Photo by Mike Pfeiffer
Feedback NEWS & VIEWS
We received responses to contributor Kahn Santori Davison’s cover story about radio host Angela Yee becoming an honorary Detroiter by investing in the city. Yee recently opened The Alex, a renovated apartment building in Midtown.
My old precinct , to see what that looks like now. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s we use to fight like hell (figuratively and literally) as special operations unit to clean that area and place up. The stories…you all have no idea!!!! Shout out to all of us 13th Precinct old heads (uniform and plain clothes) our work was not in vain!
—@eric_jarmons, Instagram
It’s wonderful that’s some of the units are
dedicated to helping incarcerated women have homes.
—Linda Boatman, Facebook
Love this story. I too have fallen in love with Detroit over the past several years. The warmth and diversity are unparalleled.
—Patrice Mcinnis, Facebook
Very commendable. However please stop calling it Midtown.
—George Jenkins, Facebook
I just grabbed my copy today can’t wait to read the article... you are that Dude Kahn... appreciate your diligence to recording and photographing everything Detroit and beyond!
—Auset Asante, Facebook
Sound off: letters@metrotimes.com
NEWS & VIEWS
The White Stripes inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The White Stripes — the quirky, two-piece rock ’n’ roll band from Detroit whose “Seven Nation Army” inexplicably became a sports stadium anthem — has officially been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The class of 2025 was announced Sunday, with other inductees including Soungarden, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper, Bad Company, and Chubby Checker.
Made up of the ex-married couple of Jack and Meg White, the band is the latest act from the Detroit area to join the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, joining the likes of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Parliament-Funkadelic, The Stooges, Alice Cooper, Eminem, and the MC5.
Artists are eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after their first
commercial recording; for the Stripes, that was the band’s 1998 indie label seven-inch single “Let’s Shake Hands,” making them eligible for the first time in 2023.
That the White Stripes became inducted so quickly after eligibility is a testament to the band’s undeniable star power. (Some artists have to wait a long time. Chubby Checker, who had a No.
Michigan AG cracks down on Gaza protesters
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office said a recent multi-agency raid targeting pro-Palestinian activists was part of a broader investigation into “coordinated criminal acts of vandalism and property damage” across Southeastern Michigan.
Last week, authorities executed search warrants at homes in Ann Arbor, Canton, and Ypsilanti, briefly detaining several people. No arrests were made during the raids.
The investigation involves nearly a dozen incidents dating back to February 2024, including vandalism at the homes of University of Michigan officials and businesses causing
approximately $100,000 in damage, according to Nessel’s office. The acts occurred mostly late at night and included smashed windows and the use of noxious chemical substances, the AG’s office says. Political slogans or messages were also left behind at each site, including “Free Palestine.”
“Due to the many, evidently coordinated and related, criminal acts occurring across the jurisdictions of several local law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities, the Department of Attorney General is conducting this unified investigation with the aid of local authorities,” the AG’s office said in a news release Thursday.
Among the locations targeted were
1 hit with his 1960 cover of “The Twist,” has been lobbying for the honor for decades.) When the Stripes burst into the national and international spotlight in the early 2000s, they did so alongside a trend of other so-called “garage rock” bands offering a raw and somewhat throwback guitar-based sound. But even among fellow garage rock acts like the Strokes and the Hives, the White Stripes stood out.
That was thanks in part to the band’s penchant for dressing in only red, white, and black, as well as the duo’s claims to be a brother and sister. More importantly, it was the potent combo of Jack White’s virtuoso guitar playing and Meg White’s primitive yet signature drumming, which led to endless debates among a certain sect of rock snobs but also saw the band transcend the trend and inspire countless other artists.
Much of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame news coverage speculated on whether the band would get back together for the induction ceremony, which has featured a number of improbable reunions over the years and is set for Nov. 8 in Los Angeles. The band officially split in 2011, following a scrapped 2007 tour canceled citing Meg White’s mental health. While Meg White has opted to live a low-key life in Detroit, Jack White relocated to Nashville and launched a solo career, releasing the acclaimed album No Name last year and playing sold-out back-to-back hometown gigs at the Masonic Temple earlier this month.
If the band was ever to reunite — and that’s probably a pretty big if — it seems the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame would be just the occasion. But even if it doesn’t, we’ll always have the records.
—Lee DeVito
Michigan.
the homes of U-M President Santa Ono and U-M Regent Jordan Acker, as well as the Jewish Federation of Detroit in Bloomfield Hills. One incident involved vandalizing a residence in Ann Arbor while children were sleeping inside, according to the release.
Last Wednesday’s raids drew immediate criticism from civil rights advocates who accused Nessel, the state’s first Jewish attorney general, of targeting peaceful pro-Palestinian protesters. In September 2024, Nessel charged nine pro-Palestinian demonstrators for refusing to leave a protest encampment at U-M after police orders, drawing condemnation from the American Civil Liberties Union of
Between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23, FBI agents and local police arrived in unmarked vehicles at residences linked to University of Michigan pro-Palestinian activists. Electronics and personal belongings were confiscated and a total of nine people were detained and later released, according to the TAHRIR Coalition, a group that has called for divestment from Israel.
During the Ypsilanti raid, officers initially stalled when asked to produce warrants and later presented “unusual” warrants authorized by the AG’s office, which activists say lacked clear probable cause for any alleged crime, the coalition said in a news release Thursday.
“Dana Nessel frames herself as a
Will the iconic band reunite for the ceremony?
PA IMAGES / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Immigrants are ‘disappearing’ at Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge
A Venezuelan man who took a wrong turn near the Ambassador Bridge in Southwest Detroit was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), prompting outrage from immigrant advocates and elected officials who say the facility where he was held is being used to secretly hold families in inhumane conditions.
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, joined the ACLU of Michigan and the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) on Thursday to demand an end to what they described as unlawful detentions and “disappearances” at CBP’s site near the U.S.-Canada border. They said many detainees have no access to legal counsel or family members and are not listed in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee locator system.
“These are our neighbors and families,” Tlaib said at a news conference. “They should not be disappearing because they make a wrong turn.”
Between Jan. 20 and March 21, CBP detained at least 213 immigrants in Detroit, according to data shared with advocates. More than 90% of them had reportedly crossed into a customs lane at the bridge or nearby tunnel – a mistake many metro Detroiters have made.
“Our neighbors and families should not be disappearing because they make a wrong turn, and we should not allow for inhumane conditions for individuals and families,” Tlaib said.
One of those detained was a Venezuelan man who attempted suicide while in custody at a CBP facility near the Detroit-Windsor tunnel in March. He was later hospitalized and transferred to an ICE detention center. His whereabouts remain unknown.
Tlaib said she visited the CBP facility near the bridge on March 21 and was alarmed by the conditions. The cells were so small, she said, she could touch both walls with her outstretched arms.
“This is an office space that isn’t equipped for long-term stays, especially for children,” Tlaib said. “People are disappearing. We don’t know where they’re at and what’s happening to them. It’s happening right in our back yard.”
In one case described by advocates, a woman and her two young children –both U.S. citizens – were detained for five days in a windowless room with little food and no access to medicine. The children became sick, and the only food available was a shared cup of ramen noodles.
The family was not allowed to contact a lawyer or their consulate, according to advocates.
democratic bulwark against the Trump Administration, yet has demonstrated continuous collaboration with Trump’s federal government to repress the popular movement for Palestinian liberation,” said Liz Jacob, attorney at the Sugar Law Center for Economic Social Justice. “Nessel’s irresponsible conduct has already endangered Michigan residents, putting them in the crosshairs of the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant and anti-democratic assaults. On April 6 at the Detroit airport, federal agents questioned and harassed Amir Makled, an ArabAmerican NLG lawyer representing one of the U-M Encampment 11. This joint escalation by Nessel, the FBI, State and local police is a clear attempt to intimidate protestors and attack their constitutional right to freedom of speech.”
Activists also noted the raids are part of broader state actions against pro-Palestinian advocacy at U-M, including more than 56 arrests since November 2023 linked to protests against the university’s investments related to Israel. The activists accused Nessel and U-M regents of facilitating a wider federal crackdown on higher education and pro-Palestinian advocacy.
Danny Wimmer, a spokesperson for the AG’s office, previously told Metro Times that immigration authorities were not involved and that those targeted in the search warrants appeared to be American citizens.
No charges have yet been filed related to Wednesday’s raids, and the investigation is ongoing.
—Steve Neavling
Ruby Robinson, managing attorney at MIRC, called CBP detention “a virtual black box,” where people are held with no public accountability.
“Every person has the right to access legal counsel in every detention setting in the United States, and that must apply to people in CBP custody,” Robinson said.
Miriam Aukerman, senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Michigan, warned that such secretive practices could lead to broader constitutional violations.
“In a democracy, there must be access to people in detention,” she said. “People don’t just vanish without someone being able to find out where they are.”
Advocates are calling for a series of reforms, including an end to the use of CBP sites for long-term detention, especially for families and children;
inclusion of CBP detainees in locator systems; access to legal counsel; and congressional oversight of border detention practices.
They are also urging Congress to pass the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act and the Access to Counsel Act, which would mandate humane treatment and legal access for detainees.
CBP has defended the facility, saying it is only used temporarily while individuals await transfer to ICE.
A spokesperson told the Detroit Free Press that officers are trained to prevent self-harm and that detainees are treated with “dignity and respect.”
But advocates say the facilities often lack adequate supplies, like food, toys, and diapers for children.
“Whats happening on the northern border is intolerable,” Aukerman said. “We need to take action.”
—Steve Neavling
U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained at least 213 immigrants in Detroit.
Vandalism at the Goodman Acker law offices in Southfield. AP PHOTO/COREY WILLIAMS
Advanced medical facility coming to Detroit’s ‘fail jail’ site
BAMF Health, a Grand Rapidsbased medical technology company, plans to open a state-of-the-art facility that is expected to create 90 new jobs and inject nearly $94 million in investments into Wayne County.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Tuesday that the Michigan Strategic Fund approved support for the project, which will include a Theranostics Center and radiopharmacy offering cutting-edge treatment for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.
“BAMF Health’s investment in Detroit will bring good-paying jobs and millions in economic growth to Wayne County,” Whitmer said in a statement. “BAMF’s new facility will help them better serve Michigan patients. It will reinforce Michigan’s reputation as a leader in health care and the best place to pioneer cutting-edge technology that not only grow our economy but makes peoples’ lives better. Let’s keep working together to build a healthier, more prosperous future for all Michiganders.”
The facility, which will occupy 45,000 square feet in Bedrock’s Life Science Innovation Building, is part of a larger plan to transform the long-vacant site of the county’s infamous “fail jail” project. The 14acre property on Gratiot Avenue was once slated for a $300 million Wayne County jail, but it was scrapped in 2013 due to cost overruns.
Until this year, the site had remained largely undeveloped.
Bedrock acquired the land as part of a 2018 agreement with the county in exchange for building the new Wayne County Criminal Justice Center.
When completed, the 220,000-squarefoot facility will be the first anchor in a planned innovation district. Alongside BAMF Health, the building will house
organizations like Ferris State University, Wayne State University, TechTown, and Ann Arbor-based MI-HQ, which operates tech-focused coworking spaces.
The facility is scheduled to open to patients by late 2027.
The site will include a molecular imaging clinic, a molecular therapy clinic, and a commercial manufacturing radiopharmacy. Equipment will include MRI machines, PET/CT scanners, hot cells, and cyclotrons, enabling BAMF to serve patients across Michigan and elsewhere.
“Michigan is proud to stand at the forefront of innovation in the fight against cancer and other diseases,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II said. “The new Theranostics Center and Radiopharmacy in Detroit strengthens our state’s commitment to innovating and making a difference. By investing in cutting-edge science and empowering our brightest minds, we are creating opportunities that will transform and save lives, both in our communities and across the globe.”
To support the project, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a $1.5 million performance-based grant from the Michigan Business Development Program, along with a 15-year, 100% SESA (State Essential Services Assessment) exemption valued at up to $982,000 on eligible personal property investments.
Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and chair of the MSF Board, said the project aligns with the state’s “Make It in Michigan” economic development strategy.
“Today’s MSF approval of BAMF Health’s new facility in Detroit will build on Michigan’s leadership in cutting-edge health science, helping us deliver on the state’s ‘Make It in Michigan’ economic development
Santiago-Romero disqualified from ballot over disputed fee, vows legal fight
Detroit City Councilwoman
Gabriela Santiago-Romero is fighting to stay on the August primary ballot after Wayne County election officials disqualified her over a $250 campaign finance fee she says was wrongly assessed.
The popular first-term councilwoman, who won her Southwest Detroit district with 74% of the vote in 2021, said she received a notice from the Wayne County Clerk’s Office on Monday informing her that she had been removed from the tube ballot due to a late campaign finance report filed in October. Santiago-Romero disputes the claim, saying she has proof the report was submitted on time.
“It is extremely upsetting that the Clerk is falsely accusing me of submitting a report late,” Santiago-Romero said in a
strategy of supporting People, Places, and Projects,” Messer said in a statement. “I’m grateful to Governor Whitmer, our bipartisan partners in the state legislature, and the volunteer MSF Board for their ongoing support of the Michigan Business Development Program grant tool. Congratulations to BAMF Health on their growth to Southeast Michigan where additional care will benefit the lives of more Michiganders.”
The new jobs include business operations specialists earning $35 an hour, nuclear medicine technologists at $42 an hour, electronic engineers at $55 an hour, and even higher wages for physicians and surgeons. Most positions exceed the region’s median wage of $23.73 an hour, with the exception of five entry-level jobs paying between $20 and $21 an hour.
“We are grateful for the continued support of Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Strategic Fund and their shared commitment to making our state a national leader in precision medicine through novel radiopharmaceuticals,” Anthony Chang, PhD, founder and CEO of BAMF Health, said. “This site not only enables us to deliver life-saving care to patients in southeast Michigan, it also serves as a gateway for patients across the country to access the most advanced imaging and treatments. Our work at the Gratiot Site is poised to drive innovation in healthcare technology.”
The Detroit Economic Development Growth Corporation, which spent two and a half years helping attract the project, called the development a major win for the city’s growing medical sector.
“The arrival of BAMF Health’s innovative Theranostics Center in downtown Detroit is akin to planting a seed in already fertile ground,” Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth
Corporation, said. “This project will grow the city’s burgeoning medical ecosystem and bring next-generation cancer therapies to Detroiters. The DEGC proudly supported BAMF during our 2.5-year attraction effort alongside the MEDC. We are grateful to the MSF Board for their support of this transformative development.”
State Rep. Joe Tate, D-Detroit, said the new facility will help address health disparities in communities where access to care can be limited.
“Ensuring Michiganders have access to the medical centers they need is important for any community, and it is especially critical for someone facing a health hardship,” Tate said. “The creation of this new theranostics center and radiopharmacy in Downtown Detroit would provide lifesaving care to those battling medical challenges like cancer. I applaud the commitment to our community and the relief this center will bring for many Detroiters.”
—Steve Neavling
AfroFuture reveals lineup
AfroFuture Festival has announced the full lineup for its U.S. debut, slated for downtown Detroit this summer.
Set for Aug. 16 and 17, the fest features a lineup celebrating all kinds of music of the African diaspora.
Headlining the festival are Nigerian singer Asake and Nigerian American singer Davido, with other big acts including Canada’s Kaytranada, Brazilian singer-songwriter Ludmilla, and Congolese rapper Gims.
The bill also includes a number of Detroit artists like rapper Tee Grizzley, Afro-Caribbean party crew Jerk x Jollof, and Lana Ladonna, who will serve as one of the event’s hosts.
statement. “Our campaign has documentation that our report was timely filed on October 25 in the form of the filing itself and an email receipt from the Clerk’s Office. I have always prided myself on strict adherence to the law and being a transparent elected official. As such, I’m releasing all documentation showing the error lies with the Clerk’s Office, not my campaign.”
The documentation, reviewed by Metro Times, confirms that her campaign’s report was filed on time.
The news of Santiago-Romero’s disqualification was first reported by journalist Sam Robinson on social media.
Wayne County officials contend the report was not received until Nov. 8, nearly two weeks past the deadline. A $250 late fee was assessed, and because it remains
unpaid, the clerk’s office ruled her ineligible for the ballot.
“It is the responsibility of each candidate or candidate committee to ensure that all required campaign documents are filed timely and any outstanding campaign finance fees are fully paid in accordance with Michigan law,” Dorian Tyus, special assistant to the Wayne County Clerk, said in a written statement.
Santiago-Romero argues the fee stems from a clerical amendment made after the original filing and not from a late submission. She said she was unaware of the issue when she submitted more than 600 petition signatures, twice the number required to qualify for the ballot.
She also announced she has retained attorney Mark Brewer, an expert in campaign laws, and is prepared to take legal action if the clerk’s office does not reverse its decision.
—Steve Neavling
The full lineup is available at afrofuture.com.
Wristbands are $119 for general admission and $249 for VIP.
Formerly known as “Afrochella,” the festival first launched in Ghana in 2017.
The event will be held at the grounds of Detroit’s former BrewsterDouglass Housing Projects, the one-time home of Motown stars including members of the Supreme and Smokey Robinson.
In 2023 and 2024, the site held a similar international music festival called Afro Nation.
AfroFuture Detroit is sponsored by Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock and produced by Paxahau, which produces the Movement Music Festival and is an operations partner for the Detroit Jazz Festival.
—Lee DeVito
NEWS & VIEWS
Opinion
A progressive pope who helped me return to Catholicism
By Lee DeVito
May Pope Francis rest in peace.
According to the Vatican, the first Catholic pope from the Americas died of a stroke and subsequent heart failure on April 21 at age 88.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires and ascending to the papacy in 2013, Francis leaves behind a legacy as — apologies for the phrasing here — quite possibly the most woke pope ever. And his outspoken progressive views helped me to eventually feel like I could return to my Catholic roots, on my own terms.
To be blunt, Pope Francis was spitting bars.
He called the environmental devastation wrought by man-made climate change “an offense against God,” blaming the “greedy pursuit of shortterm gains by polluting industries.” He pushed for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the church, and also called for the death penalty to be abolished.
And in a time rife with xenophobia and scapegoating of immigrants around the world, he preached the biblical commandment of “love the stranger.” Earlier this year, he denounced the Trump administration’s immigration policies by placing an emphasis on the dignity of migrants, saying, “The act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women.”
Last year, he called out the U.S. government for promoting wars around the world, which he called “the failure of fraternity, the failure of peace.” Since the escalation of conflict in the Middle East in 2023, Francis denounced Israel’s killing of tens of thousands of civilians as “terrorism” and made daily phone calls to the only Catholic church in Gaza.
Of course, why wouldn’t the Catholic Church speak out on behalf of Pales-
tine? Jesus’s birth town of Bethlehem is in the West Bank.
On Easter Sunday, the day before his death, Francis renewed his calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. He also called for Hamas to release its remaining Israeli hostages and condemned antisemitism.
The messages were relayed with the help of an aide, as Francis was recovering from pneumonia. It was his last public act.
According to reports, he had only $100 to his name at the time of his death.
Of course, Pope Francis’s views led him to being labeled by some as a “radical leftist,” and conservatives within the church called for his ouster. In a 60 Minutesinterview last year, Francis criticized a conservative as someone who “clings to something and does not want to see beyond that,” adding, “It is a suicidal attitude. Because one thing is to take tradition into account, to consider situations from the past, but quite another is to be closed up inside a dogmatic box.”
It was only recently that I came to appreciate Pope Francis. I had not thought about the Catholic Church for a long time — since receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, which is supposed to represent a strengthening of faith. For my patron saint I chose Thomas the Apostle, who is also known
as “doubting Thomas” because he was initially skeptical that Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
I moved away from the church as a teenager, denouncing it and all religions as just a way to control people. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, I decided that if people could be motivated by religion to commit such heinous acts, it was proof to me that the tendency for religious beliefs was a flaw of the human mind.
I have since arrived at a different point of view, seeing terrorism as a despicable yet understandable reaction to U.S. imperialism. I now believe we will never have world peace if we do not address and confront the disastrous policies of the U.S. empire.
I also see religion and especially Catholicism differently now as well. While I don’t believe everything said in the Bible or by the church is the actual word of God, I see value in the teachings as literary and folkloric works of art. In an age of instant gratification, I appreciate the opportunity for reflection and meditation offered by the church’s rituals. I have also come to appreciate Catholicism as a cultural identity, and I think it’s cool to have something in common with diverse people from all over the world, including in Europe, Latin America, the Philippines, Africa, and beyond.
This year, for the first time in many years, I decided to participate in Lent — when Christians fast or give up vices in observance of the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert enduring the temptation of Satan. I did my best to abstain from social media — and failed, which I’d like to blame as simply a function of the requirements of my job as a journalist but in reality is equally testament to the addictive nature of these damn phones. However, I found value in the act of reassessing priorities.
Recently watching last year’s excellent — and timely — Catholic church thriller Conclave further lit a spark inspiring me to return to my roots.
Of course, there are a great many areas where I disagree with the Catholic Church. Its institutional cover-up of clergy sexual abuse of children is a shameful mark on its history, and I do think religions are often used to control people. Pope Francis has said plenty of things I disagree with as well. He was no angel, but then again nobody is. We’re only human.
Soon, the Catholic church will gather in literal smoke-filled rooms in the Vatican to choose its new pope. I hope they choose someone like Francis, someone not afraid to speak truth to power who might also draw more people like me back into the church.
RIP Pope Francis. SHUTTERSTOCK
Space Dive strikes back
LOCAL CREATORS BAND TOGETHER FOR TENTH YEAR CELEBRATING A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY
BY JEFF MILO
The teaser posters for 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace were both ubiquitous and cryptic. They hinted at no substantial plot details other than promising the origins of possibly the greatest villain of all time — but it was that short and debatably redundant tagline that stuck with us: “Every saga has a beginning…”
From a certain point of view, you could say that Space Dive could be the beginning of your story. Regardless of whether you’re into the popular space opera franchise or not, this weekend’s annual immersive art installation at Detroit’s Tangent Gallery is, at its heart, for any and all fans of… well, let’s say, adventure
Speaking of origin stories: Back in 1980, after seeing the second Star Wars film, John Dunivant was an imaginative 9-year-old who would spend that summer building his own to-scale cardboard model of the film’s Cloud City just by eyeballing sketches and diagrams inside a book titled The Art of the Empire Strikes Back, which he fatefully attained via a playground trade. The anecdote of this modest rendering of Lando Calrissian’s mining colony, wrought as it was inside of a humble suburban basement with scissors and glue, could essentially be what Star Wars fans refer to as “the opening crawl,” or the prologue for Dunivant’s life as an artist, stylistically displayed in angled yellow text floating through space.
Dunivant knows, all too well, that finding Star Wars at any age, regardless of which trilogy served as your gateway — the original, the prequels, or Disney’s sequels — can be a life-changing experience. That’s why, this weekend and next, Dunivant and Space Dive co-creator Daniel Land invite you to explore the Tangent Gallery for Space Dive, which
transports you to a full-scale hand-built reproduction of the Mos Eisley Cantina from the original 1977 film, along with the interior of a massive Imperial base, then out into a bustling marketplace nestled into an authentically designed dusty spaceport. It’s billed as “The Greatest Dive Bar in the Galaxy,” complete with vendors, musical performances, poets, DJs, lots of costumes, and even Aunt Beru’s specialty “blue milk.”
“It’s pure escapism,” says Dunivant, the longtime Detroit-based artist best known as the visionary mind behind the long-running punk rock-splashed Halloween masquerade Theatre Bizarre. “From the musical performances, to the chatter of vendors hawking their wares, the scent of food cooking that smells like something you may not have tasted before, to the sight of this 360-degree art
space, which just becomes a playground to explore and discover … as all of this is hitting your senses, you’re here seeking out your own adventure and bringing your own story to it,” he adds. “It’s total world-building, but we can’t do worldbuilding in a vacuum – our patrons are coming with their own characters and their own unexpected stories which means we’re each all adding to this tapestry of an experience.”
Space Dive’s costumes-mandatory, immersive main events (ages 21 and up only) will be held the evenings of May 2, 3, 4, 9, and 10, with all-ages “Family Days” during the daytime on both Saturdays. Each event features entertainment, food, and bar service with virgin cocktails for the kids, among an extensive and elaborate backdrop that rivals any movie set. Costumes are optional on
Family Days, but encouraged, as there is a costume contest, with prizes sponsored by Vault of Midnight comics.
“It’s really more of a dress code,” says Land. “And we ideally don’t want fifty Han Solos,” Dunivant quips in reference to the mandatory requirement for evening attendees, emphasizing that no attendee should feel pressured to assemble a minutely-detailed, screen-accurate costume of canonized characters. “You can show up just wearing maybe earthtones, some khakis, a frayed scarf, and maybe some goggles and you’re good to go,” he says. “We want people to realize they probably already have the components for this kind of costume lying around at home.” The intent, for many, Dunivant says, is to make up your own character.
“I know I definitely wouldn’t be do-
At Detroit's Space Dive, fans dream up and embody their very own Star Wars characters
MIKE PFEIFFER
ing the kind of work that I do without those films,” says Land, a filmmaker and technical director who only caught Return of the Jedi in theatres as a lap-held infant, and later came under the spell of Star Wars via ritualistic home video rewatches. “[Star Wars] made me want to make films.”
Like Dunivant, Land is a multifaceted artist. He made his first feature-length film in high school and then went on to direct a wide array of short films, music videos, and documentaries, including the 2022 feature-length documentary America You Kill Me, about LGBTQ+ activist Jeffrey Montgomery. “But what we’re doing with [Space Dive], the idea of being able to step into another world – and I’m usually out there with my camera at the event – seeing these incredible storytelling moments in this
cohesive, full-reality, that’s an honor to get to experience.”
A not-so-long time ago, in Milwaukee Junction
Space Dive sprung, quickly, during the build-up to the 2015 release of The Force Awakens, that first entry in Disney’s sequel trilogy. Land and Dunivant were huddled in a bar together, not unlike Han and Chewie lounging in a cantina, discussing the then-burgeoning novelty Star Wars celebration on May 4. (The date was chosen because of its similarity to the phrase “May the force be with you” — get it?) That’s when Dunivant and Land decided to throw together a for-the-fans party on that pun-friendly date, which fell on a Monday back then. From there, it just started growing.
“We’d been talking about it for a while, actually,” Land says, recalling how Dunivant already had the epiphany realizing that the shape of Tangent’s bar matched the architecture of the cantina set in A New Hope. Dunivant, of course, had already drawn up blueprints by the time 2015 came around. “And we talked about how we would really pull this off,” says Land. “How far could we take something like this? I’d happened to have some funds from my Kresge Fellowship to get us started, and then we suddenly had this saga coming back into the culture and it all intersected. [Dunivant] drew up the schematics and other designs, and Brett Carson [Space Dive co-creator and on-site manager] developed this rapid build of the Cantina bar and booths. And each year we’ve expanded more until eventually taking
over the whole [Tangent] complex.”
“We were working around-the-clock, just to plaster and paint, that first year,” Dunivant says. “I didn’t sleep for three days and was still painting as people were walking in the door; it had to get done! Since then we’ve added more, but even at that time we were just doing it for kicks — to blow off some steam together, and now it’s become this juggernaut.”
Dunivant and Land started with concepts… but they needed an alliance. “The ‘build it and they will come’ cliche is true,” Dunivant says. “People started showing up and they each had their own talents to contribute.” That could be costume-makers, carpenters, prop-makers, and skilled designers who could, say, help create their own droids by using a 3-D printer. “The amount
The Tangent Gallery is transformed into a very convincing and bustling Mos Eisley Cantina
MIKE PFEIFFER
of creatives and artists and passionate people who just want to add texture and build these sets is just amazing,” he adds.
“This is powered by people,” says Land. “It takes a lot of energy and skill and talent to make this possible. During event nights there’s a crew of over 200 people working to run Space Dive.”
There’s creatives, and then there’s logistics, Dunivant says. “We have support from stage managers, sound engineers, gate crews, costume support, and zone managers,” he adds. “It’s a massive logistical Rubik’s Cube, from aesthetics, to safety, and how foot traffic flows through a nonconforming space where we’re encouraging you to explore pockets but not clog up the flow. We’re prepared for so many different things to just accommodate this platform for adventure, making sure everyone’s safe and secure.”
And that, Dunivant says, is especially where zone managers shine, making sure exits are clear and also making sure nothing on each set, props or anything, is moved or tampered with or blocking anything. The idea is for everyone to attain full enjoyment of the experience, safely and securely, without even noticing what it took to get there.
First step into a larger world
“We hear versions of this story all the time,” Dunivant says, specifying how “people come for their first time and have just thrown together a ‘scarf-vestgoggles’ look but then they get here and meet all these Mandalorian warriors and end up joining another community
of armor builders, or maybe they start getting into costume-making and just tap into a creativity that they didn’t expect. They might write themselves off until they see everyone else around them doing their own things and then they can’t wait for the next party to debut the thing they’ve been working on.”
Land adds that he loves “seeing people unlock and step into their own creativity at Space Dive.”
“We want to create a very inclusive environment,” Dunivant reiterates.
“Everyone is welcome, and we want you to create your own character, and start building your own story. You don’t need some full-on Darth Vader costume.
We’ve watched people over the years grow their character, adding to their costumes, as their narrative gets deeper and this event keeps evolving; it’s exciting to see.”
“Who are you?” Land says, “in your own galaxy far, far away…”
Every story has a beginning, but the future, as Yoda said, is “always in motion,” and that non-stop energy is profoundly true for all contributors to Space Dive. Dunivant is currently booked for various art exhibitions while Land is building toward the streaming debut of his latest documentary, all while sacrificing any shred of sleep for the sake of Space Dive. “Our fantastic team,” Land says. “Each has their own creative pursuits that they dedicate their blood, sweat, and tears to, but we all find the time for [Space Dive].”
Along with the crew, there are other local artists, poets, and musicians, who are landing at Space Dive to perform during the events, including Amber
Hasan (with original poetry that taps into world-building political lore), Audra Kubat (performing in alien languages and helping to book talent), Dixon’s Violin, Emily Rose, the Detroit Party Marching Band, Black Jake and the Carnies, the Boreouts, the Cult of Spaceskull, Wesley and the Crushers, Onyx Ashanti, Fire Flower, and many many more.
So if you’re looking for a unique experience, set course for Space Dive. You can be a wide-eyed Luke, a snarky Han, an indomitable Leia, a stark Andor, a smooth Lando, a courageous Rey, or literally anyone you want to be. This call to adventure, this hero’s journey, is essential for any sci-fi fans, any theater
fans, any art and music fans… anyone looking for a sense of community and maybe even a veritable new hope. Especially in these dark times, when it feels like we could all use some Rebellion, and a little hope. Hope is one of the best things to build upon…
Space Dive main events (ages 21 and up only) run two weekends from 7 p.m.-2 a.m. on Friday, May 2-Sunday, May 4 and Friday, May 9- Saturday, May 10. All-ages family days are from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 and Saturday. Pre-sale tickets available at spacedive313.com or at the door for $52; Tangent Gallery, 715 E. Milwaukee Ave., Detroit.
While the main Space DIve events are for adults ages 21 and older, family days are for the younglings
MIKE PFEIFFER
As far as costumes, anything goes
MIKE PFEIFFER
WHAT’S GOING ON
Frühlingsfest
Macomb County’s Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. is celebrating spring with its first annual Frühlingsfest. The German-themed event features a brass band, a stein-holding contest, arm wrestling, ethnic food like bratwurst, and, of course, a variety of German-style beers from Kuhnhenn. The festival launches at the company’s Warren location this weekend and continues next weekend at its Clinton Township spot.
From 11 a.m.-midnight on Saturday, May 3 at Kuhnhenn Brewing Co., 5919 Chicago Rd., Warren; kbrewery. com. No cover.
2001: A Space Odyssey
If Star Wars and the annual fan tribute Space Dive (see this week’s cover story) isn’t quite your thing, there is an opportunity to celebrate another influential sci-fi classic in Detroit this week. Presented by the Motor City Cinema Society, Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 epic 2001: A Space Odyssey is screening on 70mm film at the Redford Theatre. Here’s your chance to see Kubrick’s wild twoand-a-half-hour tale of, um… wait what happens in this movie again? Something about alien monoliths? Anyway, yeah, this is your chance to view the film as Kubrick originally intended.
Screenings at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at the Redford Theatre, 17360 Lahser Rd, Detroit; redfordtheatre.com. Tickets are $15.
60th Annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Fiesta
This year’s Cinco de Mayo festivi
Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo Parade.
SELECTIONS
special. Not only is Detroit’s Latino community celebrating six decades of its annual cultural parade, but it’s also commemorating the election of Mexico’s first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum. A two-day Cinco de Mayo Fiesta starts on Saturday at Patton Park with vendors, food trucks, musical performances, dancing, and more. The parade starts at noon on Sunday at Patton Park, ending at Clark Park.
Fiesta from noon-8 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 at Patton Park, 8151 Dix St, Detroit; detroitcincodemayoparade.com. No cover.
Glass53
An event that bills itself as the “largest glass art show in the world” will bring more than 400 works of art to Royal Oak’s Habatat Galleries Complex, which was founded in 1971 and also describes itself as the oldest and largest gallery dedicated to contemporary glass art. In addition to beautiful creations on display from internationally acclaimed artisans, the long-running event — now in its 53rd year — will also feature mesmerizing live glass blowing demonstrations from Andrew Madvin at the nearby Axiom Studio. Other highlights of this year’s event include a massive installation by Minhi England (a runner up in Netflix’s popular Blown Away) featuring a dazzling infinity mirror and floating glass orbs and work by Amd ldizsar Lukacsi of Budapest, Hungary, who comes from a family of acclaimed glass artists.
Gala from 8-10 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at the Habatat Galleries Complex, 4400 Fernlee Ave., Royal Oak,
Glass53 at Royal Oak’s Habatat Galleries bills itself as the largest glass art show in the world.”
COURTESY PHOTO
WHAT’S GOING ON CONTD
Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. Add your event to our online calendar: metrotimes.com/AddEvent.
MUSIC
Wednesday, April 30
Live/Concert
AC/DC, The Pretty Reckless 7 p.m.; Ford Field, 2000 Brush St., Detroit; $53.50-$219.
Arch Enemy, Fit For An Autopsy, Baest, Thrown Into Exile 5:30 p.m.; Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $32.50.
nothing, nowhere, Sace6 7 p.m.; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $25.
Matt Larusso Trio and guests 8-11 p.m.; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
DJ/Dance
Line Dancing Lessons at Diamondback Music Hall! 6:30-10 p.m.; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville; $10-$15. Planet Funk 7-10 p.m.; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit.
Thursday, May 1
Live/Concert
Bad Nerves, Spiritual Cramp, Norcos Y Horchata 7 p.m.; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $25.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony 8 p.m.; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; $49-$63.
Castle, Temple of The Fuzz Witch, Sauron 7 p.m.; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; $15.
Magnolia Park, Hot Milk, Savage Hands, South Arcade 5:30 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $25.
DJ/Dance
Curated Cool 7-10 p.m.; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit.
Maribou State, Gaidaa 7 p.m.; Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $25.
Karaoke/Open Mic
Drag Queen Karaoke 8 p.m.-2 a.m.; Woodward Avenue Brewers, 22646 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; no cover.
Elixer: DJs John Ryan and GEO 8
p.m.-midnight; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
Friday, May 2
Live/Concert
Beach Bunny, Pool Kids 7 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $32.50.
Boston Manor 6 p.m.; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $25.
FILTER, Half Light Music, Night-
Shift Special 7 p.m.; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte; $20.
Great White, SIIN 8 p.m.; FIM Capitol Theatre, 140 E 2nd Street, Flint; $40, $28 for Genesee County residents.
Jazz at MacArthur Recital Hall
7-8:15 p.m.; FIM Dort Music Center, 1025 E Kearsley Street, Flint; $15.
Jo Dee Messina 8 p.m.; Caesars Palace Windsor - Augustus Ballroom, 377 E. Riverside Dr., Windsor; $33-$78.
KILLER DILLER PRESENTS SKA
FRIDAY 6-11 p.m.; Batch Brewing Company, 1400 Porter St, Detroit, Detroit; $15.
Machine Head, In Flames, Lacuna Coil, Unearth 5 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $47.50-$72.50.
Magic Bag Presents: Jackie Venson 7 p.m.; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $25.
Saddle Up Country Dance Party: Derby Edition! 8 p.m.; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville; The Hair Band Experience 7:30 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $15-$80.
DJ/Dance
G-Space, Patches., Levee Banks
May 2, 9 p.m.; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $15-$20.
Saturday, May 3
Live/Concert
Anthony Gomes 7:30 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $30.
Beheading The Icon, Mouthful of Locusts, At Water, He Who Dwells, Implicator 6 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $13.
Chris Ayotte - The Man of Many Voices from Sinatra to Elvis 7-10:30 p.m.; The HUB Stadium, 44325 W 12 Mile Rd Unit H-160, Novi; $25-$120.
Detroit Anarchy VI Punk Rock Festival: LAVA, Proud House of
Shmucks, Spitvalve, The Strains, Cinecyde 7 p.m.; Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit; $10.-$15.
Durand Bernarr, Shae Universe 7 p.m.; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $25-$75.
Five For Fighting with String Quartet 8 p.m.; Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac; $30-$60.
Graham Bonnet, Marco Mendoza 7 p.m.; Harpos, 14238 Harper Ave., Detroit; $30-$100.
Japanese Breakfast, Ginger 6:30 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $49.50-$125.
Jenn’s Apartment Live, Stay At Home Dads, Almost Made The Mixtape 7-10 p.m.; Trixie’s Bar, 2656 Carpenter Avenue, Hamtramck; $10.
Jesse Cook 7 p.m.; Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak; $29-$60.
Magic Bag Presents: D.M. vs NIN 7 p.m.; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $20.
R&B INVITATION TOUR, Joe, Musiq Soulchild, Eric Benét 8 p.m.; Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $59-$250.
SAINt JHN, Honey Bxby 7 p.m.; Cathedral Theatre at the Masonic Temple, 500 Temple St., Detroit; $34.50-$39.50. Stephen Stanley, Jake & Shelby 6 p.m.; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; $25.
TAYLORVILLE - A Tribute to Taylor Swift 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte; $25-$35. Thornhill 6 p.m.; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $20.
Totally 80s Dance Party Starring The 1985! 8 p.m.; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville; $15-$25.
DJ/Dance
Saturday Grind 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit.
Sunday, May 4
Live/Concert
The Bloody Beetroots 8 p.m.; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville; $30. Dixon’s Violin 4 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $25.
Flint Youth Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert 3-4 p.m.; FIM Whiting Auditorium, 1241 E. Kearsley
Street, Flint; $15.
Graham Bonnet, Marco Mendoza 7 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $20.
iann dior, Bankroll Hayden, Braedon The Faded 7 p.m.; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $105. Phil Ogilvie’s Rhythm Kings 5-8 p.m.; Zal Gaz Grotto Club, 2070 W. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor; No Cover (tip jar for the band).
Split Chain, Tarantula 6:30 p.m.; Edgemen, 19757 15 Mile Rd., Clinton Twp; $15.
The Bloody Beetroots 8 p.m.; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville; $30-$35.
WRIF Presents: Marilyn Manson 7 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $69.50-$125.
DJ/Dance
SPKR BRNCH 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit.
Karaoke/Open Mic
Sunday Karaoke in the Lounge 5-9 p.m.; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover.
Monday, May 5
Live/Concert
Carl Verheyen Band 7:30 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $20-$120.
FLO, Jae Stephens 7 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $35.
The Preservation of Jazz Monday Night Music Series “Out of the Mouth of a Woman: A Tribute to the Detroit Queens of Jazz” 7-10 p.m.; Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit; $35.
Season Finale with The Ehnes Quartet 7:30-10 p.m.; The Hawk Theatre, 29995 W 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills; $25 in advance $30 at the door $12 student.
Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory, Love Spells 7 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $36.
DJ/Dance
Adult Skate Night 8:30-11 p.m.; Lexus Velodrome, 601 Mack Ave., Detroit; $5.
Tuesday, May 6 Live/Concert
Alison Moyet 7 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $49.50. The Damned, The BellRays 7 p.m.; Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $39.50.
Fabio Frizzi ZOMBIE: Frizzi 2 Fulci | Composer’s Cut LIVE wsg
Doomvana 7 p.m.; Pike Room, 1 S.
Saginaw, Pontiac; $30-$60.
Normundy, FivebyFive, Precordial Thump, Walking Down Main 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $15.
Sean Blackman’s In Transit 7-10
p.m.; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
Karaoke/Open Mic
Open Mic : Art in a Fly Space 7-10 p.m.; Detroit Shipping Company, 474 Peterboro St., Detroit; no cover.
Tuesday Karaoke in the Lounge 8 p.m.-midnight; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover.
THEATER
Performance
Historic Redford Theatre Backstage sale: costumes, vintage clothing, set pieces, props, wigs, shoes, masquerade decor. Free admission. May 4, 1-4 p.m. No cover.
Magic Stick Juno Birch: The Probed Tour; $39.50-$99.50; Sunday, 7 p.m.
Max M. Fisher Music Center Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Friday, 10:45 a.m. and Saturday, 8 p.m.
Sound Board Amplify: The Sound Of Detroit, Sunday, 4 p.m.
The Inspired Acting Company A Doll’s House by Amy Herzog: A modern adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, bringing new life to its timeless themes in a concise and contemporary 110-minute production. The story follows Nora Helmer, a devoted wife and mother who believes she has a perfect life — until her husband’s impending promotion exposes the unforeseen consequences of a desperate choice she made years earlier. As Nora faces the truth about her marriage and her own identity, she is forced to make a life-altering decision. This enduring classic explores freedom, individuality, and self-fulfillment, offering a compelling and thought-provoking experience for today’s audiences. $30-$35; Fridays, Saturdays, 8-10 p.m. and Sundays, 2-4 p.m.
Theatre NOVA Eclipsed: The Sun, The Moon, and Gladys Atkinson Sweet by D.L.
Patrick On the night of September 9, 1925, Gladys Atkinson Sweet was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, along with her husband, Dr. Ossian Sweet, his two brothers and seven other African Americans following the attack on her home. They were well-educated, well-respected, talented people who would have been assets to any community. Although much has been written about Dr. Sweet and the two Sweet trials, litigated by Clarence Darrow, this play
imagines the perspective of Gladys Sweet and the women who populated her life. It is about what women do, and have always done, in the shadows. $30; Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays, 2 p.m.
Musical
Birmingham Village Players The Music Man: Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man has been delighting audiences for over 60 years. The six-time Tonyaward winning Broadway classic has entertained generations of theatergoers with a whirlwind of laughter, romance, and toe-tapping tunes. Birmingham Village Players (BVP) is excited to introduce this beloved musical to a new generation from May 2-18,. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m. Sunday matinees start at 2 p.m. Individual reserved tickets are $30 (includes ticketing fee). Fridays, Saturdays, 8-11 p.m. and Sundays, 2-5 p.m.
Fisher Theatre - Detroit Forbidden Broadway; Saturday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Meadow Brook Theatre The Rat Pack Lounge; $39; Wednesday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 2 p.m. 6:30 p.m.
Planet Ant Theatre Jurassic Park The Musical: Ahilarious, high-energy parody of the beloved 1993 classic film. Featuring all the iconic characters and some dinosaurs too, this goofy reimagining promises an unforgettable night full of nostalgia, laughs, and just the right amount of existential dread. Sparing no expense on low budget effects, and showcasing a score of genre-bending original songs, both fans and novices will find something to love. Hold onto your butts - for a prehistoric spectacle like no other! Get your tickets before they go extinct!
$30-$40; Fridays, Saturdays, 8-10 p.m.
COMEDY
Improv
Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest The Dinner Detective Comedy Mystery Dinner Show; $69.95; Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m.
Embassy Suites Troy The Dinner
Detective Comedy Mystery Dinner Show; $69.95; Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m.
Go Comedy! Improv Theater
Pandemonia The Allstar Showdown: A highly interactive improvised game show. With suggestions from the audience, our two teams will battle for your laughs. The Showdown is like Whose Line is it Anyway, featuring a series of short improv games, challenges and more. Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $25.
Spread Art Ants in the Hall Presents:
April 30-May 6, 2025 | metrotimes.com
The Odyssey of Homer: A brand new semi improvised comedy from veteran Detroit improv group Ants in the Hall. It tells the story of the acting troupe Homer and their struggle with following up the success of their smash hit The Iliad. $20; Saturday, 7-9:30 p.m.
Stand-up
Caesars Palace Windsor - Augustus Ballroom Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall $33-$88; Thursday, 8 p.m.
Eastern Palace Club Brent Bowser; $5; Thursday, 8:30-10 p.m.
Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle Raanan Hershberg with Johanna Medranda and Darius Walker; $25; Thursday, 7:30-9 p.m.; Friday, 7:15 p.m. and 9:45-11:15 p.m.; Saturday, 7-8:30 p.m. and 9:30-11 p.m.
Continuing This Week Stand-up
Blind Pig Blind Pig Comedy FREE Mondays, 8 p.m.
The Independent Comedy Club at Planet Ant The Sh*t Show Open Mic: Every Friday & Saturday at The Independent. A weekly open mic featuring both local amateurs and touring professionals. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and the show begins at 9 p.m. $5 suggested donation.
DANCE
Dance performance Opening
Detroit School of Arts Ford Theater Detroit School of Arts Dance Department Presents: Fragment —a n evening of original choreography by the Senior Dance Majors, Class of 2025. $10$24; Friday, 7 p.m.
University of Michigan - Flint Festival of Dance at UofM Flint Theatre. $15; Friday, 7:30-9:15 p.m. and Saturday, 3-4:45 p.m. Dance lessons
The Commons Ballroom Dance Lessons in the community laundry mat. $5; first Friday of every month, 6-7 p.m.
FILM
Screening
Emagine Novi Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith 20th Anniversary. Showings throughout select Michigan Theaters April 24-30. Wednesday, 2-8 p.m.
ARTS
Artist talk
Directors Talk & Art Demo: Members Only: Famous Artist Collectives The public is invited to
attend this gallery talk led by Art House Executive Director, Shannon Karol, discussing groups of artists that have created a manifesto to push the boundaries of creativity to a whole new level. Held during the Annual Members’ Exhibition with over 100 works on view, the talk will be followed by a demonstration by member artist Jane Ryan on the Japanese Art of Sumi-e. $10.
The Gun Violence Memorial Project Panel with Hank Willis Thomas, MASS Design Group, and Alia Harvey-Quinn A powerful discussion on the Gun Violence Memorial Project. Speakers will explore firearm injury prevention strategies and honor lives lost to gun violence, examining art’s role in advocacy and healing. Saturday May 3, 1-3 p.m.; Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.
Art Exhibition Opening
Color & Ink Studio Gravitas: Art And Collective Healing Experience Color: Solo exhibition of powerful paintings by artist Dawn Smith centered around the topics of grief and hope. The show opens Friday and runs through May 31. Part of the proceeds from art sales will benefit Six Feet Over, a non-profit organization that provides financial and emotional support for survivors of suicide loss.
Ideation Orange Orange I: The Art of Community: Opening reception on Friday May 2 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) Opening reception Code Switch + The Gun Violence Memorial Project: An exhibition that examines the lineage of contributions of Black cultural phenomena in New Media fields, to the Gun Violence Memorial Project, an additive memorial that commemorates the lives of those lost to gun violence in the United States. Opening celebration on Friday, 6-9 p.m.
Detroit GT Small Packages Artists from Southeast Michigan received a cigar box to reimagine as unique pieces of art. Bid on their creations at Small Packages. Enjoy a beverage and hang out with the artists. Prizes and surprise art packages up for auction. Enjoy food, beverages, friends, and fun throughout the evening. No cover; Saturday, 6-10 p.m.
MISC.
LGBTQ+
B. Nektar Meadery - Taproom & Headquarters Pokemon Trivia with PokeDrag: Gather your Pokefriends and come out for a night of trivia cider. Luna Banx will entertain with her Pokémoninspired drag. $15; Tuesday, 8-10 p.m.
FOOD
Bites
Pocket Change opens in Eastern Market
Drinks are once again being served in the former Collect Beer Bar space in Detroit’s Eastern Market.
A new cocktail bar called Pocket Change has opened at 1454 Gratiot Ave., though passersby might not realize it. The only exterior sign is a neon sign that says “COCKTAILS,” but inside guests will find a small, stylish cocktail bar with an attached rooftop patio.
The project is the brainchild of Nelson Kazan, a bartender who has worked at local spots like SheWolf, Flowers of Vietnam, and the Apparatus Room.
“I wanted to create a fun, upbeat bar where you can mingle, go on a date, meet friends, or connect with new people, all while enjoying a quality drink without having to wait for a table,” Kazan said in a state -
ment. “We’re all about a free-flowing, energetic environment driven by great music and great drinks.”
Collect Beer Bar opened in 2018 but relocated to 9301 Kercheval Ave. last year to a sprawling arts and culture campus dubbed Little Village.
“Collect was beloved by the community, and I’m thrilled they moved to a larger space,” Kazan said. “It was so iconic that with Pocket Change we wanted to create a completely different concept: dark, sexy, and built for a good time. It’s exactly the kind of bar I’ve always wanted to create.”
A pared-down menu includes hand-crafted cocktails and curated wines. The bar seats around 50 people and plans to host local DJs and local dining scene pop-ups.
Brothers Kris and Fred Lelcaj are business partners in the venture,
with the three working together more than a decade ago at Sava’s in Ann Arbor. Kris owns Babo in Midtown’s Park Shelton while Fred operated a health cafe called Fred’s in Ann Arbor, and plans to open a sister location in the former Bunny Bunny space underneath Pocket Change.
“The timing just lined up perfectly,” Kazan said. “Kris bought this beautiful building, and he and Fred approached me right when I was ready to do my own thing. It feels great to collaborate again, building something truly special.”
The bar is open from 7 p.m.-midnight on Thursdays, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2-10 p.m. on Sundays. More information is available at pocketchangedetroit. com.
—Lee DeVito
Jinya Ramen Bar moves into vacant Andiamo
A new business has finally moved into the Royal Oak space last occupied by an Andiamo Italian restaurant in 2018.
Jinya Ramen Bar has opened its doors at 129 S. Main St., welcoming its first 100 customers on Thursday with vouchers for a free bowl of ramen on their next visit.
The company opened its first restaurant in Tokyo in 2000, and expanded to the U.S. in 2010 in California.
It now has dozens of restaurants, with the Royal Oak location being the chain’s first in Michigan.
Jinya Ramen Bar is known for its ramen bowls, using broths simmered for 20 hours.
Noodles are available in rice and kale options.
The menu also includes cocktails and mocktails, small plates, and other dishes. More information is available at jinyaramenbar.com
—Lee DeVito
A new cocktail lounge has moved into the former Collect Beer Bar space on Gratiot Avenue.
MARK KURLYANDCHIK / BOOTH ONE CREATIVE
CULTURE
Film Much more than a horror film
By Jared Rasic, Last Word Features
Sinners
Rated: R
Run-time: 138 minutes
When people who write about movies come across a piece of cinema that feels monumental, there is always a list of specific words that get used to describe it. Words like “visionary,” “electrifying,” “exhilarating,” “transcendent,” and “breathtaking” get thrown around with abandon (by myself included) to describe much lesser films than Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. So I will try not to be overly precious in relating to you how special this movie is.
Michael B. Jordan gives the performance of his (still early) career as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, newly back in Mississippi in 1932 after seven years of fighting in the Great War and bootlegging in Chicago with the Irish and Italian mobs. They’ve returned to their hometown with a truckload of beer and wine and a case full of cash, ready to immediately open up a juke joint with blues music, corn whiskey, and sweaty, dancing folk in desperate need of release.
Teaming up with the great Delroy Lindo as piano player Delta Slim, Miles Eaton as their young cousin (and guitar prodigy) Sammie, their lost loves played by Wunmi Mosaku and Hailee Steinfeld, Li Jun Li as Grace the cook, and several others, Smoke and Stack launch their juke joint in a town where most people can only pay with wooden nickels made from picking cotton on the local plantations. When three creepy white people (whom the audience knows are vampires) show up at the door asking to be invited in, Smoke, Stack, and friends are in for the worst night of their lives.
On its surface, Sinners is a vampire movie set in the Jim Crow South, but Coogler is nothing if not a fiercely audacious and ambitious filmmaker. So what he ended up creating is a staggering mash-up of the blood-soaked and boozy From Dusk Till Dawn and the Devil at the Crossroads legend of Robert Johnson with a fat helping of Delta blues musical, Southern gothic drama, and a fable about humanity’s cultural memory.
Coogler doesn’t deconstruct genre films; instead, he makes films reverent to the genre they play around in. Creed follows the structure of the typical
sports movie like it’s gospel, but does it expertly and with so much empathy that the film still feels new. Black Panther doesn’t reinvent the superhero movie; it just tells one with such profound thematic depth as to transcend its own limitations. Sinners doesn’t try to elevate the vampire movie into pretentious new heights (looking at you Nosferatu). Instead, it’s simply a great horror movie that deeply respects the history and lore of the creature while also recognizing that the real monsters (specifically the ones from the Jim Crow South) also come out during the day and garlic doesn’t slow them down. You can watch Sinners and enjoy it just as a horror movie, but there’s so much going on beneath the surface that it’s a disservice not to engage with it on its own terms. Coogler has grounded the film so deeply in the Jim Crow South that we feel the danger inherent in every frame for the primarily Black characters. Stack’s fear of talking to a white woman in public is palpable, leaving the spirit of Emmett Till offscreen to remind the audience about our disgraceful past without invoking his name.
While the cast is uniformly great, the show is stolen by the timeless, grimy blues score by Ludwig Göransson and the lush, yet understated cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw. So much of the power of the film comes from the quiet beauty of the Mississippi delta and the timeless importance of blues music that, under Coogler’s steady hand (as well as the film being shot in deeply immersive IMAX 70MM and Ultra Panavision 70mm), Sinners is a thrill ride that is going to age beautifully and eventually be considered one of the finest horror movies of the 21st Century.
As a rage-fueled scream at institutional racism and America’s ugly, despicable past, or a period romance with Molotov cocktails and arterial spray, or even a love letter to the life-affirming power of the Delta blues, Sinners defies any attempts to put its genre-fluid insanity into a neat description.
Sure, I can use a thousand different adjectives (and a hundred thousand more words) to describe Coogler’s future classic, but none of them can effectively convey how drunk on the power of cinema you’ll feel after luxuriating in its sweaty, sexy, messy, and terrifying world. Being lost in the story of our collective past as we’re spellbound by a team of contemporary filmmakers and artists at the top of their game is one of the myriad of reasons that movies exist in the first place.
Grade: A-
On the surface a vampire movie set in the Jim Crow South, Ryan Coogler’s latest defies any attempts at a neat description.
WARNER BROS. PICTURES
MUSIC WEED
The Straight Dope
Michigan’s struggling cannabis industry pushes lawmakers for urgent reforms
By Steve Neavling
Michigan’s cannabis industry is facing a reckoning.
Amid oversaturation of supply, plummeting prices, and competition from black-market products, business owners and regulators are pressing lawmakers for significant reforms to prevent further economic fallout.
In just over four years since adult-use marijuana sales became legal in December 2019, the market has witnessed a dramatic collapse in the value of cannabis. The average cost of an ounce of flower dropped from $512 to under $65 today — a 77% decline. The freefall has driven many businesses to the brink, prompting fears of widespread consolidation, reduced product variety, and the erosion of opportunities for social equity licensees.
Brian Hanna, director of the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA), painted a stark picture of the industry at a Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday.
“Without some of these changes we’re talking about, you’re going to see consolidation,” Hanna said. “You’re going to see small businesses going out of business. You’re going to see bigger buying out smaller. You’re going to see lesser variety. You’re going to see social equity businesses suffer along with those businesses.”
To stem the crisis, three key solutions emerged from the hearing: imposing a moratorium on new cannabis grower licenses, cracking down on illicit market activity including unregulated hempderived THC products, and curbing excessive regulatory fines that burden struggling businesses.
Moratorium on new grow operations
Despite oversupply concerns, new cannabis grow licenses continue to be issued because the CRA is legally obligated to approve applicants who meet state and local requirements. In the first quarter of this year alone, 28 new grow licenses were approved, according to CRA records. Yet the total number of growers remains steady as market saturation forces existing businesses to close.
Robin Schneider, executive director of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, argued that the current rate of new licenses is unsustainable. She added that some licensed businesses are importing unregulated marijuana from other states and selling it in Michigan, where there’s already too much weed.
“Why are we continuing to dish out more licenses when we have not gotten the criminals out of our industry?”
Schneider asked lawmakers. “It’s not fair.”
Alex Adams, CEO of Cambium Analytica, a cannabis testing lab, emphasized that allowing the market to stabilize by halting new licenses would naturally balance supply and demand.
“Natural attrition and contraction will occur if we put a moratorium in,” Adams explained. “It will balance out the amount of licenses. They will go down, but it will also remove the glut of product on the market and it should balance the prices out.”
Tackling unregulated hemp-derived THC products
Another major challenge is competition from hemp-derived THC products, which bypass stringent state regulations due to a loophole in the 2018 federal Farm Bill. While marijuana-derived THC products are strictly regulated and confined to licensed dispensaries, hemp-derived THC products are sold openly in gas stations, bars, and grocery stores, as well as online.
These products, often untested and potentially dangerous, pose significant safety risks. Adams described them as “chemically synthesized psychoactive compounds with no regulatory oversight,” often marketed in packaging designed to appeal to youth.
Schneider raised alarm about the lack of safeguards, saying, “These products are completely unregulated, often containing pesticides and chemical residue. They are often sold without age gating, with mislabeled potency on packaging.” Hanna shared similar concerns, highlighting the unchecked production of new chemical variants.
“People are creating new chemicals that we have not seen before in human history,” Hanna said. “They are making things that weren’t intoxicating before, and now they are.”
He called on lawmakers to revisit a previously stalled bill that would require businesses selling hemp-derived products to obtain state licenses. Hanna characterized the proposal as a “reasonable response to a serious issue.
Reducing excessive regulatory fines
Another critical hurdle identified by business leaders was what they called the CRA’s heavy-handed approach to regulatory fines. Licensees reported significant financial stress due to steep fines for minor violations, sometimes even for self-reported infractions.
Attorney Douglas E. Mains, of Honigman’s Cannabis Industry Group, said licensees are frequently confused by ambiguous rules and inconsistencies from regulators, and have limited avenues to contest fines.
“I think most licensees are good actors, and they want to follow the rules, but they’re sometimes having trouble with the complexity of the rules,” Mains said.
Schneider reinforced this point, saying, “Our members have consistently raised the concern that their administrative fines have been too high for violations that are not illegal in nature or pose a threat to public health and safety.”
She suggested fines should aim to correct behavior rather than impose harsh financial burdens.
Hanna said that while the CRA issued 634 disciplinary actions last year, it conducted over 5,300 educational actions instead, demonstrating that the agency
prefers guidance over punishment.
The stakes for Michigan
Despite its current struggles, Michigan’s cannabis market remains a significant economic force. With nearly 40,000 industry employees and more than $300 million generated in state tax revenue, the stakes are high.
Schneider recounted the story of a Michigan family who lost their life savings due to unfair competition from illicit actors bringing unregulated products into dispensaries.
“This was a family that was doing well and made a reasonable investment with a reasonable expectation that the product was going to be grown in the state of Michigan, not that people were going to bring in product and plummet our market and that they were going to lose their entire life savings,” Schneider said.
Hope amid challenges
Despite these struggles, Michigan’s cannabis industry has achieved remarkable milestones. In 2024, recreational cannabis sales surpassed $3 billion for the first time, totaling $3.27 billion — a 9.9% increase from the previous year. December 2024 alone saw $264.7 million in sales, pushing total adult-use cannabis sales since legalization past $10.2 billion.
Michigan ranks second nationally in marijuana sales per resident, trailing only Alaska, thanks partly to tourism, according to a recent study by LeafLink.
“People brag about Michigan,” Hanna said of the state’s market. “People should be proud that they’re making these products in Michigan.”
If you want us to sample your cannabis products, send us an email at steve@ metrointhed.com.
The market has witnessed a dramatic collapse in the value of legal cannabis.
SE7ENFIFTEEN
CULTURE
Savage Love
Code Red
By Dan Savage
Q
:
I’m a 33-year-old bisexual redheaded cis woman from Europe. Last week, I stumbled across the word “gingerism,” and an important part of my life clicked into place. I went down a rabbit hole of stories from other redheads who, like me, have been bullied, hypersexualized, and treated like mythical creatures since puberty. Honestly? It felt like reading my diary, minus the glitter gel pen. Here’s the tea: I’ve always wondered if being a redhead — even while being considered conventionally attractive — has made my life unnecessarily complicated. Spoiler: it kinda has.
Until my 20s, I was shy as hell. Think quiet girl in the back of the class, just trying to survive. Meanwhile, classmates were publicly speculating about the color of my pubes — seriously — and boys would approach me like I was a one-night fantasy, not a human being. I was either adored or despised, no in-between. For years I thought I was the problem. Fast forward: I toughened up. I got louder, prouder, and way more assertive. Plot twist? Society doesn’t exactly throw a parade when a woman finds her voice. Especially not a redhead. Now I’m constantly walking the line between “sex goddess” and “too much.” Confidence? Misread as sexual suggestion. Assertiveness? Labeled aggressive, arrogant, intimidating. You get the idea. And when it comes to intimacy? Yikes. Way too often, my red hair turns me into a walking fetish. I’ve had multiple partners spring degrading kinks on me without asking — choking, spitting, the works — like redheads come with some kind of BDSM consent waiver. At this point, I’m genuinely afraid that my hair color and gender combo is making my sex life more dangerous than it should be.
I love my hair. It’s a part of me. I wouldn’t change it. But I’m also exhausted from being hypersexualized and misunderstood. So, here’s my question: Have you heard similar stories? Is this a legit issue affecting redheads? And what’s the deal with redheads still being overrepresented in porn as exotic, kinky, or straight-up submissive?
—Got Issues, Need Guidance, Everything’s Rough
A: I’ve heard stories like yours before upsetting stories about straight men who assumed choking and spitting didn’t require advance discussion or, you know, getting the consent of the woman in advance of the choking and spitting. But I’ve heard stories like yours from women of all kinds, GINGER, not just redheads. I certainly don’t doubt that you’ve been subjected to a particular kind of sexual objectification as a redhead (more on that in a moment), but the kind of consent violations you describe? They’re sadly common, GINGER, and all women are at risk.
Dr. Debby Herbenick, professor at Indiana University and a frequent Savage Lovecast guest, has done extensive research on sexual
choking. Her findings are alarming: in a survey of more than five thousand students at a big Midwestern college, nearly two-thirds of female students said a partner had choked them during sex. Two-thirds! “Twenty years ago, sexual asphyxiation appears to have been unusual among any demographic, let alone young people who were new to sex and iffy at communication,” Peggy Orenstein, author of Girls & Sex, wrote in an opinion piece for the New York Times highlighting Dr. Herbenick’s research. “That’s changed radically in a short time, with health consequences that parents, educators, medical professionals, sexual consent advocates and teens themselves urgently need to understand.”
So, the problem isn’t your hair — or anything else about you — it’s that too many young men came of age watching porn that portrayed choking and spitting portrayed as normal and harmless sexual activities that all women enjoy. Our failure as a society to provide kids with the kind of comprehensive sex education that covers sexual pleasure, porn literacy, and consent along with reproductive biology (which can be covered in twenty minutes) makes the problem worse. Because in the absence of good sex ed — in the absence of any sex ed — porn creators wind up serving as sex educators, which they’re not interested in doing or trying to do.
For the record: Some women enjoy being choked — some young men in Herbenick’s studies reported feeling uncomfortable or upset when their female partners asked to be choked — but porn took what was a minority taste (and a dangerous one) and made it look mainstream. So, I’m guessing the guys who tried to choke you weren’t thinking, “This is what kinky sex looks like,” or “This is how redheads want it,” but instead thinking, “This is what sex looks like, and this is how everyone wants it.”
All that said, GINGER, I don’t doubt that you’ve been hit with a very specific flavor of hyper-sexualization because of your hair. Encountering someone with an anomalous physical trait — redheads make up just 2% of the population — can bring out the worst in some people, as was the case with your asshole classmates. And for reasons we don’t fully understand, some people become erotically fixated on random and/or anomalous physical traits at around or before puberty. For some, it’s red hair. For others, it’s huge tits or it’s feet.
It is exhausting to feel like you’re being fetishized that is, to be seen and used as an object, not seen and enjoyed as a person. But in addition to the men you could instantly tell had a thing for redheads — in addition to the men who fetishized you and made it weird — you’ve probably been with men who fetishized your hair but didn’t make you feel like an object, men who were fetishists but you didn’t perceive as fetishists because they didn’t treat you like an object. Finally, I knew “gingerism” was a thing, but your letter made me dig a little deeper, GINGER, and I wound up falling right into that rabbit hole with you. I did not know, for instance, that ancient Egyptians sometimes sacrificed redheads to the Gods for reasons… or that the French didn’t think redheads could be trusted because Judas, the apostle who betrayed Christ, was allegedly a
redhead… or that Germans used to believe women with red hair were witches. (The Wikipedia page about discrimination against people with red hair is a trip.) So yes, your feelings are valid — women with red hair are sometimes treated differently, and some men no doubt fetishize your hair — but it’s porn illiteracy, male entitlement, and fetishists who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, i.e. can’t enjoy your hair and treat you as a person, that are your real worries.
P.S. Some redheads — male redheads — don’t feel like they’re objectified enough. Check out the Red Hot 100 Calendar, which was created to combat the stereotype that redheaded men aren’t sexy.
Dear Readers: I respond to comments from my readers and listeners in Struggle Session, a bonus column posted most Thursdays at savage.love. I usually include a question at the bottom of Struggle Session — a question from a reader that isn’t going to make it into the column — and invite my funny, insightful, and compassionate commenters to respond. Below you’ll find the bonus question that appeared in last week’s Struggle Session and a little of the advice Savage Love readers shared. — Dan
: Q
I’m a gay man in a wonderful monogamous (currently) relationship with the first and (hopefully) only love of my life for the past four years. This is my first relationship. My partner though is experienced sexually (3-digit body count) and enjoyed his college days, something I actually respect and admire about him. While I am a demisexual, and while I have a much lower body count than my partner (low single digits!), I have this pervasive fantasy about being in an open relationship. We’ve tried being with other people. My partner is not demisexual and has enjoyed the novelty. I, on the other hand, come back from experiences with others feeling empty and lost. And yet, the thought of being in an open relationship turns me on. The thought of other people finding me attractive, having a variety of sexual experiences (and a higher body count!), and hot twinks submitting to me are all things I crave.
A lot of the allure, I admit, comes from the chase. Many times, with the permission and full knowledge of my partner, I have gotten on Grindr, where I’ve gotten people to the point of meeting up and then — when the deal was sealed — lost interest and bailed. Maybe that speaks to deeply held insecurities about my own self-worth that I just want to feel attractive, something I feel I have never truly felt in the past. The problem is that this is now a never-ending spiral. I get intrigued by open relationships, talk to my partner about it, we try again, he enjoys himself, I come back feeling empty, we decide to stop. While my partner has been super patient, his patience with me about this is wearing thin. I am desperate at this point to resolve it. How do I commit to monogamy and let go of this fantasy that is unsuitable for me in real life? I can’t keep putting my partner through this selfish, never-ending indecisive routine.
—Demi And Confused
A: BIDANFAN: An open relationship does not mean that you and your partner get — or need — to have an equal number of outside hookups. An open relationship means that you are not restricted to monogamy. Your partner enjoys hookups; you do not. So, he
gets to have hookups. And fairness means you also get to have hookups, DAC, but you don’t have to make use of that particular hall pass. What do you enjoy? You enjoy the chase. You enjoy flirting, being desired. So, you get to do that to your heart’s content. You aren’t required to follow through — though try not to tease guys by implying that you will.
But you do realize that Grindr hookups are not the only way to have sex outside of a relationship, right? They work for your partner, but you need to get to know someone. Why can’t your relationship also be open to shortterm flings with guys you might meet organically and develop an attraction for? Perhaps you can also be allowed to go out and socialize in gay spaces where you might meet a single-serving friend — or even an ongoing one — and that can be your way of satisfying the desire for more than one partner. Think of it this way: just because you’re allowed to eat ice cream every day doesn’t mean you have to eat ice cream every day.
NOCUTENAME: Can DAC reconcile himself to keeping his interest in open strictly a fantasy?
He and his partner can dirty-talk about it; he can write his own erotica about it. Or he can be sort of a dick and use dating sites and apps to attract men and then not follow through with meeting them IRL. DAC knows that if he tries to follow through with a hookup, he’ll end up feeling bad. His partner is getting irritated. It seems as if the only possible thing DAC can do is to keep this fantasy of being desired by someone else in his imagination and use it as masturbation-fodder. He would be less of a dick if he got on OnlyFans or a similar site — a place where a stranger on the other side of his screen is attracted to him, but it’s about admiration and not IRL hookups.
INCONTEMPTO: I think asymmetry is the solution here. The boyfriend can hook up and have his fun, the letter writer can date and form a more long-term connection to make sure he’s genuinely attracted, and maybe eventually have a friends-with-benefits thing on the side!
JONATHAN: First, a three-digit body count in college is easy for gay men. That’s 24 guys per year, or one every two weeks plus maybe one orgy. As for DAC: Committing to monogamy is the wrong solution. Clearly, he wants this. Maybe embrace the demisexuality? In DC, have a drink with the twink at Licht, then go dancing at Bunker. In Philly, go to Charlie was a sinner, then Bike Stop. Talk and hang out for a few hours, then fuck. (“Oh no! I get to hook up with a hot guy, but he wants a cocktail or two at Ranstead Room or Death & Co first? How awful!”)
BIDANFAN: I’m always amused by the vast gulf of difference between what women think of as demisexual and what gay men think. For gay men, “I need to spend half an hour having a conversation before fucking,” is demisexual. For women, that would be hypersexual! Demi would be needing to spend a few months getting to know them first!
Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage. love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns, and more at Savage.Love.
CULTURE
Free Will Astrology
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES: March 21 – April 19
To create microgardens, you plant vegetables and herbs in small containers placed on your porch, balcony, window sills, and kitchen counter. Lettuce, peas, spinach, and basil might be among your small bounties. I encourage you to use this practice as a main metaphor in the coming weeks. In other words, gravitate away from huge, expansive visions, and instead work creatively within existing constraints. For now, at least, “less is more” should be your operative motto. Meditate on how apparent limitations might lead to inviting innovations. Seek out abundance in unlikely places.
TAURUS: April 20 – May 20
Taurus author Nellie Bly (1864–1922) was a daring trailblazer. It was almost impossible for a woman to be a journalist in the 19th century, but she did it anyway. One of her sensational groundbreaking stories came when she did an undercover assignment in New
York’s Women’s Lunatic Asylum. Her reporting on the neglect and brutality there prompted major reforms. I nominate Bly as your role model for the foreseeable future. You are, I believe, poised for epic, even heroic adventures, in service to a greater good. (P.S.: Bly also made a solo trip around the world and wrote 15 books.)
GEMINI: May 21 – June 20
Gemini painter Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) never saw a jungle in person. In fact, he never left his native country of France. But he painted some of modern art’s most vivid jungle scenes. How did that happen? Well, he visited zoos and botanical gardens, perused images of tropical forests in books, and heard stories from soldiers who had visited jungles abroad. But mostly, he had a flourishing imagination that he treated with reverent respect. I urge you to follow his lead, Gemini. Through the joyful, extravagant power of your imagination, get the inspiration and education you need. The next three weeks will be prime time to do so.
CANCER: June 21 – July 22
VIRGO: August 23 – Sept. 22
Virgo poet and visual artist Dorothea Tanning (1910–2012) had a few mottoes that endlessly nurtured her abundant creative output. Here’s one: “Keep your eye on your inner world and keep away from ads, idiots, and movie stars.” As excellent as that advice is, it’s a challenge to follow it all the time. If we want to function effectively, we can’t always be focused on our inner worlds. However, I do believe you are now in a phase when you’re wise to heed her counsel more than usual. Your soul’s depths have a lot to teach you. Your deep intuition is full of useful revelations. Don’t get distracted from them by listening too much to ads, idiots, and celebrities.
LIBRA: Sept. 23 – Oct. 22
per and tin made the finest, strongest bronze. In modern times, arsenic fortifies the lead in car batteries. People in the 19th century sometimes ingested tiny doses as a stimulant. In this spirit, Sagittarius, I invite you to transform potentially challenging elements in your life into sources of strength. Can you find ways to incorporate iffy factors instead of eliminating them? I assure you that you have the power to recognize value in things others may neglect or reject.
CAPRICORN: Dec. 22 – Jan. 19
PATRICIO SAYS:
Happy Cinco de Mayo, mi amigos!!
We have a handful of Mexican beers, a few tequilas and a jukebox with access to your favorite festive melodies. Also, if you don’t like our margaritas, that’s OK, we don’t like making them…¡Salud!
No, ruby-throated hummingbirds don’t hitch rides on airplanes or the backs of geese. They make their epic migrations completely under their own power. To get to their wintering grounds, many fly alone from the southern United States to the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing the 500-mile expanse of the Gulf of Mexico in 20 hours. I don’t recommend you attempt heroic feats like theirs in the coming weeks, Cancerian. More than usual, you need and deserve to call on support and help. Don’t be shy about getting the exact boosts you require. It’s time to harvest the favors you are owed and to be specific in articulating your wishes.
LEO: July 23 – August 22
The golden pheasant is dazzling. Among the bright colors that appear in its plumage are gold, red, orange, yellow, blue, black, green, cinnamon, and chestnut. In accordance with astrological omens, I name this charismatic bird to be your spirit creature for the coming weeks. Feel free to embrace your inner golden pheasant and express it vividly wherever you go. This is a perfect time to boldly showcase your beauty and magnificence, even as you fully display your talents and assets. I brazenly predict that your enthusiastic expression of selflove will be a good influence on almost everyone you encounter.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is essential for the functioning of your body and every other animal’s. It carries instructions about how to build proteins, and your cells are full of it. We humans can’t edit this magic substance, but octopuses can. They do it on the fly, enabling them to adapt quickly to changing environmental conditions. Even though you Libras can’t match their amazing power with RNA, you do have a substantial capacity to rewrite your plans and adjust your mindset. And this talent of yours will be especially available to you in the coming weeks. Your flexibility and adaptability will not only help you navigate surprises but may also open up exciting new opportunities.
SCORPIO: Oct. 23 – Nov. 21: Is there a sanctuary you can retreat to? A relaxing oasis where you can slip away from the world’s colorful madness? I would love for you to be bold enough to seek the precise healing you need. You have every right to escape the rotting status quo and give yourself full permission to hide from pressure, demands, and expectations. Is there music that brings you deep consolation? Are there books and teachers that activate your profound soul wisdom? Keep that good stuff nearby. It’s time for focused relief and regeneration.
SAGITTARIUS: Nov. 22 – Dec. 21
The chemical element known as arsenic is notoriously toxic for humans, but has long been useful in small amounts. Ancient Chinese metallurgists discovered that blending it with cop-
Renowned Capricorn author Henry Miller (1891–1980) had to wait far too long before getting readers in his home country, the United States. American censors regarded his explosive texts as too racy and sexy. They forbade the publication of his books until he was 69 years old! His spirit was forever resolute and uncrushable, though. In accordance with astrological omens, Capricorn, I recommend you adopt his counsel on the subject of wonders and marvels. Miller wrote, “The miracle is that the honey is always there, right under your nose, only you were too busy searching elsewhere to realize it.” Here’s another gem from Miller: He advised us “to make the miracle more and more miraculous, to swear allegiance to nothing, but live only miraculously, think only miraculously, die miraculously.”
AQUARIUS: Jan. 20 – Feb. 18
For now, everything depends on your foundation, your roots, and your support system. If I were you, I would devote myself to nurturing them. Please note that you’re not in any jeopardy. I don’t foresee strains or tremors. But your graduation to your next set of interesting challenges will require you to be snugly stable, secure, and steady. This is one time when being thoroughly ensconced in your comfort zone is a beautiful asset, not a detriment to be transcended.
PISCES: Feb.19 – March 20
The coming weeks are a favorable time for you to build symbolic bridges. I hope you will link resources that aren’t yet linked. I hope you will work to connect people whose merger would help you, and I hope you will begin planning to move from where you are now to the next chapter of your life. I advise you to not model your metaphorical bridges after modern steel suspension bridges, though. Instead, be inspired by the flexible, natural, and intimate bridges made by the ancient Incas. Woven from ichu grass via community efforts, they were strong enough to span rivers and canyons in the Andes mountains.
Homework: Take yourself on a date to a mysterious situation that fascinates you.
JAMES NOELLERT
PRUEBA UNA CHELA AGRIA.
EMPLOYMENT
Manager - Accounting sought by Ally Bank in Detroit, Michigan. Critical role in preparation & submissions of required regulatory filings. Oversee preparation and analysis of regulatory reports. Ensure accurate and timely filings, maintaining an effective control framework over the reporting process. Assisting key business partners in understanding reporting requirements. May telecommute. Requires: Bachelors Degree, or foreign equivalent, in Accounting, Business Administration, or a closely related field. CPA certification or foreign equivalent required. 2 years of experience in the job offered, or as an Analyst or Controller. 2 years’ experience with the (may have gained concurrently): Preparing, reviewing and analyzing financial statements; Developing and documenting process flows, procedures and policies. Salary Range: $133,670 to $150,000. Email resume with reference no. J-L-580687 to recruitment@ally.com. Equal Opportunity Employer.
CABLE
DISH TV $64.99
For 190 Channels + $14.95
High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/24. Call 1-866-566-1815
HOME IMPROVEMENT BATH & SHOWER UPDATES
in as little as ONE DAY!
Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call 1-866-370-2939
HOME IMPROVEMENT NEVER PAY FOR COVERED HOME
REPAIR
AGAIN!
Complete Care Home Warranty COVERS ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE. $200.00 OFF + 2 FREE Months! 1-877-434-4845
ADULT
ADULT SERVICES
ADULT ENTERTAINMENT
HIRING SEXY
WOMEN!!!
Hiring sexy women (& men). Highly Paid Magazine, Web, and Movie/TV work. no experience needed, all sizes accepted. 313-289-2008.
Vintage freaky emotion’s! Fully equipped, strap- on, S&M, couples phone consultations, cash app, dreams, come true, honest! Pleasure, experience a Natural Dominatrix. 313-293-0235
