Tuesday, December 30, 2014

The Hippest Places to be on New Year's Eve

I'm sure that you have already starting asking your friends, "what are we doing for New Year's", but you are having a hard time deciding where you actually want to go. Picking the right place to ring in the new year is crucial. So, Hip In Detroit put together a guide of the do not miss parties that are guaranteed to ring in the new year right. Remember kids, party hard and take a cab! Happy New Year Detroit!

Thirst Wave New Year's Eve party at Small's
DJ Pleasure Kitten, DJ Elektrosonik and DJ Aaron Hingst will be spinning New Wave, Retro Alternative, Dark '80s, '90s Alternative from 9 p.m.-4 a.m.!
Doors @ 9 p.m.
18+ Welcome
$5 at the door

Complimentary appetizer buffet throughout the evening
Champagne or PBR Toast at Midnight

FREE noisemakers, party hats and beads at the door!

P.A.N. Shop New Years
Rawdogs, Axe RipperMud Falcon, Karmic Lava, The Hangdowns, You People
Doors at 7 p.m. 
$5 at the door 

NYE at The Loving Touch 
The Beggars, Broadzilla, White Shag
Doors at 8 p.m.
$10 at the door
Champagne toast at midnight
Tequila Cabresto drink specials all night

NYE at The New Dodge
The Creepos, The AdraysKing Eddie, Beyond The Grid, 7Layers
Doors at 9 p.m.
$15 at the door
Dinner and champagne toast are included with admission

NYE at UFO Factory 
Shigeto, Jamaican Queens, Ritual Howls, DJ Ice Cold Chrissy
Doors at 9 p.m.
$10 at the door

NYE at the Elizabeth Theater @ The Park Bar
Haute to DeathTunde Olaniran
Doors at 10 p.m.
$15 at the door
 Admission includes coat check, photo-booth, late night hors d' oeuvres
There will be drink specials throughout the night!


Need a Ride?
Uber
Lyft
Ferndale Cab Company 
Checker Cab 
Detroit Cab Company



~S

Monday, December 29, 2014

Mittenfest IX

This Thursday you can ring in the new year by taking a drive down 94 and buying a ticket to a four day music festival at The Blind Pig called Mittenfest. This annual event is taking place for the 9th year and it features a great lineup of acts including, Little AnimalTunde OlaniranFlint Eastwood, PassalaquaJamaican Queens, DisinformantsMax Marston, Shigeto, and Caveman Woodman.

Doors open each day at 7 p.m. and the music doesn't stop until the bar closes at 2 a.m.  It is $10 at the door each day of the event, so you can pick and choose which days you want to go. Proceeds from the event are donated to 826michigan, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. This money will be used to inspire generations of future blog writers like ourselves, that's something that we can get behind!

The Blind Pig is located at 208 N. 1st Street in Ann Arbor, MI 48104 and 18+ are welcome! 

Here is the full lineup and schedule for the weekend! 


~S

We Wish that Every Day was Black Christmas


Friday night the Majestic complex was full of people that had enough family time over the holidays and were ready to party. Black Iris Booking took over all three stages for their 3rd annual Black Christmas. This year's lineup was as bad ass, with a few legendary Detroit bands on the bill too.

Two of the most talked about bands on the lineup were Fordirelifesake and Telegraph, who were both reuniting for the event. Both drew huge crowds of fans that definitely got their money's worth. FDLS played with as much precision and energy as they did when the guys were all 20 something. Telegraph had fans dancing and singing along to old favorites and even a few off of Switched On, the album the band claims that everyone hates. Judging by the crowds response, I disagree. Telegraph announced at the show that they are giving the band a run for one more year, which was quite the Christmas gift for their fans! So keep an eye out for more shows and possible new music from them. And, in case you didn't know, Fordirelifesake also has recorded a few new songs. Head over and pick those up here.

We managed to get video of songs from both of these bands' sets. The crowds were a little rowdy, but we held strong to make sure to at least get you a glimpse of what happened.







The crowds also went crazy for a lot of other bands Friday night. Some of our favorites were the Koffin Kats, Destroy This Place, Wilson, and of course, The Suicide Machines. These bands never disappoint, but they all definitely brought their a-game for this show.



Other bands that we regrettably didn't catch, but heard also put on amazing sets were The Meatmen and Negative Approach. But, with a stacked lineup from start to finish, it was hard to catch everyone.


We applaud Sarah and Ramona of Black Iris Booking for another stellar show and one of the best lineups ever. We don't know how you pull this off every year and manage to make it bigger and better every time. We've heard a ton of people saying they wish they could relive Friday night or go to a show like that every night and we agree with them. Although Black Iris doesn't put on shows this huge every night, they put on amazing shows all year long. If you haven't already, make sure you head over and "like" them on Facebook so you don't miss out on one of them! While you're at it, head over to our Facebook page to see more pictures from Black Christmas 2014!



~C&S

PRTY Crew Collective

Detroit is known for fast cars and even faster music. We are a very proud people who work hard and in turn party very hard. We hustle during the day and celebrate the fruits of our labors late into the night. There is always a new bar to check out, a new band to see play, and a party that you simply cannot miss. If you're bored, then you are doing it wrong. But, do not fear, there is hope for you yet!

PRTY Crew Collective has officially launched and is here to school you on the art of party. This new Detroit clothing line is the brain child of Mike Moore (Ironclad Tattoo), Matt Puhy (Wilson), and Ryan Fender. They are well versed in the art of party and came up with a line that they think accurately captures the essence of Detroit. This line is working on releasing everything from shirts to underwear. Their designs are being created by some of Detroit's best local talent and the art is being printed on some high quality duds. They are going to be setting up shop at all sorts of local events and you're going to hear about them eventually, so we thought we would check in with the trio to get you all of the details right from the start.

Check out what they had to say about this new venture and head over to the website to pick up something new with all of that Christmas money you just received.


HID- What made you decide to join together to start a t-shirt line?
PRTY- "For the past year and a half there has been a good handful of us that have been talking about this general idea. A lot has been ideas while we were out at a bar, party, or group texts. We had the base of what we wanted but it was being made more complicated then it needed to be. So with that said we never settled on a name or got the ball moving, though we had some great ideas. Fast forward until a few months ago when sitting at The Loving Touch, I, Mike Moore, brought it back up to Puhy. He told me that he has been thinking about it lately also. Prior to this Ryan Fender has told me his ideas and it was the same direction I wanted to go. So it naturally made sense for us 3 to pursue this. With all our friends, connections and reach, the timing seemed right."

HID- What is the idea behind PRTY Crew Collective?
PRTY- "We design apparel for the PRTY Animals, because that's what we are and that's who we care about!!! There are all different kinds of people who like to party. Granted that everyone doesn't party the same way we do personally, but we want to appeal to as many as we can. We also want to spotlight all the fun and crazy times that ourselves, friends, and customers have. We plan on posting pictures and video of said good times."

HID- Why PRTY and not PARTY?
PRTY- "I think we wrote it on Fender's face when we were drunk one time"

HID- Who designed the shirts and logos?
PRTY- "The ideas for the designs were thought up by us but the artist behind the Coffin, Death Tarot, and the Detroit PRTY City designs was Emmanuel Mendoza from Ironclad Tattoo Co. The MMPC front chest was from Justin Tyler (Tribute Tattoo) and the back was Kaelin Dettloff from Ironclad Tattoo Co. Kaelin also helps with promo photos and Emmanuel is going to be doing a lot of work with us. His style fits a lot with what we are about."

HID- How many different styles are you going to be selling?
PRTY- "We plan on selling all sorts of styles front tees, tanks, booty shorts, hats, shorts, jackets, ect. We want to continuously grow and grow to provide apparel for all the different kinds of PRTY Animals out there."

HID- What will the average cost of a shirt be?
PRTY- "Most of our tees and tanks will start at $24. We will have items that are lower, items that are higher and even throw sales out here and there. We are printing on only high quality materials to provide the best quality for those who buy our stuff. "

HID- Will you be releasing new styles frequently?
PRTY- "Yes we will be releasing new style for sure every season and whenever we are to eager to get a design out between seasons. We want to keep this fresh and always moving forward. "

HID- Where will people be able to purchase their gear?
PRTY- "Our clothing can be purchased at www.prtycrewcollective.com, sponsored events, pop-up shops, and any time it just seems like a great idea. "


HID- Anything else that you would like our readers to know?
PRTY- "We are very excited to see this company grow, each one of us brings our own style and uniqueness, that when combined, should make for some exciting, or at the very least, awk-weird designs and products. NOTE: we are hiring unpaid interns to take notes for our meetings since they're always held in the bar and after were about five shots deep."


You can check out the new website for PRTY Crew Collective, which just launched last Friday, here.  PRTY on!


~S

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Talking with Telegraph Before their 20 Year Reunion

Black Christmas is only a few days away! You've already heard us talk about one reunion happening at this show, Fordirelifesake. But, there is another reunion happening that night that I am as excited about, if not a little more excited for. Telegraph will be hitting the stage!

This is the 20-ish year reunion for Telegraph, a Detroit ska band that played throughout the '90s and early 2000s. You may also know this band as The Skolars or The Telegraph, same awesome band, same great songs. Their final release, Switched On was released in 2000 and the band called it quits shortly after. You can listen to it in full here.

After creepily approaching lead singer Jeff Sanguis at Small's last week and telling him how excited I am for the reunion, I decided there are probably a lot of other people looking forward to this show too. So, I reached out to him to ask a few questions about Telegraph, the reunion, and the future of the band. Check out what he had to say below.


HID- Let's get right to the point. Why did you decide to reunite Telegraph for Black Christmas?
Jeff- They asked. Simple as that. Well, Ramona (love Ramona, everyone else should too) asked a couple years back, but at the time it just didn't make sense. This being the kinda 20+ year anniversary it finally made sense. (Our first show was December of 93, but the band as it became and as people know it really didn't come to be until the summer of 94.) 

HID- Do you feel old enough to be in a band that is having its 20 year anniversary? 
Jeff- Yes. I would have had a different answer in my 30s... but then again I guess in my 30s it wouldn't have been 20 years. Shit. But yeah, I feel it physically, and I've also reached a point where I have no patience for kids on my lawn, literally and figuratively speaking. 

HID- This band had a few changes over the years, including the name. What's the difference between The Skolars, Telegraph and The Telegraph? 
Jeff- One was a dumb name, one was a new name, and one was an attempt to get fuckers to stop asking us if we named ourselves after a road. 

HID- So, Black Christmas happens to be the day after Christmas. Your day after Christmas shows were a staple in the Detroit scene for a while. Why did you guys start doing those and keep doing them? 
Jeff- They were a xmas gift to the kids that came to see us. We asked Maria (Maria from Ritual is the legend behind the scenes the kids didn't know was working her tail off to make great shows happen, what Ramona is to this town today) how we could book a xmas show at St. Andrew's, but make it as cheap as possible so everyone could go and have fun. Like, number crunch what we could expect through the door and still cover expenses. she came up with 3 bucks and we were stoked! We didn't care about making money as much as making it an awesome night. Back then there was NOTHING going on the day after xmas. Usually had to wait until the weekend for the next show, usually The Suicide Machines I believe. PKs had the 29th I think. So yeah, we did it and it turned out to be a huge success. and for a band that didn't care about money, we made good money those nights. OH! Plus those shows afforded us the opportunity to put whoever we wanted on the bill, and we always looked for great young bands throughout the year to put on the show. We figured our earliest shows we were lucky enough to get opening slots for established bands, we should do the same for someone else, you know? 

HID- What's the best memory from your time in this band? 
Jeff- Giant skater shorts? There isn't one, I know that's the obvious answer. Overall, the best memories are the ones where we were all just together as a family. Working our asses off, or laughing our asses off. We were around during the dying days of it being hard, yet we knew why it was hard. No giant internet. No YouTube. Recording cost a million dollars, or at least it seemed to. When you were on the road, there were no cell phones, no WIFI, no GPS... flying by the seat of your pants, missing everyone back home. These days "making it" isn't any easier... it just seems like it should be. I think it being so easy to record, to make things look all professional, all the American Idol type influences give bands an unrealistic expectation. I'm glad we came up in an era of making fliers at Kinkos and actually standing in the cold outside a show handing them out. 

HID- Why did the band eventually call it quits?
Jeff- Because we made a great record and you all hated it? ha! We stopped because it stopped being fun, for various reasons. We probably listened a bit TOO much to those that didn't like us, than those that did as well. But we were still young, still learning and it's hard to dig deep into that well of your own self worth for strength over and over again. Overall, I think we had a good run, and stopping when we did may have been premature... but probably not. 

HID- What can Telegraph fans expect this week at Black Christmas? 
Jeff- A half hour set! What WE expect is anyone who knows the words to some old ass tunes to be upfront and center singing with us! PLEASE! 

HID- Who else are you looking forward to seeing at that show? 
Jeff- Fordirelifesake!! Suicide Machines and Plug of course!! I'm going to make sure I watch every second of The Dewtons. I won't leave the Garden Bowl until they're done. That's why people need to sing the Telegraph songs. 

HID- Can we expect to hear more from Telegraph in the future or is this just a one time thing? 
Jeff- Does anyone want anything else from our old asses? Would Hip In Detroit document the whole thing if we did? 

HID- Anything else you would like our readers to know? 
Jeff- I have a man crush on Timothy Olyphant. 
         markpenxa.com 
         Rebel Spies!

Telegraph plays at 9:30 p.m. in the Magic Stick this Friday, right between Fordirelifesake and Mustard Plug. Tickets are only $25 in advance and can be purchased here. We cannot wait to see this band one more time and I will definitely be one of the people up front singing along! We hope this sparks some sort of comeback and if it does, we would love to document the whole thing.

If not, make sure you check out Jeff's current project Rebel Spies. Although you won't be able to skank to their tunes, they're pretty awesome too!


~C

Last Chance for Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village

Photo from The Henry Ford's Facebook Page

Well, Christmas is officially here. You're probably running around like a crazy person wrapping presents, buying last minute gifts, and bouncing from house to house visiting family and friends. Before the holiday is gone in a flash, we want you to take a minute to slow down and enjoy this festive time of year, and Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village is the perfect way to do so.

Holiday Nights is an event that has been going on all month long at Greenfield Village inside The Henry Ford. There are still three nights left for you to head out and check out this amazing event, tonight (December 23rd), December 26th and 27th. This event allows you to go back in time and experience a truly old fashioned Christmas. Holiday Nights' goers will have the opportunity to stroll through the historic buildings and homes on the grounds of Greenfield Village, all decorated for the holiday season. There are a ton of people dressed in character, caroling, telling stories, and strolling the streets of the village, making you feel like you are in a different world. You also have opportunities to ride in Model Ts or a horse drawn wagon, before settling in for an amazing fireworks display at the end of the night. Even Santa and his reindeer will be at the Village, but tonight is the last night they will be there of course. He does have to deliver gifts to the entire world, after all!


This is a truly magical event that everyone should experience at least once, if not every year. Tickets are $22 for adults and $16 for children, if you are a member you will receive a small discount on those prices. You can purchase your tickets in advance here, and we suggest you do because this event sells out almost every night.

The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village are located at 20900 Oakwood Blvd. in Dearborn. For more information on Holiday Nights, click here.



~C

Sunday, December 21, 2014

ASTA

Photo by: Aaron Jones

There are a few local companies that really stand out to me in Michigan, they started as smaller local efforts and have taken off and made a name for themselves. Companies like Glass Action, Brightly Twisted, and ASTA are inspiring to say the least. All three of these companies were started in someone's home, the owners created a product that was cool, unique, and well made, so people wanted to buy it. We have already had the chance to talk to Glass Action and Brightly Twisted, so I decided it was time to learn more about ASTA, a crochet business owned and operated by Veronica Knight.

Veronica started knitting about 7 years ago and literally created her own scarf like item called the scarflette. She makes all her scarflette’s by hand and accessorizes them with some of the most unique buttons we have ever seen.
Photo by: Aaron Jones

She's a staple at DIY and the Detroit Urban Craft Fair, and one of the coolest ladies in town.  Checkout what she has to stay about her company, her scarflettes, and the Detroit music scene.


HID-When did you start crocheting and how did you learn?
Veronica Knight- "I decided back in 2007 that I wanted to find a hobby, any hobby. I was feeling restless and felt like I needed something to do other than just go to work. ​A friend of mine let me borrow a "How to Crochet" book, so I figured I'd start there and if I didn't like it, I would try ​something else. I fell in love with it right away. I think the first thing I made was a synthesizer cozie. ha"

HID- What is the difference between crocheting and knitting? Is there a difference?
​Veronica Knight- "Yes, there sure is. It gets mixed up all the time. Both are made with your hands and yarn, but Crocheting is a method that uses a hook and knitting uses two sticks that bind the stitches together. I liked crocheting so much because there is instant gratification in what you are working on. It builds up so fast. I have no idea how to knit, so I can't get too deep on how I feel about it, but there are a lot of people that do it that I respect."

HID- When did you come up with the idea for your scarflettes?
Veronica Knight-​ "Well, I always had a love/hate relationship with scarves. I am 5 feet tall, so most scarves were too long for me and always got caught in the door or dunked in the toilet or something, so now that I had this new skill I wanted to make a cowl for myself, but I wanted it to button, so I wouldn't have to deal with how to wrap it. I had a pea coat at the time and it was open at the chest and the cowls I made didn't cover all the way, so I decided to make it bigger to cover the chest, and then I thought, you know, it makes sense to go a little bigger to cover my head to, (I DO live in Michigan​, ya know). So basically I made it for myself, then my friends liked them, so I made the scarflettes for them, then their friends wanted them, so I thought, why not try to sell them and the rest is history."

HID- Have you ever made the same scarf twice?
Veronica Knight- "Not for a long time. I really liked the idea of someone who got one always knowing it was one of a kind. But then I made so many that I had to start re-using buttons I had already used. It was too hard to keep track.​"

HID- Tell us a little about your experience at this years DUCF. This wasn’t your first year at the show, what brought you back?
Veronica Knight- "Oh man! It was amazing this year. There were over 5,000 people at the event on Saturday alone and I had 35 scarflettes made. They were all gone by 4pm. The event went to 7:00! I worked the rest of the day, night and the next morning to get 10 more done for Sunday and those 10 were all gone by 3pm. It was a whirlwind. I have been a vendor at DUCF for the last 7 years and every one of those years I have sold out of all of my stock, but never that fast! I really love this event and all the ladies at Handmade Detroit really know what they're doing. ​"

HID- Where can someone purchase your merchandise if they can’t make it out to one of the craft shows?
Veronica Knight- ​"You can purchase one on my new online store www.astacrochet.com.​"

HID- How long does it take you to make a scarflette?
Veronica Knight- "I think 6 hours. I do it kind of assembly line style, so I haven't timed it start to finish in a while. But when I did, it was 6-7 hours.​"

HID- Why did you name your company ASTA?
Veronica Knight- "Well, I am kinda crazy about old movies. One of my favorites is a movie called "The Thin Man". There was a dog in that movie named Asta. I thought it was a nice ode to my love a classic things without being too obvious. There is no way I could name my business Veronica's Crocheted Creations or some shit like that and feel good about it. haha​"

HID- Do you make other items?
Veronica Knight- "I have, but not to sell, just for fun. I have crocheted a viking costume and a cyclops costume. I think I want to crochet medusa next. I love the idea of hard characters softly crocheted.​"

HID- What craft fairs do you regularly attend in the Metro Detroit area?
​Veronica Knight- "DIY Street Fair in Ferndale and DUCF are my main go-tos. I have always wanted to do DIYpsi, but since it's always the week after DUCF I never have enough stock to do it...maybe next year!​"

HID- I happen to know that you are a huge supporter of local music. What are you top three local bands that you think others should check out?
​Veronica Knight- "Well, what kind of wife would I be if I didn't say my husband's band, Child Bite. haha But seriously, I am pretty sure I would love them even if I wasn't married to them. I think there is a lot of great music coming from Michigan recently. I am working right now on booking Berserker Fest and am discovering so many other great bands, it's really hard to narrow it down to just 3. One that comes to mind is a band I happened upon from Mount Pleasant called Cloud Rat. It's a 3 piece grindcore band with a chick singer. It's nice to see a band with the same grit and intensity as a lot of other grindcore bands with all dudes. Another favorite would be Old Gods. They're good friends if mine, but again, I would go see them play if they weren't."

Photo by: Aaron Jones

Check out this video explaining the many ways to wear a scarflette from ASTA's Facebook page and head over to the website to get yourself one of these now!

Post by ASTA.


~S

The Kids Are All Right

 The Hard Lessons brought their son out to say 'hello' 
to a sold out crowd at St. Andrew's

Life seems to move faster and faster with every year that goes by, it seems like it gets harder and harder for me to get things done. Some days I can barely manage to get myself through the day, which is why I am perplexed by people who have children. How the fuck do they get everything done, work, and take care of  all the needs of another person? It seems nearly impossible to me, and yet I have been watching a lot of my friends pull it off flawlessly. This upcoming week I have the holidays with the family and then a lot of events to attend, including a few x-mas parties and a few shows. I''m sitting her feeling overwhelmed and the fun hasn't even started yet! It occurred to me that a lot of the people who are playing these shows also happen to have children, which made me ask the question, how the hell do bands keep it going once they have children?

We all know that being in a band is a lot more than getting on the stage and rocking out. Practicing, writing, recording, booking shows, playing, marketing, and the making and selling of merch is all part of the job. What if you also had to find a babysitter? I decided to talk to a few local musicians who made quite a name for themselves over the years before they had kids, and somehow kept it going. I talked to Monday Busque and Ryan Allen of Destroy this Place and Augie and Korin, a.k.a The Hard Lessons. Destroy this Place will be playing Black Christmas on the 26th at The Majestic Complex and The Hard Lessons will be headlining their annual Post Christmas Blowout on the 26th at The Loving Touch. Both bands are not only active but have a pretty solid fan base that expects them to come out and show the fans a great time. What I found is that not a single one of these people see having a child as a roadblock to music, instead this life change gave them new reasons to make music.

 Check out my interview and make sure to head out and support one of these great bands this Friday!


Santino playing drums with his dad
HID- What band are you in?
Augie- "The Hard Lessons"

HID- How long were you in a band before you had a child?
Augie- "8 years"

HID- How many children do you have and what are their ages?
Korin- "Our first son Santino is three and a half and we have another on the way due in May.
HID- How do you think having children has changed your ability to be in a band and play music?
Augie- "Our band is an extra unique situation because mom AND dad are both in the band. I have some musician friends who are married and don’t have to get a sitter every time they rehearse or play a show. With us, it is a huge ordeal to do any band-related activities because we have to make serious arrangements for the little man!"
Korin- "It is ironic because the both of us being in the band is what saved our relationship. We got to tour Europe together, instead of one of us partying in France while the other was going to school and working two jobs. Constant touring was never a strain on our relationship."

HID- Have your children ever seen you play live?
Augie- "Our son Santino was at DIY Street Fair when we played last year and at some point in the set I pointed him out and said hello and he did the most perfect little parade wave to the crowd. It was hilarious."
Korin- "I think our son thinks everyone’s parents have records and sing songs and are on the radio. We were watching YouTube videos and a Hard Lessons video was recommended for us and he watched it and was so matter-of-fact that it was his parents."

HID- What do your children think of your music when they hear it on the radio?
Augie- "At first Sonny didn’t like music. Or he knew that it would hurt me to say that! He looked at me at the kitchen table one day and said, “Papa, I NO like music." My heart broke! I started imagining I was going to have to learn how to play sports."
Korin- "We recorded a song about Santino called “My Kind” and pressed it on a one-sided vinyl 45. On the blank backside we had him stamp his foot. It is an incredibly special song for us, and we made it available to our fans as well in limited quantity. I hope one day he realizes how much we love him and wanted to do something super special for him."

Santino putting his footprint on every copy of The Hard Lessons Nirvana inspired cover

HID- Do you tour?
Korin- "We toured for 6 years straight. We were being gone for more and more time, but deep down we knew we wanted a family. The turning point for us was getting asked to open a couple months of shows for They Might Be Giants. When we turned that down, we knew we had drawn a line in the sand and were easing away from that life."
Augie- "Since our son’s birth we’ve been to New York, Chicago, and around Michigan and Ohio playing shows, but long-term touring is not an option for us anymore. We just sold our van to The Beggars. We’re happy to see it live on."

HID- If you tour, how does that work with children?
Augie- "I do have to say I’m so sick of people asking us why we don’t tour WITH our kid and then getting told the insert-some-super-rich-band does it. When we toured we played late, got wild, and slept on floors. Not really the types of places where you set up a Pack-N-Play."

HID- What advice do you have for musicians that are also planning on having a family?
Augie- "Get your priorities straight. I have to be honest, at first it was a really hard transition for me to leave the late nights behind and dive into fatherhood. But three years later, I look forward to getting up at 6:00 a.m. and putting on some T. Rex while my son dances in his pajamas."

HID- Do you hope that your child plays music someday?
Korin- "I pushed for us to get a real piano in our house. Santino is just old enough to reach the keys and he loves banging on them and singing. I would absolutely love for him to learn some of the instruments we have lying around the house. If he learns drums, we can really keep the band all in the family."

HID- What is the one thing that no one prepares you for as far as having children goes?
Augie- "Everything."

HID- Anything else that you want us to know about playing in a band and having kids?
Korin- "There are so many cool moments raising kids with music. One of my favorites has to be the video Augie took of Santino mis-hearing the lyrics to The Stooges and singing “Happy Alright” instead of “I feel alright.” Kids are so innocent and pure. It’s a good reminder to leave behind some of the cynicism and frustration that comes from years of playing in bands or in a scene."
Augie- "Yes! He’s made us appreciate what we have with our band, and not just because he’s made it so much harder!"


Ryan Allen with his son Emitt

HID- What band are you in?
Ryan Allen- "Destroy This Place"

HID- How long were you in a band before you had a child?
RA- "I’ve been playing music live since I was around 15 years old, so a pretty long-ass time. Destroy This Place started in August of 2010. My son was born July of 2011."

HID- How many children do you have and what are their ages?
RA- "I have one insanely awesome little dude. His name is Emitt, and he’s 3 1/2 going on 13."

HID- How do you think having children has changed your ability to be in a band and play music?
RA- "To be honest, it’s only changed it for the better. Instead of practicing “whenever,” we practice once a week, usually the same day at the same time (typically on a weekend, when he’s napping). It’s made it easier to commit to a schedule and in turn, we’ve been pretty productive.
It’s also helped us make better choices. It’s tough to play a Tuesday night gig as it is sometimes, especially when you also have a full-time job. But when a 3 year old is up at 6:30 and wants to watch "Superhero Squad", you better get your ass up and help him out.
The last thing I’d say is that having dudes with multiple kids in the band helps us make good choices about the things we want to do and the things we don’t. We have to be a little more selective, which typically works out in our favor. It also really motivates us to put all our energy into the things that we do get to do because we are spending time away from hanging out with the kids while we do silly band shit. In short, it helps us be smarter."

HID- Have your children ever seen you play live?
RA- "Yeah! Both Monday and I have kids, and they’ve all seen us play. Usually our slots at DIY have been early enough where the kids can come and toddler-mosh to our jams, which usually results in them stealing the spotlight from us - and we’re very much ok with that."

HID- What did they think?
RA- "I think they really dig it. The older Emitt gets, the more he gets into music. Recently he’s been super obsessed with the band Ex Hex. He likes to watch live videos of them playing, and even knows the people in the bands’ names. He thinks they are infinitely cooler than we are (which is true). But generally speaking, he knows I play guitar and sing and go to band practice and do gigs and he’s into it - unless I’m strumming my six-string while he’s watching an episode of “Wild Kratts”…then it’s “DADAAAAAA! STOP SINGING!""

HID- What do your children think of your music when they hear it on the radio?
RA- "That’s assuming anybody in their right mind would play us on the radio (well maybe they would if it was the 1996 version of 89X). But if it’s ever on in the car or the stereo at home, he usually can pick up on the fact that it’s “us.” There’s two singers in the band, and it’s pretty wild to hear him pick up on what songs I sing on as opposed to which ones John sings. He’s very observant, and his ability to differentiate something like that blows my mind."

HID- Do you tour?
RA- "We’ve done a few out of town things since he’s been born. It’s really not a huge deal to be away for a few days here and there. We wouldn’t really be able to tour for weeks or months at a time, which is fine, because at this point, I wouldn’t want to be away from him that long anyway."

HID- If you tour, how does that work with children?
RA- "Again, we’ve done a few out of towners (actually quite a few 2 summers ago when our last album came out) and it’s totally fine. We’re all lucky that our wives are cool with flying solo for a few days. At this point in life (aka mid-30s), it’s actually a lot more sane of a move - financially and mentally - to just do a long weekend, rather than be gone forever."

HID- What advice do you have for musicians that are also planning on having a family?
RA- "Don’t stop playing just because you have a kid! My son is an endless source of inspiration, and has only made me a better musician and songwriter. Sharing your love of music - listening and playing - with a child is one of life’s greatest gifts. I think people use the “I have a kid now” excuse to just stop doing the things they love, and all that does is make you resent your kid. Who wants to do that? Make time for yourself and your family and you’ll be a happier person."

HID- Do you hope that your child plays music someday?
RA- "Of course! But if he’s not into it, I’m not going to force him to be. Growing up, my dad played music around the house, and let me fuck around with his instruments, but NEVER sat me down and said, “I’m teaching you how to play guitar now.” He let me discover it in my own way, and when I was ready to have him help me figure out how to play guitar, I approached him and he was more than happy to help. I plan on approaching it the same way. Emitt has a guitar and my parents just got him a drum set, so that stuff will be out and there for him to mess around with, but I’ll never make him play it if he doesn’t want to. Bob Pollard from Guided by Voices has kids, and I’m pretty sure they don’t play music. They are like all-star sports guys in college or something, and it’s cool, because even though their dad is like, a rock legend, they are doing their own thing. I’m down with that approach."

HID- What is the one thing that no one prepares you for as far as having children goes?
RA- "Picking one is nearly impossible, but I’d say there’s no way to prepare yourself for how quickly it all goes by. It seems like one second they are this little beautiful ball of flesh, crying and shitting everywhere, and the next, they are this opinionated, hilarious, and brilliant little person talking to you about the craziest stuff. It’s all pretty awesome, though."

HID- Anything else that you want us to know about playing in a band and having kids?
RA- "Get them some awesome protective headphones so they can come watch you rock out and don’t have to worry about damaging their l’il ears in the process."


Monday's two little wrestlers
HID- What band are you in?
Monday Busque- "Destroy This Place"

HID- How long were you in a band before you had a child?
MB- "I've been in bands since I was 17 years old, and I had my first kid when I was 32…so a long time!"

HID- How many children do you have and what are their ages?
MB- "I have two boys, ages 5 and 7. I also have a 17 year old stepson."

HID- How do you think having children has changed your ability to be in a band and play music? MB- "It certainly makes me have to divide my time a lot more, but my wife is pretty awesome and supportive so having kids really hasn't affected my ability to be in a band. It actually makes me more appreciative of playing."

HID- Have your children ever seen you play live? What did they think?
MB- "They have seen my band play at DIY Festival. They thought it was pretty fun and they danced around in front of the stage."

HID- What do your children think of your music when they hear it on the radio?
MB- "We haven't been played on the radio, but we do have a music video on YouTube for our song "Graves", and they giggled a lot."

HID- Do you tour?
MB- "Not in the traditional sense. In the summer of 2013 we had three different stints of 3 to 4 shows over weekends. If we totaled our shows for that summer it came out to about 10 out-of-state shows. We play out of shows when we can, but it's not as often as we would like."

HID- If you tour, how does that work with children?
MB- "Again, my wife is pretty rad, so she has no problem taking care of the kids while I'm gone. I do miss them terribly when I was away, but in our age of smartphones it's pretty easy to see their faces and talk to them."

HID- What advice do you have for musicians that are also planning on having a family?
MB- "It can totally be done, having a family and having a band. And having a family makes you work harder and appreciate your band time. Also, it's important for your kids to see you as someone more than just a parent."

HID- Do you hope that your child plays music someday?
MB- "Absolutely. I'd sorta be sad if they didn't at least play in a school band or orchestra. Music is really important in our house."

HID- What is the one thing that no one prepares you for as far as having children goes?
MB- "You can read all the parenting books, websites and advice columns you want, but kids will find a way to confound and challenge you, but it's rewarding all the same."

HID- Anything else that you want us to know about playing in a band and having kids?
MB- "Make sure your kids don't listen to shitty music."


Apparently having kids is not a excuse to keep on rocking in the free world, it is a reason to do so! You can purchase tickets to The Hard Lessons - Post Christmas Blowout here. Tickets to see Destroy This Place at Black Christmas are available here.


~S

Friday, December 19, 2014

White Christmas at Redford Theatre

The Redford Theatre has been playing holiday favorites all season long. Well, Christmas is almost here and they have saved the best for last!

This weekend White Christmas will be playing on the big screen at the Redford. This 1954 Christmas classic features Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera Ellen, Rosemary Clooney, and Irving Berlin's famous song "White Christmas". It's full of singing, dancing, and is just a feel good holiday movie. Check out a couple of my favorite songs from the movie, below.




There are 3 showings of White Christmas this weekend, Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Make sure you arrive early though because Santa will be on site! This might be your last chance before Christmas to snap a picture with the big guy and let him know what's on your list. Tickets for all showings are only $5 per person and can be purchased in advance here. The theatre is also asking that you help out others by bringing canned goods or personal hygiene items to donate to St. Christine's Pantry, a great organization helping the people of Detroit. 

So if you want to get in the holiday spirit, head to the Redford Theatre this weekend! We might not have snow yet, but this is one way you can still have a "White Christmas". 


~C

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Rock 'N' Roll with Radio Burns this Friday Night!!

Friday night head down to the UFO Factory in Corktown to check out one of our favorite Detroit bands. Radio Burns will be hitting the stage along with their pals in Prude Boys.

Radio Burns is a rock 'n' roll 4 piece made up of Johnny Salvage, Royce Nunley, Nick Lloyd and Nick Cicchetti. They have been popping up on more and more bills lately, and we couldn't be happier about it. Sadly this is their last show for awhile, as they are taking some time off to work on new tunes. Until those are done, you can check out a couple of songs on their bandcamp.



We can't think of a better way to spend a Friday night than partying with these guys! The fun starts at 9 p.m. UFO Factory is located at 2110 Trumbull in Detroit. For more info on this show, click here.


~C

Win Tickets for a Night of Comedy at The Magic Bag!!!

We all know that MTV isn't what it used to be. What was once a channel you could turn to to find your favorite new band, is now full of reality shows and sitcoms. But, the shows aren't all bad, and they are all very addicting. You have to admit, there has been a time or two that you have caught yourself watching "Catfish" for hours on end.

Well, this Friday you have a chance to catch a funny man that you may have seen a time or two on MTV. His name is Giulio Gallarotti and he is best known for his appearances on MTV's "Totally Clueless", "Girl Code" and for his stand up comedy. He performs on stage nearly every night in different clubs throughout New York City, but he is making the trek to Michigan to perform at The Magic Bag in Ferndale for one night only. He isn't even on tour, he just must love Michigan that much!



Joining Giulio on stage is Ricky Velez, another young stand up comedian that is making his name known. He is a native New Yorker who also performs frequently in the city, but has played on both coasts and at quite a few places in between.


Tickets to Friday night's show are $18 and can be purchased in advance here. We are also very excited to announce that we have teamed up with The Magic Bag to bring you a great ticket giveaway! We are giving away FOUR pairs of tickets to this show. To enter to win, all you have to do is email us at hipindetroit@gmail.com with "Comedy @ The Magic Bag" in the subject line. Since this show is on Friday, this is a super short giveaway! So don't wait, get your name in the hat now! We will draw our winners the morning of the show and email them details on how to claim their prize.

This should definitely be a fun night out, and and evening of laughter could be just the right medicine to relieve some of that holiday stress! Doors are set to open at 8 p.m. Friday night and 18 and up are welcome. The Magic Bag is located at 22920 Woodward Avenue in Ferndale.


~C

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Meet George Clinton and Get a Signed Copy of His New Book "Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard on You?: A Memoir"

George Clinton is a living legend.  He was an innovator of funk music and the mastermind behind Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s before he started his solo career. He has 73 years of stories that he is ready to tell in his new autobiography called "Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard on You?: A Memoir". 

George is coming to Detroit to help promote the launch of the book and to mingle with his fans. He will also be signing copies of the new book this Saturday, December 20th at United Sound Systems in Detroit. It will cost you $40 to get into the event, but that includes the meet and greet and a copy of the book. Light refreshments will be served and the event will run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets for the vent can be purchased here. United Sound is located at 5840 Second Ave. in Detroit.


~S

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Win Tickets to Black Christmas!!!

December 24th and 25th are two days that most of us spend with family and friends exchanging gifts, eating meals, and sharing some holiday love. But, after two days of being nice, we're all going to need to get naughty and we have the perfect place for all of us to gather to behave badly this holiday season, Black Iris Booking's Black Christmas!

For the third year in a row some of Detroit's best bands will take over The Majestic complex and we will all get unruly and have a good time! The 2014 lineup includes The Suicide Machines, Mustard Plug, Negative Approach, Telegraph (20 year reunion), The Meatmen, Fordirelifesake, Wilson, Koffin Kats, Walls Of Jericho, The Creepshow, Fireworks, Hellmouth (Detroit), Mrs. Skannotto, PEARS, The Dewtons, St. Thomas Boys Academy, Destroy This Place, Poison Tongues, Tharsis They and CbJ. This year they will also be a featuring an art show inside the Majestic Cafe, featuring works from artists at Signature Tattoo and Big Top Tattoo.

The night will kick off at 6 p.m. and the event will feature three stages. Tickets are $20 for the first 250 people then they will be $25 in advance. They will go up to $30 on the day of the show. We also  have one pair of tickets to give away to one lucky reader courtesy of the ladies over at Black Iris Booking. We love these girls more than they will ever know! They bring some of the best bands to town and take care of our readers by making sure that at least one of you gets in the doors for FREE.  To enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Black Christmas in the subject. We will draw a winner the day before the show and email them details on how to claim their prize.  

Good luck! This is a do not miss event, so we expect to see all of you there. Let's drink whiskey and get weird together this holiday season!



~S

Christmas Shopping in Midtown

Last weekend I ventured out to all the little shops in the Midtown to finish up some Christmas shopping. I was looking for small gifts and stocking stuffers so I popped into a few of the places that are known for carrying unique items. I visited Hugh, Nora, City Bird, and Nest. Each store had a unique feel with lots of cool items to check out and purcahse.
Nora carried all sorts of different items, including housewares, baby gifts, toys, jewelry, cards, bath items and more.  Everything is layed out on tables and has a little hand written ticket that explains the item and the price. The items in this store were mid prices and everything was adorable. This would be a great place to get a mid priced gift for someone special. This store is geared towards women, but carries item for both sexes and people of all ages.

Hugh is located right next to Nora, in fact they have a door that connects them so you can visit both spaces without even going outside. Hugh is a store for men, specifically upscale bachelors. They had everything from beard combs, to wallets, to fancy cocktail glasses, copper mugs for the perfect Moscow Mule, and lots of hairand skin care items for men. This store is a little pricey, but everything inside is very cool. You will find a gift for the special men in your life!
City Bird and Nest both carry a lot of small items, including bottle openers, candles, plants, ornaments, organic health and beauty items, and more. They have so much to look at, it is almost overwhelming. I was very surprised at how reasonably priced everything was. There is something in these stores for everyone, even the hardest to shop for. This would be a great place to go if your list and need some gift guidance. Both of these stores carried a lot of Michigan and Detroit themed merchandise as well. They also had a lot of cool, one of a kind jewelry pieces, and lots and lots of cards for every occasion.
I walked out of midtown a much happier person than when I walked in. In a matter of an hour, I finished a lot of my Christmas shopping and even bought myself a really cool quartz necklace.  Midtown is booming with small businesses and we couldn't be happier! Consider heading out and doing the rest of your Christmas shopping locally this weekend!

Below is a list of stores that we think you should check out in Midtown. Hours, phone numbers and websites are included! 

Bob’s Classic Kicks 
4717 Woodward
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.832.7513
http://www.bobsclassickicks.com
Monday - Saturday: 12 - 7 PM
Sunday: 12 - 5 PM

Busted Bra Shop
15 E. Kirby
Detroit, MI 48202
Phone: 313.288.0449
http://www.bustedindetroit.com/
Tuesday – Friday: 10 AM – 6 PM
Saturday: 11 AM – 6 PM

Cass Corridog
4240 Cass
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.887.9684
https://www.facebook.com/CassCorridog/
Monday – Friday: 10 AM – 7:30 PM
Saturday: 10 AM – 6 PM

City Bird
460 W. Canfield
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.831.9146
http://www.ilovecitybird.com
Monday - Saturday: 11 AM - 7 PM
Sunday: 12 - 5 PM

Detroit Artists Market
4719 Woodward
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.832.8540
http://www.detroitartistsmarket.org
Tue-Sat: 11am-6pm

Detroit Gallery of Contemporary Crafts
3011 W Grand Blvd 104 Fisher Building
Detroit, MI 48202
Phone: 313.873.7888
Monday - Friday: 12 - 5 PM
Saturday: 1 - 4 PM

Hugh
4240 Cass
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.831.4844
http://www.lovehughlongtime.com
Tuesday - Saturday: 11 AM - 7 PM
Sunday - 12 - 5 PM

Nest
460 Canfield St.
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.831.9776
http://nestdetroit.com
Monday - Saturday: 11 AM - 7 PM
Sunday: 12 - 5 PM

Nora
4240 Cass Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.831.4845
http://noramodern.com/
Friday & Saturday: 11 AM - 7 PM
Sunday: 12 - 6 PM

Peoples Records
4100 Woodward
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.831.0864
http://peoplesdetroit.com
Monday - Saturday: 11 - 7 PM

Pure Detroit
3011 W. Grand Boulevard Fisher Building, Suite 101
Detroit, MI 48202
Phone: 313.873.7873
http://www.puredetroit.com/
Monday - Saturday: 10:30 AM - 6 PM
Sunday: 12 - 5 PM

RUNdetroit
441 W. Canfield
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.649.7863
http://www.run-detroit.com/
Monday – Friday: 10 AM – 8 PM
Saturday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Sunday: 11 AM - 5 PM

Shinola
444 West Willis Street
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313.285.2390
http://www.shinola.com/
Monday - Friday: 10 AM - 7 PM
Saturday: 10 AM - 6 PM
Sunday: 11 AM - 5 PM



~S

Celebrate the Winter Solstice with Kuhnhenn Brewing Co.

If you're up for a drive to the 'burbs this weekend, Kuhnhenn Brewing Company has a great way for your to get in the winter spirit, with their spirits. This Friday and Saturday, December 19th and 20th is Kuhnhenn's Annual Winter Solstice Celebration. The event will feature live music, food trucks, and great beer.

The Winter Solstice Celebration takes place every year right around the Winter Solstice, a.k.a. the beginning of winter and the shortest day of the year. In honor of this special day, Kuhnhenn brews up some special beers for the occasion, available in very limited quantities. This year's list includes 4th Dementia Olde Ale (2013 vintage), Bourbon Barrel 4D, Bourbon Barrel Barleywine, Bourbon Barrel American Imperial Stout, Bourbon Barrel Old Village Stock Ale, Braggot and De Stijl, a collaboration with Valentine Distilling Company.

If you don't already know, Kuhnhenn brews some of the best beers around, with many winning awards world wide. You can often find them on tap at area bars and festivals, but their official brewery is located in Warren at 5919 Chicago Road. The house beer list is always changing, but there's always a wide variety and something for everyone, my personal favorite is the White Devil. If you aren't big on beer, they also have a selection of ciders, meads and wines that are made in house.

During the Winter Solstice the brew company will be featuring great food in addition to the brews. The Delectabowl Food Truck will be on site, along with Detroit BBQ and Vincenzo's Pizzeria (their pizza is DELICIOUS!). There will also be a heated tent with live music by Reggie Smith & The After Party on Friday night and the Orbitsuns and RJ Spangler Trio on Saturday.

The party takes place 'til 2 a.m .on Friday and Saturday. The doors will open at 11 a.m. both days, if you would like to pick up any of the special release beers in a bottled 6 pack. The actual party will start around 4 p.m. though. To stay in the loop on updates for this event or to find out about upcoming events at Kuhnhenn Brewing Co., head over and "like" them on Facebook here.


~C

Feast Your Eyes on the Funniest Videos Around @ The Found Footage Festival

This Wednesday at The Magic Bag you have a chance to check out what might be the best film festival of all time. It is called The Found Footage Festival and it features some of the most amazing videos ever captured, EVER!

The Found Footage Festival has been around for quite a while now. This is actually the 7th round, with the first in 2004. Personally, I had never heard of this amazing event until my friend mentioned it to me this weekend. Here is the basic jist, curators Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher collect awesome videos that they find at garage sales, thrift stores, etc. or that people find and send their way. They share many on their website here, but they also take their videos on the road and share them with audiences across the country. Some are super funny while others are just straight up bizarre. During their tours they provide commentary and updates on the stars of their videos. If you check out their site, you will find that the videos are reason enough to head to the fest. But, the fact that Joe & Nick will also be at the event is quite appealing. Part of the reason I say this is because these are the guys that pulled off the hilarious Kenny "K-Strass" Yo-Yo Master pranks, along with Kenny of course. This is one of my all time favorite videos. If you don't know what I'm referring to, do yourself a favor and check out a clip below.


And, because it is the Found Footage Festival, here is one of the best videos that I found through the Found Footage site.


If you are ready for a night of comedy gold and some of best productions ever made, you can pick up your tickets for the FFF here. Tickets are only $10 in advance or $12 the day of the show. It is all happening this Wednesday, December 17th at 8 p.m. and 18 and up are welcome. The Magic Bag is located at 22920 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. For more details on this event, click here. To enter a Pandora's Box of entertainment on the web, head over to The Found Footage website here


~C