposed to be made. You can take the traditional route and have a pizza or have a nice salad with some sides if you are trying to keep it light. You can even get all of their pizzas rolled up into what they call a Boblo Boat a.k.a. a calzone. All of Michigan & Trumbull's pies have 6 hearty slices and range from $8 to $15 in price. All of their sides are $8 apiece and the portions are generous. We suggest that you try the Vernor Vegan and the Teader Fries when you visit, but we enjoyed everything that we sampled during our first meal so you can't go wrong. 

 

Michigan & Trumbull is already open and serving food, but they won't have their official opening party until this Friday, February 6th because they are still waiting on a few of their spirits to arrive.  You can find their hours and their full menu here. Michigan & Trumbull is located in Corktown at 1441 W. Elizabeth St. and they will have a beautiful roof top patio that will also be open as soon as the season hits. We think that this will quickly become one of or favorite spots!

~S