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We got comments in response to contributor Kahn Santori Davison’s cover story feature about electronic music act HiTech, who he dubbed the defenders of “ghettotech” — the throwback sound that was the soundtrack to “sweaty nights jitting at Maxi’s in the ’90s to partying at River Rock in the mid-2000s.”
Ghetto tech forever ❤ —@taylorraldridge, Instagram
❤❤—@djgodfatherdetroit, Instagram
Wow! The River Rock! Thanks to Mike Marson back in 1995 and letting me lead Saturdays in Summer of 95.
Looking forward to seeing @hitechdetroit [at] Movement 2025.
—DJ Jenna Brown, Facebook
These guys are legendary —@kerwinclemens, Instagram
❤❤❤ for the culture —@__queengabby, Instagram
i’m crying love the metro times —@julestheleo, Instagram
Metrooooooooo —@slurrilegious, Instagram
❤❤❤❤❤❤Love you detroit!!!! ❤❤❤❤ —@hitechdetroit, Instagram
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NEWS & VIEWS
Lafayette Park residents sue Detroit Thermal over controversial steam project
Residents of Lafayette Park have filed a lawsuit against Detroit Thermal, accusing the utility of trespassing on their property, damaging historic landscaping, and pursuing an illegal plan to extend steam service through protected greenspace without the necessary rights or approvals.
The complaint, filed Tuesday in Wayne County Circuit Court, asks a judge to block Detroit Thermal’s proposed project to reconnect the 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative to its underground heating system. The plaintiffs, which includes three townhouse cooperatives that share ownership of the landscape, say Detroit Thermal has no legal easement to access their land and failed to obtain required permissions.
“Detroit Thermal seeks to, quite literally, tear apart this historic landmark to take a shortcut,” the complaint states. “This shortcut is not only damaging, but illegal.”
Detroit Thermal plans to reline and reactivate a long-abandoned steam
pipe that runs through an 18-acre communal landscape designed by famed architect Mies van der Rohe and landscape architect Alfred Caldwell. The land is part of the nationally designated Mies van der Rohe Residential District and is protected under Detroit’s local historic preservation ordinance.
“Detroit Thermal does not own the land it seeks to tear apart,” the suit argues, adding that the utility has “not shown that it acquired rights to the steam easement or title to the pipe” when it bought the system from Detroit Edison in 2003.
Detroit Thermal dismissed the lawsuit as meritless.
“This is a baseless and frivolous lawsuit selfishly filed by a few misguided Lafayette Park residents who seem determined to prevent 600 of their neighbors at 1300 East Lafayette Cooperative from receiving safe, reliable, clean and affordable heat in time for winter,” Detroit Thermal spokesman Harvey Hollins III said in a statement
The lawsuit was filed just as the Detroit Historic District Commission plans to vote on whether to approve the revised project plans at a meeting Wednesday. City officials had issued a stop-work order in April after Detroit Thermal began preliminary work without HDC approval.
According to the complaint, Detroit Thermal’s original plan “involved placing above-ground steam-venting stacks within the greenspace, in particular on and around areas where children play.” Revised plans submitted in June removed those stacks from the playground, but residents say they still don’t know where venting will occur.
“Any steam venting on the Cooperatives’ property will be a significant harm to the Cooperative’s property and residents,” the lawsuit says. “The venting of 350-degree pipes filled with pressurized steam will cause constantly billowing steam at eye level … [and] can cause severe burns.”
In March 2017, high-pressure steam from Detroit Thermal ripped through a street next to Cass Tech High School in Detroit, sending blinding and scalding vapor into the air. Steam can also cause large sinkholes.
The suit also alleges physical damage has already occurred. In March, Detroit Thermal employees allegedly entered the property without permission and destroyed part of a mature magnolia tree and damaged a historic concrete bench near the playground.
“Detroit Thermal does not own the property, nor does it have a valid easement to enter,” the complaint states.
Wednesday. “The suit is riddled with falsehoods, ignoring multiple updates to our application based on input from the community, including the plaintiffs themselves.”
Residents dismissed the accusations of falsehoods, saying their objections are based on facts and serious risks. While Detroit Thermal has made minor revisions to its proposals, residents said, the core issues remain unresolved, including the company’s lack of legal access to private property, the threat to a National Historic Landmark, and the failure to comply with preservation and environmental standards.
“We are compelled to act to protect our community and a cherished National Historic Landmark,” Sammy Sater, president of the Board of Directors for the Joliet Townhouses Cooperative Association. “Detroit Thermal’s plan to ‘tear apart’ our greenspace is not only damaging to a site of national historic significance but, in our view, illegal.”
Residents took aim at Detroit Thermal for framing the project as a dispute between neighbors. They said the narrative, promoted by Detroit Thermal’s public relations firm, downplays the broader concern that a private utility is being allowed to damage a nationally significant cultural site.
“A jury trial is essential to fully resolve this,” Sater said. “We are committed to preserving our historic community and will pursue all legal avenues to ensure its protection.”
The lawsuit asks the court to formally declare that the cooperatives own the property and that Detroit Thermal has no legal right to access it.
If the HDC approves the project, a lawsuit will be filed against the city, according to the co-ops.
“Detroit Thermal’s plan to tear apart a landmark greenspace can, and still may be, blocked by the City of Detroit,” the lawsuit states. “If the city erroneously grants approval, the Cooperatives will add claims against the city and seek injunctive relief.”
—Steve Neavling
Residents of 1300 Lafayette (background) want to use steam heat that would impact the Historic Lafayette Park (right). STEVE NEAVLING
Deadly opioid carfentanil re-emerges in Michigan after years of decline
The powerful opioid carfentanil has resurfaced in Michigan’s unregulated drug market, killing at least 11 people so far this year after years of dormancy, according to a new alert from the state health department.
The synthetic opioid, originally developed to sedate large animals like elephants, is estimated to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl. It is not approved for human use and has been linked to some of the deadliest spikes in overdose deaths nationwide.
“Carfentanil is an extremely potent and deadly drug,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said. “We’re urging people who use unregulated drugs — and their loved ones — to carry naloxone, an easy-to-administer nasal spray that can reverse opioid overdoses and save lives. Awareness and quick action can help save lives.”
Between January and June 2025, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) identified 11 carfentanil-related deaths across Oakland, Wayne, Ingham, Livingston, and Eaton counties. In most cases, the victims had also used cocaine and fentanyl.
Carfentanil was a major factor in Michigan’s overdose crisis in 2016 and 2017, when it contributed to 107 and 111 deaths, respectively. But the presence of the drug sharply declined in the following years, with zero confirmed deaths involving the opioid in 2021 and 2022. That changed in late 2023, when the state detected 14 fatalities involving carfentanil.
The drug’s re-emergence threatens to undo recent progress in the fight against opioid overdoses. Michigan is on track for a 34% reduction in overdose deaths — from 2,931 in 2023 to a projected 1,927 this year, according to provisional data. But officials warn that carfentanil’s strength could reverse that trend.
Because of its potency, carfentanil can quickly suppress breathing and cause death, even among people with high opioid tolerances. It often requires multiple doses of naloxone to reverse an overdose. Making matters worse, users often don’t realize their drugs have been laced with carfentanil, especially when it’s mixed with stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine.
Nationally, carfentanil has been responsible for some of the most lethal overdose outbreaks. In 2016, it was
blamed for dozens of deaths in Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has said just 2 milligrams of carfentanil — an amount smaller than a poppy seed — can be fatal.
To prevent more deaths, MDHHS is urging residents to:
• Carry naloxone, which is available for free through harm reduction agencies or over the counter at pharmacies.
• Avoid using drugs alone.
• Use smaller amounts more slowly.
• Recognize signs of overdose, including unconsciousness, slowed breathing, or blue lips and fingertips.
• Call 911 immediately and administer naloxone if an overdose is suspected.
• Perform rescue breathing if trained and willing.
Health officials say they will continue monitoring the spread of carfentanil and are asking agencies and service providers to report any suspected exposures to MDHHS-MODASurveillance@ Michigan.gov.
More information about overdose prevention and harm reduction services in Michigan is available at the Harm Reduction and Syringe Service Programs.
—Steve Neavling
Carfentanil, a powerful opioid, has re-emerged in Michigan, causing 11 overdoses so far this year.
Cannabis giant plans to close 20 dispensaries in Michigan
TerrAscend Corp., a multistate, publicly traded cannabis company, is cutting its losses in Michigan and closing all 20 of its dispensaries and four cultivation and processing sites in the state.
TerrAscend Corp announced this week that it will also lay off about 250 employees at its dispensaries under the Gage, Pinnacle Emporium, and Cookies brands across Michigan, with locations in Detroit, Ferndale, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, and other cities. The company is also closing its cultivation and processing facilities in Bay City, Harrison Township, and Warren.
“Michigan is an extremely difficult market, and we have come to the realization that our resources can be
better utilized in our other markets,”
TerrAscend Executive Chairman Jason Wild said in a statement. “This move will unlock value for TerrAscend and its shareholders. By concentrating our efforts and resources in the company’s core northeastern U.S. markets — New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Ohio — I am confident that we are now positioned to deliver stronger financial performance, including improved margins and operational efficiencies.”
Metro Times couldn’t reach TerrAscend for comment.
According to a news release, the exit is expected to be complete by the third quarter of 2025. The company plans to sell off all its Michigan assets, including real estate, and will use the proceeds to pay down debt.
Michigan’s marijuana industry has become notoriously difficult for cannabis operators, with prices plummeting and oversupply squeezing profit margins.
The move comes as other multi-state cannabis companies have also pulled out of the state’s oversaturated market. PharmaCann shut down its massive LivWell facility in Warren in December, and Curaleaf ended its Michigan operations last year. Countless small cannabis businesses have also shuttered.
TerrAscend is also facing a proposed class action lawsuit in Michigan federal court accusing the company of sending unsolicited marketing texts in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
—Steve Neavling
The Whitney cooks up Detroit-inspired menu
July 24 marks the 324th anniversary of the founding of Detroit, and The Whitney is celebrating the occasion with a Motor City-inspired menu and a Birthday Bash in the Garden.
From July 7-25, the long-standing restaurant is offering a “Detroit Classics” menu with dishes that nod to the city’s culinary history, including popular dishes like Golden Mushroom soup from the former eponymous restaurant, a classic Maurice salad once served at the The J. L. Hudson Department Store, and a Delmonico steak inspired by Carl’s Chophouse, among others.
Other Detroit dishes include a
chicken with Better Made potato chip crust and a salmon glazed with Vernors ginger ale.
The two-course menu starts at $39 and includes a complimentary slice of birthday cake in the upstairs Ghostbar.
Starting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23, the Whitney is celebrating Detroit’s founding with a Birthday Bash in the Garden. Cover is $5 and includes live Motown music by Rick & Dayna Liederc from 6:15–9 p.m., a coney dog, and birthday cake. The restaurant’s full Garden Menu will also be available. (Yes, this is technically the day before Detroit’s anniversary.)
Cannabis processor Sky Labs shut down after years of violations
A cannabis company in Mount Morris has permanently lost its license to operate after amassing a long list of regulatory violations, including producing edibles with banned substances, failing product safety tests, and selling untagged marijuana.
The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) announced Monday that it finalized the nonrenewal of Sky Labs LLC’s processor license, ending the company’s ability to legally operate in the state’s marijuana industry.
Sky Labs had requested a hearing to contest the decision but withdrew that request, making the license revocation official.
Sky Labs was one of the most frequently sanctioned cannabis businesses in Michigan, according to CRA records. Since 2021, the company admitted to a slew of infractions, including using melatonin in edibles, poor surveillance practices, improper labeling and tracking, and failing to report an adverse reaction involving a child. In total, the CRA filed more than a dozen formal complaints tied to both its adult-use and former medical licenses.
“At 324 years old, the old Detroit is evolving into a bold, new Detroit,” Whitney owner Bud Liebler said in a statement. “We believe the city’s best days are still ahead — and that’s something worth celebrating. We’re proud to be part of it.”
The Whitney is located inside the historic David Whitney Jr. Home at 4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit. The former home of a lumber baron who was once the wealthiest man in Detroit, the opulent mansion was built in 1894 and has been home of the Whitney restaurant since 1986.
—Lee DeVito
The company agreed to pay more than $130,000 in fines in recent years and was subject to a series of corrective measures, including monthly audits, surrendering its medical license, and updating its operating procedures. But despite those efforts, violations continued.
The most recent complaint, issued in late 2023, cited inaccurate product tracking.
Under state law, cannabis companies must be in good standing to renew their license. The CRA said Sky Labs failed to meet the requirements to renew its license and determined the business was “not eligible, qualified, or suitable” to remain in the industry.
With the license now closed, Sky Labs must stop operating immediately, the CRA said.
—Steve Neavling
TerrAscend Corp. plans to close all of its retail, cultivation, and processing sites.
LEE DEVITO
DETROIT BREAKDOWN
Former J. Geils frontman Peter Wolf talks about his new book, the legacy of Fortune Records, sharing the studio with Aretha, and the night the Geils band invaded Bookie’s
BY DAVE MESREY
That bad boy from Boston, the funkiest man in the land, the former late-night radio DJ known as “the Woofa Goofa,” and arguably the greatest frontman in rock ’n’ roll history, the incomparable Peter Wolf recently took time out to talk about his new book, his new album, and the re-release of the classic 1972 J. Geils album Full House, recorded live in Detroit.
Metro Times: Hey, Peter! Yamma gamma gooma looma to ya, sir! What’s goin’ on?
Peter Wolf: Oh, I see you speak my language!
MT: Ha! Well, gibberish is my native tongue. It’s like my Uncle Mike used to say: “Shisky bisky isky whisky!” (I still don’t know what that means.)
Wolf: I think it means he wanted you to bring him a drink.
MT: Well, that explains it! Alright, hey, Peter, thanks so much for taking time to talk with us. Let’s talk about this book!
Your memoir opens with a quote from Orson Welles: “I’m not such a fool as to not take the moon very seriously.” There’s also the song you wrote with Will Jennings “Waiting on the Moon.” Clearly, you’ve spent some time howling at the moon. How did you come up with the title for your book? And what does the moon mean to you?
Wolf: Well, the moon is sort of an ancient, mythic symbol that has many meanings. There’s the word lunacy … In Greek mythology, the moon was a woman. In many times, the moon had great powers. There’s a great Argentinian noir film where the moon is like a woman who goes out alone at night. There’s also the aspect of uncertainty waiting for the moon. It’s sort of a way of waiting for the night and a sense of anticipation.
The moon has been prominent in many paintings and poetry and great doo-wop songs. It’s just always sort of been there. And so waiting for it, and waiting for what it might bring … waiting for the night, not unlike the great Bert Berns song “Here Comes the Night,” sung by Van Morrison with Them. So it seemed an apt title.
MT: Right on. So how is a book release different from an album release?
Wolf: It’s funny you say that, Dave, because I’m working on a new recording now — it’s about 85 percent finished.
MT: Tell us about the new album. Are you working with “the Ateam” again?
Wolf: Oh, yeah. Kenny White, Duke Levine, Kevin Barry, Marty Ballou, Shawn Pelton — the whole bunch. Many folks aren’t that familiar with my solo record-
ings, but they’re the ones that artistically are the most rewarding.
MT: I’m especially fond of Sleepless Everybody in Detroit knows all the old Geils songs, but not everybody knows about the duets you recorded with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Merle Haggard, Neko Case, Shelby Lynne.
Wolf: Well, those are artists that I really admire, and as I was putting together this new recording, I thought, well, I’ll just put another one out, but it seems like it might go into the ether very quickly.
So I thought maybe this was the time to finally write my memoir because people have urged me to write a book for quite some time. I had sketched out some ideas on what a book might be many, many years ago, and so I took some of those themes and just started my one-finger typing, and one chapter slowly led to another.
I was fortunate enough to find a very helpful agent, and before long we were on Little, Brown and I had a real deadline, and so I really got to work. I’m the slowest typer because I just use one finger, but I’ve got the fastest index finger — and thank god for spell-correct!
MT: It’s great to hear Kenny’s still part of the “A-team.”
Wolf: Oh, yeah. He and I are like brothers, and I even thank him
in the acknowledgements in the book. He’s been so helpful in guiding me into a new realm. And though our music is different, the brotherhood and soulful connection we have is pretty strong.
MT: If you had to pick one album that illustrates what the J. Geils Band was all about, which one would it be?
Wolf: Oh, without hesitation, I’d say it was Full House (1972), which was recorded live in Detroit at the Cinderella Ballroom. The interaction between us and the audience — it just goes like a steamroller. In fact, Rhino Records is re-releasing that album shortly, and I’m working on some new liner notes.
MT: That’s awesome! That album still really resonates with old eastsiders like me who hung out at — or even just grew up near — the Cinderella Ballroom.
Wolf: I heard that they tore it down not long after we played there and that it’s still a vacant lot. Is that true, Dave?
MT: Yeah, that building’s been gone a long time, Peter. … So, I have to say my favorite track off of Full House is “Lookin’ for a Love.” Wasn’t that a Bobby Womack song?
Wolf: Yeah, the Womack Brothers, but Bobby didn’t actually write that song. It was written by J.W. Alexander and Zelda Samu-
Left to right: George Clinton, Aretha Franklin, Peter Wolf, and producer Narada Michael Walden at United Sound, Detroit, 1985. COURTESY OF NARADA
BREAKDOWN
els. Sam Cooke had a label called SAR. The “S” stood for “Sam,” the “A” stood for “Alexander,” and the “R” stood for “Records.” And so Sam was one of the early pioneers — Black artists — who had his own label, not unlike Berry Gordy. Sam wrote a lot of the songs, but J.W. wrote “Lookin’ for a Love,” and it was based on a gospel song that Bobby and his brothers recorded for Sam called “Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray.” Bobby had a version he recorded with his brothers in a group called the Valentinos. And later he recorded a faster version as a solo artist. If you go on YouTube, there’s a great clip of him and his brothers singing it on The Midnight Special — he tears it up, boy!
I always loved their versions, and we just sort of Geil-ized it.
MT: There’s a chapter in your book about how the Geils band
made the move from Atlantic Records to EMI in the late ’70s. Next thing you know you guys are at the top of the charts — and a guy from Detroit played a big role in that.
Wolf: Yeah, you know, and it was just sheer luck that I met Jim Mazza. I was sort of representing the Geils band in a lot of our business affairs, and as our deal with Atlantic was coming to an end, I went from one record company head to another record company head looking for a new deal, and it just seemed like everyone talked the talk but didn’t wanna do anything. And I was at my lowest point, and I remember feeling like this just isn’t gonna happen.
Then one night I was sitting with my lawyer [Abe Somer] at the Palm steakhouse in L.A., and this younger fella comes over and introduces himself because he was a big Geils fan. And lo and
behold, he was starting a new record label for Capitol Records. And he was so excited seeing me at the restaurant because he was a Detroit fellow. And he said, “Man, I used to see the band at Cobo Hall … my dream is to sign a band like the J. Geils Band.”
Then later that night, I met his boss [EMI/Capitol Records CEO Bhaskar Menon], and we go out for a wild night on the town in L.A. …
Several weeks later, we were EMI America recording artists. We recorded Sanctuary, Love Stinks, and Freeze Frame for that company. They were so dedicated to us — unlike Atlantic — and they gave us so much attention that the albums really did well.
MT: And Freeze Frame goes to number 1.
Wolf: Throughout Europe and the United States.
MT: The story in the book about Bhaskar and his Porsche getting smashed in the parking lot of the Palm … that’s laugh-out-loud hilarious. I can’t believe the door falls off and then you just tie him into his seat with a rope — and then he drives away like that! That’s ridiculous!
So what I wanna know, Peter, is … can you still tie a knot that good?
Wolf: Well, I don’t know! I think what we had [to drink] beforehand certainly helped. We were all pretty looped … we tied him tight! There was no way he was gettin’ out!
MT: That’s what got you guys such a good deal with EMI — the ol’ rope-a-dope!
Wolf: The ol’ rope-a-dope!
MT: That chapter really captures the sense of frustration an artist
can go through just trying to get signed.
Wolf: Most people just know about the Geils band’s success, but we had a long, long, long period of hard times. The record business at that time didn’t have all the sort of corporate conglomerate … if somebody really wanted to sign you, they could just do it. It didn’t need meetings and going through all the stuff that, unfortunately, happens today. You don’t have those — they do exist — independent labels and small labels that are really good.
And because of the internet, distribution is, of course, easier. But there was a time when, I believe, it was easier than it is now. Groups today can be known, but the ocean is so big. It’s a different landscape in trying to establish yourself these days than when the Geils band first started (in the late 1960s). I’m not saying it’s better or worse — it’s just really different.
MT: Perhaps the most poignant chapter in your book is the one about your first love, Edie, and the song the two of you shared, Nolan Strong’s “The Wind.” Years ago, Metro Times ranked “The Wind” among the Top 100 Detroit songs ever. Nolan Strong had a real impact on you, huh?
Wolf: He sure did. And he was Smokey Robinson’s biggest influence at one point, vocally. Nolan and the Diablos, of course, were on Fortune Records — one of the great small labels that was just so unique and had such a unique sound. To this day, there’s something magical to it.
MT: Did you ever visit their old store in the Cass Corridor?
Wolf: Every time I’d go to Detroit, I’d always visit Fortune Records cuz they had a record
store, and in the back was a sort of dirt-floor studio — and that’s the same thing that happened with Stax and Sun Records in the early days in Memphis. Up front was the business, and in back was the little studio where Elvis and Johnny Cash and Howlin’ Wolf all recorded.
MT: You came to Detroit in the mid ’80s to record a duet with Aretha on Who’s Zoomin’ Who . Where did that all go down?
Wolf: That was recorded at United Sound.
MT: Oh, right on. Well, since you go way back with John Lee Hooker, you’ll appreciate that that’s where he first recorded “Boogie Chillen.”
Wolf: That I’m not aware of, but that would totally make sense.
MT: I don’t have the date in front of me, but I think it was 1948.
“By the time we got to Detroit … our adrenaline just picked up. It was like makin’ love — once you start, you just didn’t wanna stop.”
Wolf: You’re exactly right!
MT: Had you met Aretha before you recorded that duet with her?
Wolf: Yeah, I got to meet her — not as formally as I did in the studio with Narada in Detroit. But we were both Atlantic recording artists, and I got to watch her record at one point [in the early ’70s] because I was very friendly with King Curtis, who ran the studio in New York and was the bandleader for Aretha for a long time and for Sam Cooke. …
But, boy, I tell ya, when I walked
into United Sound that day and Aretha started talking to me in the queen’s English … It took me a while — and until the producer told me what it was all about, I had no idea.
MT: Yeah, it was that whole Joan Collins thing … I guess Aretha was really into Dynasty at the time. And then there’s the story of you holding Aretha’s gown at the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame tribute to Sam Cooke with Solomon Burke — you’ll never forget that, will you?
Wolf: That was some evening. She
just kicked off her heels and said, “Peter, grab the train of my gown.”
MT: You say in your book that Detroit was a spiritual second home to you. What makes you say that?
Wolf: Well, when we got on the road and we first got to Detroit, the audience reaction was unlike any other outside of Boston. During the early years … every time we would hit Detroit, it always got bigger and bigger. And the audience was just so enthusiastic. So we were always looking forward — “Let’s go back to Detroit!” And every time we went back, we were never let down — the crowds would always almost double in size. Also, Detroit at that time — I think because people were coming from their mom and dad working in the [auto] plants — money was not the easiest to get. But when they went out to spend it, especially if they were going to a show, they wanted
Wolf performs with John Lee Hooker, circa 1987.
The moment of truth has finally come: Peter Wolf’s long-awaited memoir is on bookshelves now.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TIM PALMER
their money’s worth.
As Carl Perkins said, “One for the money,” but “two for the show.” And we tried to live up to that. And Detroit audiences always — they got crazy, and we got twice as crazy. We’d get twice as crazy, and they got three times as crazy, and it was like a real love affair.
We always looked forward to — we always were excited — even if we were on the road for weeks doing one-nighters … by the time we got to Detroit … our adrenaline just picked up. It was like makin’ love — once you start, you just didn’t wanna stop.
MT: In the early ’80s when I was a kid, you couldn’t go two or three days listening to Detroit radio without hearing something off of Full House (1972) or Blow Your Face Out (1976). Guys my age and the generation ahead of me … even if we never saw the Geils band live — we all know the words to the “Raputa the Beauta” intro to “Musta Got Lost.” It’s like a rite of passage … it’s like we had to memorize it for a test.
Wolf: Well, you’re bein’ real kind. You know, the unfortunate thing, Dave, is that I’d fail it because I always have a hard time … I know that when we get close to Detroit, people wanna hear it, and they really wanna hear it pretty close to [the live version they remember], but the story, as it was recorded, was spontaneous.
MT: Waiting on the Moon, obviously, is a memoir, but it’s not just about Peter Wolf. What compelled you to tell all these incredible tales?
Wolf: Well, it’s been my labor of love, and you know … I tried to put in as many musical references as I could, but mainly I tried to take the people that I idolized and try to bring them to life. I tried to make the book about the people I was fortunate enough to encounter along the way.
MT: You were born in the Bronx, Peter … does that mean you’re a Yankees fan?
Wolf: Well, I’m gonna admit somethin’ to you, Dave: I hated the Yankees. I was a Brooklyn Dodger fan — the Brooklyn Bums! I’d go out to Ebbets Field because they were — first of all, the funkiest-lookin’ team. And they were the first interracial team. And they signed Jackie Robinson — so for me, that was it. That’s why John Lee Hooker remained a Dodger fan his whole life. The Dodgers were so progressive, and they broke the color barrier in baseball. … And goin’ out to Ebbets Field in
“I still have my little Bookie’s pin that somebody gave me. Bookie’s was tiny, but it was great. It had a lot of dedicated energy. I remember that day like it was yesterday.”
Brooklyn was not unlike being in an audience in Detroit. They were just wild!
Yankee Stadium — ah, it was OK, but goin’ out to Ebbets Field, man, that crowd loved the Brooklyn Dodgers, as did I.
MT: I never got to see Ebbets Field before they tore it down, but from pictures it reminds me a lot of Tiger Stadium in Detroit.
Wolf: There was a similarity. But for me, I lost my interest in baseball because when the Dodgers moved the franchise to L.A., I realized it was really all about money.
MT: You’ve lived in Massachusetts for a long time now … who do you root for when the Yankees and Red Sox go head-to-head?
Wolf: Well, I have to say I go for the Red Sox. There’s nothing like being in Fenway Park at a Yankees-Red Sox game — that’s for sure.
MT: What comes to mind when you think of Cobo Arena?
Wolf: Well, I remember we used to invite this young woman saxophonist to join us sometimes up in Cobo Hall. And I used to call up the DJ the Electrifyin’ Mojo. Do you remember him?
MT: Oh, yeah! I used to listen to Mojo all the time in the early ’80s. He was on WJLB at that time.
Wolf: Well, we invited him down to Cobo Hall, and he came down with his gold cape and his entourage, and we brought him up onstage. I used to listen to him every night. And I believe he was one of the first people to really help put Prince on the map. Prince is in the book. … He used to come out to see the Geils band when we’d play his hometown in Minneapolis. He’d just sit backstage all alone. I remember one time goin’ and yakkin’ with him, and we talked about James Brown, who we both loved.
MT: Do you remember where you were the night MLK was assassinated?
Wolf: Yes, that night my first band,
the Hallucinations, opened for Muddy Waters at the Boston Tea Party. I had to break the news to Muddy, and he broke the news to the audience.
MT: And then James Brown played Boston the following night?
Wolf: Yeah, James Brown was scheduled to play the Boston Garden, which was sort of like Boston’s Cobo Hall. The mayor, Kevin White, asked James if the local public TV station could videotape his show, and James agreed. They played that videotape over and over throughout the entire night on TV. And that’s one of the reasons why there was no violence that night in Boston, like they had in other cities.
Everywhere you walked in the Black neighborhoods, you could hear James Brown blasting out from every window. First of all, TV going on all night was unique for that time. And they just kept repeating the concert over and over and over. Over the years, there were a few copies of that videotape floating around, and when Prince found out I had one, man, did he want that copy, which he eventually got.
The video is black-and-white. It’s pretty unique, and at one point the audience gets so riled up that they start rushing the stage, and James has to stop the music and try to calm the crowd down because … the night was filled with this strange, kind of eerie electricity. And I tried to capture that feeling in the book — in the Muddy Waters chapter.
MT: Do you remember the first time the Geils band played Detroit?
Wolf: Well, I remember one of the first times we played Detroit — it was an outdoor show. I believe Bob Seger was on the bill, along with a group called Früt. And Mitch Ryder played — I was such a Mitch Ryder fan. I’d seen him a few years before in New York at a Murray the K show. It was at the 58th Street RKO — a movie theater — with the Young Rascals and Cream and the Who. Everybody did three songs, and at the end of their third song, the Who demolished their instruments, and we never saw anything like that be -
fore. It was unbelievable — couldn’t believe it that people would just take their guitars and smash ’em. It left you speechless. And then after the Who came Wilson Pickett and the Midnight Movers, with Buddy Miles on drums. And after that, the headliner was Mitch Ryder and his ensemble, because he had a whole orchestra at that point.
So … I got to know Mitch — I ended up going to his house, and we became pretty friendly in those early years in Detroit.
MT: Did you ever make it out to the 20 Grand club?
Wolf: Oh, man, that was a great place to visit when you’re out in Detroit because you got to see the Temptations and Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart …
I remember the [Geils] band was staying at the Gold T Motel one day, and we were going into the dining room — this was the day we hired Bill Szymczyk to be our producer for our second record [1971’s The Morning After]. And there in the dining room was the great R&B group the Dells, celebrating something like their 17th anniversary together as a group. Billy Stewart was checking in to the hotel that day … Detroit was just an epicenter for so many great artists that I admired.
MT: There’s this legendary Detroit story that the Geils band played a small, incognito club gig one night back in ’79 at Bookie’s. You guys were billed as “Jimmy and the Juke Joints,” so it was like, if you know, you know. And this was after a Geils show at Pine Knob — how did that come about?
Wolf: Oh, yeah. Bookie’s was an alternative club. It was a small, little bar — a lot of the sort of hipper bands and alternative bands and punk bands played there — bands that wanted to do it their own way. It was sort of left of center. And we figured, well, hell, we started in clubs like that. We love Detroit so much — let’s go check out Bookie’s! I still have my little Bookie’s pin that somebody gave me. Bookie’s was tiny, but it was great. It had a lot of dedicated energy. I remember that day like it was yesterday.
MT: Man, those were the days! Hey, thanks so much for taking time to talk with us, Peter. I learned a lot. Wolf: Well, we’ve all got a lot to learn, Dave. And remember: It doesn’t matter when you were born or how old you are — if it’s in you, it’s got to come out!
WHAT’S GOING ON
David Klein Gallery
One of Michigan’s most prominent contemporary art spaces is opening a new headquarters in Ferndale with a two-day grand opening celebration and exhibition featuring new works by Ferndale-based artist Susan Goethel Campbell and Detroit-based ceramicist Ebitenyefa Baralaye. The gallery’s new home is set to debut on Friday, with an evening reception beginning at 5 p.m. followed by an open house on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. The move consolidates the gallery’s previous Birmingham and Detroit operations into a newly renovated, 3,000-square-foot warehouse space designed to accom-
modate large-scale exhibitions and events. Friday night’s celebration will include wine provided by Elie Wine Company, a local shop owned by Ferndale resident Elie Boudt, and music by the DJ collective At the Moment. Goethel Campbell’s show Soundings explores the built environment as part of natural processes, using a range of media including prints, photographs, and installation. Baralaye’s exhibition, Foundations, reflects on cultural identity and diaspora through ceramics and sculpture.
Starts at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 11 at David Klein Gallery, 678 Livernois Ave., Ferndale; dkgallery.com. No cover.
Nicolas Uncaged X
For the upcoming tenth anniversary of the “Nicolas Uncaged” film festival set for Hamtramck’s Ant Hall this month, organizers are taking it back to the very beginning. The quirky event typically screens double features starring the cult-favorite actor scientifically proven to be the hardest working in Hollywood, and this year’s will once again feature the 2006 horror film The Wicker Man — a box office bomb that was screened during the very first Nicolas Uncaged fest in 2015 and event organizer Jack Schulz calls “the Cageiest of all the Nic Cage movies.” It will be screened alongside 2007’s Next, in
which Cage portrays a Las Vegas man with the ability to see the future. Going with the Vegas theme, the event is set to feature a martini-heavy drink menu, burlesque, and magicians, including tarot card reading and fortune-telling.
Nicolas Uncaged X starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 12 at Ant Hall; 2320 Caniff St., Hamtramck; planetant.com. Tickets start at $39.19.
Tyvek 20th anniversary
In its 20 years of existence, Tyvek has emerged as one of Detroit’s best contemporary rock bands thanks to
The Concert of Colors.
AP PHOTO/PAUL WARNER
SELECTIONS
its scrappy raw power and ability to shapeshift over time. Lately, the band’s lineup features Shelley Salant (Shells, XV) on guitar, Alex Glendenning (Deadbeat Beat) on bass, and Fred Thomas (too many beloved local indie rock bands to list) on drums; its 2023 record Overground wisely brought prominent saxophone from Emily Roll into the fold. But for its 20th anniversary party at Outer Limits Lounge, the band is celebrating its origins by performing a set with its throwback five-piece lineup of frontman Kevin Boyer along with guitar
Ugh!) and Damon Sturdivant (Puffy Areolas, Revigorant), Larry (The Intended, Isles of ESP) on bass, and Matt Z (Mountains and Rainbows) on drums. Here’s to 20 more!
Starts at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 12; Outer Limits Lounge, 5507 Caniff St., Detroit. Tickets are $23.18.
The Concert of Colors
Detroit’s Concert of Colors is coming home. The long-running annual
The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, the riverside venue formerly known as Chene Park that hosted the event from its launch in 1993 until it moved to Midtown in 2006 due to funding. “Fans have asked for years to host the festival at current locations but also back at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre and in true Concert of Colors style, we listen to what people want and try to provide it all for the love of free music,” executive director Ismael Ahmed said in a statement. The festival, billed as the largest free global music festival in the Midwest, will be
on Friday, July 18 to celebrate the venue’s 40th anniversary with performances by Chicago R&B singer Mavis Staples, Moroccan-French band Bab L’ Bluz, Ohio funk act The Luv Locz Experiment, and African dancer Shashu Amen-Ra. In addition to the Aretha, the festival will continue to take place in venues in and around Midtown, including the DIA, Third Man Records, and the College for Creative Studies.
Various venues in and around Detroit from July 15-20; the full lineup and more information is available at
Tyvek celebrate 20 years at Outer Limits Lounge.
COURTESY PHOTO
ONE MILE FROM STADIUMS / MINUTES FROM QLINE / FREE STREET PARKING ON SUNDAYS
Coming Up:
INDIE GUNN/MOTHDUDE/ LUCAS POWELL (INDIE/PUNK/BLUES/ PSYCH ROCK) DOORS@9P/$5COVER OUTDOOR SHOW (WEATHER PERMITTING)
Sat 7/12
DIVAS VS DIVAS MONTHLY DANCE PARTY W/ DJ AIMZ & DJ EM
MIXING 90’S & 00’S DOORS@9P/$5COVER
Mon 7/14
FREE POOL ALL DAY
7/18 Carbon Decoy Record Release w/Glass Chimera/ Ficus/Dunmais
7/19 Corona Beach Party w/ DJ Amy & Friends
7/24 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DETROIT!
7/25 Choking Susan/Skum City/Street Trash/Kauz of Affliction (HWI)
7/26 Karalavara/Roil Treatment/Bandit
7/31 WDET COMEDY SHOWCASE
8/01 “Keep it Knocking” DooWop Dance Night w/ Dave Lawson
8/08 IMANGINATRON FULL MOON PARTY OLD MIAMI T-SHIRTS & HOODIES FOR SALE! BOOK YOUR PARTIES: theoldmiamibarevents@gmail.com
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, July 9
Live/Concert
CLASSIC LOUNGE SOUNDS w/ KESHTKAR & CO. second Wednesday of every month, 8-11 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover.
Cubist Agenda 8 pm-midnight; First Place Lounge, 16921 Harper Ave, Detroit; No Cover.
Jazzy Night Series 7:30 pm; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; $15-$70.
Killer Queen - A Tribute To Queen Ft. Patrick Myers As Freddie Mercury 7 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit;
PJ Morton 7:30 pm; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; $15-$70.
Matt Larusso Trio and guests 8-11 pm; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
DJ/Dance
Planet Funk 7-10 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit.
Karaoke/Open Mic
Hump Day Karaoke & Music
Trivia 8 pm-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.
Thursday, July 10
Live/Concert
CHASE WRIGHT 6 pm; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte.
Dueling Pianos: An Interactive Entertainment Experience 8 pm-midnight; AXIS Lounge, 1777 3rd St., Detroit.
Electric Citizen, Magick Potion, Dusty Rose Gang 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck.
KEYSHIA COLE 7 pm; Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
Magic Bag Presents: Merce Lemon 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale.
DJ/Dance
Carrellee wsg The Love Part + Johnstonsons 7 pm; Small’s, 10339
Conant St., Hamtramck.
Curated Cool 7-10 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit.
Karaoke/Open Mic
Drag Queen Karaoke 8 pm-2 am; Woodward Avenue Brewers, 22646 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; no cover.
Elixer: DJs John Ryan and GEO 8 pm-midnight; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; No cover.
Friday, July 11
Live/Concert
Beautiful Day U2 Tribue 7:45-11 pm; Northville Marquis Theater, 135 E Main St, Northville; $15 Advance/$20 at the door.
Blues Traveler & Gin Blossoms with Spin Doctors 6 pm; Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, 3554 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills; $45-$210.
Fantasia 8 pm; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit;
idobi Radio Summer School 4 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit;
INTERCEPTOR • WANTED • Loyalist • Malition 7:30 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland;
Jumping Jack Flash 6 pm; Meadow Brook Theatre, 207 Wilson Hall, Rochester; $95-$115.
Party Iconic: Hot To Go 7 pm; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;
Plum Wild “Worth The Squeeze? EP Release Show!” 6 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; POWER PLAY DETROIT - FREE CONCERT 6 pm; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte.
Summer Sounds 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Yacht Rock Detroit 5-midnight; Roostertail, 100 Marquette Dr., Detroit; $450 - $220.
Summer Sounds 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Summer Sounds 3-6 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
DJ/Dance
Ann Arbor Ecstatic Dance second
Friday of every month, 7:30-10:30 pm; Ringstar Studio, 3907 Varsity Dr, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, Ann Arbor; $25-40 ($5 discount for cash).
Bad Behaviour w/ Versace James on the Alley Deck 9 pm; Garden Bowl, 4120 Woodward, Detroit; Elevated Fridays At Cielo Rooftop Detroit 9 pm-midnight; Cielo Rooftop Bar, 600 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226, Detroit;
Open Air Fridays 4-10 pm; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; 0. R&B Happy Hour[s]
Saturday, July 12
Live/Concert
Summer Sounds 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Yacht Rock Detroit 5-midnight; Roostertail, 100 Marquette Dr., Detroit; $450 - $220.
America 7 pm; Fisher Theatre - Detroit, 3011 West Grand & Fisher, Detroit; Austin Millz 9 pm; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; Bop To The Top (18+) 8:30 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; Clint Black 8 pm; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit;
Derek St. Holmes, Horse Cave Trio 7:30 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland;
Diggy Graves - Crash My Funeral Tour 7 pm; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit;
DR. DELOREAN AND THE SPACE INVADERS - FREE CONCERT 6 pm; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte;
Magic Bag Presents: Double Duran (The Ultimate Duran Duran Experience) 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; Ogemaw County, Blood Rune Sigil, Supreme Mystic, Blind Haven, Shadow People 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; ROOFTOP RHYTHMS at Cielo Rooftop Detroit 8-11 pm; Cielo Rooftop Bar, 600 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226, Detroit; $10.
Sam Barber 7 pm; Detroit Masonic Temple Library, 500 Temple St, Detroit; Songwriters in the Round w/ Brian McCarty, Ryan Dillaha and Dan Tennant 8 pm; Trinity House The-
atre, 38840 W. Six Mile Rd., Livonia; $20. Summer Sounds 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
The Loving Touch Beat Off 8 pm; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;
This Ain’t Texas! 8 pm; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville; Summer Sounds 3-6 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
DJ/Dance
Saturday Grind 11 am-3 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit.
Sunday, July 13
Live/Concert
Summer Sounds 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Actor Observer 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; Arif Lohar & The Lohar Boys 7 pm; The Music Hall, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit
Danny Worsnop 7 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; elijah | Road to Rock Fest 2025 6 pm; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; Magic Bag Presents: mekons with Johnny Dowd 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $30.
DJ/Dance
Industry Sundays on the Alley Deck (one night only) 7 pm; Garden Bowl, 4120 Woodward, Detroit; QURL N GURLS at The Alley Deck 1 pm; Garden Bowl, 4120 Woodward, Detroit;
SPKR BRNCH 11 am-3 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit; Karaoke/Open Mic
Sunday Karaoke in the Lounge 5-9 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover. Monday, July 14
Live/Concert
A Tribute to the First Ladies of Song Shirley Horn, Betty Carter & Etta Jones Performed by Juanita Black 7:30-10 pm; Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit; $35.
DJ/Dance
Adult Skate Night 8:30-11 pm; Lexus Velodrome, 601 Mack Ave., Detroit; $5. Tuesday, July 15
Live/Concert
Cenotaph, Recorruptor, Throne, Nethergate 6 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; Dom Corleo 7 pm; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit;
Hideous Divinity, Cenotaph, Recorruptor, Throne, Nethergate 6 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;
Magic Bag Presents: Rose City Band 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $22.
Sean Blackman’s In Transit 7-10 pm; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
Tuesday Dinner Sessions : Summer in the Beer Garden 6 pm; Motor City Brewing Works, 470 W. Canfield, Detroit; Free.
Karaoke/Open Mic
Open Mic : Art in a Fly Space 7-10 pm; Detroit Shipping Company, 474 Peterboro St., Detroit; no cover.
Tuesday Karaoke in the Lounge 8 pm-midnight; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0. VIP Tuesday Night Karaoke 9 pm-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.
Musical
The Inspired Acting Company Now. Here. This. A musical about the science of ourselves. From the creators of the renowned musical, [title of show], this lively and introspective musical revolves around four friends in a science museum as they navigate through life’s challenges and triumphs, delving into themes such as friendship, self-discovery, and the pursuit of happiness. With its engaging music and clever dialogue, Now. Here. This. is a tribute to the journey of life and the joy of embracing the now. Starring: Dawn Rasnick, Mike Sandusky, Diana Turner, and Antonio Vettraino. Direction by: Jeff Thomakos Musical direction by: Daniel Bachelis $45; $40 under 30/over 65 Friday 8-10 pm, Saturday 8-10 pm and Sunday 2-4 pm.
COMEDY
Improv
Go Comedy! Improv Theater
Pandemonia The Allstar Showdown is 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 7:30pm & 9:30pm 25.00 Fridays,
Saturdays.; $20 Every other Friday, 8 & 10 pm.
Planet Ant Theatre Hip-Prov: Improv with a Dash of Hip-Hop $10 second Wednesday of every month, 7 pm.
Stand-up
Eastern Palace Club Mike Logan @ Eastern Palace Club | The Smoke Show Comedy Show Mike Logan is a nationally touring professional comedian with over a decade under his belt. He brought Don’t Tell Comedy to the state of Michigan and is heard regularly on IHeart Radio. He was part of the Jury Grand Prize winning album for Artprize ‘24 called Trauma Project and he is just straight up hilarious with his unique views on living in America and the interesting and unexpected life he’s led. You will be talking about this show for years after you see him live! $5.00 Thursday 8:30-10 pm.
Embassy Suites Troy The Dinner Detective True Crime Mystery Dinner Show - Troy, MI North America’s largest interactive comedy murder mystery dinner theatre show is now playing in Troy, MI! Solve a hilarious true crime murder mystery while you feast on a fantastic dinner. Just beware! The culprit is hiding in plain sight somewhere in the room, and you may find yourself as a Prime Suspect before you know it! Join us for an event that is very different from a traditional mystery dinner show. Our actors are not dressed in costume and are hidden in the audience! This results in a fun, social and interactive evening suitable for all adults. $69.95 Saturday 6:30-9 pm.
Fox Theatre Theo Von: Return Of The Rat Friday 8 pm and Saturday 8 pm.
Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle Steve Hofstetter One of YouTube’s most popular comics with over 225 million views and half a billion more on Facebook, Steve Hofstetter is also the host of Finding Babe Ruth on FS1. Hofstetter was the host and executive producer of Laughs (FOX) and he has been on CBS’ The Late Late Show, E! True Hollywood Story, Comics Unleashed, and more. He’s sold out shows in hundreds of cities and dozens of countries. Now is your chance to find out what the fuss is about during this no-holds-barred stand-up performance, featuring some of his unfiltered observations about life. $30.00 Sunday 7-8:30 pm.
One Mike Detroit Hennessy presents: Flame Monroe Flame Monroe Live at One Mike Detroit Get ready for an unforgettable night of bold, brilliant, and unapologetic comedy as Flame Monroe takes the stage at One Mike Detroit! Known for her quick wit, sharp tongue, and fearless takes on life, love, and identity, Flame delivers a performance that’s as thought-provoking as it is hilarious. As seen on Netflix’s They Ready and the Breakfast Club, Flame
brings her signature blend of stand-up, storytelling, and real talk to Detroit’s hottest comedy stage. No topic is off-limits and no punchline is too daring — this is grown folks comedy at its finest. $34.50 Friday 8-10 pm and Saturday 7-9:30 pm.
Blind Pig Blind Pig Comedy FREE Mondays, 8 pm.
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 pm.. The evening always ends with karaoke in the attached Ghost Light Bar! Doors and Sign up 8:30 p.m. Show at 9 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Attached bar Ghost Light opens at 7 p.m. $5 Suggested Donation Thursdays, 9-10:30 pm.; A late night, heckle encouraged, show up, go up stand-up open mic featuring both local amateurs and touring professionals. Sign up starts at 10:30 and the show begins at 11p. Doors and Sign Up 10:30p | Show at 11p | $5 Suggested Donation* Attached bar Ghost Light opens at 7p The independent Comedy Club is a comedy club run by comics for comics inside Planet Ant Theatre. The club runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, offering independently produced comedy shows from 8p-12a. Presented by Planet Ant *Planet Ant Theatre, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization; no ticket or reservation is required $5 Suggested Donation Fridays, Saturdays, 11 pm-1:30 am.
One Mike Detroit Tony Roney’s Comedy Thursday Tony Roney’s Thursday Night Comedy at One Mike Detroit is your official destination for real Detroit laughs, every Thursday! Hosted by the one and only Tony Roney, this crowd-favorite show features your favorite Detroit comedy legends hitting the stage alongside the outrageous and unpredictable Krack Jokers. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s 100% Detroit— from the hometown humor to the electric energy in the room. Whether you’re looking for big laughs or just a dope night out, this is where comedy lives. Location: One Mike Detroit When: Every Thursday Time: 7:30PM & 9:30PM Parking Available - Z Deck for a fee. $23.25 Thursday 7:30-9:30 pm.
FILM
Screening
Emagine Canton Summer Kids Film Series This summer Emagine Theatres invite you to beat the heat and jump into the world of animated adventures! June 20thAugust 22nd 2025 Visit www.Emagine-Entertainment.com for details. Emagine will once again be offering their Summer Kids Movie Series where tickets are only $3.00 per person and Magic Pack concessions
are only $5! Each week guests of all ages are welcome to revisit a different blockbuster animated movie the whole family is sure to love. $3 - $5 Mondays-Sundays, 10:30 am-11 pm.
Milford Independent Cinema Summer Family Film Series The Milford Independent Cinema is thrilled to announce the return of its beloved Summer Series, presented in partnership with Music Time of Milford. This annual tradition is the perfect way for families to beat the heat and make lasting memories with some of the most beloved animated classics of all time. This summer’s lineup includes Disney favorites Tangled, Frozen, A Bug’s Life, and Finding Nemo—timeless stories filled with music, laughter, and heart that will delight audiences of all ages. Join us this summer and rediscover the joy of the movies at Milford Cinema—where community and cinema come together. $6 Friday 11 am-1 pm and Saturday 11 am-1 pm.
ARTS
Artist talk
American Modern at Cranbrook
Join us on Thursday, July 10, at 6:30pm for a presentation on “American Modern,” a new publication by Landmark Columbus Foundation leaders Richard McCoy and Jamie Goldsborough. McCoy and Goldsborough will discuss the convergence of architecture, civic leadership, & community collaboration that defines Columbus, Indiana. Ben Wever, Indiana Museum of Art will present updates on the Miller House and Garden, designed by Eero Saarinen with landscapes by Dan Kiley and interiors by Alexander Girard. Following the presentation will be a discussion with Cranbrook’s Andrew Satake Blauvelt and Kevin Adkisson about the modern design legacy of Columbus, Cranbrook, and the US. Thursday 6:30-8 pm; Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 N. Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; Free; 2486453323; cranbrookartmuseum.org/ events/american-modern-at-cranbrook/.
Art Exhibition
Berkley Berkley Street Art Fest Downtown Berkley will be transformed with art as professional and aspiring chalk artists create colorful street art with chances to win prizes. A commissioned artist will create a mural at Nova Chiropractic. People throughout metro Detroit will have the opportunity to watch these artists as their masterpieces come to life. The event, including the chalk art and street performances, will take place primarily on Coolidge Hwy. between Catalpa and Beverly. (Note southbound Coolidge is closed starting at 12 Mile). Murals are located throughout downtown Berkley and you are encouraged to explore.
Film This franchise needs to evolve — or go extinct
Jurassic World Rebirth
Rated: PG-13
Run-time: 133 minutes
This probably isn’t much of a hot take, but here we go anyway: the only good Jurassic movies are the first two, the ones directed by Steven Spielberg.
I get that Jurassic Park III, Jurassic World, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and Jurassic World: Dominion have their fans and I’m sure that if you were a kid when one of those movies came out, it was an imagination-shaping gamechanger. I was 13 when Jurassic Park came out in 1993 and seeing that movie in the theater was the first time I can remember really experiencing how much transportive magic film can have. I was Dr. Alan Grant, awestruck and stunned, looking at a dinosaur for the first time.
While The Lost World: Jurassic Park didn’t quite have that same level of magic, it still feels like a masterpiece compared to the cartoonish Jurassic Park III. Maybe that’s the problem: I keep getting older and the Jurassic franchise keeps selling itself to 13-year-olds. If I learned anything from the initial Jurassic World trilogy, it’s that I need characters to care about to make the dinosaur mayhem matter and, (hot take No. 2?) Chris Pratt has a ceiling
By Jared Rasic, Last Word Features
on his abilities as a dramatic actor and is nearing that same ceiling as a comedic one. Three movies in a row of a character whose personality never breaks out of cartoonishly smug masculinity is tiring at best.
As entertaining as some of the sequences are in that trilogy (the rampaging dinosaurs in a mansion from Fallen Kingdom were ridiculously stupid in a fun way), none of the movies captured any of the wonder or excitement that should be the bread and butter of this franchise. Even bringing back Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum wasn’t enough to keep Jurassic World: Dominion from being the absolute nadir of the series.
Yet somehow, I was still looking forward to Jurassic World Rebirth and the franchise’s relaunch. Yes, I am I sweet summer child, but I still thought with Gareth Edwards in the director’s chair, it would at least be interesting to look at. His entire career has been built around putting fantastical things in beautiful, real-world locations and his work with large-scale destruction in 2014’s Godzilla and 2016’s Rogue One made me think he would give a tactile breath of life to the series. Plus, David Koepp, the writer of Jurassic Park and The Lost World, was returning and a cast featuring charismatic actors with range like Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey was also a pretty positive sign.
that’s when it hit me.
Maybe it’s impossible to recapture that magic. Spielberg is a once-in-ageneration populist filmmaker and, just as he did with Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T., he held lightning in a bottle with Jurassic Park. I know it’s possible to grow up and still feel the wonder of cinema because it was there as recently as seeing Sinners for the first time. But maybe, just like the everyday people in the world of Jurassic World Rebirth, maybe I just don’t give a shit about dinosaurs anymore.
Even if it doesn’t give me that same sense of wonder like I felt as a kid, I still think it’s possible to make an exciting dinosaur movie. Here are a few ideas:
1) Stop setting them on tropical islands. We’ve seen it. Let’s put Raptors in Brooklyn or Pterodactyls in Detroit.
2) Build interesting characters that aren’t just generic mercenaries or scientists (or terrified children).
3) These movies have no tension anymore. Remember the kids vs. raptors in the kitchen in Jurassic Park or Julianne Moore vs. gravity in The Lost World? Both were insanely intense sequences. Create situations where characters we care about are in ever-escalating danger and audiences will care.
That might be the saddest thing about the entire Jurassic franchise at this point: Rebirth is probably the best film in the series since The Lost World, but that doesn’t remotely make it a good movie. It’s probably the most disappointing one in a while since all the ingredients are there for a quality blockbuster, but it just sits there flat onscreen, generating no tension, no excitement, and certainly no wonder.
Which is actually the best idea in the entire film: the average person is annoyed and bored with dinosaurs. No one cares anymore. So InGen (the evil company playing God) has been mad science-ing dino-DNA on an island in the Atlantic to try and create something that makes dinosaurs lucrative again. This goes poorly. People die and some time later a mercenary (Johansson), a paleontologist (Bailey), a skipper/badass (Ali), a pharmaceutical rep (Rupert Friend), and some redshirts all go to the island to harvest some of that sweet, sweet, biomaterial.
It’s intermittently fun to watch these good actors trying to make something out of Koepp’s lazy script and Edward’s lifeless direction, but that only lasts for a few minutes. The rest of the time was left to ponder random plot holes, wonder how much money this would make, and imagine a world where a filmmaker manages to capture just the slightest bit of magic again inherent in the original film… and
4) Have a script with people speaking like human beings instead of expository machines.
5) Find scary ways to use the classic dinosaurs again instead of constantly inventing new ones that look hilarious. There’s a new one in Rebirth called the Distortus Rex that looks like if a xenomorph from Alien, a rancor from Star Wars, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters had a hydrocephalic love child. Or just stop making these movies until someone has a clear vision, an original idea, and a decent script.
I don’t want to be so hard on this, but Rebirth really defeated me. I was abnormally excited for this since I respect Edwards as a filmmaker and know he could do something original with this franchise. Instead, it smothered my inner 13-year-old in his sleep and then asked if I was having fun yet.
There can still be magic and wonder in this series because dinosaurs are awe-inspiring creatures that ignite the imaginations of kids and their parents alike. It just takes a strong vision of an inspired filmmaker to reignite that spark inside.
If enough people skip this movie, maybe Hollywood will try and do better next time. Kidding, I’m not that naive. That level of optimism is the only real dinosaur I see.
Grade: D-
Why must they keep setting these movies on tropical islands?
COURTESY PHOTO
The Straight Dope
How a small grow in Jackson became one of Michigan’s top cannabis brands
By Steve Neavling
Welcome to The Straight Dope, our new weekly series that explores the best cannabis products in Michigan.
In a cannabis market flooded with mid-tier flower and flashy packaging, a small cultivator tucked away in Jackson is producing some of the best flower and live rosin in the state.
Mi Loud isn’t trying to be the biggest, fastest, or cheapest. Instead of chasing high yields and mass production at budget prices, as so many cultivators do, the family-run business is focused on growing small batches of potent, terpene-rich cannabis. From strain selection to drying, slow curing, and trimming, Mi Loud is all about preserving quality, not cutting corners.
The flower is dense and sticky, with trichomes so thick they look like frost. Crack open a jar, and the aroma smacks you in the face. The smoke is smooth, flavorful, and potent.
Staying true to its focus on quality,
Mi Loud packages its flower in black glass jars to preserve freshness and flavor. The packaging also includes the strain’s terpene profile, its lineage, and the common effects.
I’ve tried flower from more than 75 cultivators across Michigan, and Mi Loud is easily my favorite.
The family-run brand also recently began producing its own live rosin, an increasingly popular solventless concentrate known for its purity and rich flavors. And remarkably it’s already as impressive as other top-shelf concentrates in Michigan. Their rosin is consistently creamy, flavorful, and clean.
“Everything on our menu right now is medical grade,” Dennis, manager of Mi Loud, tells me. “That’s very important to us.”
Dennis asked that we not disclose his name to protect his family’s privacy.
Growing for quality
Unlike many cultivators that sell high-
yield, easy-to-grow flower, Mi Loud focuses on strains that are high-quality, even if they’re harder to grow and don’t produce as much.
Whether it’s an earthy, citrus-forward sativa or a funky, gassy indica, Mi Loud’s cannabis tastes like it should and delivers hard-hitting effects.
Its cannabis is for people who care about good weed, not those looking for the ubiquitous cheap eighths that lack flavor, potency, and a pleasant finish.
The story of Mi Loud is rooted in family, persistence, and entrepreneurship. Soon after medical marijuana sales began in Michigan in 2018, Mi Loud became the third licensed cultivator in the state. The license is held by Dennis’s brother, Rob. Their father helped them build the cultivation facility.
Entrepreneurship runs deep in the family. Both brothers studied architecture and later shifted to hands-on business ventures. Dennis sold truck
mounts, made soap in his basement, and eventually launched a successful concrete business with four trucks.
Their grandfather also carved his own path, starting a janitorial business.
Dialing in genetics
Mi Loud grew out of that commitment and quickly became a premier cannabis brand. Together with Mota Rebel Genetics, a seedbank known for its unique, exclusive strains, Mi Loud built its reputation on growing consistently high-quality flower.
“Our genetics catered to us and our growing style,” Dennis says. “We run the flower full-term, hang it for two weeks, and properly cure it. We’re not pushing it out.”
Many cultivators rush their flower out the door. The longer it’s not on the dispensary shelves, the less money they make. They often rely on genetics that produce quick-turnaround, low-maintenance flower. It’s often not cured and
Mi Loud built its name on slow-cured flower, strong genetics, and a refusal to cut corners.
STEVE NEAVLING
lacks potency and flavor.
At Mi Loud, the entire process — from selecting genetics to slow-curing the flower — is handled with patience and precision. It’s treated like a craft, not a race.
“We have to produce high-quality weed every time,” Dennis says. “If we don’t, we’ll lose our brand. It’s extremely hard to do.”
To stay afloat at a time when the market is saturated with budget weed, Mi Loud has to charge more for its flower than most cultivators. An eighth of an ounce, for example, ranges from $25 to $50.
But in a market that has driven prices so low that much of the weed is indecipherably bland, Mi Loud is worth every penny. After all, no one expects top-shelf whiskey or a fine bottle of wine to cost the same as a cheap handle. The same goes for good weed.
Earlier this year, Mi Loud began pressing its own live rosin, and somehow the initial batches are already top tier. Most new producers need time to dial in the process. Not Mi Loud.
“We used our garage at the facility and put in a commercial refrigerator, and we’re hand-mixing all of the rosin, and it’s all in-house,” Dennis says. “The guy we brought in has been mixing hash for 20 years now. He’s very in tune with our genetics.”
The rosin is remarkably consistent, with robust flavors and a lush, terpene-rich texture. The rosin comes in one-gram jars and half-gram vapes.
Reviewing the strains
I’ve tried 15 or so Mi Loud flower and rosin strains, and they’re so consistently good it’s hard to pick a favorite. But what first drew me to Mi Loud was their line of funky, nose-curling strains, like GMO, Garlic Cocktail, Party Foul, and Jar Jar Stinks #21, a hilarious nod to the bumbling Star Wars character Jar Jar Binks.
Each of these indica-dominant flower strains are hard-hitting and long-lasting. Like a smooth glass of whiskey, they’re perfect for unwinding and letting go of stress.
Jar Jar Stinks #21 is also available in rosin.
Over the past six months, no strain in the recreational market has been in my rotation more than Mi Loud’s OGKB2.1, a cross of OGKB and Dosido. It’s my goto for unwinding and getting centered. About an hour before bed, my wife and I share a joint, and it helps us unplug and ease into sleep. It’s available in flower and rosin.
Zultar is Mi Loud’s hard-hitting strain that combines OGKB2.1 and Jar Jar Stinks #21. Together they create
one of the strongest strains I’ve had in the legal market. It’s a pungent mix of garlic, spice, and diesel.
Zultar is available in both flower and rosin.
Mi Loud also has a lineup of fuelsoaked funk, like Faders Fuel, Chem n’ M’s, and Loud Diesel. These also hit hard and are more evenly balanced hybrids. They have a classic diesel profile — sharp, gassy, and bold — with just enough earth and funk to round it out.
If you like fruity flavors, Mi Loud also has you covered with strains like PieRene, Melonade, and Guava Juice. Each has very different effects and flavor profiles. PieRene, a delicious combination of Irene and Grape Pie, is a well-balanced hybrid that tastes as good as it smells. Melonade, a cross of Watermelon Zkittlez and Lemon Tree, is one of my favorite sativa-leaning strains. It’s clear-headed, uplifting, and energetic. For stress-relief, one of my favorites is Guava Juice, a cross between Guava IX and Guava IX x Chem D/ StarDawg. Like its name suggests, this strain has a juicy, tropical profile with a smooth, guava-like finish.
Kush Mints is a strong, relaxing strain with a cool, minty flavor. A cross of Bubba Kush and Animal Mints, it hits smooth and delivers a mellow, fullbody high. This is one of my favorites when I’m done working or just want to call it a day.
One of Mi Loud’s newest strains, Sunset Animal, boasts a sweet, creamy blend of tropical fruit, with subtle nutty notes and a hint of floral spice. A cross between Sunset Sherbet and Animal Cookies, the strain hits hard. I could only find it in a disposable vape, and it was worth it. It’s one of the besttasting disposable vapes I’ve ever tried.
Mi Loud is working on new strains, including Speaker Knockerz, 21 Stars, Rainbow Guava, and Kyber Crystal. They also recently dropped Neon Drip and will soon unveil Blue Zushi, a cross between Kush Mints and the Original Z, and White Fire x Tahoe Alien.
Mi Loud is available in about 45 dispensaries. Local ones include the Refinery in Detroit, Green Genie in Detroit, Supergood in Detroit, Liberty Cannabis in Detroit and Madison Heights, and Wayne ReLeaf in Wayne.
In addition to carrying Mi Loud rosin, the Refinery and Supergood offer deli flower, and the prices are hard to beat.
In an industry that often favors speed over quality, Mi Loud has built something rare. And in today’s oversaturated market, it’s worth holding onto.
If you want us to sample your cannabis products, send us an email at steve@ metrotimes.com.
CULTURE
Savage Love Quickies
By Dan Savage
: Q What advice do you have for young people who want to have an open conversation with their partners about changing aspects of their sex life to make it more pleasurable without hurt feelings or awkwardness?
A: What’s more likely to lead to hurt feelings in the long run: A few awkward conversations now that hopefully will lead to better conversations (and sex) in the future? Or… avoiding the awkwardness now and eventually reaching a point where the sex isn’t that great so you have it less-andless until one of you cheats or leaves. Your choice.
: Q Dealing with cultural differences: My boyfriend is Italian and weirdly superstitious; at times, it’s anti-science. Not sure what to do here.
A: Keep your mouth shut, your legs open, and get that EU passport.
: Q Do you like tighty-whities?
A: What’s not to like?
: Q We’re two late-blooming bi people in a monogamous relationship. We have small children. Tips for exploring being bi?
A: Next time grandma babysits…say you’re going to the movies but go to a sex club, or a swingers party, or a mixed queer space, etc. Check it out. Meet some people. Maybe fuck. (Pro tip: whoever isn’t driving should read the synopsis of the film you “saw” out loud in the car on your way home. You wanna be prepared to answer grandma’s questions.)
: Q Will semen damage your tooth enamel if you swallow and then sleep without brushing again?
A: Have you seen my teeth?
: Q Is it pee?
A: Who cares?
: Q My boyfriend and I have just started messing around with chastity. I have been interested in it for a while and got a cock cage, and he put it on for him yesterday. It really turns me on letting him have this much control and I wanna keep going. Any advice as we start this out? Getting kinky with him is so much fun, and I want to get as much out of it as we can!
A: “They should check out Reddit’s r/ chastitytraining for online help, community, and resources,” said Dark-Blue and DB-Vice in a joint statement. Dark-Blue is a dominant hot wife and DB-Vice is her locked (and cucked) husband. “For detailed sizing guides and high-quality cages, look at KINK3D. Our own advice: put your health
first — watch out for swelling, discoloration, or excessive pain at night. Always remember: chastity play is more mental than physical, and that cage is a means to an end. The end being a constant reminder in your pants of your keyholder’s control and your submission.”
Follow Dark-Blue and DB-Vice on Twitter @DarkBlueGoddess.
: Q My husband, a trans man, died unexpectedly. How do I respectfully dispose of his dicks?
A: First, I’m so sorry for your loss. If I were in your shoes, it would break my heart to rehome or otherwise dispose of my husband’s dicks. I would put them in a box, tuck them away on a high shelf someplace, and let my heirs worry about what to do with them when my time comes. Again, so sorry for your loss.
: Q 9. I can’t make plans the way I did when I was single because of my partner’s anxiety. What do I do?
A: Partnered people can’t make plans the way single people can — you have to take your partner into consideration, you have to check in with your partner, you can’t decide at the last minute to fly to Europe or disappear into a sex dungeon. But while you need to be considerate of your partner and their anxiety, you can’t let their anxiety control you — and you should be wary of a partner who leverages their anxiety to isolate you. Basically, if you’re never allowed to do anything on your own, or see anyone on your own, or make plans on your own because it makes your partner anxious… that’s not a partnership, it’s a hostage situation.
: Q I hate it when my sub bites me as I’m fucking him but he’s SO into it. I want him to be happy! Do I tell him?
A: If he’s your sub… you should be able to order him to knock it off. If you still wanna let him bite you once in a while because it makes him happy, folding his love for biting into your existing D/s dynamic shouldn’t be that hard. Identify something he hates but is willing to endure to please you — kind of like you’ve been willing to endure his biting — and punish him with that thing (flogging? tit clamps? piss?) as his punishment whenever he bites you. But make sure it’s not something he loves to endure, as that would incentivize the biting.
: Q Most overrated public sex location?
A: CPAC.
: Q Mid 40s bi/pan woman here who is afraid to fuck women because I do not know what to do. Advice?
A: Put that in your personal ad — no experience with other women — and you won’t hear from women who aren’t interested in fucking women who don’t already know their way around a vulva. The women you do hear from will either be open to showing you around or actively turned on by the thought of being your first/breaking you in.
: Q How do I convince my fuck bud that I’m serious that I’m not afraid of/turned off by anal accidents!
A: It’s nice that you don’t want your fuck buddy to think you’re turned off when shit happens —literally — but you don’t want your fuck buddy to think you’re turned on when shit happens either. So, immediately suggest a shower break, give him a minute to breathe (or something to eat if he’s been starving himself all day), then finish on him not in him.
: Q Monogamously nosy: What’s your take on those “no fooling around with friends” clauses?
A: Open couples get to make up their own rules — just like closed ones do and lots of open couples rule out friends. But unless a couple also has a “one-and-done” rule, i.e. a rule against repeats, it’s unfair to a regular third to rule out treating a regular third with kindness and decency. Not offering benefits to friends is understandable — denying friendship to someone who’s regularly offering you benefits is petty.
: Q Open m/m couple. I lose interest in my partner — temporarily — after he’s had a hookup because I don’t want to compete. Am I the asshole?
A: Depends. If you’re withholding sex to punish your partner for having sex with someone else — something you’re both allowed to do — and the point of punishing him is to make him hesitate to have sex with other people, then you’re the asshole. If you’re just insecure about direct-andimmediate comparisons and/or the whole “reclaiming” thing isn’t a turn-on for you and you’ve let your partner know (more than once) that this is a “you” problem and not a “him” problem, then you’re not the asshole.
: Q Hubs loves having his balls kicked/ smashed. Safe healthy ball play limits?
A: You’re going to want to take tiny, baby-steps — or tiny, baby-kicks — to figure out where your husband’s limits are. If he’s like most guys who enjoy having their balls busted, you’ll wind up kicking him harder than you think you should but not as hard as you can. But please note: ball busting is risky.
: Q Two months ago, I started noticing something that looked like clumps of slightly yellowish jelly in my cum. What’s wrong?
A: Probably nothing. Jelly-like clumps can appear in your semen if it’s been a while since your last orgasm — but those clumps can be a symptom of a prostate problem or an STI. If you’re not experiencing other symptoms, it’ll probably go away on its own. If clumps persist, get an STI screening and have your prostate checked.
: Q Why do I want to be submissive in bed but dominant in real life?
A: Our sexual fantasies often involve transgression — not just against social conventions and/or expectations, but against the person we pretend to be and/or want to be and/or actually are.
: Q Met a hot girl with a bi boyfriend, also hot. She said I could fuck her so long as her boyfriend could suck my cock before or after. I didn’t think I would get hard — I’ve never been attracted to men — but I was rock hard the whole time. Almost came. Does this make me gay or bi or pan or something?
A: No.
P.S. Google “situational homosexuality.”
: Q Who is your favorite for president in 2028?
A: Mark Cuban/Jen Shah.
: Q I can’t take thick dick — been bottoming for years and just can’t. How do I say this nicely on the apps?
A: Since guys rarely face rejection for having thick cocks (or six packs or great hair), stumbling over some stranger on the apps whose profile bluntly expresses a preference for smaller dicks (or rounder bellies or balding heads) is unlikely to cause offense. Non-existent wounds can’t be reopened.
: Q My partner is badly injured; recovery may take a while. How can we stay close?
A: I’m so sorry you’re going through this best wishes to your partner for a speedy recovery. I’m sure it’s not the same as what your partner is going through, but I recently had rotator cuff surgery and the recovery from that is long and painful. My husband’s willingness to sit with me, read, or watch TV helped us stay close. My heart goes out to you.
: Q New to the big city. Single, solo. Pride parties seem cliquey. Tips for loosening up/ meeting people?
A: What looks like cliques from the outside are usually just established friendship groups on the inside. So, instead of looking at guys chatting with their friends and feeling excluded, look for the guys who — like you — are out at the bars or clubs alone. If you approach enough of them just to make conversation, you’ll have a friendship group of your own soon.
: Q I am attracted to a man who is a bartender at a bar I frequent. I would like to begin a relationship with him, but I feel I’ve neglected him by being rude and dismissive each time he tries to talk to me. Please let me know how I can apologize to him for acting this way.
“Sorry about being an asshole — would you like some head?”
: Q Fifteen years ago, I sucked a guy’s dick and failed to mention that I was HIV+ until after I blew him. The guy ended up pulling a gun on me. He said if I ever told anyone he’d report me to the police. Should I be worried?
A: There are still mandatory HIV-disclosure laws on the books that were passed at the height of AIDS hysteria in the 1980s. These laws are counterproductive, as they can discourage people from knowing their HIV status (you don’t have to disclose what you don’t know), but most HIV-disclosure laws have statutes of limitations, usually under three years. So, even if this guy is out there and somehow managed to find out you confided in someone about this experience, the police aren’t going to come looking for you — and the crime he committed (threatening you with a deadly weapon) is worse and has a longer statute of limitations!
Read the full column online at savage.love. Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love!
CULTURE
Free Will Astrology
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES: March 21 – April 19
In the days before lighthouses, some coastal communities used “fire beacons”—elevated structures where people tended open flames to guide sailors. In the coming weeks, Aries, I invite you to be like both the keeper and the flame. People will be drawn to your brightness, warmth, and persistence as they navigate through their haze and fog. And surprise! You may find your own way more clearly as you tend to others’ wayfinding. Don’t underestimate the value of your steady, luminous signal. For some travelers, your presence could be the difference between drifting and docking. So burn with purpose, please. Keep your gleam strong and visible.
TAURUS: April 20 – May 20
The ancestors of my American friend Arisa lived in Ukraine, Indonesia, the Choctaw nation, and the Great Lakes region. Her new husband Anselme is of Japanese, Italian, and French descent. Their wedding was a celebration of multi-cultural influences. Guests
delivered toasts in five languages. Their marriage vows borrowed texts from three religious traditions. The music included a gamelan ensemble, a band that played Ukrainian folk music, and a DJ spinning Choctaw and Navajo prayers set to Indian ragas. I bring this to your attention in the hope you will seek comparable crossfertilization in the coming weeks. It’s an excellent time to weave richly diverse textures into your life.
GEMINI: May 21 – June 20
I predict a future when women will hold half of the leadership roles, when their income and time devoted to childcare will match men’s, when women’s orgasms are as common as men’s, and when most guys know that misogyny is perilous to their health. Until the bloom of that wonderful era, I invite Geminis of all genders to invoke your tender ingenuity as you strengthen female opportunities and power. In my view, this work is always crucial to your maximum spiritual and psychological health—but even more so than usual in the coming weeks. Boost the feminine in every way you can imagine.
CANCER: June 21 – July 22
In Yoruba cosmology, ase is the sacred life force that animates the universe. It’s divine energy that can be harnessed by humans to make things happen, to speak and act with ardent intention so that words and deeds shape reality. I am pleased to report that you Cancerians are extra aligned with ase these days. Your words are not casual. Your actions are not mild or minor. You have the power to speak what you mean so robustly that it has an enhanced possibility to come into being. What you command with love and clarity will carry enduring potency.
LEO: July 23 – August 22
to build intricate, symmetrical masterpieces. Once their beautiful work is done, however, it typically doesn’t last long. The creators sweep it away either immediately or soon. The sand may be disposed of, perhaps poured into a river or stream. What’s the purpose of this strange practice? Most importantly, it displays a reverence for the impermanence of all things—an appreciation for beauty but not an attachment to it. I recommend you consider taking a cue from the sand mandalas in the coming weeks. Is there anything you love that you should let go of? A creation you can allow to transform into a new shape? An act of sacred relinquishing?
LIBRA: Sept. 23 – Oct. 22
Glassblowers shape molten sand with breath and fire, knowing the material can only be formed while it’s hot and glowing. If they wait too long, the stuff stiffens, turns brittle, and resists change. But if they push too soon, it collapses into a misshapen blob. In this spirit, Libra, I urge you to recognize which parts of your life are now just the right temperature to be reshaped. Your timing must be impeccable. Where and when will you direct the flame of your willpower? Don’t wait until the opportunity cools. Art and magic will happen with just the right amount of heat applied at just the right moment.
SCORPIO: Oct. 23 – Nov. 21:
belief that healing doesn’t necessarily come from afar. It may already be here, hidden among the familiar, waiting to be acknowledged or discovered. Dear Sagittarius, your natural instinct is to look outward and afar for answers and help. But in the coming weeks, you should look close to home. What unnoticed or underestimated thing might be a cure or inspiration you’ve been overlooking? How can you find new uses for what you already have?
CAPRICORN: Dec. 22 – Jan. 19
I invite you to celebrate the holiday known as Be Your Own Best Helper. How should you observe this potentially pivotal transformation in your relationship with yourself? Divest yourself of yearnings to have someone clean up after you and service your baseline necessities. Renounce any wishes you harbor for some special person to telepathically guess and attend to your every need. Vow that from now on, you will be an expert at taking excellent care of yourself. Do you dare to imagine what it might feel like to be your own best helper?
AQUARIUS: Jan. 20 – Feb. 18
In the ancient practice of astronomy, the stars were considered “incorruptible.” Unlike the planets, their movements were unchanging, their lights stationary, their destinies steady and stable. We human beings are the opposite of all those descriptors, of course. There’s no use in hoping otherwise, because constancy just isn’t an option for us. The good news, Aquarius, is that you are now poised to thrive on these truths. The inevitability of change can and should be a treasured gift for you. You’re being offered chances to revise plans that do indeed need to be revised. You are being invited to let go of roles that don’t serve you. But what initially feels like a loss or sacrifice may actually be permission. Evolution is a tremendous privilege!
These are the best days of summer: beach, ballgames, sun and whatever you got planned. Enjoy… Also, a hardy thank you to all that stopped by to say hi during our anniversary week.
In medieval bestiaries, unicorns were said to be fierce, wild creatures. They were very real but also hidden. Only people with pure hearts could see or commune with them. I suspect you now have the chance to glide into a potent “pure heart” phase, Leo. My fervent hope is that you will take this opportunity to cleanse yourself of irrelevancies and rededicate yourself to your deepest yearnings and most authentic self-expressions. If you do, you just may encounter the equivalent of a unicorn.
VIRGO: August 23 – Sept. 22
Some Buddhist monks create mandalas on floors from colored sand. They work meticulously for days or weeks
“I have often been racked by obsessive urges that plague me until I act them out.” So says my Scorpio friend Fatima, a conceptual artist. “Fortunately,” she continues, “I have finally retrained myself to focus on creative obsessions that fuel my art rather than on anxious, trivial obsessions that disorder my life. I’d be an offensive maniac if I couldn’t use my work as an outlet for my vehement fantasy life.” I recommend Fatima’s strategy to Scorpios most of the time, but especially so in the coming days. Your imagination is even more cornucopian than usual. To harness its beautiful but unruly power, you must channel it into noble goals.
SAGITTARIUS: Nov. 22 – Dec. 21
The Igbo people of Nigeria have a term: ogwugwu na-adị n’ulo. It means “the medicine is in the house.” It’s the
PISCES: Feb.19 – March 20
The axolotl is an amphibian that never outgrows its larval form. Unlike most creatures, it retains its youthful traits into adulthood. Amazingly, it can regenerate it limbs, its spinal cord, and parts of its brain. Let’s make the axolotl your inspirational animal, Pisces. What part of your “youth” is worth keeping—not as immaturity, but as righteous design? Where are you being asked not to evolve past a stage, but to deepen within it? And what might be regenerated in you that seemed to have been lost? Your magic will come from being like an axolotl. Be strange. Be playful. Be ageless and original and irrepressible.
Homework: Can you figure out a way to have more fun while you do your work? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com
JAMES NOELLERT
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