Friday, May 29, 2015

The 2015 Detroit Grand Prix

This weekend the Grand Prix will be taking over Belle Isle. The race started back in 1982 and has changed names a few times over the years and even disappeared for awhile. But it is back and running strong! This year it is being called the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.

The festivities begin on Friday, May 29th with practices set to start at 8 a.m. Then the cars will be racing around the track throughout the day, every day until Sunday evening. In addition to the car races, there will be  extreme sports demonstrations, free Monster Truck rides, and appearances from famous Detroit athletes in the Meijer Fan Zone. There will also be live music everyday, with DTour on Friday, The Infatuations and 3 Doors Down on Saturday, and Remedy and Smash Mouth on Sunday. To see a list of set times click here.

Tickets for the Grand Prix range from $25-$80 for a day pass or $45-$175 for multi day passes. There are also discounted tickets available. To purchase tickets in advance and for a list of options and pricing, click here. For everything you need to know about the Grand Prix, head over to DetroitGP.com.


~C

Zeke's Celebrates Pride with a Special Thirst Wave

This weekend Zeke's Rock & Roll BBQ is getting in the spirit for Ferndale Pride. They are moving the party from Small's and hosting Thirst Wave this Saturday night.

Thirst Wave is the best New Wave and Retro dance party around. Resident DJs Pleasure Kitten, DJ Elektrosonik and DJ Aaron Hings play an awesome mix of everything from The Clash to the Ramones to the B-52s. Admission is always free and 21 and up are welcome.

Ferndale is already the place to be this weekend, with Tunde taking over The Loving Touch on Friday and Pride festivities taking place all day on Saturday. Why not stick around and end the night dancing your pants off at Zeke's? The party starts at 10 p.m. and goes until 2.

For more information on Thirst Wave click here. Zeke's Rock & Roll BBQ is located at 240 West 9 Mile in Ferndale.


~C 

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Ferndale Pride

June is National Pride Month. Cities across America will hold all kinds of events and celebrations in honor of the "holiday". Ferndale, Michigan will be hosting their annual Pride event this Saturday, May 30th to kick off the month right. The festival includes more than 90 vendors, as well as 13 bands, disc jockeys and other performers. The festival is free to attend and everyone is welcome!

This year's musical lineup is as follows:
MAIN STAGE
1:00 - Opening Ceremony
1:30 - Commitment Ceremony
2:00 - The Gator
3:00 - Madelyn Grant
4:00 - Joanna Ransdell
5:00 - The Blueflowers
6:00 - Holding Hands with Friends
6:45 - Natalie Cole’s Spectacular Drag Race
8:00 - Bitch
9:15 - Nina & The Buffalo Riders

DANCE STAGE
2:00 - DJ Ace
3:45 - Serpentine Fire
4:15 - DJ Dav
6:15 - Octavia
8:00 - DJ Maestro

The festival runs from 1 p.m. till 10 p.m. Ferndale is a great little city with amazing bars and restaurants, including Zeke's Rock and Roll BBQ, Public House, The W.A.B., Imperial, The Emory, One-Eyed Betty's, and Local Kitchen and Bar. We suggest having lunch or dinner and making a day out of it!


~S




Win Tickets to a Pre-Pride Party Featuring Tunde Olaniran, The Gator, Mother Cyborg, and Carmel Liburdi

It has been awhile since we have gone out and danced. It has also been quite awhile since we have seen Tunde Olaniran perform. The last few months Tunde has been recording a new album and some new music videos. He will be releasing a lot of new stuff over the next year, but prior to that he will be returning to his rightful place on stage this Friday. We are looking forward to the new music, the new videos, and most of all seeing him take the stage this weekend! Tunde will be headlining a Pre-Pride Party at The Loving Touch alongside The Gator and Carmel Liburdi. The evening will also feature live DJ sets from Mother Cyborg.  

Not only do I think that this will be one of the last times that anyone catches Tunde in a venue this small, I also think that this show is going to sell out. I can promise you that the entire lineup is solid and worth checking out. So it is in your best interest to show up early and get ready to pack into the LT for a sweaty night of dancalicious fun.

We have one pair of tickets to giveaway to this one. One lucky person will attend the show with a friend for FREE. This also means that you will be guaranteed entry into the show. To enter to win, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Tunde in the subject. We will draw one winner on Friday morning and we will email that winner details on how to claim their prize. 

Tickets are $5 at the door for 21 and over and $9 for 18 and over. Doors open at 8 p.m. See you at the show! 


~S

Bison Machine "Hoarfrost" Release Show Tonight

Tonight at Small's Detroit's own Bison Machine is celebrating the release of their newest album Hoarfrost on vinyl. The stoner rock four piece is currently out on tour with Geezer and they're making a quick stop at home for this release. Also on the lineup is Wild Savages and SLO. An awesome lineup, especially for a Wednesday night. Check out a track from Hoarfrost below.


Cover for tonight's show is only $5. Doors are set to open at 8 p.m. and 18+ are welcome. For more details on this show, click here. Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck. 



~C

Win Tickets to see The Contortionist at The Shelter

This week we have another great ticket giveaway for all those metal and prog rock fans out there. The Contortionist will be preforming at The Shelter this Saturday, May 30th. They will be playing alongside Chon, Auras, and Adventurer. Detroit is the last stop on this tour, which means it is the last time for you to catch this lineup live and in person!

The Shelter has always been and will always be one of my all time favorite places to see a show. It's big enough that it can fit a decent crowd, but small enough that it still feels intimate. I have seen some of my favorite bands play inside those walls before they blew up and played St. Andrew's the next time they came back to town. Everyone from Nirvana to Eminem has played that venue, in fact Eminem got his start on the very stage that The Contortionist will be performing on.

The Contortionist are known for their unique take on prog rock. The band formed in 2007 and has toured with some huge names, including Hatebreed, Born of Osiris, Periphery,Between the Buried and Me, All Shall Perish,Veil of Maya, After the Burial, Intervals, and Protest the Hero. If you like any of the aforementioned bands, you will like The Contortionist for sure. Their last release Language was put out at the end of 2014, you can check out music from that album here.

Tickets for the show are $15 in advance and can be purchased here. We have two pairs of tickets to give away for this one thanks to our friends over at Live Nation. If you would like to enter to check out this show live and in person, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with The Contortionist in the subject. We will draw a couple of winners the day before the show and we will email the winners details on how to claim their prize. Music is the best thing on earth, and watching live music is the best way to spend your time, especially when it's free!


~S

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Best Bars In America at PJ's Lager House

Last year Esquire TV's Best Bars in America visited Detroit to tell their viewers which bars in Detroit they think are worth visiting. The list is pretty expansive and pretty awesome. There are definitely quite a few that we agree with them on. Some places that they visited while in town are Baker's, Blake's Ciderhouse, Vinsetta Garage and PJ's Lager House. As you can tell by the list, they are talking about all of Metro Detroit, as many do when they talk about this city. To see video clips from Detroit, click here.

This Wednesday, May 27th PJ's Lager House will be featured on the show. So they are having a viewing party of the show right at the bar. The party starts at 8 p.m., the show will air at 9 p.m. and then there will be free music by The Royal Blackbirds and Doop and the Inside Outlaws starting at 10. Admission to the party is free, but make sure you bring some dough for a couple of drinks and some snacks (we suggest the nachos).

Best Bars In America airs on Wednesdays 9 p.m. on Esquire TV Network. Make sure you head over and give the show a "like" on Facebook to see clips and outtakes from the Detroit shoots. 
~C 

24 Hour Ticket Giveaway: Built to Spill


We wanted to kick off the week with a 24 hour ticket giveaway.  We have a pair of tickets to see Built to Spill perform alongside Wooden Indian Burial Ground. and Clarke and the Himselfs. Built to Spill is on tour in support of their latest album Untethered Moon. You can hear songs from their latest album here. They will be performing at St. Andrew's Hall this Thursday, May 28th. Tickets for the show are only $20 in advance, they can be purchased here.

To enter to win tickets, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gamail.com with Built to Spill in the subject. We will draw a winner in the next 24 hours and email that winner details on how to claim their prize.

~S

Friday, May 22, 2015

An Afternoon with Shepard Fairey

Yesterday afternoon we had the privilege of interviewing Shepard Fairey about his recent 9 day residency in Detroit, a stay that will culminate with the opening of his latest exhibit at the Library Street Collective tonight. Shepard was hired by Rock Financial/Quicken Loans to come to Detroit to create his largest mural to date along with a few smaller works throughout the city.

We were invited to the alley commonly refereed to as "The Belt" to witness Mr. Fairey hosting a question and answer session with students from The Detroit School of Art before taking questions from the press. The kids were all given black and white versions of the mural that SF painted in the alley to color while he talked. While the students colored they asked the street artist about his creations and his career. They were very interested in his creation of the Obama "Hope" poster and how he comes up with new things and keeps going. His answers were more than refreshing. He compared being a street artist to being a hip hop artist in the sense that they are both competitive and a little bit rebellious in nature. The kids seemed to enjoy their time with Shepard, many of them even approached him at the end and asked him to sign everything from their drawings to their sweatshirts and he happily obliged.
After finishing up with the kids he took questions from the press. I was really impressed by the man behind OBEY. I wore an Obey t-shirt for way too long in high school and was a fan of OBEY for years before he ever broke into the main stream. It was interesting to hear him talk about his rise to "fame". He talked about how and why he creates each of his murals and why he chose Detroit. He stated that he has wanted to work with the Library Street Collective for years, but the timing never lined up. He was asked by the collective what it would take to get him here to work on something and his answer was, "a wall that I cant pass up." That's when he was offered his largest project to date, the 184' wall on the side of One Campus Martius. He has been working on the mural with a team of three other people. He even joked that he can't believe that he is at a place in his career that he can hire people to work with him. For years it was just him out there on his own. He talked very fondly of the city of Detroit and what he loves about being here. He feels that Detroit is a place that has incorporated art deeper into itself than most other cities. Even our bars and restaurants have an artistic authentic feel to them, no one is the same. He gave shouts out to a few local artists that he appreciates, including Revok (who previous lived here) and Shades. We also couldn't resist asking if he has ever fallen during one of his late night adventures scaling a billboard. He said that it has happened many times, but luckily only from 15 to 20 feet in the air, nothing high enough that it hurt more than his back.  
My favorite point that he made during the afternoon was that he stays true to himself. He pointed out that he gets criticized by the corporations for being too street and by the street kids for being too corporate. He doesn't really care much about what people think as long as they are talking and hopefully enjoying his art. He was an inspiring artist who made me want to go home and create. I think the most amazing thing about him was when I saw his hands, the hands of a true artist. I think I creeped him out a little when I asked him if I could take a picture, but I personally think those hands were one of the most amazing sets I have ever seen. They work hard, they create beautiful things, and they just made the landscape of the city that I love a lot more beautiful.


Cheers to My. Fairey for spending time here and shedding a bright positive light on the artistic community of Detroit. Do not miss his latest show called "Printed Matters" opening tonight at the Library Street Collective at 6 p.m. The show will run through August 15th, 2015, but don't wait! Get out there and see this for yourselves now! 


~S

A Weekend of Music at Motor City Wine

If you love DJs, but don't want to dish out a ton of dough to go to Movement this weekend, head to Motor City Wine instead. They are hosting a 4 day Memorial Weekend party. Every day this weekend they will feature great DJs along side some awesome BBQ.

First, on Friday night Rocksteady Disco is taking over. It's only $5 to get in to hear sounds from DJs ChrissyPontchartrainDretraxxMatt DandoisPeter Croce, Lafleur, Todd ModesTom Thump and CASH4GOLD. Music starts at 6 p.m. on Friday and goes 'til 2 a.m.

Saturday the party runs all day, starting at 2 p.m. Since the music runs all day on Saturday, admission is a bit more at $10. The lineup includes Keith Worthy, Alton Miller, Mike Brown, Todd Sines b2b Archtyp, Sergio Santos, Ari Frank, Tim Baker, Daniel Andres, R&B and Fabio Della Torre. 21 and up are welcome.

On Sunday there will be a surprise guest during the day. Motor City Wine will make that announcement on Saturday. But, at night, Carl Craig will be performing. Admission to that show is $10, but all of the money is going to the DIA. Pretty cool! The Saturday night show starts at 10 p.m. and goes until 2:30 a.m.

Finally, if you aren't partied out by the time Monday rolls around, head down to MCW to check out a ton of great music hosted by House Gallery. The list of artists for Monday includes DJ Denouement, Mr. Man, Rennie FosterGary Martin, Ibex, Djmoreese TurnerTunis Diaspora/diaspora 216Detune, Drivetrain, Claus Bachor, Dj Uchikawa aka Loftsoul, DJ Psycho, LaFleur and House Gallery. The best part about Monday's party is that cover is FREE!!!

All of these parties will take place both inside Motor City Wine and outside on their patio. All sorts of food from hot dogs to Quinoa burgers will be available for purchase. For a full list of this weekend's events and this weekend's menu click here. Motor City Wine is located in Corktown at 1949 Michigan Ave.

~C

Thursday, May 21, 2015

New Fortune Fest II

This Sunday, May 24th the New Dodge will host the second annual New Fortune Fest. This gathering of Detroit talent will feature some of the city's best, including Passalacqua, Microphone Phelps, Doctor Illingsworth, Ancient Language, The High Strung, and more. New Fortune Records puts out tons of local music throughout the year. If  labels like this didn't exist, we wouldn't have half of the great music that we do! It isn't always easy to keep small labels like this going, so we're happy to see them growing and throwing their second festival. We hope they keep growing!

 They will be releasing a bunch of new records at the event including:
*Dave Bixby "Ode To Quetzalcoatl" 1969 12" re-issue
*The Ruiners "Satin's Rocket" b/w KC Smash" 45"
*Ancient Language“ In The Early Morning (ft. Lily Nyooni)” b/w “Totem” 45
*Old Empire "How To Make an Entrance" 12"
*Gold Crayon “Set It On Fire” b/w “Things We Could Have Had” 45

This is an all day event that runs from 2 p.m. till 2 a.m. It is $8 to get in the door and 21 and over are welcome. Chris Jarvis will be spinning in between the sets and the New Dodge will be serving up drink specials throughout the day. 

~S

Dinosauria at The Detroit Zoo

This Friday, May 22nd Dinosaurs will begin to take over the Detroit Zoo! The Detroit Zoo will be re-opening their Dinosauria exhibit for the summer. This exhibit features 45 lifelike animatronic creatures that are so authentic looking that your kids will be confused. I almost jumped the first time I heard T-Rex roar! This is one of my favorite displays that they feature at the zoo and I enjoy going back every time that it is there. it has only gotten better throughout the years. The exhibit also features real dinosaur fossils that you can examine up close, this includes teeth, claws, and skulls!

The exhibit will run from Friday, May 22nd through September 7th. This exhibit only cost an extra $5 with zoo admission. It has been 65 million years since dinosaurs walked the earth, but if you go to the zoo this summer it will feel like dinosaurs still exist! To find out more about the Detroit Zoo visit their website here.

~S

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Great Beers and Great Movies at Street Side Cinema

This Thursday night Public House in Ferndale is kicking off a new monthly event, Street Side Cinema. It will take place every third Thursday of the month on the back patio of PH. The event will feature specialty beers and a double feature shown under the stars. Watching movies outside is already one of my favorite things to do, but Public House is really knocking it out of the park for this first installment. They will be showing Empire Records and Almost Famous. Really? Could they have picked two better movies? These are two iconic movies that pretty much everyone from our generation loves, especially if you are into music.

In addition to two great movies, Public House will also be serving up some great beers. Each month they will feature different brews, with Jolly Pumpkin Sours on tap this month. The beer list includes Bam Noir, Bam Biere, Calabaza Blanca, Oro Calabaza, Fuego del Otono, and two exclusive releases, La Roja du Kreik  and Rojzilla.

Admission to Street Side Cinema is free, but be sure to bring some money for drinks! The movies are set to start at 9 p.m. Public House is located at 241 W. 9 Mile in Ferndale. This sounds like a super fun event that we can't wait to attend every month. And if you are looking for a great date night, you just found it! Why not head across the street first and grab dinner at Zeke's too? Sounds like a great plan to us!

~C

Shepard Fairey Takes Over Detroit!

If you have been downtown the last few days you probably noticed a huge mural being painted on the face of One Campus Martius. This 184 X 60 foot mural is the work of graffiti artist Shepard Fairey, the man behind OBEY.

Mr. Fairey rose to fame in 2009 when he released the Barack Obama "Hope" poster, but he was well known in the underground skating scene as early as the late 80s. He released a series of Andrew the Giant stickers while he was still in college and quickly established himself on the underground art scene. He started by painting buildings in the middle of the night, but these days his collections are being shown in places like The Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

This mural will further establish Detroit as the art mecca that it has become over the last 15 years. Shepard will also be painting a mural inside the Z Parking Garage (which he already started when it was raining too much for him to work outside) and he will be creating five other works that will be installed in The Belt. In addition to the new pieces, he will be opening a show at the Library Street Collective called Printed Matters. This show will run from May 22nd till August 15th. The Library Collective is located at 1260 Library Street in Detroit.
The Mural as of Monday Afternoon
Photo by: Robbin Yelverton

~S

Win Tickets to See The Red Paintings

This Friday, May 22nd Black Iris Booking is bringing The Red Paintings to Small's. This show is something a little out of the ordinary for Black Iris & Small's, and just in general. The Red Paintings are an Orchestral Art Rock group that not only performs music, but truly puts on a show, filled with costumes, paintings, and visuals of all kinds. It's all part of the vision of front man Trash McSweeney. Check out this performance the band did on AXS TV a couple of years ago to get a feel of what The Red Paintings are all about.


Opening for The Red Paintings are Detroit's own Wasabi Dream and Belterra. Tickets are $10 in advance and can be purchased here. Admission will be $12 the day of the show. We are also getting one lucky person into this show with a friend for free! To enter to win tickets, email us at hipindetroit@gmail.com with The Red Paintings in the subject line. 

Friday's show is set to start at 8 p.m. and all ages are welcome. Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck. For more details on this event, click here. For more info on The Red Painting, head over to TheRedPaintings.com.


~C

Getting the Perfect Smokey Eye and Talking Organic Makeup With Cheryl from Rouge in Ferndale (Video)

Organic, for the longest time I thought it was just some bullshit buzzword. Ask yourself, what does organic really mean? According to Webster's Dictionary organic is defined as "not using artificial chemicals".  But, not all chemicals are artificial and not all chemicals are bad. For instance, water and arsenic are both organic chemicals. So, how do you know when you're actually getting a good organic product versus one that just uses the name because they can?

These are some of the questions we asked Cheryl Salinas-Tucker co-owner and makeup artist at Rouge, an organic and vegan nail and makeup studio in Ferndale, Michigan. We had the opportunity to sit down in her makeup chair and chat with her while she solved another one of life's mysteries, how to get a perfect smokey eye.

I was blown away by all of the things that we learned during the interview, including the benefits of using truly organic products, how important prepping the face is before putting on an ounce of makeup, and how to use eye cream in a whole new way. I walked out of her studio with a huge bag of products and a little less money in my bank accounts, but I was more than pleased with my purchases. 
I can attest to the quality of the Eve Organics line after using it for a few weeks. I am obsessed with the eye cream and the foundation powder. I hadn't used a powder foundation in years, but after getting some cool new tricks from Cheryl, I am hooked. I have always hated wearing anything that was heavy, especially during the summer and this stuff is as light as a feather. Check out our latest video feature and give this organic shit a try, in this case it's far from a bullshit buzzword. 



~S

Monday, May 18, 2015

Show Announcement: Woodbridge Merrick'n Summer 2015

We are thrilled to announce that one of our favorite events of the summer will be returning this year! Woodbridge Merrick'n Summer will be taking place again this year outside of the Woodbridge Pub, right in the heart of Woodbridge in Detroit. The all day music festival is taking place on Saturday, June 20th and the lineup is pretty stellar. It includes ADULT.Ritual HowlsJames LinckMPVJavelinsLittle AnimalAncient LanguageMarajGabriel Brass Band800belovedNina & The Buffalo RidersJaws That BiteLoose PlanesThe NormandiesLiquid MonkMarcus Elliot QuartetThe Paper SoundRiver SpiritThe Bruised ReedDalinianThe Savage Seven and Vinny Moonshine.

Admission to the Woodbridge Merrick'n Summer Fest is free. The fun is set to start at Noon and run until around Midnight. To stay in the loop on updates, like set times, vendors, and other fun additions, make sure you RSVP to the Facebook event here and head over and "like" the festival on Facebook here.

We absolutely cannot wait for this event! Make sure you mark your calendars now for June 20th! You won't want to miss it!

~C

Win Tickets to Bled Fest 2015

Festivals have officially taken over the summer and as you may have noticed, summer is finally here. That means that it is time to kick off festival season with one of our all time favorites, Bled Fest.

Bled Fest is put together by the amazing minds over at Fusion Shows. They bring us some of the best lineups of the year and then once every summer they blow our minds with the lineup that they are able to put together for Bled Fest. This year's lineup includes Real Friends, Touche Amore, Modern BaseBallModern Life is War, Small Brown BikePianos Become the Teeth, Gideon, Forever Came FallingRestorations, Diamond Youth, Kid Brother Collective, Annabel, Flint Eastwood, and Kublia Khan. For the full lineup of acts and bios on all of them click here

Bled Fest takes place this Saturday, May 23rd at The Hartland Performing Arts Center at 9525 Highland Road, Howell, MI 48843. Will call opens up at 10 a.m. and doors for the event open at 11:30 a.m. Bands start right after doors open and music runs till about 10:30 at night! This is a full day of some of the best bands in the music industry today. The best part is that the entire event takes place inside, so rain or shine, the show will go on!

This year's list of vendors and sponsors is also very solid. Fusion Shows teamed up with No Sleep Records, Property of Zack, AP, and more. You can expect a great collection of great things to look at and buy when you need a break from the music, so do not forget to bring some cash to get yourself something memorable from the show.  

Tickets for the event are only $32.00 in advance and they can be purchased here. Parking for the day is FREE. No outside food or drinks are allowed on the premises, but they will have all sorts of food for purchase, including vegetarian options. Smoking and drinking are not allowed anywhere on the premises, so plan accordingly. Take the day off from drinking, you need it! 

This is going to be one hell of a party, and thanks to our friends over at Fusion Shows we have one set of tickets to give away to our readers. We cannot thank the guys enough for always hooking our fans up! To enter to win a pair of tickets to this year's Bled Fest (which will likely sell out as it has in past years) please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Bled Fest in the subject. We will draw a winner the day before the show and send details on how to claim their prize!

Do not miss this year's Bled Fest! If you do, you will have to wait a whole year to have this much fun! 


~S 

Friday, May 15, 2015

DCFC Kicks Off Their 2015 Season

Tonight Detroit City FC kicks off their 2015 season in Detroit. The team will be taking on AFC Cleveland for their first league home game this year. If you have ever been to a DCFC game before, you know it isn't your average soccer game. The Le Rouge Faithful are some of the most energetic, enthusiastic, and entertaining fans in the world of sports. They chant, they cheer, and they even let off smoke bombs from time to time. But, don't worry, not all fans are that crazy. If you aren't a super fan just yet, there will be plenty of people that you can join in the stands too.

Tickets for tonight's game are $10, and we suggest purchasing them in advance here. Tickets will only be available online until 3 hours before the game though! After that, you will have to try your luck at the gate. Tonight's game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. If you would like to head down early, Le Rouge faithful will be marching over from Harry's Bar about an hour before the game. You can get more info on that here. There will also be food trucks on site at the game, as well as merch and a free bike valet if you peddle over.

Detroit City FC plays at Cass Tech, located at 2501 Second Ave. in Detroit. If you can't make it to the game tonight, the team will also be streaming their games online for the first time ever. You can tune in live at detcityfc.com/streaming. For everything else you need to know about DCFC click here.

~C

Meet Your Best Friend at The Zoo this Weekend!

People that know me know that I am absolutely obsessed with dogs, cats, and most animals. If we're friends on social media, you probably have already "unfollowed" me because I post so many pictures of my dog, animals in need of homes, lost and found pets, and cute animal videos. So, if you know me, it should be no surprise that I had to tell you about this event.

If you have been thinking that you are missing a furry friend in your life, you have to head to the Detroit Zoo this weekend. This Friday and Saturday the Zoo is hosting Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo. This event is held in conjunction with the Michigan Humane society and brings together over 30 shelters and rescue groups. The front parking lot will be full of dogs, cats, and possibly a few other animals that are looking for their new forever home. Adoption fees vary depending on the group, but adopting is always better than buying! Even if you are interested in a specific breed that you think you can only purchase from a breeder or a store, go take a look! You will be surprised, even pure breads find themselves in need of a home from time to time.

Admission to Meet Your Best Friend is free, as is parking. However, if you want to also visit the animals in the zoo while you are on site, regular admission and parking fees apply. The adoption event runs from 1 p..m.- 7 p.m. on Friday, May 15th and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 16th. We dare you to head out to this event and not fall absolutely in love with at least one animal! And if you happen to find your new best friend this weekend, we'd love to see pictures! So send them our way on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or at hipindetroit@gmail.com. Remember, this is the largest off-site pet adoption event in the country, so don't miss this perfect opportunity to expand your family!

The Detroit Zoo is located on the Northwest corner of 10 Mile and Woodward. For more information on this event, click here.
~C

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Get to Know Nigel & The Dropout Before Their Big Release Show This Weekend!

This Saturday, May 16th head to The Loving Touch for Nigel & The Dropout's Record Release Show. The two piece featuring Nigel Hemmye and Andrew Ficker make amazing music that they refer to as "DIY Electro Punk". The new album is entitled Folderol and from what we've heard already, it is amazing. We can't wait to check out the full album! And thanks to the guys, we are giving you a little preview of the new album! Take a listen to their new song "Misfire" here.

If you liked what you heard, make sure you head out to The Loving Touch this weekend. It's only $7 for 21+ to get in the door and $10 for those 18-20. You will also receive a copy of Folderol with paid admission. Joining Nigel & The Dropout for the big release show are The ILL Itches, TART and DJ Christopher Jarvis from Ancient Language. We caught up with Nigel & Andrew before the big release show this weekend to find out more about the band, their influences, and the show. Check out what they had to say in the interview below.


We really want to get you out to this show and want to get Nigel & The Dropout's music in your hands. So we are getting 3 people into this show with a friend for free and the winners will also get a copy of the new CD! To enter to win, please email your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Nigel & The Dropout in the subject. We will draw the winners the day before the show and give them details on how to claim their prize. Good luck!

~C

An Interview with John Kay of the Koffin Kats

John Kay used to be one of the those guys that you would see at every show. He is a true music lover who enjoys watching other musicians and supporting the local music scene. Throughout the years he has played in bands like Bat On Fire and PT’s Revenge before joining his current band the Koffin Kats.

About a year ago John joined the band and began a journey that keeps him out of town for most of the year. The Koffin Kats tour the world and play shows almost every night when they are on the road. Their touring schedule is insane, but what's even more insane is how much John loves it. He loves playing music so much that he had to find a way to fit in a cool local show while he is in town this week. 

He called up Detroit's own John "Wolf" Abel from The Infatuations and Mike Hopper from Pick Axe Preacher and asked them to join together as a power trio for one night only at Simon's in Allen Park. The three former Bat on Fire members will be writing and recording new material this week that they will perform this Thursday at the show. Like we said, John and his friends are insane. 

We took this opportunity to ask John a few questions about the show, the Koffin Kats, and his touring schedule. Check out what he had to say and head out to Simon's this Thursday to check this spectacle out for yourself. It’s $10 to get in the door, Arm Your Enemy is opening the show, and 18 and older are welcome! 


HID- Why did you decide to reunite to play a show?
John Kay- "(laughs) Selfish reasons, I suppose. I haven't really played my drums in the last year and a half, and I miss it. Drums are my first instrument, and I lose a sense of who I am as a musician if I stray from them for too long. This whole idea started as a way to force me back onto the drum kit, since these days I don't play them unless I'm making a recording; I can't keep up my chops if I don't play. Hanging out recently with Thomas Pridgen of Trash Talk reminded me that I need to get back to my roots and smack the skins."

HID- Will you be playing Bat on Fire music or other music?
John Kay- "No Bat On Fire live, probably ever again. My brother (BOF vocalist) has moved on to a full-time career in tattooing and commissioned painting, and has no desire to return to performing live music. We'll likely play a couple songs from when I, Mike, and Wolf were doing the Mike Hopper Trio, a couple of covers, and we're going to write and record two or three songs in my studio to be performed and released at the show. That's the idea."

HID- Why did you decide to book this show at Simon's?
John Kay- "Location, relationship, and size. Mike lives in Trenton, and Allen Park is a quick trip from Detroit. I've known Kevin (Simon's owner) since 2009 and I knew I could do the show the way I feel makes most sense for the bands, fans, and venue. The size of Simon's means that we can hopefully pack enough people in to sell it out. Nothing is worse than a big room with few people in it. If we get 80 or more people inside Simon's it'll be a tight fit, and that makes for a good vibe for a rock and roll show."

HID- What other bands will be playing with you?
John Kay- "Arm Your Enemy is going to open the show at 9:00 PM, and that's it. It's a Thursday night, and no one wants to be out late on a typical work night, so getting two bands on and off the stage before midnight should hopefully make everyone happy."

HID- How much is it going to cost to get in?
John Kay- "$10 cover at the door."

HID- How much of 2014 were you on the road?
John Kay- "Most of it! (laughs) I started on the road with Koffin Kats in January 2014 as their sound/merch guy while Ian was still playing guitar in the band. I took over full-time guitarist duties in early March and ended up playing 165 shows across 19 countries. It was positively overwhelming."

HID- What's up next for the Koffin Kats?
John Kay- "We are in the process of compiling riffs and songs that will ultimately end up on our next record. Based on the feedback I've been getting from fans of the band, they are eager to hear the direction the music is going to go now that I've joined the group, and that warms my heart."

HID- What do you love about life on the road and what do you hate?
John Kay- "I love pretty much everything about it, and hate very little. This is what I've wanted to do since I've had a conscious memory, and it's truly fulfilling to be on the path to realizing my lifelong goals and dreams. Being away from the people I love sucks, but we all understand that this is my life and my job, and that I'm happiest when I'm out doing what I love. I've found that no matter how bad a day we may have on tour, playing the next show usually fixes everything, so I do my best to not allow petty things to eat at me for long."

HID- Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?
John Kay- "Beyond Koffin Kats and this Power Trio project, I have a 10-song solo album (my first!) which has been mixed by Eric "Mixerman" Sarafin (Ben Harper, Barenaked Ladies, Foreigner) and is awaiting mastering by Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Slayer, Bjork). It's my baby and I can't wait to finally share the finished product. If anyone wants a sneak peek at one of the tunes, you can check it out and download it (thank you!) here for one measly dollar: http://johnkay.bandcamp.com/track/dealing-with-people. Also, I'm quite active on Twitter/Instagram (@TheRealJohnKay), and I interact regularly with fans and friends, so get at me on those platforms.

Thanks, Hip In Detroit for taking the time to ask me these questions!"

~S

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The Sweet N' Sour Comedy Showcase

They say that laughter is the best medicine and they say that laughter is the way to a women's heart. I say that laughter is one of the best feelings a human can experience and we should all do anything we can to experience it more often.

This week Hatchy's in Utica will be hosting a comedy showcase that features 13 up and coming acts whose soul purposes are to try to make you laugh. Hatchy's has a beautiful space called Higher Ground above the bar that usually features a lot of great music, but this Friday at 8 it will instead play host to a lot of great stand up acts, including Bret Hayden, Diego Attanasio, Pat Lechner, Lauren Booza, Joshua Weyhing, Steve Hansen, Ellen Stachowicz, Paolo Busignani, Kevin Smith, Alex Bozinovic, Taylor De La Ossa and Brandon Milsk. Each one of these people will get on stage and do their best to make your work week troubles melt away.

The event is being organized by an up and coming local comedian named Jon Lynch, so we reached out to ask him a few questions about the showcase. Read ahead to find out what Jon had to say about comedy, his hero, and the showcase.


HID- What inspired you to start doing comedy in front of other people?
Jon Lynch- "I've always enjoyed writing since I was little. Some of the best memories are sitting around at family gatherings and listening to my mom and dad tell everyone hilarious stories. Getting up on stage for me is almost carrying on that legacy but with my own voice, sharing unique opinions and anecdotes.

I did a comedy clinic when I lived in Los Angeles and wanted to work with Andy Richter. I was instead assigned to partner with Aziz Ansari who at the time I wasn't familiar with. By the end of the clinic he had convinced me that I had a strong foundation to write and perform."

HID- How would you describe your style of comedy?
JL- "If I had to put a label on my style of stand up, I am more of a storyteller. I like bringing up a funny situation, and carrying that joke with small twists and turns, ending usually in an unexpected conclusion. I've started working on my short form comedy, breaking up the way I present myself on stage, deriving from a set up and then once again, taking the audience for a ride with something sarcastic or sometimes offensive. It keeps everyone on their toes and breaks up the monotony of longer bits."

HID- Who are your comedy icons/inspirations?
JL- "I have such a wide variety of comedian influences. I grew up watching Carol Burnett and Victor Borga, but also loved Bob Hope and Steve Martin. More modern day comedians I admire are Patton Oswalt, Bill Burr, and Anthony Jeselnik."

HID- Tell us about the first time that you performed in front of a crowd. Where was it? How did it go? How did you feel?
JL- "I haven't been doing live stand up for very long. Valentine's Day 2014 I had the opportunity to open for TJ Miller at The Crofoot Pike Room. I was asked the day before the put together a set and the show ended up being sold out. I was a little nervous but told myself to just have fun. The only 3 people I could see passed the bright stage lights were a tall dude right in front of me, a girl, half on the stage, and a girl in a wheelchair I almost stepped on getting up on stage. In the end the crowd loved me and it boosted my confidence in my ability to present myself."

HID- What makes a good joke?
JL- "A good joke has a lot of elements. I feel that it needs to be relatable and either push people way into their comfort zone or way out of their comfort zone. It makes people think. Some jokes are quite simple and guide the audience to a punchline while others make them think, creating a dynamic reaction during its evolution. And the best thing for a comedian is when their joke is quotable. Nothing is more rewarding than when a fan comes up to you after your bit or months later and is still laughing at your joke."

HID-
Where did you find the comedians that are playing this event?
JL- "There are some really strong social media outlets for comedians in the Detroit Area and around Michigan. Starting a showcase all began with inquiring about if anyone would be interested in performing in a specific area. At that point I started hand picking a wide demographic of comedians to bring a truly unique show to the area. One thing I feel is important is for an audience to be introduced to new faces with new topics and different styles, much like music. Every showcase promises to give each comedian time in front of new faces helping them perform in front of people from different backgrounds while also gaining exposure for their own growth."

HID- How long will each comedian be on stage?
JL- "I asked most of the comedians how long they felt comfortable with. Most of them will get 10 minutes, while a feature and headliner TBA will get 15 minutes. A lot of open mics give around 5, but have more comedians involved. This format allows the audience to enjoy quality instead of being daunted by overwhelming numbers."

HID- Why did you call it the Sweet N' Sour Showcase?
JL- "I wanted my showcase to have an original name and premise. I am of course Asian, which I constantly remind people of. The idea of comedy being both sweet and innocent as well as sometimes sour and tough to swallow brought about the theme, representing a melting pot of talent."


The show starts at 8 p.m. this Friday and, as we mentioned before, it is only $5 to get in the door. Hatchy's event space is called Higher Ground and it is one of the most underutilized rooms in Metro Detroit. We have been there before and we love love love the space! This would be a great date night in the 'burbs. Check out the Facebook event to see videos of all the comedians that are performing and head out to Utica this Friday to laugh off your work week!


~S

Win Tickets to The Infatuations' Detroit Block Party

This weekend St.Andrew's will welcome The Infatuations to the stage for the Detroit Block Party. The party will feature performances by The Hamiltons, Corktown Popes, Gold Crayon, Keri Lynn Roche and Joe Jaber & The Last Divide. The band Infatuations are fresh off some big wins at The Detroit Music Awards, you can check out their performance from the show here. Then, enter to win tickets to see them live this Saturday, May 16th at St. Andrew's Hall.

Tickets for the event are only $10 in advance and $15 at the door. To win a pair of tickets to the show courtesy of Live Nation, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Detroit Block Party in the subject. We will draw a winner the day before the show and email them details on how to claim their prize. 

~S

Win Tickets to See The Business at Small's

Put on your best leather, spike up your hair and head out to Hamtramck this weekend for a solid punk rock lineup. This Saturday, May 16th The Business will be performing alongside Come Out Fighting and Bad Assets at Small's. Black Iris Booking has given us one set of tickets to give away to one lucky reader. If you would like to win pair of tickets to Oi! the night away, you can email your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with The Business in the subject. We will draw a winner the morning of the show and we will mail them details on how to claim their prize.

~S

Win Tickets to See The Story So Far

This Thursday, May 14th The Story So Far will be preforming at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit alongside Terror, Four Year Strong and Souvenirs. This is a night of pop punk at its finest, after all I have always been a sucker for a show that I can jump around and sing along to. They will be releasing a brand new self titled full length album on May 19th, so you can expect to hear a few unreleased songs throughout the night.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. All ages are welcome to come out for this one, so anyone who wants to get in free can enter to win a pair of tickets courtesy of Live Nation Detroit. To enter to win a set of tickets please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with The Story So Far in the subject. We will draw a winner the day before the show and email them details on how to claim their prize.

Check out some live footage of the band preforming on last year's Vans Warped Tour and email your name over to get in on the fun!


~S

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Head to New Dodge for No Pulse No Problem this Weekend!

A couple of months ago we told you about a brand new fest that is making its debut this weekend. No Pulse No Problem Fest is bringing together over 20 bands for a day full of Thrash, Metal, Punk and Doom. Some of the bands on the bill include In Defence, Snakewing, Axe Ripper and Karmic Lava. Check out the full lineup and set times below.

Main Stage:
In Defence- 1:30 am-2:00 am
Axe Ripper- 12:30 am-1:00 am
The Mud City Manglers- 11:30 pm-12:00 am
Snakewing- 10:30 pm-11:00 pm
Horrible Earth- 9:30 pm-10:00 pm
Rawdogs- 8:30 pm-9:00 pm
Non-Stop- 7:30 pm-8:00 pm
Crumble- 6:30 pm-7:00 pm
Cryptic Hymn- 5:30 pm-6:00 pm
Tropical Storm- 4:30 pm-5:00 pm
Fireballs Revenge- 3:30 pm-4:00 pm
Rotokiller- 2:30 pm-3:00 pm
A.I.D.S.- 1:30 pm-2:00 pm

Side Stage:
SNAFU- 1:00 am-1:30 am
Radiation Sickness- 12:00 am-12:30 am
Stone Ritual- 11:00 pm-11:30 pm
Karmic Lava- 10:00 pm-10:30 pm
Unidentified Drunken Injury- 9:00 pm-9:30 pm
Pistofficer- 8:00 pm-8:30 pm
Lt. Dan- 7:00 pm-7:30 pm
Armageddon- 6:00 pm-6:30 pm
Serpent Men- 5:00 pm-5:30 pm
Shizen Geyser- 4:00 pm-4:30 pm
Wormhole- 3:00 pm-3:30 pm
Suburban Bloodshed- 2:00 pm-2:30 pm
Swampdog- 1:00 pm-1:30 pm

If you want to see all of these bands under one roof, head to New Dodge Lounge this Saturday, May 16th. Admission is $25. 18+ are welcome unless you come with your mom or dad and Timmy will be serving up tacos throughout the day. This is going to be an awesome show that you won't want to miss! For more information on No Pulse No Problem Fest and to stay in the loop the day of the show, head over to the Facebook event page here.


~C