2 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
3
4 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
5 OFF
$ 00
1 Free Gallon of Cider w/purchase of 3 gallons
Any Pre-Cut Xmas Tree
No Coupon Necessary
exp. 12/23/16
CHRISTMAS TREES CUT YOUR OWN OR PRE-CUT
Orchard & Cider Mill Est.1946
Daily 8am - 5:30pm thru Dec. 23 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
WE PROVIDE SAWS & FREE WAGON RIDES TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE FIELDS
Free Tree Cleaning & Wrapping
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
TREE VARIETIES (UP TO 12 FT TALL)
Blue Spruce, Concolor Fir, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Scotch Pine, White Spruce (DUE TO HIGH DEMAND: U-CUT TREES ARE UP TO 7 FT TALL)
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VISIT WITH SANTA Starts Fri, Nov. 25th — Every Sat. & Sun. 12pm -4pm
Watch fresh cider, donuts & homemade fudge being made!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •
COUNTRY STORE OPEN Featuring Michigan’s Finest Products
Handmade wreaths, grave blankets, cedar roping, holiday fruit baskets, over 12 varieties of homemade pies
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •
ORCHARD CAFE & WINERY OPEN Cozy up to the fire, enjoy a hot lunch, hot cider & fresh pies
Opens at 8am Closes at 5:30pm Open 7 Days a Week
Blake’s Cidermill, Tree Farm & Winery
586.784.5343 w w w . b l a k e f a r m s . c o m 17985 Armada Center Rd. | Armada
Tasting Room Sun-Wed 11am-6pm Thu-Sat 11am-11pm 17985 Armada Ctr Rd, Armada, MI blakeshardcider.com
OPEN ALL WINTER
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
5
Publisher - Chris Keating Associate Publisher - Jim Cohen Editor in Chief - Lee DeVito
Vol. 37 | Issue 07 | Nov. 23-29, 2016
Politics & Prejudices.................... 16
Bethany Shorb’s Well Done Goods.22
ADVERTISING
Kids gifts....................................... 36
Associate Publisher - Jim Cohen Regional Sales Directors - Danielle Smith-Elliott, Vinny Fontana Senior Multimedia Account Executive Jeff Nutter Multimedia Account Executives Drew Franklin, Cierra Wood Classified Manager - Desiree Bourgeois Advertising Assistant - Josh Cohen
Stoner gifts.................................... 38
BUSINESS/OPERATIONS
Detroit-themed books................... 26 Streetwear gifts............................ 28 Food gifts...................................... 30
Store round up.............................. 56
CREATIVE SERVICES Graphic Designers - Paul Martinez, Christine Hahn, Haimanti Basu, Amir Farhat
CIRCULATION
Thornetta Davis is an honest
National Advertising Voice Media Group woman 70 1-888-278-9866, voicemediagroup.com
Arts & Culture............................ 82
Editorial - (313) 202-8022 Advertising - (313) 961-4060 Fax - (313) 964-4849 The Detroit Metro Times is published every week by Euclid Media Group Verified Audit Member
Horoscopes with Cal Garrison.... 102
Detroit Distribution – The Detroit Metro Times is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader.
Culture
Cover photo by Jacob Lewkow. Design by Paul Martinez. Spot graphic by Brittani Schlager.
|
Savage Love................................. 94
Arts
Higher Ground............................. 86
|
Dot review.................................... 82
Watch
Livewire........................................ 78
Detroit Metro Times 1200 Woodward Heights Ferndale, MI 48220-1427 www.metrotimes.com
|
Xylouris White awakens at night.. 74
Music
Music............................................ 70
|
Side Dish: Devita Davison........... 68
Chief Executive Officer – Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers – Chris Keating, Michael Wagner Chief Financial Officer – William Mickey Human Resources Director – Lisa Beilstein Digital Operations Coordinator – Jaime Monzon www.euclidmediagroup.com
Drink
Eat review: Avenue Grill Plus...... 60
EUCLID MEDIA GROUP
|
Circulation Manager - Annie O’Brien
Eat................................................ 60
Eat
Gadget gifts.................................. 48
Business Office Supervisor - Holly Rhodes
|
Music gifts.................................... 42
What’s Going On
in Detroit....................................... 24
|
A guidebook to the coolest places
Big Story
Gift Guide.................................... 22
|
What’s Going On........................ 20
News
News Hits..................................... 10
Project Editor - Michael Jackman Nasty Woman - Alysa Offman Music Editor - Mike McGonigal Web Editor - Jack Roskopp Dining Editor - Serena Maria Daniels Contributing Editors - Larry Gabriel, Jack Lessenberry Copy Editor - Esther Gim Editorial Interns - Aidan Wayne, Kay Sumner, Gabriel Goodwin, Colin Maloney Photography Intern - Liv Martin Contributors - Taylor Bembery, Stephanie Brothers, Kahn Santori Davison, Aaron Egan, Cornelius Fortune, Cal Garrison, Curt Guyette, Charles L. Latimer, Noelle Lothamer, Jim McFarlin, Dan Savage, Jane Slaughter, Doug Coombe, Tanya Moutzalias, Dontae Rockymore, Brian Rozman, Steve Sergent, Sean Bieri, Rob Widdis, Adam Woodhead, Shelley Salant, Vaughn Gurganian, Mike Ferdinande, Mike Pfeiffer
|
News & Views............................. 10
EDITORIAL
Upfront
METRO TIMES
|
Printed By
6 November 23-29, 2016 | | metrotimes.com metrotimes.com
248-620-2990
Classifieds
Printed on recycled paper
EUCLID MEDIA • Copyright - The entire contents of the Detroit Metro Times are copyright 2015 by Euclid Media Group LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising, and business correspondence should be mailed to the address listed above. Prior written permission must be granted to Metro Times for additional copies. Metro Times may be distributed only by Metro Times’ authorized distributors and independent contractors. Subscriptions are available by mail inside the U.S. for six months at $80 and a yearly subscription for $150. Include check or money order payable to - Metro Times Subscriptions, 1200 Woodward Heights, Ferndale, MI 48220-1427. (Please note - Third Class subscription copies are usually received 3-5 days after publication date in the Detroit area.) Most back issues obtainable for $5 at Metro Times offices or $7 prepaid by mail.
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
7
8 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
9
N EWS
news hits
Snyder administration will help Flint …right after fighting federal court order to help Flint by Michael Jackman We really weren’t that surprised when we heard that the Snyder administration had decided to fight a federal court order to deliver bottled water to Flint residents who needed it. He’s just doing what he was elected to do: run government like a business. For instance, let’s say a federal court judge orders a corporation to take actions to ameliorate the misery it has caused its customers with a faulty product. What does the business do, seeing a potential threat to its bottom line? It fights the ruling, of course, employing legal maneuvers to tie the matter up in court for years if necessary, while the screwed-over consumers continue to bear the costs of the company’s mistakes. Deep down inside, though, we know the big guy really does care. And he will help more. He said so. “Obviously, I care,” Snyder had said to The Detroit News earlier this year. He had said, “We’ve done a number of actions. We’re going to keep working on putting solutions in place.” He added, “Let’s focus in on the solution and how to deal with the damage that was done and help the citizens of Flint and make Flint a stronger community.” He cares so much that, once his administration has exhausted the initial request for a stay, the ensuing appeal, and any other ensuing appeals or delays, he will pursue the “relentless positive action” that has become his administration’s catchphrase. It’s just that he’s backpedaling on that positive action for as long as it takes to fight it out in court. As for the residents of Flint, whose taps pour out hot and cold running crud for the third year now, well, we suppose we can forgive them if they see Rick Snyder less as the problem-solving technocrat and more like Mars Chief Administrator Vilos Cohaagen in the 1990 film Total Recall.
And speaking of Snyder by Lee DeVito In September, seven Detroit schoolchildren filed suit against the governor and Michigan education officials for denying them what their attorneys are
arguing is a fundamental U.S. right: the right to literacy. Last week, attorneys representing Snyder filed a motion to dismiss the suit in U.S. District Court in Detroit, arguing that despite the fact that the city’s public schools have been under state-appointed emergency management, the state owes the students no such obligation. “The United States Supreme Court and Michigan courts recognize the importance of literacy. But as important as literacy may be, the United States Supreme Court has unambiguously rejected the claim that public education is a fundamental right under the Constitution,” assistant attorney general Timothy J. Haynes writes in the 62-page motion, referring to the 1973 case San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez. “Literacy is a component or particular outcome of education, not a right granted to individuals by the Constitution.” The motion also references the 2014 case filed on behalf of eight of Highland Park students against its emergency manager-led school district, which was dismissed by the Michigan Court of Appeals with the conclusion that “Michigan’s constitution requires only that the Legislature provide for a system of free public schools, leaving the details and delivery of specific educational services to the local school districts.” Snyder’s lawyers also argue that many factors that can contribute to illiteracy rest outside of the school district. “While pointing the finger at Defendants, Plaintiffs ignore many other factors that contribute to illiteracy, such as poverty, parental involvement (or lack thereof), medical problems, intellectual limitations, domestic violence, trauma, and other numerous influences,” Haynes writes. Public Counsel, the Los Angelesbased firm that represents the students, says that emergency management has only hindered students in their ability to learn. “Instead of providing students with a meaningful education and literacy, the State simply provides buildings — many in serious disrepair — in which students pass days and then years with no opportunity to learn to read, write, or comprehend,” the original complaint reads. Earlier this year,
10 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
n Happier times? Gov. Rick Snyder at the Mackinac Policy Conference, 2014. Photo via A Healthier Michigan (Creative Commons) frustrated DPS teachers took to Twitter to document the dismal conditions in their schools. It begs the question of what exactly was the endgame of Detroit Public Schools’ emergency management. If emergency management was just to make the district’s financial bottom line, it has failed spectacularly in that regard — with the district only sinking further into debt after more than six years of emergency managers. This year, state lawmakers resorted to a approving $617 million bailout to relieve
the district of its crippling debt. The district’s current emergency manager, Steven Rhodes, is expected to step down at the end of the year when the newly elected Board of Education is installed. If the endgame of emergency management is to provide Detroit public school students an adequate education, it has seemingly failed in that regard as well.
N letters@metrotimes.com L@metrotimes
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
11
12 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
13
14 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
15
N EWS
politics&prejudices
Weirdest county in the state by Jack Lessenberry Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it — good and hard. H.L. Mencken, 1916 No doubt about it — the acid-tongued old Sage of Baltimore succinctly analyzed both Donald Trump’s victory and what’s likely to come next, a century ago. Yes, it will be morbidly amusing to watch what happens to all those unhappy white voters who decided to go into a voting booth and throw a bomb into our system. Hint: It won’t involve being hired en masse for high-paying factory jobs returning from Mexico. The shaft they are about to receive isn’t a camshaft. But there will be plenty of time to chronicle their miseries and ours.
Today, however, I want to take a trip to the politically weirdest county on the planet, or at least our state. That, of course, would be Macomb. I myself try to enter the county only in the daytime, usually wearing a safari outfit or in the company of the natives. Don’t get me wrong. Macomb County voters aren’t all bat-shit crazy; as Donald Trump famously said about the Mexicans, “some, I assume, are good people.” But Key-ryst, do they fuck up at the ballot box. Now I’m not just talking about the two main torpedoes they fired into the hull of our state’s future. Yes, it was thanks to Macomb that Donald Trump won Michigan; his unofficial margin there (48,358) was four times his tiny statewide plurality. But even had Hillary Clinton won Michigan by a million votes, she still
16 November 23-29, 2016 metrotimes.com 2016 || metrotimes.com
would have lost the presidency. More damaging to our futures was Macomb’s torpedoing of the Regional Transit Authority’s proposal for a system of fast and coordinated buses covering four counties — Wayne, Washtenaw, Oakland and Macomb — that would have made it easy to get to the airport, and finally created a realistic way for people without cars to get to jobs across the metropolitan area. To be fair, I don’t think the RTA — or the business leaders who strongly supported this proposal — did a good job of selling it. Washtenaw overwhelmingly backed the RTA; so did Wayne, though by less than expected. Oakland County voters said no, by a mere 50.1 percent, thanks to 77-year-old County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who wants to cover the earth with concrete. But the RTA was still winning by 54,000 votes when the count reached Macomb. More than 60 percent of the county’s voters said no to common sense transportation. Yet that should have surprised no one. This is a county whose voting patterns are always several bubbles off plumb.
The more local you go, the weirder they are. That wasn’t always so. When Detroit started emptying out in the 1950s, most white-collar workers went northwest to Oakland County; bluecollar ones east, to Macomb. For years, Macomb voted Democratic; it was John F. Kennedy’s best suburban county in the nation. But that changed in 1980, when the county became famous for its “Reagan Democrats” who flocked to the GOP in droves. Macomb voters were subsequently
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
17
N
politics&prejudices
often caricatured as a bunch of white ethnic racists. That isn’t exactly fair. Believe it or not, President Barack Obama won Macomb County twice. But if they are not knee-jerk racists, they are often knee-jerk weird. I first noticed this back in 2000, when longtime Sheriff William Hackel was convicted of raping a woman at a Michigan Sheriff’s Association meeting the year before. He was trundled off to prison, whereupon the post was soon filled by … his son, Mark Hackel, now the county executive. True, many believe the old sheriff was only guilty of really lousy and boorish judgment (he left the victim’s hotel room to have dinner with his wife). But replacing the convicted racist with his son sounded, well, weird. Not, however, as weird as James Fouts, the current mayor of Warren. For years, Fouts, now a spry 74, was best known for an obsession with Frank Sinatra, and for battling to try and conceal his age. A Washington Post story said he did this because “he tends to date younger women.” That he does, and there was a flurry of excitement a couple of years ago, when a YouTube video surfaced of the mayor having a romantic tryst with his 27-year-old executive assistant, aka secretary, in Chicago. Soon after that, the woman got a hefty 11 percent raise. Fouts was very indignant at suggestions that the raise had anything to do with her snuggling with him. But how did the voters react? Decisively. After more than a year to wallow in the scandal, they re-elected Fouts with 85 percent of the vote. Then his commissioners gave him a 14 percent raise, and his adoring subjects changed the law, so he can run for a fourth term next year if he cares to. Frank Sinatra would have sung “My Way.” But even that doesn’t compare to what Macomb voters did this year. How often do you hear of candidates spending millions on a race for … public works commissioner? How often do you hear of a member of Congress with a completely safe seat giving it up to try to win the right to oversee sewer contracts? But that’s what Candice Miller did. She beat incumbent Anthony Marrocco, in a campaign that made Clinton-Trump look gentlemanly, but we might as well ask why some special interests poured so much money into this race. The man who really knows Macomb is longtime journalist Chad Selweski, who publishes one of the state’s better blogs, Politically Speaking. (politicscentral.org) “I’m still shaking my head over how some races turned out,” he said. Those
18 November November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 || metrotimes.com 18 metrotimes.com
include electing Larry Rocca treasurer, whose qualifications include defaulting on a loan and being repeatedly delinquent on his property taxes. Then there’s Karen Spranger, who normally just refuses to pay her taxes at all, Selweski said. She lives in a house that doesn’t have running water and which is in foreclosure. Macomb voters elected her county clerk. There’s also Steve Marino, the lobbyist who said he loved corporations that take advantage of child labor, and Dino Bucci, the township trustee who is being sued for allegedly demanding kickbacks from a developer. They both won too. But support mass transit? Not on your life. “It’s Macomb County politics. It’s a mystery,” Selweski said. I hope you’ve enjoyed our trip to Macombland. It isn’t the prettiest place to visit. And I really don’t want to live there. Impotence of the mainstream media Whatever your politics, there is no question that the newspapers of this nation were united in opposition to Donald Trump as they have never been against any other major party candidate. Only two of the nation’s top 100 papers backed him — one in Jacksonville, Florida, and the other, the paper owned by Trump’s casino buddy, Sheldon Adelson, in Las Vegas. Hillary Clinton was endorsed by papers that hadn’t endorsed a Democrat in a hundred years. More papers endorsed the clueless Gary Johnson than Trump. The New York Times, the national newspaper of our elites, essentially devoted itself to trying to defeat Trump. USA Today, the national paper of the masses, said not to vote for him. All of which had no effect. None. Curiously, Nevada, the one state whose leading newspaper did endorse Trump, was carried by Hillary Clinton. There’s an old saying that writing an editorial endorsing someone for president is like pissing your pants in blue serge suit: It gives you a nice warm feeling, and nobody notices. That is, until it gets clammy and uncomfortable. By now, it certainly has.
N
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
19
what’sgoingon
THUR, 11/24 America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade @ Historic Woodward Avenue
The Macy’s Day Parade is lame, and every Michigander knows it. America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is where it’s at. Where else in the entire world can you find a giant Bob Seger head marching through the street? Nowhere. If you’ve only watched the parade on TV instead of seeing it in person, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Even if you’re not a holiday person, the parade is a great show. It’s been a Detroit tradition since the ’20s, and it’s something that every little kid (and many adults) look forward to. Comedian Keegan-Michael Key and civil rights icon Judge Damon Keith serve as the celebrity guests this year, which is the parade’s 90th anniversary.
n America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The parade starts at 8:50 a.m.; Kirby and Woodward, Detroit; theparade.org; The parade is free to attend.
FRI, 11/25 - SUN, 11/27
FRI, 11/25 - SUN, 11/27
SAT, 11/26
SAT, 11/26
Daughters of the Dust
The Nutcracker @ Michigan Opera Theatre
The first feature film by an AfricanAmerican woman to be shown in theaters around the nation, 1991’s indie flick Daughters of the Dust has captivated international audiences. The movie tells the tale of three generations of women whose families were brought to South Carolina and Georgia centuries prior to the film’s story. It’s a story that isn’t often told — the story of women dealing with the “multiplicity of identity.” The film is important for people to see, and the audience will certainly not regret it. Plus, on Nov. 27, here will be a discussion with the Detroit Film Theatre, the DIA, and Black Artists Meet Up that is free and open to the public.
Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, The Nutcracker, is a Christmas staple for ballet fans worldwide. The Nutcracker, if you don’t know, tells the story of a little girl being transported into the Land of Sweets. Along the way to the castle with the nutcracker prince, she faces the terrible Mouse King and meets the beautiful, kind, Sugar Plum Fairy. It’s a tale that young and old alike are enchanted by, and an excellent choice to experience as a first ballet for anyone new to the art form.
10th Annual Flint Handmade Holiday Market
Classic Cartoon Festival
@ The Detroit Institute of Arts
Shows start at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; Tickets are $29-$99.
The screenings start at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit; dia.org; General admission is $9.50 and for DIA members, seniors, and students, is $7.50.
20 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
@ Flint Masonic Temple
For an entire decade the Flint Handmade Holiday Market has provided shoppers with the opportunity to put unique, carefully crafted gifts under the Christmas trees of families across the state. This year’s market will have jewelry, paper goods, bath products, and more up for sale, and it will all be modern and handmade. The market will feature at least 38 vendors, as well as an all-day open dining room, beauty services, and a coloring party. So, go — get your holiday cheer on!
The event starts at 10 a.m.; 755 S. Saginaw St., Flint; facebook.com/ FlintHandmade; The event is $1.
@ Redford Theatre
Nobody can outgrow the cartoons that made their childhoods great. That’s just why the Redford Theatre annually screens your favorite ‘toons (Loony or otherwise) on their original 35mm film. This year promises rare and classic showings of Superman, Popeye, Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, and more. Additionally, Ann Arbor’s finest “animation expert,” Steve Stanchfield, will be there to chat with the audience and provide some insight into these sacred relics your youth. So, come on kids-at-heart (and actual kids) — this one’s for you.
Shows at 2 p.m., 8 p.m.; 17360 Lahser Rd., Detroit; redfordtheatre.com; Tickets are $5.
UpFront
what’sgoingon
| News | Feature |
TUE, 11/29 - SUN, 12/11
What’s Going On
Fun Home @ The Fisher Theatre
Eat | Drink
n ’Fun Home’
|
Shows start at 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8 p.m.; 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; broadwayindetroit.com; Tickets are $39-$130.
|
Based on cartoonist Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel memoir of the same name, this five-time Tony Award-winning musical comes to Detroit for the first time. Fun Home explores themes of sexual orientation, gender roles, suicide, and family dysfunction, detailing the story of Bechdel’s complex relationship with her gay father and her own experience in coming out. Fun Home already has won critical acclaim since its Broadway debut last year, and is is the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist.
MON, 11/28
TUE, 11/29
Sunday Holiday Market
Hog Shoulder Breakdown & Sausage Making Class
Bare: A Pop Opera
Ellen & Heather’s First Comedy Show
@ Eastern Market
| November 23-29, 2016
Classifieds
metrotimes.com
|
28
Culture
The show starts at 8 p.m.; 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; thelovingtouch.com; Donations will be accepted.
|
Class starts at 11 a.m.; 2934 Russell St., Detroit; easternmarket.com; Tickets are $50.
Show starts at 8 p.m.; 371 Varner Hall, Rochester; oakland.edu; Tickets are $8.
According to the Facebook event description, there will be balloon animals, air drumming, and “that hamster that you thought your parents sent to live on a farm in the third grade but really you just forgot to feed it will be there.” We’re not sure about all of that, but we do know there’s no cover (though donations are welcome). We also know the show is going to be packed with some pretty funny people, including Samantha Rager, Dan Clark, Chloe Ketchum, Zach Burcar, Darnell Anderson, Adam Gilbert, and Cole Tunningley. Did we mention there’s no cover?
Arts
Maybe you’re a big fan of Little House in the Big Woods, the first novel of the Little House on the Prairie series, where preparing a hog shoulder is explicitly described to readers. Or maybe you’re getting ready to eat well during World War III. Any which way, this “master class” of sorts with Larissa Pope (“The Meatstress”) is for you if what you’re hoping to do is prepare super good food. Pope will teach attendees how to butcher a hog shoulder and prepare pork sausage. If this sounds up your alley, you have to be quick and get your ticket — only 14 people can take the class.
@ The Loving Touch
Everyone’s heard of Hamilton, Rent, and even Hair. These are all smashhit musicals that use modern-style music to tell poignant stories. Bare: A Pop Opera is also part of this tradition — in this case, a rock musical that tells the story of two young gay men coming of age at a Catholic boarding school. Throughout the story, the characters wrestle with issues of sexuality, identity, and beyond. For fans of contemporary musicals or those interested in LGBTQ issues, this one’s a must-see.
|
The event starts at 10 a.m.; 2934 Russell St., Detroit; easternmarket.com; The event is free.
@ Eastern Market
Watch
It’s that slightly wonderful, slightly awful time of the year where we feel pressured to come up with thoughtful gifts for every person close to us — while also not breaking the bank. Lucky for us, Eastern Market is here to help. At the Sunday Holiday Market, visitors will be able to find plenty of festive food, locally made gifts, and even Christmas trees. There is really nothing better than getting all of that menial holiday labor out of the way in one stop so that you can actually have time to spend with the people you love (or at the very least, enjoy a cup at Germack Coffee Roasting Co. after shopping).
@ Varner Studio Theatre
|
SUN, 11/27
Music
SUN, 11/27
21
feature
Gift Guide
A job well done
These days, Bethany Shorb is making more than just ties by Alysa Offman You might already know the brand name Cyberoptix Ties. You might even recognize the face of the business’ eccentric proprietress. Her asymmetrical, monochromatic ’do and geometric, black-and-white-only wardrobe are a dead giveaway, after all. But Bethany Shorb does a lot more than just stamping shiny neckties with high-concept designs to stunning effect. She’s also the mastermind behind a brand-new storefront in Eastern Market called Well Done Goods. Well Done Goods isn’t a new business venture for
n Courtesy photo.
Shorb. It’s a name she adopted for a highend line of accessories, but it morphed into the Gratiot Avenue boutique after a decade of tie-making. “‘Bored’ is a real bad word for it,” Shorb says when describing the boutique’s origin story. “But let’s say I was getting pretty antsy to make something else too.” At Well Done Goods, the “something else” comes in the form of screen-printed pillows, aprons, tea towels, glassware, jewelry, handbags, wallets, socks, belts, clothing, and cowhide rugs — yes, cowhide rugs. They’re a steal at $300 a piece. Modest price points were something Shorb kept in mind while crafting what would become Well Done Goods, and it has paid off. She says it’s the biggest compliment paid to the store so far. “Hearing comments like, ‘Oh my god, I have to have everything in this store!’ feels really good,” Shorb says. “I think people are greatly appreciating the notouter-space price point and the mix of artisan handmade and just regular fun stuff. We don’t need anymore $3,500 alligator leather footballs. We just don’t. No.” The store serves as a vessel for Shorb’s creative talents, whether they’re in the form of a necktie or an artfully created stock list. “I’ve had so many ideas up my sleeve for years,” Shorb says. “I’m also really drawn to making quick, grab-and-go products — and you just can’t make a business case for selling that kind of lowdollar item online, unless you’re Amazon and have robots doing it. It costs just as
22 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
n Courtesy photo. much to pay someone to do customer service on, pack, and ship a cute pencil as it does to consult on, pack, and ship a $45 silk tie. Having a retail store allows for the adding on of those impulse buys where online-only prohibits them with the high cost-per-item of shipping and labor.” In short, Shorb has some serious business savvy. And that point is further proven by the choice to include non-Cyberoptix brands inside the store as well. “When presented with the opportunity to open up a retail location, the harsh reality is that a weird tie and scarf shop can perform very well online when it has every nerdy, niche corner of the internet to reach, but there might not be that much of a need to fill locally,” Shorb says. But a case can clearly be made for a gift store that sells everything from wacky name plates that read, “What Would Beyoncé Do,” to gold necklaces that say, “Acid,” to barware that’s stamped with the kind of decades-old deadstock labels that will make your bar cart look like a mad scientist’s lab. As for her selection process for brands to include in the store? It wasn’t exactly scientific. “Thematically? I buy what I like and am making a bet that others will like it too,” Shorb says. “That advice works really well for building an art collection and I think it does for a gifting collection as well.” So, that’s where those cowhide rugs come in — in case they were still on your mind — as well as hanging glass terrariums, tons of goat skulls, peacock feathers, wrought iron spider knickknacks, chunky rings, and laser-cut cateye sunglasses. The store still serves as a showroom for Shorb’s brands, which is a facet of her business that’s needed some organic
growth for a while now, but it’s also a place to pick up some pretty rad gifts that are pleasing to both your eye and your wallet. “We’ve always wanted to have a proper showroom for the ties and scarves and to branch out into other printed products,” Shorb says. “We [also] want to focus on fun, well designed things that are fun to gift and won’t destroy your bank account. The shop is housed in a long-standing building in Eastern Market — it was Atlas Furniture Factory and Showroom’s address back in the 1960s. Well Done Goods is the first retail establishment to open in the space since Atlas shuttered, but Shorb’s tie lab has been on the building’s second story for the past 10 years, a location she came upon purely out of kismet. “The place came to us,” Shorb says. “I think we have one of the only good landlords in the entire city, and he’s been beyond supportive of artists of all types — from visual to music to product — and the creation of spaces for said artists to sell the goods they make, now that the market in Detroit can support it. “We have the whole second floor above for the Tie Lab for manufacturing; we’ve been making Cyberoptix ties and scarves upstairs for over a decade, and when we heard that the ground floor was being converted back to commercial retail we couldn’t not do it.” Well Done Goods is located at 1440 Gratiot Ave., Detroit. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday throughout the holiday season. welldonegoods.com.
F
aoffman@metrotimes.com @oh_miss_alysa
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
23
feature
Gift Guide
Things I Do in Detroit: A Guidebook to the Coolest Places
Written and Photographed by Dave Krieger $29.95, 250 pp., hardcover
n The Dossin Great Lakes Museum.
You handsome devil by Michael Jackman One of the most unusual Detroitthemed photo books available this holiday season is yet another guide to Detroit, but featuring a mythological mascot: Le Nain Rouge. It’s written and photographed by Dave Krieger, who says he began the project as a reaction to the “ruin porn” of the last decade. Instead of that, Krieger wanted to create an upbeat book about the intact beauties of the city. “I’m trying to get people to think about Detroit differently,” Krieger says. That’s where the Nain Rouge concept came in: an anarchic avatar to unite the book, and a persona to adopt for the little Nain notes sprinkled throughout the book, in which the red guy shares his views. “He is finally revealing himself to offer up his perspective about what is cool about Detroit,” Krieger says. “He gets a little salty about the people who seem to be pompous and arrogant. He’s got a positive mindset. He never takes
credit for his contributions but is always blamed as the consummate outsider.” In fact, of the many iterations we’ve seen of Le Nain Rouge, Krieger’s might be the most interesting yet. Unlike the goofy goblin of the annual parade, Krieger’s version calls to mind “the most interesting man in the world” of the Dos Equis ads. Despite his red skin, horned head, and yellow eyes, he mostly wears a buttoned-down suit and looks as suave and unflappable as anybody who’s lived in this town for 300-odd years. The guy behind the makeup is local bartender Andy Wainio, and there’s a lot of understated visual comedy in the way he mingles with real Detroiters, acting as if nothing here is weird at all. The photography is excellent, and hits a lot of the places you might expect: Eastern Market, the main branch of the Detroit Public Library, the Motown Museum, the Player’s Club, the Fisher Building, the Raven Lounge. But some of the very best shots are the stunning interiors
24 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
even many longtime Detroiters haven’t seen, such as the inside of the Schvitz, or the grounds of the Indian Village Tennis Club. The technical challenges of photographing a model in such heavy makeup forced Krieger to cluster his shoots carefully. It took several hours for Wainio’s makeup, to say nothing of the full-body red makeup required for the Schvitz shoot, which featured the red guy clad only in a towel. In the book, Krieger mixes up the shots so that only one or two on a spread will feature the Nain Rouge, so the character complements the photography instead of overwhelming it. Had every picture featured the Nain Rouge, Krieger says, “it would be more of a Where’s-Waldo-type book and after five pages you’d be sick of seeing him.” But Krieger also wanted to make sure that the little red guy set a good example. In several shots, he’s volunteering with local n Nain visits
nonprofits and charities. “The idea is that almost anyone can get involved,” Krieger says. Dave Krieger will sell and sign copies of his book 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Scarab Club, 217 Farnsworth St., Detroit. The book should be available starting Dec. 4, with copies at Detroit Mercantile, Somerset Detroit Shop, Pure Detroit, and more. See thenainrouge.net for more info.
F
mjackman@metrotimes.com @michaeljackman
L
the Schvitz Health Club.
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
25
feature
Gift Guide
Detroit book roundup by Michael Jackman
Detroit Is No Dry Bones: The Eternal City of the Industrial Age by Camilo Jose Vergara, University of Michigan Press 304 pp., $55, hardcover For more than 40 years, the photojournalist and recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant has made it his business to document America’s disinvested neighborhoods. It’s not ruin porn; it’s documentary work. He trots all over the country, especially the Midwest and East Coast, and revisits places he knows, taking pictures over time in a way that shows the trajectories of city buildings, whether they fall to the wrecking ball or are rejuvenated into something new. Detroit has featured prominently in his work for 25 years now, whether it’s empty skyscrapers or the city’s wealth of storefront churches and vernacular religious art. Just in time for Christmas is his first book all about Detroit, packed with everything he’s learned over the decades. Hotly anticipated, it hits the street this week.
26 November November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 || metrotimes.com metrotimes.com
Beautiful Wasteland: The Rise of Detroit as America’s Postindustrial Frontier by Rebecca J. Kinney, University of Minnesota Press, 209 pp., $25, softcover Out less than a month, Kinney’s book is about Detroit’s rebirth as the poster child for postindustrialism. It’s part personal memoir, part reporting, part academic dissection, drawing on life history, pop culture, photojournalism, architecture, TV news, and more. Turns out that frontier metaphors and urban regeneration have plenty to do with race and whiteness. (Surprise, surprise.) This could be the perfect book for that high school graduate who’s going to study urban planning at Wayne State University and living off-campus.
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra: Grace, Grit, and Glory by Laurie Lanzen Harris, Painted Turtle Press 301 pp.. $39.99, softcover This exhaustive history takes classical music from the very beginning and follows it to the present. It’s loaded with plenty of historic pictures showing historic conductors and Detroit in its heyday, as well as historic LP covers — as well as frank discussions of the labor trouble that has periodically haunted the DSO.
F
mjackman@metrotimes.com @michaeljackman
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
27
feature
Gift Guide
n Flei Yung.
Sweet streetwear
From hoodies to kicks, check out this local urban fashion by Danan Thomas The Essence of the City: Started in 2012, native Detroiter Tommey Walker’s “Detroit Vs. Everybody” is a brand from that speaks to the authenticity and spirit of the Motor City with their slogan. They offer a wide range of products such as headwear, T-shirts, and sweatshirts for men, women, and children. This brand offers their traditional “Detroit Vs. Everybody” branding along with some fun takes on the slogan such as “Spartans Vs. Everybody,” “Camaro Vs. Everybody,” and even their limited edition “Faygo” snapback collection. You can purchase these items on their website and their flagship stores in downtown Detroit at 400 Monroe Ave., Suite #340, in Eastern Market at 2501 Russell St., and their Southfield location at 29139 Southfield Rd., as well as other fine retailers. detroitvseverybody.com n Detroit Vs. Everybody.
Tough and bold: Native Detroiter Chris Morris established “Dirt Label” in 2006 and has developed a brand that brings an aggressive yet bold take on today’s trends. His clothing offers great designs, a wide range of products for men and women, and amazing quality. The prices range as well, depending on the garment. Be sure to check out this brand in person at the flagship store at 319 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak. thedirtlabel.com
F
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
Streetwear with a Refined Palette: In mid-2010, Pontiac native Kyle Powell started “Flei Yung,” a brand that concentrates on clean lines and minimalist aesthetics, along with allowing customers showcase their own personal style and character. “Flei Yung” offers a wide range of products for men, women, and kids. You can find their products on their flagship website. If you or the gift recipient is one that prides themselves on originality and minimalism, “Flei Yung” is the line for them or you. fleiyung.com “From Our Block to Yours”: From the summer of 2015, native Detroiter Jon Brooks founded “Corner Store Goods” from the subcultures permeating within the essence of Detroit. The endeavor gives customers a visceral and gritty interpretation of Detroit fashion
28 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
and streetwear. Recently, Burn Rubber Detroit of Royal Oak has been stocking their goods and you can also hit up their flagship site for any of their items. cornerstoregoods.us
n The Dirt Label.
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
29
Michiganders have the luxury of giving the old fire-roasted chestnuts a hard pass this holiday season as local artisans have cued up a roster of goods that make you want to treat even the naughtiest on your list to something sweet. From savory to sugary, we’ve concocted a short guide to giving edible goods this holiday season.
Gift Guide
Artisan crafted Sister Pie You’re likely already a fan of the baked goods that come out of Sister Pie’s West Village bakery, so why not give the gift of a three-month subscription to their
It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas
Food is the gift that keeps on giving by Serena Maria Daniels
30 November 23-29, 2016 || metrotimes.com metrotimes.com
pie club? The pies here change seasonally, with varieties like brandy pecan, cranberry crumble, and the favorite salted maple. Club cards are mailed to you or the recipient and can be redeemed at the shop at 8066 Kercheval St., Detroit. sisterpie.com Mitten Crate Crafting the perfect gift n Assortments from Bon Bon Bon. basket can be a hassle, bons, created by Alexandra Clark and so leave the hard work to her crew. Each box is custom-made, the professionals. Mitten Crate is a monthly subscription service that ships using corrugated cardboard, so you can pack however many of the delightMichigan-made food to your home. ful mini chocolates that you want ($3 The products vary month to month, apiece). For more of a hands-on gift with local brands like McClure’s, Slow idea, the shop also occasionally offers Jams, and McClary Bros. drinking classes. Bon Bon Bon is at 719 Griswold vinegars. Try out a one-time order for St., Suite 100 and 2756 Evaline St., in $35, plus shipping (next order ships out Hamtramck. bonbonbon.com Dec. 15), or gift a three-month subscription for $99. mittencrate.com The classics American Coney Island Bon Bon Bon Your Donald Trump-supporting aunt Head over to one of the tiny sweet and uncle can’t make it for Christmas shops in Detroit and Hamtramck and this year. Since they’ve been so kind to build your own box of delectable bon
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
31
feature Germack Give a smorgasbord of classic Michigan goodies with a gift basket from Germack. You can choose between small ($50), medium ($75), or large ($110) — they each come with a number of Germack brand nuts and coffee, Sanders’ treats, Better Made chips, Vernors, and Kowalski sausage. Call 313-566-0062, or visit their Eastern Market store located at 2715 Russell St., Detroit. germack.com
n Wolf Man Mixers. you this holiday season, send them a taste of home. A DIY coney-making kit from American Coney Island kit goes for $59.99-$69.99 (depending on where it’s shipped) and each kit comes with a 12-pack of Dearborn Sausage hot dogs, buns, one sweet onion, a container of Detroit Chili, instructions, and an American Coney Island paper hat. Kits ship out every Monday. Cutoff to schedule a Monday shipment is 9 p.m. the Saturday prior. americanconeyisland. com
Better Made Snack Foods Because Junior is off to college, stock his dorm room with Detroit’s original snack food in a yellow bag. If your loved one is too far away to grab these iconic chips at the store, order online. A case of 50 one-ounce bags ($12.50), with seven flavors to choose from, can be shipped anywhere. Plus, there are milk or dark chocolate-dipped chip tins ($10.99), party boxes ($13.99), even Better Made apparel ($9.99-$39.99). bettermadesnackfoods.com
32 November November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 | metrotimes.com 32
Perfect host Wolf Moon Mixers You don’t need to be a mixologist to make a great cocktail. With Wolf Moon Mixers ($15), there’s no more guesswork. Just pour in the desired amount of booze and fill the rest of your glass with any one of the Detroit-made mixers. They come in a variety of fruity flavors like pineapple jalapeno (goes great with tequila or rye whiskey) or hibiscus. They are pasteurized so they last longer than a mere few days. These elixirs will infuse tons of tropical fun into any festive shindig. Order online, or find it at local retailers like Honey Bee Market, Holiday Market in Royal Oak, and Westborn Market in Dearborn. wolfmixers.com
Joseph Wesley Black Tea Detroit native Joe Uhl is a lifelong lover of loose tea and brings his craft to the world, with his “Year of Tea” collection ($109.99). For 12 months, Uhl will guide you through a world of black tea growing regions. Great for entertaining guests on chilly Michigan winter afternoons. josephwesleytea. com Iconic Detroit Makeover your home with Michiganthemed housewares from the Iconic Detroit by shopping their website or visiting their stall at the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale. Choose funky, vintage-looking coasters ($10 each) stamped with the likeness of iconic Detroit buildings, restaurants, bars, and local food labels made by the Detroit Coaster Co. or serve that holiday cheese ball on top of a Michiganshaped cutting board ($48). Rust Belt Market is at 22801 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. iconicdetroit.com
F
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
33
34 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
35
feature
Gift Guide
Quirky kids
A hand selected assortment of gifts for your hipster friends’ spawn by Alysa Offman
My First Pal by Amy Moore Socktopus Amy Moore is just a regular lady who loves making funny creatures out of crazy socks. She’s got a regular day job, so she stitches and sews a menagerie of one-of-a-kind, colorful creatures while watching TV. You won’t find her wares online, but she’s a regular at local street fairs and craft shows. You can also
n Fresh fruits by Wooly Mammoth. reach her by emailing my.first.pal@outlook. com. Each pal is $20 and you’ll never find two that are exactly alike. Wooly Mammoth Fresh fruits Some people might look at a stuffed fruit and wonder whether such a thing needs to exist, but anyone who’s stepped on seemingly innumerable plastic vegetables will really get the point of crafting toys out of soft materials. Pick out a selection of Wooly Mammoth’s stuffed fruits and vegetables for an adorable (and pain free) farmers market feel. You can purchase goods from Wooly Mammoth on Etsy or at the Detroit Urban Craft Fair.
Between Black Friday and Jan. 1, the den of iniquity that is a children’s toy store goes from simply annoying to the seventh circle of hell. Avoid the lines, Enamor the screaming kids, and the tiny plastic Friendly fawn toys that will There is truly nothing more darling inevitably than when a tiny tot attaches itself to a end up in soft, stuffed creature. But, to the horror your vacuum of many parents, it’s often some horrencleaner by dous Mickey Mouse doll that will leave picking up you reeling from the the commercialany one of ization of their offspring’s childhood. these locally Pick up this dreamy dear at the Detroit made trinkets Urban Craft Fair. Your friends, and their that are just progeny, with thank you. for kids. n Friendly fawn by enamor. Mended So Nifty Thrifty Vintage baby sweater Tooth fairy pillow Dude, forget about Carters. #Everyone No one ever acknowledges how truly will be wearing that plaid hoodie at the bizarre the tooth fairy mythology is, but playground. Set the kiddo in your life up for that is neither here nor there. Inevitably success with their first-ever vintage sweater. a kiddo in your life is going to lose a fang These adorable little jumpers are made from and want to stuff it under their pillow reclaimed materials and will go great with in hopes of receiving riches from a tiny, a lovely little pair of leggings. The one-of-awinged chimera. Help them (and their kind sweaters are $34 and can be purchased parents, who have to fish it out from on Etsy or at the Detroit Urban Craft Fair. under said pillow while they sleep) keep those cuspids safe with this totes adorbs pillow made by So Nifty Thrifty. You can aoffman@metrotimes.com pick it up at HandCrafted in Riverview. @oh_miss_alysa
F
36 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
37
feature
The gift that keeps on giving Gift Guide
Six gift ideas for the stoner in your life
n Grinder and crank grinder.
n CUTLINE TKTKTK.
38 November November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 || metrotimes.com metrotimes.com
by Jack Roskopp
We found most of these items at Heads Up Boutique in Mount Clemens (50 New St., Mount Clemens), but a lot of these items can be found at Amazon. Heads Up is one of the longest-running businesses in Mount Clemens (going strong since 1969) and is one of the most eclectic head shops that we’ve been to in all of metro Detroit.
Grinder: $40 There are many different grinders on the market, but this little guy has a secret compartment that comes out of the side for you to easily get your weed. It’s a great grinder, and you get to skip the mess that easily comes with a normal one. Crank Grinder: $50 Grinding up your weed can easily lead to carpal tunnel (at least your medical marijuana can help with that!) so this grinder has a nifty crank thingy so you don’t have to twist your arm over and over again.
SHOP WHERE YOUR BUSINESS MATTERS
Mount n Repair AFFORDABLE LUXURY
S I LV E R
JEWELRY
BLACK FRIDAY SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
SPEND $50 ON A NEW SILVER PURCHASE RECEIVE A FREE GIFT
Mount n Repair
METRO DETROIT’S LARGEST SELECTION OF STERLING SILVER JEWELRY 205 PIERCE ST | BIRMINGHAM | 248.647.8670 MOUNTNREPAIR.COM metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
39
feature up your alley. We can totally see Ilana and Abby getting down with this one.
Gift Guide Pink bong: $24 Bongs are supposed to be decorative and fun, and nothing looks better than a bright pink bong to enhance your smoke sesh. Plus, if you’re a fan of the stoner comedy Broad City, then this bong is right
Gandalf Pipe: $39.99 Ever wanted to get stoned and pretend that you’re an old cryptic wizard of Middle Earth and everyone should fear the ground that you walk on? Then the Gandalf Pipe is for you. Smoke out of this long-ass pipe, contemplate life, pretend to cast a spell, and then eat a sandwich. Super Bowl: $38.95 We’ve all been there: You’re smoking with some of your friends, everyone is having a great time, but the bowl runs out before it can even get everyone in rotation. Enter the super bowl. This bowl is yuuuge and surely will not run out before everyone can get a
n Gandalf Pipe.
40 40 November November23-29, 23-29,2016 2016 | metrotimes.com
n Super bowl. hit. Pro tip:Smoke out of it while watching this year’s Super Bowl for a real mind-fuck. Electric Grinder: $19.95 Just when you thought smoking weed couldn’t get any more lazy, let us introduce to you the electric grinder. These battery-operated toys do all the work for you, and
it’s amazing. You just put the bud in the little contained area, press the grind button, and then your weed is magically ground up right before your eyes. Smoking weed has never been this great.
F
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
41
feature
Gift Guide
Flat, black and circular
Music makes the best stocking stuffer by MT Staff
In addition to the one book and apparel choice that will make for superb gifts we’ve divvied up various genres and formats into three ways each to give your music-loving friends and family the best Christmas ever. Be sure to visit your local retailers to acquire these goods.
n Heaven Was Detroit
Sounds that changed the world by Mike McGonigal
Heaven Was Detroit: From Jazz to Hip Hop and Beyond, edited by M.L. Liebler (Turtle Press) A large format collection that nearly clocks in at 500 pages, Heaven Was Detroit: From Jazz to Hip Hop and Beyond is our number one gift idea for the Detroit music fan. We’re still exploring this voluminous work. It’s authoritative, well-illustrated, and features some n CUTLINE TKTKTK. of the best experts on our area’s music
history offering both expansive overviews and diving into micro-histories. Edited and compiled over a number of years by acclaimed local writer, professor and activist M.L. Leibler, among the contributors are Greil Marcus, Marsha Battle Philpot, John Sinclair, Jaan Uhelszki, Dave Marsh, Aaron Anderson, Susan Whitall, Leni Sinclair, Michael Hurtt, Gary Graff, Lester Bangs, and Danny Dollrod. There are a few blind spots (gospel), but those just highlight the difficulty of weaving such a dense and epic tapestry as this. Divvied up into nine major chapters, the encyclopedic work starts with the early days of jazz and blues then moves on up to our infamous current export of techno. From the bold sounds of the Tribe’s free jazz scene to the olden times kings of Hamtramck hillbilly; from how Eminem really got started to the only Alice Cooper feature you ever need to read — not to mention the story behind Motown’s Black Forum label — this is as close to essential as you’re going to get when it comes to the breadth of our music history.
Hot jazz and soul by Aaron Anderson
Dennis Coffey, Hot Coffey in the D: Burnin’ at Morey Baker’s Showplace Lounge (Resonance) It’s hard to get more Detroit than this. Resonance Records is releasing a previously unissued live recording by
42 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
the Dennis Coffey Trio live at Baker’s from 1968. On this fuzzed-up soul jazz outing Coffey is backed by none other than Lyman Woodard on organ and Melvin Davis on drums. We suggest you buy two, a gift to yourself and a gift for someone you love. The limited vinyl is released on Nov. 25, while the CD version comes out Jan. 13th. Dr. Prof. Leonard King Orchestra, This Time and Again Forward (Uuquipleu) You can just about lay this CD on anyone, an honest and fun large band offering from Detroit’s own Leonard King that breaks the confines of jazz, mixing salsa, funk, old school rhythm & blues with a variety of rhythms and melodies, this release is pure “People Music”. Thornetta Davis, Honest Woman (Sweet Mama Music) The queen of Detroit Blues has graced us with a new release in 2016. With 12 new songs from
ticated, raw techno — the quintessential Detroit sound. Valley Hush, Valley Hush (The Record Machine) For those who love electronic, but err on the side of an experimental pop sound, Valley Hush’s recent self-titled album won’t disappoint. Lianna Vanicelli’s sonically therapeutic vocals along with Alex Kaye’s chillwave beats are an undeniable “best gift ever.” Find it digitally (iTunes or Spotify) or through their label, The Record Machine. Golf Clap, 20 Free Downloads (Soundcloud) If you’re totally broke this year (Hi!), Golf Clap just released 20 Free Downloads on their Soundcloud page. It’s a package of free music to commemorate reaching 20,000 Facebook likes. This gem is a back catalog of bliss, house rompers and titillating red room beats that will bring a little grime, glitter, and jazz to the holiday season. Visit soundcloud.com/golfclapdet for the download. n You only need to buy one Lyrans tape, but more than one sure looks cool. Photo by David Shettler.
Thornetta and one poem by her sister Felicia, along with musical guests that include Luis Resto, Dave McMurray, Rayse Biggs, and the late Marcus Belgrave, this is the gift for those on your list who love the blues or are in desperate need for some.
Electronic treats by Rai Skotarczyk
Kids, music is the gift that keeps on giving, especially if your cousin from Crown Heights just started DJing and needs some tunes to practice with. We got you; here are three essential Detroit releases to add to your gift list this year. -Jay Daniels, Broken Knowz (Technicolour) Jay Daniels was a classic before he even touched a turntable. The 20-something’s new LP Broken Knowz was just released via Ninja Waves Technicolour imprint. It’s minimal, sophis-
Reheated wax by Aaron Anderson
More proof that there has always been something interesting and inf luential going on in Detroit. Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith, Sonic’s Rendezvous (Orchidé) Got a guitar player on your list? Someone totally dedicated to Detroit rock ’n’ roll? Well, they’re gonna love you if you get them this CD. Unreleased solo acoustic home demos, studio recordings, and isolated live guitar tracks by MC5 guitarist Fred “Sonic” Smith. Pure genius from one the most inf luential guitar players ever. TJ, Time Is Wasting (BBE/180
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
43
feature Caps out by Sam Hooker
Gift Guide Proof ) The unreleased demo recordings from the ’70s found in the Strata Records vault by someone simply known as “TJ”. Stripped down and sincere soul that will leave you wanting more on this 10”. Spahn Ranch, Back to the Wood (Dais) A brand new compilation LP of killer tracks by Detroit post-punk/ shoegaze/goth pioneers. A most unusual sound from the most unusual of times, Detroit in the ’80s.
A trio of essential cassette releases from 2016. Tyler Hicks, Guitar Solo (Irrational Tentent) You might remember Tyler Hick’s guitar playing in 2015’s most missed group Thanks USA or his recent appearances at Trinosophes and Ditto Ditto, but this tape sounds closer to his non-guitar work as part of local electroabstraction duo Creode. Strange but never abrasive loops take left turn after left turn with only subtle hints that the instrument producing these sounds is actually a guitar. Released on Matt Conzett’s consistently excellent deep underground tape label Irrational Tentent. Lyrans, Float Lines (self-released) There is a lot of material on this artfully packaged 90 minute cassette, their first release as a group. Live recordings from multiple gigs cover a lot of sonic territory, hints of new age and kosmische but still firmly rooted in Detroit’s tradition of future focused
electronic music. On this tape Lyrans are David Shettler, J.Rowe, and David Hurley. The Vitas, Ginkgo (self-released) The Vitas’ debut tape features nine songs backed with their first gig in a classic demo style. The songs are short and sparse but sharp and entirely memorable, a nice change from the buzz and blur of many recent punk demos. The Vitas are Maia Asshaq, Claire Cirocco, Shelley Salant and Megan Stockton.
Long live the underground
n Danny Brown’s Atrocity Exhibition
by Aaron Anderson
Know someone who is hipper than hip? Try these LPs out. They might take a little extra work to find but you will be thanked repeatedly and earn some cool points. Chatoyant, Psychic Hieroglyphs (Detroit Cosmic Sounds) Cosmic avant jazz rock, authentic, impressive, and spacey. Westurbur & Rowe, 2015 (Northern Ashram) A lot of people are trying to master this sound but only W&R do. Mellow, progressive, and mind expanding.
Diamond Hens, Diamond Hens (self released) Twisted and arty, this is not for the faint of heart (or ear). Nothing sounds quite like it, great for basement dwellers and MM card holders.
Detroit hip-hop by Kahn Santori Davison
Detroit hip-hop had such a great year that it was hard to narrow it down to only three gift, but this triple-pack will not disappoint. Danny Brown, Atrocity Exhibition
BEST INDEPENDENT HARDWARE STORE IN DETROIT
DETROIT HARDWARE CO.
“EVERY THING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK” 6432 WOODWARD (at Milwaukee), Midtown (313) 875-0838 • M-F 8-5, SAT 9-3 44 November November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 || metrotimes.com 44 metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
45
feature
Gift Guide (Warp) When Metro Times interviewed Danny Brown two Novembers ago, he wondered what it would be like to make a, “big budget album, to sample whatever he wanted.” Fast track to Atrocity Exhibition and Danny’s team shelved out 70 grand on samples (not super big-budget but not chump change either) that fuels Brown’s finest creative achievement to date. For the most part, we still get the manic depressing, pill-popping, paranoid ass Danny. You know, the one that raps
like he’s been studying Pink Floyd and Andre 3000 all his life and was the unknown member of Odd Future. Atrocity Exhibition gives us all of that and more. “DNA” and “XXX” are easily the two tracks you’ll never get tired of listening too. Nolan the Ninja, he(art) (Left of Center) It seems the legend of Nolan the Ninja grows with every 16 bars he drops. He lit up the mic when Sway stopped by over the summer and the cats over at “Dead End Hip-Hop” showed him a ton of love. His newest project, he(art) is arguably his best work to date. The rawness is there, the boom-bap beats are there, and Nolan’s signature “roar” on the mic is a mainstay. Check out track 14, “Real Shit” featuring Finale (another local legend). Mic Write, Onus Chain (selfreleased) When you’re an emcee that has three literary awards (Locke, Knight and Kresge) under your belt, you’re easily in the conversation of one of the best lyricists in town. Check his project Onus Chain, it’s a little bit of Public Enemy, a little bit of Dead Prez, a little
46 November metrotimes.com November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 || metrotimes.com
bit of Big L, and whole lot of Detroit. I guarantee you won’t listen to track 2, “The Rapture” without saying “Did he just say that” at least ten times.
n The image on this tote is also available as a t-shirt at local stores. Photo by Heath Moerland.
Wear it proudly by Mike McGonigal
Music is a Natural High tote and shirt (Fag Tapes) Musician Heath Moerland (Tyvek/ Sick Llama) is also a visual artist and entrepreneur. Begun in 2005, his label Fag Tapes has over 400 releases plus a handful of t-shirts and other items. The label’s biggest seller are their t-shirts (and now tote bags) which read “Music is a natural high.” “Handcuffed to the neck of a guitar, you are a prisoner to music,” Moerland says, referring to the image at the center of the shirt. “Everywhere is the same, and everywhere is different. But Michigan has something shining about it. It’s my home planet away from home.” the shorts can be
purchased at many local record stores and boutiques, and always at fagtapes. bigcartel.com.
F
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
47
feature
Gift Guide
Gizmos and gadgets Tech toys that impress
n NES Classic Edition.
by Gabriel Goodwin For the ‘Star Wars’ fan of any age: The Sphero BB-8 app-enabled droid. BB-8 comes by itself (around $140) or with a wristwatch controller ($200) that has five settings (weapons training mode to Jedi force droid control) and connects to the droid and your smartphone. Available at Target, Best Buy, etc. Nostalgia Entertainment System: The $60 NES Classic Edition console comes preloaded with 30
NES games and one controller. (A second controller is $10). Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, and 3, the Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, and Metroid are some of the preloaded titles. Availability is limited at big-box electronic stores and resale shops like Get Your Game On. The NES Classic Edition is probably the best value in the gaming gift segment, given most current generation games cost about $60 to $100. There are some games worth committing $60 or more to, like Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Forza Horizon 3, and the BioShock Collection. Flex your head: VR headsets are now available for every interest level and price range — from the Samsung VR headset ($100) to the Merge VR headset ($60) for use with your smartphone, to the PlayStation VR ($399) or Oculus Rift ($599). They can be found at such stores as Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and GameStop.
n FitBit Flex.
Staying on track: A fitness tracker could be that simple, inexpensive way to delight the fitness buff. These accessories range from the $80 Fitbit Flex to the $250 Fitbit Surge — and replacement bands run from $15 to a
48 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
$250 “high fashion” band. Polar has a similar range of watches, bands, and accessories, but Garmin has even introduced fitness watches with GPS capabilities. Find them at Dunham’s, Dick’s, REI, or along with the others at most electronic stores.
the bulb to throw one of over a million colors. Find it at Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.
Volumizers: A portable speaker is a nifty last-minute gift idea. While most retail stores offer a wide selection from niche or popularly themed speakers, best are the Bose Soundlink Color II ($130) or the Beats Pill+ ($230) for midrange speakers. Both can be found at Best Buy or at online retailers like Amazon. Light show: The Misfit Bolt Smart LED light ($50) is the gift for that person you figure has it all. The light bulb has Bluetooth compatibility n Misfit Bolt Smart LED light. to control brightness and color. It connects to your phone or tablet with the Misfit Home letters@metrotimes.com mobile app where you can customize @metrotimes
F
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
49
The “Vari-Tips� bracelet in silver and 18k gold with interchangeable gemstones. Perfect for color coordinating your wardrobe and jewelry for a great fashion look.
50 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
51
52 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
53
54 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
55
feature
Gift Guide
Pile presents under the tree from these local stores A guide to shopping small by Alysa Offman Sure, Target may be selling a 1,000inch flat-screen TV for $60 on Thanksgiving Day and maybe that would make your dad happy, but in an attempt to reel in the over-commercialization of this Yuletide season, we’d like to humbly suggest giving these shops a chance to prove they’ve got something for everyone on your list. Detroit Institute of Arts Gift Shop 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-7948; dia.org Each and every year some gift guide in some publication (eh-hem) will tell you they have the perfect thing for that person who has everything. Well, does that impossible-to-buy-for person on your list have a chandelier composed of vintage spoons? My feeling is no. The Detroit Institute of Arts gift shop has those in varying sizes (and, yes, I want one) as well as many other interesting oddities. They sell jewelry (also made from spoons!), plus books on everything from art to tea, handmade ornaments, ceramic tiles, quirky book-
n Pewabic Pottery. Courtesy photo.
marks, and plenty more. You can hit the museum or shop for a slew of gifts in their online store. Eldorado General Store 1700 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-7849220; eldoradogeneralstore.com Erin Gavle has received her fair share of press, but take a step inside Corktown’s Eldorado General Store and you’ll see what has bloggers and major news outlets alike entranced. She sells a host of goods, from vintage to brand new, and stocks goods that would delight both guys and gals. Her collection of jewelry is to die for, as are her stock of tarot cards, candles, and vintage sweaters. Gavle travels the states collecting items to sell in the store and the care and thought put into her collection is apparent. Elphie Elora: Purveyor of Fine Goods Elphieelora.com This little shop opened last year just off South Washington in Royal Oak, but sadly the brick-and-mortar incarnation of the business didn’t last long. Thankfully, however, Elphie Elora has survived as an online business, so you can still support the proprietress Kristen Hawley in her endeavor to bring quirky and kitschy gifts to the masses. Think: bacon bandages, funny socks, voodoo dolls, hand-shaped hand soap and other various gag gifts that make for perfect stocking stuffers.
56 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
n Frida. Photo by Sarah Rahal. Frida 15 E. Kirby St., Detroit; 313-559-5500; fridadetroit.com Sister to Rachel Lutz’s Peacock Room, Frida is a little more laid-back, and just as much fun. You’ll find Mexicaninspired wares from jewelry to handbags, from dresses to notepads. It’s a the perfect place to pick up something for your girlfriend or your best friend — chances are she’ll love everything in this store. HandCrafted 18511 Fort St., Riverview; 734-288-0563; craftedmi.com Downriver, for all its merits, is often late to the trend game. It’s taken the region a while, but they finally got a shop that focuses solely on Michigan-made items. You can pick up JKM candles, Cellar Door soaps, Detroit Cargo bags, plant terrariums, and plenty more, plus they’ve got stuff for guys, gals, and kiddos too. In addition to being a great place to shop, they also hold craft classes, if you’re more of a doer than a buyer. Henry the Hatter 1307 Broadway St., Detroit; 313-962-0970; Henry the Hatter is something of an institution in Detroit. The shop’s been around since 1893 selling fancy toppers and casual caps. Everything on its shelves is made with quality and you’ll get impeccable service too. Not in the market for a felt topper? They also sell Russian-style rabbit fur hats that will keep a noggin warm on the coldest of Midwestern days. Hihi 220 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak; 248-6588900; hellohihi.com Maybe you have a 15-year-old niece who is obsessed with anime and Japanese pop culture. Or maybe that person is your 30-year-old boyfriend. Either way, Hihi is a little shop that’s full of Pusheen stuffed dolls, Tokidoki unicorn figurines,
Big Pants Cats toys, Sanrio notebooks, and various other colorful items that will serve as joyful stocking stuffers. Pewabic Pottery 10125 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-6262000; pewabicstore.org OK, your pockets will have to be a little deeper to pick up presents at this Detroit institution, but chances are gifts from this store will last a lifetime. A small Celtic vase will run $135, a set of three blue ceramic snowflake ornaments will cost a cool $70, and a classic mug is around $60. The items are beautiful, handmade, and one-of-a-kind, which makes forking over a little extra dough worth it for that special someone. Wheelhouse Hamtramck 9401 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; wheelhousedetroit.com Wheelhouse Detroit owner Kelli Kavanaugh recently opened a second location of her successful shop, this time in Hamtramck. Whether you’re looking for a set of wheels to gift your true love this holiday season or you’re just hoping to put some bicycle accessories under the tree this year, Wheelhouse is the perfect place to pick up those items. This location will also exclusively sell a line of cycling-inspired clothing that’s designed especially for folks who ride their bikes to work. Xochi’s Gift Shop 3437 Bagley St., Detroit; 313-841-6410; xochis.net Traditional Mexican folk art, colorful crosses, ofrendas, Katrina dolls, beautifully painted skulls, wooden flutes, tiny sombreros, taco-shaped Christmas ornaments, handmade Nativity scenes, and so much more await all those who stop into this Mexicantown gift shop.
F
aoffman@metrotimes.com @oh_miss_alysa
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
57
58 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
59
E AT
feature
Avenue Grill Plus 8900 McGraw Ave., Detroit 313-406-2274
Accessible | Open daily 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Stews $2.79 per quart, sides $2.49-$2.99 per quart, chicken 99 cents-$1.19 per piece
n Basmati rice and potatoes Photo by Scott Spellman.
Middle East and meaty
Detroit spot’s menu offers roasted lamb, fried chicken, and beef stew by Jane Slaughter I first heard about the new Yemeni restaurant Avenue Grill Plus when a friend posted a story on Facebook. She saw owner Jamil Baadani pack up a to-go box, refuse the 80 cents’ worth of change the customer had placed on the counter, and tell him all was set. After the man left, Baadani explained, “He comes in regularly. There are so many people in need these days, and I want to make sure people at least have enough food.” Later, after I’d visited Avenue Grill three times, I told Baadani I wanted to use this story in my review — but would he mind? Might it encourage a flood of more hungry “customers” than he could handle? Don’t worry, Baadani said, he’s always happy to feed the homeless. You shouldn’t go to Avenue Grill just because the owner is a nice guy, though. You should go if you don’t know Yemeni food and want a break from Lebanese — they’re very different cuisines. And you should go if you can afford to pay for your meals, but only a little — Baadani’s prices are pretty close to charity. The grill is no one’s idea of fine dining. It’s in a tiny and unprepossessing strip mall on the Southwest side. Most
of the business is carryout, though there are booths. Silverware is plastic (but Baadani splurges on good napkins). If you eat in, you’ll be served on a big oval communal platter. It’s the food itself, which makes frequent use of the Yemeni seven-spice mix called hawaij, that has produced faithful customers in the grill’s first seven months of operation. Baadani employs a Tunisian cook, who in addition to the Yemeni favorites makes a Moroccan dish involving corkscrew noodles, vegetables, a little ground beef, and hard-boiled eggs. He also produces an excellent golden couscous with raisins, tomatoes, and peas (“you can’t get it anywhere else”). It sounds silly to attribute personality to textures, but I always find couscous, with its tiny, almost nutty balls of semolina, kind of amusing. Like a cute child, but without the sweetness. The restaurant’s biggest seller is tabeekh, a bright orange, oven-baked, potatoes-and-vegetables dish in which the potatoes become infused with zucchini flavor. It’s spicy, but not over the top. Also called tabeekh (and I’m sure Arabic speakers are laughing behind their hands here) is a different stew with garbanzos, okra, peas, and carrots. I
60 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
thought I detected cloves in it; Baadani says the closest thing to hawaij is allspice; he also admitted to anise, fennel seeds, ginger, cardamom, and cumin. Likewise popular is basmati rice, cooked with cinnamon sticks, raisins, and nuts. Perhaps my favorite dish was lamb, which is cut into seemingly random bony parts, including ribs, and simply baked with hawaij. I see no good way to eat this except with your fingers, and the grill normally supplies just spoons or pita as eating utensils, although we did get a fork once. The meat is crisp outside and luscious with fat throughout, and five pieces set me back $8.84. Stewed chicken with hawaij is also delectable. I found the beef stew lightly spiced and more ordinary. But maybe that’s your thing when you’re stopping by to pick up lunch on your way to work, as I met one lady doing. A dish eminently accessible to Americans is fried chicken, Baadanistyle. He won’t say what goes into the flaky crust, but I tasted plenty of pepper, and the flesh is very, very juicy. Fries are also done right, with a crisp exterior. I saw hot wings and honey barbecue wings on the menu: 30 pieces for $21.99.
My least favorite was, surprisingly, a chicken shawarma sandwich, which has a not-usual, bland, garlic-based but Greek-inspired sauce. The wrap is heavy on pickles, it’s huge, and it costs just $5, which almost makes it seem expensive compared to other items. My friend who turned me onto the place said she’d heard others rave about the grill’s shawarma — “better than Bucharest” — but she and I did not agree. For dessert you can get baklava that’s brought in from a local bakery, or anomalously, something American delivered from a food service, like cheesecake topped with pecans. Aside from these items, everything is made fresh daily in-house; nothing is held over until the next day. I remembered being told the same thing at a Hamtramck Yemeni restaurant, that dishes are always prepared when they’re to be eaten, never refrigerated and reheated. Myself, I have no such cultural prohibitions and was more than happy with my take-home the next day.
E
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
61
LET US CATER YOUR NEXT PARTY FRANCHISES NOW AVAILABLE BEST SANDWICH WASHTENAW COUNTY
BEST DELI
OAKLAND COUNTY
2 for $5
NEW CORNED BEEF ROLLS
ONE COUPON PER CUSTOMER, PER VISIT. NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER.
ROYAL OAK
Al’s Famous Bread Basket Deli 32906 Woodward Ave.
248-549-3663
EASTPOINTE 20709 Kelly Rd. Eastpointe, MI
586-285-5450
DETROIT / PALMER PARK 17740 Woodward Ave. Detroit, MI 48203
$4 OFF
ONE COUPON PER CUSTOMER, PER VISIT. NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER.
2 REGULAR SANDWICHES W/ PURCHASE OF 2 DRINKS ONE COUPON PER CUSTOMER, PER VISIT. NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER.
REDFORD
LINCOLN PARK
313-387-4767
313-386-3354
$1 OFF
ANY REGULAR SANDWICH
26667 W. 8 Mile Rd. Redford Twp., MI 48240
YPSILANTI / A2
4003 Carpenter Rd. (SE Corner of Ellsworth) Ann Arbor, MI 48197
734-677-7717
MADISON HEIGHTS 29151 Dequindre Rd Madison Heights, MI 248 439-3354
313-865-DELI
2011 Southfield Rd. Lincoln Park, MI 48146
LIVONIA
11320 Middlebelt Rd. (SE Corner of Plymouth Rd.) Livonia, MI 48150
734-422-1100
DETROIT
15603 Grand River Ave.
(SW Corner of Greenfield)
313-836-DELI
BEST DELI ICON WINNER
BEST CORNED BEEF BEST DELI
WWW.BREADBASKETDELIS.COM 62 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
63
64 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
65
66 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
67
E AT
side dish
Side Dish:
FoodLab’s Devita Davison on the promise of urban farming, black girl magic, and the word ‘foodie’ by Serena Maria Daniels There’s nothing superficial about the way Devita Davison thinks about food in Detroit. She doesn’t have much interest in figuring which trendy joint she’ll visit next (believe us, she knows all the hot spots), but rather how food can uplift us. Davison, who heads communications for a small-business community called FoodLab Detroit, is looking at the whole picture: from supporting the urban farmer who’s feeding an otherwise food desert to the way food businesses can create economic opportunities to promoting healthful eating habits that empower people of color. When she’s not traveling the country speaking to other food warriors, hanging out at FoodLab member businesses, or dropping mics all over social media, you just might find Davison at her favorite little halal cart in her “second home” in New York City.
Metro Times: What is one thing people don’t know about you that you wish they did? Devita Davison: Whenever someone introduces themselves to me as a “foodie,” I cringe. For years, the word was used sparingly. Now “foodie” is so overused. The word is
MT: What is the most positive thing in food or drink that you’ve noticed in Detroit over the past year? Davison: Senator Debbie Stabenow recently introduced the Urban Agriculture Act of 2016 in hopes of getting it included in the next Farm Bill. The bill aims to create economic opportunities for urban farmers, expand U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) farm loan programs to urban farmers, support the creation of urban farm co-ops to help bring products to market (and allow those co-ops to manage loans for urban farmers), invest in urban agriculture research, and improve access to fresh, local foods. The bill is long overdue! MT: Who is your Detroit food crush? Davison: Emily Staugaitis and the Bengali women gardeners of Bandhu Gardens.
MT: What daily ritual is non-negotiable for you? Davison: I get up between 5:30 and 6 a.m., make coffee, read two newspapers: The New York Times and The Washington Post, check my social media platforms, emails, and any other messages that may have come in overnight. Every morning!
MT: Who’s the one person to watch right now in the Detroit dining scene? Davison: I’ve noticed an increasing numbers of AfricanAmericans choosing a plant-based lifestyle. It makes sense because once we move past the stereotypes of African-American cuisine, the foundations are really healthful foods: nutrient-dense greens like mustards and turnips and kale and collards and dandelions, and butter beans and sugar snap peas and pole beans and black-eyed peas and sweet potatoes. Detroit Vegan Soul has been a game changer! They are opening a restaurant in Grandmont Rosedale next year and I can’t wait to see what Erika and Kirsten Boyd do next!
MT: If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Davison: My Black Girl Magic is my superpower! My magic is about celebrating the tension, love, sisterhood, and complexities of being a black woman in this world. The odds are almost never with us, and yet look at how we drive culture. It is so complex and yet very simple.
MT: Which ingredient is most representative of your personality? Davison: A study by a group of researchers at Penn State found that people who were most inclined to enjoy action movies, adventure-seeking, and exploration were about six times more likely to enjoy the burn of a spicy meal. I guess that would describe why hot sauce is most repre-
very similar to “hipster” — linguistically lazy, poorly defined to the point of meaning everything and nothing at the same time. The word “foodie” has been relegated to mean anyone who likes food and/or eats out a lot. I would love to see the word “foodie” refer to someone who gets beyond all the fun of food and actually pays attention to how food is produced and the impact it has.
68 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
sentative of my personality.
MT: If you weren’t working in the restaurant business, what would you be doing? Davison: Every day, I work to support a growing community of people who were concerned about our food system. All across the nation, I have friends who are working on issues from sustainable agricultural practices, food justice, climate justice, and nutrition, to state and federal policy. I’m inspired by the work and organizing that’s happening in the community on the ground. So if I weren’t the director of FoodLab Detroit, I would probably be running for office, so that I could help to pass legislation around equitable food systems. I truly believe food and agriculture is the most important issue of my lifetime. MT: Name an ingredient never allowed in your kitchen. Davison: Canned collard greens. I tried them once, and bite after bite after bite, they taste like oppression! Nothing can save canned collard greens. Not hot sauce. Not salt. Not garlic. Nothing! My rule of thumb when it comes to collard greens is the same as macaroni and cheese: If it didn’t come out of my mother’s kitchen, I’m probably not eating it. MT: What is your after-work hangout? Davison: Every second Monday of the month you’ll find me hanging out at a FoodLab member business from 6 to 8 p.m. at our monthly member meetups. MT: What’s your food or beverage guilty pleasure? Davison: “The Platter” at the Halal Guys on 53rd and Sixth in New York City. There are lots of good halal carts around New York City, but their white sauce is what sets them apart. MT: What would be your last meal on Earth? Davison: I would eat my way through the menu at Reuben Riffel’s restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa. Not to be missed would be his chili-salted squid with a nuoc chum dipping, the blue cheese and mascarpone tart with tomato jam, and the offal and unusual meat cuts like lamb’s tongue, calf kidney, and chicken liver.
E
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
69
feature
Classifieds
|
Culture
|
Arts
|
Watch
|
Music
|
Drink
|
Eat
|
What’s Going On
|
Big Story
|
News
|
Upfront
M USIC
n Thornetta Davis. Courtesy photo.
Thornetta Davis has gotta sing the blues After all, she is the queen of ’em by Ana Gavrilovska When a project takes a long time to complete, the level of satisfaction has that much more space to rise. Thornetta Davis, Detroit’s own Queen of the Blues, knows that feeling well, having inally released in September the aptly titled Honest Woman, her second original album in exactly 20 years. Born and raised on the city’s east side, the now 53-year-old Davis entered a Detroit talent show at age 15 and has been singing and performing her soul out ever since. On top of the blues, her musical connections spread through virtually all the locally revered genres, from rock to hip-hop to jazz to soul, whether she plays it herself or has worked with area legends — everyone, for example, from Michigan household
names like Kid Rock and Bob Seger to the late trumpeter Marcus Belgrave (on “Get Up and Dance Away Your Blues,” quite possibly the last recording he ever made) and harmonica virtuoso Kim Wilson (on her new album’s track “I Gotta Sing the Blues”). The foundation of Honest Woman is undoubtedly the blues. Davis is Detroit’s crowned queen, after all. She began to focus on the genre in the late ’80s when establishing her singing career with the Chisel Brothers, one of the city’s most consistent blues rock bands of the time. Before she met the band, Davis was entertaining fantasies of becoming a top 40 R&B artist. But with its stirring blend of lush energy and fiery nuance, her voice turned out
70 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
to be a natural fit for the melancholy power of the blues. Still, while a blues group, the Chisel Brothers rocked too, and the rock streak in Davis’ background continued into the ’90s when she hooked up with Ann Arbor rock band Big Chief, the group that connected her with Sub Pop. Her first solo album on the label, Sunday Morning Music, came out in 1996; one song (“Cry”) later appeared on an episode of everyone’s favorite mafia show The Sopranos. More or less ever since then, Davis has been performing in the Detroit area, frequently appearing at festivals, clubs, and special events. She has amassed over 30 Detroit Music Awards, performed with the Detroit Symphony
Orchestra, and opened for numerous blues and R&B icons, including Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Etta James, and Bonnie Raitt, to name a few. Speaking of blues legends, it was the passing of one such personage that led to Davis’ crowning as “Queen of the Blues”; she was chosen as Alberta Adams’ successor after her death in 2014. Adams got the appellation quietly over time by word of mouth, having essentially personified the Detroit blues scene during her extensive career. After she died, local blues aficionados felt the need to commemorate an heir to the Detroit blues throne. As one of the city’s most respected blues voices, Davis was the instinctive
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
71
M USIC choice, and the status was made official in August at the Hastings Street Ballroom. Not only was Adams a tremendous influence on Davis’ own soul and style, but a beloved friend and collaborator too; Davis appeared on her final album, Detroit Is My Home, recorded by Adams at age 91. It may just be particularly fitting, then, that the year after her official crowning, Davis was ready to unleash her second original full-length on the world, and it’s a doozy of a blues burner. These blues are inflected with reverberations from Davis’ musically vigorous life, not only funk, rock, and soul, but gospel too — the latter perhaps at least somewhat in part due to the positive role that time spent singing in a church choir played in her life. In addition to the gospel trio Special Anointing, one song (“Sister Friend Indeed”) includes the voices of up to 50 female friends and relatives, roaring with the warmth of unity and kinship. To celebrate this milestone in her musical history, Davis is presenting Honest Woman on Sunday, Nov. 27 at the Music Hall, featuring some of the musicians and singers who performed on the album, as well as other special guests. In anticipation of what is sure to be a performance that brings down the house, Metro Times talked with Davis about the making of the album, how she has ended up with such an eclectic resume of credits, and more.
Metro Times: Can you tell us about the new album? Thornetta Davis: It’s my first original album in 20 years, Inbetween then and now, I’ve been doing shows all over. I put out a covers album called Live at the Music Menu, but I’ve always wanted to finish this one. It took me awhile to get it done, but I finally got it done. On September 23rd, I pre-released it. It’s about my life in the last 30 years: everything that I’ve experienced and gone through, and relationships. Hopefully people will be inspired by the lyrics, music, and journey. MT: How does it feel to put out your second album 20 years later? Davis: It feels like the biggest accomplishment I’ve ever had in my life. After Sunday Morning Music came out, I came back to Detroit and started singing around here. What it got me was my independence at that time. I had to learn how to book myself, get my own gigs, negotiate for myself, and hire musicians. When I got back, the Chisel Brothers had disbanded, but I still had access to some great musicians in the city, so I
72 72 November November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 | | metrotimes.com metrotimes.com
feature would call up different musicians. It was a learning process from 1996 to now. And in the meantime, I was writing songs. I don’t wait to record them to perform them, I write and I perform, so I’ve been performing at least half the album for years now. People are going, “When are you gonna record?” and I just never had that feeling to go back into the studio. The urgency came when I turned 50. A record label or a producer wasn’t going to come and say, “Hey, let me do it,” and I said, “OK, I HAVE to do this myself.” I know what I want, I know the musicians I want, I know where I want to do it.
MT: It’s been a three-year process actually putting it together then? Davis:Yes.ThefirsttimeIwentintothe studio, the musicians were like, “Are you really gonna do it?” [Laughs.] We cut the first five songs, and I had been waiting to get this particular musician who was not living in Detroit then, Kim Wilson, he plays harmonica and sings with the band the Fabulous Thunderbirds. I kept watching his schedule, seeing when he was gonna be around Detroit. Well, he was going to come to Ann Arbor, so I texted him to see if he could play on my record. He didn’t get back to me until two weeks later in the middle of the night before his show, asking ‘What do you want me to do?’ I had already booked the session just in case! I called and said, “Tomorrow, I’ll come get you, I’ll bring you back to your gig!” And he said, “OK!” We did two takes and it was done, so now I have the phenomenal Mr. Kim Wilson on my album. Marcus Belgrave is on it too. I have some great Detroit musicians on it. MT: What was it like to work with Marcus Belgrave? Davis: Marcus was a dear heart to me, he was a friend too. Just to be able to get him on the album, because he was in the studio with an oxygen tank hooked up. But when he blew out that solo, it didn’t even matter! If you were listening to this man, you wouldn’t know, by listening, that he was going through his illness at that time. MT: How does Detroit’s musical legacy influence your style? Davis: We are known for our rock, soul, gospel, jazz, blues, we’re known for everything good in music, and I couldn’t help but be influenced by all of it. When I started working with musicians who were doing all of that, it helped to motivate me to get more creative about what I wanted on the album, how I wanted the songs to go, and what styles of music I wanted to play. The whole album was
created by Detroit, the music scene, the ups and downs, and what we’ve been going through in the city. Everything is influential to the art and the music.
MT: I saw that you appeared on a Bob Seger album in the ’90s. What was he like? Davis: Bob Seger? Yeah, he was cool. I actually worked on a couple of his albums. I was outdone when he asked me to be a part of it. I sing background, but to be a part of a legend’s work like that! MT: Another interesting credit I noticed you have is that your voice was used on Xena: Warrior Princess. Davis: Yeah, they did an episode where Xena was hanging out with a bunch of girls at what looks like a bath house and they’re singing “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.” They don’t have me in it, but this girl is pantomiming to my voice. Joseph LoDuca, who did all the music for Xena, is from Detroit. He called me and asked if I’d come in and do a couple episodes. But that one in particular is the one I like because I like that song. It looks funny because my voice clearly does not match the chick singing. MT: To come back to the new album, what are you most excited about for the release show? Davis: I’m excited to sing for my city. I’m hoping that a lot of people come out. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and a lot of people have been waiting for me. I’ve seen the energy of the city. People have been supporting my music for 30 years. I raised my daughter doing this, put her through college, and I’ve always heard from my fans, friends, and loved ones, “When are you going to do this?” They couldn’t wait for the album to come out. When I finished it, my husband and I thought the best way to present it would be at a theater. I opened up for Ray Charles years ago at the Music Hall, and when I did that, I said, “One of these days, I’m going to be up here doing my show.” And here it is! I’ve got some friends who are on the album, I want to showcase them also, and let them know how it feels. You can do this. You don’t gotta wait on anybody else to make it happen. See Thornetta Davis perform Honest Woman and more at the Music Hall on Sunday, Nov. 27; Starts at 6 p.m.; 350 Madison Ave., Detroit; musichall.org; $30-$60.
M
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
73
M USIC
feature
n Giorgos Xylouris and Jim White are Xylouris White. Courtesy photo
Xylouris White awakens at night
Giorgos Xylouris and Jim White: Two great tastes that taste great together by Adam Woodhead The story of Xylouris White lies at the intersection of multiple geographies, histories, and cultures. It’s rooted in one of Greece’s oldest musical traditions and is made up of drummer Jim White, a veteran of the Australian post-punk scene who originally rose to prominence as part of instrumental trio Dirty Three, and Giorgos Xylouris, a virtuosic player of the eight-stringed Lute and member of the island’s most celebrated musical family.
The Xylouris name, in fact, has come to be synonymous with Cretan music. His late uncle Nikos was nicknamed “the Archangel of Crete” for his folk music and poetry that captured the popular mood, and was part of the political movement that overthrew the Greek military dictatorship in 1974. His version of “I mpalanta tou kyr-Mentiou,” originally composed by the poet Kostas Varnalis, describes the life of an ordinary worker, where the factory takes its toll, and men are
forced off to war to feed their masters. But if you awaken at once, the poet tells the worker, the world will turn upside down. Xylouris and his family were the subject of the 2015 documentary A Family Affair, which documents his relentless schedule. “I’d like to stop performing for a year and only play at home. But I don’t have this luxury,” Xylouris tells filmmaker Angeliki Aristomenopoulou.” I have to play nonstop to make ends meet.” The camera follows
74 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
Xylouris across continents, from one of Crete’s famously gun-laden weddings, to the musician’s “second home” (and drummer White’s first home) in Melbourne, where his son attended university. The duo’s most recent album, Black Peak, was released over the summer, and between recording and performing, Xylouris shows no signs of slowing down. When the Metro Times caught up with the pair via email, it was on the eve of their return to the United States after an extensive tour of Europe and the West Coast. Xylouris White will appear (with the great guitarist Marisa Anderson opening up) at Third Man Cass Corridor on Sunday, Nov. 27. Note: At times, they replied as one, so we put those responses down as “Xylouris/ White.”
MT: Where are you currently based? Giorgos Xylouris: Crete. Jim White: New York. Right now, Taiwan, where we just played a festival. MT: How did you first start working together? Xylouris/White: There’s a couple of ways to answer. One way is three and a half years ago, Jim went to Crete and we started Xylouris White. The long answer is 25 years ago we met in Melbourne, listened to each other play in our own situations — Jim kinda punk rock in Melbourne, George Cretan folk music. Dirty Three started, and George would play with Dirty Three then on occasion. Jim listened to Cretan music for the next 20 years and we kept in touch. Dirty Three
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
75
M USIC and Xylouris Ensemble [were] playing shows together. Later on, George, Jim, and Psarantonis — who is George’s dad — played together when all were present at the Nick Cave-curated All Tomorrow’s Parties festival. And finally, Jim went to Crete.
STEEL PIPE
Cut & Threaded 1/8” thru 8” Valves - Fittings C.I. Fittings No Order Too Small
FEDERAL PIPE AND SUPPLY COMPANY 6464 E. McNichols
(Corner Of Mt . Elliott )
(313) 366-3000
Hours: M-F 8-5:30 • Sat 8-5
MT: We’re curious about your upcoming concert in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with Jonathan Richman. Xylouris/White: Jim is a longtime fan of Jonathan. George [is] a new fan since a month ago when he saw Jonathan Richman and Tommy Larkins play at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco when we were playing there too. Jonathan saw Xylouris White play and has invited us to play on the same bill in Portsmouth. We’re very excited. MT: Jim, who are some of the artists you have worked with before meeting George? White: I come from Melbourne, which has a great music scene. I formed Venom P Stinger, Dirty Three, the Double and Xylouris White along with my bandmates. I’ve played live and on record with many other people including Smog, Cat Power, and Bonnie Prince Billy. I play drum kit. I spent a lot of time in Detroit and was in Crime and the City Solution featuring Detroitians Matthew Smith and Troy Gregory. Dirty Three played at Zoots in Cass Corridor way back, and I made a record with Andre Williams and Dennis Coffey in Hamtramck. MT: George, tell us a little bit about your family, and their place in Cretan culture. Xylouris: Cretan musical culture is big and goes back centuries. The village I grew up [in] is [called] Anogia, a mountain village of musicians and shepherds. It’s a rocky place, and people spend a lot of time singing, talking about music, telling stories, making instruments, writing poetry, and dancing. That’s life there. My family is a big part of that: My grandpa and his brother were both lyra players, and also my grandpa was singing a lot, and that was a big part of his everyday life. This continued to his kids, which [are] my dad and his brothers Psarandonis, Nikos and Giannis. Two [of them are] lyra players, [one is] a Lute player, and they all sing. My village and my dad and his brothers inspired me a lot growing up, and continue to. My uncle Nikos is an iconic face of what he was doing, singing and playing all around Greece. And these days, because he
76 76 November November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 || metrotimes.com metrotimes.com
feature passed away, many people come to the village to visit the house where he and his family grew up. My dad is a man who broke the rules of tradition. He gave a new way to see things. He broke the rules and yet he is still within, and is the tradition, showing us all ways forward and back. Giannis is a master of the Lute. My brother and my sister are also musicians, and the next generation is coming up. My grandma was also a miraculous dancer. MT: Do either of you think there has been a resurgence in non-traditional music forms in the West in recent years? If so, why do you think this is? Xylouris: To play with Jim, it’s not only two people from different music backgrounds putting things together, but it’s something that goes back over the years since we met. We started listening to each other and I followed Jim along the years, listening to what he was up to in Dirty Three and other things. We’d exchange music now and again, and all this gives me the feeling that playing together now feels natural and it’s something built by the years. That’s the feeling I have, so in a way it’s kind of an old thing and new at the same time, our history. MT: Jim, how you think the role of experimental music in our culture has changed since working with Dirty Three? White: I don’t think I’ve ever been doing what is primarily experimental music. I mean, I like to experiment myself — put things in different places and see how it feels and not to necessarily follow the accepted paths of drumming — but that’s a personal thing that is part of my way, and has been, and continues to be. In Xylouris White, I’m myself and I’m also trying to touch the feelings and the dance of some of this Cretan music. I listen to the old Cretan masters, talk to George and go to Crete all the time because I love it and that helps with what I’m doing with Xylouris White. Mostly I find ways to be more myself, and at the same time finding things I didn’t even know I could do. In that way it refreshes. I guess I’m always trying to get to certain feelings when I play music, and one of the ways to get that feeling is to come at it in a new way to get to that old idea. I see it as a continuation of what I’ve always done, whether it was loving punk rock and making up the beats and songs in Venom P Stinger that were not done in punk rock, but got to some of the feelings in a fresh way. I don’t think anything I’m
saying is related to what people call experimental music. What we are doing drives us to what we are looking for. MT: How have your musical tastes developed or changed as you have grown older? Xylouris: All these years I’m learning and finding out things, and continuing to do so. And at this stage I’m going back to the beginning as I’ve always done, finding new things in the old things I’ve always done. Sisyphus people ask me sometimes, “I want to be a fly on the wall when you are playing at home by yourself playing to see and listen what you man play alone.” And I’m telling to them, “What I’m playing, what do you think I’m playing?” I’m playing proto Hanioiti and proto Hanioti and proto Hanioti, the same song that you heard me play tonight about 10 times in a Cretan gig where we play for 10 hours. That’s mostly what I’m doing, discovering the same thing over and over, and I love that, and I believe that. White: The same thing really applies for me in programming myself, and then I like to go into whatever situation and see what happens. Even if it’s the same situation. MT: What was it like touring in Europe, and how you feel about returning to the United States? Xylouris/White: The United States is turning out to be one of our home bases. It’s always great and we probably came at a good time, because we come for good reasons. We like to meet the new places and see the differences, and these places could be very close to each other. Like in Crete, we see differences in the same piece of music that may be only 5 miles away from each other, and it’s exciting. We just had some great shows in Europe. Greeks and Germans together in Berlin, and everyone dancing in Brussels, and we went to Ireland for the first time. We had a great time in Newcastle and Birmingham — very local places which welcomed us — and [we] saw the different character of the towns and landscapes. Xylouris White and Marisa Anderson will perform at Third Man Cass Corridor on Sunday, Nov. 27; Starts at 7:30 p.m.; 441 W. Canfield St., Detroit; thirdmanstore.com; $10.
M
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
77
Livewire
This week’s suggested musical events by MT Staff
WED WED11/23-MON 11/23-MO11/28 11/28 1st Annual Wavy Week @Third Wave Music
Detroit’s newest instrument shop, Third Wave Music, is an independently owned and operated, musician-staffed store that will celebrate its grand opening in North Cass Corridor with five days worth of fun and music for all ages. The “1st Annual Wavy Week” will start Wednesday with performances from Casual Sweetheart, Mic Phelps and Young Mac the Realest, and Rebecca Goldberg. That first day has something for everyone, from rock to hiphop, and the rest of the week is just as jam-packed with fun. There will be a L atin percussion demonstration by Miguel Gutierrez, a Kids’ Day filled with plenty of kazoos and musical games for parents to enjoy as well, a bake sale, and a fundraiser for Standing Rock. The store features new instruments, vintage instruments, lessons, repairs, accessories, locally made products, and pre-owned products. The store is exactly what Detroit musicians need, and the week of events is a mustsee for music lovers anywhere. Events start at 12 p.m.; 4625 Second Ave., Detroit; thirdwavy.com; Admission is $5.
n Jeffrey Thomas and Jen David put the finishing touches on their Third Wave music store. Photo by Caitlin Drinkard. n Audra Kubat. Courtesy photo.
FRIDAY, 11/25
SATURDAY, 11/26
SATURDAY, 11/26
Detroit Folk Workshop w/Lac La Belle
JJ Grey & Mofro
Sponge and Rhythm Corps
@ Saint Andrew’s Hall
@ Royal Oak Music Theatre
No matter what Courtney Love says, saxophones do have a place in rock ‘n’ roll. Southern soul fans’ favorite band since 2001’s Blackwater, JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly just Mofro) will be in Detroit. They’ve played a bunch of major festivals like Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Wakarusa, and Rothbury. Influenced by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Jerry Reed, it’s no wonder where they get their blues and rock streak from. They’ll be promoting 2015’s ‘Ol Glory.
“It’s something that is automatic…” Sure, that from Sponge’s “Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina)” is not about getting tickets to see Sponge, but that’s a pretty automatic decision as well. Everyone from the Detroit area knows that the best thing to come out of Allen Park is Sponge. Whether it’s “Wax Ecstatic,” “Molly (16 Candles),” or “Plowed,” seeing Sponge at the Royal Oak Music Theatre is way cooler than trying to fight your way through drunk 60-year-olds at the Allen Park Homecoming Festival to get up front. To make this concert even better, Rhythm Corps is going to be there too. While Rhythm Corps definitely predates Sponge by a little bit, it’s true that the two have some “Common Ground.”
@ PJ’s Lager House
Lac La Belle, Detroit’s resident blues, folk, Dixieland, and Western swing duo will be at PJ’s Lager House to promote their third studio album, A Friend Too Long. In the two years that the album has been out, members Jennie Knaggs and Nick Schillace have kept busy with six North American tours and two European tours. The musicians use accordions, banjos, guitars, ukuleles, mandolins, and their voices to charm people with their folksy, modern Americana.
The show starts at 5:30 p.m.; 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit; pjslagerhouse.com; Admission is free.
78 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
The show starts at 8 p.m.; 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; livenation. com; Tickets are $27.
Doors open at 8 p.m.; 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak; royaloakmusictheatre.com; Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of.
THURSDAY, 11/24 Standing Rock benefit with the Darleans @ El Club
We all know that Danny and the Darleans at their best just might be the finest bump-and-grind garagesoul act. To celebrate their brandnew LP, Bug Out on in the Red, your dollars to see them tonight will go to a worthwhile cause. A group of local musicians and activists (led by Matt Ziolkowski of Mountains and Rainbows) are in the midst of a fundraising effort to support the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and their compatriots as they protest the construction of the Dakota access pipeline through their reservation’s sacred water source. This is of course a key time for all human rights causes in general, and a crucial one for Standing Rock resisters as they enter the start of harsh winter months. And beyond the Darleans, you have the finest in Detroit’s wide-ranging underground of sound, with Double Winter, 696 Blues Band, Shells, and the Drinkard Sisters running the gamut from meditative and loud solo guitar music to wonderful weird pop and absolutely beautiful country-rock. No matter how tryptophan-impaired you might be, definitely head to this, and check out waterislifedetroit. com for more information. Attendees are encouraged to bring warm clothing and blankets in new or like-new condition.
n Danny and the Darleans. Photo by Steve Shaw.
SUNDAY, 11/27
SUNDAY, 11/27
WEDNESDAY, 11/30
Billy Strings
PartyNextDoor and Jeremih
Makoto Kawabata and Tatsuya Nakatani Duo
@The Fillmore
@ Trinosophes
@ The Fillmore
Billy Strings is a Michigan native and bluegrass crooner straight from the heart of country music. He returns home from Nashville with his band to delight Michiganders with his sensible, mountain man music that can touch anyone. He plays guitar with such vigor that it’s hard to believe he’s only 23 years old. Fans of bluegrass will wholeheartedly enjoy Billy Strings EP, which was just released in April.
Doors open at 7 p.m.; 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; theark.org; Tickets are $25.
If you’re a big Drake fan, chances are you’ve heard of PartyNextDoor (Jahron Anthony Brathwaite). He’s been on Drake’s label, OVO Sound, since 2013, and he’s collaborated with Drake, Big Sean, and Jeremih, and he wrote “Work” and “Sex With Me” off of Rihanna’s Anti. This concert just gets better for hip-hop fans because Jeremih will be joining PartyNextDoor. Everyone knows 2009’s “Birthday Sex” as well as “My Ride.” Jeremih has cultivated plenty of fans in his near decadelong career and it seems that the 29-year-old shows no signs of slowing down.
Doors open at 7 p.m.; 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; thefillmoredetroit.com; Tickets are $29.50-$64.
Founder and guitarist of Japanese psychedelic rock band, Acid Mothers Temple, Makoto Kawabata will be at at Trinos with Tatsuya Nakatani, a stellar percussionist from Nagasaki, who has played at many international festivals and has taught a slew of master classes. While Nakatani does have his own orchestra, he has focused most of his career on solo percussion. Together, the two will be an unstoppable wave of interesting music and cultural diversity. Doors open at 8 p.m.; 1464 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; trinosophes.com; Admission is free.
Starts at 8 p.m.; 4114 W. Vernor Hwy., Detroit; elclubdetroit. com; $10.
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
79
80 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
81
A RTS On point
feature
‘Dot’ builds holiday memories in the landscape of mental breakdowns by Sarah Rose Sharp I juggled attending a Sunday matinee of Dot, a holiday-time family dramedy and the newest offering from Detroit Public Theatre’s second season, with coordinating the arrival of my parents for a long holiday visit. Taking a break from garden-variety disputes about breakfast venues and car rental arrangements for an afternoon of theater centered around a family attempting to come to grips with the onset of dementia in the titular character, Dot felt initially like the least escapist form of entertainment possible. And yet, in an era of entertainment that can offer much in the way of dazzling special effects, theater retains its relevance precisely in its ability to present human-scale drama, and the script by award-winning actor, playwright, and director Colman Domingo deals humorously with an array of difficult subjects that are deeply relatable. “When we read this play last year we fell in love with it,” says Sarah Clare Corporandy, one of theater’s three co-founders and producing director. “It is a play about real people, about [a] family and the many different types of people that make up that family. They are coming together at Christmas, bringing all that is going on in their lives into one house. I had the chance to see it in New York last year and I laughed, I cried, I empathized. “We are so thrilled to share this story with Detroit. While this play does deal with Alzheimer’s, there is humor around that, around how we deal with issues of aging parents, around family, and the way in which we love, fight, and take care of each other. Colman does a beautiful job of bringing all of these elements together in order to tell one cohesive story.” Though the main conflict of the play is anchored by the character of Dotty Shealy — a dynamic matriarch-in-decline, played with engaging humanity by actress and creator of several one-woman shows, Madelyn Porter — it is an ensemble effort. Every family is full of characters, and the success of a family gathering is only as good as the chemistry between them. Domingo’s lively and layered dialogue flows naturally between these experienced players, invigorating a set of identifiable family roles with their own personality. Dotty’s children — the baby, the perfectionist older sister, the golden son
n The cast of Dot. Courtesy photo. — are played, respectively, by Shawntay Dalon as the outlandish Averie, Tracey Conyer Lee as overbearing Shelly, and Curtis Wiley as the sensitive Donnie. Lee charges the stage with stress as Shelly, who, in a classic big sister move, tries to hold it all together and deliver a happy Christmas for her young son and her deteriorating mother. The trials and triumphs of the Shealy family are supplemented by a talented supporting cast, including Chris Corporandy as Donnie’s husband Adam, Artun Kircall as Dotty’s part-time Khazickstani caregiver Fidel, and Maggie Meyer as the girl next door, prodigally returning home for the holidays with a bellyful of trouble. “Saheem Ali, our director, worked to cast actors who possessed a strong inner likeness to their characters,” says Chris Corporandy, who originally auditioned for the role of Fidel but was cast as Adam. “So he had to convince and coax me to pretty much play myself, which is a much more vulnerable thing to do as an actor. Additionally, Saheem worked to pull me back from the impulse to match the exu-
82 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
berant chaos of the Shealy family. Instead, he wanted me to be the quiet one, the support, the peacemaker. It’s hard for a lot of actors — especially me — to resist the urge to make a bang onstage, so working to chill out and put more of myself into it was a crazy journey for me, and I thought an important one.” The cast feels utterly believable and familiar, invoking inside jokes, old feuds, and ritualized storytelling in the way of all holiday gatherings, but driven by the emotional urgency of seeing the foundation slipping away. Porter’s performance as the decompensating centerpiece to this tight family unit is poignant and personal and funny — sometimes she is the lightning strike of drama, sometimes she is the oddly peaceful eye of the storm as everyone else struggles and rages around her. Two tight and fast-moving acts are separated by a set change of epic proportions — which, entirely visible in the black-box setting of the Robert A. and Maggie Allesee Rehearsal Hall in the Fisher Music Center, is a pretty fascinating
process piece in and of itself. Following this matinee performance (as well as three others), the theater thoughtfully facilitated a “talk-back” session with an Alzheimer’s counselor, and a handful of audience members stayed after the show to talk through some of the issues surrounding this family-rending later life issue. On issues of cognitive degeneration, issues of race, and issues of acceptance within the structure of family life, Dot is relevant, on point, and surprisingly cathartic. Whether you feel the need to take a break from real life holiday family drama, making time to see this holiday family drama is a terrific gift. Dot runs at Detroit Public Theatre, 3749 Woodward Ave., Detroit; showtimes through Dec. 11. “Talk-back” sessions will follow the performances on Thursday, Dec. 1 (8 p.m.) and Wednesday, Dec. 7 (2 p.m.).
A
letters@metrotimes.com @metrotimes
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
83
84 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23
THIRST WAVE DJS PLEASURE KITTEN, ELEKTROSONIK
AND AARON HINGST SPIN DARK RETRO NEW WAVE AND ‘80S & ‘90S RETRO 9 P.M. DOORS / NO COVER BEFORE 10 P.M. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
FRIDAY, NOV. 25
MOD ORANGE THE CLIMAX DECLINE WSG THOSE HOUNDS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SATURDAY, NOV. 26
VSTRS, VOYAG3R THE ANALOG LIGHTS AND BELTERRA 8 P.M. DOORS / 9 P.M. SHOW
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
THURSDAY, DEC. 1
A WILHELM SCREAM
WSG LA ARMADA, BRAIDEDVEINS AND YOUNG HUNGER -----------------------------------------------------------------------
FRIDAY, DEC. 2
INDUSTRIAL IS NOT DEAD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SATURDAY, DEC. 3
ELVIS HITLER, SNAKEOUT AND SUBOURBON SON
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
THURSDAY, DEC. 8
COMEDY SHOWCASE -----------------------------------------------------------------------
FRIDAY, DEC. 9
SUPERSUCKERS
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
85
C ULTURE
HIGHERground
Despite Trump, election a watershed for weed by Larry Gabriel The big headline after the last election was the surprise Electoral College win for President-elect Donald Trump. But aside from that, things went really well for marijuana supporters. There were nine legalization and medical marijuana questions on ballots — eight of them won. The only loss was in Arizona, where a recreational legalization initiative lost. However, recreational legalization won in California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Maine. Medical marijuana won in Florida, Arkansas, Montana and North Dakota. Pro-marijuana activists are pretty happy with the election results; indeed they might be dancing in the streets except Donald Trump’s victory makes the fed-
eral response on legalization somewhat murky. President-elect Trump has not had a clear message regarding his response to legalization efforts. The Republican platform referred to the “problematic consequences” of the trends and public attitudes toward marijuana. Trump himself has said that he is “100 percent for medical marijuana,” and that states should be left on their own to implement their own laws. However his choice for attorney general, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., testified in a Senate hearing in the spring that “good people don’t smoke marijuana.” On top of that, running mate Mike Pence, and two of Trump’s closest associates, New Jersey
86 November 23-29, 2016 | | metrotimes.com metrotimes.com
Gov. Chris Christie and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, are serious supporters of the War on Drugs. Legalization support strong At the same time, public sentiment in support of legalization is at its highest since polls have been tracking the issue. Recent polls have tracked support for recreational legalization as high as 63 percent, with a Quinnipiac poll showing the lowest amount of support among major polls at 54 percent. That same Quinnipiac poll showed public support for medical marijuana at 89 percent. “A clear majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana, and supermajorities across party lines believe that states should be able to implement their own cannabis laws without federal interference,” says Tom Angell of the Marijuana Majority. “The truth is, marijuana reform is much more popular with voters than most politicians are, and officials in the new administration would do well to take a careful look at the polling data on this issue before deciding what to do. During the campaign the president-elect pledged to respect state marijuana laws and he should keep his word — both because it’s the
right thing to do and because a reversal would be a huge political misstep.” With 89 percent support for medical marijuana, it would certainly be a fight to roll that back. In addition, 28 states and the District of Columbia have broad medical marijuana use laws on the books while another 15 have narrow CBD-only statutes. That comes to 43 states with some kind of accommodation to medical marijuana. Had the MI Legalize effort made the ballot, it could well have won at the polls. The MI Legalize effort collected enough signatures to put the question before voters; it just didn’t do it fast enough to satisfy lawmakers. That
The
Old
Miami
OUR PATIO NIGHTLY BONFIRES ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD
IT’S ALL GRAVY! WE DO THIS: THANKSGIVING EVE PARTY 10PM/ DOORS @ 9PM
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! JOIN US AFTER THE PARADE WATCH THE GAME AT 12:30PM WE’RE OPEN UNTIL 2AM
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH
BLACK FRIDAY DANCE PARTY: SUGAR, SUGAR AND SALT K8/AV • GO FUNK 10PM/ DOORS @ 9PM
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH
BENJAMIN HAYES • BET LEMOS NANO 2 HYPE 10PM/ DOORS @ 9PM CELEBRATE SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY! SHOP SMALL & SUPPORT WONDERFUL LOCAL BUSINESSES SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH
BLOODY MARY BAR- NOON TIL 4PM ~HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT R.~ MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH
FREE POOL - ALL DAY - NO COVER FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2ND
BLUE COLLAR GENTLEMEN
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD
~NOEL NIGHT~ THE PRIME EIGHTS WSG/ FERAL GROUND OF MICE AND MUSICIANS 10PM/ DOORS @ 9PM
OD BY RED FO S E T A C ERVING H N S O N NOW S EJO
ENORM
HOMEMADE BLOODY MARYS! OPEN EARLY ON SUNDAYS! FREE WIFI
FACEBOOK: THEOLDMIAMI CALL US FOR BOOKING! 313-831-3830
The Old Miami
3930 Cass • Cass Corridor • 313-831-3830
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
87
C ULTURE group is already working to get the question on the 2018 ballot. In the meantime there are eight states that have recreational legalization. Significantly, California’s initiative won in the nation’s largest population and the world’s sixth largest economy. That solidifies the West Coast post-prohibition territory from Alaska to Baja. Perhaps just as significantly, legalization wins in Massachusetts and Maine have opened up a new region to legalization in the Northeast. Already there is talk of legalization in Vermont and Rhode Island. Another significant development came in Denver, where voters approved social use of marijuana at private establishments — opening the door to cannabis cafes and the like. This is big because even though there are states where people can buy and use cannabis (the scientific name for marijuana) mostly they are still shunted off into the shadows with restrictions on where they could use it. Gathering together for social use was not allowed except for in a few private membership clubs. The Denver law accommodates any adult, including tourists, who wish to use the facilities.
HIGHERground Big money Further aspects of the marijuana issue are corporate moves to cash in on the market. For instance, Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., which makes fertilizers and lawn care products, has seen its stock price rise the last year-and-a-half since it began investing in hydroponic growing products and lighting systems. Tobacco companies are reportedly eyeing a potential $50 billion marijuana market to replace a dwindling cigarette smoking population. They’re buying up vaporizer companies. Even the alcohol industry wants in on the action. Constellation Brands, the company that owns Corona beer, Svedka vodka, and Richard’s Wild Irish Rose wine is looking at the marijuana trade. Constellation CEO Rob Sands told Bloomberg: “There are going to be alcoholic beverages that will also contain cannabis.” He wasn’t clear whether there would be THC or other cannabinoids in the beverages. Musician Melissa Etheridge has a company that produces cannabisinfused wine that has no THC in it, and there are a number of hemp teas on the market that don’t get you high. Regard-
88 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
less, a huge cannabis market is not going to be ignored by the people who make it their business to make money. “If there’s a lot of money involved, it’s not going to be left to small mom-andpops,” Sands says. The Street, an investment information website, ran a post-election headline that read, “Marijuana industry bullish on state success, Trump administration.” The story said a currently $7 billion legal market could quadruple in four years. That means that there will be a lot of financial pressure for a Trump administration to stay away from blocking marijuana legalization. As much as marijuana activists would like to keep the business in the hands of small, local companies, it’s the big money that is going to move mountains on this issue. Even in the state-level skirmishes that have taken place so far, it is the wellfinanced, connected initiatives that have been successful. California had the support of the national marijuana policy organizations and the money they could access. The various support organizations raised about $18 million to legalize there. The Michigan effort
had no national organizational support and was left to find its own way — managing to raise about $1 million. International picture The Trump administration could easily move to ramp up the War on Drugs, but that would be counter to national public opinion and international trends. Canada is set to roll out a legalization plan in the spring, and Mexico is moving toward medical legalization and possibly decriminalization for possession of small amounts. Portugal, Uruguay, Australia, Jamaica, Italy, Israel, Germany, and other countries have made their laws more marijuana friendly. Time magazine called this year’s election a “watershed for weed,” pointing out that 1 in 5 Americans now live in states where recreational marijuana is available. After 79 years marijuana prohibition may be taking its last breaths — but the political world may show it’s still got some fight in it.
C
letters@metrotimes.com @gumbogabe
L
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
89
90 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
91
92 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
93
What’s your Pleasure?
C
*IN STORE PURCHASE ONLY
WE HAVE THE WOMANIZER IN STOCK! ADULT TOYS • SHOES • OILS DVDS LUBES COSTUMES • CORSETS LINGERIE (QUEEN SIZES TOO!) • MASSAGE GIFT SETS • BACHELORETTE PARTY FAVORS IN-STORE PARTIES • GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE
(586) 722-7913 35806 VAN DYKE AVE. STERLING HEIGHTS 48312 @ 15 1/2 MILE RD MON-THURS 10AM-9PM FRI & SAT 10AM-10PM | SUN 12PM-5PM
ORDER ONLINE AT THEPLEASUREZONESTORE.COM
94 November November 23-29, 23-29, 2016 2016 | | metrotimes.com metrotimes.com
by Dan Savage
Eat me Q
BLACK FRIDAY SALE 50% OFF LELO PRODUCTS
savagelove
I’m a very sex-positive girl and I finally convinced my boyfriend to open up about his fetishes. I was convinced nothing would shock me. Well, it turns out he’s into soft vore. I’m not gonna lie, I was a bit put off, but of course I didn’t tell him. I started looking for information about his fetish, and it’s not as uncommon as I thought. I stumbled upon many websites for like-minded people, and my understanding of it is that vores really long for intimacy and protection. Is my interpretation correct? Also, after learning about it, I realized it’s less extreme than some of the stuff we usually engage in, like heavy BDSM, so I want him to feel fulfilled. Is there any way I can help him “act out” his fetish? He would like to be the eatee. — Fully Understanding Lover’s Longings
A
Vore, for readers who aren’t familiar with the term, refers to a spectrum of kinks that involve being eaten alive or eating another creature alive. Vore is divided between “soft” and “hard,” kind of like BDSM. Soft vore doesn’t require simulated bloodshed (it mostly involves fantasies of being swallowed whole), whereas hard vore involves the (imaginary!) ripping of flesh and the (simulated!) shedding of blood. Large creatures capable of swallowing humans are important to this kink. Since most vore fantasies involve creatures that qualify as fantastical beasts, vore fetishists are forced to construct elaborate fantasy narratives or build their own creatures in order to get off. Before you can determine which way to go you’ll have to get more details. Is he into the intimacy and protection aspects of vore? Is it an extension of a mouth and/ or pregnancy fetish? Does an interest in bondage factor in? Learning more about what gets him going is the first step. Once you know exactly what it is about vore that turns him on, FULL, begin your explorations with role-play and dirty talk. Ramping things up slowly is always a good idea with varsity-level kinks, so try sexting each other and/or creating dirty vore stories together over email. If your boyfriend wants to get physical, start with mouthy things like biting, licking, sucking, etc., combined with dirty talk about digesty things like chewing, swallowing, gastric juices, etc. If everything goes well, you try to bring his fantasies to life using props, costumes, and stage blood. Finally, FULL, I want to commend you for not freaking out when your boyfriend shared his kink. You listened calmly, you did a little research, and you gave it some
thought. For that, I’m upgrading your GGG card to platinum.
Q
Any advice for a first-time sex-toy buyer? I’m looking into vibrators, but I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on something that doesn’t do it for me. — Very Into Buying Electronics
A
“VIBE should go to a sex shop in person so she can physically pick up and turn on the models she’s considering buying,” Erika Moen says. “If possible, go to a shop that advertises itself with any of the following words: feminist, queer, LGBTQ+, sex-positive, woman-friendly, trans-friendly, or inclusive, as these places tend to be staffed by people who are passionate and genuinely invested in helping folks of all walks of life.” Moen and her partner, Matthew Nolan, have been making the Oh Joy Sex Toy comic for three years, which combines reviews of sex toys with radically inclusive sex ed. “VIBE should pay attention to the kind of action that feels good or gets her off,” Moen says. “Does your clit like super-direct focus? The smaller the head of the vibrator, the more laser-like the precision. Do you like lots of overall, engulfing stimulation that covers a lot of ground? The larger the head, the more surface area it’ll cover and the vibrations will be more generally distributed across the entire vulva, from outer labia to clit.” For best results, Moen recommends buying two toys, VIBE, if you can swing the expense. “Get a generic bullet vibe first,” Moen says. “They’re about $15 to $20 — it’s a model that has a control box you hold in one hand and a cord that connects to a simple vibrating egg shape that you hold in your masturbating hand. Try it out at home, and then based on how you did or did not enjoy it, purchase a more expensive, high-quality model ($60 to $120) based on the kind of vibrational stimulation you learned you want (or don’t want) from that first cheaply made model. Personally, I recommend the Minna Limon and Vibratex’s Mystic Wand for smaller-sized, decently powered vibrators. And then the big guns that’ll blast you to the moon and back are the Doxy and Vibratex’s Magic Wand (formerly known as the Hitachi Magic Wand). Best of luck to you!” Read the full version of this column on metrotimes.com.
C mail@savagelove.net L@fakedansavage
COUNSELING
RECORDING STUDIOS
GENERAL
MAKE THE CALL TO START GETTING CLEAN TODAY.
ATTENTION SINGERS/ SONGWRITERS
AIRLINE JOBS START HERE -
Free 24/7 Helpline for alcohol & drug addiction treatment. Get help! It is time to take your life back! Call Now: 855732-4139 (AAN CAN)
HEALTH AND BEAUTY
48 PILLS + 4 FREE!
VIAGRA 100MG/ CIALIS 20mg Free Pills! No hassle, Discreet Shipping. Save Now. Call Today 1-877-621-7013 (AAN CAN)
MEDICAL SERVICES
Want to record but don’t have a band? Michigan’s most experienced Independent Producer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, Ray J. Kozora II has helped hundreds of songwriters to create world class radio ready songs. INCIDENTAL SOUNDS CO. (248)882-8138 VI/MC/DISC Accepted Visit www.incidentalsounds. com
VIAGRA 100mg, CIALIS 20mg.
40 Pills + 4 FREE for only $99. #1 Male Enhancement! Discreet Shipping. Save $500. Buy the Blue Pill Now! 1-888403-9028
MASSAGE
CANDLE LIGHT MASSAGE
ROOMMATE
ALL AREAS ROOMMATES.COM.
Browse hundreds of online listings with photos and maps. Find your roommate with a click of the mouse! www.Roommates.com.
AIRLINE CAREERS begin here – Get started by training as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 800-725-1563 (AAN CAN)
DRIVERS
FULL & PART TIME VALET DRIVERS NEEDED
Now Hiring in Macomb, Oakland & Wayne counties. $9hr with advancement opportunities.Must have valid drivers license in good standing. Background check/drug test required. Call: 248-804-9115
BAR/RESTAURANT Now hiring all positions for Detroit’s oldest bar, Jacoby’s! Contact 586.524.7356 or email resume to jacobydetroit@gmail.com
Offering 1 on 1 massage, light touch, deep tissue, couplesTandem, inc relaxing music warm fireplace and more. Serving Southfield and surrounding areas. 248-747-0168 for your ultimate relaxing getaway!
ADOPTION
PREGNANT? THINKING OF ADOPTION?
Talk with caring agency specializing in matching Birthmothers with Families Nationwide. LIVING EXPENSES PAID. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions. 877-362-2401
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
95
ADULT MISC
Genital Warts Center for Men Advanced Medical Treatments Inside the Skin & Vein Centers 800-400-4247
96 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
TO ADVERTISE WITH DETROIT METRO TIMES, CALL (313) 961-4060
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
97
98 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
99
100 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
101
C ULTURE ARIES (March 21- April 20):
The pain in your ass could be anything — people, places, and things are what appear to be the problem. For some of you it has to do with one particular person who needs to shape up or ship out. For others it’s about a specific location and the extent to which it has conspired to tie you down. The rest of you seem to be caught up wondering why the sum total of things is so endlessly unfulfilling. It’s time to start looking at what your life would be like minus all of this circumstantial interference and to shed the idea that any of it has the power to hold you back. TAURUS (April 21 -May 20):
You’re driving a tack with a sledgehammer. The need to lighten up and let go can’t be overemphasized. None of this matters as much as you think it does. As far as other people go, you can’t control anything they do. And what you’re trying so hard to change in them won’t make a dent until you drop the need to have them be who you wish they were. If you could take your mind off what you thought was supposed to happen and get behind the idea that pretty much everything is out of your hands it would be easier for you to get what you want out of this. GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Put your fears to rest. Nursing them and other people and their hypocrisies are making you wonder what this is all about. It was never your intention to be part of anything that called for this much deceit. Don’t assume that you can escape the need to play along with it just enough to make everyone feel comfortable. Too much is riding on how you handle the next few months for you to get too concerned about the way other people decide to run the show. When this is over, and you’re sitting safely on the other side of what could be the biggest milestone in your life, you’ll have plenty of time to figure it out. CANCER (June 21-July 20):
If things seem to be going more than a little haywire, you’re not alone. Whatever you do, don’t let it get to you. Whenever life appears to be at its worst, a good sense of humor makes it easier to turn things around. Other things suggest that if you are willing to take charge of what appears to be out of your hands, this sense of the downhill slide will be replaced with the feeling that there is more than one way to get around your difficulty. Do your best to hang tough and live as the embodiment of your convictions. Standing in your truth will inspire others to follow your lead.
102 November 23-29, 2016 | metrotimes.com
horoscopes by Cal Garrison LEO (July 21-Aug. 20):
The impulse factor is huge right now. If you aren’t in touch with the fact that you’re up for anything, you’re driving yourself nuts trying to figure out why nothing seems to get you going anymore. It would be easier if you could just acknowledge the need to break loose and get out of your cage for a while. Whenever things start looking like you’ve seen it all before it’s a sign that you need a change of scenery. Anything that gives you an opportunity to consider what you could be doing if you weren’t doing this will help you rearrange your outlook on the future. VIRGO (Aug. 21-Sept. 20):
Experiences that call you to wonder about other people and their integrity should make you think twice about extending the benefit of the doubt. You’d be wise to run them through a few more tests before you sign on, or cement any type of connection. This is one of those times when your ability to read people and their motives can’t be colored by sentiment, or whatever it is in you that wants them to be what you need. It’s a good thing there’s no rush here. The time that it takes to make sure this is worth your while will show you that you would be better off avoiding it. LIBRA (Sept. 21-Oct. 20):
Somehow or other you have gotten the wrong impression. Either that or you’re taking out your frustrations on someone who has nothing to do with the problem. If apologies aren’t already in order, you might want to think about being more careful about the way you speak to people. It doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong; it’s time for everyone to pull their head out of their butt and get over it. A sense of humor would definitely go a long way to taking the edge off of this. If you didn’t take yourself so seriously you’d be laughing at yourself for being too uptight to let this go. SCORPIO (Oct. 21-Nov. 20):
You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Too much has come to a head and you are caught in the middle of more drama than you bargained for. If you’re aware of it, you’re better off. Those of you who are too naive, or too stubborn to see things for what they are will have a tough time getting through the next few months. Other people and their craziness will be part of the scenery. What’s up with that? Who knows? I am pretty sure this is one of those lessons that involves one more trip down the Bunny Trail with people who keep wasting your time.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 21-Dec. 20):
You can’t make your influence felt in this situation. As much as you know what’s best and as hard as it is to detach, getting too involved will only make it harder for everyone to figure out for themselves what they want out of this. You mean well but you’re up against a belief system that will not allow those you wish to support to let go of their pictures of duty and honor, or whatever it is that they’re stuck on. Sometimes things need to be accepted for what they are. Cross your fingers, do what you can to take care of yourself, and let others hash things out for themselves. CAPRICORN (Dec. 21-Jan. 20):
You aren’t ready to drop this, but you’ve just about had it. Hanging on to someone or something because you think it might yield results on down the road rarely pans out. You’ve done your homework and seem to be ready to take things to the next level but you’re dealing with a situation that isn’t developed enough to match your expectations. Elements of narcissism are infecting things too. Someone’s sensitivity is so heavily focused on themselves, they have no clue how to redirect their feelings toward you because at rock bottom, it’s all about them. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21-Feb. 20):
You just pulled yourself out of a tight spot. The fact that you were smart enough to get it to happen is a miracle. This should give you pause to look at how life works. In all honesty you have to say that you had nothing to do with it. If on some level this is true, you are also aware that something about your attitude was different this time. This experience has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that we get what we give and things work out better for everyone when we trust ourselves enough to follow the call of the heart and stop placing limits on the realm of possibilities. PISCES (Feb. 21-March 20):
Everything comes down to whether or not we can see, know, and live our truth; that’s all this is about. You’ve come to a moment of truth that is either already in progress or lining up, waiting for its turn to light up your life. I don’t know where you’re at with yourself but it’s your beliefs and your attachment to them that you need to keep an eye on. You’ve got a mess of stuff heating up that will beg you to look at the gap between what you believe in, and what you live out in your daily experience. The key to moving through it all lies in finding a way to merge the two.
metrotimes.com
|
November 23-29, 2016
103