Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: July 5th & 6th

Saturday, July 5th - Freak For All: There will be short bikes, tall bikes, big bikes, small bikes! Bikes of all shapes and sizes will take over Lincoln Street Art Park this Saturday for the Detroit Freak for All. Put on by Detroit Freak Bike, the event will feature custom-built bikes, rolling sculptures, whacky creations and whimsical art! Freakbikes, Art Cars, Custom Bicycles, Sculpture, Visual Arts, and all things weird and whacky. It's free to attend, all are welcome, and the fun goes from 3-9 PM. After 9, the party moves inside Lincoln Factory, with live music from Glass Chimera, Gusher, and Matthew Teardrop Orchestra. There will also be DJs too! Get all of the details here. 

Saturday, July 5th - Kelly's Bar Luau: Kelly's Bar is having a Luau and you're invited! There will be fireworks, a pig roast, vendors and more, plus lots of live music! The lineup includes Suede Brain, Chekcer, Walk Talkies and more! Admission is free and the fun goes from 4 PM - 2 AM. 

Saturday, July 5th - Murphy's Law @ Small's: New York hardcore legends Murphy's Law will hit the stage at Small's this Saturday night! Joining them are The Take, Busby Death Chair and Sabertooth Gary. Tickets are $28.78 and can be purchased here. Doors open at 7 PM for this one.

Sunday, July 6th - Sunday Sessions @ Kiesling: End your holiday weekend right with Sunday Sessions at Kiesling. This time around, Eastside Jon will have Dez Andres with him! Things kick off at 5 PM and go until 9. 

~C

Win Tickets to See Zilched and Handgrenades at UFO Factory

For just over 15 months, UFO Factory in Corktown was closed. A construction crew cracked the foundation of the building and the city condemned it. But, after over $400,000 of renovations, the bar officially reopened its doors this past October. The space is better than ever before and there are a ton of reasons to make sure that you stop in to see it. You can see a full list of shows that they have planned here. 

You can also enter to win tickets to see two of Detroit's best bands in the newly re-opened, out of this world bar. Zilched and Handgrenades will co-headline a very early show at the bar the day after Valentine's Day, Friday February 15th. This early night on the town will feature Zilched hitting the stage at 7 p.m. with the HG's following up with a full set at 9 p.m. Then, the bar will host an after party that will feature DJ sets from Tropical Storm Prins and Eastside Jon. Pre-sale tickets to attend the sure to sell out show are only $10 in advance and $15 the day of the show, You can purchase your pre-sale tickets here. Even with a service fee, it is cheaper to buy your tickets in advance so there really ins't a reason not to do so. But we know that a lot of you won't listen and you'll be posting about how bummed you are when the show sells out. So we secured two guest list spots for a Hip in Detroit reader and a guest.

If you would like to be on the guest list for this one, please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #HG. We will draw one lucky person the morning of the event and they will get to attend the show and see the re-opened space for free. You can check out some of the HG's music here and hear some Zilched here. We highly recommend catching both of these bands live, they are worth it!

~S

Celebrate The Holidays with Hip at Willis Show Bar this Thursday!

Hip in Detroit has teamed up with our friends at Obscura Broadcasting Company to celebrate the holidays in the hippesst way possible! We are hosting a holiday party at Willis Show Bar, one of our new favorite places to experience a classic Detroit night out.

We want all of you to throw on something festive to spend the evening enjoying live music and performances by some of Detroit's best talents. This includes DJ sets by Eastside Jon (Funk Night/ Slow Jams), live music from Versions a project featuring Willa Rae and Sara Marie Barron, and burlesque dancers that will add an extra dose of beauty and art to the night. It's been awhile since we fell so in love with an experience that we needed to share it with all of you, but after visiting a few times, we knew that we had to invite all of you to experience this for yourself.

Our party will take place at Willis Show Bar this Thursday, December 20th. There will be two performances throughout the evening. The first show will take place at 8 p.m. and the second will take place at 10. Tickets to attend either time are only $5 and each show runs about 2 hours. We promise that this will be one of the coolest experiences that you have ever had! Tickets to book your seat are available here and you can find out more about the Willis Show Bar here.

~S

Win Tickets to the Sheefy McFly Album Release Party

Many of us know Sheefy McFly as a visual artist and hip hop battle host, but after his album release this Friday, September 2nd he will also be known as a hip hop artist and beat maker. He has invited some of his friends to help him release his new album at Marble Bar. This includes Shigeto, Clyde Moop, Black Bass and Eastside Jon.

Tickets to get in to the show are $3 before Midnight and $10 after. Ladies are free until 10 p.m. We also have one pair of tickets to give away to the show courtesy of Party Store Productions.  If you would like to attend the show for free with a friend please email your full name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with the subject line #mcfly. We will draw one lucky winner one Friday and will make sure that they have a great time on Friday night! 

~S

Celebrate The Fourth of July at Slow Jams

It's been awhile since we mentioned one of our favorite weekly events, so we wanted to remind all of you that Slow Jams is still the coolest place to spend a Monday night in the City of Detroit. DJs Eastside Jon and Erno have been bringing good music to your ears every Monday night for almost 8  years. My favorite part about Slow Jams is it has always been and will always be all vinyl.

This Monday, July 4th they will be taking over Marble Bar to celebrate the Fourth of July with a full day of celebration. They also invited some friends to come and trade sets throughout the day. The lineup for the party includes Jeremy Kypta, Mister Joshooa, Aran Daniels, Soren and Foton. The music will start at 2 p.m. and go until 2 a.m. They will be BBQ-ing on the patio and they will have fireworks once it is dark enough to see them.

~S

Catch Slow Jams at The Marble Bar this Saturday

Slow Jams is switching it up and doing something a little different this holiday season. They will be hosting a special session of Slow Jams at The Marble Bar this Saturday, December 26th. This special session will feature Eastside Jon alongside Detroit native DJ Dez Andres, the man behind Slum Village and La Vida Records.

Slow Jams is not your typical dance party. The DJs are known to play some very obscure Detroit tunes and they only spin real vinyl records, nothing digital. Slow Jams recently celebrated their 7 year anniversary. You can usually catch creators Erno the Inferno and Eastside Jon spinning records for FREE every Monday at Woodbridge. They have all sorts of guest DJs that also drop in from week to week. 

This Saturday the music will start at 9 p.m. and it is only $5 to get into Marble Bar if you get there before 11 p.m. and $10 after.  

If you want to hear a little sample of what Slow Jams is all about, check it out here.

~S 

Detroit Must See: Duane The Brand New Dog

A lot of artists are easy to describe, but Duane the Brand New Dog is a little more difficult to explain. He is a 23 year old performance artist that embodies everything good about the '90s, despite only being a small child during them. This Detroit born artist started his career as Duane the Teenage Weirdo, but changed his name before releasing his latest album CD​-​R LP. He was recently featured on the cover of Pride Source magazine, was interviewed by The Free Press, and was flown to Poland to perform for fans that couldn't get enough of him after seeing him open for The Black Lips.

Duane is a graduate of Detroit’s High School for the Fine and Performing Arts and credits Bowie, Prince, and Madonna for shaping his musical ear and his personal style. He has a very unique approach to fashion. He states that he, "love(s) going to the thrift store and getting $5 jackets". And, by "jackets" he means full shoulder pads, Delta Burke style jackets! He also draws a lot of fashion inspiration from none other than The Golden Girls. He's no stranger to pushing people's idea of what someone is supposed to be, which is why he so refreshingly doesn't really fit in any fucking box.

I have been waiting for someone like Duane to come onto the scene. I was eager for something unique and he has given me my fix. I like listening to his new album while I write or work, it puts me in a good mood and it's fun to dance to. Check out his new album here and then head out to Elijah's in Hamtramck tonight to catch him performing with a great lineup that includes our favorite local DJ Eastside Jon.

Check out this teaser video to get a feel for Duane:

This artist is Hip AF!

~S 

The Return of Funk Night!!!

It's been awhile since Detroit has gotten down 'til the wee hours of the morning, but this Friday night is your chance to once again! November 1st marks the official return of Funk Night. For years this monthly event was the best dance party around. After changing locations several times it changed its m.o. a bit and moved from the underground to The Majestic Theatre, and that's where it will make its return.

The Return of Funk Night will feature Rickey Calloway and Will Sessions along with DJs Eastside Jon and Frank Raines. The party goes from 10 p.m. 'til 4 a.m. Eighteen and up are welcome and entry is $5 for those 21+ or $10 for 18+. And, even though Halloween might be over, costumes are still encouraged at this edition of Funk Night! So whether you make a night of it or stop by at the end of your night, make sure you don't miss the long awaited return of Funk Night!

~C

Celebrating 5 Years of Slow Jams!

Your favorite way to get down on Monday nights is celebrating their 5th Anniversary tonight! Slow Jams has been putting on free events every Monday night at Woodbridge Pub for a half a decade now where they spin some of the best Motown and Slow Jams (obviously) around. For this special edition of Slow Jams you can enjoy music from you weekly favorites along with some of the rotating guest DJs. The list includes Frank Raines, Eastside Jon, Erno the Inferno, DJ Psycho, DJ Head, and DJ Dez. 

As always, it's free to get into Slow Jams and the music starts at 10 p.m. Woodbridge Pub is located at 5169 Trumbull in Detroit. There will also be an after party to keep the celebration going. Keep an eye on the Facebook event page for details on that! So grab a $5 shot and a beer and cheers to many more years of Slow Jams! 

~C

Slow Jams 4 Year Anniversary Party!!!

If you live in the Metro Detroit area and you have not been to Slow Jams yet, you should be ashamed of yourself. I have been trying to tell people about Monday nights at Woodbridge Pub ever since we started
this site. Not only is it one of my favorite weekly gatherings, but it is host to the best DJs that this city has to offer. Erno the Inferno and Eastside Jon are the masters of ceremonies every week and they occasionally invite guest DJs, like Steven Robert, to play for an hour or two. I always say, if you want to get a true downtown experience while listening to some of the best music Motown has to offer, this is the place to be.

This Monday, Slow Jams will be celebrating their 4 Year Anniversary with a giant Halloween dance party. What better way to kick off your Halloween week than to meet your friends at the bar and dance the
night away? This week they have invited DJ Head to come on board and join them for the night. They also got Woodbridge to run some pretty sick drink specials, including a $5 for a shot and a beer and $2 Strohs, Highlife, and Pabst.

The party starts at 10 p.m. and as always there is no cover! It doesn’t get better than this! Hope to dance with all of you this Monday and every other Monday at Woodbridge.

~S

Models Chugging PBR & Other Fun Things at the Michigan Glass Project

The Michigan Glass Project event was in full swing this weekend. The fires were burning, food and drinks were being served and there were models in spandex everywhere. We were lucky enough to get to come down and cover the event and we couldn't have had a better time. The Michigan Glass Project was created not only to promote art and build a local community of glassblowing artists, but also to help raise money to reopen the doors of the Belle Isle Aquarium.

The building consisted of two floors of fun. On the main floor, The Whitney was serving up food, including tacos and cupcakes that were to die for. There was beer and wine to drink (only $2 a glass) and there were a few local merchants including Fotoula Lambros (designer), Detroit Hustles Harder and Detroit Origami selling their wares. There were tables to sit down at to enjoy your food and visit.

Upstairs there were 20 torches set up for artists to work on projects as they pleased. Glassblowers came in from all over to make and sell projects. There were also a few DJ's spinning music, including two of our favorites, DJ Jefferson and East Side Jon. 

Outside there were graffiti artists creating different works on large pieces of canvas. This was my favorite thing to watch. I love that someone can take something like a spray can and use it to create art. There was even an artist using a hair dryer to splash the paint and create a different effect on his canvas. The work turned out great and was made to be raffled off at the closing event on Sunday to raise money for the aquarium. 

At about 7 o'clock, Peace Love Spandex put on a fashion show that had over 20 looks. DJ Jefferson played tunes while each girl walked out and danced to show off the clothes created by Angie McBride and Detroit Hustles Harder. The hair, makeup and clothes were colorful and fun and the crowd responded well to the show.

We stayed until well after close and we did not want to leave! We are so excited to go back today and get you more coverage including the closing party at the Magic stick with East Side Jon and FLASHCLASH.

We were also able to steal a few models and do a PBR chugging contest that is not only funny, but was sexy and fun! Nothing better than hot girls in spandex chugging PBR! I was shocked at how fast the winner took down a beer. She really was a champ! Thanks to PBR we were even able to give away prizes to the top three winners, including shirts and stickers.

Take a look at the video from Saturday and keep checking with us to find out about other Michigan Glassblowing events. We suggest that next time you don't miss out on this great event!

~S

The Michigan Glass Project

This weekend, June 15-17, Detroit will be hosting a pretty amazing event. The Michigan Glass Project is a 3 day art event at the Eastern Market, complimented by different parties around the city on each of the nights. This event is to help unite local artists and showcase their talents, while raising money to help re-open the doors of The Belle Isle Aquarium.

The Belle Isle Aquarium was the oldest aquarium in the U.S. when it closed its doors in 2005. It was originally opened in 1904 making it a young 101 years old when it had to shut down. They currently only have 12 working tanks with fish in them. The goal of this event is to raise funds to help them replace the roof and get more tanks up and running. Someday they hope to reopen this center to the public.

The cost for the events that are part of The Michigan Glass Project is $20 for the weekend or $15 for a day pass.

This glass blowing event will feature over 100 artists giving demonstrations on 20 torches that will be set up for the artist to work on. Some of the art they create will be donated to the aquarium and other art will be auctioned off on Sunday from 4 to 5 to raise further proceeds for the aquarium. That means if you see a piece being made that you like, you could win it at the end of the weekend and take it home to enjoy for years to come!

There are lots of acts performing music and creating art in conjunction with this event. Two of Hip In Detroit's favorites, East Side Jon and Flashclash, will also be a part of this weekend. These are two acts that you don't want to miss! Here is a small rundown of the events happening this weekend. For a full list of performers and artists go to themichiganglassproject.com.

Friday June 15 (Kickoff!):
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.: Main Event Day 1 -Glass blowing demos/music/food and drinks at a renovated space in Eastern Market (2431 Orleans, Detroit)

7 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Belle Isle Aquarium Reception @ Belle Isle Park - Featuring food, drinks and Live Music with Frank Raines and East Side Jon. $25 at the door or $20 in advance.

10 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Whitney Garden Late Night Party (4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit)- Featuring music from Will Sessions and DJ Defiant. $10 at the door or $5 with a weekend wristband.

Saturday June 16th:
9 a.m. - 9 p.m.: Main Event Day 2 @ 2431 Orleans - Glass blowing demos/ food/drinks and music. $20 weekend pass or $15 day pass.

10 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Old Miami Late Night Party (3930 Cass Ave.) - Featuring music from Brad Hales, The Chiropractiers and Heady Ruxpin. $5 at the door or FREE with a weekend wristband!

Sunday June 17th:
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.: Main Event Day 3 @ 2431 Orleans - Glass blowing demos/ music/food/drinks. $20 weekend pass or $15 day pass

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Brunch @ 2431 Orleans 

4 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Raffle @ 2431 Orleans 

7 p.m. - 12 a.m.: Degenerate Art Event and Closing Party at The Magic Stick (4120 Woodward Ave.) - Live music with our favorites, FLASHCLASH and East Side Jon! (Do not miss this party!)


We could not think of a better way to spend the weekend! We think this event is not only going to be fun, but it will be positive for the rebirth of the city that we love!

~S

Get Down, Downtown on Monday Nights

Last week, after grabbing a Paczki Bomb at Small's, we headed over to Woodbridge Pub for Monday Night Slow Jams. We had all been to Woodbridge before, but never for Slow Jams. So we weren't quite sure what to expect. Honestly, we kind of were expecting a bunch of uppity hipsters hanging out. Instead, we found very diverse crowd, listening to great music, chilling, dancing and having a good time.

Slow Jams is a weekly event held at Woodbridge Pub. Eastside Jon (Funk Night) and Erno the Inferno (Tour Detroit) spin some of the best music ever, from funk to Motown and everything in-between. The question we all kept asking ourselves throughout the night was "How do they know all of these awesome songs?" Although some songs were familiar, many were hidden treasures that got past most from our generation, but not past these guys. 

Well that's enough of me babbling on about how cool this event is, I'll let Eastside Jon and Sadie tell you the rest.

So, now you don't have an excuse anymore to stay in on a Monday night! Go out, listen to some good music, play a board game with friends and grab a shot and a beer for $5! Slow Jams at Woodbridge Pub happens every Monday starting at 10 p.m. Hope to see you there!

~C