He has a radio program on WXOU out of Oakland University
Wild At Heart
If you are getting out on Tuesday thru Wednesday in the Detroit area, be careful due to this warning: SNOW WILL SPREAD NORTH ACROSS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON TUESDAY AND BECOME HEAVY TUESDAY NIGHT. SNOW SHOWERS WILL TAPER OFF AND BECOME SCATTERED BY MIDDAY ON WEDNESDAY. Be prepared for poor road conditions, esp if the state's previous snow removal and salting work continues to be substandard due to "budget reasons". TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS BY WEDNESDAY MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 5 TO 8 INCHES WITH TOTALS APPROACHING 10 INCHES SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. It doesn't sound all that bad being from up north, but expect the unexpected and just drive carefully.
This past week I had the pleasure of sampling the fare of Toast in Downtown Birmingham located at 203 Pierce Street. I wondered through the door into a lobby area with a display case offering various dessert type items for those on the go and wanting a snack. Straight ahead was a small bar area great for quietly putting down a few drinks. To the left was a casual dining area that looks pretty high class. I was directed to the right into a lounge area complete with a fireplace, couches and small tables in a very intimate setting that I fell in love with. This is where I had the pleasure of sampling some of the food items from their menu. Unlike their Ferndale location, the Birmingham restaurant is open for dinner which is what they were promoting on this day. Chef Jeff Rose, who used to work at the Tribute as well as other area restaurants, has brought some nice choices to the menu. Jeff and the owner stressed trying to bring an affordable yet tasty selection of food to the downtown area. The food is very good though Jeff joked that some Birmingham resident said they won't eat their "because it is too cheap", which has never been a deterent for me, but then "will sneak in the following week". Sure a decent dinner will run you about $15-25 (remember this is Birmingham), but the food is very good. I don't have the menu they gave me on me and their dinner choices are not online but the dinner I sampled included a nice Salmon over rice and a very tasty duck dinner. Appetizers included their tacos, a pastry with mushrooms and a cold salmon which is to be newly added to the menu. We were also given some wife selections (it is hard to recommend wines but I enjoyed them all and it seems that every brand they sell has a particular story which just adds something special) and a blueberry martini. Every taste test seems to have something I don't like and in this case it was the drink called a "polar bear" which mixes white chocolate and vodka. I have never been a fan of white chocolate hence my not really liking the drink but everything else we sampled was very good to exceptional in my opinion. Overall, I would recommend this location for a nice casual dinner when you want something better than Applebees to impress your girl or just hang out in the lounge area for a nice lunch and drinks. You can go to ToastBirmingham.com for more info though their dinner menu isn't on it at this time.
I spent Super Bowl Sunday downtown taking in 2 of the newest comedic plays happening in the Detroit area at the GEM and Century Theatres. Both theatres share the same building so I didn't have far to go between shows. I started with the one-man show "Defending The Caveman" which is a comedy by American actor Rob Becker about the misunderstandings between men and women. The show is a blend of stand-up comedy, lecture, and therapy session as it attempts to showcase the differences between the sexes. The play manages to work both sides comparing the ways both men and women react to situations using the basis that men are "hunters" and "women are "gatherers". Becker describes the play as a venue for showing that "men have emotions, but they express them differently". The situations range from shopping to sex and ring very true. The crowd seemed to enjoy the show almost as much as I did and being a one-man show, this play has more of a stand-up comic feel than an actual play which should make it more receptive for people who think they don't like plays but like comedy. Not only is this production entertaining, but you might learn some nice relationship advice at the same time. My grade is a A-. I will have actor Ben Tedder on my radio show next week (8-10AM Saturday morning on WXOU 88.3FM or www.wxou.org).
After that, I went across the building to the GEM to get ready for "The Marvelous Wonderettes". Writen by Roger Bean whose mother would sing music from the girl groups of the 50s and 60s. Years later, he discovered that while in high school his mother had been a varsity song leader and this got the creative juices flowing. The showmakes use of many of the classic pop songs from the '50s and '60s in order to tell its story. Four girls are part of the Songleader squad of Springfield High and they are called upon to perform at their senior prom as a last minute replacement. The girls include Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy and Suzy who work hard to entertain the audience, go through some personal issues on stage and compete for prom queen. The second act has them reuniting at their 10 year reunion as we learn what has happened to them over the past 10 years and get a glimpse of their futures. The cast is very colorful and their are a lot of great songs including "Mr Sandman", "Lollipop", "Lipstick On Your Collar", "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Son Of A Preacher Man" to name a few. For music lovers like myself, it is fun trying to figure out what will happen next based on the song choices. For example, one of the girls has a crush on a teacher which I deduced by the song "Mr Lee" being in the song. I got a few more and it was a fun game for me as certain lyrics became crucial to the actual story. Mr Bean did a great job picking out songs and tying them together for maximum laughs and entertainment quality. This group of girls, including Gretchen Bieber, Holly Davis, Marley DelDuchetto and Laura Hall are wonderful as the Marvelettes (sorry, can't resist pun) and really do a good job bringing the songs and situations to life. If you love the music of the girl groups, you can't miss this show. My grade is an A+.
For more information about showtimes for both shows, go to http://www.gemtheatre.com.
Aspiring actors can take advantage of DreamWorks Studios nationwide casting search to fill a lead role in its upcoming movie “Real Steel”, a sci-fi movie about a former boxer (Hugh Jackman) who gets one last shot at the title when he teams up with his long-lost son (‘Max’) to train a unique robot for the upcoming Real Steel World Championship. The role to be cast is ‘Max’: Male, 10-14 years old who is described as street-smart, tough and charming kid with a hard, untrusting outer shell which hides a warm enthusiastic spirit beneath. He is a complicated, strong-willed and resourceful boy. If this fits your description, you have two ways to audition. Beginning immediately, individuals can submit a videotaped audition through www.realsteelcasting.com (complete instructions are available on the website) or go to one of two open call auditions will be held starting on Sunday, February 14, 2010 in Chicago , Illinois and then on Saturday, February 20, 2010 in New York , New York . No acting experience is necessary for interested actors, nor are they required to prepare anything for the audition. Good luck!!
History buffs and film fanatics, you might want to go to the MOCAD this upcoming Wednesday at 7PM for "Lost Landscapes Of Detroit" which is an eclectic montage of rediscovered and rarely-seen archival film clips exhibiting life; cityscapes, labor and leisure from ‘vanishing Detroit’, as captured by amateurs, newsreel cameramen and industrial filmmakers from the 1920’s to the 1960’s. Lost Landscapes aims to offer Detroiters imagery of Detroit's past, free from any sense of nostalgia, in an attempt to provide subject for contemplation as the people of the city build towards a new future. The event is free and I wish I could go but I am giving a Census test that night. I have always enjoyed looking at old footage from various cities and trying to see what has changed and what is still the same. Give this a chance if you have the time.
If you love free shows as much as I do, I have something for you to check out. In celebration of Black History Month, the Detroit International Jazz Festival, in partnership with Second Ebenezer Church, presents "THE MOVEMENT Revisited", a jazz opus by Christian McBride, dedicated to four icons of the Civil Rights Movement. The performance features the Christian McBride Band, the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra, the Second Ebenezer Majestic Voices and special guest narrators. Seating is first come, first serve but it is free if you go to
http://themovementrevisited.eventbrite.com and click for your free tickets. For groups of 10 or more, contact them at info@detroitjazzfest.com. See you at the show.
These shows aren't free but are my recommendations for the week.
Tuesday (2/09) zydeco master CJ Chenier @ Callahan's
Wednesday (2/10) Those Darlins @ the Pike Room
Thursday (2/11) Japanese new wave/synth punkers Polysics @ Magic Stick
Friday (2/12) Honky Tonk Heartache featuring Whitney Morgan and the 78's and Catfish Mafia @ the Magic Stick, synch-rockers Rogue Satellites @ Majestic Cafe, folk artists Girlyman @ the Ark, reggae sensation Michael Franti and Spearhead opening for John Mayer @ Palace Of Auburn Hills, heavy rockers Shadows Fall w/Five Finger Death Punch @ Machine Shop, Darling Imperial opens for 52 Week High @ Pike Room (free event)
Saturday (2/13) rockers Crud hosting the Derby Girls after party @ Magic Stick, Jill Jack Band @ the Ark, a special program highlighting women in art and music featuring Lightning Love, Jane of Arc, Misty Lyn and the Big Beautiful and Sisters Lucas plus more @ the Crofoot
Sunday (2/14) folk artists Annie & Rod Capps @ the Ark
The weekend also marks the return of Winter Blast which runs Feb 12th-14th in Downtown Detroit centered around Campus Martius Park. The full schedule is on http://www.winterblast.com though some highlights include free ice skating and the ice sculptures. Musical highlights include the The Reefermen, The Muggs, The Macpodz and BandB but their is variety enough for everyone including an electronic stage on Fri and Sat nights. One of the funnest ways to stay warm during one of the coldest months.
Band of the week: This week I decided to showcase a couple of bands that tie into the production of the "Wonderous Marvelettes" starting with a recent band that has tried to capture that girl group sound in their music. The Pipettes were formed in mid-2003 by singer-songwriter and promoter Monster Bobby with the intention of reviving the Phil Spector pop sound and giving it a modern twist. The line-up has been very unstable which might prevent their ever breaking it big and their name, which is a reference to the laboratory instrument, is a nod to the experimental origins of the group. The group has released one album, We Are the Pipettes, that I adore and released numerous singles to support it; the most successful being "Pull Shapes" which peaked at #26 in the UK Singles Chart.
Getting into the early girl groups of the 50's and 60's there are many stand-outs but my favorite are the Exciters. They were originally a quartet of seventeen year olds who were high school classmates in Queens, New York. Originally called the Masterettes, the group consisted of Brenda Reid on lead, Sylvia Williams, Lillian Walker, and Carol Johnson. Bassman Herb Rooney (later helping on vocals) found their harmonies to be solid and felt Reid's powerful voice made the group exciting and a new name was born for the group. It is Reid's voice which makes the band really stand out among the many more bubbly girl group and made them sound more a product of the streets which shows on their recording. While they weren't in the spotlight for long, the did have an impact by recording the original version of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" in 1963 (it was covered shortly after by Manfred Mann, for whom it was an international smash) and influenced singer Dusty Springfield's vocal style after hearing the song "Tell Him".
Have a good week and be safe driving if that snow hits harder than expected.
