Watch Detroit Lives with Johnny Knoxville

A week or so ago I told you about Johnny Knoxville and his campaign with Palladium Boots called “Detroit Lives.” Well, it’s finally live and I think it’s pretty spot on. Yeah, I’d like to see a bit less of the ruin porn but the message is clear.

Detroit has amazing people and I’m so pleased that they focused on some of my favorites. Toby Barlow, Phil Cooley, and Chris Turner tell Johnny what Detroit is really about.

Bethany Shorb from OmniCorp Detroit says it best:

Detroit doesn’t need any saviors…We need entrepreneurs, artists, DIY-ers, thinkers. Detroit has always been a culture of making.

From the Palladium website:

Once the fourth-largest metropolis in America—some have called it the Death of the American Dream. Today, the young people of the Motor City are making it their own DIY paradise where rules are second to passion and creativity. They are creating the new Detroit on their own terms, against real adversity. We put our boots on and went exploring.

As I said, I could have done with less ruin porn. And there are tons of additional young people and movements they could have spotlighted. Overall, though, I think they did a pretty good job.

What do you think?

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

My husband was sad when he learned that apple cider wasn't the same as hard cider.Ah, crisp autumn weather! The kids are back in school, the cider mills are open, and Starbucks is serving their Pumpkin Spice Latte. With football back in our lives and hockey on its way, all is right with the world.

Yes, it’s still technically summer but I love this time of year. There are a ton of cool things to do in Detroit this weekend. Enjoy!

Weekend Roundup

1. Dally in the Alley - The 33rd annual Dally is a celebration of music and art and takes place in the unique alleys of the north Cass Corridor. September 11th.

2. Astronomy at the Beach - Check out the planets, stars, and moon through telescopes that are set up on the sand. There's also a comet making demonstration and a children's scavenger hunt. September 10-11.

3. Old Car Festival - America's longest running antique car show includes over 500 old cars. The vehicles are on parade with experts providing commentary. September 11-12.

4. Plymouth Fall Festival - This community festival features entertainment, a carnival, a pancake breakfast, taste fest, bingo, and more. September 10-12.

5. Homegrown Festival - Celebrate food sourced from Michigan farms and prepared by some of the best local chefs. Michigan wine and beer will also be available. September 11th.

6. Arts and Apples Festival - Michigan's second largest juried art festival! Also, entertainment, a kid zone, food, and apples. And apple pie. Did I mention apples? September 10-12.

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

Was Arts, Beats & Eats a Success?

So, was Arts, Beats & Eats a success? Going by the numbers, yes. The 2010 edition of the festival, now at its new home in Royal Oak, brought in over 400,000 people over Labor Day weekend. The event in Pontiac in 2009 drew a total of 225,000 attendees.

We went on Saturday specifically to hear two bands. I remember seeing Rhythm Corps sometime in the mid to late 80’s with my brother. Their anthem “Common Ground” still resonates. The distinctly 80’s hair and fashion, however, are now replaced with middle age baldness. And, I’m OK with that.

Mayer Hawthorne played directly after Rhythm Corps and the difference in the audience was dramatic. The fans of Rhythm Corps were 40-ish, devout fans that sang along to every tune and were happy that the band had gotten back together. Hawthorne’s fans were young, trendy hipsters ready to listen to the soul man and he put on a great show.

Mayer Hawthorne performing at Arts, Beats & Eats.

I thoroughly enjoyed both performances.

What about the rest of the festival, you know, the art and food? We tried to walk around and experience everything but it was frustrating. I don’t mind crowds but it just seemed like the festival was crammed in too tight. I’ve heard a lot of people grumble about the crowds and the parking.

A mural being painted live during Arts, Beats & Eats.

Royal Oak will, most likely, make a great home for this Labor Day tradition in the future. They have some kinks to work out and they need to address the problem areas to make the event a more enjoyable experience.

I just hope it doesn’t become like the Woodward Dream Cruise where the residents of Royal Oak and the surrounding communities flee the area during this time of year to avoid the hassle.

Did you attend Arts, Beats & Eats? How was your experience? 

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer in metro Detroit and I’m OK with that. Except for the fact that 2010 is zooming by terribly fast, I’m looking forward to the autumnal leaves and weather. Sweatshirt weather is the best!

In other news, September is National Potato Month. So, find the spud of your life and enjoy!

And in other other news, I feel like the only person in the area who isn't going to see Eminem. Have a great time at the show! I'm a wee bit jealous.

Weekend Roundup

1. Hamtramck Labor Day Festival - Head to Hamtown for entertainment, a carnival, an arts & antique fest, and yummy Polish food. Watch the Polish Day Parade or take part in the Golab-K fun run. Sto Lat! September 4-6.

2. Southwest Detroit Bike Tour - Check out the taquerias, retail businesses, parks, and more while riding on two wheels with Wheelhouse Detroit. September 4th.

3. Rhythm, Roots & Rhyme Poetry Slam - Watch the finals of the poetry slam at Hart Plaza including both youth and adult sessions. Featured performances by CityWide Poets from InsideOut Detroit. September 5th.

4. Detroit International Jazz Festival - Hart Plaza is home to the largest free jazz festival in North America. Veterans of jazz and up-and-coming artists will perform. September 3-6.

5. Sirens of Chrome - Take a photographic ride through auto show history from the perspective of the sexy show models. Photography and vintage gowns will be on show. Through September 6th.

Oh yeah, and in case you’ve been living under a rock, Arts, Beats & Eats will be in Royal Oak this weekend. There are tons of great acts performing including my favorite, Mayer Hawthorne. Check out some of the smaller venues too; Blair and Emilio Basa will both be playing sets at Goldfish Tea.

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

Three Detroit Stories

I’ve had a few Detroit stories swimming around in my brain that I’ve been meaning to tell you about. Sometimes I forget that many of you aren’t on Twitter. Things that seem so yesterday to the Twitter world aren’t always publicized in other ways. 

So, have a look!

Johnny Knoxville, known for “Jackass: The Movie”, is checking out Detroit in a campaign for Palladium, a boot company. The daredevil explores Detroit and the people who are passionate about the city. “Detroit Lives” was set to premier yesterday but it has been pushed back to September. From the trailer, it seems like they got it right.

Hard Luck Candy Vodka martinis.Do you remember the candy you loved as a child? Candy fish and root beer barrels, anyone? Now your favorite candy flavors have been distilled into vodka! Yes, they’ve been adultified! (That’s a word, right?)

Hard Luck Candy Vodka was started when the owners began infusing vodka at the Hard Luck Lounge in Grosse Pointe. They’ve been around for a bit but their official launch was two weeks ago. I tried both the Candy Fish and the Root Beer Barrel vodka at the launch and am a bit smitten with the root beer version. New flavors are on the horizon. Find Hard Luck Flavored Vodka near you!

Have you heard about The Backchannel? Stephen Clark, news anchor at WXYZ, started this online phenomenon to merge old media and new media, to interact with the Detroit community, and to showcase positive stories about Detroit. He can explain it much better than I can, he’s pretty good with words, you know! Check out the beginnings of the Backchannel, the upgrade, and where it stands now.

Now, I’m not suggesting you grab some root beer flavored vodka, kick up your feet, and watch the news but… actually that isn’t a bad idea. Oh, and I’ll keep you posted when “Detroit Lives” is set to premier.