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Photo by Mary Capicchioni
Feedback NEWS & VIEWS
Readers respond to news of the United Auto Workers union endorsing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate.
I’m so pleasantly surprised! Great job UAW!
—@ryancu1974 , Instagram
Love this guy! Lets go Abdul.
—Christine Schmidutz, Facebook
If you’re a regular, everyday, working Michigander, he’s truly the only choice! Good pick, UAW!
—Rochelle Lyn, Facebook
Serious time for real change towards helping people. MAGA is a fascist con
job.
—Brad Rambo, Facebook
Yaasssssss����������
—@ms.scorpio.queen.1113, Instagram
Enjoy your union jobs while it last... progressive Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, Abdul ElSayed supports transitioning away from gas-powered vehicles as part of broader efforts to combat climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuel.
—Tom Jaxon, Facebook
So you think green jobs can’t be unionized?
—Susan Carroll, Facebook
Have an opinion? Sound off: tips@detroitmetrotimes.com
NEWS & VIEWS
A Detroit soul mystery is solved after nearly 60 years
For decades, September Jones’s voice traveled farther than she knew. It crossed the Atlantic, filled dance floors in the United Kingdom, appeared on records, CDs and streaming services, and sent soul collectors on decades-long searches for the woman behind it.
But Jones, a Detroit native living quietly in Florida, had little idea that anyone was looking for her.
Now, one year after Metro Times published a story about the search for the elusive singer, Jones is no longer a mystery. She has been found, alive and well in Florida and has now spoken with the British collector who spent more than a decade looking for her.
And after nearly 60 years, September Jones is collecting royalties, and a full album of her songs is planned for release early next year
For Jim O’Hara, a longtime Northern Soul & Detroit soul music fan from the United Kingdom, the breakthrough came almost immediately.
“Two days after the story ran, I was talking to September Jones,” O’Hara said. “I could not believe it.”
For years, O’Hara had been searching for Jones, an obscure but remarkable Detroit soul singer who recorded a handful
of tracks but released only one 45 record on the Kapp Records label in 1966 before eventually disappearing from public view. Her single, “I’m Coming Home,” backed with “No More Love,” became beloved in the U.K.’s Northern Soul scene, where DJs and collectors kept obscure American soul records alive long after they vanished from radio and record stores in the U.S.
Fans knew the stage name, but not the woman behind it.
That changed after Metro Times published a story a year ago about O’Hara’s search for Jones. The article reached Jones’s family, including her daughterin-law, Lauretta Foley in Detroit, and relatives in Florida.
O’Hara says he received emails from two relatives and was initially skeptical.
“I thought it was a spoof,” O’Hara recalls. “I thought it was a joke. Or a keyboard warrior.”
The first email came from a granddaughter in Florida, O’Hara says. To test whether the tip was real, he asked a question that only someone close to Jones would likely know: What was September Jones’s real name?
Then Foley contacted him with the same answer.
“Both said the same name,” O’Hara says. “They matched. I was like, ‘Oh my God I’ve found her.’”
Metro Times is withholding Jones’s real name for now because her full identity is expected to be revealed with the release of her LP early next year.
For years, the stage name was the obstacle O’Hara and other soul fans could not get past. Many from the Detroit music scene from that era remembered her, but nobody had seen or heard from her in years.
O’Hara and other soul fans had followed scattered clues, combed through old performance listings, talked to musicians, writers, and producers, and searched for anyone who knew what happened to September Jones. But the search always hit a dead end.
“The problem was her stage name,” O’Hara says. “Everybody knew her as September Jones, but nobody knew her real name.”
Jones, who turned 81 in January, is living in Florida. Foley says Jones grew up in southwest Detroit, where her father was a pastor. Her family lived on Ethel Street, and one of her brothers still lives there.
Foley says she had long known her
mother-in-law as September and did not realize for years that it was a stage name until her husband mentioned it.
“Originally, I asked, ‘Why do you call her September?’ And he said, ‘That’s her stage name,’” Foley tells Metro Times
Foley says the name came from Jack Ashford, the Motown percussionist and member of the Funk Brothers who co-owned Pied Piper Productions with Lorraine Chandler. Pied Piper produced Jones’s 1966 Kapp Records single.
“Jack Ashford, he gave her that name,” Foley says. “I don’t know why September Jones.”
Jones was 18 when she recorded “I’m Coming Home” at United Sound Studios in Detroit on Oct. 17, 1966. The song showcased the raw, gospel-influenced sound of Detroit soul outside Motown’s polished hit machine. Her vocals were backed by the Funk Brothers, Motown’s legendary house band.
In the U.S., Jones faded into obscurity. But in the U.K., her music found a second life.
Collectors sought out her records. DJs played her songs at Northern Soul nights, and Ace Records in London even found unreleased material of hers from the 1960s. Her original 45 became a
September Jones.
COURTESY PHOTO
prized item among fans of Detroit soul, with her song, “I’m Coming Home,” later appearing in Shirley, the 2024 Netflix film about Shirley Chisholm, and in the MGM+ crime drama Godfather of Harlem.
But Jones had no idea how many people were still listening.
After connecting with Jones’s family, O’Hara spoke with her by phone. He sent her CDs featuring her music. About a month later, in July, he had a video call with Jones and Foley.
“It was absolutely amazing to be talking to September,” O’Hara says. “She was such a sweet lady and was really amazed that people knew about her and that her songs were popular.”
More than six decades after the recordings were made, O’Hara says Jones doesn’t remember every detail but recalled recording “I’m Coming Home” and “No More Love” at United Sound Studios in Detroit.
Since the video call, O’Hara has built a friendship with Foley and visited her twice in Detroit. Foley has since shared
Feds baselessly compared U-M protesters to terrorists, attorneys say
Federal prosecutors are portraying eight pro-Palestinian activists tied to the University of Michigan as extremists who carried out a coordinated campaign of threats and vandalism against university officials, businesses, and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. But the indictment raises a question that should not be lost in the government’s rhetoric: Are prosecutors pursuing true threats, or are they using protest slogans, online posts and property damage to build a broader case against pro-Palestinian activism?
The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, charges the defendants with conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce. Two of the defendants also are charged with conspiracy to tamper with a witness, and one is charged with destruction of property to prevent seizure.
For all the government’s alarming language, the indictment includes no terrorism counts, no assault counts, and no hate crime counts.
Yet from its opening pages, the indictment repeatedly invokes Hamas, the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, red triangles, red handprints, “martyrs,” “intifada,” and the Weather Underground,
additional photos of September Jones. Until now, collectors knew of only one promotional image of the elusive singer, which surfaced after a fellow collector returned to the U.K. from a record-hunting trip to Detroit in the mid-1980s.
Those photos will appear on the new album.
Foley says Jones was stunned to learn that people in the U.K. had been looking for her and still played her music.
“When she found out about the U.K. looking for her, she couldn’t believe it,”
Foley says. “She was like, ‘Really?’ I told her, ‘They’re still playing your music over there. You’re still popular.’ I was shocked.”
Foley says Jones used to sing “Happy Birthday” to her every year.
“When she sang ‘Happy Birthday,’ I could tell she had a good voice,” Foley says.
Foley describes Jones as gentle, kind, and independent.
“She is as sweet as pie,” Foley says. “She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. She’s getting to the age where she doesn’t
remember everything.”
Jones moved to Fort Myers with her husband in 1996. He died in 2017. Foley says Jones remains in Florida because she is comfortable there and knows the area.
“She functions well in her house,” Foley says. “She’s comfortable. She’s in Fort Myers because she knows stuff down there. They have the stores, banks, and pharmacies.”
Foley says she and her husband help care for Jones, pay her bills, shop for her, and visit several times a year. Jones also returns to Michigan for visits, often around Thanksgiving.
Jones’s singing career slowed after her son was born in 1971, though Foley says she performed a few shows after that.
When her singing career ended, September Jones held different jobs and spent many years working in transit.
After O’Hara confirmed he had found Jones, he contacted Ady Croasdell at Ace Records, which had released some of her songs on CD. O’Hara recalls Croasdell’s astonishment.
“Croasdell’s response,” O’Hara says,
“was a very excited, ‘No way!!!! You found her? Bloody hell, Jim, well done, mate.’” Now, O’Hara says, plans are underway for Ace Records to release a vinyl album devoted entirely to Jones’s music, with a possible debut in February or March. O’Hara is writing the album notes.
For him, finding Jones ended one search and began the more meaningful work of ensuring she receives recognition and payment while she is still here.
He says Jones is now collecting royalties from her music. For O’Hara, that makes the discovery even more meaningful because so many obscure soul artists were forgotten, underpaid, or lost to history.
A year ago, O’Hara feared Jones might never know how much her music mattered.
Now she does.
Nearly six decades after September Jones recorded “I’m Coming Home” in Detroit, the woman behind the voice has finally been found, and this time, the music is “Coming Home” to her.
—Steve Neavling
the 1960s radical group that bombed government buildings.
That framing is not accidental. It is the spine of the government’s case.
The defendants are Zainab Aliasgar Hakim, 23; Amatullah Aliasgar Hakim, 21; Paige Elizabeth Feyock, 26; Ahmet Kerem Korkaya, 28; Jonathan Hongru Zou, 22; Alexander Matthew Sepulveda, 23; Mariam Muhammed Odeh, 24; and Colin Hunter Weger, 24.
An indictment is not evidence. It is the government’s version of events, and
all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Federal prosecutors allege the defendants and unnamed co-conspirators targeted U-M leaders, regents, police, and businesses because of the university’s refusal to divest from Israel and companies connected to Israel. The indictment says the group researched addresses, mapped routes, purchased supplies, vandalized homes and businesses, posted photos online, and used social media to amplify threats.
Some of the allegations are serious. Prosecutors say members of the group left bloody baby dolls and sheets made to look like dead bodies outside the home of a U-M regent. They allege others vandalized a regent’s law firm with red paint and graffiti, padlocked doors at Rolls Royce Solutions America, smashed a window at Maersk, spray-painted the Jewish Federation building, and threw glass jars filled with butyric acid, dye, blue liquid or food compost into the homes of university officials.
A student protest encampment at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus in 2024.
DOUG COOMBE
The indictment also quotes private messages in which two defendants allegedly discussed harming university officials and their families. In one exchange, prosecutors say Korkaya wrote that one official’s “entire family” was on his “hit list.” Feyock allegedly responded, “Let’s get [V-4’s] kids bruh / and [V-2’s] too.” Korkaya also allegedly wrote that he wanted to be another official’s doctor and “poison her ass slowly.”
Those allegations, if proven, go well beyond ordinary protest.
Nessel’s involvement drew criticism from defense attorneys and activists who questioned whether her personal and political ties created a conflict. Nessel, who is Jewish, has denied any bias.
In May 2025, Nessel dropped the charges, saying the case had become “a lightning rod of contention” and continuing it would no longer serve the public’s interest.
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But defense attorneys and civil liberties advocates say the government is doing more than charging crimes. They say prosecutors are sweeping protected speech, protest activity, and anti-Israel advocacy into a case designed to make the defendants look like terrorists.
The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIRMI) says the indictment raises serious concerns because it appears to fold lawful political expression and advocacy into the government’s criminal narrative.
“Our justice system must carefully distinguish between alleged criminal acts and constitutionally protected political advocacy,” Dawud Walid, executive director of CAIR-Michigan, says. “Regardless of one’s views on the underlying issues, students do not lose their First Amendment rights because their speech is controversial or unpopular. We are concerned by any prosecutorial approach that appears to broaden criminal allegations by incorporating lawful advocacy and political expression into the narrative.”
The FBI’s involvement is puzzling, says John Philo, executive and legal director of the Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice, which represents students and protestors who have been targeted by the University of Michigan.
“The actions of law enforcement appear to be a new low in the criminalization of student opposition to the human rights violations, war crimes, and genocide in Gaza,” John Philo, executive and legal director of the Sugar Law Center, says. “Based on evidence that the government appears to have had for more than a year and for actions occurring nearly two years ago, the federal government is seeking to bring federal charges for acts traditionally reserved to local prosecutors. It must be asked why and why now.”
Many of the alleged acts could have been prosecuted as vandalism, malicious destruction of property, trespassing, or harassment. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel initially charged 12 pro-Palestinian activists in September 2024 with misdemeanor and felony charges following protests on the University of Michigan campus. The charges ranged from trespassing to resisting or obstructing an officer.
In multiple counts, prosecutors allege the defendants or unnamed co-conspirators vandalized property, took photos, and used the internet to post messages that the government describes as “true threats.” The indictment repeatedly cites posts that included phrases such as “you cannot hide,” “we only come back stronger,” “divest now,” and “by any means necessary.”
The government’s argument appears to be that the vandalism, the demand letters, the timing, the symbols, and the online posts together amounted to threats.
The defense is likely to argue that prosecutors are expanding threat laws to criminalize political expression and protest rhetoric, even when some of the underlying conduct may be punishable under ordinary state laws.
The distinction is important.
Spray-painting someone’s home or breaking a window is a crime. Threatening to injure someone is a crime. Tampering with a witness is a serious crime. But political slogans, protest demands, and online posts are not automatically federal threats because they are angry, offensive, or tied to a controversial cause.
The indictment itself puts politics at the center of the case.
Before laying out the charges, prosecutors devote space to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, the terrorist group’s federal designation, the alleged use of Hamas symbols on college campuses, and what prosecutors describe as increased support for Hamas at U-M and other universities. They also cite phrases used at pro-Palestinian protests, including “from the river to the sea” and “long live the intifada.”
The indictment does not allege the defendants were members of Hamas, took orders from Hamas, or were charged with providing support to Hamas. Instead, prosecutors use Hamas as the backdrop for a case that does not allege terrorism.
That is where the case may collide with First Amendment concerns, lawyers and activists say.
Criminal allegations should focus on criminal acts. But when prosecutors place lawful advocacy, protest slogans, and unpopular political views beside vandalism and violent private messages, they risk blurring the line between protected dissent and criminal conduct. — Steve Neavling
THE CAVE
A cave can be a refuge. It can also be something to emerge from. Or, in the case of Chloe Drallos: re-emerge.
Following the release of the Detroit-based singer-songwriter’s new album, The Cave, she speaks of “scraping it all back, and starting over…”
Because she is. The Cave is Drallos’s debut full-length as a proper solo artist, recorded and released under her own name, and it all feels like a pretty cathartic rebirth. “Almost like recharacterizing myself,” Drallos says. Up until two years ago, she’d been known as Zilched, a purveyor of what she’d once called “doom pop,” typically presenting as a full band backed by rotating players in the live setting or, when necessary, also as a solo act. It’s always been Drallos’s voice, though; it’s just that she’s “more experienced now,” and asking herself tough questions — tougher questions than before.
Zilched culminated in 2023 with a dazzling full-length album of alt-rock and goth-pop titled Earthly Delights, produced with Michigan-born music mavens Ian Ruhala and Ben Collins, which picked up extra buzz with Alex Ross Perry (who helmed Pavements, an experimental 2024 biopic and concert film about the California indie rock band Pavement) directing the video for its lead single, “The Flood,” a song that notably sings about closing a door and wondering why.
Drallos says she was enduring a wave of overwhelming stress and uncertainty at the time, though, and the glamour of releasing a cool record didn’t lessen the load. “It’s that thing where there’s so much out of your control,” she says, “so you put all your eggs in the basket of the one thing that is in your control, but that’s still not enough. It didn’t make me feel better. I think I just had a lot of very open wounds that I was, at first, just trying to shed light on. So I felt very raw and exposed. And then it’s that career pressure to go to the next step. But, in reality, I just needed to peel it all after that [album].” A D I F F E R E N T T Y P E O F
Drallos has been obsessed with music since elementary school; she started teaching herself guitar as a teenager and wrote her first songs soon after. At these young, formative ages, she was already into relative avant-gardists, dark, dreamy outsiders, and aesthetic agitators like Dylan, Lynch, and Jesus & Mary Chain, then later on dynamic singers and lyricists like Cat Power and PJ Harvey. Thing is, she was (then) a blue-haired goth-grunge explorer in a land like rural Livingston County where she could easily risk sticking out like a sore thumb. She wrote her first song under Zilched
before she’d even graduated high school, and planned to skip college and head straight to Detroit to jump into the music scene here. Life happened, bandmates dropped out, and she spent her eighteenth year finishing writing for what became her debut, Doompop, which she also recorded with Collins when he still had his Ypsilanti studio.
Fast forward to now: Drallos wrote, recorded, performed, and toured as Zilched for more than five years before entering into “seasons” of change. In 2024, she released an EP, Three Seasons, which she considered a true turning point.
“I realized I’m just more experienced now,” Drallos says. During Three Seasons, she recalls writing a song that was “very layered, dramatic, and emotional on all levels,” and finally felt like “this is my story, and I’m allowed to tell this part.”
As she pieced more hard truths together, she started unlocking “a different type of honesty,” discovering that “...one of my best attributes is bravery. That’s maybe not something I get immediate attention for, but it’s something people who know me can appreciate. And it’s about deciding to own those characteristics more.”
A W E S T E R N
Drallos found a kindred sort of bravery from a source far removed from “doom,” or goth, or even rock, at least maybe on the surface: outlaw country. “Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, I was listening to them when I wrote some of The Cave, particularly ‘And To Each Weekend,’” she says. “Maybe I’m still in this broken space, but what if I just like, No, I’m a fucking cowboy; I’m stepping out, and I’m finding something, and I’ve got all these things behind me now. It was kinda life-changing, honestly, and that’s what started the whole vibe [of The Cave].”
Taking it beyond just the swaggering confidence of the aforementioned outlaws: While finishing overdubs and adding harmonies during the recording process with Kate Derringer at Echo Chamber Studio, Drallos watched clips of symphony orchestras performing the scores of Italian composer Ennio Morricone. “I wanted it to feel like a western, because that’s what [The Cave] feels like to me, thematically,” Drallos says. She took the western vibe a bit further when she directed and filmed the music video for the album’s third single, “Echo’s Chamber,” drawing on the influence of author and poet Richard Brautigan’s alchemy of “Weirdo Americana Surrealism,” which she said “...felt like a mirror into my own brain and roots.”
Filmmaking is Drallos’s other main artistic side — a side she’s been developing for several years now. The “Echo’s Chamber” video fades up on a Brauti-
gan quote before a title card written in western-evoking Tuscan font. There’s a shadowy motel room, cowboy hats (of course), trippy imagery and entrancing dances, overlaid visuals and mirror imagery, and a dreamy edge-of-apocalypse feeling. “It’s all about play,” Drallos says. “Chaos is a reminder of nature’s power, and I think the ability to really play with each other as adults keeps us rooted and closer to a sense of freedom.”
Asked to distinguish between the experience of songwriting and filmmaking, she says, “maybe one is like telling someone a story versus taking them to see more.” Still, through her writing on this album, Drallos takes you to The Cave. And it’s not just a surrealist western, but it’s also conjuring Plato’s allegory, as well as a quote from mythologist Joseph Campbell: “...the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” It’s a journey for her, and the listener.
S E A C AV E
“It starts with me being kinda rock bottom,” Drallos says, looking back. “I had this deep sense of dissatisfaction: truly a quarter-life crisis, being in that space where everything’s serious and almost everything hurts, but what can I do to figure out how to keep living?” The song “Belt of Venus” touches on this feeling of being in a transitory space, for refuge, self-reflection, and eventual reemergence.
“[‘Belt of Venus’] is the halfway point of the process, since all of the songs appear in chronological order, as they were written,” Drallos says. “That’s where it’s paying off, and I’m getting to the good stuff. The songs get heavier as they get brighter. The beginning is deciding what’s making me unsatisfied, what needs to change, and what I deserve.” She says that one particular song, “The Hunger,” was a turning point, when she realized “...I don’t wanna be ambitious anymore. If I do the things to please people that are holding me to their standards, when they’re not going to give me the support I need, then I may as well go deeper and darker and focus more on my own experience, and what I need, what I see, and where I need to go.”
Drallos adds that she sees her cave as a “sea cave,” specifically “because once you’re out, you’re at the ocean!” The energy of that is irresistible, to go from something cavernous and empty out to something vast, full, seemingly endless, and inviting continual passage.
Calling back to the Campbell quote, she says the whole process brought moments of disillusionment, but “also a lot of euphoric moments and breakthroughs. To me [The Cave] is a joyful record. I’m meeting these disillusioned moments, but moving through them.”
Chloe Drallos. MARY
WHAT’S GOING ON
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.
Wednesday Jun 24
Live/Concert
Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso: FREE SPIRITS WORLD TOUR 7 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 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.
Hashtronaut, Black Moon Cult 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;
Human League w/ Soft Cell 5:30 pm; Detroit Masonic Temple Library, 500 Temple St, Detroit; Lalah Hathaway 7:30 pm; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit;
Wednesday Night Jazz Series 7:30 pm; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; 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.
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 Jun 25
Live/Concert
Crimson Love, Pageant, The Blank, Savetta 6 pm; TSDMAAC (Confessional), 15701 James Couzens Fwy., Detroit;
Dueling Pianos: An Interactive Entertainment Experience 8 pm-midnight; AXIS Lounge, 1777 3rd St., Detroit;
Firehouse Sessions: JAMTrio 6-9 pm; The Apparatus Room in Detroit Foundation Hotel, 250 West Larned Street, Detroit;
Josh Groban with special guest Jennifer Hudson 8 pm; Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit; Kurt Vile and the Violators 7 pm; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit;
No Fun Beverages launch party 7 pm; Eastern Palace Club, 21509 John R Rd., Hazel Park; No cover.
SKA NIGHT w/ Detroit Riddim Crew + The Harmolodics 9 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0.
TOBYMAC, Zach Williams, Seph
Schlueter, Jamie MacDonald 7 pm; Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, 3554 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills; Young the Giant - Victory Garden Tour with Cold War Kids 6:30 pm; Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights;
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 Jun 26
Live/Concert
BOWE’S ALIVE! - David Bowe Tribute, ATOMIC BEAT - BLONDIE Tribute 8 & 9 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; Cincyde w/ The Zots + Spieltier 9 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; Emo Night ft. Flicker//Fade Live Band Emo Night! 6 pm; TSDMAAC (Confessional), 15701 James Couzens Fwy., 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.
Hotel California- the Eagles Experience 8 pm; Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren; Magic Bag Presents: The Insiders - A Tribute To Tom Petty 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;
Make Some Noise for the Library 6 pm; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; Makout Reef 7 pm; TSDMAAC (Confessional), 15701 James Couzens Fwy., Detroit;
Pind & Firdaus Present Satinder Sartaaj Heritage Tour 2026 7:30 pm; The Music Hall, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit;
Quinlan Mauer, Brian Perrone and Colin Lazorka 7-11 pm; Eastern Market Brewing Co, 2515 Riopelle Street, Detroit;
Spoon & The Beths: US Tour 2026 6 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit;
Summer Concert Series At Festival Park 5-8 pm; The Village of Rochester Hills, NE corner of Walton and Adams, Rochester Hills;
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Teenage Bottlerocket, Sludge -
worth 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;
WOLFMOTHER - 20th Anniversary Tour 7 pm; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit;
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Summer Concert Series At Festival Park 5-8 pm; The Village of Rochester Hills, NE corner of Walton and Adams, Rochester Hills;
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
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.
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free. DJ/Dance
Open Air Fridays 4-10 pm; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; 0.
Saturday Jun 27
Live/Concert
Summer Concert Series At Festival Park 5-8 pm; The Village of Rochester Hills, NE corner of Walton and Adams, Rochester Hills;
worth 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;
WOLFMOTHER - 20th AnniversaTour 7 pm; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit;
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Summer Concert Series At FestiPark 5-8 pm; The Village of RochesHills, NE corner of Walton and Adams, Rochester Hills;
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Friday Night Jam — Live Music
The Wildermere Featuring The Jerome Clark Trio 8-midnight; The Wildemere Bar & Grill, 3143 W. Mnichols, Detroit, MI; Free.
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
EMPLOYMENT
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
DJ/Dance
Open Air Fridays 4-10 pm; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; 0.
Saturday Jun 27
Live/Concert
Summer Concert Series At FestiPark 5-8 pm; The Village of RochesHills, NE corner of Walton and Adams, Rochester Hills;
Senior Sales Manager, PO Lighting USA Inc., Troy, MI. Analyze, manage, &assure current &future product dvlpmt &mfg capacities &capabilities. Plan, dvlp, manage, deploy, &control sales strategies, sales, performance, &full comml responsibility for OEM Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) custs relationships, sales accts, short/ med/long term objectives, current/ future bus pursuits, for multimillion dollar lighting syss accts for BEV psgr vehicle head (HL)/ tailgate/bodyside/turn/grille/fascia lamps &ctr high mounted stop lamps; &HL lighting electronics; printed circuit boards/assemblies; &tailgate products. Reqrd travel in U.S. to meet OEM BEV maker sr purchasing/engrg employees to negotiate agreements, &present new technologies &advanced dvlpmt projects; to MEX plant for cust bus meetings, up to 6 wks P/A. 24 mos exp as Sr Sales Mgr or related, planning, deploying, &controlling sales strategies, sales, performance, &full comml responsibility for OEM automot cust relationship, sales acct, short-, med- &long-term objectives, current &future bus pursuits for multi-million-dollar lighting or ext sys acct, or related. E-mail resume to zumra.husanovic@ opmobility.com (Ref#4014).
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Elijah Scott - In A Bar Somewhere Tour 7 pm; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit;
Future Teens, Snarls 7 pm; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac;
Hole Dweller, Mythstone 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;
Jordan Davis 8 pm; Caesars Palace Windsor - Augustus Ballroom, 377 E. Riverside Dr., Windsor;
Jordan Davis Ticket + Hotel Deals 8 pm; Caesars Palace WindsorAugustus Ballroom, 377 E. Riverside Dr., Windsor;
Laplegua Anthology Tour Playing Hits From Icon of Coil and Combichrist 7 pm; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck;
LL7 Latin Jazz 8-9:45 pm; Ro Cham Beau, 3321 Michigan Avenue, Detroit; $30.
Magic Bag Presents: Shiny Metal Boxes: a Tribute to The Police 8 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;
Magic Bag Presents: The Day Players 1 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;
Playboy Manbaby 7 pm; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck;
Saddle Up: LakeFest Luau 2026 8 pm; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville;
Summer Concert Series At Festival Park 5-8 pm; The Village of Rochester Hills, NE corner of Walton and Adams, Rochester Hills;
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Ten Years Gone - Tribute to Led Zeppelin 8 pm; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland;
TOED, The Aromas, Julia Rose 7 pm; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale;
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
WHAT’S GOING ON CONT’D
Summer Sounds at The Mall at Partridge Creek 5-8 pm; The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Rd., Clinton Township; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free. DJ/Dance
House is Home 9 pm-2:30 am; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; $10.
Saturday Grind 11 am-3 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit;
Saturday Grind 11 am-3 pm; Spkr Box, 200 Grand River, Detroit; Winds of Neptune w/ The Witches + DJ Danton 9 pm; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; 0.
Sunday Jun 28
Live/Concert
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Drumming on the Riverfront Last Sunday of every month, 4-7 pm; Cullen Plaza, 1340 Atwater Street, Detroit; Free. Gin Blossoms 7:30 pm; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit;
Kickstand Productions Presents: Jhariah - Trust Ceremony Tour w/ Special Guests TBA 7 pm; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; Phil Ogilvie’s Rhythm Kings 5-8 pm; Zal Gaz Grotto Club, 2070 W. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor; No Cover (tipjar for the band).
Rock ‘n’ Shop at Showtime! Last Sunday of every month, 2-6 pm; Showtime Clothing, 9704 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
Drumming on the Riverfront first Sunday of every month, 4-7 pm; Cullen Plaza, 1340 Atwater Street, Detroit; Free.
Woodbridge Pub Presents: Live Music Under the Stars ; Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; Free.
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.
Sunday Service Karaoke | DJ Larry noon-1 am; Pronto! Royal Oak, 608 S. Washington, Royal Oak; No Cover.
Monday Jun 29
Live/Concert
An Evening with Chicago 8 pm; Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit; Field kitchen June Residency at Moondog Café 7-10 pm; Moondog Cafe, 8045 Linwood St #2, Detroit; $15 at the door.
Sky Covington’s Preservation of Jazz Monday Night Music Series, Tributes 7:30-10 pm; Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit; $35-$40.
DJ/Dance
Adult Skate Night 8:30-11 pm; Lexus Velodrome, 601 Mack Ave., Detroit; $5.
Tuesday Jun 30
Live/Concert
Away With Words, Judo, Loveletters, sixteen12swag, Brittle Bullet 6 pm; TSDMAAC (Confessional), 15701 James Couzens Fwy., Detroit; Sean Blackman’s In Transit 7-10 pm; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
Sonido Gallo Negro wsg Luna 8 pm; Candela, 3564 Vernor Hwy., Detroit,; 25.
Sean Blackman’s In Transit 7-10 pm; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover. 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 Jul 1
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.
Buju Banton & Stephen Marley: Roots and Rhymes Tour 7 pm; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; Cubist Agenda 8 pm-midnight; First Place Lounge, 16921 Harper Ave, Detroit; No Cover.
Eric Roberson 7:30 pm; The Aretha
BITES
Spot Lite and UFO Bar to close
Two of Detroit’s most beloved independent gathering places, Spot Lite and UFO Bar, will close at the end of the month as their owners step away from nightlife.
The announcement marks a major loss for Detroit’s music and arts scene. Spot Lite became a destination for DJs, dancers, artists, coffee drinkers, and record collectors on the city’s east side, while UFO Bar carried forward the spirit of the former UFO Factory in Corktown, drawing a loyal crowd with its mix of underground music, neighborhood energy, and late-night weirdness.
“With a lot of thought and consideration, we have decided to close this chapter in our lives and move away from nightlife,” the owners wrote in an Instagram post.
Spot Lite’s last day will be Saturday, June 28. UFO Bar’s last day will be Monday, June 30.
Spot Lite, at 2905 Beaufait St., opened five years ago as a hybrid venue that included a bar, gallery, record store, coffee shop, coworking space, and dance floor. Founded by Roula David and Jesse Cory, it became one of the city’s most recognizable creative hubs.
UFO Bar, at 2110 Trumbull in Corktown, was part of the same orbit. David took over the former UFO Factory last year and reopened it as UFO Bar, preserving much of the venue’s offbeat, beloved identity while putting her own stamp on it.
The owners described UFO Bar as “a special place that lived a big life before we took it over,” adding that the team had tried “to honor the legacy and add our own spin to it.”
“UFO Bar will close as it is now, but will re-open as Detroit Vinyl Bar,” the post said. “A new record store and cocktail bar in this location. It will be taken over by a very talented team.”
Cairo Coffee, the beloved coffee shop inside Spot Lite, will remain open temporarily at 2905 Beaufait while it transitions to a new permanent home, according to the post. Cairo Coffee is owned by Monica Isaac, a first-generation Coptic Egyptian Detroiter whose shop has operated as both a specialty coffee counter and a community lending library.
“Cairo Coffee has been such an integral part of our story,” the post said. “Spot Lite would not be what it is without the energy that Monica has brought over the years.”
The closure announcement thanked patrons, artists, dancers, and staff for helping shape Spot Lite’s identity.
“We are incredibly grateful to all of our patrons, artists, dancers, and most of all, our team that made the party happen each night,” the post said. “Their dedication to customer service, safety, and sound created the energy that Spot Lite became so famous for.”
The owners said the memories and relationships built at Spot Lite and UFO
Pine Hall opens for brews and views atop Hudson’s
A new rooftop bar offers beautiful sights of downtown Detroit while also nodding to the city’s history.
Pine Hall opened at Hudson’s Detroit, Dan Gilbert’s skyscraper built on the site of Detroit’s former J.L. Hudson Department Store. Its name comes from a wood-paneled restaurant inside the store, which operated from 1911 to 1983 and was once one of the largest department stores in the U.S., outdone by only Macy’s Herald Square in New York City.
“For years, Hudson’s was a gathering place for Detroiters and visitors, a destination to enjoy a meal, and spend time with friends and family to make lasting memories,” Andrew Leber, senior vice president of hospitality at Bedrock, said in a statement. “Pine Hall preserves that legacy, where great food and a historic downtown location come together to create an unforgettable experience for a new generation.”
Bar will outlast the venues.
“While these venues are closing, the relationships, memories, and impact of these communities will remain with us forever,” the post said.
—Steve Neavling
For drinks, the menu is heavy on cocktails, with a focus on regional spirits and beers, as well as non-alcoholic options. Its food menu, led by head Detroit-based chef Richard Craig, even includes a version of the nostalgic Maurice Salad that used to be served at J.L. Hudson’s, featuring turkey, smoked ham, and Gruyère cheese.
The space, located at 3000 Nick Gilbert Way, 12th floor, seats 300 guests.
More information is available at pinehall.com.
Baker’s Keyboard Lounge gets new look, menu
Baker’s Keyboard Lounge is serving up jazz again.
The legendary Detroit jazz club reopened after closing for about a month for renovations to the building, dining area, menu, and outdoor space.
The club, at 20510 Livernois Ave. near Eight Mile Road, also added new lighting and made other cosmetic improvements while keeping its intimate feel and famous piano-key bar, one of Baker’s most recognizable features.
Opened in 1934, Baker’s has long billed itself as one of the oldest continuously operating jazz clubs in the country. Over the decades, its small stage has hosted some of the biggest names in jazz, including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.
The 100-seat club has been owned since 2011 by Eric Whitaker and Hugh William Smith. Jacquelyn Vaughn Whitaker, Eric’s wife, is also involved in the business.
“This reopening is about honoring Detroit’s rich musical legacy while creating a refreshed experience for longtime supporters and new audiences alike,” the Baker’s Keyboard Lounge owners said in a news release.
The reopening comes with a revised food menu that still includes soul food staples but adds more vegetarian, vegan, and lighter options. Diners can build plates with vegetables such as collard greens, green beans, cabbage, and black-eyed peas. Newer items include grilled salmon, vegan burgers, spinach artichoke dip, flavored chicken wings, truffle fries, and lamb chops.
The bar is also offering happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, with cocktails, frozen drinks, and beer.
The club marked its reopening weekend with live jazz, cocktails, and special menu items.
The renovations were funded in part with personal money from the owners and a $5,000 grant from the Detroit Economic Growth Corp.
UFO Bar in Corktown. STEVE NEAVLING
CULTURE
Film I want to believe
By Jared Rasic, Last Word Features
Disclosure Day
Rated: PG-13
Run-time: 145 minutes
How much you’ll like Disclosure Day, the newest film from director Steven Spielberg, depends a lot on what your favorite film of his is. From the raw, thrumming energy of Jurassic Park, Jaws, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, to the throwback sentimentality of E.T.and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, back around to the calculated emotional devastation of Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg has managed to craft more all-time classics than would seem possible for one man to execute in a lifetime.
I’ve spent my entire life chasing the feeling I got from watching Jurassic Park for the first time at 13 years old. That sense of wonder, combined with that feeling of being transported out of my body and onto Isla Nublar while being chased by hungry, pissed-off dinosaurs, is probably the most direct connection I can make to why I have dedicated so much of my life to writing about movies. So to say that I looked forward to Disclosure Day is a massive understatement. If I had my druthers, I would make New Spielberg Movie Day a national holiday for all who celebrate, and while I know he’s not the most high brow or “elevated”
filmmaker, outside of Martin Scorsese, I’m not sure if there’s any filmmaker still working to whom the art form of motion pictures owes a larger debt.
Does Disclosure Day live up to that hype? Not really, but it’s a film that will age beautifully when divorced from expectations. I went in only knowing that Josh O’Connor plays a whistle-blower with evidence of extra-terrestrials and Emily Blunt plays a reporter who makes contact with the aliens on live TV. Movie goers should not find out any more than that about the plot. Letting the story unfold at its own pace is one of the joys of the film, even as David Koepp’s script makes some genuinely bizarre storytelling choices.
If you go into Disclosure Day looking for Spielberg’s return to pulse-pounding popcorn cinema along the lines of the desperate terror of War of the Worlds or the paranoid sweatiness of Minority Report, recalibrate those expectations. His newest is much more of a wide-eyed, hopeful transmission to the cosmos like Close Encounters or E.T. This is Spielberg as his most “I want to believe” and it’s lovely to see.
Thematically, Disclosure Day works beautifully as we have a wide swath of characters all desperate for understanding. Whether it’s a math genius hoping to decode the universe, an unsatisfied woman trying to figure out her place in
the world, a government official haunted by the loss of his wife, or an ex-novitiate trying to reconcile her faith with her cynicism toward humanity, these characters all have deep inner lives worth building a film around.
The problem lies with Koepp’s script. It sidelines characters for large chunks of screen time, begins in medias res so we lack emotional stakes and context, takes trips down narrative dead ends, and can’t seem to reconcile whether he wants the film to be a goofy, warm-hearted adventure along the lines of E.T. or a deeply earnest look up to the skies like Close Encounters. Koepp remains one of the most profoundly inconsistent screenwriters in history. He’s responsible for not only my beloved Jurassic Park, but also the hugely disappointing new one with Scarlett Johansson. I don’t know how the same person writes the deliciously twisty Black Bag, the classically constructed original Tobey Maguire Spider-Man, and the abysmal Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Because Spielberg is such a master of pacing and tone, the movie still has momentary triumphs over its flailing script. We’re left with one of Emily Blunt’s finest performances and a genuinely optimistic view of the universe that I think we really need at this point in history. More than a soulless popcorn blockbuster, Disclosure Day feels like a deeply personal attempt
for Spielberg to reconcile his religious faith with his belief in other life, his ever-shifting feelings toward mankind, and our universal right to truth. He isn’t just asking if we’re alone; he’s taking aim at the modern landscape of calculated misinformation, government cynicism and our collective starvation for transparency. Yet, as the runtime clocks past the twohour mark, a distinct friction begins to form between the film’s towering thematic ambitions and its mechanical plot execution. It exists as a film that is both too conceptually vast and narratively undercooked. Spielberg crafts a film that literally begs us to rediscover our empathy, but does so in service to a script that doesn’t quite understand what makes humanity worth saving in the first place. Despite the narrative conveniences and the script’s structural faults, the director’s visual alchemy remains unmatched at times. Several moments of transportive beauty here hushed the theater and pulled us completely to the edge of our seats. It may not rank in the top tier of his legendary filmography a few decades from now, but a middling, deeply human Spielberg film is still more vital than what almost anyone else is producing today. It proves that even when the map is flawed, the man behind the camera hasn’t lost his true north.
Grade: B-
Spielberg’s latest film is flawed, hopeful, and more vital than almost anything else in theaters.
UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT
The Straight Dope
This electric dab rig delivers big hits and flavor without the hassle
As more cannabis consumers seek out live rosin and other high-quality concentrates, dab rigs are becoming more advanced.
But that can also make the experience more complicated, with more settings to learn and more parts to clean.
The new Utillian 8 Turbo manages to produce strong, smooth vapor while remaining surprisingly easy to use. At $399.99, it’s not cheap, but this is a device for people who want to get the most out of high-quality concentrates.
The biggest difference I noticed was the flavor. Live rosin and live resin taste much better in the Utillian 8 Turbo than they do in smaller devices I’ve tried. The vapor is fuller, cleaner, and smoother, and the hits are strong without the harshness.
If you’re spending money on live resin or rosin, you want a device that brings out the flavor and produces a good high. The Utillian 8 Turbo does both.
The device is built around a rebuildable 3D Swap-Cell chamber that heats the walls of the chamber instead of rely-
By Steve Neavling
ing on one hot spot at the bottom. That helps the concentrate vaporize more evenly and keeps the output consistent throughout the session.
It also helps with long-term costs. Instead of replacing the entire atomizer when it poops out, the Utillian 8 Turbo lets you replace the ceramic core. For regular concentrate users, that’s an advantage because chamber replacements can get expensive with premium e-rigs, especially the Puffco Peak.
The dual spinner cap airflow system is one of the best features. The Utillian 8 Turbo comes with two spinner caps, one designed for flavor and the other for bigger clouds. As you inhale, the spinner cap creates a vortex that keeps the concentrate moving around the chamber. The ruby terp pearls that come with the device help spread the concentrate into a thinner layer, which improves vapor production and flavor.
The cloud cap creates thicker vapor and bigger hits.
The flavor cap is better for slower, terp-heavy sessions because it keeps the
options for 30, 60, 90, or 120 seconds. That gives you the flexibility to take a quick few hits or stretch out a lower-temperature session for more flavor. The real-time temperature control also helps. A built-in sensor monitors the chamber and adjusts power during the session to keep the heat stable. That reduces the kind of temperature swings that can make concentrates taste burnt or uneven.
The redesigned glass percolation system is another reason the vapor is so smooth. The bubbler uses a 360-degree line-based percolator that creates smaller bubbles, which cools the vapor without killing the flavor. Even at higher temperatures, the Utillian 8 Turbo produces a surprisingly smooth inhale. That’s one of the things I like most about it. The hits are strong, but they don’t cost me a lung. You get big vapor, better flavor, and a more comfortable draw.
The battery is also solid. The Utillian 8 Turbo has a 3150 mAh battery, which supports multiple sessions on a single charge. It charges with USB-C, and a full charge takes about 90 minutes.
The device also comes with a carrying case, which is good because this is not a pocket-sized vape. It’s portable for an e-rig, but it’s still a glass-and-water device. The case makes it easier to bring along without worrying about the glass or accessories.
Cleaning is also easy. The glass bubbler, chamber, caps, and airflow path are easy to access, and the modular design makes regular maintenance less annoying than it is with many e-rigs.
draw smooth and lets the flavor come through more clearly.
Both work well, and switching between them is easy.
For a premium e-rig, the Utillian 8 Turbo is incredibly easy to use. A lot of similar products can feel overwhelming to newcomers who have not yet learned about the settings for temperature, duration, and airflow.
The controls on the Utillian 8 Turbo are simple, the settings are easy to understand, and the device feels intuitive after one session.
There’s no app to mess with. You don’t need your phone to get the best out of it. The device has 12 preset temperature levels, ranging from 428 degrees to 626 degrees, giving you enough control to dial in different concentrates without making the process too complicated.
Lower temperatures are best for flavor. For high-quality live rosin, I keep the temperature in the mid-400s. Higher temperatures produce thicker vapor and a stronger hit.
Session length is also adjustable, with
The Utillian 8 Turbo is not for someone looking for the cheapest concentrate device or the smallest dab pen.
The Utillian 8 Turbo is for people who care about flavor, smoothness, and strong vapor production. It’s for people who want to get the best out of their live rosin and resin without dealing with a torch, a complicated setup, or an app.
It’s powerful, easy to use, and well-designed. The spinner cap improves the hits, the 3D chamber makes the vapor more consistent, and the water filtration keeps everything smooth.
At about $400, it’s a premium device. But if you regularly use high-quality concentrates and want a better way to enjoy them, the Utillian 8 Turbo is worth it.
Utillian is a vaporizer brand associated with Ontario-based TVape.com. If you’re looking for a small, portable vape, I recommend the Utillian 6, a vape pen with a unique vortex airflow system. It fits in your pocket but manages to pack a punch.
To check out all of TVape’s products, see tvape.com.
The new Utillian 8 Turbo takes cannabis concentrates to another level.
STEVE NEAVLING
and flavor
draw smooth and lets the flavor come through more clearly. Both work well, and switching be tween them is easy.
For a premium e-rig, the Utillian 8 Turbo is incredibly easy to use. A lot of similar products can feel overwhelming newcomers who have not yet learned about the settings for temperature, duration, and airflow.
The controls on the Utillian 8 Turbo simple, the settings are easy to un derstand, and the device feels intuitive after one session.
There’s no app to mess with. You don’t need your phone to get the best out of The device has 12 preset temperature levels, ranging from 428 degrees to 626 degrees, giving you enough control to in different concentrates without making the process too complicated. Lower temperatures are best for flavor. For high-quality live rosin, I keep temperature in the mid-400s. High temperatures produce thicker vapor a stronger hit.
Session length is also adjustable, with
Nature’s Remedy expands in metro Detroit
At a time when many dispensaries in Michigan are struggling to survive, one of metro Detroit’s most sought-after cannabis shops is expanding.
Nature’s Remedy, the Ferndale-based dispensary known for its connoisseur-level flower and live rosin and its hands-on customer service, announced it is opening two more dispensaries in metro Detroit, with new locations planned in Pontiac and Redford.
The expansion brings more high-quality cannabis to the suburbs at a precarious time for the industry. Dozens of dispensaries have closed in metro Detroit alone as the market faces oversaturation, plummeting prices, thin margins, and a new 24% wholesale tax on recreational marijuana.
For Nature’s Remedy, the growth is a sign that consumers are still seeking out quality in a market increasingly dominated by budget, mass-produced weed.
The original Nature’s Remedy at 925 E. Drayton St. in Ferndale remains open and has built a loyal following among customers looking for higher-end flower, live rosin, concentrates, edibles, topicals, tinctures, prerolls, vaporizers, electronic dab rigs, and glass pipes. The shop also sells its own flower, which has earned a reputation for being both reasonably priced and high quality.
Most dispensaries are built around speed and volume. Nature’s Remedy has taken a different approach, offering a clean, inviting shop where customers can walk around, inspect products, smell flower and rosin, and get guidance from knowledgeable budtenders.
Nature’s Remedy earned its fans by focusing on flavor, freshness, consistency, and quality. Its slogan, “struggle is the enemy, nature is the remedy,” reflects the company’s wellness-focused approach.
The Ferndale shop carries a wide range of respected flower brands, including 710 Labs, A1Za, Doja, Eastside Alchemy, Elysium Cultivation, Fear of Boof, Flos, Fractal, Growing Pains, Hytek, LightSky Farms, Peninsula Gardens, Polare, and Ripe Herb.
Its rosin selection is even more impressive, with brands that include 710 Labs, Eastside Alchemy, Hytek, Monopoly Melts, LightSky Farms, Information Entropy, and Peninsula Gardens.
For dabbers, Nature’s Remedy may be best known for its large selection of 710 Labs, widely regarded as one of the highest-quality live rosin brands in Michigan. The Ferndale store has carried more than 150 strains from 710 Labs, available in consistencies ranging from badder to first press.
The Pontiac location is expected to open in fall 2026 at 290 W. Walton Blvd. Nature’s Remedy has not yet announced an opening date for the Redford location.
The new stores will carry a similar mix of flower, prerolls, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, vape cartridges, and accessories, along with customer education, loyalty programs, local promotions, and grand opening events.
The expansion will also create new jobs, including budtenders, managers, and security positions.
Nature’s Remedy said the new locations will help make premium cannabis more accessible to customers in Oakland and Wayne counties, especially those who do not want to drive to Ferndale or rely on delivery.
In a crowded and volatile industry, Nature’s Remedy’s expansion is a rare sign of confidence. While many cannabis businesses are cutting back or shutting down, the Ferndale shop is counting on customers who seek out higher-quality products.
The new Utillian 8 Turbo takes cannabis concentrates to another level. STEVE NEAVLING
CULTURE
Free Will Astrology
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES: March 21 – April 19
The interesting struggles you’ll wage in the coming weeks will require your vulnerability: showing up exactly as you are when you might rather fight or escape. Your warrior nature proba bly prefers a clear enemy or a definable problem you can confront, but the truer conquest will come from laying down your weaponry. I suggest you meet aggression with curiosity and engage chaos with receptive stillness. At least for now, your greatest strength will be to remain undominated by your own reactive impulses. Think of it as an advanced martial art.
TAURUS:
April 20 – May 20
In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to be inspired by this wisdom from artist Pablo Picasso: “I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I may learn how to do it.” He’s proposing that we treat a lack of expertise not as an embarrassment, but as a doorway. Instead of waiting until we feel ready, trained, and confident, he suggests we head into territory where we fumble, guess, and feel awkward. Our discomfort may lead to gratifying growth. So I dare you to ask yourself whether there’s a capac ity or skill you’d love to add to your repertoire but are too shy or timid to try. Then take small, imperfect steps toward it, trusting that each move will teach you how to do what once felt impossible.
GEMINI: May 21 – June 20
Hummingbirds keep track of every flower they visit and know how long it will take each one to replenish its nectar. They maintain mental maps of many feeding sites and visit them on precise schedules. To ensure their survival, they can’t waste energy on flowers that aren’t ready yet. Your mind could work like this if you want it to, Gemini. Which people, places, and projects need time to refill before you visit them again? Who have you been approaching too frequently, seeking their nectar before it has had time to regenerate? In the coming weeks, practice strategic patience with your resources. In your secret conver sations with yourself, call yourself “Hummingbird.”
CANCER: June 21 – July 22
Now is an auspicious time to declare a sweeping amnesty and observe a personal season of pardon. To the best of your ability, release your clenched feelings about people who have caused you pain. Banish blame! Purge any lingering resentment and regret that has curdled into self‑re proach. Celebrate atonement and absolution! Most vital of all, exonerate yourself. Shed the guilt you’ve carried for missteps and missed chances. And please offer yourself a sweet gift: a ritual of renewal.
LEO: July 23 – August 22
If you happen to be swallowed whole by a dragon or whale sometime soon, don’t freak out. It’s far preferable to being chomped into bits first, which absolutely won’t happen. You may indeed spend a brief spell inside the creature’s dark belly, but I confidently predict you will ultimately be deposit ed on the outside in one intact piece, after which you will only need to find your meandering way back home. The whole episode may be confounding or humbling, but I bet it will also scrub you free of a load of old karma.
VIRGO: August 23 – Sept. 22
Bees perform what scientists call a “waggle dance” to communicate the location of flowers to their hive-mates. But the directions are sometimes imprecise, and the apparent sloppi ness actually helps the hive. It forces other bees to explore more broadly, discovering new food sources that the original bee missed. Perfect informa tion would make them too efficient to be adaptable. Your precision is one of your gifts, Virgo, but right now I think you need strategic vagueness and fuzzy logic. Leave some directions unclear. Mistakes and misunderstand ings might lead to discoveries that your perfect plans would have elimi nated.
LIBRA: Sept. 23 – Oct. 22
In ancient Greek thought, kairos referred to the opportune moment. It meant the right timing, when circum stances aligned for action to be most effective. The term chronos, on the other hand, was about sequential time, which blindly marched forward without any regard for special mo ments or auspiciousness. Most of us are more or less hypnotized by chro nos consciousness. We measure our lives by calendar dates and external schedules. But in the coming weeks, Libra, I recommend you stay on high alert for kairos rich pivots. For now, suspend inquiries like “Am I on schedule?” and ask, “Are the circum stances ripe?”
SCORPIO: Oct. 23 – Nov. 21
Ravens are strongly motivated to engage in elaborate play: aerial acrobat ics, complex games, sliding down snow banks, and sharing food with non rela tives. These behaviors lack an immediate payoff, yet support learning, motor skill development, and social relationships. They seem to be both emotionally rewarding and indirectly advantageous for survival and success over the long term. Let’s apply this to you, Scorpio. Let’s conclude that delight isn’t wastefully frivolous and that pleasure doesn’t need to justify itself through productivity. In the coming weeks, you may face pressure to explain or defend your joy, as if to prove it’s worth it in some utilitarian way. Refuse. Like the ravens, engage in purposeless beauty and fun simply because it feels so good.
SAGITTARIUS: Nov. 22 – Dec. 21
Glaciologists studying ice cores can read Earth’s climate history going back 800,000 years. Each layer contains trapped air bubbles. These are time capsules that preserve the atmospheric composition of each moment. The ice remembers everything. You accumulate similar records, Sagittarius. Each of your experiences leaves its trace. And in the coming weeks, you will have extra access to these archived layers of your own history. Memories and patterns you thought were lost will surface with intriguing clarity. I hope you study these revelations to glean insight about your long term patterns and cycles. It’s time to see the Big Picture.
CAPRICORN: Dec. 22 – Jan. 19
Many people forget, but you know: Structure is the foundation for freedom, not a suppression of it. While others fantasize about escaping responsibility, you know that mastery is key to every emancipation. When properly practiced, your flair for discipline adds vigor as well
as rigor. More than any other sign of the zodiac, you are adept at using limits to give unlimited possibilities their specific shape. I trust you will express all these Capricornian powers to the max in the coming weeks. People in your life need them even more than usual.
AQUARIUS: Jan. 20 – Feb. 18
Horticulturists practice “deadhead ing.” They remove spent flowers from plants to encourage new vitality. Faded flowers drain energy that could go toward fresh growth. Plants that have been deadheaded produce more abundant blooms than those left to manage their own decay. I recommend a metaphorical version of this practice to you, Aquarius. You’ll be wise to deadhead your emotion al garden. Certain attachments, once vibrant and nourishing, have expired. They’re not evil or wrong; they’re simply finished. It’s best not to keep directing precious energy toward maintaining their faded forms. With gratitude for the old beauty, clear the way for new beauty.
PISCES: Feb.19 – March 20
For maximum safety, be as uninter esting as possible. Shun risks that might shake up your beliefs and avoid adven tures that could expose you to people who aren’t similar to you. If you really want to be certain about preserving your security and stability, as I’m recommend ing, the surest method is to retreat to your power spot and do nothing at all. WAIT! STOP! Dear Pisces, everything I just said was pure misdirection! I was joking! In fact, the opposite is true. The true way to nurture genuine safety and security is to pursue what sparks your curiosity and lights up your zeal. And the coming days are likely to provide you with plenty of chances to do exactly that.
Homework: Imagine what life would be like if you half-dissolved a big fear.
JAMES NOELLERT
CULTURE
Savage Love Red Wedding
by Dan Savage
: Q I am planning my wedding, which is happening this summer. My partner and I are trying to plan an event that’s casual, fun, and full of love. Unfortunately, my parents are MAGA. And they relish trolling me. The other day on a very rare phone call they started going on about wearing MAGA gear at the ceremony, and ranting about people with tattoos, and using the t-slur to insult my trans friends. Of course, I said that was NOT ok. Given that we and many of our friends are queer, trans, and non-conforming in many brilliant and lovely ways, I’m deeply uncomfortable with them coming. (I should NOT have invited them) My parents are old, and I hold out for having a relationship with them, despite all evidence they think I’m trash. But this seems like a bridge too far. I can handle their insults, but my friends don’t deserve this. Even though I may sever the last remaining shreds of a relationship we have, I feel like they should NOT come to this event. Am I right to un-invite them? It seems like the only real choice. Would lying and saying the event is cancelled be OK? Why am I so fearful of alienating people who aggressively try to alienate me? I wish I had a therapist!
—Wanna Have A Therapist
A: Your wish is granted: Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and the co-host of the popular “Dear Therapists” and “Since You Asked” podcasts. Gottlieb also writes an terrific “Ask the Therapist” advice column for the New York Times and her bestselling memoir — Maybe You Should Talk To Someone — has sold more than three million copies.
“Instead of disinviting her parents,” Gottlieb told me, “WHAT should set the terms of the invitation and leave the decision to her parents on whether they choose to come — in other words, she should let her parents disinvite themselves.”
Gottlieb — who always goes the extra mile for her readers and callers — was so kind as to draft an email that you could send to your parents: “I’d love you both to be at my wedding, but given our call the other day, I want to be clear that the invitation comes with expectations to make the day a happy one for me, my partner, and our guests: keeping your political views and views on sexuality and gender to yourself, not making comments about any of the guests either indirectly or directly, and not wearing anything that signals these
views — and no ‘jokes’ on these topics. A wedding isn’t a place for this. If you can commit to this, great! If not, please decline the invitation and we can celebrate another way at another time.”
Now, I could see your MAGA parents — I could see anyone’s MAGA parents agreeing to your terms and then showing up at your wedding and acting like assholes… and then playing the victim when they’re told they’re being assholes. That’s how our MAGA relatives roll: they can say anything they want because MAH FREE SPEECH but no one is allowed to say anything back to them.
So, what do you do if your parents — after a glass or three of champagne — revert to form and start acting like the assholes you know they are?
“WHAT should ignore them,” said Gottlieb, “which should be simple enough to do, as she will be surrounded by a community of loving friends — and be done with inviting them to anything in the future. WHAT should remind her parents that they made the choice to be excluded going forward, not her: ‘The wedding invitation came with a clear set of expectations that you chose not to meet, so we are no longer offering invitations to you.’”
Here’s a second opinion: While the thought of disinviting your parents from your wedding causes you stress, allowing them to attend your wedding means living with the stress of how they might behave at your wedding every day until your wedding and then every minute they’re at your wedding. If your parents are still on the Trump train at this point (Americans being executed on the streets, immigrants being disappeared into foreign gulags, a disastrous war on Iran, gas prices and inflation skyrocketing), your parents are past hope. A rupture is coming, WHAT, and I think you should get it over with before the wedding. Disinviting the motherfuckers already (DTMFA!) will be stressful, but your stress will end the moment you pull the trigger/invite.
P.S. I’m not a therapist — psycho or otherwise — so you should probably take Gottlieb’s advice, not mine.
P.P.S. If you do let your parents come, ask your queer and trans friends — as a gift to you — not to take the bait. Nothing annoys MAGA asshats more than a blank stare, so there’s something in ignoring your parents for your queer and trans friends: the delight of denying your asshole parents the reaction they were seeking.
Follow Lori Gottlieb on Instagram @ LoriGottlieb_author and visit www.lorigottlieb.com to learn more about her work, her writing, and her public events. My husband’s younger brother’s fiancé was on Grindr while we were on a big family vacation together on a cruise ship. And what was I doing on Grindr? The same thing. I’m older than my husband by fifteen years. I’m very sexual, he is not. I hopped on Grindr to see what was out there. Would I have done
something? Honestly, I might have if the right opportunity presented itself. I don’t know if my husband and I are in an open marriage or not. We joke about it all the time. I created a profile and put my pic up. I wasn’t worried about being recognized. That’s when I came across the profile of my brother-in-law’s fiancé. It was definitely his pic. His profile stated that he was looking for a dom daddy. (He’s the younger one in his relationship.) I didn’t say anything to my brother-in-law because it’s not my relationship and I am not privy to the nature of theirs. I have no idea if he said anything to my husband’s brother about spotting me, but I would assume he did not due to the threat of mutually assured destruction. I know he saw me look at his profile because his profile disappeared immediately. I’m not worried he’ll say anything to my husband and in all honesty, I wouldn’t mind if he did, as I would welcome having that conversation with my husband. I wouldn’t say anything to this young man’s fiancé — that is, I wouldn’t say anything to my brother-in-law — even if he, my brother-inlaw’s fiancé, said something to my husband because, again, their relationship is not my business. But am I in the wrong? Should I say something to my brother-in-law before he marries this man?
—Somewhat At Sea Since Yesterday P.S. We’re all gay — I hope that is clear — but I wonder if the same would apply if the players in this little family drama were straight.
A: First, reading your question gave me a migraine. Your prose style is convoluted, SASSY, and I had a hard time keeping the players, erm, straight.
Second, if you would welcome a conversation about whether your marriage is open or closed — with your husband, not me — there are easier ways to initiate that conversation than waiting for some twink to blab to your husband about spotting you on Grindr.
Third, getting on Grindr to take a look around isn’t wrong — or it’s not any worse than the way people in monogamous relationships would wander into bars (gay or straight) before the apps came along. Married and/or partnered people who had no interest in cheating might visit pickup joints to have a look around, to get a quick ego boost, or to fantasize about the possibilities. But they ran the risk of being spotted by a friend or a neighbor or a family member. If that friend, neighbor, or family member was also in a monogamous relationship, both parties could rely on the doctrine of mutual assured destruction to keep them safe: if they nuked your relationship, you could nuke theirs. (If the person who spotted you at the pickup joint was single, you either had to fuck them or have them killed. Those were the rules.) The other risk of wandering into pickup joint way back was or getting on the apps
today was and is… well, it wasn’t and isn’t encountering temptation. People who get on the apps or go to pickup joints are leading themselves into temptation. The risk was and is encountering an opportunity you couldn’t resist.
Fourth, since it’s entirely possible your brother-in-law and his fiancé are in an open relationship — many if not most gay relationships are open — you can rationalize keeping your mouth shut. If the players were straight, my advice might be different, as most straight relationships are closed. And if it was your sister-inlaw’s future husband you spotted on Grindr, you would obviously need to say something to someone.
P.S. Here’s how you can get the conversational ball rolling with your husband: “Do you know if your brother’s relationship is open? I downloaded Grindr on the boat just to take a look — and spotted his fiancé. It’s none of our business, of course, and I don’t want to stir shit up here. But I was wondering if they were open. And while we’re on the subject, honey, I’ve been wondering the same about us.”
: Q Since my boyfriend moved into his ground floor apartment nine years ago, his apartment has been flooded at least twenty times by his upstairs neighbor, a guy in his fifties. Every time he goes to knock on his neighbor’s door and say, “Hey, it’s happening again,” the guy opens his door wearing a dress or some weird underwear that my straight, vanilla boyfriend struggles to describe. His neighbor always starts apologizing profusely before my boyfriend can even say anything, as if he already knows he caused a flood. I’m trying to help my boyfriend resolve this legally and sell the apartment. I’ve also found myself expending a lot of mental energy trying to work out exactly what’s going on. Is there some kind of kink where people get off on tubs overflowing? Do people masturbate to the sound of running water? I can’t understand why he opens the door fully cross-dressed if he’s legitimately planning to have a bath. It always happens when this guy’s wife is away, and afterwards he emails an OTT apology to my boyfriend saying he is so annoyed at himself and that he just lost track of time, which is why the tub overflowed. I’ve seen these emails, and they read like they were written in some kind of post-wank shame spiral. What’s going on here?
—Freaky Looking Overflowing Old Dude
A: Your boyfriend’s upstairs neighbor doesn’t get off to overflowing bathtubs or the sound of running water. He’s a cross-dresser with a humiliation kink, FLOOD, who gets off on getting “caught” wearing a dress or underwear so weird it defeats a straight boy’s powers of description. At some point — maybe even before your boyfriend moved in — this old pervert realized that letting his tub overflow would bring his downstairs neighbor
to his front door. So now, when the old pervert is home alone, he checks to make sure your boyfriend is home too. If your boyfriend is home, FLOOD, the old pervert stuffs something in the drain specifically designed to prevent his tub from overflowing — overflow drains have been a standard feature on tubs for more than a century — and then he opens the taps. He puts on a dress or some of his weird underwear while the tub fills and then he goes and sits in his living room stroking his cock while he waits for your boyfriend to knock. After getting “caught” again, and offering up the same lame excuses again (read: after the thrill of exposing himself to your boyfriend yet again), the old pervert closes the tap and then resumes his wank while he thinks about the look on your boyfriend’s face, simultaneously draining his tub and his balls.
While there’s nothing wrong with thinking about a neighbor while masturbating each of us is free to masturbate about anyone and anything we choose — forcing a neighbor to make a cameo appearance in your apartment while you’re having a wank is not okay. Two more things that aren’t okay: the old perv leveraging neighborly social norms (being polite, avoiding conflict, etc.) against someone he’s put in an uncomfortable position for his own sexual gratification (so wrong) and then sending emotionally manipulative “apology” emails that that frame the old perv as the victim (that’s lowkey DARVO shit.)
You say this started as soon as your boyfriend moved into the apartment, FLOOD, which means the old pervert was probably doing the same thing to whoever lived in your boyfriend’s apartment before he moved in. I’m not a real estate lawyer, FLOOD, but if you’re trying to build a legal case against your upstairs neighbor and/or your boyfriend’s landlord, it feels like an affidavit from the previous occupant of your boyfriend’s apartment combined with those OTT apology emails would make for a slam-dunk case.
P.S. You’re absolutely right about the mental state your boyfriend’s neighbor is in when he writes those OTT apologies: the old pervert is in a shame spiral. But as soon as he’s horny again, he’s going to be eying the tub. Which brings me back to those OTT emails: your boyfriend might be able to make this stop if he tells his upstairs neighbor that he’s going to print out copies of those OTT emails and hand them to the old pervert’s wife and the condo association if the old pervert ever floods his basement again.
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