Friday, July 31, 2015

Celebrate Motor City Brewing Works Canniversary this Weekend

Nowadays there are a ton of breweries in Michigan and even right here in Metro Detroit. The WAB, Atwater, Kuhnhenn, Dragonmead, Black Lotus, and Falling Down are just a few that come to mind right away. Well, the fine folks that brought you Ghettoblaster have been making great beers for quite a while now. Motor City Brewing Works is celebrating 20 years of brewing beer and they're calling this their “Canniversary, Twenty Years of Making Great Beer”. In honor of their Canniversary they will be hosting a series of parties and events, with the first happening this Saturday, August 1st at New Center Park.

Saturday night, head out to New Center to check out a FREE show and awesome party featuring great music and great beer! The lineup for the evening includes Tunde Olaniran, The Hentchmen, and DJs from Peoples Records spinning throughout the night. In addition to great music, Motor City will also be releasing their most popular beer, Ghettoblaster, in cans! So now you will be able to head to the fridge to grab Ghettoblaster when you're not up for heading out to a bar.

The gates for Saturday's party are set to open at 8 p.m. and music will be starting right at 8:30. Like we mentioned, admission is free, and all are welcome. New Center Park is located at 2998 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit. For more info on this event, click here.

Happy Canniversary, Motor City!

~C

Win Tickets to See Berner at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit

I know that we tend to talk about rock, pop, indie, and punk on this website, but that doesn't mean that we do not get down with other genres. I have always been a huge fan of hip hop and I can honestly say that I love all music (except new age country, I can't, I am sorry). We are trying to break out of the current rut and include more and more genres of music, because there are lots of different types of hip things going on all over Detroit.

This Tuesday, August 4th The Shelter will be returning to its hip hop roots, I know you all saw 8 Mile. They will be welcoming San Francisco's own Berner to their stage. Berner signed to Wiz Kalifa's Taylor Gang Records in 2012 and buzz has been growing ever since. If you haven't heard him before, please check out his tunes here

Scolla (a Detroit artist) will be opening the show and tickets to attend are only $13 in advance. We also have two pairs of tickets to give away courtesy of Live Nation Detroit. If you would like to enter to win a pair of tickets to attend the show for free, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #Berner as the subject line. We will draw a winner on Monday and will email them details on how to claim their prize.


~S

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Meet Michelle Tanguay

Photo from fingersonblast.com

Ever since I was 13 I have been involved in the local music scene.  I didn't meet my friends in high school, I met them after the bell rang in bars, venues, VFW halls, and basements while watching bands from all over come to the city of Detroit to play. The people I met slowly became my "family". The Detroit music community was one of the most tight knit groups around, until it wasn't. Over the last decade I have noticed a real change in the way that the community supports and treats each other, it was a large part of the reason that I wanted to be part of hipindetroit.com, my dream is for shows to feel like hanging out with family again and I think I figured out what is missing thanks to Michelle Tanguay.
Michelle is a local artist and painter that I have been "following" online for a few years. Her work is amazing, beautiful and inspiring. You may have seen one of her pieces and not even know it. She collaborated with a few other artists to make a billboard for Sierra Mist, she painted for the Detroit Redbull Creation project, she has an installation up at Complex MI, and she had some of her work featured at Electirc Forest, just to name a few. She is easily one of the most talented creatives that Detroit has ever seen.

Christie and I went to Michelle's studio to see where she works, see some of the current projects that she was working on, and to hear her story. I walked out of the interview glowing with inspiration. Michelle's life force is as amazing as her painting and sketches are.
Michelle moved to Michigan from upstate New York when she was only 17 years old. She was already an artist and a painter and she came here to start her career. She fell in love with Detroit and decided that this is where she was going to put down her roots. She attended CCS, and moved into the Bankle Building where she shares an art space with her mentor Camilo Pardo. She works on her art almost 24 hours a day and art is her life. She talks it, breaths it, and gets reinvigorated and inspired by it everyday. Her drive and zest for life are almost airborne when you are around her.
We talked to Michelle in depth about the growing Detroit art scene. I wanted to know why she thought it was booming and prospering here in Detroit and why the community was so close. She explained to me that the art community of Detroit works together, they collaborate and they support each other. She talked about having other artists up to her space to collaborate on a project or a painting and she talked in depth about what The Red Bull House of Art has done to help the community move forward. She links up with a lot of the artists that come through there and they help each other by inspiring each other, challenging each other, and supporting each other. Detroit has become a mecca for art and artists and I truly believe this idea of working together and collaborating is the key to its success.
 
Which leads me to my first point. Detroit used to be a tight knit music community. We used to help each other out. And, I think all we need to do is learn from the Detroit art scene and reconnect and start to build a family again. We can all help each other create, push ourselves and bring back the collaborative community that we need to help us all thrive. We need to take a cue for the blossoming art community in this city and unite to make sure that the Detroit music scene doesn't just fade away. We will do a lot more if we work together. Let's attend each other's shows, let's collaborate on songs, on booking shows, on promoting shows, etc.!
Michelle is by far one of the most talented and creative people we have ever had the pleasure of meeting. We highly suggest you start following her for yourself and make sure to attend her next show. In the meantime check out the interview that we did. This was filmed inside her space in the Bankle Building just a few weeks ago. Thanks for the inspiration, we needed it!


~S

Win Tickets to See Aaron Gillespie Perform the Songs of The Almost and Underoath

This Sunday, August 2nd St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit will be hosting Aaron Gillespie, a name you may recognize from his other projects like The Almost, Underoath, and Paramore (he plays drums in Paramore). He is a multi talented musician that has been making a name for himself as a solo artist. Apparently he is the kind of person that is so talented that he has to try a little bit of everything and yet somehow he does it all well! Aaron has also been writing and releasing his own solo music, you can hear that here.

He will be prerforming at 7 p.m. inside The Shelter alongside William Beckett and Nathan Hussey.  Tickets for the show are $12 in advance, they can be purchased here. We also have two pairs of tickets to give away to the show courtesy of Live Nation Detroit. If you would like to enter to win a pair of tickets to see the show for FREE, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #AG. We will draw a few winners before the show and email them details on how to claim their prize.


~S 

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Win Tickets to See GMGC with RB, JBB and LV!

This Friday, July 31st head to PJ's Lager House for a great show! There, George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus will be hitting the stage alongside Radio Burns, Jet Black Blonde and Le Voyage. This is a great show from start to finish!

George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus has been a busy band lately. They just played Mo Pop over the weekend, they played the Pig & Whiskey after party, they hit the road with Sick of Sarah, and they had a handful of "regular" shows sprinkled in there. If you somehow haven't heard of George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus yet, or you have heard them and you love them, you can head over and download their latest album for FREE here.

As we said, the lineup is all around solid though. You won't want to miss anyone on this bill, so make sure you get there early. Doors are set to open at 9 p.m. and admission is only $5. We are also giving away 3 pairs of tickets to this show. To enter to win, please send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with GMGC in the subject line. We will draw three winners the morning of the show and they will get in with a friend for FREE! So get your name in the hat now! But, even if you don't win, it's only 5 bucks... you have no reason to miss this show!

PJ's Lager House is located at 1254 Michigan Ave. in Detroit. For more info on this show and to hear tunes from every band on the bill, click here.


~C

B.Nektar's 7th Anniversary Summer Fest

I'm pretty picky about alcohol for a girl that likes to indulge in her fair share of drinking. I thoroughly enjoy whiskey, tequila, red wine, and large bottles of champagne (individual servings right?). I am not the kind of girl who would ever drink gin, rum, vodka, or a beer. Like I said, I'm picky for an occasional lush. However, I am always willing to give every new drink a try. I have tried beers that are supposed to taste like everything from coffee to champagne and despite what everyone says, I can assure you, they just taste like beer. I have tried all kinds of rums and vodkas and all I have to say is that anyone who drinks vodka and tonic by choice is a masochist.

A few years ago a friend made me try B.Nektar Mead at an outdoor music festival. I expected to spit it out and complain about the fact that I even had to try it. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised and discovered a new drink.
I have tried all of B.Nektar's, ciders, meads, and beers and each and every time I have been pleasantly surprised. I am especially attracted to a mead, and before I tried this one I didn't even know what mead was. If you visit their website you can learn all about the process by which their drinks are created. I'm personally not too concerned with how they make it, I'm more interested in how great it tastes.

If you are as interested drinking this stuff as I am, you should stoop by the B.Nektar Summer Fest at their flagship store in Ferndale this Saturday, August 1st. B.Nektar will be celebrating 7 years of great drinks with a day of fun that includes the release of their latest product, Episode 13. The event will run from 2 p.m. till 8 p.m. on Saturday and include food trucks, new limited edition bottles, and live music. They will also have all of their go to flavors on tap. The celebration is FREE for anyone 21 and over that would like to come out and partake. Drink tickets will be available for purchase. For a full list of drinks that will be on tap visit B.Nektar's website here.

B. Nektar's space is located at 1151 Jarvis in Ferndale.


~S

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria & Brewery

There have been so many new restaurants opening up in Detroit over the past year that it's hard to keep up with them all. So, whenever I don't have a specific craving, I try to head out to somewhere different. Last weekend that somewhere different was Jolly Pumpkin.

Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria & Brewery is located on Canfield, right down the sidewalk from Shinola and across the street from City Bird and Nest. Jolly Pumpkin is known for their "Handcrafted Artisan Ales" with colorful artsy labels, like iO, La Parcela and Weizen Bam. Their main brewery is in Dexter, Michigan, but in addition to that location and the one in Detroit, Jolly Pumpkin also has a Restaurant, Brewery & Distillery in Traverse City and a Cafe & Brewery in Ann Arbor.

On my visit to Detroit's Jolly Pumpkin I was stopping in for lunch. As soon as I walked in, I loved the decor and ambiance. There are high ceilings, a wall of windows, and the place has an industrial feel. Upon entering, we realized this restaurant wasn't like most in Detroit. Rather than sitting down and being greeted by a waiter, you head to a counter, order your food, sit down with a number sign, and wait for a someone to bring you your food. You can either choose to sit in a booth or at a long community table, depends on if you're looking to make new friends during your visit. There is also a long awesome bar along one whole side of the restaurant that you can either eat at or just grab a drink.

For our lunch we split the Chopped Salad and a Mushroom Pizza. There are two sizes of all pizzas and salads, we went with a large salad and the 12" pizza, which was just right for the two of us. We were full, but not stuffed. However, even though we had plenty to eat, the Mushroom Pizza was so tasty that we both wanted at least two more! We resisted our urge though! The pizza didn't have your traditional red sauce, instead it was covered in creamed shiitakes, goat cheese, house pulled mozzarella, truffle oil and arugula. Some other pizzas that caught my eye on the menu were the Korean Shortrib, Pork Pie and Brussels Sprout. But don't worry, if you aren't too adventurous with your choices, there are also classics like Margherita and the Mushroom is a safe choice that pretty much everyone will love. In addition to Pizzas and Salads, Jolly Pumpkin also offers Sandwiches and Sides, like Truffle Fries, Hummus and Curried Potato Chips. And if you have little ones, there's a menu for them too!
Although I took the dry road on this visit to Jolly Pumpkin and didn't have an adult beverage, I'm definitely looking forward to going back to try one of their beers. In addition to Jolly Pumpkin's own selections, there is a full bar, signature cocktails, and a ton of other great beers on tap.

Whether you are looking for a great meal, want to try something different, or are just grabbing a quick bite before a show or a game, I highly suggest checking out Jolly Pumpkin. You can find them at 441 W. Canfield in Detroit. Their hours are Monday - Thursday from 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday & Saturday from 11:30 a.m. - 1 a.m. and on Sunday from 11:30-10 p.m. For more details on Jolly Pumpkin and to take a look at the menu, click here. Make sure you head over and give them a "like" on Facebook too!


~C

Monday, July 27, 2015

Win Tickets to See The Kills

Photo from The Kills Facebook 

Indie rock duo The Kills will be playing St. Andrew's Hall this Saturday, August 1st. I always loved the gritty garage rock sound of this band. It's hard to believe that it has been ten years since they released No Wow, which is the album that caught my ear and turned me on to the band. I have had the pleasure of seeing the band perform live before and can assure you that they are worth the $25 cover charge. The band will be playing alongside Denmark's all female indie rock act Baby in Vain and Detroit's own The Erers. Doors for the show will open at 7 p.m.

Live Nation Detroit has also given us two pairs of tickets to give away to the show. If you would like to enter to win a pair, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com. Please make sure to use the hashtag #thekills in the subject line of the email. We will draw the winners the day before the show and will email them details on how to claim their prize.


~S

Against The Grain Gears Up to Release "Road Warriors"

Detroit's own Against the Grain has been super hard at work over the past couple of years. They're on the road more than pretty much any other band that we know, they've toured with big names like Nashville Pussy and The Hookers, and they're getting ready to release their new album, Road Warriors on Self Destructo Records. A few tracks from the album have already been released online, giving fans a taste of what this latest full length has to offer. Metal Assault premiered "Gulliotine" and the band leaked a couple of other tracks, "Here To Stay" and "Run For Your Life". You can check them out below.



This Friday, July 31st ATG will be taking over Small's to celebrate the release of their new album. They have an amazing lineup of bands joining them for the night, including Child Bite, Skeemin' No Goods, Black Actress and Stone Ritual. Before the big release show we wanted to catch up with the band, see what they have been up to and find out what's next for Against the Grain. Check out what ATG's drummer Rob Nowak had to say.

HID- Even though we see you guys all of the time either at someone else's show or at your shows, it seems like it has been forever since we officially have talked to you for Hip In Detroit. We know you've been up to a lot, but give our readers the super short version of what ATG has been up to over the last year or so.
Rob- "Hey Christie, glad to finally get to sit down and chat with you guys. ATG over the past year has been going through a lot. We wrote this album, did tours with Nashville Pussy. Valient Thorr, Guttermouth, Lo Pan, The Hookers, The Meatmen, Beast in the Field. Bought a new van. Turned down a major label offer. Switched booking agencies. Even if we're not out on the road, it's constant! Been very exciting."

HID- So the reason we're talking to you now is obviously because you have your big Road Warriors release coming up. What can fans expect from this new album?
Rob- "Fans can expect our most rocking and mature album to date. A lot of jamming, but a lot of intensity. More direct. Angrier and more personal lyrics. Without a doubt, the best production and artwork yet on an album. It's very much an up and down kind of record."

HID- Is it faster than Surrounded By Snakes and Motor City Speed Rock?
Rob- "Yes and no. Motor City Speed Rock will forever be our fastest album. We don't want to repeat that record again, haha. It's awesome to have those fast as shit songs to sprinkle in the set list. Road Warriors has 3 tunes as fast as that, 3 of the heaviest songs we've ever recorded yet and 6 rock and roll tunes. We’re growing as a band and feeding off each other more now, so it's more fun to jam and rock out together. It's always going to be speed-rock, but with more flavors sprinkled in."

HID- What's your favorite track off of the new album?
Rob- "Shit, heh. That's very difficult to say. I have 2 songs I don't care for how they turned out as to how they are live. Probably "Pendulum" all around for recording."

HID- You have a hell of a lineup playing with you for the release show at Small's. Why did you pick the bands that you did?
Rob- "We always like to keep it eclectic. Stone Ritual is a great up-and coming doom band. Black Actress are our friends from Chicago that have hooked us up there a ton of times. Child Bite are on fire and we’ve never played together yet. And Skeemin' No Goods are old-time favorites for us, and a big inspiration on what we do. Never thought we’d get to rock with them. Honestly, am pretty honored to be playing with them."

HID- Speaking of other bands you're playing with, you have some tours coming up with some kick ass bands and you've played with a lot of awesome bands over the past couple of years. What bands are you going to be heading out with soon?
Rob- "As of now we have confirmed Atomic Bitchwax and Mos Generator. MG joins on the second half, and the tour is a full US/Canada tour starting Aug 13th. 34 shows in 38 days! Atomic Bitchwax is 2 guys from Monster Magnet playing stoner rock meets Thin Lizzy. Kick-ass fuzzy dirty rock and roll!"

HID- What's your favorite band you've toured with to date?
Rob- "To listen to I'd have to say Nashville Pussy. They're in my top 10 fav bands ever, and I watched every part of every one of their sets the whole tour. The Meatmen are some of our best buds, and probably my fav punk band out there now. Church of Misery was incredible, and awesome because only 1 of the 5 people spoke English (they're from Japan). In the Whale were awesome dudes. Koffin Kats guys are some of the coolest guys you could ever want to hangout with, and very kind. Valient Thorr guys are awesome! Pretty much every band we’ve went on tour with, we would call our friends. We’re pretty easy to get along with on tour, and like to party and have fun."

HID- Who would be the ultimate band for ATG to tour with?
Rob- "Ultimate tour would be Motorhead/Turbonegro/ATG!"

HID- You guys tour more than pretty much any other band from Detroit. Why do you like to hit the road so much? How do you guys handle being gone as often as you are?
Rob- "It's more of a wanting to do it as much as we can, while we can. Being in a well known band means years and years of sacrifice and hard work. Hopefully after 5-10 years of that, you build up enough of a name that it becomes more beneficial and comfortable. As we are doing it more, it is building in all those ways. Not so much sleeping in the van these days, as now we have friends in most cities to crash with and eat with.

Handling it can be hard, and easy. It's hard because you HAVE to have disposable jobs. You can't have a “career” at home, you gotta work as much as you can to make ends meet. 3 of us have 2 jobs in between tours. And you’ve gotta try to live pretty cheaply. It wasn't until last year that we started getting paid out at the end of tours. And it adds up to be about as much as you’d earn at a minimum wage job for now. But hey, you get paid vacation, and get paid to do what you love! Also you miss out on friend/girlfriend/family time, so that's a bummer. It's entirely worth it, once you figure it out though."

HID- Even though you're on tour a lot, this summer you seemed to be here in Detroit for longer stretches than in the past. What have you guys been up to this summer? How does ATG enjoy their time off, hanging out in the Detroit area?
Rob- "We decided to not hit it as hard this year until we had the new album, and new van. The old van hit 365,500 miles (thanks Scott Pope!), and was beginning to become unbearably uncomfortable. Only the front left door opened, so everyone had to climb in. No A/C. Filthy. Just everything you could imagine that could go wrong with a van, was wrong.

Also we switched booking agencies over to Tone Deaf Touring. We’re going to be gone a little bit less, because we’re mostly going to be on tour packages. We used to just go out on our own for months. And in the beginning that's what you gotta do. Lay down the grounds, build the connections and friendships and grassroots. Now that that’s happened, we can land some sweet packages and better clubs and such. First of three on packages is great. Better crowds, get to enjoy other great bands.

At home We’ve been soaking up shows, some summertime stuff. Camping, BBQs. Detroit has a great
scene too, so that's always fun to get to enjoy."

HID- Alright, back to the release show. Give everyone 3 reasons they should come out to Small's on July 31st?
Rob- 1. It's one of 4 of ATG’s Detroit area shows of all year.
         2. We’re playing songs off all 4 albums.
         3. We have all new merch including t shirts, baseball tee’s, test pressings, cds, poster, patches and pins.
         4. It's the best lineup of the summer!

HID- Anything else you'd like our readers to know?
Rob- "Pre-orders for the record (or in case you cant make the show) - http://www.shopturbojugend.com/Against_The_Grain_Road_Warriors/p1370513_14231767.aspx"


It's no secret that we've been big fans of this band for a while now, but somehow they just keep getting better! Definitely one of the best bands in Detroit and some of the best dudes around. We can't wait to check out the new album and see what ATG does next!
Doors for Friday's show are set to open at 8 p.m. All ages are welcome and it's only $8 to get in. Small's is located at 10339 Conant in Hamtramck. For more info on this show, click here

~C

Win Tickets to See First Aid Kit wsg Andy Shauf

Photo by Nirrimi
Summer is in full swing, which means there are great show EVERY night of the week. St .Andrew's has been hosting some REALLY great lineups this summer and this week is no exception. I love going to St.Andrew's in the summer, buying a double shot of whiskey, and getting sweaty while watching a band. I loved that shit when I was fifteen and I think I love it even more now (especially because I am not trying to sneak the double shot).

This Wednesday the Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit will be playing alongside Andy Shauf. First Aid Kit rose to fame when their 2008 YouTube video cover of the song "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by Fleet Foxes went viral. Their last album was released in 2014, it is called Stay Gold and it can be heard here. You can hear some of Andy's music here.
The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $20 in advance, they can be purchased here. We also have two pairs of tickets to give away to attend the show for FREE courtesy of Live Nation Detroit. If you would like to enter to win a pair, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with First Aid Kit in the subject. We we will email the winners details on how to claim their prize the morning of the show. 


~S

Friday, July 24, 2015

Meet Grand Junction

This past Wednesday night we headed out to Kelly's Bar in Hamtramck, the new home of Timmy's Tacos (formerly at The Painted Lady) and the host of some great shows lately. This time around we were there to see Grand Junction, a four piece rock and roll band that will bring you back a few decades.

Grand Junction is made up of Pete Geloso, Ryan Oliverei, Kyle Schanta and Karl Rodeo. You may have seen them at the Capo Lounge during this year's Hamtramck Music Festival or at the Kickoff party for the Blowout. Their music (and even their look) is straight out of the '60s or '70s, you can hear them for yourself here. We have been wanting to catch up with these guys since we saw them in Hamtramck so we could get the scoop and let all of you know about them. Check out this video interview with the guys and we also shot a song from their set. We know, we know... the video quality on the song isn't the greatest, but they're just so good that we figured a low quality video was better than no video at all. (With that being said, if you would like to help us fix our "good" camera sooner, just click on the donate button over on the right there and throw us a few bones. Or use our Amazon link up at the top when you shop. Thanks in advance!)



Like Pete said, Grand Junction doesn't have any shows booked right now, but we will keep you in the loop when they do. We can't wait to hear more from this band! We have a feeling that Grand Junction is a name you're going to be hearing quite a bit around the Detroit music scene very soon!

~C

Summer Smash Returns to Detroit!

The Summer Smash is returning to Detroit after a long hiatus. The festival ran from 1999 till 2008, when they took a break. The idea of the festival was to bring bands together to play and raise money for local charities. This Friday PJ's Lager House will host the rebirth of Summer Smash.

This year's lineup includes Fred Thomas (of Saturday Looks Good to Me and Failed Flowers),
Stef ,  Ryan Allen & His Extra Arms (Destroy This Place) and Wooden Teeth (Zach from Mexican Knives & friends). Proceeds from the event will be donated to Suck it Suicide, a a local nonprofit offering support to families and working to end the stigma of mental illness.

Tickets to attend are are only $10 at the door and the fun starts at 9 p.m.
The same people behind this fest will be hosting The Detroit Fest later this year. So, if you enjoy this or miss out on the fun, keep your eyes open for their next event!


~S

Thursday, July 23, 2015

The Michigan Glass Project 2015

This weekend the 4th Annual Michigan Glass Project will be taking place in Detroit. This event brings together glassblowers, music and food for a weekend of fun at The Russell Industrial Center and throughout the city. Guests are invited to the RIC to watch glassblowers work on projects right in front of their eyes, while others will have their goods for sale on site. In addition to amazing glass pieces there will also be vendors selling clothing and art work.

The Michigan Glass Project's Main Event will be taking place this Friday, July 24th, Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th at the Russell, but there are also after parties going on all weekend long throughout the city. Get all of the details below.

Friday, July 24th
Main Event Day 1
RIC Exhibition Center 1600 Clay St. Detroit, MI 48211
11am to 9pm
Live Glassblowing Demos, Live Music, Vendors, Food and Beverages
$20 weekend pass / $15 day pass

After Party - 9pm-2am
The Zenith & The Wrectory Club
3011 W. Grand Blvd Detroit, MI 48202
$10 / $5 with weekend wristband
Musical Guests:
DJ Intercom
DJ Sweet Pete
DJ Algorithm

Saturday, July 25th
Main Event Day 2
RIC Exhibition Center 1600 Clay St. Detroit, MI 48211
11am to 9pm
Live Glassblowing Demos, Live Music, Vendors Food and Beverages
$20 weekend pass / $15 day pass

Garden Party at The Whitney
4421 Woodward Ave. Detroit, MI 48201
10pm to 2am
Live music TBA
Cash Bar
$10 / $5 with weekend wristband
Musical Guests:
DJ Head (Grammy Award Winning DJ - Producer)
Frank Raines (FNR Records)
Brad Hales (Peoples Records)
Eastside Jon (Slow Jams / FNR Records)

Sunday, July26th
Main Event Day 3
RIC Exhibition Center 1600 Clay St. Detroit, MI 48211
Noon to 8pm
Live Glassblowing Demos, Live Music, Vendors, Food and Beverages
$20 weekend pass / $15 day pass

After Party - Sunday Funday at The Old Miami
3930 Cass Ave. Detroit, MI 48201
9pm to 2am
Live music TBA
$5 / Free with weekend wristband
Musical Guests:
Nuke
Dark Red

Not only is The Michigan Glass Project a super fun event to attend, but attendees are also helping the community at the same time. The past three years the project donated over $36,000 of their proceeds to the Belle Isle Aquarium. This year they are changing course and will be donating proceeds to Art Road, a non-profit bringing art classes back to schools. So not only is this awesome event sharing art with the community, but they are sharing art with our kids. That's something we can definitely get behind!

For more information on the Michigan Glass Project and to stay in the loop on this weekend's happenings give them a "like" on Facebook here


~C

Win a Pair of Tickets to BFF Fest at MOCAD

The Seraphine Collective and MOCAD are bringing BFF Fest (Best Friends Forever) back to Detroit for the second year in a row. This festival's goal is to promote a better and more inclusive music scene by, "prioritizing the participation of women, people of color and LGBTQA performers, BFF Fest strives to be progressive, modern, and thoughtful in the curation of its lineup and hopes to foster consciousness toward building a stronger, supportive, and most importantly, a more diverse and balanced scene in Detroit and the Midwest region". This year's festival lineup includes Blizzard Babies, Blood Stone, Bonehead, Bonnie Doon, Cheerleader, (Electric) Wiccans, Gashrat, Izzy Johnson, Primitiv Parts, Prude Boys, R.Ring, Riverspirit, and the Sneaks.

There will be food for purchase from Cafe 78 (inside the MOCAD), They are also holding a clothing swap, the swap is a chance for you to bring some gently used duds that you are no longer loving to exchange with someone else who might be interested in what you aren't. In turn you may walk away with something that you love that was just sitting around in someone else's closet. 

They will also be collecting donations for Alternative for Girls. They are looking for bras (all sizes); women’s socks (all sizes); hygiene items (travel and full-sized); gift cards (Target, Meijer, Bath & Body Works, Michael’s, Joann Fabrics, Movies); Craft supplies, like colored pencils, crayons, and construction paper; and Healthy snacks, like crackers, fruit cups, and granola bars. Anyone who donates will receive a free raffle ticket. They will also be selling raffle tickets throughout the day to raise money for the organization. 

BFF FEST tickets can be purchased in Detroit at Hello Records and Peoples Records, in Dearborn at Stormy Records, in Ferndale at FOUND SOUND, and in Royal Oak at UHF. They are $10 if you buy them in person and you must pay with cash. You can also buy them online here. One dollar of every ticket will be donated to Detroit's Alternatives For Girls.

They will also be hosting a pre-festival party and art show on Friday, July 24th at UFO Factory. This event will feature music from Rebel Kind, Casual Sweetheart, Double Winter, and Sharkmuffin from Brooklyn and special performance and reading by Alice Bag (of The Bags) from her new book Pipe Bomb for the Soul. Tickets for the pre-party are $6 at the door with a dollar going towards The Seraphine Collective.  

We also have one pair of tickets to give away to the festival! If you would like to enter to attend for FREE please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with BFF Fest in the subject. We will be drawing a winner this Friday and emailing them details on how to claim their prize.  

We are very proud to see a collective doing something so positive while giving back to the community, keep up the good work! 


~S 

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Win Tickets to Maps and Atlases at The Majestic Cafe

Chicago rockers Maps and Atlases are coming to The Majestic Cafe this Saturday, July 24th alongside Little Tybee and Detroit's own El Dee. Maps and Atlases is currently on tour in support of their latest album Be Aware and Be Grateful. Check out the band's latest music video for "Old Ash"to get a good feel for the band and their music.


Tickets for the show are only $8 in advance and you can purchase them here. We also have two pairs of tickets to giveaway for the show. If you would like to enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #mapsandatlases. We will draw the winner on Friday and will email them details on how to claim their prize.


~S

Win Tickets to Mo Pop!!!

This weekend there is a HUGE festival happening in Detroit featuring some of the biggest names in music right now. It's Mo Pop and it is going to be amazing! This is only the third edition of this festival, that started off in 2013 at Freedom Hill. The festival has already grown by leaps and bounds, adding a second day and featuring big names like Modest Mouse.

This year's Mo Pop will take place on Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th. It has changed venues and will now take place at West Riverfront Park, on Detroit's Riverfront west of Cobo and the rest of Downtown Detroit. The exact location is 1801 W. Jefferson in Detroit. The festival will feature 2 stages, food trucks, local crafters selling their goods, a biergarten featuring microbrews and Michigan made beers, and Mo Tech, featuring "local hacker spaces, artists, start-ups, and inventors".
Although the entire festival is pretty cool, the biggest part is obviously the music. This year's lineup is absolutely outstanding! Saturday you can see George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus, Coin, Ryley Walker, Ex Cops, Natalie Prass, Coasts, King Tuff, James Bay, Atlas Genius, Iron & Wine with Ben Bridwell, Brandon Flowers and Chromeo. Sunday's lineup includes ELEL, Dreamers, Sonny & The Sunsets, In The Valley Below, Givers, Wild Child, Viet Cong, Saint Motel, The Front Bottoms, Passion Pit, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas and Modest Mouse! Holy smokes! To see set times for all of these great acts click here. And just because we absolutely love Chromeo, turn the sound up, press play on the video below, and dance!


If you would like to attend this year's Mo Pop festival you can pick your tickets up here. Single day passes are $69, a weekend pass is $99, or you can take advantage of the 4 pack of 2-day passes including 4 t-shirts for $199, quite the deal. But, we have an even better deal for you! Thanks to our amazingly awesome friends putting on Mo Pop we are giving away FOUR pairs of weekend passes to Mo Pop! That's right, we will draw 4 lucky winners that will get to head out to Mo Pop this weekend with a friend for FREE! To enter to win these tickets just email your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Mo Pop in the subject. If you'd like to double your chances, hit us up on Social Media and let us know you want to win (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram). We will draw our lucky winners the morning of the show and will let them know how to claim their prize. 

For more details on Mo Pop and to stay in the loop on all of the happenings this weekend, head over and "like" them on Facebook here


~C

Raise The Flag for Detroit's 314th Birthday

This week the wonderful City of Detroit is turning the big 314 and in honor of the its birthday, bars and groups across the city are holding events, all leading up to the big Raise The Flag Festival this weekend.

This Saturday, July 25th Raise The Flag will be taking over Bert's Warehouse in Eastern Market. This is the second edition of the festival, that started last year for Detroit's "313" birthday. The event will feature music, yoga, and more music. The main stage will feature acts like Deadly Vipers, Timmy's Organism and Guilty Simpson. There will also be Yoga and Meditation Sessions mixed in throughout the day. In addition to the main stage, there will also be a stage featuring music booked by Party Store Productions, the BEATLOVAZ stage Presented by Dharma Den, and other musicians sponsored by Detroit Roots, Fsdym & My Baby.

In addition to all of the great music on Saturday, there are Raise The Flag events going on all week long. Earlier this week there was a special Raise The Flag edition of Slow Jams and a Pre-Party at Populux on Tuesday. Wednesday night you can head to Exodus for a rooftop party, Thursday TV Bar will have a bunch of DJs all night long, and Friday Beatlovaz and Dharma Den will be taking over The Old Miami, with music inside and outside. The list of musicians playing at The Old Miami is super long and full of a ton of great acts, you can check it out here.

Admission to most events during Raise The Flag is either free or pretty cheap. The Old Miami is charging $5 for their party that runs from 3 p.m. 'til 2 a.m. and TV Lounge is charging $5 for girls and $10 for guys. The best place to get all of the details on Saturday's events and all of the pre-parties is the Raise The Flag Facebook event page here.

Bert's Warehouse is located in Eastern Market at 2739 Russell St. in Detroit. Raise The Flag kicks off at 8 a.m. on Saturday and the last event is set to start at 11 p.m.


~C





Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Win Tickets to See Anthony Raneri wsg Tiny Stills and Allison Weiss

Does the name Anthony Raneri sound familiar? You may know of Anthony as the lead singer of the band Bayside, but hes much more than that. Anthony is as a solo artist that plays some pretty heartwarming emo-esque music. He mostly writes love songs and personally, I'm a sucker for a good love song. Anthony's latest release Sorry State of Mind came out on June 30th. You can listen to some of his music here to get a feel for what he is all about.

Tiny Stills and Allison Weiss are also playing  Tiny Stills is the brain child of Kailynn West, a singer songwriter that reminds me a lot of Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley. She writes beautiful songs that sound happy, but if you're really listening, they are quite sad. You can check out her work with her full band here.





Allison Weiss is a solo artist from L.A. who writes catchy pop-esque tunes. She was recently signed to one of my favorite labels SideOneDummy and she makes really cool music videos like this one here.




All three acts will be playing at The Shelter this Thursday, July 23rd at 7 p.m.. Tickets for the show are $13 in advance, they can be purchased here. We also have two pairs of tickets to give away to two lucky readers who feel like hanging out and hearing some solid pop punk ballads this week. To enter, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Anthony Raneri in the subject line. We will draw a winner the day before the show and email them details on how to claim their prize.

~S 

Win Tickets to Hear Some Live Detroit Punk

Detroit may also be known for its rock and roll roots, but its punk roots run just as deep. We have just as many great punk bands as rock bands, and the punk scene of Detroit is one of the most loyal music scenes around.

The punk kids will be uniting this at The Shelter this Friday, July 24th to give one of their brothers a proper send off. Matt Buck is moving to East Bay so the Suburban Delinquents, ALD, Devious Ones, SNAFU, P.Y.T. and  The Snarks decided to throw him a proper going away party. Tickets to join in the fun are only $7 in advance, they can be purchased here. We also have one pair of tickets to giveaway courtesy of the ladies over at Black Iris Booking, the booking house behind all the solid punk lineups in Detroit.  If you would like to enter to win the tickets, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Buck in the subject. We will email one winner the morning of the show and they will be able to attend with a friend for free. It really doesn't matter if you know Buck of not when you're punk rock your family, so head out and have a shot with the good ol' boy before he leaves!


~S 

Monday, July 20, 2015

24 Hour Giveaway: Win Tickets to Brick + Mortar wsg Tart and Valley Hush

Tomorrow night The Shelter will play host to a killer lineup packed with some of Detroit's best up and coming acts. Brick and Mortar will be playing alongside Detroit's own Tart and Valley Hush.

Brick + Mortar is a two-piece indie pop group that is self described as "controlled chaos".  Their newest EP Dropped was recently released, you can hear it here.

Tart  is another two piece band that recently released an EP. Their latest work is called These are Not Love Songs and hipindetroit.com had a chance to talk to the band just before the release. If you missed that interview you can check it out here. You can hear their latest music here.

Finally, Valley Hush is yet another killer two piece. This is one of our favorite up and coming acts. Alex and Lianna are both great musicians and together they create beautiful music. They also recently released a new EP called Don't Wait, you can check that our here.


Tickets for the show are only $10 in advance, they can be purchased here. We also have two pairs of tickets to give away courtesy of Live Nation Detroit. If you would like to enter to win  a pair of tickets to tomorrow night's show, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with Brick + Mortar in the subject line. We will pull two winners in the morning and email them details on how to claim their prize. All ages are welcome to enter and attend and the show starts promptly at 7 p.m.


~S 

Michigan Aids Coalition Announces Expanded STD Testing in Michigan

In George Michael's hit song "I Want Your Sex" he sings, "Sex is natural, sex is fun", and we have to agree, it's one hell of a way to pass the time. Some of us choose to have one partner and some of us like to switch it up, but all of us need to make sure that we're playing it safe and protecting ourselves when we have fun. You shouldn't ride a bike without a helmet and you shouldn't have casual sexual encounters without wrapping up!

If you are experimenting and having fun it's also important to get tested regularly to make sure that you are staying safe and keeping those that you care about just as safe. The Michigan AIDS Coalition has announced that they will be expanding their testing to include other STD infections, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Hepatitis C. The initiative is scheduled to last at least two years, and will hopefully be extended if it is successful.

Expanded testing services are offered at the MAC office in Ferndale, its MPowerment Detroit site in New Center, and the various bars, clubs, and soup kitchens where MAC testing and outreach teams meet clients in their own communities. Testing information can be accessed by calling (248) 545-1435 or at www.michiganaidscoalition.org.

Wrap it up, get tested regularly, and have fun out there ladies and gents! 


~S

Friday, July 17, 2015

It's Time for Pig & Whiskey 2015!


Get your fill of BBQ and Booze this weekend at Pig & Whiskey! The FREE 3 day festival kicks off on Friday, July 17th and runs all weekend long. There will be food from over a dozen local restaurants, over 50 different whiskeys available, some of your favorite local musicians on stage, and your favorite beers on tap. 

This year's list of restaurants includes some of the best restaurants Metro Detroit has to offer. Alley Taco, Detroit BBQ Company, Famous Daves, Jay Ray's BBQ, Mac Shack, Old Carolina, The Proper Pig, Rock City Eatery, RUB, Rubbed, Slows, Sticks & Bones, Smoke Ring, Treat Dreams, Union Woodshop, Vinsetta Garage, Woodpile BBQ Shack and Zeke's Rock & Roll BBQ will all be on deck filling your belly up with barbecued goodness. Earlier this week the main man behind the festival, Chris Johnston, and Zeke's own Mike Mouyianis hit the airwaves to spread the word about this year's festival and show off some of the eats that Zeke's will be offering this weekend. Check it out below. 


If that food isn't enough to get you to this festival, we're sure the music will be! The bill for the weekend includes something for everyone, and a few of our favorites like The HandGrenades, Tunde and The Muggs. Here's the entire lineup:

FRIDAY
6:00 p.m. - Unlimited Head
6:5o p.m. - Beggars
7:50 p.m. - The Handgrenades
8:50 p.m. - Tunde Olaniran
9:50 p.m. - Will Sessions

SATURDAY
1:00 p.m., 2:05 p.m. - Billy Brandt
3:15 p.m. - David Biermann Overdrive
4:20 p.m. - American Mars
5:30 p.m. - Le Voyage
6:30 p.m. - The Muggs
7:45 p.m. - Old Empire
8:40 p.m. - Oak Bones
9:50 p.m. - Murder By Death

SUNDAY12:00 p.m. - The Hummingbirds
2:00 p.m. - Scott Fab
3:05 p.m. - Jo Serrapere Trio
4:10 p.m. - Stone
5:20 p.m. - Ryan Allen & His Extra Arms
6:30 p.m. - The Blueflowers
7:40 p.m. - Ryan Dillaha & The Miracle Men
8:40 p.m. - Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers

On Friday and Saturday nights there are also after parties in The Loving Touch. Cover for those is $5. Friday's lineup includes SiameseThe Scrappers and George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus. Saturday The VonnegutsWoven Tangles and Jon Zott will be playing. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the music starts inside as soon as it ends outside. 

And last, but definitely not least, is the whiskey. Like we mentioned, there will be over 50 different whiskeys available. Some old reliables like Jack Dack Daniel's, Jameson and Wild Turkey will be on deck. But there will also be new favorites like Fireball and some whiskeys you may have never tried before, like Zeppelin Bend or Bird Dog. If you're not to keen on the hard stuff, don't worry. There will be a bunch of beers available as well, with everything from PBR to Blake's Hard Cider

The fun all kicks off Friday night at 6 p.m. The festival runs until Midnight on Friday and Saturday and 11 p.m on Sunday. Admission is free, but make sure you bring some cash. Trust us, once you get there you will want some BBQ! 

Pig & Whiskey all takes place on Troy Street right outside the WAB at 22646 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. For more info on Pig & Whiskey visit PigAndWhiskeyFerndale.com.


~C