On location with Single Barrel Detroit: Coney Dogs & Music

Last weekend I woke up early on a Sunday morning and headed downtown to a film shoot at Lafayette and American Coney Islands. No, I wasn’t rubbing shoulders with George Clooney.

Single Barrel Detroit was filming a music video at our famed rival restaurants and I wanted to see them in action. Usually, their shoots are clandestine, cloak and dagger operations but this time they invited the public. This shoot featured two local bands, Bars of Gold and Wildcatting, that share band members and a whole lot of history.

what is SINGLE BARREL DETROIT? from SINGLE . BARREL . DETROIT on Vimeo.

After the filming, I had a chance to ask Jared Groth, Producer & Creator at Single Barrrel Detroit, a few questions.

Detroit Moxie: How do you describe Single Barrel Detroit?

Jared Groth: We consider ourselves to be documentarians at heart. We film live music performances in Detroit specific locations. We strive to capture the essence of Detroit and how it has created/effected the local arts scene, more specifically the music scene. Our goal is to remove the musicians from the traditional stage and place them in a setting that forces them to adapt. The moment we love best is when one of our featured artists fits in with (or juxtaposes to) the setting so well that they essentially become a part of the landscape.

DM: How did you come up with the concept?

JG: “The Take Away Shows”, a film series created by a French Film Director Vincent Moon, directly inspired us. The videos he shot had such a cinematic quality to them and presented music in such a different way that the videos really transported you and made you feel as though you were there. Slowly our concept evolved and we became more and more location oriented, wanting to tell the story of Detroit, its colorful history, architecture and life.

DM: Is the focus always on up-and-coming bands or are there some dream bands that you’d love to shoot?

JG: We will always want the website to be heavily weighted with Detroit artists, however our strategy is to incorporate national bands in order to gain exposure for the rest. For instance, someone coming to the site to check out a Holly Golightly video might stumble upon Child Bite and like their music as well.

DM: How do you choose the bands and pair them up with locations?

JG: We make it our goal to compliment the band with a location, either in a sharp contrast or a in a setting that melts with their persona.

DM: Why did you decide to invite the public to this shoot?

JG: We have wanted to do a public shoot for a while. One thing we feel has been missing from the videos is people and their interactions with the bands. A restaurant seemed like a natural place to accomplish that goal.

DM: How did the bands Bars of Gold and Wildcatting fit with Detroit’s most famous Coney Islands, American and Lafayette?

JG: The two Coneys have a legendary “rivalry” which when you really look at it, it's merely a difference in opinion for Detroiters. They both make the same thing, one just has a little more mustard. We wanted to show the two personalities of the band members who make up the bands Wildcatting and Bars of Gold. Again, that brings us back to a difference in opinion.

I can’t wait to see the finished video! In the mean time, catch some of their previous videos filmed on location in Detroit. Be sure to check our their Kickstarter project, Four Films for Attention. They have just over two days to reach their goal! The project hopes to garner national attention for one of their favorite bands, Prussia.

?A few of my photos from the shoot:

Jared Groth, Producer & Creator at Single Barrel Detroit.

Scotty Iulianelli

Brandon Moss and his son.

Ben Audette & Scotty Iulianelli

Scotty Iulianelli

Marc Paffi

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Friendly Reminder! On Sunday, March 13 at 2 a.m., Daylight Saving Time begins in the United States. Turn your clocks ahead one hour. Yes, we lose an hour of sleep. I hate that part. On the bright side, we gain an hour of sunlight in the evenings. [Pun intended.]

The Stormtroopers marching in the 2009 parade. Look how warm it was!

Weekend Roundup

1. St. Patrick's Day Parade - Get your Irish on! The 53rd Detroit incarnation of the parade marches down Michigan Avenue at 2 p.m. Fun for the whole family, including dogs and Stormtroopers! March 13th.

2. Detroit Independent Film Festival - The DIFF, a film festival started by film buffs and filmmakers, returns for a second year featuring all genre’s and styles of films. March 9-13.

3. Uptown Film Festival - More film! This fest celebrates films made in Michigan. Featuring premieres of "Kill the Irishman" with Christopher Walken and Val Kilmer and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's "Things Fall Apart". March 11th & 12th.

4. Pewabic's 108th Birthday Celebration and Historic Marker Dedication Ceremony - The Pewabic Pottery birthday party coincides with the dedication of their historical marker. Birthday cake, door prizes, and demonstrations. March 12th.

5. Free Second Sunday at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History - Celebrate Women's History Month and explore the exhibits. Free admission! March 13th.

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

Royal Oak Restaurant Week Announced



Royal Oak is jumping on the community trend and has announced the first annual Royal Oak Restaurant Week. Spanning 9 days, the March 25 through April 2 event celebrates culinary diversity. Participating restaurants will offer a fixed price three-course dinner for either $15 or $25.

Participating restaurants include: Andiamo, Bastone, BlackFinn, Café Habana, Café Muse, D’Amato’s, Fifth Avenue, Lily’s Seafood, Lockhart’s BBQ, Oak City Grille, O’Tooles, Oxford Inn, Rock on Third, Royal Oak Brewery, Sangria, Tom’s Oyster Bar, Town Tavern, Vinotecca, Woody’s Diner and Zumba.

It’s interesting to note that the Royal Oak Restaurant Week will overlap with the Detroit version on two days (the Spring Edition of Detroit Restaurant Week runs April 1-10).

Check out the menus and make your reservations! This is going to be a popular event. Reservations aren’t required but are strongly encouraged.

Which restaurants and menus on the list excite you? What do you think of the two different price points?

The most memorable Paczki Day

It was Paczki Day back in 2001. I had been back in Detroit for about a year and a half and was still pretty angry about it. I couldn’t sleep and as the clock hit 5:30 a.m. I decided to head down to Hamtramck.

My mom grew up in Hamtramck and my grandparents lived there until the late 70s. I spent a lot of time there as a kid—going to the candy store with my grandpa, family dinners at their house, hearing the neighbors and my family speaking Polish, the bakeries and Clock Diner—are all embedded in my brain.

As an adult, I had spent very little time in the tiny city surrounded by Detroit. I left the area when I was 17 and had just returned. I hadn’t explored the bar scene in Hamtramck yet and in my mind it was the same little Polish community it was decades earlier.

It was still dark out as I pulled into Hamtramck at around 6:00 a.m. People were everywhere, standing in line at the bakeries and others had already started drinking. Mainly, it was a lot of happy, friendly people ready to party.

I just came to pick up some paczki and I was alone so I didn’t take part in the revelry that was going on around me. I purchased my dozen and headed to my grandma’s house. The plan was to surprise her in the morning with some Polish treats and quiet time with her granddaughter.

I knew she’d be awake. My grandma was a whirlwind of activity and started her day early in the morning. I’m sure the knock on the door and opening it to find me standing in front of her was a shock. Something must be wrong for her granddaughter to show up at her house at stupid o’clock in the morning!

I assured her everything was OK and showed her my pure white box of paczki, tied perfectly with bakery string. Her eyes lit up. Grandma had a major sweet tooth and she was always thinking about dessert. We sat down and enjoyed our Polish treats with coffee and a nice chat.

There wasn’t anything spectacular about that day. We didn’t solve the world’s problems. We just spent time together. On a whim, I decided to surprise her on a Polish “holiday.” That’s all.

A few months later, in May, my grandma had a massive stroke that left her paralyzed and unable to speak. She lived for two more years but it was difficult to communicate and I think she was pretty angry about her predicament.

The last real memories I have of her—the good ones—are from that day. Sitting in her kitchen, eating paczki. The most remarkable moments of our lives come unexpected. And they’re even better if they include powdered sugar on your face and custard dripping down your chin.

Splurge: 4 Cheap Detroit Eats Go Fancy

A sandwich, a slider, a Coney dog, & a corn dog.

These should be simple, cheap eats, right? They should only cost a couple of bucks. Not this time. I went out and found the fancy pants versions of these staples in Detroit.

Chefs, especially the top notch ones, can interpret food in many different ways. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I’m here to tell you if it’s worth the extra money. Is it a party in your mouth or did you just waste your hard earned cash?

So, it’s not just a sandwich, it’s a lobster roll. We’re not talking White Castle or Telway sliders; this is Kobe beef with Boursin cheese. Michael Symon reworks Detroit’s beloved Coney dog with the addition of pulled pork and cheddar cheese. Lastly, you’re not picking up this corn dog at the State Fair; this one has Maine lobster.

You know what? Most of them work.

Kobe Sliders ~ $16 & $21 ~ Ronin Sushi, Royal Oak

Menu description: ginger, smoked bacon, sriracha, lettuce, tomato, boursin cheese

Verdict:  They are teeny tiny, as sliders are, but the Boursin cheese made these extra special. The mound of shoestring fries will keep you munching for hours and fill you up. I’ll be going back.

Tip: The Kobe sliders are $16 on the happy hour menu (everyday 5-7pm), otherwise they’re $21. Totally worth it at the lower price.

Maine Lobster Corn Dog ~ $17 ~ Coach Insignia, Detroit

Menu Description: Napa Cabbage Slaw & Whole Grain Mustard Hollandaise

Verdict: The mustard hollandaise was rich and the lobster melted in your mouth. I cheated and went in for happy hour where you can get a mini-version for $4. The full sized lobster corn dog appetizer would be great to share with the table but too much for one person. I’d go back for the happy hour morsel.

Roast Coney Dog ~ $9 ~ Roast, Detroit

Menu description: pulled pork, jalapeno, cheddar, red hots

Verdict: Michael Symon takes Coney dogs seriously and he handcrafted his version to perfection. The dog itself has a nice bite and the pulled pork and cheddar take it over the edge. Beware: it has a spicy kick. This is a big plate of food and the side of fries was a nice surprise. Totally worth the $9.

Lobster Roll ~ $20 ~ Café Via, Birmingham

Menu description: claw meat, citrus aioli

Verdict: This is a big sandwich with a ton of lobster meat and a few greens. That’s it. I get that lobster is expensive but this roll had no bang for twenty bucks. Café Via is a beautiful setting with interesting rooms but next time I’ll order something else off the menu. Save your money.

Most of the time you want cheap food to be cheap. Once in a while you need to splurge and try something different. Have you seen any other cheap eats around Detroit that have received an expensive makeover?