WEDNESDAY JUNE 24
Girl in a Coma
REMBEMBER THE ALAMO
This threesome of San Antonio punkettes adds some retro rockabilly to its punk, winning notorious fans in Morrissey and Joan Jett (who signed them to her label, Blackheart Records) among others. The trio is on a mammoth tour in support of its sophomore effort, Trio B.C., which was released this month to widespread critical acclaim (including praise for saving San Antonio's music scene), between the polished rock 'n' roll and soulful ballads there's even a Spanish-language ditty. The ladies perform new tunes plus songs from their '07 debut, Both Before I'm Gone at 8 p.m. at the Crofoot's Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac; 248-858-9333; $8; with Miss Derringer.
THURSDAY JUNE 25
Michael Furman
AUTOFOCUS
Michael Furman's appreciation for auto aesthetics is evidenced by his work, a collection of photos that has earned him a reputation as the world's premiere automotive shutterbug. Furman will speak on "Automotive Design through the Lens of a Photographer" as the first in a series of free summer lectures offered in conjunction with the Ford House's latest exhibit, Different by Design: The Styling of Edsel Ford. Future lectures will explore modernism's influence on auto design (July 9), aerodynamic principles in classic cars (July 12) and the streamlining design craze of the 1930s (Aug. 6). At 7 p.m. at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, 1100 Lake Shore Rd., Grosse Pointe Shores; 313-884-4222; free.
THURSDAY JUNE 25
The Bad Plus
... BUT YOU HAVE TO SEE THE VIDEO
We interrupt the print edition of Night&Day to bring you a brief announcement about MT's online event blurbs where you can not only read incisive descriptions, but see, for instance, the Bad Plus video with these hot Mark Morris dancers doing a shimmy-shake-shimmy to a jazzed-up version of Milton Babbitt's "Semi-Simple Variations," which says more than words can about the way this trio anchors itself in jazz to span a musical continuum from modern classics to covers of Nirvana and the Bee Gees. The Plus plays at 9:30 p.m. at the Wayne State University Community Arts Auditorium, 450 Reuther Mall, Detroit. Preceded by the WSU Detroit Jazz Collective at 8 p.m. and the film A Great Day In Harlem at 6. Part of this week's free Midsummer Nights in Midtown series; midsummernightsinmidtown.com. We now return to your regular print edition of Night&Day programming.
THURSDAY JUNE 25
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
RESTORING THE SOUL
After laboring in obscurity as a session singer in the '70s and '80s, Sharon Jones took a leave of absence from music, working as a prison guard until reviving her career in the mid-'90s. Along with it, she revived the sound of '70s soul and funk, complementing her gut-punching vocals with the horn-wielding savvy of the Dap Kings (better known as Amy Winehouse's backing band). The group brings its near-legendary live show to Ann Arbor's Summer Festival in support of its latest release, the Motown-inspired 100 Days, 100 Nights. At 8 p.m. at the Power Center for the Performing Arts, 121 Fletcher St., Ann Arbor; info and tickets, which range from $25 to $40, at annarborsummerfestival.org.
FRIDAY JUNE 26
Thunderheist
IT'S VIRAL, YO!
Electro-rap duo Thunderheist was formed in 2006 by fortuitous accident when Montreal-based producer Graham Zilla mistakenly sent an MP3 file of his catchy beats to Toronto-based emcee Isis. After a few weeks of Web collaboration, the duo demoed, toured and earned blogosphere blow jobs with its club-ready, party hip hop. After spending nearly all of '08 in the studio, the twosome emerged early this year with its self-titled debut of fun and funky songs designed to get bodies on the dance floor, working up a sweat. With Sex Ghost and Frankie Bank$ at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-7665; $10; all ages.
FRIDAY JUNE 26
Constructed Realities
PLAYFUL BEASTS
Constructed Realities is the first solo show for recent Adrian College grad Ian Weber. Using an old barn as his studio, Weber created fantastical photos by placing toy animals in surprising settings, manipulating scale in a way that created new environments out of old junk. Thus, rusted spark plugs become the jungle habitat of prowling big cats, and an old license plate serves as the backdrop for a galloping gazelle. The manufactured natural worlds of Weber's photos will be given an opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. at Paint Creek Center for the Arts, 407 Pine St., Rochester; 248-651-4110; on display through Aug. 1.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY JUNE 26-27
Dr. Michael Beckwith
RELEASING GOOD VIBRATIONS
We missed Beckwith on Oprah the other day because ... well, we almost always miss Oprah. And, besides, we were busy tracking down the story that QVC is spinning off a new entity to be called the Spiritual Home Shopping Network with a show for the good doctor between Deepak Chopra and Ram Dass, both of whom contribute cover blurbs to his new Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential. Sample riff: "Architects of the Beloved Community release a vibration of love wherever they go — in the line at the market, on the freeway, at the gym, in the workplace, in the presence of so-called enemies." VIP reception Friday, workshop Saturday; $75 for both, $35 for workshop only, both with book included. Music by Rickie Byars Beckwith. At Renaissance Unity, 11200 E. Eleven Mile Rd., Warren; 586-353-2300.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY JUNE 26-28
Stars & Stripes Festival
AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!
The third annual Stars & Stripes Festival features three days of music and family fun in honor of America's approaching birthday. Along with carnival rides, art displays, BMX stunt shows, a boat exhibit, interactive military displays and Friday night fireworks, the fest will also feature three stages of music. Performers include Critical Bill, the Muggs and Uncle Kracker, as well as King's X, the bewigged Dokken and Ratt. Anyone feel like doing the time warp? Activities take place in downtown Mount Clemens; info at 586-913-1919 or starsandstripesfest.com.
SATURDAY JUNE 27
Biggest Loser Open Auditions
A POUND (OR 100) OF FLESH
Describing it as a "cattle call" seems so, um, indelicate ... or something. However, since Detroit still regularly graces the rolls of America's Fattest Cities and the big winner from season seven of the hit NBC-TV series, Helen Phillips, hails from Sterling Heights, this promises to be prime contestant territory. Casting directors are looking for family teams of two, from parent-child combos to overweight in-laws. It happens 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Gardner-White Furniture, 45300 Hayes Rd., Macomb Twp.; 586-566-2610. Please do not line up more than three hours before the starting time; scouts will do their best to see the first 500 people in person.
SATURDAY JUNE 27
Jazzin' on Jefferson
FROM BLUES TO B-BALL
Plenty to get excited about with the sixth annual Jazzin' on Jefferson. Look for Johnny Bassett and the Blues Insurgents (5:30 p.m.) to be in particularly good spirits as this gig more or less coincides with the release of The Gentleman Is Back (Mack Avenue). Bassett's long-overdue national breakout disc? Could be. And Detroiter Johnny O'Neal (7:45 p.m.), lucky for us, hangs his hat in Detroit long after his breakout as a national jazz attraction (and his role in the movie Ray). Others include the Planet D Nonet (6 p.m.) and the Vincent Chandler Septet (3:45 p.m.). The whole shebang is from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. along Jefferson Avenue, from Chalmers to Alter, with food, arts, craft, b-ball and more. See jazzinonjefferson.com for more info.
SUNDAY JUNE 28
Rock the Bells '09 Official Afterparty
KEEP YA HEADS RINGIN'
This Sunday night the party's at DTE Energy Music Theatre, where the Roots, Busta Rhymes, Nas and Damien Marley take the stage with a slew of other talented tongues for an epic celebration of rap music and hip-hop culture. But it's the intimate afterparty we're most excited about. International hip-hop icon Nas will host a party the peeps will be yakking about all summer. With freestyle maniac MC Supernatural and local fave Phat Kat also handling mic duties, the show centers around Roots drummer and DJ extraordinaire ?uestlove, whose last stint in Detroit (with Talib Kweli) hit legendary heights. He has three hours on tables to up the ante. With complementary hors d'oeuvres and a private bar in the Burn Rubber Lounge — not to mention the release of pop photography compilation Frank Book Chapter 36: Erotica — the $15 cover seems like a pretty legit deal. At Capital Square (formerly Plan B), 205 W. Congress St., Detroit; advance tickets at groovetickets.com.
SUNDAY JUNE 28
Palmer Park Green Art Fair
AIN'T IT EASY BEING GREEN?
The Palmer Park Art Fair, an annual happening in the '70s and '80s, gets resurrected as the Palmer Park Green Art Fair. While artists will still display their work, the emphasis of the reborn event is environmental education, and a number of organizations — including Detroiters for Environmental Justice, Transit Riders United and Greening of Detroit — will be on hand to provide the Earth-friendly info. The fair also includes arts and crafts for the kiddies, and three stages of acoustic music. It happens 2-7 p.m. in the southeast corner of Palmer Park, near Second Avenue and Merrill Plaisance Street. Info at greenartfair.org.
MONDAY JUNE 29
The Present
SOUNDING DEPTHS
The current project of New York City noise-pop producer Rusty Santos (known for his work with Animal Collective, Panda Bear and Gang Gang Dance), the Present creates an eerie, otherworldly sound, which can be heard on the trio's two LPs. The group — comprised of GGD's Jesse Lee and Japanese musician Mina — is on tour in support of its latest effort, The Way We Are, an intense sonic experiment, complete with a 35-minute title track. The Present performs — for free! — with Queens at 9 p.m. at the Garden Bowl, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-831-4662.
