Things to do this week

WHAT’S GOING ON

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check all venue website before events for latest information. Add your event to our online calendar: metrotimes.com/ AddEvent.

Wednesday Jan 11

Live/Concert

The Astronomers 7 pm; Blind Pig, 208 S. First St., Ann Arbor; $12. DJ/Dance

(More than) Punk Nite w/ DJs

Nips & Horrorshow 8 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; No Cover.

THEATER

Performance

Friends Virtual Drama Friends: A group of mature urban moguls operate their empire. Obstacles face them along the way. Do they know who their “true” friends are? $0 4:30 pm. Go Comedy! Improv Theater Big Fun Murder “100ish years ago, on this very night, I was murdered.” A ghost has one final chance to sol e their own murder. Help them remember what happened and guess at who did it as they re-live their last day in this completely improvised murder mystery. 10 7:30-9 pm. Meadow Brook Theatre Birthday Club $43 8 pm, 8 pm, 8 pm, 6 pm and 2 & 6:30 pm.

COMEDY

Improv

Planet Ant Theatre Hip-Prov: Improv with a Dash of Hip-Hop $10 second Wednesday of every month, 7 pm. Art Exhibition Continuing is Week Art Exhibition

The 5th Chelsea International Photography Competition The Chelsea International Photography Competition celebrates gifted, notable, and fresh talents in the world of photography. Professional and amateur photographers, at any stage of their careers, are invited to participate in the competition to be discovered and promoted professionally in the heart of New York’s art district. $45-55 Oct. 24, midnight. Blackbird Gallery Slavery and Reconstruction- An Art Exhibition Many artists of the 21st century have become visually and viscerall aware that Art has been a universal tool for artists to display a wide range of emotions, scenes, and events. Depending on the taste and style of the artist, history has left a lot of important artworks that help us understand the specifics o a particular era Many artists, both black and white, have chosen slavery and its aftermath as a way of exploring issues of commemoration and division. free 1-6 pm. Cranbrook Art Museum Constellations nities Selections rom the Cranbrook Collection This November, Cranbrook Art Museum will open three new exhibitions that each have a unique connection to the city of Detroit. Featuring established artists, new talent, and artists with connections to Cranbrook Academy of Art, the trio of exhibitions reinforces the Art Museum’s ongoing commitment to Detroit. All exhibitions will be open to the public on November 5, 2022: “Scott Hocking: Detroit Stories” “James Benjamin Franklin: Full Circle” “Bakpak Durden: The Eye of Horus” Museum Admission.; “Constellations and nities Selections rom the Cranbrook Collection” is now open at Cranbrook Art Museum! Sampling from the Cranbrook Collection, this ongoing exhibition gathers a broad and eclectic sampling of objects made by artists, architects, and designers associated with Cranbrook Academy of Art. Arranged like a contemporary curiosity cabinet, the works on view span numerous media and represent a broad range of practices taught at the Academy. Works have been arranged in various constellations to compare and contrast certain a nities in materials, processes, and approaches among the artists while acknowledging the singular artistic vision of each maker. Museum Admission, Free on Thursdays 11 am-5 pm. Detroit Institute of Arts The Big Picture Guided Tour Free 1 pm, 6 pm and 3 pm.

University of Michigan Museum

of Art Unsettling Histories: Legacies of Slavery and Colonialism In “Andrea Carlson Future Cache,” a 40-foot-tall memorial wall towers over visitors, commemorating the Cheboiganing (Burt Lake) Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians who were violently burned from their land in Northern Michigan on October 15, 1900. Written across the walls above and around the memorial, a statement proclaims Anishinaabe rights to the land we stand on: “You are on Anishinaabe Land.” free 11 am-5 pm.; “Clay As Soft Power” examines how Shigaraki ware ceramics transformed the American public’s image of Japan, helping the country shift its identity from World War II enemy to Cold War ally to global cultural change maker. Known for its earthy tones, rough clay surfaces, and natural ash glazes, Shigaraki wares originated from one of six ancient kilns of Japan, and has a rich history from the 13th century to today. This exhibition explores three distinct periods of that history, telling a story of global intrigue, covert international relations, and the evolution of this uniquely Japanese art form. free 11 am-5 pm.; On March 16, 2020, we closed our doors, just six days after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. We didn’t know for how long. At that point there were twelve confirmed ID cases in ashtenaw County. We weren’t wearing masks because we didn’t fully understand how the virus is transmitted. We reopened to the public 488 days later, on June 17, 2021. While it is exciting to be together again and to see the world slowly reopen, we are also deeply impacted by what we’ve been through. This exhibition holds both of those feelings. free.; Trace the fascinating and sometimes. troubling stories behind the world’s most desired ceramics. The technology and taste for blue and white porcelain originated in China

Oxford’s HomeGrown Brewing Co. launches live music series

OXFORD’S HOMEGROWN

BREWING Co. has launched an intimate concert series that will o er the opportunity to see local and national acts up close and personal.

Dubbed “HomeGrown Sounds,” the series will feature “listening room”-style performances for a small seated audience near the glow o a fireplace

That’s according to Kevin Alan Lamb, a former Ferndale resident who says he moved to Oxford last year.

Lamb, who has a background in booking concerts, as well as in photography and PR, says he plans to book two to six concerts per month in the private event space above the microbrewery, which has a capacity of about 65 people.

“The space is warm, welcoming, and wood with a fireplace and dedicated bar,” he says. he initial o erings eature artists from across Michigan. The series ic s o on hursday an with Dixon’s Violin, a “visionary violinist” with an inspirational message who has performed for TED Talks and festivals like Electric Forest and Burning Man.

Tickets are $20 advance, $25 day of show and available on Eventbrite. Children 12 and under get free admission.

The series continues on Thursday, Feb. 9 with folk duo Frank and Cora and singer-songwriter Ben Traverse. Thursday, Feb. 23 will feature a performance by roots rock group One Ton Trolley and Thursday, March 9 will feature a record release show for singer-songwriter Jackie Pappas.

“The music industry can be a vast, elusive, and unfriendly place for those who are called to share their gifts with the world,” Lamb says by email, adding that the series “makes sharing music more accessible a ordable and realistic for artists. Similarly, it gives a community the opportunity to sit, participate, and experience the intimacy that only a listening room can provide.”

He adds, “In my experience, these are the best spaces for healing.”

—Lee DeVito

HomeG row n Brew ing C o. is located at 28 N . Washington St., Oxford; 248-800-4244; homegrow nbrew co. com.

in the fourteenth century, and quickly set o a worldwide cra e that lasted fi e hundred years. Installed across four different galleries at UMMA, this exhibition explores that history and tracks the in uence o blue and white ceramics across the globe. free.; Following years of research into the Museum’s and University of Michigan’s relationships with Africa and African art collections, We Write To You About Africa is a complete reinstallation and doubling of the Museum’s space dedicated to African art. free.; This exhibition proactively engages with debates about restitution and the ethics of museums’ owning African heirlooms collected during the era of colonization. The investigation and research into 11 works of African art will be conducted publicly — visitors will have access to documents, photographs, and correspondence that will help UMMA develop a better understanding of each object’s history, grappling in real time with questions surrounding legal and ethical ownership of these artworks. Though complex, this project presents exciting opportunities for museum transparency and creating new pathways for relationship-building with partners in Africa and its diaspora. free.; “Unsettling Histories” rejects the simple narratives of our collection’s past and forces us to examine whose history we prioritize and why. Organized as a response to the Museum’s recent acquisition of Titus Kaphar’s “Flay (James Madison),” this reinstallation of one of our most prominent gallery spaces forces us to grapple with our collection of European and American art, 1650-1850. free. Basketball Opening

Little Caesars Arena Detroit Pistons vs. Minnesota Timberwolves $20$1,610.50 7 pm.

Thursday Jan 12

Live/Concert

Bevlove 8-9 pm; Willis Show Bar, 4156 Third St., Detroit; $15.

DELUXX FLUXX PRESENTS:

JOR’DAN ARMSTRONG 8 pm; Deluxx Fluxx, 1274 Library St., Detroit; $25 In Advance.

Elvis -The Concert of Kings, El-

vis Tribute 8 pm; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; $32-$45.

Joshua Davis // Luke Winslow

King 8 pm; The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; $25. Lloyd 8 pm; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; $36-$48. One Step Closer 6 pm; Edgemen, 19757 15 Mile Rd, Clinton Twp; $18. Karaoke/Open Mic Continuing is Week Karaoke/

Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison.

COURTESY PHOTO

Local buzz By Broccoli and Joe Zimmer

Welcome to a new column about Detroit’s music scene. Got a tip? Hit us up at music@ metrotimes.com!

Dee Jay Dancing: This monthly residency at Spot Lite sees selectors Scott Zacharias and Ryan Spencer reach into their infinite well o dance music knowledge and pull out forgotten gems and rare grooves to move your body to. During a month where most club-goers are feeling the fatigue from holiday and year-end parties, plus the stress of starting a new year, a set from Scott and Ryan is the perfect way to start anew. Both artists have individually become regarded for their exploratory, genre-agnostic approach to DJing, o ten riding the fine line between minimal, chill-out tracks and bass-driven dance oor heaters Dee Jay Dancing happens every third Wednesday, and I can’t envision a better duo to coax me out of the house on a weeknight. Cover is free, and I recommend following both Ryan and Scott on Instagram (@ ryan___spencer and @ scott_zacharias, respectively) for any updates, plus future shows; these are some folks you’ll want to keep up with. —Joe Zimmer

Long live jazz: The Jazz Is Dead series highlights Tribe Records on its 16th installment. Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Q uest) and Adrian Younge started the series to bring jazz legends to the forefront and highlight their deep contributions to the genre and popular music. Volume 16 of the series features new recordings from Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison, ounders o the immeasurably in uential record label and magazine Tribe. As of this writing, three tracks have been released for streaming, featuring Ranelin on trombone with Harrison on tenor sax and bass clarinet. Younge and Shaheed Muhammad contribute keys/ organ and bass guitar, respectively. ribe has finally gotten the recognition it deserves recently, with reissues and box sets hitting record stores over the past few years. However, the label has always represented even more than virtuosic jazz performances, serving as an early blueprint for community-driven arts organization, promotion and distribution. This release is the perfect passing of the inter-generational torch, while highlighting the undeniable thumbprint Detroit has left on jazz over the last century. Vinyl, digital, and other merch is available for pre-order via Jazz Is Dead’s Bandcamp page, releasing on Jan. 27. —Joe Zimmer

On Wednesday, Jan. 4, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra debuted its li e accompaniment o the film Respect, which tells the story of Aretha Franklin and her rise from local church choir singer to one of the most powerful musical talents that the world has ever known. Though the film was released in the story is just as moving as ever (trigger warning: sexual violence, racism, drug use, etc.), and it takes the viewer through the highs and lows of Franklin’s life and career, examining the relationships with family, romantic partners, and collaborators that shaped her personally and professionally. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, led by Anthony Parnther, traversed the music of the Q ueen of Soul’s life with poise and precision, going so far as to represent di erent iterations o a song as it was being crafted during a studio session scene. It was a remarkable thing to witness, and in May the DSO will be joined by vocalists Tamika Lawrence, Coco Smith, and Blaine Krauss for Respect: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin, which will surely be a sight to see (and hear) as well. —Broccoli

Chasey the Illest: This Detroit rapper has been quietly at work over the past few years, emerging only to drop small snippets and one o singles that have built-up anticipation for his long awaited full-length projects. A major highlight of this creative moment for Chasey has been his “Untitled” series, which finds him collaborating with Super Official Studios to create unique, captivating visual stories to accompany his wordplay, giving deeper meaning to the words that he writes as he also showcases his ability as a performer and on-screen talent. “Untitled 006” is the latest drop, and it certainly does not disappoint. The video features a bootleg beat originally produced by Vano 3000 that samples Samuel T. Herring and BADBADNOTGOOD, and the visuals are set within a disheveled but once beautiful abandoned building, which is juxtaposed by hasey the illest in crisp outfits as he seemingly plays a game of chess against himself. As always, the real star of the show is Chasey’s impressive lyricism and dynamic wordplay, with a punch and delivery that sets him apart in both style and caliber from many of his contemporaries in Detroit hip-hop. Be on the lookout for more from this promising young artist in the city, and if you see him out, tell him to drop the next album already! —Broccoli

G ot a tip about Detroit’s music scene? Hit us up at music@ merotimes.com!