Metro Times 03/04/2026 by Big Lou Holdings

Feedback NEWS & VIEWS

Readers react to last issue’s cover story by contributor Kahn Santori Davison about Same Page Entertainment, a new media company by NBA player Jalen Rose and Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores, and its new TV series South West High

Appreciate the Love!!! —@jalenvseverybody, Instagram

ITS GONNA BE CRAZY GOOD �� 꿘❤ —@zsazsachubbard, Instagram

As a Southwestern alumni THIS IS AMAZING!!! Jalen was a year ahead of me. His rise to fame has been a joy to watch. �� —@mmk2k, Instagram

Let’s go!!! ❤❤❤�� —@berrywhitejesus, Instagram

Mr. Rose is a Legendary Leader!! �� —@jrladetroit, Instagram

For the city, always �� —@samepageent, Instagram

Detroit excellence. Period. ��✨

Huge congratulations to @jalenvseverybody Academy—this is exactly the kind of education + empowerment our city deserves! �� —@nikkit.md, Instagram

Detroit excellence. Period. ��✨ Huge congratulations to @jalenvseverybody Academy—this is exactly the kind of education + empowerment our city deserves! �� —@nikkit.md, Instagram

To be front cover is big �� I’m extremely grateful and blessed 闘✨ but who knew it was this hard to find newspapers !! SOUTHWEST SOUTH SOUTH WESTTTT !! —@diamond__2xx, Instagram

NEWS & VIEWS

The Pistons are making a run for it

Early in the season the Detroit Pistons were already widely considered the “best story in basketball.” With less than two months left before the playoffs, they now have the best record in the Eastern Conference to go with it.

And it often doesn’t even feel close. The Pistons have now pummeled the New York Knicks in all three of their scheduled games this season by an average of 28 points, utterly dominating the team that eliminated them last year and offering a potential preview of this year’s conference finals and the belt they hope to deliver when they get there.

It’s worth remembering, and impossible to forget, that just two years ago Detroit was in the middle of this season’s evil twin. In February 2024, the Pistons were well into a historically bad year, clinching the worst single-season losing streak in NBA history and finishing with a 14-68 record. Fans were chanting “sell the team” in the middle of games and cursing this as the “Sad Boy” Pistons era. The wreckage waiting at the merciful end of that season looked like it might go on forever.

Instead, the opposite has happened. This year’s Pistons have only lost two games in a row twice, largely thanks to immaculate team chemistry and a defense that never takes nights off, where they rank first in blocks and steals. And now, serious comparisons are being made to the original Bad Boys and Goin’ to Work Pistons on account of the team’s physicality and, as they’ve shown, their willingness to take that physicality as far as anyone wants to go.

“I love an underdog story,” Sierra Burden, a hometown fan who’s been closely watching this season, tells Metro Times. “The Pistons had to claw their way to the top.”

The story of how that happened has several origins: Shrewd management and a new head coach everyone believes in. A couple of superstars-in-waiting coming to life. Some veterans who can still get buckets, and a cast of energetic, fearless young players.

With the playoffs now in sight, the Pistons are not only the “best story in basketball,” they are exactly who they appear to be: a serious title contender.

As point guard Cade Cunningham has put it, “We trying to get to the finals and win the finals.”

From zero to hero

Perhaps what made that ’24 season feel uniquely cursed is knowing that it could have gone differently.

The Pistons had just signed recent Coach of the Year Monty Williams to a record-breaking six-year, $78.5 million contract. Cunningham, the 2021 No. 1 draft pick, was finally ready to play consistent basketball after being sidelined by injuries, and costars like Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey, and Isaiah Stewart formed a core of raw talent around the team’s rising star.

“You might not believe me but I always knew we were good,” Duren told veteran

sports journalist Zach Lowe on his podcast.

“The core guys that we had… I was like, we got something here. It’s just a matter of putting it together.”

This is, in fact, believable because it is exactly what many fans were saying at the time. The Pistons may not have been playoff-ready, but they weren’t that bad. After all, opponents weren’t totally dismantling them. They were losing close, competitive games where they unraveled right at the end.

The next season would be different. To start the 2024-2025 run, Trajan Langdon was hired as the president of basketball operations. Instead of taking a big swing at reinvention, he made the wise decision to stick with the young core drafted by Troy Weaver, while adding badly needed shooting

and veteran experience. Then J.B. Bickerstaff replaced Williams, building a sense of camaraderie and purpose unrivaled in the league.

With badly needed new lifeblood, the organization built on principles any longtime Pistons fan would recognize: Ferocious defense, selfless team ball, and calm under fire with the clock running out.

“When you come into a new team, you wanna study the history of the team,” Bickerstaff said in a December interview. “What the fan base, you know, has embraced and what the fan base loved about their team. And when you come to Detroit, it’s obvious.”

And it paid off. The team went 44-38 and finished 6th in the Eastern Conference, making it to the playoffs for the first time in six years before getting knocked out by the

New York Knicks in a six-game dog fight. When they returned at the start of this season, everyone knew they’d be good. But few predicted they’d be staring up at the mountaintop and saying “we can get there.”

“Dawg Pound”

It would be too difficult, and inaccurate, to attribute the team’s success to any one thing. But if you listen to the players and coaches, they all point to the team’s camaraderie as the river that everything else sets sail on.

Following a 10th straight win earlier in the season, Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart praised “how connected we are, how hungry we are, and how bad we want it. We think we can win any game, any given day we step on that court.”

Led by Cade Cunningham, the Detroit Pistons became the best story in basketball.

AP PHOTO/DUANE BURLESON

Before a Philadelphia game last November, Bickerstaff singled out team chemistry as “the foundation of everything that we do. How we treat one another, how we care about one another, how we root for one another is a genuine thing with our guys.”

The engine for that chemistry, Bickerstaff explained in a Ringer feature, is the team’s leader and MVP-candidate, Cunningham. “If you look around him, his teammates get better,” Bickerstaff says. And this is what makes Cunningham a star: “It’s not just the numbers he puts up,” Bickerstaff adds. “It’s the impact that he has on his teammates and the people that he brings along with him.”

The stats tell the story. Other than his elite control of the game’s tempo and ability to grind defenses down until an opening reveals itself, Cunningham’s greatest talent is putting his teammates in position to be heroes themselves. He ranks second in assists this season at 9.6 per game, a number that wouldn’t be possible without believing in his teammates ability to rise to any occasion.

For instance, Burden recalls the game against the Wizards back in November. Down by three with 1.9 seconds left in regulation, “Cade passed Daniss Jenkins the ball and he had to immediately make his shot to put us into overtime,” she says. At the time, Jenkins was on a two-way contract with the Pistons G League team and was eager to show what he could do. “It speaks to the trust Cade has in role players” like Jenkins, Burden adds.

Or take Cunningham and Duren, one of the NBA’s most prolific and thrilling assist duos. Their pick-and-roll is arguably the best in the league and when it’s all said and done, Duren catching a lob from Cunningham may be the defining image of this era of Pistons basketball, the kind of image immortalized on T-shirts and posters taped to children’s bedroom walls. “I feel like I threw it to the moon and he still found it,” Cunningham said of one he threw to Duren against Atlanta. “I don’t think you have that type of chemistry without being cool off the court and having a connection in real life.”

Together, they’ve climbed farther and faster than anyone predicted — both Duren’s rise as an All-Star and Cunningham’s explosion into superstardom, including two All-Star selections of his own and what’s likely to be a string of All-NBA appearances.

That chemistry is also evident on defense, where several trap doors await opposing teams. Ausar Thompson is incredible for many reasons. Near the top of that list is the fact that he may be the last person anyone in the league wants to see waiting for them on the other side of half court. And down in the paint, Stewart, Duren, and Paul Reed basically run a no-fly zone, where players risk slamming into the type of defensive wall oldheads will tell you, with tears in their eyes, reminds them of the game they fell in love with.

Chemistry, to echo Burden, is an expression of trust. Trust that Reed will fill the gaps when Stewart and Duren, the team’s key big men, get suspended for brawling in Charlotte. Trust that Duncan Robinson, one of the league’s great snipers from deep, will eventually find his rhythm. Trust that Jenkins, as Burden puts it, will “come into the game and instantly change the dynamic.” Trust that whoever has to deal with Ron Holland Jr. is in for a long night. Trust that vets like Caris LeVert and Tobias Harris will provide the experience and offensive punch that every contender needs. And they have.

They all have.

And of course there’s the chemistry that doesn’t show up on a stat line. The vibes you can’t quantify but everyone knows the value of.

“This is one of the most well-blended teams I’ve ever worked for,” Major Taylor, the Pistons’ social media director, tells Metro Times. As he sees it, his team is responsible for making “the world see this team how we see them.” And among the first things you see is that “the team camaraderie is crazy.”

Like Holland Jr. carrying a giant speaker into the hallway before every game, the players dancing and hyping each other up before facing whatever the crowd has to offer. Or in the post-game rituals. After every win, the players flood back into the hallway and toward the locker room. The team’s camera waits for them there, and like clockwork, one of the players will look into the lens and say some version of “play the song” — the song being “Pistons Won Again” by Detroit rapper Gmac Cash.

Or my favorite recent example. In an early February blowout over the Brooklyn Nets, Javonte Green and Holland Jr. use a pause in the game to dribble the ball off their heads as casually as friends at a park. It is a small moment, but an illuminating one: using a break in regular gameplay to actually play, and to do so without thinking twice about it, is a clue that the vibes are as immaculate as people say. That the players are as devoted to winning as they are to enjoying its fruits with the guys alongside them.

“We call it the ‘Dawg Pound,’” Jalen Duren said after a November win against Utah. “We’ve got all dogs on the team. We’ve got all guys that are super passionate about the game, who want to win, who want to see the next man succeed.”

Great expectations

Just two years after making the worst kind of sports history, it would be easy to cast this season as a massive success if the Pistons won a playoff series or two. And in the end, it might be. After all, Detroit hasn’t seen the second round since 2008, and there is still a feeling among observers that the team is one or two pieces away from being a real championship contender.

But ultimately, if you are a player, this runs the risk of bumping up against your knowledge of what you are capable of accomplishing with the tools you have. And when you have defied expectations so spectacularly it is not unreasonable to believe that you are capable of overcoming a couple more when we’ve seen that on any given night, your best can outmatch anyone else’s.

“I think we’re the top team in the East,” Cunningham said in a recent GQ feature.

“It’s going to be a dogfight to get to the top of it, but we right there. We got all the dogs we need.”

Based on the beatdowns they’ve given to every corner of the league, it is hard to disagree. Just like it is hard to imagine that any team, especially in the Eastern Conference, wants to see the Pistons in a seven-game playoff series.

“ What the hell are we playing for? What are we here for?” Duren replied to Lowe when asked about their aspirations for the season.

“We all got the same goal, that’s to win a championship,” he said, adding, “That’s what we’re here to do.”

Will Temujin Kensu ever be free?

This is the ninth installment in “Exploring Integrity: Reviewing Wrongful Conviction Remedies,” a series examining the impact of conviction integrity units on the American judicial system’s rate of wrongful conviction. Presented by the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism, the investigation is supported by Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Over his four decades in a Michigan prison, Temujin Kensu has been no stranger to strife with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC).

From the date of his 1987 conviction in the fatal shooting of Scott Macklem, Kensu’s name has remained one of the country’s most recognized in debates about wrongful conviction. Following a trial that saw nine witnesses say he was 400 miles from the crime scene when Macklem was murdered, Kensu’s key supporters have remained: current and former Michigan Supreme Court justices, a former FBI agent, a retired police detective, state and federal lawmakers, and multiple private investigators.

As he continues to maintain his innocence multiple petitions for a new trial or state intervention have been denied, including by the state conviction integrity unit, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Meanwhile, the push for freedom has become more urgent in recent years, due to mounting health issues, as the martial artist says he’s literally fighting for his life in the MDOC.

“They’re actually punishing me more as I’ve gotten worse, but I haven’t been accused of any misconduct related to anything medical,” he says.

Kensu’s latest MRI showed a case of degenerative joint disease so severe that his shoulders, ankles, and knees will have to be completely rebuilt, he says. But rather than helping him seek necessary medical attention, the 62-year-old inmate says, MDOC is taking away the knee braces, ankle sleeves, and special shoes he relies on.

And that’s not all.

In a recent phone interview from the Macomb Correctional Facility, Kensu said he has also seen his medications cut substantially in recent years. What used to be 23 prescriptions have been reduced to asthma medication and nasal spray. He is no longer receiving chemotherapy for severe combined immunodeficiency, nor visits to a medical specialist.

When asked for comment on Kensu’s medical status a MDOC public information officer said the department is unable to provide public information about medical care unless a prisoner has completed a “release” form.

Michigan’s conviction integrity unit rejected Kensu’s appeal for exoneration, finding that exculpatory testimony not offered at the original trial didn’t meet the standard of new evidence.

“A review of Mr. Kensu’s case was completed by the Michigan Department of Attorney General, and his counsel was so notified in May of 2022,” Attorney General press secretary Danny Wimmer said in an email. “The status of this case remains unchanged.”

Now, Kensu says, while his health continues to deteriorate without sufficient medication, he has to wait on Gov. Whitmer to act — though neither he nor his wife are convinced she will be inclined to help him.

“It’s heartbreaking, and the governor knows the truth,” says Paula Kensu. “When you’re in prison for a crime you didn’t commit, that should be something that our governor and leaders care about, and he’s a political prisoner.”

For those who are wrongfully convicted, Paula says, any shot at a public hearing comes through the clemency process and requires the incarcerated individual to “show remorse for the crime” to get parole. The governor then relies on the recommendation

made by the parole board. But that requirement doesn’t work for those who didn’t commit a crime, she says: Since Kensu maintains he wasn’t the one who killed Macklem, he can’t feel remorse for the act.

“That process right there is completely broken,” Paula says. “The conviction integrity unit should be made up of a neutral panel who looks at the actual evidence and decides whether the case has integrity.”

Paula adds that the Michigan attorney general — the top prosecutor in the state — should not have the final say in wrongful conviction matters, calling it a “conflict of interest.”

As time passes, Kensu is losing friends and supporters to death and illness, while trapped behind bars. But in prison he’s still fighting for the rights of his fellow prisoners, he says, and for himself.

He filed a new clemency, backed by Whitmer’s former law firm, Dickinson Wright, ironically, where the governor began her legal career as an associate in 1998. Years later, Whitmer returned to the firm from 2015 to 2016. Dickinson Wright attorney Ryan Shannon, who submitted the 2020 clemency petition on Kensu’s behalf, declined to comment about the governor’s response.

Kensu is exercising other avenues toward freedom, including the University of Michigan’s Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal organization that works to exonerate the wrongly convicted through various forms of post-conviction relief.

Kensu says Michigan’s parole board is notorious for not setting “lifers” — or those serving life in prison, like himself — free. He said the next step to potential release will be to trigger a social media campaign big enough that the governor can’t avoid.

“We’ve had students from around the country writing letters, college courses, high school kids. They teach about my class in Berlin University in Germany,” he says. “But none of those have been big enough to make her say, ‘I can’t ignore this anymore.’”

So, despite decades of denial for Kensu, he, his wife, and core supporters will continue to fight for what they believe is the correct outcome.

But it won’t come easy for the man whose health is worsening every day behind bars.

“The difference between prisoners and any other group of people,” Paula says, “is that nobody cares about the prisoners.”

—Mia Thurow and Sofie Hanrahan

A ‘political prisoner’

After nearly 40 years supporters across the globe remain committed to advocating for Temujin Kensu’s release.

While maintaining hope that he will eventually see freedom, some of Kensu’s staunchest defenders say they face an uphill climb to overcome Michigan politics and obstacles not related to the facts of his innocence, to help Kensu receive justice.

“There is an abundance of corruption in Michigan politics… that keeps Kensu in jail,” says Debbie O’Sullivan of Australia.

After learning about Kensu through an Australian podcast One Minute Remaining, she got so involved that she plans to relocate to the United States this year, to campaign for Kensu’s exoneration.

“I really cared deeply about this case and, over time, have come to care deeply about Temujin as well,” O’Sullivan adds via email. “This is why I am moving from Australia, so I can be better placed to support him.”

Financial restitution that’s due to exonerees, according to Michigan’s Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act, is a factor that O’Sullivan says has hindered Kensu from receiving justice. Based on the law passed in 2017, Kensu would be entitled to about $2 million if he were set free by state conviction integrity unit intervention or similar proceedings.

“They are very worried about the compensation Temujin could be awarded, so they choose to keep him in jail rather than do the right thing,” says O’Sullivan.

In fact, most of Kensu’s core support team expresses a similar belief that non-evidentiary influences are the reason he hasn’t been released in almost four decades.

Jason Flom is a founding board member of the Innocence Project and hosts a podcast, Wrongful Conviction. In August 2021 Flom received a request to investigate Kensu’s case. The following year interviewed Kensu as a guest of the podcast.

“Temujin is one of the craziest cases I have heard, because it is really, really hard to kill somebody from hundreds and hundreds of miles away,” says Flom.

Flom was disgusted by the results of the Michigan CIU’s investigation that found no cause to overturn Kensu’s conviction, despite additional support of Kensu’s alibi at the time of the crime.

“Yeah, somebody in the position of power was so hell-bent on keeping him in prison,” Flom says. “I don’t know who, but somebody that responded in a way that is absolutely bizarre.”

Khaliah Ali, daughter of boxing legend and social justice advocate Muhammad Ali, works with Flom, who is her husband, on many cases, and says Kensu’s is one of the closest to her heart. She met with Kensu at Macomb Correctional Facility about three years ago and describes him as kind and considerate, despite the mistreatment he’s endured in prison.

“The realities of people like Temujin, in prison, are hard when they come and they raid his cell and they throw out his cane, and they take his hearing aids,” says Ali, “just the cruelty that he’s had to endure under these inhumane conditions.”

She adds, “And still, every time we call Temujin he continues to smile, and then every conversation, he says, ‘Please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.’”

Ali says she met with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s father Richard, who recently died, and that Richard Whitmer believed in Kensu’s innocence.

David Sanders became a founding board member of an organization, Proving Innocence, after learning of Kensu’s case from journalist and private investigator Bill Proctor in 2008.

Along with years of effort to generate awareness of Kensu’s conviction, Sanders has joined direct appeals to the highest levels of Michigan government. Following the CIU’s conclusion, Sanders wrote Attorney General Dana Nessel in 2022, stating in part: “We are aghast and disgusted with the CIU and your decision not to grant justice to a wholly innocent man, Temujin Kensu (aka Fredrick Freeman). This is unconscionable and unacceptable, and a betrayal of your claim the CIU would fight for true justice for the wrongfully convicted.”

Sanders says his position about Kensu’s innocence remain unchanged.

“I think he’s a political prisoner,” Sanders says, adding. “He was really convicted of a murder that he could not have done.”

In concluding his letter to Nessel, Sanders quoted an investigative journalist from NBC: “The question is not Temujin’s actual innocence. That’s obvious. The question is why is he still in prison?”

—Reyna Galvez

Temujin Kensu.

COURTESY PHOTO

Metro Detroit

St. Patrick’s Day party guide

Did we miss anything? Email us at tips@detroitmetrotimes.com and we’ll add your event online.

Friday, March 13

The Get Lucky Crawl

Kicking festivities off early is this bar crawl with stops around downtown, including Easy Peasy, Vollmer’s Bar, Love & Tequila, and a final stop at Mix Bricktown. Starts at 7:30 p.m.; The Vinyl Society, 1427 Randolph St., Detroit; eventbrite.com; tickets are $17.85-$44.52.

St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

Crawl with stops at The Social Brews, Easy Peasy, Vollmer’s Bar, The Annex, and Bleu Detroit.

Doors at 7:30 p.m.; The Social Brews, 211 W. Fort St., Detroit; https://www.eventbrite.com; tickets are $10-$44.52.

Saturday, March 14

Corktown Bar Crawl

Tickets include wristband with access to multiple bars, drink specials, food deals, and more.

Starts 5 p.m.; crawl begins at Corktown Tavern, 1716 Michigan Ave., Detroit; pubcrawls.com; tickets are $20-$40.

Detroit Shamrock Festival 2026

Heated tent with music from DJ Godfather, DJ Chrome, DJ Cue, Braz D, DJ Moskal, DJ Choff, DJ Keo, DJ Lesko, DJ Simba, Hartmando, and more. Starts noon; Detroit Festival Grounds, 401 Macomb St., Detroit; detroitshamrockfest.com; tickets $24.30-$78.54.

Luck of the D: St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

Starts noon; Detroit Shipping Co., 474 Peterboro St., Detroit; eventbrite.com; tickets are $16.58-$103.69.

Lucky’s St. Patrick’s Day Crawl

Tickets include drinks and shots, green and gold beads, food specials, professional photographers, custom badge, and more.

Starts at 4 p.m.; Bookie’s Bar & Grill, 2208 Cass Ave., Detroit; crawlwith.us/detroit; tickets are $18.41$24.05.

Shamrock Shindig Bar Crawl

Shuttle crawl with stops including Captain Jim’s, Rocky’s Roadhouse, RiverBillie’s, Sunseekers Boating Club, Redskin’s Saloon, VFW Post #4230, and West Jefferson Bar and Grille. Can start at any bar; eventbrite.com; tickets are $28.52.

St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl by Bar Crawl LIVE

Bar crawl in and around Greektown.

Starts 2 p.m.; Mati’s Avli Rooftop, 501 Monroe St., Detroit; eventbrite.com; tickets are $27.22.

Sunday, March 16

68th Detroit St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Corktown’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade draws some 80,000-100,000 people, making it one of the largest in the U.S.

Starts at 1 p.m.; Corktown; detroitstpatricksparade.com. No cover.

St. Paddy’s Day Block Party

Three venues for one ticket: The Annex, Love & Tequila, and Play Sports Club. Music by DJ Carter, DJ Godfather, Ocho, Nic North, DJ Chrome, Manuel Antonio, Whiz, Renz, Eddie Leww, G-Cue, K Dirty, DJ Selfie, Marathon, and more.

Starts 5 p.m.; The Annex, 24 W. Adams St., Detroit; eventbrite.com. $0-$161.90.

Tuesday, March 17

See venues for times and cover charges.

Blarney Stone Pub 27253 Woodward Ave., Berkley; blarneystonepub.com

CK Diggs 2010 W. Auburn Rd., Rochester Hills; ckdiggs.com.

Danny’s Irish Pub 22824 Woodward Ave., Ferndale.

Dick O’Dow’s 160 W. Maple Rd., Birmingham; 248-642-1135; dickodowspub.com.

Duggan’s Irish Pub 31501 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak; d uggansirishpub.com.

Gino’s Surf 37400 Jefferson Ave., Harrison Twp.; eventbrite.com.

Gus’ Snug Gus’ Snug Irish Pub, 38 S. Main St., Clawson.

Hamlin Pub

Multiple locations; hamlinpubs.com.

HopCat

Multiple locations; hopcat.com.

House of Shamrocks

23420 John R Rd., Hazel Park; houseofshamrocks.com.

Ireland’s Pub 33401 Harper Ave., Clinton Twp.; irelandspubclintontwp.com.

Irish Coffee Bar and Grill 18666 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms.

Irish Tavern Madison Heights 29028 N. Campbell Rd., Madison Heights; itmadisonheights.com.

Irish Tavern Waterford 4703 Elizabeth Lake Rd., Waterford Twp.; itwaterford.com.

John Cowley & Sons 33338 Grand River Ave., Farmington; johncowleyandsons.com.

Kay Jay’s Irish Pub 5491 Auburn Rd., Shelby Township; kayjaysirishpub.com.

Kelly’s Irish Pub 3701 S. Telegraph Rd., Dearborn; kellysirishpubdearborn.com.

Kennedy’s Irish Pub 1055 W. Huron St., Waterford Twp.; kennedysirishpub.com.

Locker Room Lounge 18290 Livernois Ave, Detroit; lockeroomlounge.com.

Malone’s Tavern 32350 Van Dyke Ave., Warren; 586-978-0055; malonestavern.com.

Mangan’s Irish Hut

49 N. Rose St., Mount Clemens; 586-468-5105; mangansirishhut.com.

McClenaghan’s Pub 52500 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Twp.; 586-739-2913.

McShane’s Irish Pub & Whiskey Bar 1460 Michigan Ave., Detroit; mcshanespub.com.

MIX Bricktown and Sandbox From 2 p.m.-2 a.m. on Monday; MIX Bricktown, 641 Beaubien St., Detroit.

Mulligan’s Pub & Grub 27406 Eight Mile Rd., Farmington Hills; 248-471-0777; facebook.com/Mulliganspubandgrub.

O’Connor’s Public House 324 S Main St., Rochester; oconnorsrochester.com.

Octopus’ Beer Garden 152 North River Rd., Mount Clemens; octopusbeergarden.com.

O’Malley’s Pub 15231 Farmington Rd., Livonia; omalleyslivonia.com.

O’Tooles

205 Fifth Ave., Royal Oak; otoolespubs.com.

Rock on Third 112 E. 3rd St., Royal Oak, rockon3rd.com.

Shamrock Pub 7715 Auburn Rd., Utica; shamrockpubutica.com.

Sheehan’s On the Green 39450 Five Mile Rd., Plymouth, sheehansonthegreen.com.

St. Patty’s Day Bar Crawl Starts 5 p.m.; 78 Social and Chandelier; 78 W. Adams Ave., Detroit; eventbrite.com. Tickets are $0-$12.51.

St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl Starts 5 p.m.; The Whisky Parlor, 608 Woodward Ave., Detroit; eventbrite.com; tickets are $12.25-$16.84.

Shamrock Social Starts at 6 p.m.; Orchid Theatre, 141 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; orchid-theatre.com. Tickets are $0-$319.50.

The Lucky Leprechaun Irish Pub 32456 Gratiot Ave., Roseville.

The Old Shillelagh 349 Monroe St., Detroit; oldshillelagh.com.

Three Blind Mice Irish Pub 101 N. Main St., Mount Clemens; threeblindmiceirishpub.com.

Trina O’Malley’s 6752 Allen Rd., Allen Park; facebook.com/timothyomalley.

Vintage House

Vintage House Banquets and Catering, 31816 Utica Rd., Fraser; vintagestpats.com.

O’CONNOR’S PUBLIC HOUSE AND GUS’ SNUG

OFFER SOME OF THE MOST AUTHENTIC IRISH EXPERIENCES IN METRO DETROIT

— ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY AND ALL YEAR LONG

BY METRO TIMES STAFF

On Tuesday, March 17, bars and pubs across metro Detroit will be decked out in shamrocks to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day — but two in particular make guests feel like they’re transported to Ireland.

O’Connor’s Public House in downtown Rochester was modeled after its namesake in Doolin, Ireland. Opened in 2005 in a building that dates to the late 1800s, the bar features woodworking based on authentic Irish pubs, and its assorted knick-knacks that were shipped to Rochester from Ireland. The building’s original brick walls and hardwood floors only add to the rustic appeal.

“I think that it’s the most important part,” says owner and operator Dimitry Goyfman, who became a co-owner of the business in 2019 after working his way up as a bartender and manager. “You could put a name on anything, right? And also, you can make things like they should look, but what we strive for is, what actually makes an Irish pub an Irish pub?”

The atmosphere is only one part of the equation. “I’ve actually traveled to Ireland many times to figure out what is that different

thing that they do there,” Goyfman says. “And it really is how people are very nice, very welcoming. It’s the hospitality. And when you walk into the pub, it may be your first time, but you feel like you’re at home.”

Goyfman says being involved with the local community is important to O’Connor’s Public House. “That’s the kind of thing that we focus on with our staff,” he says. “Our community supports us and we try to give back and support them in whichever ways that we can. In Ireland, [pubs] are really a hub … for a lot of people, that’s the place they gather, they celebrate, they have wakes, they have weddings, all this kind of stuff.” To that end, throughout March, both pubs support St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support research for children with cancer.

In 2023, the owners opened a sister pub in downtown Clawson called Gus’s Snug. Or maybe the connection is more of a spiritual one. In a sense, “Gus” was brought back from the dead.

On one of his trips to Ireland, Goyfman realized that the original namesake pub had signs referring to both “Gus O’Connor’s” and

of that Northern Ireland style and bring it to Clawson,” Goyfman says.

And as for the name, it’s not just because Gus’ Snug is cost at about half the size of O’Connor’s. In Ireland, a “snug” is a small room attached to a pub that was designed for patrons seeking discretion from the rest of the crowd.

“Back in the day, it was kind of frowned upon for women or clergy to be in a pub, where the guys get out of work and they’re drinking pints,” Goyfman explains. “But in all these little towns at that time, there weren’t too many community gathering places. There was maybe a pub, a place to buy food, and a church. So that’s why the pub is so tied into communities.”

Goyfman adds, “If you’ve ever seen Peaky Blinders, they do all their business in a snug. It became a spot where people would do business and have community meetings and things like that.”

Both pubs are known for traditional Irish dishes, including corned beef, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, and stews, along with burgers and other elevated pub fare. Oh, and plenty of Guinness — Goyfman says Gus’s snug is the No. 2 seller of Guinness by volume in the state, with O’Connor’s not far behind. Both bars also boast extensive Irish whiskey collections.

And both are also known for hosting live music three nights a week, including traditional Irish folk sessions on Sundays. “If you want to get a feel of like you walked in a pub in Ireland, this is a day to do it,” Goyfman says. O’Connor’s and Gus’ Snug go all out for St. Patrick’s Day, with celebrations starting at 7 a.m. including live music, Irish breakfast served in the morning, and Guinness gift giveaways. O’Connor’s will have a live radio broadcast with 99.5 WYCD’s Josh Holleman, Rachael Hunter, and Steve Grunwald and festivities include a 5,000-square-foot heated tent in the back expected to draw some 3,000 guests. Gus’ Snug is smaller, expected to draw some 2,000.

Both parties also host a quirky tradition dubbed “The Blessing of the Pint,” led by a pretend priest reading from a supposedly ancient scroll. “We’ve had a real priest before,” Goyfman says. “This one is not real, but he’s way better than the real priest. He’s way funnier.”

“O’Connor’s.” The original Gus O’Connor died, and the family sold the bar, so it just became “O’Connor’s.” The Michigan version decided to follow suit — but first they had to “kill” Gus.

“We had a funeral for Gus in Rochester,” Goyfman says. “We had a casket full of beer with bagpipers and a procession through town.”

When the opportunity came years later to expand with a new pub, the owners decided to name it after Gus. “I said, you know what, let’s bring Gus back,” Goyfman says. “And that way it kind of makes a connection.”

The space is the former Moose Winooski’s, which was known as Ted’s Bar before that, a business that dates back to the 1920s. Goyfman says it was perfect for the throwback vibe they were going for. “We were lucky to find that spot with Gus’ Snug,” he says

Contrasted with O’Connor’s, Gus’ is based on bars in Belfast, in northern Ireland. The city was once home to the largest shipbuilding industry in the world, and was where the RMS Titanic was constructed. The owners took in inspiration from a tour of Northern Ireland. “Our goal was to hit as many pubs as we can, and get ideas and really kind of try to get the feel

Goyfman continues, “He talks about some Irish traditions. He’ll talk about some really good regulars that everybody knows and things like that. We raise the pint with everybody and we kind of bless the day.” The Blessing of the Pint starts at O’Connor’s, then the priest is chauffeured to Gus’ in a “Popemobile.”

One thing Goyfman insists on is that the bars celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the proper date, no matter on which day of the week it falls.

“People call and ask, ‘Oh, is your party on Saturday?’” he says. “And you know what my answer is? When New Year’s Eve falls on a Tuesday, do you party on a Saturday? Absolutely not!”

He adds, “We want to take advantage of the holiday. And I know it’s great business for a lot of bars, but we always focus on the day of, no matter what day it falls on. That is the day we’re having the party.”

O’Connor’s Public House is located at 324 S Main St, Rochester; oconnorsrochester.com. Gus’ Snug is located at 38 S. Main St., Clawson; gussnug.com.

O’Connor’s Public House and Gus’ Snug celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

COURTESY PHOTO

WHAT’S GOING ON

Hamtramck Blowout

Blowout is back! The three-day music festival takes over “The World in Two Square Miles,” spread across 18 venues with over 130 local acts. Born in 1998 as a Metro Times event to highlight local music, the original Blowout launched with just 74 bands and helped introduce soon-to-be legends like the White Stripes and Eminem to wider audiences. After years of evolution and reinvention, the festival was reborn in 2024 as a fundraiser for the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival, a grassroots effort led by local musicians and volunteers who refused to let the tradition die. Headliners include Zastava, Danny Kroha, Werewolf Jones, Ryan Allen and the Full Court Press, Cult of Spaceskull, Dear Darkness, Deastro, Amino Acids, and more, but the best thing about Blowout is the joy of discovery — of stumbling on your next favorite local artist. Get a wristband and let Blowout do its thing.

Starts at 6 p.m. from Thursday, March 5-Saturday, March 7; venues in and around Hamtramck; hamtramckblowout.com. Wristbands are $20.

Audra Kubat

The celebrated Detroit singer-songwriter takes the stage for an intimate evening showcasing both new work and beloved favorites. Known for her gift for blending narrative and melody, Kubat creates music that resonates deeply, lifting spirits and cracking hearts wide open. The night will move fluidly between bare, solo performances and lush choral arrangements built alongside a cast of gifted collaborators from Detroit and across the country. The show is part of Friday Night Live!, a recurring concert series at the DIA that transforms the museum’s iconic Rivera Court into a stunning music venue.

Starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 6; Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit; dia.org. No cover with general admission, free for tri-county residents with ID.

The Handmaid’s Tale

Margaret Atwood’s dystopian masterpiece has never felt more urgent — and Detroit Opera is bringing it to life in a production that’s already generating buzz across the city since it opened Sunday. The show features soprano Niamh O’Sullivan as Offred, a handmaid fighting to survive in the totalitarian Republic of Gilead, where women have been stripped of all rights and forced into reproductive servitude. Sound far-fetched? The show contains graphic depictions of violence and gender-based oppression and is not recommended for children under 16.

Shows at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 5 and Saturday, March 7; Detroit Opera, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; detroitopera.org. Tickets start at $65.

313 Day

Detroit’s beloved area code has its own holiday. On Friday, March 13, Robert C. Valade Park transforms into a free, all-ages celebration of everything that makes the Motor City great, starting at 3:13 p.m. (naturally). Presented in partnership with Local 4 and Raise the Flag Detroit, the event packs in live music, poetry performances from a lineup of Detroit wordsmiths, interactive art, a chess tournament, live printmaking from Signal-Return, a 3.13-mile run along the riverfront, and more.

From 3:13-8 p.m. on Friday, March 13; Robert C. Valade Park; 2670 Atwater St., Detroit; detroitriverfront.org. No cover.

LISTINGS

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, March 4

Live/Concert

Cubist Agenda 8 pm-midnight; First Place Lounge, 16921 Harper Ave, Detroit; No Cover.

The Function with DJ Dez Andres 9 pm-2 am; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.

Jarhead Fertilizer, Blood Monolith 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;

The Function with DJ Dez Andres 9

pm-2 am; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.

DJ/Dance

Planet Funk 7-10 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit;

Way Back Wednesdays w. DJ Righteous 8 am-11:59 pm; New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; 5. Karaoke/Open Mic

Continuing This Week Karaoke/ Open Mic

Hump Day Karaoke & Music Trivia 8 pm-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.

Thursday, March 5

Live/Concert

Ben Sharkey Live at The Indigo Room 7-9 pm; The Norwood, 6531 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $28.52 includes fees.

Dueling Pianos: An Interactive Entertainment Experience 8 pm-midnight; AXIS Lounge, 1777 3rd St., Detroit; Ella Red 7 pm; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac;

First Thursdays w/ The Kids Under The Carpet (Phish Tribute) 9 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0. Glitterer, Graham Hunt, Prize Horse 6 pm; Edgemen, 19757 15 Mile Rd., Clinton Twp;

The Handmaid’s Tale 7:30 pm; Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; Henhouse Prowlers 7 pm; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; Micky Dolenz 7 pm; Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak;

The Dartmoors, Negative Zen, Øslo, Odd Reality 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;

THE EARLY NOVEMBER & HELLOGOODBYE: 20 Years Young 7 pm; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; The Whispers 7:30 pm; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; The Handmaid’s Tale 7:30 pm; Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; Dueling Pianos: An Interactive Entertainment Experience 8 pm-midnight; AXIS Lounge, 1777 3rd St., Detroit; DJ/Dance

Curated Cool 7-10 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit; Karaoke/Open Mic

Continuing This Week 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, March 6

Live/Concert

6th Annual Day of the Dude w/ The Beggars + Detroit Party Marching Band 6 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0. Friday Night Jam — Live Music at The Wildermere Featuring The Jerome Clark Trio 8-midnight; The Wildemere Bar & Grill, 3143 W. Mnichols, Detroit, MI; Free.

Genesis ReTouched 8-10 pm; FIM Capitol Theatre, 140 E 2nd Street, Flint; $40.20 /

Caveman Woodman is one of the many local acts performing at Hamtramck Blowout.

DOUG COOMBE

$29.90 for Genesee County residents.

Neon Nashville Nights! 8 pm; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville; Panda House, Great Planes, Hail Your Highness, Brown Maple 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;

Radio on 7-9 pm; Live, 102 S. First St., Ann Arbor.

Friday Night Jam — Live Music at The Wildermere Featuring The Jerome Clark Trio 8-midnight; The Wildemere Bar & Grill, 3143 W. Mnichols, Detroit, MI; Free.

DJ/Dance

Fiesta Friday | DJ Tony Toca & first Friday of every month, 10 pm-2 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; Open Air Fridays 4-10 pm; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; 0.

Saturday, March 7

Live/Concert

The Handmaid’s Tale 7:30 pm; Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; Detroit Rock City Mayhem 5 7 pm-midnight; Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield; $10.

Dueling Pianos / Dueling Beers 6 pm; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte; Eddie And The Getaway 7 pm; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; Evening with Chris Botti 8 pm; The Music Hall, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit; Floyd Live - America’s Pink Floyd Experience 8 pm; Emerald Theatre, 31 N. Walnut St., Mount Clemens; The Handmaid’s Tale 7:30 pm; Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; LIGHTS - COME GET YOUR GIRL TOUR 2026 7 pm; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; LL& Latin Jazz 8-9:45 pm; Ro Cham Beau, 3321 Michigan Avenue, Detroit; $30. Magic Bag Presents: MEGA 80s 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; Mosh For Mutts (Dog Food Drive + Live Music) 5:30 & 6 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; Quality Cinema Band w/ Amalgam Jam Band + DJ Shells 9 pm; Bowlero

Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0.

Saddle Up: Victory Lane 8 pm; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville;

Tatiana Eva-Marie 7-10 pm; The Blue LLama Jazz Club, 314 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; $95 or $50.

Tribute to THE CULT by SANCTUARY, Tribute to Stone Temple Pilots MEAT PLOW 8 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; DJ/Dance

Saturday Grind 11 am-3 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit;

Sunday, March 8

Live/Concert

Aries - GLASS JAW World Tour 7 pm; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; Brandon Lake - King of Hearts Tour 7 pm; Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit;

Chamber Music at the Scarab Club presents Folias Duo and Hummel Trio 3-5 pm; Scarab Club, 217 Farnsworth St., Detroit; $30 at the door, $25 in advance, $10 for students.

Duke Tumatoe & The Power Trio 8 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; Inoculation, Atomic Witch 6 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; Nic Gareiss and Brittany Haas Concert 7-9:30 pm; International Institute, 111 East Kirby, Detroit; $20.

DJ/Dance

SPKR BRNCH 11 am-3 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit; Karaoke/Open Mic

Continuing This Week Karaoke/ Open Mic

Sunday Service Karaoke Hosted by Sister DJ Larry 8 pm-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.

Monday, March 9

Live/Concert

Sky Covington’s Preservation of Jazz Monday Night Music Series, Tributes presents A Tribute to the Great Voices of Detroit, Ft. Veronique Musique at Aretha’s Jazz Cafe in the Music Hall 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, March 10

Live/Concert

Bootblacks and The Discussion 7 pm; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; Jesse Welles - Under The Powerlines 2026 7 pm; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit;

Mariah the Scientist: HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY TOUR 8 pm; Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit; Sean Blackman’s In Transit 7-10 pm; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.

DJ/Dance

Soul Tone second Tuesday of every month, 9 pm-2 am; The High Dive, 11474 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; Karaoke/Open Mic

Continuing This Week Karaoke/ Open Mic

Open Mic : Art in a Fly Space 7-10 pm; Detroit Shipping Company, 474 Peterboro St., Detroit; no cover.

VIP Tuesday Night Karaoke 9 pm-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.

Wednesday, March 11

Live/Concert

Cubist Agenda 8 pm-midnight; First Place Lounge, 16921 Harper Ave, Detroit; No Cover.

The Function with DJ Dez Andres 9 pm-2 am; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.

PECOS AND THE ROOFTOPS 7 pm; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte; Stephen Wilson Jr. - Gary The Torch Tour 7 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; DJ/Dance

Planet Funk 7-10 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit;

Way Back Wednesdays w. DJ Righteous 8 am-11:59 pm; New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; 5. Karaoke/Open Mic

Continuing This Week Karaoke/ Open Mic

Hump Day Karaoke & Music Trivia 8 pm-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.

Thursday, March 12

Live/Concert

Dueling Pianos: An Interactive Entertainment Experience 8 pm-midnight; AXIS Lounge, 1777 3rd St., Detroit; Nick Pivot Presents: ACOUSTIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST IV 8 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0.

Varials 6 pm; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; DJ/Dance

Curated Cool 7-10 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit; Karaoke/Open Mic

Continuing This Week 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, March 13

Live/Concert

Friday Night Jam — Live Music at The Wildermere Featuring The Jerome Clark Trio 8-midnight; The Wildemere Bar & Grill, 3143 W. Mnichols, Detroit, MI; Free.

ALEXSUCKS 7 pm; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; DICK WAGNER “Remember The Child” Memorial Concert performance by DEREK ST. HOLMES / JIM MCCARTY & more 6:30 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; Dick Wagner Remember the Child Memorial Concert 6:45-10 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $40-125.

ERNEST: LIVE FROM THE SOUTH TOUR 7 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit;

Friday Night Jam — Live Music at The Wildermere Featuring The Jerome Clark Trio 8-midnight; The Wildemere Bar & Grill, 3143 W. Mnichols, Detroit, MI; Free.

Pianist Pamela Wise Celebrates Women In Jazz 7-10:30 pm; The Blue

LLama Jazz Club, 314 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; $25 each.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong - 2026 Tour 6 pm; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit;

Pontiac Youth Theatre Presents

Singin’ in the Rain JR. 7 pm; Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac; Saddle Up: St. Patrick’s Party! 8 pm; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville;

The American Ride - Toby Keith Tribute 8 pm; Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren; The Angry Samoans 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; Dick Wagner Remember the Child Memorial Concert 6:45-10 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $40-125.

Pontiac Youth Theatre Presents Singin’ in the Rain JR. 2 & 7 pm; Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac; 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).

CBGB Tribute Night: Atomic Beat w/ The Whoremones + DJ Sanford March 13, 9 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0. Gimme Gimme Disco March 13, 8:3010:30 pm; Blind Pig, 208 S. First St., Ann Arbor; $25.00.

Open Air Fridays 4-10 pm; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; 0. Saturday, March 14 Live/Concert

Dick Wagner Remember the Child Memorial Concert 6:45-10 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $40-125. Pontiac Youth Theatre Presents Singin’ in the Rain JR. 7 pm; Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac; Air Supply 8-9:30 pm; FIM Capitol Theatre, 140 E 2nd Street, Flint; Tickets start at $81 / $59 for Genesee County residents.

Colter Wall 7:30 pm; Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit;

Darcy Moran, Fremont Pike, Times New Roman, Travesty 6 pm; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac;

DICK WAGNER “Remember The Child” Memorial Concert performance by LITA FORD & more 6:30 & 7:30 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland;

Dick Wagner Remember the Child Memorial Concert 6:45-10 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $40-125. Immanuel Wilkins 7-10 pm; The Blue LLama Jazz Club, 314 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; $95 or $50.

Koyo 6 pm; Edgemen, 19757 15 Mile Rd., Clinton Twp;

MAGIC BAG PRESENTS: The Class of ‘98 Band 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;

Pontiac Youth Theatre Presents Singin’ in the Rain JR. 2 & 7 pm; Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac;

Prowler - Metallica Tribute 7 pm-midnight; Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield; 10.00.

Queen Flash – The Ultimate Tribute to Queen 8 pm; Emerald Theatre, 31 N. Walnut St., Mount Clemens;

ShamRock Jazz Orchestra 8 pm; Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren;

Shamrock Jazz Orchestra 8 pm; Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren; $35-$55-$65.

St. Baddies Day! 9 pm; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville;

Steven Curtis Chapman’s - SPEECHLESS Tour ‘26 - Detroit (Canton), MI 7 pm; Connection Church, 3855 S Sheldon Rd, Canton;

The Floozies + Too Many Zooz: Too Many Flooz Tour 6:30 pm; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; DJ/Dance

HEARTBREAK BEATS 80s New Wave

Dance Party w/ DJs Zumby & Josh

March 14, 9 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0.

Power Play: A Heated Rivalry Dance Party March 14, 8 pm; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;

Saturday Grind 11 am-3 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit;

Sunday, March 15

Live/Concert

Cardi B 7:30 & 8 pm; Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit;

DON DYLAN - The Bob Dylan Experience 7 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland;

Hot Rod Circuit 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;

SEBASTIAN BACH wsg Stitched Up Heart 6:30 pm; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte;

Weeping Wound 6 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; DJ/Dance

SPKR BRNCH 11 am-3 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit; Karaoke/Open Mic

Sunday Service Karaoke Hosted by Sister DJ Larry 8 pm-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.

Monday, March 16

Live/Concert

bbno$ - The Internet Explorer Tour

WHAT’S GOING ON CONT’D

7 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit;

Chrissy Chlapecka Live 7 pm; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; Sky Covington’s Preservation of Jazz Monday Night Music Series ,Tributes presents The Prince Tribute ft. The Mutha Funka’s at The Aretha’s Jazz Cafe in the Music Hall 7:30-10 pm; Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit; $35.

The Pentagram String Band 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; DJ/Dance

Adult Skate Night 8:30-11 pm; Lexus Velodrome, 601 Mack Ave., Detroit; $5. Tuesday, March 17

Live/Concert

Sean Blackman’s In Transit 7-10 pm; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.

GREGORIAN PURE CHANTS WORLD

TOUR featuring Songs of ENIGMA 7 pm; Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac; Sean Blackman’s In Transit 7-10 pm; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.

The Queers, The Raging Nathans, Vallencourt 6 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;

Zara Larsson w/ Amelia Moore 7 pm; Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak;

Karaoke/Open Mic

Continuing This Week Karaoke/ Open Mic

Open Mic : Art in a Fly Space 7-10 pm; Detroit Shipping Company, 474 Peterboro St., Detroit; no cover.

VIP Tuesday Night Karaoke 9 pm-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.

THEATER

Performance

Detroit Repertory Theatre August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson August Wilson’s THE PIANO LESSON, directed by Janai Lashon. Berneice and her brother Boy Willie fight over the fate of the family piano; she treasures it as a precious connection to their ancestors and he sees it as the means to a more prosperous future. This fourth installment of the American Century Cycle is a haunting play about legacy. $30 advance / $35 same day Fridays, Saturdays, 8-11 pm, Sundays, 2 am-5 pm and Saturdays, 3-6 pm.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Detroit

Troy Auburn Hills The Magic Soireemagic comedy dinner show We host 2 Magic Soiree’s 5.15pm and 7.15pm The fun starts when you are shown to your table in The Atrium Bar and Grill. Close-up magic will be happening at your table. During this time dinner and drinks are available to purchase. Please order as soon as you arrive, so our fabulous magicians can

work their mind-blowing magic right before your eyes. Then, step into our intimate 50-seat theater for an evening of astonishing illusions, hilarious entertainment. Our incredible stage show is guaranteed to leave you mesmerized! $40 and VIP tickets $45 Saturdays, 5:15-10 pm.; Magic and comedy show! The fun starts when you are shown to your table in The Atrium Bar and Grill. Close-up magic will be happening at your table. During this time dinner and drinks are available to purchase. Please order as soon as you arrive, so our fabulous magicians can work their mind-blowing magic right before your eyes. Then, step into our intimate 50-seat theater for an evening of astonishing illusions, hilarious entertainment. Our incredible stage show is guaranteed to leave you mesmerized! Early Soiree arrive at 5.15pm or Late Soiree arrive at 7.15pm See all our 5star reviews $40 and VIP tickets $45 Saturday March 14, 5:15-10 & 7:15-10 pm.

FIM Whiting Auditorium Curious George: The Golden Meatball Join Curious George, the inquisitive, engaging monkey-star of books, movies, and the award-winning PBS television show in a brand-new musical – Curious George: The Golden Meatball. On All-You-Can-Eat Meatball Day, George helped his friend, Chef Pisghetti, cook some delicious meatballs and serve them to the hungry crowd. But this year, the crowd had vanished! Something was keeping people away... something pretty big. And that something was Phinneas T. Lightspeed and his speedy Meatballs-o-Matic machine. In despair, Chef Pisghetti vows to cook no more. Determined to help his friend, George enters the Chef’s meatballs in the world-famous Golden Meatball Contest. $14.60/$11.30 for Genesee County residents Saturday March 7, 2-3:15 pm.

Meadow Brook Theatre What the Constitution Means to Me Wednesday March 4, 2 & 7:30 pm, Thursday March 5, 7:30 pm, Friday March 6, 7:30 pm, Saturday March 7, 2 & 7:30 pm and Sunday March 8, 2 pm.

The Music Hall Je’Caryous Johnson Presents “Set It Off” Friday March 13, 8 pm, Saturday March 14, 3 & 8 pm and Sunday March 15, 3 pm.

Riverbank Theatre Boeing Boeing Set in the swinging 1960s, this high-speed French farce follows Bernard, a Parisian architect and self-styled lothario. Bernard has mastered a precarious balancing act, juggling three beautiful airline hostesses—Italian, German, and American—all engaged to him simultaneously. By tracking their flight schedules, he keeps his romantic life “one up, one down, and one pending.” However, his foolproof system hits turbulence when a faster Boeing jet and unexpected weather delays bring all three women to his apartment at once. With his friend Robert caught in the crossfire, Bernard’s domestic life spirals into a hilarious, high-stakes catastrophe of epic proportions. 38 Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30-10 pm and Sundays, 3-5:30 pm.

The Back Office Studio Afterall: A New Play by Cole Hunter Dzubak Starring: Drew Dyer, Jessica Lee, Patrice Linman, Meg McNamee, Sean Sabo, Drew Tallquist, Dean VanLoo, and Mitchell Walker Adam and Raine are gearing up for the next stage of their

WHAT’S GOING ON CONT’D

relationship. All plans are derailed when Adam suffers a family tragedy, causing to revert back to the only coping mechanism that worked as a kid: talking to his imaginary friends. As he navigates his inner turmoil, it’s clear that there isn’t room for everyone, and is forced to make a choice on who is really there for him; the love of his life or his imaginary friends. General $15, Student $12 Friday March 6, 8-10 pm, Saturday March 7, 8-10 pm and Sunday March 8, 2-4 pm.

The Inspired Acting Company HOME by Samm-Art Williams Home follows Cephus Miles, a young man torn from his roots by war, loss, and hardship. After losing everything he loves—his land, his love, and his freedom— Cephus fights to rebuild his life amid pain and heartbreak. This intimate, powerful drama is brought to life by just three actors—one man and two women who transform seamlessly into more than 40 characters, ranging from teenagers to adults—showcasing a world full of voices and stories that surround Cephus’s journey. Filled with lyrical poetry, music, and dance, Home is an emotional exploration of pain, resilience, and the unyielding hope for redemption and belonging. $38; $32 under 30/ over 65 Saturdays, Sundays, 2 pm and Fridays, Saturdays, 8 pm.

Tipping Point Theatre Broke-ology | A play by Nathan Louis Jackson A touching play between a father and his sons as they overcome life’s hardships with humor, strength and love. From the late, award-wining playwright Nathan Louis Jackson, BROKE-OLOGY celebrates the strength of familial ties and the enduring power of hope. The New York Theatre Guide says, “We feel the joy, take the blows and ultimately we think of our own families.” $47 Wednesdays-Sundays, 7:30-9 pm.

Musical

Detroit Opera House The Lion King (Touring) Thursday 1 & 7:30 pm, Friday March 13, 7:30 pm, Saturday March 14, 2 & 7:30 pm and Sunday March 15, 1 & 6:30 pm.

Fisher Theatre - Detroit The Outsiders (Touring) Wednesday March 4, 7:30 pm, Thursday March 5, 7:30 pm, Friday March 6, 7:30 pm, Saturday March 7, 2 pm, Sunday March 8, 1 & 6:30 pm, Tuesday 7:30 pm, Wednesday 1 & 7:30 pm, Thursday 7:30 pm, Friday March 13, 7:30 pm, Saturday March 14, 2 & 7:30 pm and Sunday March 15, 1 pm.; Saturday March 7, 7:30 pm.

Fox Theatre Sound of Music - Suite Rental Packages Thursday March 5, 7:30 pm, Friday March 6, 7:30 pm, Saturday March 7, 2 & 7:30 pm and Sunday March 8, 1 pm.; Thursday March 5, 7:30 pm, Friday March 6, 7:30 pm,

Saturday March 7, 2 & 7:30 pm and Sunday March 8, 1 pm.

COMEDY

Improv

Embassy Suites Troy The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Troy, MI North America’s largest award-winning interactive true crime murder mystery dinner show invites you into a night of laughter, mystery, and audience-driven intrigue. Enjoy a full dinner while a hilarious crime unfolds around you—but stay alert. The culprit is hiding in plain sight, and before the night is over, you could find yourself named a Prime Suspect. Now playing at Embassy Suites Troy in Troy, MI, this murder mystery dinner experience is unlike traditional dinner theater. Our professional actors are not in costume and are secretly planted among the guests, creating a modern, social, and highly interactive evening. Each ticket includes $79.39 Saturday March 14, 6:30-9:30 pm.

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

Opening

Ann Arbor Marriott at Eagle Crest Resort The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Ypsilanti, MI

North America’s largest award-winning interactive true crime murder mystery dinner show invites you into a night of laughter, mystery, and audience-driven intrigue. Enjoy a full dinner while a hilarious crime unfolds around you—but stay alert. The culprit is hiding in plain sight, and before the night is over, you could find yourself named a Prime Suspect. Now playing at Ann Arbor Marriott at Eagle Crest Resort in Ypsilanti, MI, this murder mystery dinner experience is unlike traditional dinner theater. $79.39 Saturday March 14, 6:309:30 pm.

Caesars Palace Windsor - Augustus

Ballroom Jim Gaffigan Ticket + Hotel Deals

Friday March 6, 8 pm.; Friday March 6, 8 pm.

Eastern Palace Club Ryan Brown LIVE @ Eastern Palace Club | The Smoke Show Com-

edy Show Ryan Brown is a Detroit stand-up comedian named Best Local Comedian by Detroit Metro Times (2025). He’s headlined clubs across the Midwest including Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, and the Funny Farm, and performed at Chicago’s Laugh Factory. Ryan has been featured in festivals like the Motor City Comedy Festival and Traverse City Comedy Fest. With quick wit and hilarious punchlines about dating after divorce and why teachers should be paid more, his playful curiosity makes every show unique. Nothing is off limits, and everything is FUNNY! $5 Thursday March 5, 8:30-10 pm.

Little Caesars Arena We Them One’s Comedy Tour Saturday March 14, 8 pm.

Saint Andrew’s Hall Aaron Chen Friday March 6, 7 pm.

Sound Board Marlon Wayans Sunday March 8, 7:30 pm.

The Comedy Bar Detroit Mike Cannon comes to The Comedy Bar Mike Cannon is a New York City-based comedian, podcaster, writer, and actor. He has headlined at some of the world’s most iconic venues – including a sold-out performance at Gramercy Theatre in his hometown of NYC – and worked as a contributing producer, writer and panelist for ViceTV’s Super Maximum Retro Show hosted by Chris Distefano in 2023. Mike released his latest, much anticipated special, Traumatized Animal, in September of 2024. 25 Saturday March 7, 7-8:30 pm.

The Congregation Comedy Night at The Congregation Doors are at 7 and the show starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 online beforehand and $20 at the door. Come laugh the night away with us! This show is Friday, March 6th, and features host and producer Sarah Lynn and a talented lineup of comedians that sell out shows across the country, including Jecorey Hawkins, Veronica Douglas, Mark Philipp, and Niles Nowak. Don’t miss out on all these hilarious folks coming together for one night! **This event space is not ADA accessible. $15-20 Friday March 6, 7-8:30 pm.

The Congregation Detroit Comedy at the Congregation Doors are at 7 and the show starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 online beforehand and $20 at the door. Come laugh the night away with us! This show is Friday, March 6th, and features host and producer Sarah Lynn and a talented lineup of comedians that sell out shows across the country, including Jecorey Hawkins, Veronica Douglas, Mark Philipp, and Niles Nowak. Don’t miss out on all these hilarious folks coming together for one night! Event space is not ADA accessible. 15 Friday March 6, 7:30-9 pm.

Continuing This Week Stand-up

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.

Salt + Ko “Tony Roney’s Hilarious Sunday Night Comedy, Every Sunday @ Salt + Ko Inside The Radisson Hotel 26555 Telegraph Rd Southfield, MI. Tony Roney’s Hilarious Friday & Saturday Night Comedy, Inside Starters Bar & Grill, 18426 Plymouth Rd Detroit MI. Show Time 8pm. Tickets $25.00 . This comedy show will showcase Detroit’s funniest up and coming comedians. Sponsored by Tony Roney’s Comic Vibe. For more info contact Kamilah @ 313 729 0502 or 248 906 6119. 25.00 Fridays, 8-10 pm and Saturdays, 8-10 pm.; Tony Roney’s Comic Vibe Presents “Tony Roney’s Hilarious Sunday Night Comedy, Every Sunday @ Salt + Ko Inside The Radisson Hotel 26555 Telegraph Rd Southfield, MI. Show Time 8pm. Tickets $25.00 . This comedy show will showcase Detroit’s funniest up and coming comedians. Sponsored by Tony Roney’s Comic Vibe. For more info contact Kamilah @ 313 729 0502 or 248 906 6119. #highlightseveryonefollowers, #thingstodothisweekend, #thingstodoonsaturday, #thingstodoindetroit, #THEKRACKJOKERS, #tonyroneyscomicvibe, #TKJ, #easternmarket, #easternmarketdetroit, #UnitedStatesEvents, #michiganevents, #detroitcomedy, #michiganevents, #detroitperformances, #afterchristmas, #afterchristmascomedy, #newyearcomedy, #DetroitNightLife, #openmiccomedy, #eventbrite, #eventbritetickets, #comedy2026,

WHAT’S GOING ON CONT’D

#comedyindetroit, #newyear2026, #newyearcomedy, #RadissonHotels, #kamilah, #thingstodoonsunday 25 Sundays, 12-7:30 pm.; Tony Roney’s Hilarious Sunday Night Comedy, Every Sunday @ Salt + Ko Inside The Radisson Hotel 26555 Telegraph Rd Southfield, MI. Show Time 6pm & 8pm. Tickets $25.00 . This comedy show will showcase Detroit’s funniest up and coming comedians. Sponsored by Tony Roney’s Comic Vibe. For more info contact Kamilah @ 313 729 0502 or 248 906 6119. #highlightseveryonefollowers, #thingstodothisweekend, #thingstodoonsaturday, #thingstodoindetroit, #THEKRACKJOKERS, #tonyroneyscomicvibe, #TKJ, #easternmarket, #easternmarketdetroit, #UnitedStatesEvents, #michiganevents, #detroitcomedy, #michiganevents, #detroitperformances, #afterchristmas, #afterchristmascomedy, #newyearcomedy, #DetroitNightLife, #openmiccomedy, #eventbrite, #eventbritetickets, #comedy2026, #toneyroneyshilarioussundaynightcomedy, #comedyindetroit, #newyear2026, #newyearcomedy, #RadissonHotels, #kamilah, #thingstodoonsunday, https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/1979459688213?aff=oddtdtcreator https://patch.com/michigan/ detroit/calendar/event/20260111/1e3aa07838cb-4db6-a8b3-1e977ffad43f/tony-roneys-hilarious-sunday-night-comedy https:// community.metrotimes.com/event/tonyroneys-hilarious-sunday-night-comedy-every-sunday-salt-ko-inside-the-radisson-hotel26555-telegraph-rd-southfield-mi-41008277 25.00 Sundays, 6-7:30 pm.; “Tony Roney’s Hilarious Sunday Night Comedy, Every Sunday @ Salt + Ko Inside The Radisson Hotel 26555 Telegraph Rd Southfield, MI. Show Time 6pm & 8pm. Tickets $25.00. This comedy show will showcase Detroit’s funniest up and coming comedians. Sponsored by Tony Roney’s Comic Vibe. For more info contact Kamilah @ 313 729 0502 or 248 906 6119. https://www.eventbrite. com/e/1979459688213?aff=oddtdtcreator

#highlightseveryonefollowers, #thingstodothisweekend, #thingstodoonsaturday, #thingstodoindetroit, #THEKRACKJOKERS, #tonyroneyscomicvibe, #TKJ, #easternmarket, #easternmarketdetroit, #UnitedStatesEvents, #michiganevents, #detroitcomedy, #michiganevents, #detroitperformances, #afterchristmas, #afterchristmascomedy, #newyearcomedy, #DetroitNightLife, #openmiccomedy, #eventbrite, #eventbritetickets, #comedy2026, #toneyroneyshilarioussundaynightcomedy, #comedyindetroit, #newyear2026, #newyearcomedy, #RadissonHotels, #kamilah, #thingstodoonsunday, $40.00 Sundays, 6-7:30 & 8-10 pm.

Starter’s Bar and Grill Hilarious Friday & Saturday Night Comedy – Starring Tony Roney & The Krack Jokers Tony Roney’s Hilarious Friday & Saturday Night Comedy, Inside Starters Bar & Grill, 18426 Plymouth Rd Detroit MI. Show Time 8pm. Tickets $25.00. This comedy show will showcase Detroit’s funniest up and coming comedians. Sponsored by Tony Roney’s Comic Vibe. For more info contact Kamilah @ 313 729 0502 or 248 906 6119. #highlightseveryonefollowers, #thingstodothisweekend, #thingstodoonsaturday, #thingstodoindetroit, #THEKRACKJOKERS, #tonyroneyscomicvibe, #TKJ, #easternmarket, #easternmarketdetroit, #UnitedStatesEvents, #michiganevents, #detroitcomedy, #michiganevents, #detroitperformances, #afterchristmas, #afterchristmascomedy, #newyearcomedy, #DetroitNightLife, #openmiccomedy, #eventbrite, #eventbritetickets, #comedy2026, #toneyroneyshilarioussundaynightcomedy, #comedyindetroit, #newyear2026, #newyearcomedy, #RadissonHotels, #kamilah, #thingstodoonsunday, #Starter’s Bar and Grill https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/1979459688213?aff=oddtdtcreator https://www.eventbrite. com/e/1981329840890?aff=oddtdtcreator https://patch.com/michigan/detroit/ calendar/event/20260111/1e3aa078-38cb-

Dance lessons

Continuing This Week Dance lessons

The Commons Ballroom Dance Lessons Ballroom Dance lessons in the community laundry mat 5.00 first Friday of every month, 6-7 pm.

FILM

Screening

Milford Independent Cinema Hollywood’s Big Night Step into the spotlight for Hollywood’s biggest night with an unforgettable red-carpet experience! Walk the carpet, strike a pose for photos, enjoy a full-course dinner with drinks and dessert, and watch the Academy Awards LIVE on the big screen. Plus, bid on exclusive silent auction baskets throughout the evening. <0x1F39F>️ Limited spots—don’t miss your chance to celebrate Oscar night in true cinematic style! $50 Sunday March 15, 12-10:30 pm.

4db6-a8b3-1e977ffad43f/tony-roneys-hilarious-sunday-night-comedy https://community. metrotimes.com/event/tony-roneys-hilarioussunday-night-comedy-every-sunday-salt-koinside-the-radisson-hotel-26555-telegraph-rdsouthfield-mi-41008277 25.00 Fridays, 8-10 pm and first Friday of every month, 8-10 pm.

DANCE

Dance performance Opening

FIM Whiting Auditorium Step Afrika! Step Afrika! is the world’s leading authority on the art form of stepping, which has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports. Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows – they integrate songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and energy makes each performance unique, leaving the audience with their hearts pounding. $19.60/$15.60 for Genesee County residents Friday March 13, 7-8:30 pm.

The Loving Touch All Your Friends An indie dance party for the ones who still romanticize a scratched iPod, American Spirits, and a blurry night soundtracked by bloghouse and post-punk revival. All Your Friends is at The Loving Touch on March 6, 2026, bringing the sweat, synths, and nostalgia of the early 2010’s house party. This is your basement-floor flashback to tight jeans, smudged eyeliner, and nights that felt like a house show turned afterparty. Expect a high-energy dance floor fueled by indie sleaze classics and remixes you forgot you loved, from LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture to Foals, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, $17.00 Friday March 6, 7:30-9:30 pm.

Northern Lights Lounge Detroit Psychotronic Film Society presents: Mystics in Bali Mystics in Bali (1981) - An American women travels to Indonesia to investigate a black magic ritual conjuring the vampiric Penanggalan ... and gets more than she bargained for! A bizarre slice of foreign 80’s horror. Mondo horror trailers pre-show 6:30, film at 7. FREE! Trailer: https://youtu.be/-vmhWPvDca8 FREE Sunday March 8, 6:30-9 pm.

Senate Theater Detroit Rock City: Rock ‘n’ Roll Film Screening & Party Doors – 7:00

PM Organ Overture – 7:30 PM Film – 8:00 PM - 1hr 16min | NR | Comedy/Chaos | Czechoslovakia Preshow includes a 22min Short Film – At the World Cafeteria directed by Věra Chytilová Anarchy. Hedonism. Daisies. Nihilism. Gluttony. Daisies. Provocation. Debauchery. Daisies. Out of the creative fecundity of the 1960’s Czechoslovak New Wave sprung Daisies, a satirical comedy by writer/director Věra Chytilová. It condemns a social order that avoids confronting the inequality and oppression at the heart of society. Daisies demands your attention - whether in a political statement or absurdity land - is your call. $6.00 Saturday March 7, 8-10 pm.; Doors – 6:00 PM DJ Set – 6:30 PM until 7:15 PM Organ Overture – 7:30 PM Film – 8:00 PM | 1hr 35min | R | Comedy/Musical It’s 313 Day. And for those who want to rock ‘n’ roll all night, we’re gettin you started with a killer night of rock and film at the Senate Theater! On top of a screening about teenagers on a mission to see their favorite band(Detroit Rock City), you can expect vendors, a DJ set, KISS facepainting, and trivia. Feel free to dress in full KISS/Detroit Rock City attire for our costume contest! $10 Friday March 13, 6-10:30 pm.

ART

Venue by 4M Restuarant Craft Beer + Candle-Making Workshop An afternoon designed for trying something new, getting creative, and having a really good time. Join us for a relaxed candle-making experience where handcrafted scents and craft beer come together. Sip, pour, laugh, and create your own custom candle in a warm and welcoming brewery atmosphere — no experience needed. Whether you’re coming with friends or treating yourself, this workshop is all about slowing down, creating something with your hands,

The Handmaid’s Tale at Detroit Opera.

COURTESY PHOTO

and leaving with a candle you’ll love (and a great memory). 60 Sunday March 15, 3-5 pm. Artist talk

Artistic Anatomy 1 Yr. Certificate Program Artistic Anatomy , one year certificate course, is certified by the National Artistic Anatomy Society, and begins September 4, 2025. The location is Moose Tree Studio, 3191 W Clarkston Rd., Lake Orion, MI 48362. The class takes place every Thursday, 6pm - 8:30pm. The course includes step-by-step drawing demonstrations of the human skeleton and muscle structures, plus, each student will create a 15” standing figure sculpture of the skeleton and muscles. Instructors - Eugene Clark and Diane Heath. Attend in-person each week, or, enjoy the Live-stream. Tuition is $250.00 per month. www.heathart.com Thursdays, 6-8:30 pm; Moose Tree Studio, 3191 W Clarkston Rd, Lake Orion; $250.00; 3136589181; www.heathart.com/.

Cranbrook Academy of Art Public Lecture with Julia Kunin Join Cranbrook Academy of Art at deSalle Auditorium for a free, public lecture with Julia Kunin. Julia Kunin lives in Brooklyn, NY, and works frequently in Hungary. She earned a BA from Wellesley College and an MFA from The Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. Her work explores themes of queerness, feminism, and the body. Her ceramic sculptures reference Hungarian ceramics made at the Zsolnay factory both during the Art Nouveau period and during the socialist era. Thursday March 5, 6-7:30 pm; Cranbrook Art Museum,

39221 N. Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; Free; (877) 462-7262; cranbrookartmuseum. org/events/caa-public-lecture-julia-kunin/.

Cranbrook Academy of Art Public Lecture with Rubén Ulises Rodríguez Montoya Join Cranbrook Academy of Art at deSalle Auditorium for a free, public lecture with Rubén Ulises Rodríguez Montoya. Please enter through the Cranbrook Academy of Art Library; Cranbrook Art Museum’s galleries close at 5pm. Rubén Ulises Rodríguez Montoya is an artist based in Mexico City. Montoya received his MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020. He creates sculptures that are fantastic beings centered around anthologies and social issues concerning border culture, abjection, adaptation, and mestizaje. Wednesday 6-7:30 pm; Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 N. Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; Free; (248) 645-3323; cranbrookartmuseum.org/events/caa-public-lecture-ruben-ulises-rodriguez-montoya-galleries-closed/.

Shaka Senghor: How To Be Free Penny Stamps Speaker Series. Open to the public. Free of charge. Shaka Senghor is an inspirational speaker, entrepreneur, and author of the bestselling books How To Be Free, Writing My Wrongs, and Letters to the Sons of Society. A sought-after resilience expert and recognized “Soul Igniter” in Oprah’s inaugural SuperSoul 100, Senghor captivates and transforms audiences worldwide with his extraordinary journey from incarceration to influence. Through raw authenticity and profound insight, he shares not only his story but also

WHAT’S GOING ON CONT’D

the resilience practices that fueled his own remarkable transformation. Thursday 5:30-7 pm; Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor; Free; 734-668-8480; stamps.umich. edu/events/shaka-senghor-2. Fashion Show

Detroit Shipping Company Detroit Day StreetWear Art Market & Creative Network. FRESHEST FIT CONTEST!!! Get ready to vibe with the coolest streetwear and freshest art in Detroit! This in-person event is all about connecting with the city’s most creative minds and discovering unique styles. Whether you’re into fashion, art, or just looking to link up with like-minded folks, this market is your spot. Don’t miss out on the fun, the culture, and the chance to build your own creative network in the heart of Detroit! CASH PRIZE TO THE GUEST WITH THE FRESHEST FIT. $10 TO ENTER FREE Friday March 13, 4-9 pm.

The Department at Hudson’s Detroit

The Motor City Sneaker Ball 2026 The Motor City Sneaker Ball 2026 will take place Sunday, March 15, at the Department at Hudson’s in downtown Detroit, welcoming more than 1,500 guests. Produced by Will Phelps Global in partnership with Bedrock, the event blends formal attire with high-end sneaker culture in a multi-level fashion and music experience. The evening features runway showcases, live dance performances, balcony jazz, curated dining by Forte’, local vendors, and four themed music zones celebrating Detroit’s R&B, house, disco, and nightlife legacy. “This is Detroit elegance redefined,” said Producer

Will Phelps. Media inquiries: 313-779-0832

#TheMotorCitySneakerBall $65 per person Sunday March 15, 6-11:30 pm.

Performance art

Royal Oak Woman’s Club The Peaceful Poetic Place: Featured Vocalists, Spoken Word & Creative Arts Gathering The Peaceful Poetic Place produces live band-led spoken word and creative arts gatherings designed to explore healing, identity, and belonging. Experiences center music as the foundation while spoken word and artistic expression shape reflection and connection. We feature TheP3 Band along with different combinations of artists bi-monthly. Hosted by award-winning spoken word artist Natasha Beautiful Thought who leads with a soul-stirring presence. 13-22 Saturday March 14, 5:15 pm.

The Vinyl Society Vibes & Verses Spoken Word Poetry Night What to Expect: An inspiring space for poets and artists to shine Electrifying music sets that set the perfect backdrop A lively open mic segment encouraging community participation Spotlight features from top local talent Produced by B Cyde Broadcasting Network (www.thebcyde. online), Vibes & Verses aims to foster a safe, welcoming environment where creativity flows freely and voices are amplified. Whether you’re a poetry enthusiast, a casual listener, or an aspiring artist, this night is designed for everyone eager to experience the power of spoken word. Join us every Wednesday evening at Vinyl Society and be part of Detroit’s thriving arts Free Wednesdays, 7-10 pm.

The spot with the best views of Detroit and Windsor is closing

With General Motors moving its corporate offices out of the Renaissance Center, the high-end restaurant it shared the building with is closing too.

Highlands Detroit, which has operated at the top of the skyscraper since 2019, announced it will remain open through May 2027.

“When we opened Highlands, we set out to build something that was worthy of this view — a restaurant where the food and the experience matched the magic of being 72 stories above the Detroit River,” said Shawn McClain, the restaurant’s James Beard Award-winning chef, in a statement. “Detroit welcomed us with open arms, and we’ve been honored to host thousands of celebrations, proposals, anniversaries and unforgettable evenings in this extraordinary space. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built here and grateful to GM and Bedrock for being such tremendous partners throughout this journey.”

General Motors had been headquartered in the Renaissance Building for nearly 30 years before it announced it would relocate to Bedrock’s new Hudson’s site tower. GM and Bedrock say they plan to redevelop the Renaissance Center site, one of the most iconic buildings on the city’s skyline, as part of a $1.6 billion project that would see two of the complex’s towers demolished and the creation of a public space being pitched as something similar to Chicago’s famed Navy Pier with a Ferris wheel and retail.

According to The Detroit News, the Renaissance Center’s other restaurants Andiamo Riverfront and Joe Muer Seafood plan to remain open through the end of 2026. The top floors of the Renaissance Center have held a number of different restaurant concepts over the years, including the Summit — which used to be able to rotate, offering diners 360-views of Detroit and Windsor — and later, the Coach Insignia.

More information is available at highlandsdetroit.com.

—Lee DeVito

Dutch Girl Donuts plots second location in North End

It’s a new era for a Detroit staple.

Dutch Girl Donuts, the little doughnut shop on Woodward Avenue that has delighted Detroiters since 1947, says it is expanding with a second location.

Owner Paddy Lynch has acquired 2820 East Grand Blvd. in Detroit’s North End.

Built in 1928, the building has long been home to Howrani Studios, the family photography business of Lynch’s friend Ara Howrani.

According to a press release, it was Howrani who first introduced Lynch to The Schvitz, the old Detroit sauna that Lynch purchased and renovated in 2017.

Howrani Studios will share the building with the new Dutch Girl Donuts location.

The plans for the building also call for additional space for private events and what the press release describes as “a continued mix of creative and community-focused uses.”

A funeral director of the family-owned

Lynch & Sons, Lynch acquired Dutch Girl Donuts in 2023 following the death of its longtime owner.

In recent years Lynch has purchased other longstanding Detroit businesses, including the Dakota Inn Rathskeller, an authentic German-style pub and restaurant, last year.

The second Dutch Girl Donuts location is expected to open in the spring.

Sunda New Asian readies to launch near Comerica Park

Sunda New Asian is getting ready to open its first location in Detroit.

Led by Emmy award-winning restaurateur Billy Dec, the chain features pan-Asian cuisine.

Sunda New Asian plans to open at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10 at 33 W. Columbia St., not far from Detroit’s Comerica Park and Little Caesars Arena.

The Motor City location will be the chain’s fourth overall, which includes two locations in Chicago, as well as locations in Tampa and Nashville.

The chain was founded in 2009, inspired by Dec’s travels throughout Southeast Asia. The team includes culinary director Mike

Morales of the Philippines and head sushi chef Ise Matsunobu from Tokyo.

The menu features dishes like Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, Oxtail Potstickers, Baked Crab Handrolls, 3lb Japanese Wagyu Tomahawk Steak, Miso Glazed Sea Bass, and more. It also includes alcoholic beverages like sakes, beers, and whiskeys.

“Detroit has incredible creative momentum and pride that’s impossible to not fall in love with — we’re honored to be joining the positive energy and movement,” Dec said in a statement. “We’re bringing an incredibly meaningful experience rooted in Southeast Asian culture, connection, and culinary innovation.”

He added, “For years, we’ve felt so much love from Michigan guests at our Chicago locations, that we are excited to serve them in their own hometown. We see Detroit not only as a city on the rise but as a place ready to set the tone nationally. We’re proud to grow with it, contribute to it, and be inspired by it.”

The 6,000-square-foot space features a resin flower art installation over the island bar inspired by Japanese and Michigan cherry blossoms. It can seat more than 200 guests, including a patio.

More information is available at sundanewasian.com.

—Lee DeVito

HopCat to open 12th Michigan location at Great Lakes Crossing

HopCat is expanding again in Michigan, with plans to open a new restaurant at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills early this summer.

The craft beer bar and restaurant will take over the former Bar Louie space near Entry 6 and the AMC Star Theater at 4390 Baldwin Rd., according to Project BarFly, the West Michigan-based hospitality group that operates the brand.

The 8,200-square-foot restaurant is expected to seat up to 300 guests and will include a new bar, indoor and outdoor

patio space, private dining areas, updated audiovisual equipment, and a renovated exterior.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to open our doors to our 12th Michigan location,”

Project BarFly CEO Craig Stage said. “We’re excited to bring our love for craft beer and comfort food to the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets and create a space where everyone feels welcome. We can’t wait to meet our neighbors, share great moments, and become a go-to spot in Auburn Hills.”

The Auburn Hills restaurant will mark

HopCat’s 12th location in Michigan and 13th overall. The company also operates one location in Lincoln, Nebraska.

HopCat is known for its extensive craft beer list and its Cosmik Fries, along with a menu of burgers, sandwiches, and other comfort food. The company says it prioritizes scratch-made food and partnerships with local breweries.

The restaurant plans to hire about 170 employees. Manager positions are currently posted online, and hourly positions are expected to open in March.

Great Lakes Crossing General Manager Gary Neumann said the mall is looking forward to the addition.

“They bring a fun, energetic vibe and a great reputation for craft beer and comfort food that we know our guests will love,” Neumann said. “It’s always exciting to add a new dining option that gives people another reason to visit and enjoy their time here at the center.”

An exact opening date has not yet been announced.

—Steve Neavling

A room with a view: Highlands Detroit. BUREAU DETROIT

—Lee DeVito

CULTURE

Film

A gorgeous, confounding fever dream

Wuthering Heights

Rated: R

Run-time: 136 minutes

Since the first trailer for Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” was released, I’ve been obsessed with finding out why they’re selling the film with the quotation marks around the title. Five minutes into the film, I figured out why.

This isn’t Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. This is very much Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights,” with quotations, a few exclamation points, and maybe a dollar sign. Purists who feel deep connections with the 1847 novel will probably be endlessly annoyed with this loose “adaptation” of the source material.

I have no real connection to the novel, so I can only look at the film as an outsider with a very basic knowledge of Brontë’s plot. I know Brontë took great care to accurately describe and set her story in the Yorkshire moors of Northern England. While some of the new film was shot in those very locations, Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” is set somewhere between a water-worn cover of a bodice-ripping romance novel and the liminal state between death and rebirth known

By Jared Rasic, Last Word Features

as the bardo. The sky is red and false, the moon large and painted, the sex both chaste and rough.

Cathy (a strong, but terribly miscast Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (a brooding, but terribly miscast Jacob Elordi) are two monstrous humans whose love is so toxic, dangerous, and unhealthy that it doesn’t just destroy everyone around them, but also poisons the picturesque surrounding countryside. This obsession turns the windswept estate of Wuthering Heights into a filthy and decaying hell and Thrushcross Grange from a lavish manor into a grotesque, Cronenbergian nightmare of flesh-colored longing. Are we supposed to root for Cathy and Heathcliff to get over themselves and build something healthy together? I have no idea. The way that Fennell writes these characters makes me think she despises them both and takes pleasure in putting them in a life-size dollhouse and leaving it out in the rain. Cathy is a narcissist, at best, and Heathcliff is, without question, a sociopath with some murderous tendencies, so spending 140-minutes waiting to see if they get together is tantamount to caring if the most toxic couple you know are calling it quits or not. It’s fun to watch, but don’t expect real emotional investment.

That’s the biggest problem with “Wuthering Heights” in a nutshell: it’s a stunning facade with nothing behind the expertly painted backdrops. Don’t get me wrong, Elordi and Robbie have so much chemistry that the film must be impossible to watch for their significant others, but don’t we need more than sexiness here? When Heathcliff picks up Cathy by her corset with one hand, I might have said under my breath, “More like Jacob OhLordy,” but I can’t tell if Fennell thinks her audience is rooting for their eternal love or anxiously anticipating their breakup sex.

With a transcendent original soundtrack by Charli XCX, breathtaking cinematography from Linus Sandgren, and a film-stealing performance from Alison Oliver (who also managed to steal HBO’s Task last year), “Wuthering Heights” is still a wildly entertaining bit of camp that is too hetero to become a queer cult classic and too actively unintelligent to please classic lit fans. What we’re left with is the cinematic equivalent of culinary fusion, but instead of a perfect distillation of umami like Thai barbecue, we’re left with something off-putting like spaghetti and bananas or shrimp with cottage cheese.

“Wuthering Heights” also feels achingly, obsessively horny, while stranding Robbie

and Elordi to summon sexual heat by just making out constantly and putting their fingers in each other’s mouths. I didn’t necessarily expect Elordi to hang dong, but I’m still surprised a movie so animalistic with its urges and impulses acts like French kissing is the height of romantic sex. The kinkiness and rough stuff that comes into play in the third act is winked at like a perversion that Fennell thinks is adorable, but refuses to take seriously.

After Saltburn and Promising Young Woman, Fennell proved that she could make movies that felt immediately like a product of their time and I’m not sure whether that’s a compliment or not. I’ve never gone back to rewatch either film because I feel like they already stained my brain from seeing them the first time — and “Wuthering Heights” is more of the same. You’ll get everything you need from it on the first try.

I have so many conflicting feelings about “Wuthering Heights” that it’s hard to know whether I even liked it or not. Visually dazzling, emotionally inert. Maximalist production, minimalist writing. Prurient and chaste. Decadent, but hollow. Messy and mannered. I know I was entertained, but I’m not sure it’s actually a good movie or says anything about romance, obsessive love, or the human condition.

The film is like a deceptively shallow pool. You’ll break your neck trying to dive in because the water looks refreshing and sure seems deep from far away. But maybe you’ll die with a smile.

Grade: D+

Too hetero to become a queer cult classic and too actively unintelligent to please classic lit fans.

WARNER BROS.

The Straight Dope

Michigan cannabis sales hit 3-year low amid

24% wholesales

By Steve Neavling

Michigan’s legal cannabis sales fell to their lowest level in three years in January, the first month that the state imposed a new 24% wholesale tax, prompting concerns that higher costs will further destabilize the industry and fuel the illicit market.

Recreational cannabis sales fell to $226.4 million in January, an 8.2% decline from a year earlier and the lowest monthly total since February 2023, according to newly released data from the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA).

It’s an early sign that the six-year-old legal industry could be in serious trouble after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and lawmakers approved the tax. The market has already lost hundreds of businesses and thousands of workers.

“The last industry you want to raise taxes on is one that already has a robust illicit market,” Hirsh Jain, founder of Ananda Strategy, a cannabis consulting firm in Los Angeles, and an instructor at Oaksterdam University, tells Metro Times. “It’s politically indefensible because it’s at odds with Michigan’s long-standing position on cannabis as medicine. We don’t tax medicine, especially at a moment when federal changes may be on the horizon. There

tax

really is an irony here.”

The new 24% wholesale tax took effect on Jan. 1 as part of a road-funding package approved late last year by Whitmer and the Legislature. Unlike the existing 10% retail excise tax and 6% sales tax on cannabis, which is paid by consumers at checkout, the new levy is imposed when cannabis is first sold or transferred from a licensed grower to a dispensary.

Under the law, wholesalers are responsible for paying the tax to the state. But the cost can be baked into the price they charge dispensaries, which in turn may pass some of the increase on to customers. The added layer, industry leaders warned, would raise prices in a market already struggling with oversupply and falling margins.

The Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, which represents more than 400 businesses, sued the state in the Court of Claims in October, arguing the tax is unconstitutional because it amends a voter-approved cannabis law without the required approval from three-quarters of the Legislature.

When voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2018, they solely approved a 10% excise tax to keep legal cannabis competitive with the illicit market.

State leaders have maintained the whole -

sale tax is legal and necessary to help close budget gaps and fund road repairs. Yet, neither the governor nor the Legislature has touched the 4% liquor tax since it was set in 1985. That’s no surprise to many cannabis advocates because the liquor industry has one of the most powerful lobbies and has donated heavily to Whitmer and other lawmakers.

The cannabis lobby is far less robust and influential.

Whitmer, who also tried in vain to ban nicotine vaping in 2019, has yet to impose a tax on that industry, though she is seeking one this year.

The Whitmer administration has projected the cannabis wholesale tax could generate roughly $420 million annually, but that estimate is based on a robust legal market. And as sales continue to fall, the excise tax revenue that cities and the state rely on to fund roads, education, parks, police and

firefighters will shrink.

The impact goes beyond consumer prices and tax collections. The state’s recreational cannabis industry has been one of the fastest-growing job creators in the state.

Licensed medical and adult-use cannabis businesses employ more than 41,200 workers, according to the CRA.

The $3 billion-a-year industry accounted for roughly 52% of net private-sector job creation in Michigan from 2018 through 2024, an impressive feat for a sector that represents about 1% of total private employment, according to Crain’s Detroit Business

Those jobs include retail staff, cultivation workers, lab technicians, delivery drivers, compliance officers, and security teams, and many of those positions do not require a college degree and offer stable pay.

“This is a very complicated economic phenomenon with several causes,” Jain says. “It’s unfortunate because declining sales mean

Clarity, a Hazel Park dispensary, closed its doors on Christmas Eve because of declining sales.

STEVE NEAVLING

businesses close and employees get laid off. There are going to be more businesses that close because of this. That means more people are out of work.”

More than 940 cannabis licenses have become inactive since adult-use sales began in 2019. While new operators continue to enter the market, closures are increasing as margins shrink and supply continues to outpace demand.

“If cannabis has been responsible for 52% of net private-sector job creation, that makes it one of the leading job growth engines in the state,” Jain says. “I’m astonished that that can be ignored.”

In 2025, the market posted its first annual decline since recreational sales began in December 2019. Adult-use cannabis sales totaled $3.17 billion last year, down from $3.27 billion in 2024, a 3.1% drop that followed years of robust growth.

Prices have fallen for years as supply has outpaced demand. The average retail price for an ounce of flower was $59.07 in January, down from $66.50 a year earlier and far below the $93 average in January 2024. Prices rose slightly from $58.22 in December, suggesting the wholesale tax has not yet trickled down to consumers.

That’s not surprising because most products on dispensary shelves in January were purchased before the tax went into effect.

“There was some interesting behavior in December, when a significant number of shoppers stocked up,” Jain says. “A lot of that inventory is not subject to the new tax. When February, March, and April come around and all of this inventory is subject to higher taxes, we could see a more pronounced impact on consumer behavior. People were in a rush to get products.”

Even modest price increases could push consumers out of licensed dispensaries, Jain says.

“Cannabis has a really robust and sophisticated illicit market,” Jain explains. “Michigan historically had one of the more robust legal markets because prices were relatively low. Its decision to increase taxes very predictably pushed some consumers back to the illegal market and that will continue to happen.”

Consumers moving to the illicit market don’t just hurt legal businesses and their employees. Illicit operators aren’t required to pay taxes, undergo product testing, or provide worker protections. That means fewer consumer safeguards and less revenue for communities.

The irony, Jain says, is that Michigan was once seen as a model for how to build a competitive legal market.

“I was surprised,” he said. “I thought the direct lesson from California would have persuaded decision-makers in Michigan. This decision was made after California’s economic impact was already clear.”

In the same week the Michigan House approved the wholesale tax, California rolled back a planned cannabis tax increase after high rates drove consumers to the illicit market and forced legal businesses to close.

For months, Whitmer’s administration has declined to answer Metro Times’s questions about the tax increase. On Wednesday, the administration declined to respond to questions about sales falling, what that means for the legal cannabis market and the jobs it creates, and whether the state has a plan to address the problems it created.

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3/25 Olivia and The Lovers/ Bootstrap Boys

3/28 SMILEY’s Annual Birthday Extravaganza!

4/03 TIGERS HOME OPENER! 4/03 The Needmores/Violet Daybed/ Head Full of Ghosts 4/10 Snapcat Bandits/King of Strings/ Into the Next 4/18 FOUL MOUTH (D12) 4/24 Brandon Z Smith/Vig Arcadia/

CULTURE

Savage Love Out

With It

by Dan Savage

: Q I have a complicated question. I’m a woman in my 30s who has been married for a few years to my husband. We are very much in love and have a wonderful relationship. We met when I was in college, and worked at the same place together. Eventually, we became friends. We maintained a long-distance connection after I moved away, we fell in love, and then the rest is history. But during the time that we were friends, I had a mildly physical, mostly emotional affair with our boss, who was much older than us and married at the time. The boss and I never had sex. We only made out a few times and exchanged dirty messages. This didn’t last very long. By the time my husband and I were actually dating, my affair with my boss had been over for years, so there was never any overlap between them or any infidelity on my part.

My husband knows that I had an emotional affair with an older man during that time period, but I never told him who the older man was. I didn’t tell him because I felt shame about it. I also didn’t know HOW to tell him, even though he is a really rational, emotionally intelligent man. I am still worried that telling him would hurt our relationship or that he would think less of me due to the age gap between our former boss and me. But recently, my husband has expressed an interest in reaching out to our old boss. He is proud we are married, and he wanted to let this boss know because he thinks that the boss will find our story heartwarming. I don’t think the boss would say anything about our affair to my husband, and I honestly think my husband is correct in how he thinks the boss will receive the news of us being married. I actually do think it would warm his heart.

Should I tell my husband about this affair before he reaches out? Or should I let him e-mail the boss without telling him? Is this something I should have told my husband years ago, or is it okay for me to have kept this to myself? It feels icky to let my husband reach out to our old boss and share life updates without him having this information. But I am also concerned that telling him could ruin our amazing relationship.

—Brooding Over Serious Secret

A: Tell your husband who the old man was.

In general, a spouse is not entitled to your complete sexual and romantic history. A married person, like any other kind of person, is entitled to some privacy and a zone erotic autonomy. Omitting arguably irrelevant details about your past because the detail isn’t important or makes you look bad or makes you feel bad is allowed. So, yeah: It’s okay to keep

some things to yourself. For instance, if you fucked your best friend’s boyfriend in high school and she found out and it was a whole thing and she’s not your best friend anymore and you moved away after high school (ahem), you don’t necessarily have to share that information with some guy you met and married a decade and change later.

But personally, BOSS, I wouldn’t want to be with a guy I couldn’t share that story with. I wouldn’t want to be with a guy I couldn’t laugh with about what a piece of shit I was in high school. Don’t we all want our spouses to love us for the fallible human beings we are? And don’t we all deserve spouses who are smart enough to appreciate that our pasts — including the mistakes we made — helped to shape us into the people they met and fell in love with years later?

All that said, BOSS, this — who the old man was — isn’t exactly an irrelevant detail. Your husband knows you had a brief thing with an older man, but you never told him who that old man was. (Stop calling it an affair! It was never consummated!) So, if your husband was going to judge you for messing around with an older man, he would’ve judged you on that score already. The potential problem here is the old man knows who your husband is… but your husband doesn’t know who the old man was… and if your husband finds out on his own, BOSS, he could feel humiliated (your former boss knew and he didn’t) or he could feel hurt that you didn’t trust him enough to tell him yourself and tell him sooner.

While you believe your former boss would never say anything — and maybe he wouldn’t — people change as they age. So, while it’s possible the old guy you made out with in college wouldn’t have said anything, you can’t be 100% sure the man he is now wouldn’t blurt that out. So, you need to get out in front of this thing:

“Hey, honey. before you reach out to our old boss, there’s something I should’ve told you a long time ago. Before we dated, I fucked around with an older man — that part you knew — but I never told you who that old man was. Yeah… it was our boss. It ended years before you and I got together and I never told you because I was embarrassed and it was awkward. But I don’t want you to be blindsided if you reach out and he says something, so I’m telling you now. And, again, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you years ago.”

P.S. Reaching out to your old boss yourself — and first — and asking him not to say anything, as your husband doesn’t know, is also an option. But if your husband finds out you were running interference behind his back, you’ll have three things to worry about: two ancient wrongs (fucking around with your boss, not telling your husband about it) and a more recent wrong (an attempted coverup).

: Q I have been in a long-term relationship with a man for over ten years. I’m a bisexual woman in my late 40s. I love my partner, but for the past several years I

have seriously thought about leaving the relationship. I feel stuck. We have had a lot of conflict in the relationship and have tried couples counseling. Although things feel slightly more peaceful, the spark feels gone and I can’t regain my desire for him. Because I don’t want to be intimate with him, I feel guilty a lot of the time. I have talked to him about opening the relationship so I can explore my sexuality, but he is not on board. I feel afraid of throwing away our years together, being alone and starting over. I have seen a therapist the last year to try and decide, but I’m no closer to knowing what to do. Any advice to help me get unstuck?

—Can’t Help Myself

A: You could let your partner make this decision for you — or you could let him make it for himself, CHM, and by extension make this it for you.

But to make a fully informed decision about whether he wants to stay with you, CHM, your partner needs all the information you have, and it doesn’t sound reading between the lines here — like he does. So, you need tell him you love him, but you’re no longer sexually attracted to him and couples counseling and individual therapy didn’t change that. If you went into couples counseling with the expressed intent of working on repairing your sex life, he may think you’re still open to working on it or that there’s some “regain” fix you haven’t stumbled over yet. But you’re not working on it, CHM, and there isn’t a fix. If you ever have sex again, it’s not going to be him; if he ever has sex again, it’s not going to be you. He needs to know that. And since you wanna have sex again at some point and so (presumably) does he, CHM, the only outstanding question is whether you’ll still be together when you start fucking other people.

There are lots of people out there in sexless companionate relationships and marriages, CHM, but companionate relationships only work — they’re only loving and low-conflict and fulfilling — when they’re what both partners want. And since it doesn’t sound like an open but sexless primary relationship is something your partner wants, he will most likely make the decision you’re afraid to make: he’ll end it.

: Q I’m in a marriage that’s been unhappy for about a decade. Lots of fighting and periods of serious loneliness. We are non-monogamous. Five years ago, I was at a conference and met a radiantly handsome man and we hit it off. He was, and still is, in a monogamous marriage. One evening we were in my room, and I pressured him to go to bed with me. I saw that he wanted to, and I convinced him to set aside his commitment to his husband. I saw that he was conflicted, and I didn’t care. We didn’t kiss, we didn’t take our underwear off, we just spooned, my arms around him. I got what I wanted, but he was clearly very uncomfortable. After about 30 minutes he went back to

his room. I feel enormous guilt. No, we didn’t have sex, nor did I force myself on him physically, and he’s an adult. But I did manipulate him into breaking a vow even the cuddling was a transgression. So, while what I did might not have been criminal, it felt deeply unethical. I want to apologize. I have his contact information, and we have mutual acquaintances, although I haven’t seen him since. I worry about sending a card that his husband might ask about. I worry about sending an email and having him share it with others. Which is to say, I want to apologize but I don’t want anyone else to know what I did because I’m ashamed of it. What would you do?

—Feelings Of Guilt

A: You have tenuous connections to this man — you have mutual acquaintances, and you presumably work in the same field (hence being thrown together at a conference) — which means circumstances will most likely put you in the same place at the same time again. If and when that happens, you can apologize to him in person. If the wait is making you crazy, you could engineer a circumstance that puts you in the same place again, e.g. you could attend a conference you know he’s going to attend or you could go to a mutual’s holiday party. If and when you do see him again — whether it happens organically (which would be preferable) or not (which could result in you having something else to apologize for) — don’t ask him to speak to you in private. Just pull him aside when other people are around but out of earshot and tell him you feel bad about your behavior the last time you saw each other. As the offense was low-key, you can keep your apology low-key: “I feel bad about how I behaved last time we saw each other. I should’ve been more respectful of your relationship, and I put you in an awkward position. I’m glad nothing happened that night — or nothing else happened that night — but I behaved selfishly and wanted to apologize.”

P.S. There’s a non-zero chance his relationship is open now and if you nail that apology, FOG, you might finally get that dick.

P.P.S. Disregard that last P.S., as it was inappropriate and unhelpful. You can’t make a meaningful apology if you have an ulterior motive.

P.P.P.S. Still.

P.P.P.P.S. I’m going to assume there’s some good reason why you haven’t put an end to your awful-but-open marriage. If there isn’t, please put yourself out of its misery.

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

Many ancient cultures had myths that explained solar eclipses as celestial creatures eating the sun. In China, the devourer was a dragon. A frog did it in Vietnam, wolves in Norse lore, and bears in several Indigenous American legends. In some places, people made loud noises during the blackout, banging drums and pots, to drive away the attacker and bring back the sun. I suspect you are now in the midst of a metaphorical eclipse of your own, Aries. But don’t worry! Just as was true centuries ago, your sun won’t actually be gobbled up. Instead, here’s the likely scenario: You will rouse an appetite for transformation that will consume outdated ideas and situations. Whatever disintegrates will become fuel for new stories. You will convert old pain and decay into vital energy. Your luminous vigor will return even stronger.

TAURUS: April 20 – May 20

Maybe you have been enjoying my advice for years but still haven’t become a billionaire, grown into a potent influencer, or landed the perfect job. Does that mean I’ve failed you? Should you swap me out for a more results-oriented oracle? If rewards like those are the dreams you treasure, then yes, it may be time to search for a new guide. But if what you want most is simply to cultivate the steady gratification of feeling real and whole and authentic, then stick with me. PS: The coming days are likely to offer you abundant opportunities to feel real and whole and authentic. Take advantage!

GEMINI: May 21 – June 20

In 1557, a Welsh mathematician invented the equals sign (=) to avoid repeatedly writing the words “is equal to.” Over the next centuries, this helped make algebra more convenient and efficient. The moral of the story: Some breakthroughs come not from making novel discoveries but from finding better ways to render and use what’s already known. I’m pleased to say that you Geminis are primed to devise your own equivalents of the equals sign. What strengths might you express with greater crispness and efficiency? What familiar complications could you make easier? See if can find shortcuts that aid productivity without sacrificing precision.

CANCER: June 21 – July 22

One benefit of being an astrologer is that when I need a break from being intensely myself, I can take a sabbatical. My familiarity with the zodiac frees me to escape the limits of my personal horoscope and play at being other signs. I always return from my getaway with a renewed appreciation for the unique riddle that is my identity. I think now is an excellent time for

Cancerians like you and me to enjoy such a vacation. We can have maximum fun and attract inspiring educational experiences by experimenting. I plan to be like a Sagittarius and may also experiment with embodying Aries qualities.

LEO: July 23 – August 22

In Scandinavian folklore, there’s a phenomenon called utiseta. It involves sitting out at night in a charged place in nature, like a crossroads or border. The goal is to make oneself patiently available for visions, wisdom, or contact with spirits and ancestors. I suspect you could benefit from the equivalent of a utiseta right now, Leo. Do you dare to refrain from forcing solutions through sheer will? Are you brave enough to let answers wander into your midst instead of hunting them down? I believe your strength is your willingness to be still and wait in a threshold.

VIRGO: August 23 – Sept. 22

You are a devotee of the sacred particular. While others traffic in vague abstractions, you understand that vitality thrives in the details. Your attention to nuance and precision is not fussiness but a form of love. I get excited to see you honor life by noticing all of its specific textures and rhythms! Now, more than ever, the world needs this superpower of yours. I hope you will express it even stronger in the coming months. May you exult in the knowledge that your refusal to treat the world carelessly or sloppily isn’t about perfectionism but about respect.

LIBRA: Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

Architect Antoni Gaudí spent over 40 years designing Barcelona’s Sagrada Família cathedral. He knew he wouldn’t live to see it finished. It’s still under construction today, long after his death. When he said, “My client is not in a hurry,” he meant that his client was God. I invite you to borrow this perspective, Libra. See how much fun you

can have by releasing yourself from the tyranny of urgency. Grant yourself permission to concentrate on a process that might take a long time to unfold. What a generous and ultimately productive luxury it will be for you to align yourself with deep rhythms and relaxing visions! I believe your good work will require resoluteness that transcends conventional timelines.

SCORPIO: Oct. 23 – Nov. 21:

The ancient Chinese philosophical text known as the Tao Te Ching teaches that “the usefulness of a cup is in its emptiness.” A vessel full of itself can receive nothing. Is it possible that you are currently so crammed with opinions, strategies, and righteous certainty that you’ve lost some of your capacity to receive? I suspect there are wonders and marvels trying to reach you, Scorpio: insights, inquiries, and invitations. But they can’t get in if you’re full. Your assignment: Temporarily empty yourself. Create space by releasing cherished positions, a defensive stance, or stories about how things must be.

SAGITTARIUS: Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

The Yoruba concept of ashe refers to the power to make things happen. It’s the life force that flows through all things, and can be accumulated, directed, and shared. Right now, your ashe is strong but a bit scattered, Sagittarius. You have power, but it’s diffused across too many commitments and half-pursued desires. So your assignment is to consolidate. Choose two things that matter most and fully pour your ashe into them. As you concentrate your vitality, you’ll get more done and become a conduit for blessings larger than yourself.

CAPRICORN: Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

What’s holding you back? What are you waiting for? A nudge from destiny? A breaking point when you’ll be compelled to act? A hidden clue that may or may not reveal itself? It’s my duty to tell you this: All

that lingering and dallying, all that wishing and hoping, is wasted energy. As long as you’re sitting still, pining for a cosmic deliverance to handle the hard parts, the sweet intervention will keep its distance. The instant you claim the authority to act, you’ll see it clearly: the path forward that doesn’t need a perfect sign, a final push, or fate’s permission slip.

AQUARIUS: Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

If you’re anything like me, you wince as you recall the lazy choices and careless passivity that speckle your past. You may wonder what you were thinking when you treated yourself so cavalierly, pushed away a steadfast ally, or let a dazzling invitation slip by. At times I feel as if my wrong turns carry more weight in my fate than the bright, grace-filled moments. Here’s good news for you, though. March is Amnesty Month for all Aquarians willing to own up to and graduate from their missteps. As you work diligently to unwind the unhelpful patterns that led you off course, life will release you from the heavy drag of those old failures and their leftover momentum.

PISCES: Feb.19 – March 20

In systems theory, “critical points” are moments when long periods of small changes gradually accumulate, and then suddenly erupt into a big shift. Nothing appears to happen for a while, and then everything happens at once. Ice becomes water, for instance. I suspect you’re nearing such a pivot, Pisces. You’ve been gathering strength, clarity, and nerve in subtle ways. Soon you will be visited by what we might call a graceful, manageable explosion. The slow, persistent changes you’ve been overseeing will result in a major transition.

Homework: Experiment with this principle: Take only what you need.

JAMES NOELLERT