Art
Ariana Gallery
Ariana Gallery: Whimsical animal-themed jewelry designs by Link Wachler, figurative ceramic sculptures by Pamela Day, paintings by Jack Kevorkian, graffiti art by Sinister, and repurposed sculptures by Ronald Stawisz are on display.
119 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-546-8810, arianagallery.com; arianagallery.com.
Artcite
• A mixed-media show by Mike Marcon, Inland Empires, mixes Canadian themes with the War of 1812 bicentennial celebrations through a collaboration of objects and sculptures. Through Oct. 13.
• A is for… is Amin Rehman’s solo show in which he explores neo-colonialism. Alternating between oil and canvas and neon signs, Rehman uses short texts to evoke global realities and personal experiences. Oct. 19 through Nov 24.
109 University Ave. W., Windsor; 519-977-6564; artcite.ca.
Art Gallery of Windsor (AGW)
Art for Canada: An Illustrated History is the gallery’s ongoing exhibition featuring a changing selection of historic Canadian artwork.
401 Riverside Dr. W., Windsor, Ontario; 519-977-0013; artgalleryofwindsor.com.
Artspace II
Tete de la Course features the work of Donald Dietz. The photographic series focuses on a bicycle rider stenciled on various road surfaces in France. Oct. 2-31.
303 E. Maple, Birmingham; 248-258-1540; artspace2.com/artspace2.
Belian Art Center
• Paintings by Georg Vihos are on display from Oct. 13 through mid November. Opening reception Oct. 13. 6-9 p.m.
• Functional and decorative pottery designs by Zabel Belian are on exhibit.
5980 Rochester Rd., Troy; 248-828-1001, belianart.com.
Biddle Gallery
Made in the Mitten is the gallery’s ongoing exhibit featuring paintings, pottery, glass, jewelry, ceramics, furniture, home and fashion accessories by more than 100 Michigan artists.
2840 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte; 734-281-4779, biddlegallery.com.
Cranbrook Art Museum
George Nelson: Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher is an exhibit with more than 120 3-D works and 50-plus historical documents by one of the most influential American designers of the 20th century. Through Oct. 14.
39221 Woodward, Bloomfield Hills; 248-645-3300; cranbrookart.edu/museum.
David Klein Gallery
Paintings by Kim McCarthy and Asya Reznikov are up through Oct. 20.
163 Townsend, Birmingham; 248-433-3700, dkgallery.com.
Detroit Institute of Arts
• Fabergé: The Rise and Fall, The Collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts features more than 200 precious objects from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The show follows Carl Fabergé’s rise to fame and his relationship with the Russian aristocracy while displaying his and his workers’ spectacular work. Oct. 14-Jan. 21.
• Picasso and Matisse: The DIA’s Prints and Drawings showcases techniques and styles that defined much of 20th-century art. Closes Jan. 6. Admission: $8 adults; $6 seniors; $4 youth 6-17; under 5 free. (No admission for tri-county residents.) 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed.-Thurs.; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.; Closed Mon.-Tue.
5200 Woodward, Detroit; 313-833-7900; dia.org.
Flint Institute of Arts
The 300 finalists from an international cartoon competition are featured in Drawing Together: International Cartoons. The cartoons were drawn to instill tolerance and alleviate discrimination among young people and adults alike. Through Dec. 30. Admission: $7 adults; $5 seniors; under 12 free. 12-5 p.m. Mon.-Wed. and Fri.; 12-9 p.m. Thurs.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sun.
1120 E. Kearsley St., Flint; 810-234-1695; flintarts.org.
Grosse Pointe Art Center
The Grosse Pointe Artist Association celebrates its 75th birthday with the Grosse Pointe Art Center’s annual auction. Hors d’oeuvres, cake, and champagne will accompany the live and silent auctions and raffle. 7 p.m. Oct. 20. $50.
16900 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe; 313-821-1848; grossepointeartcenter.org.
Lawrence Street Gallery
Celebrate the Print, a juried exhibit of the art of printmaking, is on display through October.
22620 Woodward, Ferndale; 248-544-0394;lawrencestreetgallery.com.
Pewabic Pottery
An exhibit featuring drawings, sample boards, models, and photographs, Simply by Hand: Architectural Ceramics from Mary Stratton to Now is on display through Oct. 14.
10125 E. Jefferson, Detroit; 313-626-2000; pewabic.org.
Re:View Art Gallery
A solo exhibit by Ian Swanson is up through Oct. 20.
444 W. Willis, Detroit; 313-833-9000; reviewcontemporary.com.
Robert Kidd Gallery
Sweet Spot is a contemporary group show. Through Oct. 20.
107 Townsend, Birmingham; 248-642-3909, robertkiddgallery.com.
Toledo Museum of Art
• Manet: Portraying Life features about 40 portraits by Édouard Manet from 25 museums around the world. Opens Oct. 7.
• An exhibit focusing on the stars, sets, and scenes created by the American film industry, Made in Hollywood: Photographs from the Kobal Foundation, is full of photographs from the major Hollywood Studios from 1920-1960. Opens Oct. 7.
• Leslie Adams: Drawn from Life exhibits approximately 20 new works from the Toledo-based artist. Opens Oct. 19. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Thur.; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.; 12-6 p.m. Sun.
2445 Monroe, Toledo; 419-255-8000, toledomuseum.org.
323 East
Useless Advice from a Stranger is Matt Eaton’s second solo exhibition at the gallery. Through Oct. 10.
• Boston native Bethany Shorb and her work are featured in a solo exhibition. Through October.
323 E. Fourth, Royal Oak; 248-246-9544; 323east.com.
UMMA
• Work by the Seoul-based art collaborative Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries, which uses innovative multimedia techniques, is on display through Nov. 18.
• African Art and the Shape of Time explores the multiplicity of time in Africa through a collection of more than 30 pieces. On display through Feb. 3.
• Benjamin West: General Wolfe and the Art of Empire features West’s famous painting, The Death of General Wolfe, along with multiple other depictions of General Wolfe. Through Jan. 13, 2013.
525 S. State St., Ann Arbor; 734-764-0395; umma.umich.edu.
photograph Copyright 2012 estate of pablo picasso/artists rights society (ars), new york
Classical
Chamber Music Society of Detroit
Violinist Roberto Diaz collaborates with Boston-based pianist Gloria Chen in pieces by de Falla, Hindemith, Brahms, and Bloch. 8 p.m. Oct. 6. $30.
Seligman Performing Arts Center, 22305 W.13 Mile, Beverly Hills; 248-855-6070; comehearcmsd.org.
Cranbrook Music Guild
American pianist Simone Dinnerstein performs a solo recital of pieces by Bach, Brahms, Chopin, Felsenfeld, and Schumann. 8 p.m. Oct. 10. $25.
Christ Church Cranbrook, 470 Church Rd., Bloomfield Hills; 248-645-0097; cranbrookmusicguild.org.
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
• Aerial acrobatics, strongmen, contortionists, and jugglers supplement live music from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, performing choreographed, breath-taking feats around and above the Orchestra in a program called Cirque de la Symphonie. Oct. 5-7. Tickets start at $19
• Leonard Slatkin conducts a series of pieces by Copland and Ravel, leading up to the French composer’s Boléro. Gabriela Montero takes on the solo duties in Ravel’s Concerto in G Major for Piano and Orchestra. Oct. 12-14. Tickets start at $15.
• Russian pianist Olga Kern is the soloist in Rachmaninov’s knuckle-breaking Piano Concerto No. 3. Leonard Slatkin also leads the forces in the Russian composer’s Caprice bohemian and The Isle of the Dead. Oct. 19-21. Tickets start at $15.
• Conductor Douglas Boyd and the DSO are joined by violinist Baiba Skride for Schumann’s Violin Concerto. Also on tap are works by Schubert and Sibelius. Oct. 25-26. Tickets start at $15.
• In the spirit of Halloween, Assistant Conductor Teddy Abrams leads the DSO in demonstrating how music can tell a truly spooky story. Costumes are suggested in this concert recommended for children 6 and up. 3 p.m. Oct. 28. Tickets start at $20.
Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward, Detroit; 313-576-5111; dso.org.
Michigan Opera Theatre
The season kicks off with Rossini’s sparkling comedy The Barber of Seville, featuring Rodion Pogossov and Eugene Chan alternating as Figaro and Elizabeth Deshong as Rosina. Suzanne Acton conducts. Oct. 13-21. $25-$125.
Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway, Detroit; 313-237-SING, michiganopera.org.
University Musical Society
• The all-male Georgian ensemble Basiani offer samples from almost every geographical region of the Republic of Georgia in their choral and folk music program. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4. $25-$35.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 2250 E. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor; ums.org.
• The Jerusalem String Quartet makes its fourth UMS appearance. The four young musicians have played together since their mid-teens, and display a liveliness and spontaneity that has led to international recognition. They’ll play works by Beethoven and Shostakovich. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10. $22-$46.
Rackham Auditorium, 915 E. Washington, Ann Arbor; 734-764-2538; ums.org.
• Venerable pianist Murray Perahia performs music by Haydn, Beethoven, and Schumann in his 12th UMS appearance. 8 p.m. Oct. 20. $10-$75.
• Conductor Valery Gergiev leads the Mariinsky Orchestra of St. Petersburg and pianist Denis Matsuev in a performance of three pieces, including the score from Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. 8 p.m. Oct. 27. $10-$80.
Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-764-2538; ums.org.
Dance
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
This 11-member troupe, founded in 1996 and which splits its time between Colorado and New Mexico, makes its University Musical Society debut in a program of contemporary works. Oct. 6-7. $18-$44.
Power Center, 121 Fletcher, Ann Arbor; 734-764-2538.
Eisenhower Dance Ensemble
The company has beefed up its roster with four new members this season. See the energetic troupe perform an On the Move repertory program at Oakland University. Oct. 20-21. $18 general, $10 students.
Varner Recital Hall, 2200 N. Squirrel Rd., on the campus of Oakland University, Rochester; 248-559-2095, ede-dance.org.
New York City Ballet MOVES
The esteemed touring arm of the NYCB dances to music choreographed by Peter Martins, George Balanchine, William Forsythe, and Christopher Wheeldon. Presented by Michigan Opera Theatre. Oct. 27-28. $25-$125.
Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway, Detroit; 313-237-SING, motopera.org.
photograph by sharen bradford
Events
Detroit Heritage Tours
October is historic cemetery tour month as Preservation Detroit offers a walking tour through four cemeteries: Woodmere on Oct. 6, Elmwood on Oct. 13, Mt. Elliott on Oct. 13, and Woodlawn Cemetery on Oct. 27. 2 p.m.
Various meeting points, preservationdetroit.org; 313-577-7674.
Fall Remodeling Show
Hundreds of exhibits featuring the latest products and services for remodeling a home, including kitchens, baths, doors, heating, cooling, and many more. Oct. 4-7. $7-$8.
Suburban Collection Showplace, Hall C, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi; novihomeshow.com.
First Friday Experience:
Explore everything downtown Northville has to offer as it hosts this event the first Friday of every month. Participating galleries will have special exhibits and featured artists present. Also, select shops are open late and will serve refreshments, feature live music, and hold special sales. 6-9 p.m. Oct. 5.
Downtown Northville; downtownnorthville.com.
Friends of the Freer House
Learn about Charles Lang Freer’s contributions to Detroit industry and culture, his Ferry Avenue home, and his art collection in this series of speakers. A keynote lecture from Dr. Julian Raby, director of the Freer and Sackler Galleries of Art and the Smithsonian Institution, will explore Freer’s vision for American and Asian art. Oct 7. 2-5:30. A reception and tour follow at the Freer House, 71 E. Ferry. $5-$10.
Danto Lecture Hall in the Detroit Institute of Arts; 5200 Woodward, Detroit; 313-664-2509.
Michigan Modernism
As part of Docomomo week, which raises awareness and appreciation for buildings, sites, and neighborhoods of the modern movement, State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway will discuss the pivotal role Michigan has played in the development of Modernism. The event is hosted by a2modern, a group with similar interests in Ann Arbor. Oct. 9. 7 p.m.
Bentley Historical Library; 1150 Beal Ave., Ann Arbor; a2modern.org.
Zoo Boo:
Detroit Zoo’s annual celebration that is “merry-not-scary” has a decorated half-mile trick-or-treat trail through the front of the park. Enjoy live entertainment and games as well as a haunted reptile house. $8. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 12-14, 19-21, and 26-28.
Detroit Zoo; 8450 W. 10 mile Rd., Royal Oak; detroitzoo.org.
Detroit Spa Week
Thousands of spas from across North America, including Detroit, participate in this bi-annual event where select spas offer health and wellness treatments for $50. Oct. 15-21.
For an updated list of participating spas, check spaweek.com.
Key to the Cure Campaign at Saks
This dedicated shopping event held in Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th stores nationwide, and saks.com donates a percentage of the sales to women’s cancer research and treatment organizations throughout the country. Oct. 18-21.
Saks Fifth Avenue, Somerset Collection South; 2800 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy; 248-643-9000.
Holiday Mart
An upscale sale benefiting the cancer prevention programs of Planned Parenthood Mid and South Michigan for women, Holiday Mart has been a Metro Detroit tradition for more than 50 years. The Grosse Pointe War Memorial will be filled with dozens of specialty shops from Michigan and around the country. The Patron Preview Cocktail Party will be held Oct. 18, from 5:30-9 p.m. $75. Regular shopping begins Oct. 19-20. 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Grosse Pointe War Memorial, 32 Lake Shore Dr., Grosse Pointe Farms; holidaymartgrossepointe.com.
Detroit International Wine Auction
Three separate auction events will take place in the General Motors Design Center at this black-tie event. The evening starts at Vintner’s Private Reception and will feature wine, food, and auction items. The silent auction and reception, gala dinner, and live auction will take place where guests have the opportunity to bid on an array of auction items, including rare wines. Oct. 20.
General Motors Design Center, 30100 Mound, Warren; 586-709-5962; collegeforcreativestudies.edu.
Ann Arbor Antiques Market
Throughout seven buildings and numerous tents, this show offers a wide selection of antiques and collectibles from throughout the United States and Canada. Items range from early American to Art Deco. Oct. 20-21.
Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor Saline Rd., Ann Arbor; annarborantiquesmarket.com.
Art on the Farm
What started off as an open house with only 15 artists has now grown to about 30. There is work in every discipline from paintings to jewelry to soaps. Oct. 28. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Lakeview Farm, 12075 Island Lake Rd., Dexter; artonthefarmdexter.com.
Film
Main Art Theatre:
The only survivor of Evil Dead, Ash, returns to the cabin in the woods to fight with demons in Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. Midnight Oct. 5-6. $7-$9.25.
Main Art Theatre; 118 N. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-263-2111; landmarktheatres.com.
Redford Theatre
• A compilation of six films featuring Larry, Moe, and Curly make up The Three Stooges Festival. Oct. 5-6. $5.
• A Halloween Double feature includes The Bride of Frankenstein and Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. Dr. Frankenstein and his creation go through various struggles while trying to find him a mate and fight off the evils of the night Oct. 19-20. $5.
• Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods and unleash demons that send them on a horrific journey in Evil Dead. Oct. 26. Midnight. $5.
• Two classic Halloween silent movies will also be shown to salute the holiday, The Haunted House and The Cat and the Canary. Oct. 27. 8 p.m. $12 for adults, $8 for children.
17360 Lahser, Detroit; 313-537-2560; redfordtheatre.com.
State Theatre
In the gory classic Friday the 13th, a cursed camp is reopened, but not for long. An unknown murderer targets camp counselors and nobody knows who is next. Oct. 13. Midnight. $7.
• Set up in documentary style, The Blair Witch Project is the uncovered tapes of three college students who go into the woods to do a project on the Blair Witch incidents and were never seen again. Oct. 20. Midnight. $7.
• In the cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a transvestite and mad scientist known as Dr. Frank N. Furter shows a couple his latest creation. Oct. 26-27. Midnight. $7.
233 S. State St., Ann Arbor; 734-761-8667; michtheater.org/state.
Museums
Arab American National Museum
•Arab Civilization: Our Heritage features Arab contributions to the early world. Ongoing in the Community Courtyard.
• Coming to America focuses on Arab immigrants and the culture they brought to the United States. Ongoing in Gallery 1.
• Living in America exhibits early Arab-American life. Ongoing exhibit in Gallery 2.
• Making an Impact celebrates the stories of Arab-American athletes, organizations, physicians, labor leaders, and entertainers. Ongoing exhibit in Gallery 3. $6 adults; $3 students and seniors. Children under 5 free.
13624 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-582-2266; arabamericanmuseum.org.
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
• A collective sculptural show, Visions of Our 44th President, recognizes the historical significance of the first African-American U.S. president. Each artist interprets the event through a life-size, three-dimensional form.
• Stories in Stained Glass: The Art of Samuel A. Hodge, a series of colorful works focusing on three areas of African-American culture and history: musicians, dancers, and freedom advocates, is one of the ongoing exhibits in the Main Level Corridor.
• A Is for Africa includes 26 interactive stations making up a 3-D “dictionary” designed for children. Ongoing in the Lower Level Corridor.
• And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture is an evolving exhibit that recounts the 3.5-million-year-old odyssey that began in Africa and ends in Detroit. Ongoing in the Core Exhibition Gallery.
• Ring of Genealogy, a work designed by local artist Hubert Massey, depicts the struggles of African-Americans in the United States.
315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit; 313-494-5800; chwmuseum.org.
Detroit Historical Museum
Closed until Nov. 23 for renovations.
5401 Woodward, Detroit; 313-833-1805, detroithistorical.org.
Dossin Great Lakes Museum
Bells and Whistles, Flags and Flashes: Lost Languages of the Lakes explores methods used by mariners over the years to communicate with others at sea, and people on shore.
• City on the Straits provides snapshots of the ways the Great Lakes and the Detroit River have influenced the region.
• Gothic Room allows visitors to experience the likes of a gentlemen’s lounge inside the City of Detroit III. The exhibit also features a window on the right side of the gallery to show the Detroit shoreline in the early 1900s.
• S.S. William Clay Ford Pilot House is a Great Lakes freighter that was scrapped, but its pilot house was brought to the museum. Built in 1952, the 646-foot straight-decked vessel was lengthened to 767 feet in 1979.
•To Scale: Great Lakes Model Ship Builders features the art of model shipbuilding of Great Lakes vessels in Michigan.
100 Strand, Belle Isle, Detroit; 313-833-1805; detroithistorical.org/main/dossin.
Exhibit Museum of Natural History
Evolution & Health studies how the evolution of humans promoted our survival, but not our well-being.
• Archeology! Current Research in the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology is an ongoing research exhibit that examines the questions that contemporary archeologists ask about the past and the techniques they use to answer them.
• The invisible World of Mites highlights the microscopic insects, and the research Professor Barry O Connor has done on them. Through mid-November.
• Permanent exhibits are The Hall of Evolution, The Michigan Wildlife Gallery, The Anthropology Displays, and The Geology Displays. Free admission; suggested donation is $6.
University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes, Ann Arbor; 734-764-0478; lsa.umich.edu/exhibitmuseum.
Greenfield Village
• Fall Flavor Weekends features seasonal food cooked during daily demonstrations at the various farmhouses and other homes throughout the village. Soup, beer, peas, and chicken are among the many staples expected during this weekend. Oct. 6-7.
• The village will be transformed for Halloween, and patrons are invited to follow a path of hand-carved jack-o-lanterns through the village during Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village. Witches, treats, and a headless horseman will all make an appearance. Oct 12-14, 19-21, and 26-28. 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Sundays.
• Visit nearly 100 historical buildings, including the home of Henry Ford, the replica of the first factory where Ford worked, and the lab where Thomas Edison created the first light bulb. Districts and buildings include: Edison at Work, Henry Ford’s Model T, Liberty Craftworks, Main Street, Porches and Parlor, Railroad Junction, Working Farms. Open daily. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. $24 adults; $22 seniors; $17.50 youth. Free for children 4 and under.
20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn; 313-982-6001; hfmgv.org/village.
Henry Ford Museum
• Driving America is an exhibit that includes more than 100 vehicles, authentic artifacts, digital media, interactive play and personal accounts that focus on the influence the automobile has had on American culture.
• Heroes of the Sky is a permanent exhibit focusing on adventures in early aviation.
• With Liberty and Justice for All highlights four pivotal periods of history, beginning with the American Revolution and ending in the 1960s. Permanent exhibit.
• Automobiles in American Life and Society features automotive milestones, including the 15-millionth Model T, as well as the Ford Mustang. Permanent exhibit. Also: Dymaxion House, Presidential Limousines, Made in America, and Rosa Parks Bus.
20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn; 313-982-6001; thehenryford.org.
Holocaust Memorial Center
Exhibits are dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust. Learn about World War II, the Jewish culture, religious beliefs, the postwar world, heroic rescues, and more. The center also houses a multi-lingual library.
$5-$8 admission.
28123 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington Hills; 248-553-2400; holocaustcenter.org.
Music
Ben Folds Five:
Mind-blowing fact of the day: Ben Folds Five, the piano-driven ’90s alternative band best known for the 1997 single “Brick,” has only three members! Three is also the number of full-length albums the trio recorded before disbanding in 2000. After four marriages and a successful solo career for the eponymous frontman, the band is back together for its first tour in 12 years, supporting its first new studio album in 13. So many numbers and still no explanation for the “Five.” 6:30 p.m. Oct. 2. $25-$45.
The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward, Detroit; 313-961-5451.
A$AP Rocky:
Harlem rapper and music-video director Rakim Mayers, who turns 24 this month, adopted the stage name A$AP Rocky while part of the New York hip-hop collective A$AP Mob. His moniker has multiple meanings, including “Always Strive and Prosper,” and Rocky’s favorite interpretation, “Acronym Symbolizing Any Purpose.” His real name, though, is not so vague. Named after rapper Rakim, of Eric B. & Rakim, hip-hop has always flowed through Rocky’s veins. Today, Rocky’s success lies in his mixtape LiveLoveA$AP and first full-length release, LongLiveA$AP, which dropped last month. Oct. 3. $25-$35.
The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward, Detroit; 313-961-5451.
Eric Church:
Born and raised in Granite Falls, N.C., Eric Church took his music career into his own hands at 13. With paper and pen in hand, the small-town teenager found his voice writing lyrics, later buying a guitar and teaching himself to play. During high school, Church booked a few gigs, mostly at dive bars, gradually building confidence as he threw himself into unforgiving crowds. While earning local respect (as well as a marketing degree), Church kick-started a four-man band named Mountain Boys. In lieu of late nights studying, the boys traveled western North Carolina, making a name for themselves. After graduation, Church moved to Tennessee to pursue a career in country music, where he was discovered and polished up for the Big Time. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4. $37.50-$47.50.
Joe Louis Arena, 600 Civic Center Dr., Detroit; 313-983-6606.
Owl City:
Owl City is the moniker of a one-man electro-pop outfit from rural Minnesota. The architect of Owl City, Adam Young, began recording songs in his parents’ basement in 2007, which he quietly uploaded to a MySpace page. Young managed to score a major record deal with Universal Republic, which released his 2009 album, Ocean Eyes, featuring the hit “Fireflies.” With the Postal Service on indefinite hiatus, Young fills the Technicolor void in the hearts of all the kids craving Nintendo-soundtrack love songs about strawberry avalanches. 6:30 p.m. Oct. 7. $22-$25.
The Crofoot, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; 248-858-9333.
Dr. Dog:
Leashed to a DIY tradition, Dr. Dog combines unapologetic ’60s-pop worship with lo-fi recording techniques and a blatant distaste for trends. Once a low-key, self-distributed band, Dr. Dog leaped into popularity when Jim James of My Morning Jacket threw the band a bone, selecting them to open for an East Coast MMJ tour. The Philly-based quintet draws comparisons to the holy trinity of 1960s “B” bands: The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Band. But the alliteration doesn’t stop there. Dr. Dog’s band members take on nicknames all beginning with “T”—Taxi sings, Tables plays the bass, and Time, fittingly, keeps time. 8 p.m. Oct. 12. $18-$20.
The Majestic Theatre, 4120 Woodward, Detroit; 313-833-9700.
Blue October:
Sprouting from the post-grunge boom of the late ’90s, Blue October grew into a radio-ready band that listeners later latched onto, culminating in the 2006 single “Hate Me.” After a few years of toiling in obscurity, opportunity for the Texas-based band sprang forth when Kid Rock’s manager, Michael Rand, discovered the five-piece at Houston’s Atchafalaya River Café. The group was signed to Universal Records, only to be dropped three years later, and then re-signed by the same label after charting better-than-expected record sales. Despite being offered a 360 deal by Universal for their latest album, Any Man in America, the band opted to go independent and released the album on its own imprint, Up/Down Records. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12. $25.
Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak; 248-399-2980.
Regina Spektor:
The Moscow-born redhead (who recently went black) plays piano-driven pop songs that have been called “quirky” and “cute.” But make no mistake, the girl has got some serious pipes and she’s not afraid to use them. 8 p.m. Oct. 13. $35-$62.50.
The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward, Detroit; 313-961-5451.
The Go-Go’s:
It’s been more than 35 years since The Go-Go’s made their “very, very raw” debut within the burgeoning L.A. punk scene. A few years of polish led to the debut album, Beauty and the Beat, featuring such classics as “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “We Got the Beat.” The Go-Go’s will forever be known as one of the first Billboard-topping all-female rock bands, and continue to rock audiences despite releasing only four full-length albums during their tenure. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14. $45-$50.
Sound Board at MotorCity Casino Hotel, 2901 Grand River, Detroit; 313-237-7711.
Paula Cole:
Cole made a splash in the late ’90s with the single, “I Don’t Want to Wait,” which was used as the theme song for the TV series Dawson’s Creek. But she got her feet wet a year prior, with her only Billboard-charting song, “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?,” which was nominated for three Grammy Awards. The song lost in all three categories to Sarah McLachlan and Shawn Colvin, with whom Cole would share the main stage at Lilith Fair that same year. Apparently, there were no hard feelings. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14. $25.
The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor; 734-761-1800.
Social Distortion:
Led by Mike Ness, the cowpunk band has released only seven albums in a career that stretches back more than 30 years. You can thank drug-induced hiatuses and untimely deaths of band members for that. Social D’s most recent full-length release, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, dropped in January 2011. If the band sticks to its previous release schedule, you can expect a new album some time around 2015. 7 p.m. Oct. 16. $25.
Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak; 248-399-2980.
Jackson Browne:
After a long and fruitful career, which includes induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007, Jackson Browne could easily rest on his laurels. Instead, he continues to tour and release new material, though his most recent album, Love Is Strange, is a two-CD catalog of a 2006 tour of Spain which won an award for Best Live Performance Album at the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20. $80.70-$111.35.
Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, 350 Madison, Detroit; 313-887-8500.
Primus:
The irreverent funk/metal fusion act best known for its theme song to Comedy Central’s South Park is particularly hard to peg. Primus frontman Les Claypool, routinely named among the top bassists in the world, has called the band “psychedelic polka.” Think Funky Frank Zappa meets Black Sabbath, slap bass, junk-food references — ah, forget it. You just have to hear it. And on this tour, one that promises a 3-D experience, is one to see, too. 7 p.m. Oct. 24. $36-$60.
The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward, Detroit; 313-961-5451.
Ario Guthrie:
Guthrie, the son of famous Dust Bowl folkie Woody Guthrie, plays socially aware protest songs like his father. He is often joined on stage by his son, Abe, and grandson, Krishna. Daughters Sarah Lee, Cathy, and Annie are all musicians in their own right, too. It’s a family thing. 8 p.m. Oct. 29-30. $50.
The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor; 734-761-1800.
Theater
Fisher Theatre:
The bonds of family are tested in this musical comedy. In La Cage Aux Folles, a nightclub owner’s son brings his fiancée’s conservative family home to meet him and his partner, Albin. The families struggle to stay true to themselves and united around the young couple. Through Oct. 7. • One of the most popular Disney films of all time comes to the stage in Mary Poppins. In this classic story, a nanny comes to work for an unhappy family and changes their lives with a little bit of magic. Oct. 23-28.
Fisher Theatre; 3011 W. Grand Blvd, Detroit; ticketmaster.com, BroadwayInDetroit.com.
Hilberry Theatre:
• A group of travelers find themselves snowed in at Monkswell Manorthey with a killer on the loose. They must find the killer, before the killer finds them, in The Mousetrap. $20-$30. Through Oct. 13.
• In this dark romance, Desdemona finds herself dealing with Othello’s constant mood swings. Othello goes from plotting destruction to telling her he loves her in Shakespeare’s Othello. $20-$30. Oct. 26-Jan. 27.
Hilberry Theatre; 4743 Cass Ave., Detroit; hilberry.com.
JET (Jewish Ensemble Theatre):
A play focusing on Jewish humor in America, Laughter on the 23rd Floor brings audience members into the writer’s room of the fictional Max Prince Show. Neil Simon takes memories of his work on Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows to create this comedy. Oct. 24-Nov. 11.
Jewish Ensemble Theatre; 6600 W. Maple Rd., West Bloomfield; 248-788-2900; jettheatre.com.
Meadow Brook Theatre:
Hill House has remained empty for many years, and for good reason. In The Haunting of Hill House, an investigator of supernatural phenomena and three others join to determine what’s causing these eerie events. Oct. 3-28. $24-$39.
Meadow Brook Theatre; 207 Wilson Hall, Oakland University, Rochester; 248-377-3300; mbtheatre.com.
Purple Rose Theatre:
A comedy-drama, Superior Donuts is the uplifting story of Arthur Przybyszewski, who was just about to give up on everything, including his family’s Chicago Donut shop, before he met Franco Wicks, who shows him there’s much more to life. Through Dec. 15. $25-$40.
Purple Rose; 137 Park St., Chelsea; 734-433-7673; purplerosetheatre.org.
Tipping Point Theatre:
While going through a dry spell, Sidney Bruhl, a writer of Broadway thrillers, receives a manuscript from one of his students and devises a plan to collaborate with the student. This leads to a series of plot twists and turns in Deathtrap. Through Oct. 7. $29-$32.
Tipping Point Theatre; 361 E. Cady St., Northville; 248-347-0003; tippingpointtheatre.com.
Send information at least nine weeks in advance to: Listings, Hour Detroit, 117 W. Third St., Royal Oak, MI 48067. By e-mail: editorial@hourdetroit. By fax: 248-691-4531.
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