Win Tickets to See A Not So Silent Night Featuring Michael Franti and More at The Fillmore

The holiday season is in full swing and local station 96.3 WDVD is bringing a musical celebration of the holidays to the stage to celebrate this Wednesday, December 5th. Michael Franti, Ben Rector and Brynn Elliott will all be performing live sets inside the newly renovated Fillmore Detroit. It will be a night of music and holiday cheer and a chance to check out all the renovations up close and in person.
Tickets to attend the show range from $10 to $50 a piece and they can be purchased here. You can also win a pair of tickets to see the show courtesy of Live Nation Detroit. If you would like to enter to attend for free, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #silentnight. We will draw one lucky person the morning of the show and they will get to attend the show with a friend for free.

~S

Detroit's Windows Get Spruced Up for the Holidays

Some of your favorite shops and restaurants in Detroit have some extra flair in their storefront windows! The Detroit Center for Design + Technology has teamed up with local artists and designers for the "Holiday Window Walk". Designers were given the task of decorating windows, using the holidays as their inspiration. Displays can be seen throughout the city at the following businesses:

• Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters designed by Davey LaFave
• Eatori Market designed by Mike O’Reilly of Brightwire Designs
• Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria and Brewery designed by Joshua Tad Mulligan
• La Lanterna designed by Nicole Tischler
• Pure Barre Detroit designed by Gjergji Prendi of Createur Studio
• RUNDetroit designed by Leah Strayhorn
• Sy Thai – Midtown designed by Jennifer Bueso of Mcintosh Poris Associates
• Third Man Records – Cass Corridor – last year’s winner - now designed by Elise DeChard and Fernando Bales of CAMPO Collective

Patrons are encouraged to visit these shops throughout the holiday season to see the displays. However, if you visit before December 3rd, you are also encouraged to vote for your favorite display. You can vote by adding a photo of your favorite display to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and tagging it with @detdesigntech and using #HolidayWindowWalk18. The winning designer and business will each win $500, while the first runner up business and design team will earn $250 each. 

So get out there are support these great local businesses and check out some cool art while you're at it!

~C

Shop Local at The Eastern Market Holiday Market

Every December, The Eastern Market opens up for a few extra days to accommodate your holiday shopping and food preparation. One of those special days is this Sunday! The Holiday Eastern Markets feature a variety of locally made goods and fresh food to help you make the holidays extra merry this year. Shopping local is the best way to support your community and to guarantee that you get something one of a kind that they probably don't already have!


This Sunday's Market will open at 10 a.m. and it will feature lots of handmade items and fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, and more. They will also have fresh cut trees, wreaths, and other decor as well as coloring and other activities for the kids. It is free to get in and all ages are welcome. If you are unable to attend this weekend market, click here for some other options. The extra market time is a great opportunity to pick up the fruit and veggies you need to cook for family and friends, to find something Michigan themed for your mitten loving friend, and to find something handmade and one of a kind to show them how special they are.

~S

Win Tickets to See Snail Mail at Deluxx Fluxx

It's been a long time since I fell in love with an indie artist, but from the first play of Snail Mail's (aka Lindsey Jordan's) 2018 album Lush I have been addicted. The indie masterpiece is so raw and relatable, it's hard not to start singing along and feeling every emotion. I have been anticipating a tour announcement and was pleasantly surprised to see that one of Detroit's best booking agents was bringing Snail Mail to Detroit on Wednesday, December 5th. Virginia Benson is the owner of Party Store Productions and she is the women who brings women through town. If there is a cool show that showcases the talent of women in Detroit, there is a good chance that Virginia booked the event. She has always been super supportive of her fellow females and is the perfect person to bring the soon to be legend to town for her first performance in the Motor City.

Party Store Productions it bringing Snail Mail to Deluxx Fluxx on Wednesday, December 5th alongside Why Bonnie. Tickets to attend the show are $12 in advance and $14 at the door. There is a very good chance that this show will sell out and I guarantee that this will be one that you do not want to miss. So we are posting this to remind you to get your tickets in advance. We have one pair of tickets to give away thanks to Virginia, but you do not want to count on that! 

If you would like to enter to win tickets to see the set please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #SM. We will draw one lucky person on Wednesday morning and they will get to see the set with a friend for free!

~S

Visit Mitten Crate in Capitol Park this Holiday Season

No matter who is on your shopping list this holiday season, we guarantee you will find a great gift for them with Mitten Crate. What started off as a monthly subscription box, has now grown into the go to company for all things Michigan made. Of course, Mitten Crate still offers their subscription “crate” full of locally made goodies, but they have expanded their product line. They now offer a build your own crate option, as well as treats and Mitten Made novelties that you can order individually. All of their products can always be purchased at MittenCrate.com, but now you can also purchase items in person at Mitten Crate’s pop-up shop at Capitol Park. This holiday season you will be able to find them in a cozy greenhouse, along with dozens of other great local businesses spread throughout Capitol Park and Cadillac Square (near Campus Martius).

We had a chance to stop by and talk to Mitten Crate co-founder, Cory Wright at their shop. See what he had to say and check out what you can pick up at the shop.

Mitten Crate's shop at Capitol Park is open Wednesday thru Sunday throughout the holiday season. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. To learn more about Mitten Crate and how this company got its start, listen to our podcast with the Mitten Crate team here. Make sure you're also following Mitten Crate on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop on new items that their featuring!

~C

Strange Heart Releases "Sinking Ships" at The Loving Touch

Josh Clemens and Bryce Carroll-Coe are two Michigan natives that returned home from the West Coast amidst huge life altering changes. Bryce had recently received a heart transplant and had a new lease on life. Josh was about to deal with the loss of two sisters to cancer. Both of these situations are bound to change your outlook on life and are unimaginable for most. There are a lot of ways that someone could deal with either of these, but in this case, both turned to music. And by turning to music, Strange Heart was formed. The band is comprised of Josh on Lead Vocals and Guitar, Bryce on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Mike Schneider on Bass and Vocals, and Bobby Jankowski on Drums.

This Friday night, Strange Heart will celebrate the release of their debut album Sinking Ships at The Loving Touch in Ferndale. Joining them for the evening are After Dark Amusement Park, The Black Drops, and DJ Eric Novak from Stone Owl. We had a chance to catch up with the band at The WAB to talk about the new album and the release show. Check out what the guys had to say and get to know Strange Heart. 

As the band mentioned, there are four new songs available for streaming now. You can check those out here. Make sure you also head over and "like" Strange Heart on Facebook here so you are in the know when the album is released on all streaming platforms.  

Cover for Friday's release show is $10 and tickets can be purchased in advance here. Things are set to kick off at 8 p.m. and all ages are welcome. 

~C

Eat, Shop, and Celebrate Local at The Detroit Urban Craft Fair this Weekend

Have you ever noticed that the older you get, the less magical the holidays can feel? I've noticed that once Halloween has passed, I start to get stressed out because even little trips up to the grocery store can feel overwhelming and there is traffic everywhere I go. It impossible to just "run into" a store and everyone including me seems stressed out. All the stress and anxiety really sucks the joy right out of gift giving and getting together with friends and family. But, there are a few ways that we have found to put the happy back into the holidays and one of those magical experiences is coming to Detroit this weekend.

The Detroit Urban Craft Fair will be returning to Detroit for the 13th year in the row. The three day extravaganza is one of the only events that we look forward to every year because not only is it fun, it's also one of the best places to get a bunch of shopping done in one place. The craft fair features over 100 local vendors that are actually there behind the tables repping their brands. If you have a questions about one of the handmade items, you can ask the person who made it and gift it along with a story about where it came from and how it was made. It makes the experience of shopping magical and interesting instead of stressful. It's more like going on a treasure hunt for something special for someone you love, than fulfilling the obligation of getting a holiday gift.

The three day fair takes place November 30 - December 2nd at The Masonic Temple in Detroit. The first day or preview event is $10 a person and the next two days are only $1 a person with 12 and under getting in for free. This year's opening party proceeds will be donated to Girls Rock Detroit.  The show will run from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday. The preview event also features some special surprises every year and the first 50 people through the door on Saturday will get a swag bag with entry.  To find out more about the fair, including the full vendor list for the show, you can click here. There will be food and drinks for sale and you can walk around with a cocktail while you shop. In fact, we highly suggest it! 

~S

Everything You Need to Know About Noel Night

Noel Night will be returning to Detroit for the 46th year in a row! The once modest festival has become a huge gathering that features events at over 120 hot spots in the city. This includes free entry to some of the area's most popular spaces, like The DIA, The Michigan Science Center, and The Detroit Historical Museum. There will be performances all over town by lots of different artists, including Frank Moka, Olivia Millerschin, and Thornetta Davis. There will also be fun events for the whole family including ice scrapers competition in front of CCS, Horse Carriage Rides around WSU, and art and retail popups in different spaces around town. The biggest change to this year's event is that it actually starts at 11 a.m. and it will run throughout the day making more time for you to stop in and more room for everyone that wants to have an experience. So, without further ado here are links to everything you want to know about Noel Night!

Where to Eat 

Live Music- Who What When and Where

Where to Shop

List of All The Spaces Participating In this Year's Noel Night 

~S

Win Tickets To Party with 3OH!3 @ The Crofoot

Ten years ago, a duo known as 3OH!3 hit the airwaves with their single "Don't Trust Me" and we guarantee that you danced to their tunes at least on one occasion. You definitely could have caught us at Luna dancing like idiots to their songs on any given week. Their album that was released that year was entitled WANT and featured songs like "DONTTRUSTME" and "STARSTRUKK". Take a trip down memory lane by hitting play below.

3OH!3 is currently on tour celebrating the 10th anniversary of WANT and they will be playing the album in full. To make this tour even more of a party, they have teamed up with Emo Nite, who will be playing your favorite emo songs while you scream along. The tour will be making a stop at The Crofoot this Friday, November 30th. Tickets to attend "The WANT House Party Tour" are $25 and can be purchased in advance here. Thanks to our friends at The Crofoot, we are also giving away a pair of tickets to this show. To enter to win, send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #3OH!3 in the subject line. 

This is going to be a super fun night that you do not want to miss! All ages are welcome to attend this party and doors will open at 8 p.m.

~C

Win Tickets to See Underoath with Dance Gavin Dance

Throughout the early 2000's Underoath dominated the hardcore scene. The band had a huge following and released 7 studio albums during their run. Then in 2013, Underoath broke the hearts of their loyal fans when they disbanded. Luckily, the breakup didn't last too long. Now, they are out on tour in support of their eighth studio album that was released earlier this year. This is the first time the band released new music in nearly a decade. Give Erase Me a listen below.

Underoath is currently on their "Erase Me" Tour along with Dance Gavin Dance, Crown The Empire, and The Plot In You. The tour will be making a stop in Metro Detroit to play Royal Oak Music Theatre this Sunday, December 2nd. Tickets to the show are $29.50 and can be purchased in advance here. You can also enter to win a pair of tickets to this show by sending your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #underoath in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Saturday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize. 

All ages are welcome to attend this show and doors will open at 6 p.m. For more info, click here. 

~C

JettBlast Fest Brings Legends New & Old to PJ's Lager House

If you're a fan of Detroit music, chances are at least one band that you like has had music released by Jett Plastic Recordings. Their roster includes bands like The Idiot Kids, Caveman & Bam Bam, Grayling, and White Shag, alongside big names like Corey Feldman and Macaulay Culkin's infamous project The Pizza Underground. They have released numerous records for bands both locally and worldwide and are a huge part of  the Detroit music scene.

This weekend, Jett Plastic will be celebrating great music from here and abroad at JettBlast Fest. This is the second year for this two night fest, that features eighteen bands on two stages. The fest will take place at PJ's Lager House on Friday, November 23rd and Saturday, November 24th. Check out the lineup for each night below.

FRIDAY
BANTAM ROOSTER

ANCIENT LANGUAGE

JONNY POLONSKY

CRYSTAL DRIVE

TROY TOMA

DAS

ZILCHED

DOOLEY WILSON

...and surprise guests

SATURDAY

HYSTERIC NARCOTICS

MARK WHALEN & THE BUTTERMILK BOYS

ALL SEEING EYES

THE IDIOT KIDS

DEADLY LO-FI

KIMBALL

TART

THE WAYBURNS

BILLY DAVIS

Tickets for Jett Blast Fest are $10 per night or $18 for a weekend pass. There is also a VIP option available for $48, which includes admission to both nights, a commemorative tote bag, a set of commemorative pinback buttons (two designs), a fest exclusive 12" vinyl compilation on clear vinyl, limited edition Jett Plastic 7" (chosen at random), a 11x17 commemorative poster, and a VIP laminate. Tickets and VIP tickets can be purchased online here. 

You can also enter to win a pair of weekend passes to JettBlast Fest by sending your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #jett in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Friday morning and they will get into the fest for free, both nights, along with a friend.

Doors for JettBlast Fest open at 7 p.m. both nights. 21+ are welcome. For more info and to stay in the loop on the fest this weekend, head over to the Facebook event page here. 

~C

Help Planet Ant Grow to Be Even Bigger and Better

A lot of people grow up thinking that the only way that they are going to make a name for themselves is to leave Detroit. But, over the last thirty years, a few key people thought differently and those people have built spaces where the already affluent artistic community of Detroit is currently flourishing. This includes new spaces like Assemble Sound that are bringing music making back to Motown, and older spaces like Planet Ant who have been supporting acting and theater since 1993.

This mecca of art, music, theater, film and more started as a small coffee shop were a little group of Detroiters could share their skills and eventually expanded into a multi building non-profit that is helping the artistic community thrive. 

One of the reasons that they have had such a positive impact on their community is that they put their money where their mouth is. A lot of local collectives promise that they will help enrich and support their neighborhoods, but they do very little for those that aren't involved with their groups or directly supporting them with funding. Planet Ant does exactly the opposite. They support lots of other groups and causes in the community throughout the year. This includes barely blinking when we asked to host a vegan event in their space last year. They staffed the room and supported us in every way that they could because they wanted to, which is the coolest thing you can do.

Now, it's our turn to help support them so that they can keep up the good work. They are asking for donations to help build out their space even more. You can get a full picture of what they hope to do by reading through their campaign here, and you can donate to their cause by clicking here. We can assure you that Planet Ant will use every dollar to keep building and maintaining a community within their walls and within the Metro Detroit area. 

The fundraiser will run through December 18th at 3 p.m. and there are all sorts of perks that you can claim for throwing some money into the jar. If we do not support the spaces that support us, they will not exist.  

~S 

Find Something for Everyone at The Rust Belt this Holiday Season

The Rust Belt Market is one of the coolest spaces in Metro Detroit. The former Old Navy Outlet turned into artisan heaven is unlike any other shopping experience around. There are 40+ vendors that are permanently located inside the building alongside a full bar, 2 pop-up spaces that change out every weekend, and an event space that hosts lots of interesting vendors and shows throughout the year.

There is also something for everyone inside the market. If you need a gift or just want to walk around and find something cool for yourself, you will. With so many vendors catering to so many different types of aesthetics, there is truly something for everyone. We highly suggest stopping in over the holiday season and seeing how many gifts you can get in one loop. We went by last week and started off our shopping by picking up a few locally made items for the neat and dear on our list. We took some photos of what we found to entice you, but we also wanted to let you know that THIS WEEKEND is the ideal time to stop by because this Saturday they will also be hosting a pin, sticker, and patch convention inside their space.

PinzuCon is returning to The Rust Belt for the second time and we cannot recommend it enough! We went by the first time around and left with a fist full of new buttons for all of our jackets and bags. If you love little pieces of swag as much as we do YOU WILL LOVE THIS SHOW! You can find all the details about the show here and you can stop by to shop The Rust Belt from noon until 7 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday (special hours), and 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday.

~S 

Win Tickets to the Metal Alliance Tour at The Magic Stick

This Friday, you can either go shopping and get Black Friday deals or go to The Magic Stick and see some Black Metal! Black Iris Booking is bringing the Metal Alliance Tour to town with headliners Goatwhore. The tour also features big names like Black Tusk, Great American Ghost, GOZU, and The Casualties. You're probably wondering, "why are The Casualties on this tour?" We were wondering the same thing. Regardless, this is a pretty awesome lineup and you won't want to miss it!

Tickets for the Metal Alliance Tour are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the show. You can purchase your tickets in advance here. You can also enter to win a pair of tickets to the show by sending your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #blackfridaymetal in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Friday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize.

Doors are set to open at 5:30 p.m. and all ages are welcome.

~C

Downtown Brown Celebrates the Release of "CaliFlorida" this Thanksgiving Eve

This Thanksgiving Eve, there will be a lot of fun shows and parties happening throughout Metro Detroit, but one of the best ones of all is happening at The Loving Touch. Detroit's own Downtown Brown will be celebrating the release of their seventh album, CaliFlorida. The long awaited album was officially released last month and now the band is on tour in support of the release. 

Downtown Brown will be hitting the stage at The Loving Touch this Wednesday night along with The Doozers and The Scapes. Tickets for the show are $12 and can be purchased in advance here. We had a chance to chat with front man Neil Patterson about the new album and Wednesday's show. Hit play below to give CaliFlorida a listen and read ahead to see what Neil had to say! 

HID- It has been almost 2 years since we talked to you last. Then, you were getting ready to leave Detroit and our winters. What's been going on in the world of Downtown Brown since we talked last?Neil- "It's been nuts. I moved to California in 2016 to continue the band in SoCal and make new music. A whole lotta shit got in the way... my dad died, my mom had three brain surgeries (she's ok now), I had to get hernia surgery, and I had a ton of interpersonal turmoil. It took forever, but I FINALLY finished this album and we're currently on a 2 month tour celebrating that."

HID- Tell us about your new album CaliFlorida! Where did you record it? Is there any meaning behind the title?
Neil- "The title is just an inside joke. We started touring in 2007 and always called the sunshine state 'CaliFlorida'. The album was recorded in L.A. and Detroit and features musicians from Sublime, Fishbone, Parliament Funkadelic, Lynyrd Skynyrd ...as well as members of Downtown Brown's touring lineups. It's the most fully realized, best sounding album I've ever made. I'm really proud of it."

HID- This Wednesday night you're celebrating the release here at home. Why should everyone come out to the show?Neil- "Because we're gonna put on a great show in celebration of everything we have to be grateful for; our friends, our health, our home, and the fact that we still get to do this shit after 17 years of being a band."

HID- Since it's the night before Thanksgiving, what's your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?Neil- "Yammmsss"

HID- Any tips on how your fans can get through Thanksgiving day with their families after partying too much with Downtown Brown the night before?

Neil- "Pedialyte. Gatorade. Stay hydrated, folks. Take a nap. Watch the Lions.

HID- Is there anything else that you would like our readers to know?Neil- "I'm just super excited to play music with my friends in our hometown. I didn't know if this album would ever get finished ...but it did. I have so much to be thankful for. I'm not in jail and I love my Mom. Life is pretty decent."

Doors will open at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night. For more info, click here.

~C

The Wonderfully Witchy World of The Boston Tea Room

If you're searching for the perfect gift to get all of the witches in your coven, The Boston Tea Room in Ferndale has got you covered. From sticks of Palo Alto to stones in every color shape and size they have everything you need to get rid of anything that you do not want to take into 2019.  

The unique tea room offers psychic services as well as everything you need to balance your space. This includes a wide selection of books, candles, home decor, stones, jewelry, and more. We love to walk around and browse every time we are in the area and we never know what we are going to leave with.  

Here's all of the cool things we saw during our last visit to the shop. Consider stopping in and shopping local if you know someone who might be more interested in black magic than black Friday! 

~S