iSPY December

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December 2011

The Washtenaw County Events and Entertainment Monthly

A2 Midnight Madness Local Buying Guide DIYpsi

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contents

DECEMBER

[the buzz] 06 07 08

Chris Cornell, Jo Pie Whyld, JD McPherson Kringle Jingle, Jingle Jam, 89X Steals X-Mas Wilco, Decembersongs

[scene]

13 Ypsi Flea #3, A2 Midnight Madness 14 DIYpsi 16 71 POP

[features]

12 Local Buying Guide 17 LBG - Threads 18 Mittenfest VI 21 LBG - Novelties

Local Buying Guide + pg 12

DIYpsi + pg 14

[foodie] 10 11

The Dish: La Fiesta Mexicana

Adventures in Local Food #12

[around you] 22

December Events Calendar

[review] 26 29

Rate it! - Sounds Rate it! - The Cut

+On behalf of the entire iSPY staff, Happy Holidays!

PUBLISHER + tim adkins

EDITORIAL +

[editor in chief] amanda slater [writers] amanda slater, tim adkins, stefanie stauffer, paul kitti, tom dodd, marissa mcnees, aimee mandle, joshua trent, mary simkins, david nassar, ian cruz

ART +

[designers] tim adkins, ashley strauss, gwen landrum, jennifer oliphant [photographers] bruno postigo, kristin slater

SALES +

tim adkins / tim@pakmode.com [business development] bilal saeed/bilal@pakmode.com

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71 Pop + pg 16

The Buzz + pg 6

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THE BUZZ //

For all you 90’s kids searching for some nostalgia or those of you just looking for a quality show to see in the coming months, be sure to check out former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell as his solo tour hits the Michigan Theater on December 4.

Cornell, who is best known for hits like “Black Hole Sun” and “Like a Stone,” was originally taking his “Songbook” Tour around Europe when he announced a U.S. leg of the tour back in September. This acoustic show will give fans a chance to experience Cornell at his core as he performs songs that span his entire career. According to rock news website Loudwire, during the shows Cornell shares “tidbits about his music and his life […] allowing fans to experience the music from his perspective.”

For Cornell, the tour is not about promoting any new material, but about connecting with the fans and getting back to what, for him, the music is all about.

In a recent interview, Cornell said, “The arrangement changes my feeling about the songs and reminds me of when I wrote them and what the song was really about. Some part of me has always felt that if I can’t sit and play the song alone and do it well, then I’m missing a big part of what I decided to do with my life. In the end, I just wanted to see if I could do that.”

Cornell will be visiting the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor on Dec. 4. Tickets are available at ticketmaster. com. For more information, visit michigantheater.org.

Jo Pie Whyld // Metal Off Main / Dec. 2

BY MARISSA MCNEES

Chris Cornell // Michigan Theater

BY MARISSA MCNEES / Dec. 4

Here in the Washtenaw County area, we’re lucky to be a part of one the best local music scenes you can find anywhere.

Case in point—Hope Thomas. Thomas, the one-woman show better known as Jo Pie Whyld, does it all—she’s a singer, songwriter, guitarist, ukulelist and bassist. And, with the final touches coming along for her first album, “Songs for Noah,” Jo Pie Whyld will be hosting an album release party on Dec. 2 at the Metal art gallery in Ann Arbor.

Thomas, a product of local record label Vyne Records, has combined her insightful song-writing talents with simple and joyful melodies. Songs like “Spring” and “LANA” showcase Thomas’ command of the many instruments she plays and highlight her knack for song-writing. The album release party will give listeners a chance to chat with Jo Pie Whyld and experience her music in a personal and intimate setting. Local music enthusiasts and fans of simple, upbeat folk music will appreciate what Joe Pie Whyld has to offer in her debut record.

Metal is located at 220 Felch Street in Ann Arbor. Cover for the release party is five dollars and doors will open at 8 p.m.

For more information, please visit metaloffmain.com.

This month Woodruff’s, your favorite bar and local music venue in Depot Town, will be featuring JD McPherson as he tours in support of his new album, “Signs and Signifiers.” Warm up as the Oklahoma native makes his way from Spain back into the states.

McPherson’s second album has already been recognized for its country roots and dreary first single, “A Gentle Awakening.” Alongside McPherson and Co. will be Rollie Tussing and the Diminished 7, whose website describes them as a “jug band” and their music as “jazz / stomp and holler / hillbilly blues.” Assuming you enjoy a good lick of country with a side of PBR, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for a Thursday night.

JD McPherson will visit Woodruff’s on Thursday, December 8. Like most shows at Woodruff’s, it will only cost a mere $5 to get through the door.

JD McPherson // Woodruff’s / Dec. 8

BY IAN CRUZ

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Kringle Jingle // The Fillmore /BY IAN Dec. 3 CRUZ When 98.7 was just a Smooth Jazz outlet for folks like my dad who just wanted to hear something soothing after a long day of work, I remember my father flipping out saying aloud “What happened to V98.7?!” And he was right.

It had turned into another Top 40 / hiphop station like the rest of them. But that’s okay, because it’s one of the best places to get your fix of the latest and most popular music – according to their clockwork advertisements.

Last year, you may have had the chance to witness Wiz Khalifa at Eastern Michigan University’s Convocation

Center back in the winter semester. If you didn’t, here’s your second chance, my friend. It’s called 98.7 Amp Radio’s Kringle Jingle, and the best part is that tickets start at only $20 each – which is a steal for attendees who want to see Khalifa, Hot Chelle Rae and Sam Adams.

The show will take place on December 3, 2011 at the Fillmore Detroit. As of now, tickets are available through Live Nation and at the box office. So grab yours and get your groove on this holiday season.

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Jingle Jam // The Fillmore / Dec. 6

BY IAN CRUZ

Every morning on my way to elementary school when I was a child, my mother used to play Q95.5’s Mojo in the Morning. It was my only way of discovering new music such as Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” or Eifel 65 Euro-pop, one-hit-wonder that no one could decipher “Blue.” (“I’m in need of a guy?” Or was it “If I were blue I would die?”) Anyways, the times have changed for Mojo and his morning radio show featuring more Top 40, hip-hop, pop and R&B hits for the next generation of music appreciators.

Following the trend of radio stations such as 89x (see The Night 89X Stole Christmas), Mojo jumped onto the Christmas Extravaganza concert bandwagon. This essentially means that there is going to be another Mojo in the Morning Annual Holiday Office Party Jingle Jam (which, incidentally, isn’t held in an office).

This year’s celebration will be held on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at the Fillmore in Detroit. The lineup will include Guetta, Lloyd, Lewd Society and the guys who wrote the theme song for Snakes on a Plane: Cobra Starship.

Tickets can be purchased online at channel955.com, livenation.com and all Ticketmaster outlets including the Fillmore. Jingle Jam tickets start at $20.

For more information, visit mojointhemorning.com.

The Night 89X Stole Christmas// The Fillmore / Dec. 17

BY DAVID NASSAR

The 2011 edition of this annual event (can you believe it’s been 13 years since Kid Rock emceed the first one back in 1998?) will be held at The Fillmore on Saturday, Dec. 17. Previous years have included the likes of My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and Beck.

Chicago-based rockers Rise Against headline this year’s lineup. Sharing the bill with them are Taking Back Sunday, who also played at the very first 89X Stole XMas show, and AWOLNATION. Although the show has officially sold out, you can still find tickets through your favorite online ticket broker starting at around $50. The Night 89X Stole Christmas is an all-ages show. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

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DECEMBER 2011

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THE BUZZ //

Wilco // The Fillmore / Dec. 10

BY AMANDA SLATER

Arguably one of the greatest bands of our time, Wilco was formed in 1994 by former members of alt-country group Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy and John Stirratt. Current additional members Nels Cline, Pat Sansone, Mikael Jorgensen and Glenn Kotche were added later, and the group is still going strong after almost eight years.

In addition to being regarded as one of the most beloved and talented bands of the indie/folk world, Wilco has also been recognized on a national scale spanning several genres and has taken home five Grammy awards – Best Contemporary Folk Album for “Mermaid Avenue,” Best Alternative Music Album and Best Recording Package for “A Ghost is Born,” Best Rock Album for “Sky Blue Sky” and Best Americana Album for “Wilco (The Album.)” The band’s most recent album “The Whole Love” was released in September of 2011 and has already been met with positive reviews, seemingly going to show that Wilco is not planning on slowing down any time soon.

Wilco’s December 10 performance at The Fillmore in Detroit is already sold out, but if you weren’t able to land a ticket, you may be able to pick one up on Stub Hub. Doors are at 7 p.m. All ages welcome.

Decembersongs // The Ark / Dec. 13

BY DAVID NASSAR A collection of four veteran singer-songwriters, Decembersongs: An Acoustic Holiday Celebration travels the country, “trading original holiday songs in a Bluebird Caféstyled ‘writers-in-the-round’ tour before intimate rapt audiences.”

Originally conceived by Amy Speace, the group also consists of John Vezner (Grammy-winner for Kathy Mattea’s “Where’ve You Been”), Sally Barris (Grammy-nominated for Trisha Yearwood’s “Let

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the Wind Chase You”) and Dan Navarro (of Lowen & Navarro). Featuring traditional Christmas tunes, holiday originals and a taste of each artist’s non-holiday material, the show garnered rave-reviews in 2010.

Decembersongs returns this year with an ambitious 15-date run including a December 13 stop at The Ark in Ann Arbor. Tickets are $20, and the show starts at 8 p.m.

i SPY DECEMBER 2011

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FOODIE // THE DISH

La Fiesta Mexicana

BY MARY SIMKINS

This month we wanted to review a place with killer hot chocolate, so I asked around. I knew of a few great local places with rich and chocolatey concoctions (none of that wussy watered down junk), but I was especially intrigued when a friend of mine suggested La Fiesta Mexicana. I’d been there several times for delicious and authentic Mexican food served in an intimate, homey setting, but the only thing I’d ever had to drink had been a beer from a six-pack I’d brought myself (that’s right, it’s BYOB). La Fiesta Mexicana’s irresistible (read: cheesy) Quezo Fundido is reason enough for a visit, and I couldn’t wait to try their unique-sounding hot cocoa.

I went with two friends and, as always, we were greeted immediately and offered guacamole. We ordered the Quezo Fundido and guacamole, and I ordered the Chocolate Mexicana. This hot specialty is as much

Living the Dream with Fitz and

about presentation as it is about taste, as was immediately apparent. Our server came over carrying a tray with a large painted ceramic jug and three small ceramic cups.

He gave the jug one last stir and poured the steaming frothy chocolate into each glass.

See? Presentation. (At this point, I already loved this hot chocolate and I hadn’t even tasted it yet.) The taste can be described as spicy but not overwhelming (no chili peppers, just cinnamon) – and that extra taste of Christmas is what makes it.

La Fiesta Mexicana’s Chocolate Mexicana is made from an authentic Mexican recipe, and the cocoa is imported from Mexico.

Available in either vanilla or cinnamon, I found it to be the perfect hold-with-twohands cold-weather drink.

Ypsilanti Food Co-op

BY AMANDA SLATER

312 N River Street Ypsilanti 734-483-1520

Open Daily 9 to 9

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Artisan breads, healthy, organic food, local beer & wine, and much more! i SPY DECEMBER 2011

www.ypsifoodcoop.org

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// FOODIE

adventures in local food #12 One Year of Local Food ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY STEFANIE T. STAUFFER

Hard to believe it’s already been a year of Adventures in Local Food! And what a busy year in food it’s been—from the struggles with confusing and seemingly contradictory food safety legislation that started it all off to the USDA deregulation of genetically-modified Round-Up Ready alfalfa, sugar beets and ethanol corn that gave it direction, to the critiques of the industrial food system protocol that gave it more context and to all the victories that reinforce why supporting local food is so important. It’s been a great year, and I’m grateful to have had the privilege to discuss something that not only matters to me personally, but is also becoming more relevant every day for all kinds of people across the globe.

First and foremost, locally-grown and locallyproduced food helps us remember our agency, and in these tumultuous times what we need most is to recover the knowledge of how to do things for ourselves – especially if we want to transcend the one-stop shopping mentality that is dragging our local economies under and our communities with it. So thank you for taking this journey with me.

But before we close out the year, I’ll leave you with some thoughts about sourcing and the future of local food as I see it.

From my vantage point, the future of local food production is incredibly bright. In the last four years www.ispymagazine.co // @ispymagazine

I’ve seen an exponential increase of interest in and enthusiasm about local food practically everywhere I go and that enthusiasm is steadily increasing. It’s really a remarkable thing to have witnessed, given how in 2008 the media rarely acknowledged the local food movement, and now it’s so popular that Wal-Mart and McDonald’s are even trying to get on board with local sourcing (or at least marketing themselves as such). The benefits of local food have practically become a foregone conclusion for many people in many places. It’s amazing.

I’ve watched how more and more people gaining knowledge about where their food comes has translated into getting more healthy food options in schools, making higher quality food available in food deserts, encouraging people to plant gardens, getting more locally-sourced food in restaurants and grocery stores and even just getting people excited about cooking again.

The general enthusiasm people seem to have about locally-sourced food and the desire to eat healthy, flavorful foods that it encourages has also caused people to care more about how the industrial food system impacts the environment.

Overall, once people learn about the freshness and flavor of locally-grown, organic foods, they tend to be less forgiving about all the air, water and soil pollution that goes with conventionally-grown,

mass-produced food. In other words, if you find out that you can buy great-tasting garlic and tomatoes at the farmer’s market, you have less desire to eat the chemical-laden garlic that came on a boat from China or the greenhouse-grown tomato that was artificially ripened on a truck from California. Those global supply chains start to seem more and more like an unnecessary waste of natural resources.

And that is the power of learning about food sourcing; that knowledge can open the door for all sorts of positive changes beyond the realm of food itself.

So, why not learn a little more about food sourcing the next time you’re at a restaurant? Why not ask that vendor at the farmer’s market whether they grew their produce themselves or what they feed their animals? Don’t be scared. The answers you get could surprise you—in a good way. Plus, I truly believe that engaging in these dialogues helps us make informed decisions about our food choices while also giving valuable feedback to producers.

After all, the knowledge is out there if we want to have it (and it’s meant to be shared!). That’s why I’ll be giving the gift of local food this holiday season.

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FEATURES //

Local Buying Guide

BY STEFANIE STAUFFER

Here in Michigan we are incredibly fortunate to have such a vibrant community of people interested in supporting local producers, artisans and locally-owned businesses of all kinds. Southeastern Michigan has a lot of local talent and local product to offer, so people have reason to be enthusiastic about all the local possibilities. Whether we’re talking about food or drink, music or art, clothing or housewares, etc., chances are you can find many unique, high-quality, locally-made products around these parts. So, this holiday season, we’ve made it easy for you and assembled a “buy local” guide of sorts to help you find those sought-after Michiganmade gifts.

And not only are there tons of awesome local stores to choose from, but there’s also some fantastic December art fairs and holiday markets coming up for your shopping pleasures like the Downtown Ypsilanti Winter Farmer’s Market at Corner Brewery and Beezy’s Brunch Bazaar at Beezy’s Cafe. There’s also various craft fairs happening in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Ypsilanti, including the DIYpsi craft market and Ypsi Flea #3 at Woodruff’s that are previewed right here in this issue!

But what’s the big deal about buying local in

these times of recession, widening income gaps and climate change anyway? What type of impact does buying things locally have on reducing economic inequality, environmental pollution and increasing overall quality of life? Well, first off, local businesses do a lot for the local economy. Many studies tracking the differences between locallybased businesses and chain stores have concluded hands-down that local, independent businesses keep more money in the local community.

For instance, a 2007 retail diversity study conducted in San Francisco found that “every $1 million spent at local bookstores creates an additional $321,000 in local economic activity, including $119,000 in wages paid to local employees. However, that same $1 million spent at chain bookstores generates only $188,000 in local economic activity, including $71,000 in local wages” (Civic Economics). Furthermore, a 2009 study in New Orleans found that “if residents and visitors were to shift 10% of their spending from chains to local businesses, it would generate an additional $235 million a year in local economic activity. Likewise, a 10% shift in the opposite direction – less spending at local stores and more at chains – would lead to an economic contraction of the same magnitude.”

These studies suggest that people can have a clearly positive economic impact on their community and on people’s standard of living when they buy items made locally at local businesses. But ‘buying local’ can also have a positive impact on the environment since it challenges the global economic paradigm where global trade produces about 1 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions and uses 11 billion gallons of fuel per year in shipping products between manufacturing and retail locations. In other words, buying local challenges the global commodity chain system where each piece is produced in a different location (often country), transported to and assembled in another anonymous factory location and then shipped to the chain retail store where it will be available for prices much lower than the actual cost of production (to the environment and to people). So, buying local is significant since it gives us the ability to reject mass-produced, low quality goods that have high costs yet low sticker prices in favor of handmade, high quality and fairly priced, locally-made goods. So, this holiday season, why not do something different and give the gift of locally-made and locally-owned to yourself, your community and your friends and family?

Do you Live Local?

If so, we’d love to know how over on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ispymagazine.

“Like” iSPY Magazine and tell us how you live, shop and save buy supporting local first, and you’ll be entered to win an exlclusive iSPY Magazine “Mitten State of Mind” tee shirt!

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Ypsi Flea #3

BY DAVID NASSAR

With every holiday season comes the daunting task of shopping for gifts for all those special people in your lives.

Stressful, right?

Well, this year, it doesn’t have to be.

With the annual “Midnight Madness” event being held on Dec. 2 in downtown Ann Arbor, patrons can find great deals at all their favorite local stores while spending an evening strolling downtown.

“Throughout downtown the mood is festive,” said Maura Thomson of the Main Street Ann Arbor organization.

“The holiday lights are in the trees and downtown glistens.”

According to Thomson, during this event stores typically run storewide sales of 10 – 20 percent off, and most stores extend their hours—sometimes until midnight.

And, if you’re lucky, you might just run in to Santa Claus himself.

The big guy will be roaming the streets from 7 – 9 p.m. accompanied by live entertainment. Sidewalk performances include the University of Michigan Women’s Glee Club, the Huron A Capella Choir and The Ring of Steel Action Theatre and Stunt Troupe. www.ispymagazine.co // @ispymagazine

Wondering what to do with that hideous homemade birdhouse your aunt gave you last Christmas? Maybe you found an old box of totally awesome vintage bell-bottoms and Ron Burgundy-esque suits last time you cleaned out the attic? Or maybe you’re just looking for some awesome deals on hard-to-find records and local art? Well, then your dreams are about to come true.

Sunday, Dec 18 marks the return of Depot Town’s hippest swap meet / flea market / live concert combo—the Ypsi Flea #3. Buy, sell and trade for everything under the sun from vintage records and fashion to local food, crafts, knick-knacks and doo-dads.

Did I mention thing-a-ma-jigs? A ton of local vendors will be on hand offering everything you’ve always wanted – and a lot more you never knew you had to have.

While the event is largely musiccentric and there will be a ton of local record labels and bands promoting their goods, you can find an eclectic mix of offerings from across the board.

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Ypsi Flea and Ypsi Flea #2 were hugely successful and Ypsi Flea #3 promises to be all that and more. In addition to the flea market / swap meet, there will also be live performances all day from Michigan bands Radiator Hospital, Sail, Avery Feral, Annie Palmer and City Center. The event is family-friendly, and—perhaps the best part of all—it’s completely free!

Ypsi Flea #3 will be held Sunday, Dec 18 at Woodruff’s in Depot Town.

It’s open from noon – 8 p.m. with live music and shenanigans throughout the day. For more information or to sign their guest book, check out the Ypsi Flea #3 Facebook page.

“In addition to the flea market / swap meet, there will also be live performances all day from Michigan bands Radiator Hospital, Sail, Avery Feral, Annie Palmer and City Center.”

Ann Arbor’s Midnight Madness

“Visitors can expect sidewalks packed with people, shop owners eager to please, great deals on holiday gifts and an authentic, feel good, holiday experience,” Thomson said.

“And of course fabulous dining to top it all off.”

If you’re not able to make it out for all the madness, don’t worry. The Main Street Ann Arbor organization is sponsoring several events over the holidays that are sure to provide fun and entertainment.

On Dec. 9 and 16, there will be horse-drawn carriage rides through downtown along with sidewalk entertainment from 7 – 9 p.m.

If the holidays are putting you in a giving mood, check out the “12 Days of Giving” happening on Dec. 12 – 23.

If you shop at any of the participating stores during that time, a portion of the sales will be donated to the one of the 12 participating non-profits.

For more information on “Midnight Madness” or any of the other events happening this holiday season, please visit mainstreetannarbor.org.

BY MARISSA MCNEES

DECEMBER 2011

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DIYpsi

Ypsilanti offers a hand-crafted alternative to traditional Christmas shopping

BY PAUL KITTI

“We have an amazing array of products condensed into a tiny footprint – like the world's smallest mall – only a lot cooler and with beer.”

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Does your father-in-law really need another checkered buttonup? Is it acceptable to get the cousins gift cards for a third year in a row? The art of gift-giving is difficult to master, but DIYpsi is here to help. DIYpsi (pronounced “dip-see”) is a local indie arts and crafts show that, as its title suggests, combines a “do-it-yourself” mentality with the resources of Ypsilanti’s vibrant arts community.

This two-day event begins on December 10 at the Corner Brewery, bringing in thirty-five local vendors bearing unique hand-crafted artworks that cover a wide range of mediums. For those looking to spend less time in the cutthroat jungle of the mall, DIYpsi is an ideal way to find something original and memorable to put under the tree while also keeping your dollars in local circulation.

“This being a holiday show, coupled with the heightened awareness of buying local, we wanted to be sure that folks could come down and get some serious holiday shopping done. There is going to be something for everyone here,” says Cre Fuller, who founded the event along with fellow artists Marcy Davy and Sherri Carroll.

The three friends created DIYpsi, which is now in its third installment, out of a shared passion for quality artistic craftsmanship and a desire to help other artists share their creations with their community.

“We have a wide variety of artists making a lot of different things you won’t find anywhere else,” says Carroll. “Say, for example, you have an accountant to buy for – there’s a pretty good chance you’d find something hilarious like a calculator pillow.”

Those attending the art fair can expect to find varieties of 2D and 3D art, health and beauty products, wallets and bags, a variety of home goods, jewelry made from glass, bark, vintage metal and knit yarn, leatherwork, stationary and accessories – all accessible to the buyer-on-a-budget.

Fuller’s own robot-inspired lamps and sculptures will be among the mix, along with Carroll’s vintage home décor and Davy’s unique canvas screen prints. And if you noticed something missing from that list, this may fill that gap: a phenomenal craft brew selection will be featured during the entirety of the event, as well as food from local favorites The Lunch Room (who you may recognize from their unique wooden stand off Washington St. in downtown Ann Arbor).

“We have an amazing array of products condensed into a tiny footprint – like the world’s smallest mall – only a lot cooler and with beer,” says Davy. “We’ve turned a really stressful activity into something fun and community-oriented.”

While it is a singular and appropriately-timed community event, Carroll sees DIYpsi as one component of a larger movement that is working towards exposing and fostering the creative, entrepreneurial image of this special spot on the Mitten.

“In this economy, we have to rely on new, creative ideas to keep us going,” says Carroll. “I believe it’s the local artists that tend to

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be the movers and shakers, the ones to stir the pot and make awesome things happen in this town. Look at Beezy’s, Woodruff’s and The Rocket – these are all young, creative neighbors of ours that have helped turn Ypsi’s image around. We hope we are contributing to that, because it’s clearly up to us and the younger generations.”

You can contribute to that unique image and check Christmas shopping off your to-do list, all the while enjoying some excellent food and beer and learning more about the creativity that makes this community a distinct and valuable part of Metro Detroit.

DIYpsi will be held on Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and on Dec. 11 from noon – 6 p.m. at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti. More information can be found at diypsi.com.

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71 POP

A pop of color for Detroit

BY PAUL KITTI PHOTO BY VANESSA MILLER

71 POP is a microcosm of the current visionary wave rippling across the city of Detroit. It’s easy to look at Motown and see vacated businesses and walls of broken windows rotting beneath the city’s gray and cracking skin. But the truth is a little harder to see: the city is molting out of that skin and into something sleeker. Optimists and entrepreneurs and opportunity-seekers look at those buildings and see art studios and restaurants and budding non-profit organizations. In the case of 71 POP, I Am Young Detroit’s Margarita Berry came across some abandoned property on Garfield Street and saw a home for the creations of local artists.

If you put yourself in the shoes of an eager young artist, you can see the appeal of Detroit with clarity. Affordable apartments, readily available studio spaces and the Midtown artistic hubs, which include the College for Creative Studies, the Sugarhill Arts District, and Wayne State University, work to spice up Detroit’s résumé when seeking

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out young talent. Factor in an underlying attitude that the city’s artistic legacy can be resurrected through modern art and entrepreneurship, and it isn’t shocking to see Detroit being hoisted up on the shoulders of ambitious twenty-somethings.

Now those artists have the chance to showcase their work and connect with the surrounding community through the unique retail venture that is 71 POP. Margarita Berry’s vision for the art venue is succinctly stated in the text at the top of the venue’s retro-modern web site, which reads “71 emerging artists, 71 pop-up shops, 71 Garfield Street.” Interested artists, most of whom would not be able to afford the means to showcase and sell their work, are given a temporary “pop-up gallerystyle retail space” as well as a complete business and branding make-over as it relates to their aspirations as an artist. Artists can apply through the website and are placed in a rotation of 71 local artists and designers upon acceptance.

The idea behind 71 POP supports the spirit of

collaboration felt among those who want to see the restoration of Detroit. Shoppers are encouraged to engage directly with the artists, many of whom are at work shaping the new image of the city. This new image caught the eye of CBS News this past July, where reporters noted “early signs of a Motor City renaissance” after speaking with Berry and other local entrepreneurs. Approaching the Christmas season, it’s exciting to see the bleakness begin to give way to a colorful montage of opportunity and possibility.

71 POP is located at 71 Garfield Street in Detroit and is open Thursday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit 71pop.com.

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// FEATURES

ann arbor’s expansive closet

BY PAUL KITTI

It was Halloween 2011, and I was piecing together my droog costume. Any fan of “A Clockwork Orange” knows the basics of the outfit: white shirt, white pants, black bowling hat, walking stick, fake eyelashes, a pair of bloody eyeballs.

I had all of the above except for the white pants, which were near impossible to find. After a day of scouring Ann Arbor, I finally found the pants at the Salvation Army – which I know should have been the first place I checked. But my search did lead me to some interesting places that I had never even noticed before, and I picked up some good Christmas shopping intel. Here’s what I found: I started with what I knew, which was American Apparel and Urban Outfitters. They are the commercial monsters of downtown Ann Arbor clothing retailers, and, while they didn’t have my white pants, they did have some interesting stuff. Every time I’m scheduled for a black and white photo shoot for an eccentric magazine, I just don’t know how to dress. Turns out, American Apparel is the go-to place for that. Urban Outfitters, the hipsterchic basement of the State Theater, usually only sees my business during the Ann Arbor Art Fair (when they have ridiculous deals). But I may be returning much sooner than that because Urban is a

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great place to find Christmas gifts for those people that you have no idea how to buy for. They have an impressive collection of interesting oddities – from R2-D2 alarm clocks to joke books to vinyl records.

They even have South Park collectibles (so, if you know me and are planning on getting me something for Christmas, Urban wouldn’t be a terrible place to start).

Having struck out at the aforementioned fashion landmarks, I narrowed my scope to some of the hole-in-the-wall places. The Automobile Store on Liberty Street was a chameleon of a business, almost trying not to be seen. Their rustic little basement was full of high-quality flannel, vintage University of Michigan sweaters and other wintery accessories that gave off some kind of UpperPeninsula-hipster vibe. Competing for the title of hardest place to find was State Street’s Star Vintage Apparel. A labyrinth of underground hallways led to a delightfully cramped floor space of randomly compiled clothes, and the back of the store was a time portal to a room of retro furniture and household appliances and decorations from the mid-twentieth century – all available to buy. These stores were nostalgic and alluring, but I had white pants to find, so I soldiered on.

If you haven’t been to Ragstock, it’s worth the walk to Liberty Street. Five-dollar flannels and shirts, vintage jackets, Japanese baseball jerseys and the most impressive ugly Christmas sweater collection I’ve ever seen are just a few reasons to check this place out. They also had full-body, multicolored gorilla costumes. And chicken suits as well, to whom that may concern.

By this time my legs were giving out, craving electrolytes and white pants, so I tried one more place before driving to the Salvation Army. The Getup on State Street was tiny, but packed with high-quality vintage apparel including belts, jewelry, dresses, shoes and boots and even Catholic War Veteran’s jackets and coats made of rabbit fur (new hipster trend?). They were on the pricier side, but their merchandise seemed carefully selected and authentic. (No droog getup, though.)

As I traversed Ann Arbor again later that night, no longer a consumer of retail but a fearless and loathsome droog, I kept all these places in the back of my mind. I won’t be able to re-gift my now-useless droog apparel to everyone on my shopping list, so when the cold Christmas season comes, it helps to know where the holes-in-the-wall are.

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FEATURES //

Mittenfest VI

BY DAVID NASSAR

5 Days. 60 Bands. 6 Years.

Raising money and awareness for

It’s Mittenfest’s sixth birthday! What started off in 2006 as a modest one-day event to raise money for 826michigan – a volunteer-driven non-profit dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills and helping teachers inspire their students to write – has exploded into a massive music festival featuring 60 bands and spanning the course of five days.

When Brandon Zwagerman started the fundraiser five years ago, he couldn’t imagine what it would eventually grow into. But it’s become clear that when you combine great music with a great local cause, well, great things just seem to happen.

“To say we are endlessly grateful to Brandon, Andy Garris (Woodruff’s) and Jeremy Peters (Ghostly Intl. and 826 board member) would be an understatement in every way,” says 826michigan’s Executive Director, Amanda Uhle. “These three have taken the idea of a homey, Michiganbased music festival and made it a major part of 826michigan’s fundraising efforts for the year, a serious attraction for Ypsilanti and an absolute

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must-do for thousands of music fans.”

Last year alone, Mittenfest raised more than $15,000 for 826michigan and has raised more than $35,000 since it began. This year’s event features some of the biggest names in the local music scene including Chris Bathgate, Prussia, Black Jake & The Carnies and Lightening Love – and the benefit closes with a New Year’s Day set by Frontier Ruckus.

826michigan’s mission to support the writing skills of local youth is based around two basic beliefs: that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success. With this in mind, the great volunteers at 826 support thousands of Washtenaw County students every year, helping them to become more skilled, more competent and more confident in expressing themselves through writing. They offer free tutoring, workshops and help with publishing opportunities at their on-site writing center on Liberty Street in Ann Arbor, and they reach out to local schools and classrooms throughout the

community.

But 826 is not a stand-alone writing center. It is housed in Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair, a storefront stocking creative and amusing robotthemed novelties with all proceeds going to support 826michigan. So, if you need a tincture of robot tears or want to pick up a spare set of android eyeballs as a holiday gift, stop in and put your pocketbook to good use.

Mittenfest VI is being held December 28 through January 1 at Woodruff’s in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town.

Doors open each day at 4 p.m. with live music playing all the way until 2 a.m. each evening. As a special treat, Absolute Beginners will DJ a New Year’s Eve dance party from 2 a.m. – 4 a.m. on Saturday, December 31. Tickets cost $10 per day and are available at the door or in advance at Mittenfest.org. For more information or to donate to 826, visit their website at 826michigan.org.

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// FEATURES http://extraarms.bandcamp.com/ 11:00 p.m.

MATT JONES & THE RECONSTRUCTION Ypsilanti, MI http://mattjones.bandcamp.com/ 11:45 p.m.

STEPDAD - Grand Rapids, MI http://stepdad.bandcamp.com/ 12:45 a.m.

STARLING ELECTRIC - Ann Arbor, MI http://starlingelectric.tumblr.com/

Thursday, December 29 Doors 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 28 Doors 4:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

LOU BREED - Ann Arbor, MI http://loubreed.bandcamp.com/ 5:10 p.m.

ALEXIS - Grand Rapids, MI http://musicofalexis.com/ 5:50 p.m.

SHORES - Grand Rapids, MI http://shores.bandcamp.com/ 6:30 p.m.

LITTLE ISLAND LAKE - Ypsilanti, MI http://littleislandlake.bandcamp.com/ 7:15 p.m.

GIFTS OR CREATURES - Lansing, MI http://soundcloud.com/gifts-or-creatures 8:00 p.m.

REVOIR - Detroit, MI http://revoir.bandcamp.com/ 8:45 p.m.

KADENCE - Ann Arbor, MI http://soundcloud.com/t-5 9:30 p.m.

FAWN - Detroit, MI http://fawn.bandcamp.com/ 10:15 p.m RYAN ALLEN & HIS EXTRA ARMS - Ferndale, MI

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4:30 p.m.

SONGBIRDS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST Traverse City, MI http://soundcloud.com/sbotpnw 5:10 p.m.

THE BRAVE YOUTH - Grand Rapids, MI http://thebraveyouth.bandcamp.com/ 5:50 p.m.

THE HANDGRENADES - Detroit, MI http://thehandgrenades.bandcamp.com/ 6:30 p.m.

RAINBOW VOMIT FAMILY BAND - Ypsilanti, MI http://rainbowvomitfamilyband.bandcamp.com/ 7:15 p.m.

SISTERS OF YOUR SUNSHINE VAPOR - Detroit, MI http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sisters-of-YourSunshine-Vapor/142669732185 8:00 p.m.

TEAM ETHIC - Ypsilanti, MI http://teamethic.bandcamp.com/ 8:45 p.m.

VALENTIGER - Grand Rapids, MI http://valentiger.bandcamp.com/ 9:30 p.m.

GREGORY DEAN MCINTOSH - Ypsilanti, MI http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gregory-DeanMcIntosh/109563945734580 10:15 p.m THE JULIETS - Ypsilanti, MI http://thejuliets.bandcamp.com/ 11:00 p.m.

DEADBEAT BEAT - Ferndale, MI http://deadbeatbeat.bandcamp.com/ 11:45 p.m.

PRUSSIA - Detroit, MI http://prussia.bandcamp.com/ 12:45 a.m.

DRUNKEN BARN DANCE - New York, NY http://www.facebook.com/drunkendance

Friday, December 30 Doors 4:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

CONGRESS - Ypsilanti, MI http://www.congressmusic.bandcamp.com/ 5:10 p.m.

THE REELERS - Detroit, MI http://www.thereelers.us/ 5:50 p.m.

ME & THE GHOST - Detroit, MI http://me-and-the-ghost.bandcamp.com/ 6:30 p.m.

YOKE - Midland, MI http://yoke.bandcamp.com/ 7:15 p.m.

SANTA MONICA SWIM & DIVE CLUB - Ann Arbor, MI http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-MonicaSwim-and-Dive-Club/179254013490 8:00 p.m.

THE ULTRASOUNDS - Chicago, IL http://theultrasounds.net/ 8:45 p.m.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM - Ypsilanti, MI http://jwpp.bandcamp.com/ 9:30 p.m.

ELECTRIC FIRE BABIES - Detroit, MI http://electricfirebabies.bandcamp.com/ 10:15 p.m WHITE PINES - Akron, OH http://whitepines.bandcamp.com/ 11:00 p.m.

BAD INDIANS - Ypsilanti, MI http://badindians.bandcamp.com/ 11:45 p.m.

THE HIGH STRUNG - Detroit, MI http://highstrung-cc.bandcamp.com/ 12:45 a.m.

BLACK JAKE & THE CARNIES - Ypsilanti, MI http://blackjakeandthecarnies.bandcamp.com/

Saturday, December 31 Doors 4:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

FAKE SURFERS - Detroit, MI http://soundcloud.com/fake-surfers 5:10 p.m.

OBLISK - Detroit, MI http://oblisk.bandcamp.com/ 5:50 p.m.

PASSALACQUA - Detroit, MI http://tomandbootsy.com/ 6:30 p.m.

NIGHTLIFE - Ann Arbor, MI

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FEATURES //

http://nightlifepop.bandcamp.com/ 7:15 p.m.

BANGUPS - Grand Rapids, MI http://bangups.bandcamp.com/ 8:00 p.m.

THE GO ROUNDS - Kalamazoo, MI http://www.thegorounds.bandcamp.com/ 8:45 p.m.

THE BOYS THEMSELVES - Ann Arbor, MI http://www.theboysthemselves.com/ 9:30 p.m PHANTASMAGORIA - Detroit, MI http://phantasmagoria.bandcamp.com/ 10:15 p.m.

CHROME SPARKS - Ann Arbor, MI http://chromesparks.bandcamp.com/ 11:00 p.m.

THE HOUNDS BELOW - Detroit, MI http://thehoundsbelow.bandcamp.com/ 11:45 p.m.

CHRIS BATHGATE - Pinckney, MI http://www.chrisbathgate.org/ 12:45 a.m.

LIGHTNING LOVE - Ypsilanti, MI http://lightninglove.bandcamp.com/ ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS danceparty until 4 a.m.

close! http://www.facebook.com/pages/absolutebeginners/139092199438781

Sunday, January 1 Doors 4:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

PATRICK HEREK - Brighton, MI http://www.facebook.com/pherek 5:10 p.m.

SACRED STRAYS - Ann Arbor, MI http://www.myspace.com/sacredstrays 5:50 p.m.

THE BELL BEAT - Detroit, MI http://www.thebellbeat.bandcamp.com/ 6:30 p.m.

THAT'S HIM! THAT'S THE GUY! - Clawson, MI http://thatshimthatstheguy.bandcamp.com/ 7:15 p.m.

THE THORNBILLS - Ann Arbor, MI http://www.thethornbills.com/ 8:00 p.m.

SKELETON BIRDS - Ann Arbor, MI http://soundcloud.com/skeleton-birds 8:45 p.m.

GUN LAKE - Ann Arbor, MI http://gunlake.bandcamp.com/ 9:30 p.m PISTOLBRIDES - Grand Rapids, MI http://pistolbrides.bandcamp.com/ 10:15 p.m.

LEGENDARY CREATURES - Detroit, MI http://legendarycreaturesdetroit.bandcamp.com/ 11:00 p.m.

MISTY LYN & THE BIG BEAUTIFUL - Ypsilanti, MI http://mistylyn.bandcamp.com/ 11:45 p.m.

GREAT LAKES MYTH SOCIETY - Ypsilanti, MI http://greatlakesmythsociety.com/ 12:45 a.m.

FRONTIER RUCKUS - Orion Township, MI http://www.frontierruckus.com/

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// FEATURES

Lovely Novelty

An up close look at some local favorites

BY MARISSA MCNEES

Now, I don’t know about all of you, but around the holidays, I like to avoid any shopping mall at pretty much all costs. The crowds, the parking lots, the constant stream of the same five Christmas songs—it just doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time.

However, fear not. Along with having some of the best local food and music in this area, the Washtenaw County area is lucky enough to also have some of the best local shopping as well.

For those of you looking for some original gift ideas this season, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite local shops that sell more than your average holiday gift. Be sure to check out some of these places while shopping for your loved ones—you’ll be sure to put a smile on their face with some of these novelty items.

The Rocket (Ypsilanti)

With items like Bacon Strips Bandages ($5.25/ pack) and a Graffiti Cocktail Shaker ($21.99), The Rocket is known for its quirky novelty gifts and fun holiday decorations. Located in Downtown Ypsilanti, this store offers something for the kid in all of us. Items include everything from novelty and retro toys to “Devil Duckies,” Star Wars merchandise, lunch boxes and novelty bath and body

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products. Most popularly known for their selection of wrapped and unwrapped bulk candy, The Rocket is located at 122 W. Michigan Ave. and is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit therocketypsi.com.

Orchid Lane Warehouse (Ann Arbor)

One of my favorite stores to browse is the Orchid Lane Warehouse in Ann Arbor. Located right next to Orchid Lane and offering a wide range of clothing, jewelry and home décor, all items are $15 or less. Orchid Lane Warehouse doesn’t just offer gifts for women – there is a pretty decent selection of menswear and home goods that any guy in your life would appreciate. Some of my favorites are their all-natural lip balm for $4.50 or the selection of hand-crafted photo frames for $15. You can find Orchid Lane at 421 E. Liberty with hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit orchidlane.com.

college sports fan, The “M” Den and Ned’s Bookstore offer the best gift selection for the two major universities in the area—The “M” Den catering to U of M and Ned’s Bookstore to EMU. Here you can find anything from clothing to coffee mugs, flags to shot glasses and pretty much anything else that can fit a logo. You’re sure to find more than just your average t-shirt at either of these stores.

Acme Mercantile (Ann Arbor)

Acme Mercantile’s mission is to bring customers the finest environmentally friendly products they can find that “focus on wellness for you and your pet as well as your home.” Acme Mercantile sells everything from chorine free tampons to organic dog food, natural fiber clothing and earth friendly cleaning, laundry and paper products, making Acme Mercantile the place to shop sustainably this holiday season – and beyond! For more information, visit acmemercantile.com.

The “M” Den/Ned’s Bookstore (Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti)

For any current college student, alumnus, or any

DECEMBER 2011

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i SPY

[

november

/

2011

BY AMANDA SLATER

M U SIC 11/29 The Birthday Massacre, 8 p.m., Hard Rock Café, Detroit Zach Deputy, 9 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor John Primer, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

[

CALENDAR // AROUND YOU

Kyuss Lives!, 8 p.m., The Crofoot Ballroom, Pontiac Shawn Colvin, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor The Oygasms!, 8 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor Gun Lake, 10 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti

Good Weather for Airstrikes, 9 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti 12/1 Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot!, 8 p.m., Sound Board at MotorCity Casino Hotel,

Chris Cornell, 8 p.m., Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor Bill Kirchen Honky Tonk Holiday Show, 7:30 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor Dan Bennet Quartet, 8 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti

Detroit Guns N’ Roses, 8 p.m., The Palace, Auburn Hills 7 Chakraz, 9:30 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor Judy Collins, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor Ghostlady, 8 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti 12/2 Sevendust, 5 p.m., Harpos, Detroit The April Verch Band, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor Breathe Owl Breathe, Dreamland Theater, Ypsilanti

Laith Al-Saadi, 10 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti 12/6 Channel 95.5 Mojo’s Jingle Jam Office Party, 6:30 p.m., The Fillmore, Detroit Lee Murdock, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Eagle Theater, Pontiac 98.7 Amp Radio Kringle Jingle with Wiz Khalifa, 7 p.m., The Fillmore, Detroit

En Vogue, 8 p.m., Sound Board at MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit Donna the Buffalo, 9 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor Melissa Ferrick, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor JD McPherson, 8 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti 12/9 Mux Mool, 9:30 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor Lake Folk, 10 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti 12/10 Wilco, 7 p.m., The Fillmore, Detroit Tickled Fancy Burleque Co., 9:30 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor The Oak Ridge Boys, 7:30 p.m., Dow Event Center, Saginaw Mannheim Steamroller: Christmas, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, Detroit Erin Zindle and Friends Holiday Show, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor October Babies, 10 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti

12/7 Honor Society, 6 p.m., Pike Room at the Crofoot, Pontiac Celtic Thunder, 7:30 p.m., Fox Theatre, Detroit

12/3

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12/5 Riders in the Sky, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

12/8 Pierce the Veil, 5:30 p.m., Saint Andrew’s Hall, Detroit

i SPY DECEMBER 2011

12/12

12/21

Raul Malo Christmas Show, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

12/11 Jingle Bell Rock featuring Eddie Money, Lou Gramm and Mickey Thomas, 7:30 p.m., SoundBoard at Motor City Casino Hotel, Detroit Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, 8 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor The Wheeler Brothers, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

Karen Newman Holiday Show, 7:30 p.m., Fox Theatre, Detroit

12/13 Decembersongs, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

12/4 Too Hot to Handel, 3 p.m., Detroit Opera House, Detroit

11/30

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12/14 Delbert McClinton, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor Our Brother The Native, 10 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti 12/15 Emerson Hart of Tonic, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor Holiday Jazz Showcase, 8 p.m., Kerrytown Concert House, Ann Arbor The Finer Things, 8 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti

12/22 Every Avenue, 6 p.m., Saint Andrew’s, Detroit Cash Harrison and the Terrible Decisions, 10 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti 12/23 Electric Six, 8 p.m., Saint Andrew’s, Detroit Second Annual Holidaze Ball featuring O-Villainz and DJ Sheet, 9 p.m., Pike Room at the Crofoot, Pontiac 12/28 – 1/1 Mittenfest, Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti

12/16 The Vervy Pipe, 8 p.m., Magic Bag, Ferndale

COMEDY

Graham Colton, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

12/9

12/17

Cedric the Entertainer, 8:30 p.m., Redford Theatre, Detroit

Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Winter Tour 2011, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., The Palace, Auburn

COMMUNITY

Hills

12/1

The Night 89x Stole Christmas, 6:30 p.m., The Fillmore, Detroit Pop Evil, 7 p.m., Emerald Theatre, Mt Clemens Alternative Nation tribute, 9:30 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor The RFD Boys, 8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor Elbow Deep, 10 p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti

Paul Kaiser, 5 p.m., Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor An Evening with Michael Moore, 8 p.m., Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor 12/8 Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, 5 p.m., Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor 12/10 – 11 DIYpsi, Corner Brewery, Ypsilanti

12/18 10th Annual Concert for Peace, 7 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

12/11 Not just for kids: Skippyjon Jones, 1:30 p.m., Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

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AROUND YOU // CALENDAR 12/13 Growing Hope’s Winter Farmer’s Market, 3 – 7 p.m., Corner Brewery, Ypsilanti 12/17 Krampus Costume Ball,

Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti 12/20

Growing Hope’s Winter Farmer’s Market, 3 – 7 p.m., Corner Brewery, Ypsilanti 12/23 Ugly Sweater Xmas Party, 9:30 p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor FILM 12/3 Cool as Ice, Midnight, State Theater, Ann Arbor

12/11 It’s a Wonderful Life, 4 p.m., Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor 12/25 A Christmas Carol, 4 p.m., Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

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ispymagazine.co

Ypsi Flea #3, 4 p.m.,

ispymagazine.co

12/18

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Corner Brewery, Ypsilanti

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DECEMBER 2011

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FEATURE //

,

REVIEW // SOUNDS

rate it+++ Florence + the Machine’s latest album “Ceremonials” will drown you in epicness if you’re not careful. I made the mistake of trying to listen to it while working, and the other-worldliness of it all kept giving me visions of dancing around a fire in the woods (not a productive urge in the middle of a workday).

Florence + the Machine’s 12-track “Ceremonials” starts strong and ends strong, with Florence Welch’s ethereal pagan / Celtic / androgynous goddess

ARTIST: Drake ALBUM: Take Care 5/5 TOWERS BY AIMEE MANDLE If “Thank Me Later” was Drake’s grandiose step into hiphop, then “Take Care” is what happens when the aftershock sets in. Instead of boasting about being the greatest this time around, Drake focuses on how he’s leveling with the current pressures that come with fame – including the limitations.

It is a dark, moody album, with some lighter tracks that hold up underneath the weight of Drizzy’s conflicted conscious.

“Take Care” plays out like a confessional that strips off the bravado and dives deep into what happens behind closed doors. While most of his contemporaries shy away from displaying such openness, Drake runs at it full force. Whether it is the refreshing personal songwriting or vibrant musical backdrop that makes the entire album so powerful, it can be agreed upon by most that it sets itself apart from other hip-hop records.

“Marvin’s Room” is a slow paced

26

drunk-dial that wobbles between brazen disregard for an ex’s new boyfriend and tender reminiscence of what could have been, “Take Care” features Caribbean vibes underneath Rihanna’s soft vocals and Drake’s inviting cadence and “Doing It Wrong” shows off Stevie Wonder’s harmonica skills alongside the storytelling of a reluctant breakup.

Despite the backlash from the rap community, Drake’s solid sophomore album shows that he intends to be a permanent fixture. Each track laces together the bigger picture of Drake’s struggle with success and women, but still revels in the fact that he has a set of skills that could outrival most. This is also where Drake differs from most of those in hip-hop and gets his fair share of grief. As much as he can spit out verses (“Make Me Proud” and “Lord Knows” are prime examples), his ability to croon out even the most vulnerable line is a cut above the heavyweights utilizing Autotune.

i SPY DECEMBER 2011

ARTIST: Florence + The Machine ALBUM: Ceremonials 5/5 TOWERS BY MARY SIMKINS

voice soaring over intricate backup instrumentals that include a harp, a choir and, for all I know, a wood nymph and an angel playing on dueling pianos. Don’t expect too many sing-along tracks like “Dog Days” on “Lungs,” but be prepared to feel empowered and uplifted in spite of discerning approximately 70% of the lyrics.

Since my first distracted run-through, I’ve listened to the album several more times, liking it more each time. My favorites were the relatively upbeat “Never Let Me Go” and “Leave My Body,” both of which provide welcome breaks in the lofty metaphor and subliminal vibe of the rest of the album. Thank you, Florence Welch, for bringing your brilliant brand of weird to pop music. Now it’s time to go dance in the woods.

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SOUNDS // REVIEW

rate it+++

ARTIST: Mac Miller ALBUM: Blue Slide Park 3/5 TOWERS BY AIMEE MANDLE

Theo Katzman is a New Yorker who attended the University of Michigan and has since been completely adopted by Ann Arbor and its family of folk music elites. After a successful run with local favorites My Dear Disco, Katzman has made an equally successful run as a solo musician. With a solid acoustic EP already under his belt, Katzman is looking to further feed off that jump-start with the release of his first fulllength album, “Romance Without Finance.”

Let me get some of the comparisons out of the way. Katzman sounds like a diligent student of the John Mayer school who had Jason Mraz streaming through his headphones, all the while dreaming of escaping to a more folk-oriented environment. This isn’t to say he doesn’t have his own sound – but there is no great artist apart from great influences, and “Romance Without Finance” is a beautiful stirring of influences that makes for something simultaneously fresh and familiar. This is accessible indie/folk rock on the surface with underlying tones of soul and R&B. Acoustic island-rock vibes bubble to the surface on occasion, and the electric guitar solos are short, sweet and well-placed. Katzman’s lyrics have an everyday-commentary feel, highlighting glimpses of love and loneliness and possibility seen between the monotonous and mundane. He consistently dem-

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It’s rarity in any musical genre that an up-andcoming artist is able to cultivate a strong following without a record label or studio album to back them up. Though considering how Pittsburgh native Mac Miller has built his Most Dope empire thus far, it is pretty clear that he has been busy fostering the hype needed to make “Blue Slide Park” blow up on the charts. So far, he has put out a few mix tapes which have garnered the attention from vets in the game, as well as a debut on this year’s XXL Freshman Class list. It is no wonder that he is predicted to land a number one spot on the Billboard charts with an independent record – the first in nearly fifteen years.

With that being said, “Blue Slide Park” is a compilation where the content, for the most part, is based on partying and having a good time. There are more personal tracks that are interspersed between Miller’s “let’s get high” attitude, but they are few and far between. This isn’t to say that the album is lacking in quality. It should be taken into

account that Miller bases his songwriting in what he knows – which is far more genuine than what some vets are tiredly turning out.

As a whole, the album offers up strong tracks – such as the homage to hip-hop history in “Party on 5th Ave,” the bass heavy sendoff to haters in “Smile Back” and the collapse of a relationship in the light of fame in “Missed Calls.” But it’s the overall production that really shines through on the album. I.D Lab (with contribution from Ritz Reynolds and Clams Casino) shows off their ability to create a stunning stage for Mac to play out his flow to.

Undoubtedly, Mac has potential to grow in his craft. But an album like this is just the first step in revealing what he is able to bring to the table.

onstrates an ability to remain positive without shying away from pain and disappointment, and his words often sound like they’re being pushed through a big, wide smile.

The backbone of these songs is Katzman’s sincere voice and expertly-wielded acoustic guitar. His chord progressions are creative and catchy, especially on “White Picket Castle” and album opener “Every Few Days,” which is the kind of song you hear on the radio and look up online as soon as you get home. Easylistening rambler “Country Backroads” begins with a hushed guitar and an even more hushed Katzman reminiscing more than singing then slowly builds into a rocking anthem about enjoying the simpler things.

Katzman is perhaps at his best at the album’s midpoint “You Could Never Know,” a confident and relatable jam with a subtle edge and infinite repeat value.

Theo Katzman has spent the last few years solidifying himself as one of the area’s leading musical talents, and for those still questioning his potential as a solo musician, this album should be all the proof they need.

ARTIST: Theo Katzman ALBUM: Romance Without Finance 4/5 TOWERS BY PAUL KITTI

DECEMBER 2011

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REVIEW // SOUNDS

+++rate Fans of the indie darling duo She & Him enjoy the simplicity of Zooey Deschanel’s girlish voice combined with M. Ward’s acoustic guitar. Fans of Christmas will enjoy “A Very She & Him Christmas” for the same reason – they keep it simple.

Deschanel’s pleasant old-time vocal style lends itself well to this collection of Christmas favorites – from “The Christmas Waltz” to “The Christmas

ARTIST: Coldplay ALBUM: Mylo Xyloto 4/5 TOWERS BY PAUL KITTI In writing this review, I’m trying to imagine what must go through the mind of a band that already knows it cannot win. What’s their game plan? Listening to “Mylo Xyloto,” which is likely to be Coldplay’s midway mile marker album, I found myself inspired, entertained and perplexed. Perplexed because I felt alarmingly un-cool. And that is why this band cannot win – Coldplay has become more of a brand than a band, selling out stadiums full of people who want to feel like they’re back in junior high, people who just want to admire their multi-colored jackets and people who feel like “Fix You” just might still have enough power in its gut to make them cry. So again, what goes through the collective mind of a band that cannot win? As I listened to “Mylo Xyloto,” I figured the thought process may have gone something like this: “Turns out, the critics already hate our album, and we haven’t even made it yet. So let’s just have fun with this one. I’m thinking a concept album – something glitzy, lovelorn, hopeful and confused.

It’ll be about us. We’ll paint these songs as much as we play them.

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The Coldplay canvas is prepped for another ‘Viva La Vida’ or ‘In My Place,’ but we’re gonna layer and splotch and smear whatever the hell we want onto this album.

Let’s chisel off the softer corners of electronica.I wanna hear violins and synthesizers and ‘Strawberry Swing’ guitars and rustic acoustic strumming. We’re kindergartners armed with finger paint. Who says we can’t still make some feel-good ballads? I don’t care if we’re a decade into the twenty-first century, that’s just who we are. But we won’t do what everyone else is doing. We won’t try to appeal to the rising crowd of sophisticates and we won’t feature Rihanna. Wait, I kind of like that idea. Let’s get Rihanna. I like where this is going…”

Whew. So that’s how you concoct a successful failure. Coldplay has arguably been the biggest band in the world over the past few years, but despite that accomplishment, they still push themselves to become the best band in the world. And while that goal may be near impossible at this point, it sure is fun listening to them try.

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Song.” Aside from upping the tempo (and switching gender roles) in “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” She & Him doesn’t deviate much from the songs’ original versions, which is comforting. I also must give credit where it’s due: the band’s rendition of “Little Saint Nick” is completely tolerable (a rare feat for that song, in my opinion).

Lending two sweet, simple voices to holiday classics, M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel make “A Very She & Him Christmas” a charming addition to any yuletide playlist.

Artist: She & Him Album: A Very She & Him Christmas 4/5 TOWERS BY MARY SIMKINS

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THE CUT // REVIEW

+++rate FILM: 50/50 DIRECTOR: Jonathan Levine 5/5 TOWERS BY MARY SIMKINS Cancer is scary. Being a 20-something is scary. Being attractive, successful and physically fit is (presumably) not all that scary, so seeing handsome little Joseph Gordon Levitt sidelined by a life-threatening illness could be jarring. Thankfully, due to thoughtful writing and sensitive acting, the end result is unexpectedly uplifting. Don’t get me wrong – there were moments of panic, moments of tears, moments where the char-

“…I shared a dark suspicion that the life we were leading was a lost cause, that we were all actors, kidding ourselves along on a senseless odyssey. It was the tension between these two poles – a restless idealism on one hand and a sense of impending doom on the other – that kept me going.”

These were among Hunter Thompson’s first words to the world, written by an already world-weary 22-year-old into a novel that didn’t get published until decades later. Those words, along with the entirety of “The Rum Diary,” reflect a brilliant mind struggling to find its voice. We all know the end of the story, as Thompson went on to change the face of journalism, modern literature and political and social commentary. Much like the novel it so closely follows, Johnny Depp’s labor of love, “The Rum Diary,” is savage, occasionally brilliant and often aimless.

Depp plays Paul Kemp, a fictionalized replica of Thompson himself, a talented young journalist who escapes New York to join a quickly tanking publication, “The San Juan Star.” What was supposed to be an exercise in reflection, soul-searching and substance-induced belligerence turns into a

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acters’ internal conflicts seem all too familiar – yet the general feeling leaving the theater was one of comfort and cautious optimism.

The best word I can use to describe this movie is human. From the fear and isolation portrayed, to the flaws of the “villain” characters, not one character is one-dimensional. In fact, even the most easily vilified character (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) has moments of weakness so honest that you may wonder whether you’d handle the situation any better. Even the best friend character played by Seth Rogen isn’t there solely for comic relief – imagine that.

sour web of corporate greed, financial woe and substance-induced belligerence. The film kind of lumbers along, the plot loosely strung together by moments of brilliance and clarity that are few and far between. Depp, who was a close friend of Thompson, embodies his character with the soul, wit and depravity that the Gonzo journalist enthusiastically embraced, and those who are followers of Thompson’s work will find Depp’s rendering of the author’s inner-turmoil worth the ticket price.

Those expecting something along the lines of a second installment of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” will be disappointed, along with those who at least wanted something slightly bizarre and unconventional. But the film is admirable in that it is both flawed and faithful, giving audiences a glimpse at a young writer trying to find his voice beneath a pile of scrapped ramblings, cigarette butts and empty rum bottles. And knowing what that voice eventually developed into makes watchFILM: The Rum Diary ing the sloppy beginnings of his “senseless DIRECTOR: Bruce Robinson odyssey” all the more entertaining.

3/5 TOWERS BY PAUL KITTI

DECEMBER 2011

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REVIEW //

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i SPY DECEMBER 2011

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