iSPY Magazine - November 2011

Lupe Fiasco

The JulietsFitz and The Tantrums2011 Awesome Awards

November 2011 The Washtenaw County Events and Entertainment Monthly ISPYMAGAZINE.CO

ypsistudenthousing.com734.485.9999 | 1000 N. Huron River Dr.

fullyfurnished

privatebedrooms

resort-style

amenities

SCAN & LEARN

official housing of EMU athletics

contents NOVEMBER

[the buzz]06 Joan Baez, Russell Brand, The Civil Wars

07 Manchester Orchestra, Bob Seger, Paul Simon

[scene]08 Lupe Fiasco

09 Chrome Sparks

10 Envolve Clothing

[features]14 The Juliets

16 2011 Awesome Awards

22 Fitz and the Tantrums

[foodie]11 Adventures in Local Food #11

13 Chop House

[around you]18 October Events Calendar

[review]26 Rate it! - Sounds

28 Rate it! - The Cut

[depot town rag]33 New Look for Old Depot Town

+Cover and pg. 8 phtoto by: Andrew Zaeh

PUBLISHER +tim adkinsEDITORIAL +[editor in chief]amanda slater[writers]amanda slater, tim adkins, stefanie stauffer, paul kitti, tom dodd, marissa mcnees, aimee mandle, joshua trent, mary simkins, david nassar, ian cruz

© 2011, iSPY. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part granted only by written permission of Pakmode Media + Marketing in accordance with our legal statement. iSPY is free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. For additional copies you must be granted written permission, with a possible associated cost.

www.ispymagazine.co

iSPY + The Washtenaw County Events and Entertainment Guide

Pakmode Media + Marketing124 Pearl st. Suite 407,

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Office: 734.484.0349Fax: 734.484.0349

facebook.com/ispymagazine @ispymagazine youtube.com/ispymagazine

2011 Awesome Awards + pg 16

The Juliets+ pg 14

Envolve Clothing + pg 10

ART +[designers]tim adkins, ashley strauss, gwen landrum, jennifer oliphant[photographers]bruno postigo, kristin slaterSALES +tim adkins / [email protected][business development]bilal saeed/[email protected]

Fitz and the Tantrums+ pg 22

5 NOVEMBER 2011 i SPYwww.ispymagazine.co // @ispymagazine

facebook.com/ispymagazine // www.ispymagazine.co6 i SPY NOVEMBER 2011

THE BUZZ //

Russell Brand // EMU Convocation Center / Nov. 16

Joan Baez // Michigan Theater / Nov. 1

In many ways, Joan Baez is a legend. Known as the “queen of folk,” not only has she been a notable singer-songwriter for over 50 years, but she is also a prominent human rights, peace and environmental justice activist. In addition to creating her own work, Baez is famous for recording songs by artists like the Beatles, Paul Simon, The Allman Brothers Band and, of course, Bob Dylan.

Baez and Dylan were romantically involved in the early sixties, and since Baez achieved her fame prior to Dylan’s breakthrough, she was responsible for introducing Dylan for the first time to several of her audiences. (The two con-tinued to tour and work together in the future.) On November 1, Ann Arbor will welcome Baez to the Michigan Theater’s stage, and attendees will get a chance to witness the queen of folk’s live performance firsthand at 7:30 p.m. at the Michigan Theater. Tickets start at $27 and are available at ticketmaster.com.

Singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White met during a songwriting session at a Nashville studio in 2008. Soon after, they were performing together and causing a stir in the music scene. Their second live performance at Eddie’s Attic in Georgia in April 2009 was recorded and released as a free internet down-load, which has now been downloaded over 300,000 times. Later that year, their song “Poi-son & Wine” was featured on “Grey’s Anatomy.” By December of 2010, Paste Magazine had se-lected the duo as the “Best of What’s Next,” and in January 2011 they performed their first single “Barton Hallow” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – and this was all before they had released a full length studio album.

On February 1, 2011, their debut studio album, “Barton Hallow” was released, sell-ing 25,000 copies in its first week. Since then, VH1 has named The Civil Wars as artists “You Oughta Know.” They were nominated for a CMT Award for their “Barton Hollow” video in April 2011 and in May 2011 were asked to open for Adele for the fist six shows of her North Ameri-can album release tour. Now, Ann Arbor will get a chance to check out this critically acclaimed duo at 7:30 p.m. on November 2 at the Michigan Theater. Tickets start at $20. But hurry – they will sell out fast.

BY AMANDA SLATER

BY AMANDA SLATER

BY AMANDA SLATER

Civil Wars // Michigan Theater / Nov. 2

Russell Brand got his start as a stand-up comedian in Britain and is known for his inappropriate and out of control flare. In 2000, he was a video journalist on MTV, where he was fired for coming to work dressed as Osama bin Laden the day after the September 11 attacks and for bringing his drug dealer to work. He moved from his MTV hosting gig to a series of other shows, returning in 2006 as the presenter of 1 Leicester Square.

Notorious for his former heroin, alcohol and sex addic-tions, as well as numerous run-ins with the police, Brand has been on the straight and narrow for some time now. In 2008, he starred in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” which catapulted him to fame in the U.S. Since then, he hosted the MTV Video Music Awards in 2008 and 2009 and starred in “Get Him to the Greek.” Now, he is perhaps more famous for being married to Katy Perry, who he met at the 2009 VMAs and married in Oc-tober 2010. Don’t miss the chance to see Brand perform live at EMU’s Convocation Center on November 16. Tickets start at $23 and can be purchased at emich.edu/convocation.


// THE BUZZ

Manchester Orchestra // Clutch Cargos / Nov. 8 Paul Simon //

Fox Theater / Nov. 18

Bob Seger // EMU Convocation Center / Nov. 2

When it comes to Paul Simon, what can you say about the man that hasn’t been said before? The legendary singer / songwriter and former member of Simon and Garfunkel released his twelfth studio album this spring, the critically acclaimed “So Beautiful or So What,” and he will be following it up this October with the much anticipated, “Songwriter,” an anthology of cuts hand-picked by Simon himself, spanning a career that has lasted nearly a half-century. In sup-port of both albums, Simon will be playing what is sure to be an intimate and diverse show at Detroit’s Fox Theater on Friday, November 18. It will be a night of beautiful songs played in one of the most beautiful venues around and is sure to warm things up as the cold November nights start rolling in. The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets are still available starting at $95.

Manchester Orchestra shouldn’t go without notice for readers who en-joy the likes of bands and past tour mates Brand New, Kevin Devine and Thrice. Within the past decade, front man Andy Hull has been writing and recording music by himself – and later with members of the five-piece outfit. Having already put out three records, the first being their breakout album, “I’m like a Virgin Losing a Child,” they are now currently on tour in support of their follow up album to 2009’s “Mean Everything to Nothing,” 2011’s “Simple Math” – which has garnered a good deal of critical acclaim.

This month, Manchester will be

making their way back to the mitten on November 8th with White Denim and The Dear Hunter at Clutch Cargos. As for Andy Hull’s own side project, Right Away, Great Captain!, the third installment for the concept album’s shipwrecked first mate’s account of his voyage through a great storm will see the light of day sometime this year. The first two albums in the series, “The Bitter End” and “The Eventual Home,” have both gained Hull a degree as a rocker and a fine folk guitar artist. Come see Hull and the rest of the crew live on November 8 at Clutch Cargos in Pontiac. Tickets are $16 in advance and $19 at the door.

BY IAN CRUZ

BY DAVID NASSAR

BY TIM ADKINS

To kick off the second leg of their 2011 North American tour, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band will be bringing their “Night Moves” to Ypsilanti at the EMU Convocation Center on Wednesday, November 16. If you were lucky enough to get a ticket, you can expect to hear classics like “Old Time Rock and Roll” and “Holly-wood Nights” along with hits from their recent re-release of the multi-platinum “Live Bullet” and “Nine Tonight” concert albums.

Seeing Seger live is one of those bucket list items that seem to only come around once in a lifetime. Luckily for us locally, they’ve played in Toledo, Detroit and now Ypsi. So if you missed it the first time around, I recommend you beg, borrow or steal your way into seeing this show.


SCENE //

Lupe Fiasco Hip hop’s Lupe Fiasco has grown a legion of underground fans that are ready to start an uprising. This uprising continues when the Generation LASER tour hits the EMU Convocation Center on Saturday, November 5. Lupe Fiasco is fresh off the release of “L.A.S.E.R.S.,” a criti-cally acclaimed album that needed a push to see the light of day. Fiasco got his first big break in 2004 when he signed with Atlantic Records. There he got the chance to work with Jay-Z and Kanye West while recording his 2006 debut album, “Food & Liquor”—which, along with his first single (“Kick Push”), earned him three Grammy nominations. His unique sound and intriguing lyrics continued on his next release, 2007’s “The Cool.” This album solidified his reputation as a MC with the ability to shock listeners while making them think, laugh and dance – all without relying on vulgarity or stan-dard hip-hop themes. And the debut track “Superstar” quickly shot up to the number ten position on Billboard’s Hot 100. Fiasco has been quiet for the past four years while creating his latest work of art. Before the release of L.A.S.E.R.S., his fans grew strong and tired of waiting for new material. Over 32,000 fans signed a petition to demand the release of the album by Atlantic Records. When that wasn’t enough, several hundred of these rabid fans gathered in front of the New York City Atlantic Records offices on October 15, 2010. These demands led to the release of “L.A.S.E.R.S.” on March 8, 2011. Fiasco’s music and new hit singles “The Show Goes On,” “Words I Never Said” and “Never Forget You” proves that Lupe has the ability to inspire. Now Pakmode Media + Marketing, along with Prime Social Group, is bringing Lupe to Eastern Michigan University’s Con-vocation Center for the Generation LASER tour on Saturday, November 5. Tickets are on sale now and are available online at www.emutix.com and by phone at 734-487-2282.

Hit the lights The show goes on at EMU


// SCENE

Chrome Sparks

Jeremy Malvin was once just a student who goes to the Univer-sity of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Well, actually, he still is. But now he is also a techno DJ known as Chrome Sparks. Chrome Sparks is a techno / indie artist whose beats are soft – but simultaneously a bit heavy and passionate. Almost like you could literally get intimate with the music itself. During our conversation, Malvin hinted at his next proj-ect, saying that he was about to record vocals for a friend’s im-minent EP (which, by his projec-tions should have been released by the time you read this article). But as of right now, Chrome Sparks has released a remix album and one full-length album entitled “My <3,” which Malvin jokingly said in a Facebook post is called his “Less than 3.” “I just kept frequently putting [<3] in text messages to friends and family …People I love,” Mal-vin said. “I guess the album kind

of reflected that. The ‘<3’ easily said that for me.” I asked him if he ever thought he gave out too much love. He paused. “I don’t know if that’s possible,” he began. “Maybe if you over-saturated the ‘love market.’” Chrome Sparks will be playing on November 5 at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor – except this time as a five-piece, during which Malvin says he will be playing drums and singing. “This band is something I already assembled, and we’re doing a tour to CMJ. So, we’re playing a bunch of shows in the middle of October,” Malvin said, as he described the various instruments used for the new lineup – including a giant midi-keyboard that is played with mallets instead of fingers. Either way, when Chrome Sparks and Co. comes back to the Blind Pig on November 5, audience members will be in for a treat.

November 2Michigan Theater

Tickets at the Michigan Union Ticket Office 734-763-8587

The Civil Wars www.�eArk.org

Spreading the <3BY IAN CRUZ


adventures in local food #11

Envolve ClothingGet envolved, one shirt at a time.BY PAUL KITTI

Born from the idea that people should have the option to purchase eco-friendly clothing, Envolve Clothing of Ann Arbor has had an impressive start in realizing that vision. Founded earlier this year by three friends who share a passion for the environ-ment, the company has already established itself in the area as a pioneering force in environmentally-conscious fashion. “We were kicking around ideas of starting a company when we finally sat down and put all of our ideas on the table,” recalls co-founder David Saltsman. “Drawing influences from the Ann Arbor community, we knew that tailoring our idea around being sustainable and green was the way to go to make not only an impact in our local environment, but to hatch an idea that could take root in commu-nities across America.” Envolve Clothing offers shirts made from organic cotton, bamboo and hemp fabrics – ensuring that customers who support the environment will be ex-tremely comfortable doing so. The shirt designs are simple and appealing – the most popular design sporting a print of the state of Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes. Envolve also offers hoodies, tote bags and beanies, all subject to a completely green production process. “You can choose to buy clothing that reduces its impact on the environment or you can buy cloth-ing that makes little or no effort to protect our most precious resource,” says co-founder Patrick Hayes.

“We want to make that decision easier by provid-ing an eco-friendly alternative when it comes to clothing.” The company’s website defines the word “en-volve” as “to engage oneself, and/or peers, in the maintenance and restoration of the environment.” In an effort to further pursue that mission, the company’s founders also created Project Envolu-tion, an organization that supports environmentally-conscious service projects by means of funding, promoting, networking and volunteering. Twenty percent of every clothing purchase is donated directly to Project Envolution. In this way, Envolve Clothing is a gateway to something bigger, and its success is an indicator of the community’s commit-ment to a green future. “Somewhere down the road we believe that eco-friendly clothing will become the norm and pre-ferred material for apparel,” says co-founder Casey Irelan. “When will this happen? Hopefully sooner than later – the environment is a limited resource. Every time we make the choice as a consumer to support the environment, that’s a win in our eyes.” You can purchase clothing and watch for the new Spring 2012 line at envolveclothing.com. If you would like information about environmentally-focused, non-profit service projects in the area, visit projectenv.org.

SCENE //


adventures in local food #11 // FOODIE

Now that the leaves are changing color and fall is officially upon us, you may think that the growing season here in Michigan has drawn to a close. Fresh tomatoes have been replaced by kale and pumpkins at local grocers, people are turning their attention to cider mills and haunted houses, and here in Ypsi, the farmer’s markets are just about over for the season. In reality, though, fall and winter crops are just hitting their stride (pretty lucky for me since I love radishes!) and soon the winter edition of the Downtown Ypsilanti Farmer’s Market will be hitting the Corner Brewery twice a month in November and December. So, not only is the local growing season not over for us, but certain vegetables like spinach, broccoli, pac choi and other members of the cabbage family actually taste better in the cold weather. In fact, the collards and kale I’ve harvested out of the snow have been some of the sweetest greens I’ve ever eaten. Ironically, the farmers I worked with at the Watts Healthy Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles in 2009 wouldn’t believe me when I told them that certain vegetables would grow under such conditions (i.e. outside in the snow) AND be delicious. That is, at least until they saw my photos... The misconception that year-round growing can only happen in California, Florida or other warmer climates overseas is actually pretty widespread. The question I always get when I’m abroad or out of state describing my work as an urban farmer, sociologist and local food activist here in Michigan is, “How do you grow food during a cold Michigan winter?” or “Isn’t it too cold there to grow food?”. Perhaps this question is motivated by the near monopoly California and Florida agriculture has in our industrial food system or perhaps by the trend of agribusiness corporations outsourcing production to the Global South where climates are warmer and wages are lower. Or, perhaps it’s simply another residue of many people having no idea where their food comes from or how it is grown. I guess they’ve also never heard of Siberian or Red Russian Kale. Regardless of the reasoning, though, the point remains that most people think that once October hits, there’s no more local food until the spring.

Au contraire, mes amis! We’re just getting started! Urban farmers and gardeners alike are now busy with their cold weather crops and also with planting garlic, tulips and other plants traditionally sown in the fall. But that’s not all. This is also the time of year when we start hearing the words cold frame, row cover, low tunnel, high tunnel, passive solar hoophouse, window farming, indoor growing operation (of food!) and greenhouse. Aside from seasonal vegetables like kale that love the cold, there are many methods that people around Michigan and other northern climates around the world use to extend the growing season of plants less enthusiastic about the approach of cold weather. Utilizing that technology, farmers right here in Michigan can now grow food 48 weeks out of the year! But, what on earth is a cold frame, you ask? A hoophouse? There’s not the space here to fully describe all these technologies, but a cold frame is basically a raised bed garden with a slanted window top (great for growing lettuces, carrots, etc.), while a hoophouse is basically a plastic-sided temporary greenhouse structure where you grow food in the ground instead of in pots on shelves. Both structures are totally solar-powered, not heated, and often made using reclaimed, sustainable materials. For example, in our cold frame we used an old storm window – and I’ve seen hoop structures using everything from repurposed plastic bottles to old tires and scrap

wood. The USDA has also begun to fund the construction of hoophouses to help local growers extend their season, which encouraged the Michigan Farmer’s Market Association (MIFMA) to partner with Michigan State University to build hoophouses for farmers who will pay back the cost of installation through selling produce to folks on food assistance. Ann Arbor’s SELMA cafe also offers a more for-profit hoop installation program linked to the Tillian Farm project. And I just gave a tour of Frog Island Community Garden to Michigan Engineering students who are working on a project with Growing Hope to develop prototypes for season extension tech designed specifically for raised bed gardens. If you want to learn more about season extension technology, the best source is acclaimed farmer Eliott Coleman: http://www.fourseasonfarm.com/books/index.html. And here’s some greenhouses made using reclaimed sustainable materials: http://www.ecofriend.com/entry/8-greenhouses-made-using-sustainable-materials/. Lastly, the Winter Downtown Ypsi Farmer’s Market will be held from 3 – 7 p.m. on November 8 and 22 and December 13 and 20 (all Tuesdays) at the Corner Brewery. I will be have some very special Nightshade Industries sauces on offer, so I hope to see your smiling faces there. As always: Ypsi-Grown! Ypsi-Made!

ARTICLE AND PHOTO BY STEFANIE T. STAUFFER

Occupy the Seasons

347 S. Main Street Ann Arbor, Mich. | facebook.com/PalioAnnArbor

Reservations at(888) 456- 3463

Named for the famous horse race that runs yearly through Siena, Italy, Palio is a rustic country Italian restaurant featuring

authentic Italian cuisine. Join us for Chef Josh Dievendorf’s house specialties.

Mon.-Thurs. 5-10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 5-11 p.m., Sun. 4-9 p.m.


The ChophouseBY AMANDA SLATER

THE DISH // FOODIE

There is no denying that the Chophouse of Ann Arbor is one of the finest restaurants in the state. As the winner of Main Street Ventures’ President’s Award, The Chop House boasts the finest Midwestern grain-fed USDA prime beef, a world-class wine list and impeccable service in a refined, elegant setting – and that setting is about to get a facelift, as Ann Arbor’s Chop House will soon be undergoing a remodeling project (set to be unveiled on Friday, February 11). Appetizers range from oysters on the half shell to fried calamari, and entrees include dishes like filet mignon, organic chicken, venison, swordfish and tuna. Although the Chop House’s offerings come along with a fine dining price, those who have eaten there know that the food and the experience is worth every cent. However, even the Chop House offers deals for the budget-conscious consumer – such as the restaurant’s daily happy hour that features $5 martinis and special pricing on house wines (from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.) and birthday special that offers patrons who visit the Chop House on their birthday with one or more guests a free birthday meal. Now, that’s something we can all raise a glass to.


FEATURE //

BY DAVID NASSARThe Juliets’ Perfect Season

“If you’re a good musician who can write good songs and you’re angry with the term ‘pop,’ in-stead of shying away from it, you should try to take it back.”

PHOTOS BY KYLE LAMERE


BY DAVID NASSAR

// FEATURE

Jeremy Freer of The Juliets talks about “Perfect Season,” the band’s harder-edged new album, the upcoming release party at Woodruff’s and reclaim-ing what it means to be pop. While bands with deep roots in punk, classic rock and blues music may seem old-hat, few bands are doing it like The Juliets. The Juliets combine the traditional rock arrangements of a hard-driving rhythm section, add punk-infused violin and cello and wrap it all around melodic pop hooks. It may seem like a recipe for disaster, but the band that refers to their sound as “baroque with backbone” is somehow able to pull it off and combine it all on a record that is hauntingly beautiful and decidedly pop. I had a chance to sit down with lead singer / gui-tarist / pianist, Jeremy Freer, to discuss the band’s new album, their evolving sound and upcoming plans to share the stage with local acts Lightning Love, Bear Lake and House Phone at their Novem-ber 5 record release party at Woodruff’s in Depot Town. Since their self-titled debut album in was released in early 2010 as a trio with Freer, Kaylan Mitchell on cello and Sarah Myers on violin (a temporary rhythm section was brought in for the album), The Juliets have grown into a permanent lineup that includes Ashton Hopkins on bass and Jaclyn Phil-lips on drums. And, while the songs on their first record were originally arranged as a trio, bringing a rhythm section into the mix from the beginning for their latest release, “Perfect Season,” has resulted in a decidedly harder sound. As Freer suggests, “It’s more in your face. Turning up the guitar and drums was a conscious decision. There are some bigger and rawer moments on this record than you hear on the first one, and we wanted it that way.” But that’s not the only thing that has changed on their sophomore effort. Reflecting on the contribu-

tions of the classically trained Mitchell and Myers, Freer says, “There are a lot of other rock bands who use strings, like Arcade Fire, which I like, but I don’t really hear the strings very prominently. We wanted to find a way to make aggressive music with strings, and luckily Kaylan and Sarah were up for it.” The band recorded “Perfect Season” at Temper-mill Studios in Ferndale, MI with legendary engineer (and co-producer of the album), David Feeny, who has worked with the likes of The White Stripes, Loretta Lynn, G-Love and Special Sauce and Goo-ber & The Peas – just to name a few. “I’ve always wanted to work with Dave, so when we were look-ing for a studio, he was the first person that came to mind. He was absolutely amazing to work with,” says Freer. The cover art for the new album features an ornate, retro-looking, vaudeville-esque theater de-signed by Brian Lawson. “I don’t know exactly how he put it all together,” admits Freer, “but it reminds me of a Rolling Stones’ cover, which is perfect for us because this feels like a more raw rock n’ roll record. And I’m a huge Stones fan, so I absolutely loved it when he showed it to us!” While the songs on “Perfect Season” are certainly diverse, ranging from the hipster-rock, Strokes-like pop songs of “Loon” and “Heart In Heart,” to the classically arranged ballads (and I mean Brahms- and Beethoven-classical) “Hey Stars” and “The Lost Memory,” the band has no fear of being labeled with the dreaded p-word. “When I think of pop music, I think of Motown before I think of Brittany Spears or Ke$ha,” says Freer. “Pop music has always encompassed a lot of different things, and we’re kind of a schizophrenic band, so that works for us.” Further, Freer asserts that, “If you’re a good musician who can write good songs and you’re angry with the term pop, instead of shying away from it, you should try to take it back.”

While The Juliets may still be a very local band, they’ve recently enjoyed some rather high-profile PR. In addition to playing a morning spot on the Fox 2 News to promote MI Fest, a gig that they ended up getting dropped from last-minute along with a number of other Michigan bands, The Juliets first single off of “Perfect Season,” “Loon,” has been featured in the popular “Imported From Detroit” line of Chrysler commercials. In describ-ing how the partnership came about, Freer says, “Someone from the organization started coming to the shows, became a fan and just started spread-ing it around the company.” Freer adds that, “The people we worked with were really genuine and just really loved the music. They even offered to take the extra footage and cut a video for us (available on YouTube). We really enjoyed working with them.” In order to promote the new album and have fun doing it, The Juliets will be holding a record release party November 5 at Woodruff’s in Depot Town. “I’ve known Andy (Garris) for a while, and it’s kind of like home for us,” says Freer about choosing Woodruff’s. “We wanted it to be somewhere that would be really comfortable for us.” Joining them that night will be local bands Light-ning Love, Bear Lake and House Phone. “We like playing with diverse bands, and all these bands are really great. It should be a really fun night.” In ad-dition to a live show, Freer tells me that everybody who pays a $5 cover that night will also get a CD copy of “Perfect Season.” Doors open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 10 p.m. If you can’t make it to the release party, you can also download a copy of “Perfect Season” at TheJuliets.bandcamp.com, on iTunes or at your local independent record store. You can also catch them playing with Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas and Bear Lake on December 2 at The Magic Stick in Detroit.

Punk, Pop and Cellos


FEATURE // AWESOME AWARDS

Salon/Place to get a haircut: Eleven WestMusic Store (Instrument): Dennis’s MusicRecord Store: Encore RecordsBike Shop: Ypsilanti CycleApartment Community: Peninsular PlaceParty Store: Tom’sArt Gallery: Ann Arbor Art Center Burger: Sidetrack

Burrito: Big Ten BurritoVintage / Thrift Store: The GetupVegetarian Restaurant: SevaPark: Riverside ParkTheater: Michigan TheaterSports Bar/Place to Watch the Game: Buffalo Wild WingsTattoo Shop: Depot Town TattooCoffee Shop: The Ugly Mug

2011 Awesome AwardsWe asked our Facebook fans to let us know who and what are the best in Washtenaw County. You vot-ed for your favorites and we’ve dubbed them the “Most Awesome” for 2011. Congratualtions to all of our winners and a very big thank you to all who voted.

Fan Picks


AWESOME AWARDS // FEATURE

Most Awesome Breakfast:

Beezy’s CaféBy Mary Simkins Every time I walk into Beezy’s Café in downtown Ypsilanti, my mouth starts watering as a waft of delicious smells wel-comes me inside. Despite its recent expansion, the place always seems packed to the brim, yet the atmosphere is excited and friendly – never stressed or impatient. Wait-ing in line, I’ll look over the menu, and by the time a staff member comes to get my order, I’ll have changed my mind at least three times. At the counter at Beezy’s, the cashier asks your name, what you do and how your day is going. It’s things like these that make it so that Beezy’s more than earns its role as the neighborhood’s favorite breakfast spot. Without the friendly atmosphere and bistro-chic interior, Beezy’s would still be holding its own in the Awesomeness Competition, with a menu that is beyond criticism. As long as they have imagi-native (and often vegan-friendly) soups made fresh daily, sandwiches on freshly baked bread and a breakfast chorizo burrito that will make your morning, Ypsilanti will keep lining up for that simple, honest food. But it’s the staff and atmo-sphere that makes it a community fixture. Located at 20 N. Washington Street in Ypsilanti, Beezy’s is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. with breakfast served until 2 p.m. every day. Find out more about Beezy’s by visiting www.beezyscafe.com or by liking them on Facebook.

The ArkBy Ian Cruz With 400 seats and live music nearly every night of the year, the Ark is hands down one of the most notable places to see a good show in Washtenaw. Known for its intimate environment and commitment to supporting great mu-sic, The Ark is a non-profit organization that is “dedicated to the presenta-tion, preservation and encouragement of folk, roots and ethnic music and related arts,” according to the venue’s website. However, the fact that The Ark has been in existence since its

beginnings in 1965 attests to the fact that the community has already voted The Ark as the most awesome venue – since to “stay afloat,” as they say, The Ark is solely supported by its current members and donations . A variety of musicians have graced The Ark’s stage, including The Verve Pipe, Appleseed Collective and Johnny Winter – many of whom have grown to love it so much that they have returned time and time again, as do those who have had the opportunity to be in the audience for an Ark show. For more information on The Ark or to donate, visit www.theark.org

Most Awesome Venue:

Most Awesome Non-Profit: By David Nassar Originally founded by students and faculty of Eastern Michigan Univer-sity in 1970 to provide crisis support for Washtenaw County residents struggling with addiction, SOS Com-munity Services has since moved off campus and refocused its efforts on supporting families struggling with housing hardships that may result in homelessness. SOS is dedicated to ending homelessness in Washtenaw County through partnerships with caring individuals, local businesses and organizations, service agencies and professionals. While the impact that SOS has had in Washtenaw County for the past 41 years has

been remarkable (helping more than 4,700 people annually move from-homelessness to self-sufficiencyand permanent housing), it has been made possible through the continued efforts and support of local com-munity partnerships. In addition to offering housing services, SOS’s Food Pantry distributes free food every Tuesday in an effort to ensure that parents never have to choose between feeding their children and keeping them housed. SOS Community Services is lo-cated at 114 North River in Ypsilanti. For more information on services, donations or volunteering, please visit SOSCS.org.

SOS Community Services


Stephanie Mills, 8 p.m.,

Sound Board at MotorCity

Casino Hotel, Detroit

Keller Williams, 9 p.m., Blind

Pig, Ann Arbor

SIRSY, 8 p.m., Woodruff’s,

Ypsilanti

May Erlewine & Seth

Bernard, 8 p.m., The Ark,

Ann Arbor

The Musical Box, 8 p.m.,

Royal Oak Music Theatre

11/11

Chimaira, 5 p.m., Harpos,

Detroit

Ray Manzarek and Robby

Kreiger, 7 p.m., The Fillmore,

Detroit

Sloan, Saint Andrews Hall,

Detroit

Eric Burdon & the Animals,

8 p.m., Andiamo Celebrity

Showroom, Warren

Everlast, 8 p.m., Hard Rock

Café, Detroit

Blind Pilot, 9 p.m., Blind Pig,

Ann Arbor

Third Coast Kings, 10 p.m.,

Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti

The Ragbirds and the

Appleseed Collective, 8

p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

11/12

Breathe Carolina, 6 p.m.,

Shelter, Detroit

Mayhem, 6 p.m., Blondies,

Detroit

Brett Michaels, 7 p.m.,

Hayloft, Mt. Clemens

Jordan Knight, 8 p.m., The

Crofoot, Pontiac

Railroad Earth, 8 p.m.,

Majestic Theatre, Detroit

The Hood Internet, 9:30

p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor

11/13

Judas Priest, 6 p.m., Joe

Louis Arena, Detroit

Hayes Carll & Caitlin Rose,

7:30 p.m., The Ark, Ann

Arbor

Gym Class Heroes, 6:30

p.m., Royal Oak Music

Theatre

10/31

Insane Clown Posse, 6 p.m.,

The Fillmore, Detroit

Laith Al-Saadi, 10 p.m.,


11/1

Joan Baez, 7:30 p.m.,

Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

40 oz. to Freedom, 9 p.m.,

Blind Pig, Ann Arbor

Gregory Alan Isakov, 8 p.m.,

The Ark, Ann Arbor

Never Shout Never, 6 p.m.,


11/2

Bob Seger, 7:30 p.m.,

Eastern Michigan University,

Ypsilanti

The Civil Wars, 7:30 p.m.,

Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

11/3

New Found Glory, 6 p.m.,


11/3

Red Jumpsuite Apparatus, 7

p.m., Hayloft, Mt. Clemens

Star Slinger, 9:30 p.m., Blind

Pig, Ann Arbor

Tom Chapin, 8 p.m., The

Ark, Ann Arbor

11/4

Senses Fail, 6:30 p.m., Saint

Andrews Hall, Detroit

Chris Bathgate, 10 p.m.,


The RFD Boys, 8 p.m., The

Ark, Ann Arbor

Global Dub Festival, 8 p.m.,


11/5

Indigo Girls, 7 p.m., The

Fillmore, Detroit

Lupe Fiasco, 8 p.m.,

Convocation Center,

Ypsilanti

Chrome Sparks, 9:30 p.m.,

Blind Pig, Ann Arbor

The Juliets, 10 p.m.,


Theo Katzman, 8 p.m., The

Ark, Ann Arbor

11/6

Sting, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre,

Detroit

Blue Scholars, 8 p.m., Blind

Pig, Ann Arbor

The Devil Makes Three, 7:30


11/8

Manchester Orchestra,

6 p.m., Clutch Cargo’s,

Pontiac

Howie Day, 8 p.m., The Ark,

Ann Arbor

Lindsey Buckingham, 7 p.m.,


11/9

The Afternoon Round, 9

p.m., Woodruff’s, Ypsilanti

Jeffrey Broussard & the

Creole Cowboys, 8 p.m.,

The Ark, Ann Arbor

11/10

Between the Buried and Me,

7 p.m., Saint Andrews Hall,

Detroit

Fu Manchu, 8 p.m., Magic

Stick, Detroit

Third Annual Halloween

Band Masquerade, 9:30

p.m., Blind Pig, Ann Arbor

Discolanti, 10 p.m.,


The Verve Pipe, 8 p.m., The

Ark, Ann Arbor

SPSC’s Boo Bash featuring

the Killer Flamingos, 8 p.m.,


10/29

GWAR, 5 p.m., Harpos,

Detroit

Plain White T’s, 6 p.m., Eagle

Theater, Pontiac

Opeth, 7 p.m., Saint


Ian Hunter and the Rant

Band, 8 p.m., Magic Bag,

Ferndale

Joe Bonmassa, 8 p.m., Fox

Theatre, Detroit

Wally Dogger as ZZ Top, 9


Ollabelle, 8 p.m., The Ark,

Ann Arbor

Lotus, 8 p.m., Royal Oak

Music Theatre

10/30

Recoil, 5 p.m., Pike Room,

Pontiac

Scream Tour: The Next

Generation, 6 p.m., Fox

Theatre, Detroit

The Acacia Strain, 6 p.m.,

Magic Stick, Detroit

Idle Warship, 8 p.m., Blind

Pig, Ann Arbor

Woody Pines, 8 p.m., Cavern

Club, Ann Arbor

Dan Bennett Quartet, 8 p.m.,


MUSIC

10/25

Murs, 7:30 p.m., Magic

Stick, Detroit

John Francis, 8 p.m., The

Ark, Ann Arbor

10/26

Thrice, 6 p.m., Saint


Hunter Hayes, 6:30 p.m.,

Clutch Cargo’s, Pontiac

Lydia, 6:30 p.m., Pike Room,

Pontiac

Stephen Kellogg and the

Sixers, 8 p.m., Blind Pig,

Ann Arbor

Stepdad, 9 p.m., Woodruff’s,

Ypsilanti

Tim O-Brien & Bryan Sutton,

8 p.m., The Ark, Ann Arbor

Tedeschi Trucks Band, 7:30

p.m., Royal Oak Music

Theatre

10/27

Frank Turner, 7 p.m., Magic

Stick, Detroit

Il Volo, 7 p.m., Detroit Opera

House, Detroit

Gold Panda, 9:30 p.m., Blind

Pig, Ann Arbor

Runeship of the Rhyme

Traveler, 8 p.m., Woodruff’s,

Ypsilanti

Robin Spielberg, 8 p.m., The

Ark, Ann Arbor

10/28

Marsha Ambrosius, 7 p.m.,

The Fillmore, Detroit

Big Sean, Perani Arena, 8

p.m., Fint

[ HAVE AN EVENT?SUBMIT IT ONLINE.

FOR FREE!@ MISPYMAG.COM

BY AMANDA SLATER 2011

october / [[CALENDAR // AROUND YOU


11/16

Russell Brand, 8 p.m.,

Eastern Michigan University,

Ypsilanti

COMMUNITY

10/25

Pumpkin Carving Party,

6 p.m., Corner Brewery,

Ypsilanti

10/29

Halloween Party, all day,

Corner Brewery, Ypsilanti

10/31

Halloween Treat Paradise, 11

a.m., Main Street, Ann Arbor

11/5

Freemason Fundraiser to

7:30 p.m., Corner Brewery,

Ypsilanti

11/6

Vegetarian Holiday Tasting

Extravaganza, 11 a.m.,

Metropolitan Seventh-day

Adventist School Gym,

Plymouth

11/8

Growing Hope’s Winter

Farmer’s Market, 3 p.m.

– 7 p.m., Corner Brewery,

Ypsilanti

11/26

Ypsilanti Crafters Market

Show, 10 a.m., Victory

Academy, Ypsilanti

11/19

Fall Metal Fest III, 7 p.m.,

Emerald Theatre, Mt.

Clemens

Jamey Johnson, 7 p.m., The

Fillmore, Detroit

Nervous But Excited, 7 p.m.,

The Vernors Room, Pontiac

Superstars of Soul, 8 p.m.,

Music Hall Center, Detroit

The Features, 8 p.m., Pike

Room, Pontiac

Bloodlined Calligraphy, 10


An Evening with Dar

Williams, 8 p.m., The Ark,

Ann Arbor

Music Theatre

11/20

Michigan Pops Orchestra, 7

p.m., Michigan Theater, Ann

Arbor

Pieta Brown, 7:30 p.m., The

Ark, Ann Arbor

COMEDY & SPEAKING

10/25

David Sedaris, 7:30 p.m.,

Detroit Opera House

10/28

Regis Philbin, 8 p.m.,

Andiamo Celebrity

Showroom, Warren

11/4

Darius Rucker, 7:30 p.m.,

Dow Event Center, Saginaw

11/5

Bill Bellamy, 8 p.m., Detroit

Opera House, Detroit

11/8

Carlos Mencia, 8 p.m.,

Magic Bag, Ferndale

Mat Kearney, 7 p.m., Saint


Alasdair Fraser and Natalie

Haas, 7:30 p.m., The Ark,

Ann Arbor

11/15

Ron Pope, 8 p.m., Blind Pig,

Ann Arbor

The Sweetback Sisters, 8


11/16

Mastodon, 6 p.m., The

Fillmore, Detroit

Demi Lovato, 7:30 p.m., Fox

Theatre, Detroit

Fitz & the Tantrums, 7:30

p.m., Saint Andrews Hall,

Detroit

LeAnn Rimes, 8 p.m., Sound

Board at MotorCity Casino

Hotel, Detroit

Toubab Krewe, 9 p.m., Blind

Pig, Ann Arbor

11/17

Katie Herzig, 9 p.m., Blind

Pig, Ann Arbor

Skeleton Birds, 8 p.m.,


Dragon Wagon, 8 p.m., The

Ark, Ann Arbor

11/18

Dashboard Confessional:

Solo Acoustic, 7 p.m., The

Crofoot, Pontiac

For True Tour: Trombone

Shorty & Orleans Avenue,

7 p.m., Saint Andrews Hall,

Detroit

Paul Simon, 8 p.m., Fox

Theatre, Detroit

Pop Evil, 9:30 p.m., Blind

Pig, Ann Arbor

An Evening with Dar

Williams, 8 p.m., The Ark,

Ann Arbor

Ledisi, 7 p.m., Royal Oak

Music Theatre

AROUND YOU // CALENDAR


FEATURE // AWESOME AWARDS

Arbor VitaeBy Bruno Postigo Secret venues are quite abundant in the Ann Arbor / Ypsi area, but none has impressed me more than the Arbor Vitae, located on the third floor of Wazoo (thus the address 336 1/2 State Street). The Vitae is a loft that also functions as a venue (sometimes). I had the chance to cover a couple shows there, and they’re like nothing I’ve seen before. Strange plants, old wood, stairs, secret rooms and other artifacts are part of the decoration, and the audio and video installations that cover the walls give the place an ethereal atmosphere. Moon Duo performed on my last visit, and a spontaneous dance party exploded. Arbor Vitae shows are quite rare, so be sure that you catch one when they happen.

Most Awesome Secret Venue:

Italian:GratziGraffiti Spot:Graffiti Alley on LibertyDive Bar:Alley BarTownie Store: The RocketLate Night Food: NYPDWine Bar: Vinology

Summer Festival: Beerfest Place for a dance party: NectoStreet Performer: Werewolf ViolinistPlace to see a mustache: Woodruff’sShow to see in 2011: Fleet Foxes

Staff Picks


AWESOME AWARDS // FEATURE

Sacred Cow (Arbor Brewing Co.)By David NassarPhoto by: David Nassar Bright cascade hops and rich pale malt make this brew one of the area’s finest. If you’re a fan of IPAs (which, it seems, you are), then you really can’t go wrong with Sacred Cow, one of Arbor Brewing Company’s flagship beers. A tap-mainstay at both Arbor and Corner, you can also pick it up in six-pack-form at your local grocer. With citrusy-floral notes and a pronounced hop-bitterness, it may be one of the easiest-drinking IPAs around, but use caution; they’ve snuck up on me on more than one occasion in the past—but I’m certainly not complaining.

Most Awesome Local Brew:

Most Awesome Food Cart: The Lunch Room - Mark’s CartsBy David Nassar With the mission of providing “high-quality, delicious and nutritious vegan food that demonstrates the breadth and versatility of plant-based whole foods,” The Lunch Room offers dishes that are sure to satisfy even the heartiest car-nivorous appetite. Located in the Mark’s Carts courtyard on Washington between First and Ashley in downtown A2, they offer a rotating vegan menu that includes dishes like a Barbeque Tofu Platter and Aloo Yoop Stew. The Lunch Room’s menu includes sweet treats and creatively delicious beverages, and most of their offerings are also gluten-free. The Lunch Room offers many tasty and affordable options, with most dishes in the $5 – $6 range.

Chris BathgateBy Paul Kitti There is some sort of simple magic about Chris Bathgate’s music. The years leading up to his recent masterpiece, “Salt Year,” were long and dire, like the brutal refining process that all great artists must go through. The album is often devastating and full of pain, coming from a musician who spent two years scraping the bottom of the barrel to buy studio time. Yet, Bath-gate finds hope in the moments in between microwave dinners and severed relationships, his voice always hinting at something beautiful waiting around the corner. Songs like “Fur Curled on the Sad Road” and “Levee” are musical weapons against hard-ship, inciting sadness simply to celebrate the feeling of emotion. A true Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti artist, Bathgate has the weathered skin of an overlooked street musician and the creative ability of someone whose inevitable destination is the very top. He’s the obvious choice for most awesome local artist, and we have a feeling this is still just the beginning for Chris Bathgate.

Most Awesome Local Artist:


Fitz and the Tantrums’ story is one that could only come out of Hollywood – which happens to be where the band is from. It all started when Michael Fitzpatrick, better known as “Fitz,” got a call from his ex-girlfriend who told him that her neighbor was moving out and selling several items – including an organ that she thought Fitz might be interested in. Seven hours later, the organ was in Fitz’s living room where, that night, he wrote “Breaking the Chains of Love.” Although Fitz had spent years in L.A.’s music industry writing music and working in a studio with Beck producer, Mickey Petralia, he had never before experienced such a sudden rush of inspiration.

It was then that Fitz found his voice and set off in search of the right band to bring his vision to life. Longtime friend and saxophonist, James King, immediately connected with the sound. The two recorded the debut EP “Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1” at Fitz’s home in Los Angeles, and were ready to hit the road and turn their duo into a full band. King recommended singer Noelle Scaggs and drummer

John Wicks. Wicks brought in bassist Ethan Phillips and keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna. The six immedi-ately clicked.

Fitz and the Tantrums performed their first show in December 2008 – just one week after their first rehearsal. They toured with Hepcat and Flogging Molly that September and got the attention of Ma-roon 5’s Adam Levine, who was introduced to the group’s music by his favorite tattoo artist when he was getting a tattoo in New York. Levine person-ally invited the band to join Maroon 5 on tour, and a week and a half later they did.

The group’s first full-length album, “Pickin’ Up the Pieces,” was also recorded in Fitz’s home, and its signature track “MoneyGrabber” has popped up everywhere from the CBS crime-drama “Criminal Minds” and the “How ‘bout that?” segment of “This Week in Baseball” to the band’s performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

I first heard Fitz and the Tantrums while watching VH1, as the network had added them to their list of

“artists to watch.” After a live clip of “MoneyGrab-ber” was aired, I immediately downloaded the song on iTunes. It’s that catchy.

Recently, we got the chance to catch up with Fitz and the Tantrums singer Noelle Scaggs to chat about working with Fitz, the group’s sudden rise to the top and more. Here’s what she had to say:Where did you grow up?I grew up in Pasadena. I’m definitely an L.A. na-

tive.How did you first start working with

Fitz?I came recommended by our saxophonist, James

King, who I had toured with in the past and who had played horns on my former band’s record. King and Fitz had finished the EP and were looking to do a lot of things immediately. Initially, when he first called, I wasn’t sure about the gig because it was more of a backup situation, and I came from running my own band and doing lead stuff. But I ended up listening to the music, and it just caught me. There was something about the sound in

BY AMANDA SLATER

FEATURE //

Living the Dream with Fitz and The Tantrums


// FEATURE

general – it was kind of Motown, Philly. But I hadn’t heard anyone doing it before with this take on the style. It sounds a lot like what you heard in the six-ties, but it wasn’t necessarily a carbon copy. Next thing I knew, we were doing a rehearsal together, and now we’re three years into the band. Our three year anniversary will be in December.Tell me about your career prior to

Fitz and the Tantrums.I’ve been singing since I was 10. I started doing

things professionally around my college years. I was in a band called the Rebirth for many years. We had a song that exploded overseas and started to work its way into the U.S. I did vocals for several artists, including the Black Eyed Peas, because I used to see them in the studio all the time when they were working on “Elefunk.” I ended up singing on the majority of that album. Do you have any formal musical

training?I’ve been pretty self-taught. I took vocal lessons

for about a year, and kind of discovered that a lot

of it wasn’t for me. You take what you can out of it without really losing your voice. Did you always know you wanted to be

a musician?I think I fell into it. I started performing when I

was about nine or ten. Part of it was wanting to prove myself in my community. I was one of the kids that got picked on a lot, and I ended up doing a talent show in elementary school or junior high. I did it to have fun and get myself in an environment where people could see me in a different light. As I grew older, it became a lot more than that for me. I really wanted to figure out where I fit in this world. I’ve always loved performing. What did it feel like when every-

thing took off so quickly for Fitz and the Tantrums?

I don’t even think you realize what’s going on un-til a few months later when you’re playing in front of packed houses. The Maroon 5 thing was amazing, but I think what really started to make us feel like we really had our own thing going on was when we

did our winter tour earlier this year and were selling out cities we had never even been to and didn’t even realize we had a fan base in. We got invited to do Lollapalooza. And really interesting things started happening all in their own flow – naturally, nothing being forced or pushed – like being picked as VH1’s artist of the month in April and having Rolling Stone rave about us. Lollapalooza, for me, was just like, “This is it. We’re here now. This is the work that we put in, and this is what can come out of it.” We were playing in front of 35,000 people, and many of them knew us. We’re really living the dream, you know? It’s really hard to say that, but we are.What’s your working relationship

like with Fitz?Great. We’re really lucky. I’m not going to lie. Ev-

ery band has their differences, and we hit our walls and get through them. It’s part of being in a com-mitted relationship to someone …and it’s not just one person. It’s six of us total. I’m basically married to five men. Fitz and I have always had a lot in


FEATURE //

common energetically, and where we differ on things, it gets worked out. Fitz is an awesome producer. I really respect his way of listening to things and being able to make something really cool. And it goes the other way, too. Sometimes he’ll be stuck on something in a song, and the guys are able to come along with a fresh ear and simplify things. It’s really an interesting process, and we all balance each other out.What’s the inspiration be-

hind your videos?When we were doing the video for

“MoneyGrabber,” we wanted to do something with the amazing artwork that had been created for the actual record, and we also wanted to do something that encapsulated the live show and us as individuals. We ended up working with this amazing director Mike Mohan, who basically created the concept for the “Moneygrabber” video – everything from the colors to the quick movement of the camera angles and flashes. When we were done, it was everything we wanted it to be. When we did “Don’t Gotta Work it Out,” we wanted to put more of a focus on us, and we wanted to make sure that the video showcased each of us as a band – so you really get to see John more and me a lot more. Initially the treatment that was pitched to us was a kind of dream noirey sequence where everyone has shots set up for them specifically, and we come together toward the end of it. But it’s just really about going on this journey with some-one in a relationship, and you’re running down this road to nowhere—which is the concept of the song. You guys are a pretty well-

dressed group. Tell me about your sense of style.

When we first started, I was dress-ing a lot more Twiggy-like, and I had these dresses created. The guys were all wearing suits. Slowly we became more defined in ourselves and realized that we weren’t this retro band – we’re not just this group of 60’s throwbacks. We have a modern feel and we really wanted to show off our own collective style, while still looking the part. You’ll often see Fitz in these colorful suits with a T-shirt underneath now. He barely wears a tie anymore unless we’re going to an event.

So now I change up my look. I’ve always been into fashion. I’ve run many retail stores in the past and was a wardrobe consultant for many years as well. It’s something that I love to do. When I get on stage, it just depends on my feeling that day. Sometimes I’ll wear a busier and a feather skirt – a costumey kind of piece. And there will be other times where I’ll just want to wear pants, and I find the coolest, most colorful pants that I can find and a blouse or something – which is easy for me because we’re doing so much movement on stage, and I want to be comfortable.What’s your live performance

like?It’s actually really amazing and ener-

getic. I can only say that every show we do is different. We put the focus on mak-ing sure the crowd really gets involved and has a good time. We’re doing the show for them. Our fans are so incred-ible. We probably have the best fans in the world. So, when we do these shows, it’s really about everyone having a good time.

Fitz and the Tantrums will perform on Wednesday, November 16 at St. An-drew’s in Detroit. Tickets start at $18.50 and can be purchased at livenation.com.

“We’re real-ly living the dream, you know? It’s really hard to say that, but we are.”

October 29 Halloween PartyCostume Contest

Win Tickets to Lupe Fiasco21+ $7

The Last Saturday of Every MonthOnly in the Red Room at Necto

Dance. Love. Glow.

View Photos at ispymagazine.co facebook.com/ispymagazine

Weekly Specialsmon tues WedFri

College Night

Theo’s@ Every THursday 9pm - 2am

cover: $3 for 21+ $6 for 18-20

Costume contestTrueblood ShotsRussell brand

+ Lupe Fiasco

Ticket giveaway

October 27vampires and virgins

Theo's is located at 705 w. cross st - ypsilanti, mi 48197 734.485.6720 www.theosbar.com find us on facebook

check out happy hourstarting at 5pm mon-sat

VIP NIght, $.25 beers til 11pm DJ at 10pm Cover: $3 and $6

improv night, skits and games. doors at 5pm,

show at

9:30pm

hot wings and cold brews. no cover from 5pm - 9pm

Mon

tues

wed

fri country night with dj cody featuring margaritas

Available for private parties

on the Weekends

October 29 Halloween PartyCostume Contest

Win Tickets to Lupe Fiasco21+ $7

View Photos at ispymagazine.co facebook.com/ispymagazine


REVIEW // SOUNDS

+++rate itARTIST: Clap Your Hands Say YeahALBUM: Hysterical3/5 TOWERS BY IAN CRUZ

I should have been a bigger fan when Clap Your Hands Say Yeah released their self-titled album back in 2005, but my eardrums were too inclined to the sounds of bands like Brand New and Arcade Fire, and I turned the opposite direction – bad mistake on my part. When “Hysteri-cal” dropped on September 12, I had no idea the band still existed. In my book, they were long gone and past their time – like many other bands that I don’t feel need to be named here. At first listen, I was caught by surprise. They’re not just the latest buzz band, and, I can honestly say that the new album actually isn’t bad.

As I listened to the band’s back cata-log before typing up this review, I came to one brash conclusion – these guys are like something you’d really want to dance to, and I am all about dancing. “Hys-terical” is driven by the indie-pop synth ballads listeners are acquainted with – such as standout tracks “Hysterical” and “Into Your Alien Arms,” while the opening track, “Same Mistake,” alone will literally kick any listener off their seats and push them onto the closest dance floor.

When looking for a good pop al-bum from this millennia, or, as you put together your next pre-game dance mix, be sure to pick this album up and give it a listen. You can’t go wrong with a bunch of dudes who just want to have fun as they play with their synthesizers.

26

Even when Feist is doing her upbeat poppy thing (the stuck-in-your-head favorite “1,2,3,4”), her lilting yet raspy voice adds a deeper emotional ele-ment. In her newest album, “Metals,” the maracas and upbeat percussions of her previous project, “Reminder,” are gone without a trace, leaving behind a soulful album with intense instrumentals for a somewhat darker Feist than we’ve grown to know.

My knee-jerk reaction was to wonder if she had just gone through a break-up – the lyrics are predominantly pes-simistic and the instrumentals are largely heartbroken and bluesy. But, despite her blues, Feist’s deft vocal variance will leave you feeling anything but depressed – think the soothing sadness of Norah Jones or Otis Redding. In fact, there are several tracks, such as “How Come You Never Go There,” and “The Circle Married the Line” that may even have you tapping your foot …you know, the melancholy / pensive sort of foot tap. To steal from a song title, Feist’s “bit-

tersweet melodies” will have you playing the album over and over again, finding new meaning each time.

ARTIST: FeistALBUM: Metals5/5 TOWERS BY MARY SIMKINS

ARTIST: WilcoALBUM: The Whole Love4/5 TOWERS BY PAUL KITTI

Wilco has only maintained enough consistency over their fifteen-plus-year career to keep them in the same spot, which is on the front porch of alterna-tive rock where country and indie-spirited experimentation occasionally stop by to hang out. Ignoring expectations while unassumingly meeting them, “The Whole Love” finds the Chicago-based outfit stringing together genres on an alternative rock thread, delivering unshakeable pop melodies in between creative bursts of organ, crunchy guitar and twangy strings.

Lead singer Jeff Tweedy deliv-ers interchangeably moving and abstract lyrics with a controlled energy bubbling beneath the surface on slower tracks like “Ris-ing Red Lung” and the medita-

tive “One Sunday Morning.” That pressurized energy threatens to burst on tracks like “I Might” and “Standing O,” where Wilco sounds their most uptight and most comfortable – a combination that very few bands can relate to.

An American jam band at heart with a responsibility to capitalize on creative impulse, Wilco often interrupts their more calculated arrangements with segments of blitzy instrumentation. “The Whole Love” is an album that is unpredi-catable, yet not surprising, and full of single-worthy tracks that make this a more-than-worthwhile listen – although it might have been interesting to see something more conceptually unified.


rate it+++

Artist: Mayer Hawthorne Album: How Do You Do5/5 TOWERS BY MARY SIMKINS

After a three year hiatus, Jack’s Mannequin is back with a new album, “People and Things.” Jack’s Mannequin frontman, Andrew McMahon, has been chronicling his life through music since his first album, “Everything in Transit,” in 2005, and, after battling lymphoblastic leukemia for several years, “People and Things” is a story of McMahon’s return to normalcy. McMahon has always been influenced by classic artists like Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, and that is definitely more apparent on this album than those in the past. The rock-and-roll track, “Television,”

really showcases his instrumental talent, and other tracks like “Amelia Jean” display McMahon’s knack for storytelling. With a mature vibe that hasn’t been apparent in much of McMahon’s other music and songs about the everyday struggles of life, “People and Things” gives listeners something relatable. Songs like “Hey Hey Hey (We’re All Gonna Die)” and “Amy, I” talk about living life to the fullest and not taking anything for granted. Overall, this album will not disappoint faithful Jack’s Mannequin fans, and those who maybe haven’t given them a listen yet should pick it up, as it is a happy medium between the pop-punk, upbeat style of “Everything in Transit” and the emotional, thought-provoking song-writing of “The Glass Passenger.”

SOUNDS // REVIEW

ARTIST: Jack’s MannequinALBUM: People and Things4/5 TOWERS BY MARISSA MCNEES

If, like me, you grew up listening to Motown and thinking that The Tempta-tions were singing about you in their song “My Girl,” then “How Do You Do” from Ann Arbor native Mayer Hawthorne (aka Haircut) will knock your socks off. Hawthorne’s second major studio re-lease, “How Do You Do” is the follow up to Hawthorne’s first album “A Strange Arrangement” (2009). “How Do You Do” is consistently strong, beginning with some romantic R&B, and moving

to upbeat 60s-inspired, danceable soul. You may have heard the album’s popular single, “The Walk,” on Ann Arbor’s 107.1 and thought it was a rediscovered gem from a bygone era (I did). Hawthorne channels the fun, self-assured spirit of Motown while still keeping things mod-ern (the song “Can’t Stop,” for example, features none other than Snoop D-O-Double G) enough to remind us that the year is, in fact, 2011. This album provides much to be impressed by, including: Mayer Haw-thorne’s vocal range, his grasp on his subject matter and what an important role is still played by the legacy of Mo-town. If I could, I’d give “How Do You Do” six Water Towers, but I’ll just give it five and say (in CAPS so you know I mean it), LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM.

ARTIST: Ryan AdamsALBUM: Ashes & Fire4/5 TOWERS BY AIMEE MANDLE

It has been quite some time since Ryan Adams has put out and album and, argu-ably, an even longer stretch since he’s put out a solo country-folk album. “Ashes & Fire” features a strong case that Adams can put out an album that is more than the sum of its parts – something that is uncommon in even the most gifted musi-cians. Maybe it’s his marriage to Mandy Moore that has him tamer these days, but “Ashes & Fire” is noticeably less self-pitying than

those that came before. Each song sounds more like a lullaby, and less like an ode to his struggle as a human being. Adams’ new perspective is a welcome change from his previous routine, with each track sounding like a stripped down version of his folky Carolina roots. While there is little variation to be had, the emotion that is invested in each song is exceptional. It is difficult to hear anything beyond the raw-ness that Adams brings to the table. Though “Ashes & Fire” does little to deviate from its intense material, it still manages to be an encompassing whole. With its soft melodies and even softer sub-ject matter, it is a solid addition to Adams’ range of work.

If you’re like me, it’s pretty rare to fall in love with an album the first time through. Even some of my favorite albums took at least a couple of listens to really connect with. This is just one more reason why “Perfect Season,” the latest from the Ypsilanti-based quintet, The Juliets, is unique. What really sets this album apart, though, is Jeremy Freer’s polished and pop-hook laden song writing combined with the aggressively arranged cello and violin of classically trained musicians, Kaylan Mitch-ell and Sarah Myers. Beautifully melodic ballads like the title track, “A Perfect Season,” are woven be-tween straight-ahead rock songs like “Only You,” driven by Jacklyn Phillips’ tight and powerful drum flourishes. Freer’s lyrics range from the play-fully whimsical first single, “Loon,” to the ponderous desire evident in “G.W.N.L.” asking, “Do you love me?

/ Baby repent / I’ll be your religion, beginning and end / Amen!” Perfect Season will be available starting November 5 at the band’s record release party at Woodruff’s in Depot Town and on their website, TheJuliets.bandcamp.com.

Artist: The Juliets Album: The Perfect Season5/5 TOWERS BY DAVID NASSAR


One of the hardest things to pull off in a movie is to engage the audience in a story when they already know the ending. Unfortu-nately, Bennett Miller’s retelling of the Michael Lewis book covering Oakland A’s general manager, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), during the 2002 MLB season falls short of accom-plishing this feat. Faced with rebuilding a team with the lowest payroll in the majors after a disappointing 2001 playoff elimination, Beane employs an unorthodox strategy with the help of Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). Beane, who had a disappointing

and short-lived playing career of his own, is forced to confront the doubts of his nay-saying staff, on top of some of his own inner-demons. While the film does have some enjoyable moments, including a few memorable one-liners and more than adequate performances by Pitt and Hill, it feels like the story never quite reaches the dramatic crescendo that you might anticipate. Instead, the mood of the film meanders along a flat-line with few, if any, emotional spikes.

REVIEW // THE CUT

FILM: MoneyballDIRECTOR: Bennett Miller2/5 TOWERS BY DAVID NASSAR

+++rate it Based on a novel by James Sallis, “Drive” is centered on Ryan Gosling as an intense nameless movie stunt driver by day and a driver for criminals by night. His mentor (Bryan Cranston) is set on turning him into a Nascar driver, with financial help from mobsters (Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman). It isn’t until Gosling takes an inter-est in his quiet neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan), and her son that his monotone life starts to take a drastic change. (Adding on to the cast is Oscar Isaac and Cristina Hendricks in minor, but strong roles.) It wouldn’t be right to reveal any more of the film, but what I can say is it rapidly escalates in violence once the halfway mark passes by. And, with the lack of dialogue, there is nothing else to go on besides the unsettling momentum that keeps each character rooted in their predicament. It is a surpris-ing film that focuses on the current state of things, leaving questions to what brought these characters to where they are now and where it leaves them after the chaos has

subsided. The film’s cinematography relays the harsh, gritty feel of L.A., all the while lacing in an electronic based soundtrack that beats through each scene like a death rattle that is reminiscent of classic films, like “Scarface.” As you watch the story unfold as a passenger, you get the feeling that there is no longer a safety net involved. All bets are off and elements will come into play that will grossly underestimate your understanding of just how bad things can become in a matter of minutes. It’s unnerving because just when you think you’ve seen the worst of it, things get even worse. However, at the end of all this film’s twists and turns, it is essentially the story of an unlikely hero.

FILM: DriveDIRECTOR: Nicolas Winding Refn5/5 TOWERS BY AIMEE MANDLE


FILM: Ides of MarchDIRECTOR: George Clooney4/5 TOWERS BY PAUL KITTI

When George Clooney brought his crew to the University of Michigan campus last fall to film his new political drama, I was one of those people that answered the casting call. My dreams of appear-ing in the background of a George Clooney film for two seconds were shot down when filming began and my talents hadn’t been summoned on the set. But it was filmed on my campus, nonetheless, so I figured I should support the film, despite my loathsome attitude towards political films. I don’t like movies with a political agenda. I don’t want to pay money to see a fictionalized version of what I accidentally witness on Fox News or CNN while I’m chan-

nel surfing. I was put in my place when the reasons why I didn’t want to see this movie turned out to be the reasons why I really en-joyed this movie: There was no po-litical agenda to it. It wasn’t trying to sell a certain party or highlight a specific flaw in our government and rally moviegoers behind some over-conversationalized cause. “The Ides of March” is a behind-the-scenes look at a presidential campaign, focusing on a cam-paign press secretary played by Ryan Gosling. It portrays a political battle where the only ethical concern is loyalty – everything else is thrown out the window. Clooney’s role as the presidential hopeful is surprisingly restrained, yet effective, and Clooney gives the reigns to the talented Gosling, who carries the film with support from Phillip Seymour Hoffman (who turns every one of his roles into a subtly hypnotic exercise). With the release of this film, there should be no doubt about Cloo-

ney’s skills behind the camera. The film moves at a quick, smooth pace, slowing down at all the right moments to deliver some powerful drama. The only lesson the film deliv-ers is that politics are dirty. It’s a lesson that none of us really need to learn – it is the underlying theme behind nearly every political endeavor, and even when it cannot be seen, it can be assumed (now I’m starting to sound as cynical as this film). But Clooney’s aim is to show us that dirtiness slither-ing through the aisles of every political office, exposing it through realistic characters and testing moral battles. “The Ides of March” doesn’t really bring any new ideas to light, and it certainly isn’t a happy movie. But it’s got the entertainment factor down, and it’s refreshing to see a political movie that is so …non-political.

THE CUT // REVIEW


REVIEW //

At Wiard’s Orchards I am writing this as a survivor, and for some, that’s all the clear they need to go check out the haunted houses of Wiards Orchards. Sure, it’s an all ages welcome gig, but evil doesn’t discriminate between ages – it only evaluates the temperament of the soul. Ok, I’ll just tell you about the place. Of the four main haunted attractions, I chose the Asylum. I was promised psychotic killers, doctors with ill motives and unidentifiable parts of both. It sounded appealing, so I bought my ticket and took the hay-laden trail to what I was told would be the last night of my life. While the sensationalistic tactics of the Wiards employees didn’t phase me, I did get the distinct feeling that the patients within the Asylum desired to harm me, so I was sure to have my wits about me as I tiptoed over needles and body parts. Having been greeted by Dr. Pickles, who was demonically offbeat, yet chivalrous in a cannibal-istic kind of way, I proceeded to the lobby of the Asylum. Before I even stepped off the parking lot, I could hear the lingering screams of those who had been abandoned in the fog, as well as the echoing warning of metal rapping against metal, much like an attention-seeking plea from a crazed and voiceless inmate. Dr. Pickles was all too eager to show me the source of these strange sounds, and he allowed his prize patient – I think his name was Jimmy – to lead me down the first shadowy hallway.

What followed is something of a blur, though a few images escaped with clarity, as I can still see the plastery, severed head of (was he a janitor?) convulsing on a medical table and a gap-toothed mother begging me to hold her baby, who was clearly under-fed and under-loved. Several times I was followed down tight hallways by savage patients, and I was most uncomfortable when it got too dark and I had to ask them for directions. What truly taunts me in my nightmares, however, is the heart of the Asylum. I entered through a series of black rubber flaps (like those used to dry cars in a carwash …or remove blood from people in a lawless asylum) and found myself walking through what seemed to be a thick, white cloud where I could see nothing but white and more white. I was completely blind. One of the nicer patients came to my rescue, wearing a white padded suit and a blood-spotted Hannibal Lecter mask. I couldn’t see him until he was about a foot away, when he lifted his arm and pointed towards the exit. When the whole thing was over, I felt like I had been in that god-forsaken dungeon for nearly fifteen minutes – and I was right, which left plenty of time for cider and donuts. The Wiards Orchards ticket office opens at 7:15pm, and the haunted attractions will continue through Halloween. The Asylum is one of four haunted attractions. For more information, visit wiards.com

BY PAUL KITTIPHOTOS BY KRISTIN SLATER

// FEATURE

env lve cl thing

100% organic cotton, bamboo and hemp apparel. eco-friendly printing with water-based inks.

20% of profits donated.

get envolved at www.envolveclothing.com and add to your healty-living lifestyle

envolveclothingwww.twitter.comwww.facebook.com

Ypsilanti Food Co-op 312 N River Street

Ypsilanti 734-483-1520

Open Daily 9 to 9

Artisan breads, healthy, organic food, local beer & wine, and much more!

www.ypsifoodcoop.org


// DEPOT TOWN RAG

Depot Town RagWaiting for the Morning Train? Be patient.

iSPYread more from

Depot Town Ragat mispymag.com

By Tom Dodd

Potential commuters following the advice of Michigan author Bruce Catton in “Waiting for the Morning Train” will be waiting even longer, according to the most recent report from South Eastern Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG). Earlier reports said the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti-Metro Airport-Dearborn-Detroit train was planned to stop in Ypsi in October 2011. You may want to call a cab.

City Councilmember Peter Murdock says, “Funding is secured to construct the platform in Ypsilanti and Carmen Palombo from SEMCOG reported that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has reversed itself and is no longer requiring a full blown Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) so it looks like the Environmental Review will be completed in early 2012. This could mean Ypsilanti platform construction in spring or summer of 2012. In addition,

event trains are being planned with AMTRAK and the FTA and a schedule will be available in the future.

The latest update on the long-awaited SEMCOG Commuter rail train gives reports of the project’s progres:.

Ann Arbor – Detroit Regional Rail Project

Summer 2011 marks significant progress!

Summer 2011 has been a busy season for work on the Ann Arbor-Detroit Regional Rail Project. Below are updates on several fronts, as well as some exciting photos of progress being made on the passenger cars and infrastructure.

Cab Cars and CoachesThe Great Lakes Central Railroad

is nearing completion on refurbishing nine passenger cars for the Ann Arbor-

Detroit service Two cars are complete and will undergo safety and mechanical testing in October 2011.

SeatsThe crash-worthiness of the seats in

the passenger cars was a significant hurdle to overcome. American Seating (based in Grand Rapids, Michigan) designed and is manufacturing the seats. This summer the seats passed a rigorous set of Federal Railroad Administration crash tests. The seats are being delivered and installed in the cars as they are produced.

West Detroit Connection Track Project

This rail infrastructure project will shave ten minutes off the travel time for the Ann Arbor-Detroit commuter rail service. Agreements with the host railroads have either been executed or are in final negotiations. Construction of the West Detroit

Connection Track is expected to begin in early 2012.

Environmental ClearanceThis summer, the federal lead

agency responsibility for the Ann Arbor-Detroit Regional Rail Project was transferred from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to Federal Transit Administration (FTA). FTA is now reviewing MDOT and SEMCOG’s request to initiate the environmental process to clear the project. FTA will determine whether an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required. Once this process is completed, additional investments can be made in the project.

Ann Arbor & Detroit Layover Tracks and Facilities

Work is underway regarding the design of layover tracks and facilities. The host railroads and host communities are a crucial part of the design.

Other Rail Infrastructure Improvements

A capacity analysis has been completed for most of the corridor, including the identification of infrastructure improvements needed to initiate the Ann Arbor-Detroit commuter rail service. The analysis revealed the need for improvements such as new sidings, switches, and crossovers. Work on these improvements can begin once environmental clearance has been granted.

MORE RAG ON PG 34


DEPOT TOWN RAG //

SPONSORS OF THE DEPOT TOWN RAG >>>>>

See the NEW Hudson Automobiles Now on display at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage MuseumTwenty-seven members of the League of Retired Automotive Designers have chosen Detroit’s Hudson for their celebration of “American Orphan Brands.”The exhibit continues here through the end of January. You saw their products on the road for most of your lifetime; now see what they have put together for their 2012-2014 fantasy version of the Fabulous Hud-son Hornet:

• Rent an engineer’s costume from Fantasy Attic Costumes• Visit the site of the Great 1926 Train Wreck at Sidetrack’s east patios• Wave at the passing freight and Amtrak trains––but don’t applaud. People will think you’re from Ann Arbor• Visit the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum to remember waiting for the train in a Hudson Hornet in the days when 26 trains a day stopped here• Take moody photos of the ruin that once was the MCRR depot at Ypsilanti• Look at prints and paintings of trains at the crossing at Nelson Amos’s Studio• Wave a big red flag from the top of the Crossing Guard Tower to see if today’s engineers recognize the traditional “Stop!” signal• Put on your denims, tie a red bandana around your neck, stand out by the tracks with one of those obnoxious wooden train whistles, and keep looking at your watch. Get 100 friends to join you and we’ll have another local street festival!• Ask passing dog-walkers if they think it’s safe to cross the tracks yet• Get a haircut. Get several. How fast does your hair grow?

10 Things:Something to do while waiting for the train

MORE On Trains and Hudsons at www.ispymagazine.co

Bob Ackerman – ChryslerBob Barnes – FordRich Beck – FordJerry Brochstein – GMGeorge Camp – GMVirgil Exner, Jr. FordTony Frasetto – FordDarwin Hawthorne – FordBob Hubbach – ChryslerJohn T. Houlihan – GMRoger Hughet – GMWayne Kady – GMRolph Kneefel – Ford

Clark Lincoln – GMBud Magaldi – FordDavid McIntosh – GMBill Michalak – GMBill Moraniec – FordHoward “Buck” Mook - FordJoe Papai – ChryslerSteve Pastenier – GMJohn Perkins – GMDennis Reardon – FordElia Russ Russinoff – GMStu Shuster – GMBernie Smith – GM

We’re growing mustaches. Join us.

In an effort to raise awareness for men’s health, we’re partici-pating in Movember and we want you to join us. Starting Nov. 1 and running through the month, we’re growing mustaches and fundraising for organizations like Livestrong and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Check out all the info and learn how to get invovled at mispymag.com/movember or by scanning the QR code below.

Freemason Fundrasiser to benefit

Food Gatherers. November 5th, 2011

@ 6:00 PMThe Freemasons (Ann Arbor-Fraternity Lodge #262) would like to invite you and all your friends to a fundraiser party to benefit Food Gatherers.

Kick off the holiday season with us as we bring Hal-cyon indoors for the wintery season. We’re screaming, “Baby it’s cold outside!” So we’ll be bundled up in our warmest flannels, sipping hot cocoa (or high grav-ity brews) under the crazy fantastical Holidaze tree, listening to stories, while DJ’s spin melodic season-al tunes.

Experience the best of the season at Growing Hope’s Winter Farmers Market. Fresh food, great beer and a great time.

Growing Hope’s Winter Farmers Mark

et

November 8 and 22, 2011 @ 3:00 PM

November

Check out our new website at arborbrewing.com

720 Norris St. Ypsilanti MI, 48198 (734) 480.2739

Local amateur and professi

onal brewers create imagin

a-

tive beers on our 10-gallo

n Rat Pad brew system. We

release

these brews on the third W

ednesday of each month at

6:00pm.

Halcyon SundazeNovemberr 20, 2011

Rat Pad Release

November, 16th 2011 @ 6:00 PM

iSPY Magazine - November 2011

Documents

Transcript of iSPY Magazine - November 2011