Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: April 29 - May 1

 We already told you about the Cinco de Mayo celebration in Southwest Detroit. Here are some other fun things happening this weekend!

Friday, April 29^th – The Lucid Furs @ PJ’s Lager House: The Lucid Furs will be playing PJ’s Lager House this Friday night! They will be joined by Carmel Liburdi, A Rueful Noise (Lansing), and Lollygagger (Chicago). Cover for this great lineup is only $12 and tickets can be purchased in advance here. The fun starts at 8 p.m.

Friday, April 29^th – John Salvage & New Twenty Saints @ Outer Limits Lounge: Outer Limits has a great show lined up for this Friday night! The bill includes John Salvage & New Twenty Saints with ZZVAVA and Hell Dollars. Cover is only $8 and doors open at 9 p.m.  Check out John Salvage & NTS’ new album here.

Saturday, April 30^th – Detroit X Detroit @ The Loving Touch: After two years off, Detroit XDetroit returns this Saturday night and it's celebrating its 10th year! The event will feature over a dozen local acts performing as other Detroit acts for one night only. Each band will perform three songs, with non-stop music bouncing back and forth between two stages. Some of the acts being covered include The Stooges, Stevie Wonder, The Romantics, MC5, and more. Check out the full lineup here. Cover is $10 and tickets can be purchased in advance here. Proceeds will go to a special scholarship at School of Rock to benefit a future Detroit rock & roller. All ages are welcome.

Sunday, May 1^st – Flipside Grand Re-Opening Celebration: If you haven’t heard, Flipside packed up shop and made the move from Clawson to Berkley recently. Now the new store is set up and ready to welcome the public in. Their doors are already open, but they are officially celebrating their re-opening this Sunday afternoon. There will be sales and live music from Birds of Prey, Killing Pixies, and Ten Thousand Teeth. The fun starts at 11 a.m. Flipside’s new home can be found at 3099 Coolidge Hwy., Berkley, 48072.

 

Sunday, May 1st - Zilched @ Outer Limits Lounge: OLL has another solid show this weekend with Zilched on Sunday! They will be joined by The Corridors, Beechwood, and Delaney Craigh. Cover is only $5 and doors open at 8 p.m.

~C

Say Hello to Trap Vegan

Once upon a time, going vegan was a lifetime sentence of eating Boca burgers and salads without cheese every time you went to a restaurant. Being vegan and eating out used to be hard, but being vegan in 2022 is downright easy and somewhat gluttonous. There are so many great restaurants cooking up good vegan options throughout Metro Detroit and a few special places that keep it 100% plant-based. 

Trap Vegan is the latest local vegan spot to take our breath away. They specialize in the classics, meaning burgers and fries. They pair this with some specials and a variety of smoothies and fresh juices to give diners a well-rounded yummy and unique experience that you can't have anywhere else. They are small and family-owned, and mostly there for the to-go crowd. Sure, they have a couple of chairs in their space, but it's the kind of place that you want to order in advance and grab when you want something quick and yummy. Their burgers and sliders feature a unique mixture of ingredients, including special sauces and onion rings. They also have tons of sides, including tots, sweet potato fries, and of course the classic curly fry. Most importantly, everything is 100% vegan and plant-based. We were pleasantly surprised by the options, portions, and service and how good we felt after eating there. Sure we had a burger and fries, but it wasn't greasy and it didn't weigh us down or make us want to go to bed. 

Trap Vegan is a few blocks south of 8 Mile on Livernois. If you live in Ferndale, it's only a few minutes outside of the city and it's worth the short trip. It's different than anywhere else in town and it's really good!

~S

Win Tickets to See Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist, and Boldy James at The Fillmore

 

Who: Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist, and Boldy James.

What: Playing The Fillmore on May 8, 2022.

Tickets are $35+ in advance and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Action.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on May 7, 2022.

~S

Win Tickets to See Feisty Femme Fatale Takeover at Small's featuring Tiger Sex, Macho + The Cult of Space Skull

Who: Feisty Femme Fatale Takeover at Small's featuring Tiger Sex, Macho + The Cult of Space Skull.

What: Playing Small's on Friday, May 6, 2022 @ 8 p.m.

Tickets are $10 in advance and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Feisty.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on May 5, 2022. 

~S

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo in Southwest Detroit

Photo from Detroit Free Press

After a two-year hiatus, Southwest is about to come alive to celebrate Cinco De Mayo this Sunday. The streets will fill up with floats, marching bands, Mariachi bands, vehicles draped in festive cultural items, Mexican flags, and much more. Plus, all the great local shops, bars, and restaurants will be open and celebrating. Many of them will have specials and deals for the celebration.. 

"The Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metropolitan Detroit will host the 57th Annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival beginning at noon on Sunday, May 1. The 2.2–mile parade route will start from Springwells St. and will travel east along W. Vernor Hwy., ending at W. Grand Blvd. Additionally, a cultural and musical festival is planned at Plaza del Sol located near W. Vernor Hwy. and 21st St. from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1." Expect to find " authentic food and groceries like handmade tamales, pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread), fresh tortillas, and marinated cuts of meats to Mexican-made crafts, décor and novelty items, customers can find everything they need to enjoy an authentic Cinco de Mayo celebration in Southwest Detroit or at home."

~S

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: April 22 - 24

Friday, April 22nd - The Schizophonics wsg The Cheetahs & Toeheads @ PJ’s Lager House: Start your weekend off right with a great show at PJ’s Lager House. The lineup includes The Cheetahs, Toeheads, and The Schizophonics from San Diego. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 the day of the show. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the music starts at 9.

 

Saturday, April 23^rd – Record Store Day: Over the past couple of years, there have been multiple Record Store Days and exclusive releases to go along with them. This year, there is only going to be one Record Store Day and it is happening this Saturday, April 23rd. Record stores throughout the world and in our area are having all sorts of special events to commemorate the big day. Some of the highlights include:

Village Vinyl – 5 Year Anniversary & Record Store Day all in one! 20% OFF select items, 10% OFF everything else (excluding RSD exclusives and dollar bin), giveaways, free snacks, and $1 off a beverage at Kuhnhenn Brewery across the street with a VV receipt. WLLZ will even be there from 8-10 a.m.!

Flipside Records – Not only is Flipside celebrating RSD, but they’re also celebrating their grand reopening at their new shop in Berkley. There will be sales throughout the day in addition to the special RSD titles. Get more info here.

Dearborn Music – The first 20 people in line will get SWAG bags. There will also be other giveaways throughout the day, including concert tickets!

Solo Records – Open at 9:30 a.m. with RSD titles and giveaways throughout the day.

Melodies & Memories - Screamin' Scott Randall from WRIF will be playing vinyl from 11 a.m. Plus, they’re celebrating Danny Z’s birthday!

 

Saturday, April 23^rd – Backstage Sale @ The Redford Theatre: See what treasurers you can find at The Redford Theatre this Saturday afternoon! The Goblin King Players and The Redford Theatre will be selling props, memorabilia, and more at their Backstage Sale from noon – 4 p.m. It will only cost you $2 to get in the door and who knows what you’ll find once you’re inside.

 

Saturday, April 23^rd – Lars Fredriksen @ Small’s: Rancid guitarist & vocalist Lars Fredriksen will bring his solo act to Small’s this Saturday night. He will be joined by Joe Sib and Boss Hooligan Soundsystem. Tickets are only $20 in advance or $25 the day of the show. Not many tickets remain, so don’t chance it! Pick yours up here. Give Lars’ latest music a listen here.

 

Sunday, April 24^th – Girl Fight @ PJ’s Lager House: Sotol from NYC will be in town Sunday night to play PJ’s Lager House and they will be joined by Girl Fight, Macho, and The Antibuddies. Cover is only $7. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the music starts at 8.

~C

Win Tickets to See ADULT. wsg Kontravoid and Spike Hellis

Who: ADULT. wsg Kontravoid and Spike Hellis

What: Playing at City Club on May 2, 2022.

Tickets are $18 in advance and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #ADULT.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on May 1, 022.

~S

Win Tickets to See Former U.S. Senator Al Franken

Who: AEG Presents Al Franken - The Only Former U.S. Senator Currently on Tour Tour

What: Performing at The Royal Oak Music Theatre on Saturday, April 30, 2022. 

Tickets are $45 in advance or $95 the day of the show and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Al.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on April 29, 2022.

~S

Win Tickets to See Lala Lala wsg Elton Aura

Who: Party Store Productions presents: Lala Lala wsg Elton Aura

What: Playing Outer Limits Lounge on April 30, 2022.

Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 the day of the show and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #LalaLala.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on April 29, 2022.

~S

Win Tickets to See Lewis Black at The Fillmore

Who: Lewis Black: Off The Rails

What: Playing The Fillmore Detroit on Friday, April 29, 2022.

Tickets are $45 in advance or $75 the day of the show and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Black.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on April 28, 2022.

~S

Win Tickets to See Charli XCX

Who: AEG Presents Crash The Live Tour 2022 with Charli XCX

What: Playing Royal Oak Music Theatre on April 26, 2022.

Tickets are $34.50 in advance and $45 the day of the show and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Crash.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on April 25, 2022.

~S

T-Shirts for the Climate

 

Do you love a good t-shirt? Are you endlessly looking for something with a funny slogan, cool print, or a unique logo on it? Reware Vintage in Berkely, Michigan specializes in curated vintage t-shirts and more. They have a huge collection of cool, funny, and rare shirts that you can't find anywhere else and their goal is to have so many cool things in their store that you would rather shop secondhand first. To help encourage less consumption and to celebrate Earth Day, they have curated a special weekend event that caters to t-shirt lovers and helps support two great local charities, Evergreen Collaborative and 350.org.

Earth Day weekend (April 22 +23) Reware Vintage will have hundreds of cool t-shirts on special for $10 and all the money from the sale of these t-shirts will go to the aforementioned charities. ALL OF THE MONEY, not some of the money, not just the proceeds, but the complete haul will be going to charity.

How is this possible? 

The shop's owner Bethany Nixon has been hard at work collecting shirt donations from people who have something they are ready to part with. In fact, Reware Vintage is still collecting t-shirts to add to the sale and hopes those interested will call the store, or stop in with their donations. Donations can be made in the storefront at 2965 12 Mile Rd., from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

The T-shirts for the Climate sale will take place on Earth Day - Friday, April 22nd, 5-9 p.m., and on Saturday, April 23rd 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Reware Vintage storefront. To learn more about Reware Vintage follow them here.

~S

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: April 15-17

Friday, April 15th - Something Cold @ UFO Factory: Follow the fog to UFO Factory this Friday night for Something Cold. The night will be full of rare minimal-synth, industrial and wave records. The music starts at 10 p.m. and $5 gets you in the door. 

Friday, April 15th - The Witches and Cosmic Light Shapes @ Bowlero: The Witches are back and they're playing Bowlero this Friday night! The Witches played their first show in years last week at Small's. In case you missed it, you have a chance to see them again Friday night with Cosmic Light Shapes. Plus, it's free! Cosmic Light Shapes play at 9 p.m. and The Witches start at 10. 

Saturday, April 16th - Saturday Joint Marketplace @ Spot Lite Detroit: Shop with over a dozen makers and vendors while listening DJs at Spot Lite this Saturday. The Banddeaux Detroit presents the Saturday Joint Marketplace this Saturday from noon - 4:30 p.m. The DJs for the day include Donavan Glover, MAE & LAN, and DJ A-List.

Saturday, April 16th - Shortly @ The Loving Touch: Shortly plays her first show in Michigan since 2019 this Saturday night at The Loving Touch! Since her last time playing in her home state, she has released a new album. So this is the first time that her local fans can hear those tunes live. Tickets are $15 in advance or $17 the day of the show. All ages are welcome and doors open at 7 p.m. Make sure you get there early to check out all of the openers, especial Ally Evenson! 

~C

Mezcal Opens in Downtown Ferndale

Jose Granados and Sandra Haro are passionate about mezcal, luchadores, and good food. So much so that they created an entire restaurant around these three things. Their new Downtown Ferndale eatery is called Mezcal. It features 30 different types of agave spirits, murals of Lucha libre wrestlers, and lots of good food. 

Mezcal serves up all the traditional Mexican restaurant staples, including tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, and tostadas, but everything has its own twist to it. When it comes to Mexican it is all about how the food is seasoned and everything we had came with the perfect amount of spice. We particularly liked whatever was coating the chips when we dipped them into their house-made guacamole. Together they made a killer combination. There are a few vegan and vegetarian items on the menu, but the meats are a big part of the draw of this restaurant. They have six different meat choices, including birria, asada, and pastor. This means we didn't get to try most of the food on the menu, so you will just have to go there and do it yourself!

Mezcal is located at 201 E. 9 Mile Road. They are open 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and they are closed on Sunday.

Welcome to Downtown Ferndale, Mezcal!

~S

Win Tickets to See Lars Frederiksen wsg Joe Sib

Who: Lars Frederiksen wsg Joe Sib

What: Playing Small's on April 23, 2022.                

Tickets are $20 in advance and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Small's.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on April 22.

~S

Win Tickets to See Cavetown wsg Tessa Violet and Addison Grace

Who: Cavetown wsg Tessa Violet and Addison Grace

What: Playing The Fillmore on April 24, 2022.

Tickets are $30-$59 in advance and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Cavetown.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on April 23, 2022.

~S

Keep It Classic with Cass Cafe

Over the last 10 years, Detroit has seen an explosion of new and delicious restaurants and culinary experiences take over the dining scene. We have so many opportunities to try something new that we find ourselves forgetting about some of the staples that got us through all the years when there weren't so many unique places to try in Detroit. To course-correct, we revisited one of our old school Cass Corridor staples, the Cass Cafe.

Photo borrowed from Cass Cafe's Facebook

Cass Cafe originally opened its doors in 1993. They have always showcased local artists and were one of the only places to feature vegan/vegetarian options on the menu in the early aughts, and although they recently switched up the management in the kitchen, they continue to serve up some of the same great things that we went there for a decade ago. This includes the Cass Ave. Grilled Cheese, the Lentil Burger, and the Motor City Fish & Chips. They also stuck to their guns and kept their no TV policy, which in 2022 is rare and welcomed. What we're trying to say is that this classic Cass Ave. spot is just as good if not better than we remember. Plus, they have a nice little patio for sunny brunches over the summer.

Photo borrowed from Cass Cafe's Facebook

If it's been a while since you stopped by Cass Cafe, it's time to revisit. You can book a reservation online and find a parking spot using the guide here. You can find Cass Cafe's hours here.

~S

Win Tickets to See Cat Power at St. Andrew's Hall

Who: Cat Power

What: Playing St. Andrews Hall on April 21, 2022.

Tickets are $35-45 in advance and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Cat.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on April 20, 2022.

~S

Win Tickets to See Riverside with Keith Semple of The Cyberiam

Who: Riverside with Keith Semple of The Cyberiam.

What: Playing the Magic Stick on April 20, 2022.

Tickets are $25 in advance and they can be purchased here.

Or you can enter to win a pair!

How? Email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #Riverside.

Enter now, the winner will be drawn on April 19, 2022.

~S

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: April 8-10

Photo from the Detroit Tigers' Facebook

Friday, April 8th - Tigers Opening Day: If sports are your thing or you're in the mood to party, today is the day. It's Tigers Opening Day! After some uncertainty on when the MLB season would start or if it would even start, opening day in Detroit is here. The Tigers will be taking on the White Sox at 1:10 p.m. Jack White and his band will be playing the National Anthem before the game and before his shows at the Masonic Temple this weekend. There will also be parties all around town. Tickets are still available for both the Tigers game and Jack White's shows.

Friday, April 8th - Edison Hollow, Distilled Tongues, Bill Kozy's Rising Force, Super Devil @ The Sanctuary: The Sanctuary has a great show this Friday night with Bill Kozy's Rising Force, Edison Hollow, Distilled Tongues, and Superdevil. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased here. All ages are welcome and doors open at 7 p.m.

Friday, April 8th - Vinyl Up Your A** Vol. XIII @ Outer Limits Lounge: After the show at The Sanctuary, make your way down the street to Outer Limits Lounge to sip some drinks and spin some records with Heavy & Beyond. This special edition of Vinyl Up You A** is also a birthday celebration for Heavy & Beyond's own Anthony Franchina and his band mate from Midas, Joe Kupiec. There will also be tacos available from Timmy's Tacos. Drinks, tacos, and heavy metal... doesn't get much better than that! Admission is free. Tacos will be available starting at 7 p.m. and the tunes start around 9 p.m.

Saturday, April 9th - Cat Bingo @ Catfe Lounge: Bingo may have been a dog, but this weekend, bingo is all about the cats! Catfe Lounge will be hosting a fun night of bingo benefitting homeless cats in the area and the Ferndale Cat Shelter. Tickets are $30, which gets you in the game with a chance to win prizes and you'll get to pet some cats while you're there. Sounds like a great night! The fun goes from 7-10 p.m. Get your tickets here. 

Saturday, April 9th - Firewalkers @ PJ's Lager House: Don't miss The Firewalkers with their  fabulous frontwomen Laura Mendoza this Saturday night! They will be playing at PJ's Lager House with Haf-Life and The Science Fair. Tickets are only $10, doors open at 8 p.m., and the show starts at 9. 

Sunday, April 10th - All Things Detroit @ Eastern Market: All Things Detroit's semi-annual event comes to Eastern Market this Sunday! This marketplace will feature "250 small businesses who showcase the best of Detroit/Metro Detroit". There will also be food trucks, a photo booth, DJs, puppy adoption, and more. Admission is $5 and the event goes from 11 a.m. -  4 p.m.

Sunday, April 10th - Drag Brunch @ The Peterboro: Have brunch with the queens this Sunday at The Peterboro. $25 gets you brunch, cocktails, and a great show presented by Slay. Proceeds will benefit the Ruth Ellis Center. Shows are at 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. with doors opening 30 minutes prior to show time. Reserve your spot at the brunch table by purchasing tickets here. 

Sunday, April 10th - Muppets & Rum @ Lost River Tiki: End your weekend by sipping some tasty cocktails at the tiki bar and watching Muppets movies at Lost River. There will be Muppet cocktails, Muppet Treasure Island, Muppet Show episodes, Muppets Take Manhattan, and more. Gajiza Dumplins  will be available and happy hour goes all night. 

~C