Summertime, and the music is…everywhere. It’s that time again, when concert promoters target seasonal audiences and put out the best tours and festivals of the year. This summer is no exception with a wide variety of musicians visiting the state of Michigan. Here are some of the highlights throughout the region in the lazy days ahead. May 22: Avicii—Joe Louis Arena, Detroit Swedish Electro-House producer Avicii was ranked number six of the Top 100 DJs of 2011 by DJ Magazine. Among his set will be the hit single “Levels.” May 26-28: Movement: Detroit Electronic Music Festival—Hart Plaza, Detroit DEMF will feature nearly 100 artists on four stages for three days in Detroit’s Hart Plaza. A three-day pass for the festival costs $70. May 27: Afrojack—The Fillmore, Detroit Up-and-coming Dutch Electro-House producer Afrojack has collaborated with the likes of David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Pitbull and Ne-yo. May 30: Drake, J. Cole & Waka Flocka Flame—DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston Hip Hop powerhouse Drake has spent more time at the top of the Billboard Rap Songs chart than any other artist this year. June 6: The Shins—The Fillmore, Detroit The Portland-based Indie band has been around since 2001. Their 2012 single “Simple Song” topped out at number 10 on the US Alternative Charts. June 8: Earth, Wind & Fire—Meadowbrook Music Festival, Rochester One of the most successful and critically acclaimed bands of the twentieth century. Lead vocalist Maurice White has led the group since 1969.
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers (left to right), bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith and lead singer Anthony Kiedis, perform at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, Saturday, March 31, 2012. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/MCT) June 10: Red Hot Chili Peppers—Joe Louis Arena, Detroit Fresh off their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Californian rock group brings their eclectic catalog to the Joe. Michigan native Anthony Kiedis fronts the band that has been entertaining crowds for more than 30 years. Expect a little something extra from the group as they tend to go the extra mile to entertain the Michigan fans. June 11: Radiohead—The Palace of Auburn Hills Three-time Grammy winner Radiohead comes to the Palace a year after releasing their latest album The King of Limbs.
June 22: Detroit Symphony Orchestra—Chene Park Ampitheater, Detroit Every Michigan resident should get a chance to experience the DSO at one time or another. Come see them play outdoors on the Detroit River waterfront. June 28: REO Speedwagon, Styx, and Ted Nugent—DTE Energy Music Theater, Clarkston Classic rock bands REO Speedwagon and Styx join Detroit-native Ted Nugent come to DTE in June. June 29: Toby Keith—DTE Energy Music Theater, Clarkston Country music sensation Toby Keith was named “Country Artist of the Decade” by the American Country Awards in 2011. July 4: Death Cab for Cutie and City and Colour—Meadowbrook Music Festival, Rochester Juno Awarding winning singer-songwriter Dallas Green (City and Colour) joins alternative rock band Death Cab for Cutie at Meadowbrook on Independence Day. July 6: Vans Warped Tour—The Palace of Auburn Hills The legendary Vans Warped Tour returns to Detroit with more than 90 alternative rock bands including Rise Against, Lostprophets, Taking Back Sunday and Streetlight Manifesto. July 8: El-P and Killer Mike—The Blind Pig, Ann Arbor Brooklyn native Hip Hop artist El-P will be at the Blind Pig with Grammy-winner Killer Mike to promote his new album Cancer for Cure.
July 15: Santana—DTE Energy Music Theater, Clarkston Ten-time Grammy winner and world-renowned guitarist Carlos Santana leads his band into its fifth decade of rock and roll. July 19: Van Halen—DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston Lead singer David Lee Roth rejoined the classic rock band and has toured with them since 2007, around the time Van Halen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. July 21: Jim Gaffigan—DTE Energy Music Theater, Clarkston Comedian Jim Gaffigan successfully creates hilarity without vulgarity. He has made guest appearances on Law & Order, The Daily Show and That 70s Show. July 22: Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival—DTE Energy Music Theater, Clarkston Metal legends Motorhead, Slipknot, Slayer and Anthrax join forces with eight other bands at DTE for the return of the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. August 1: Coldplay, The Palace of Auburn Hills The British band has sold over 55 million records worldwide and was voted fourth best artist of the 2000s by Rolling Stone. “Viva la Vida” won Song of the Year at the 2009 Grammy’s. August 5: Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller—DTE Energy Music Theater, Clarkston Wiz Khalifa, known for his Grammy-nominated single “Black and Yellow” and young gun Mac Miller take the stage at DTE on August 5. August 12: IDentity Festival—Elektricity Festival Ground, Pontiac IDentity returns to southeast Michigan with electronic music acts including Wolfgang Gartner, Porter Robinson, Doctor P, Paul Van Dyk and Excision. August 14: System of a Down and Deftones, DTE Energy Music Theater, Clarkston After a four year hiatus, hard rock band System of a Down has returned to the limelight. They will be joined at DTE by alternative metal group Deftones. August 18: Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw—Ford Field, Detroit Two of country music’s top-selling artists visit downtown Detroit for an end of summer extravaganza. Both Chesney and McGraw are known to have plenty of special guests joint hem on stage including McGraw’s wife and country music diva Faith Hill. Chesney has played Ford Field packing the venue with plenty of screaming female fans. Expect more of the same this time around.
With a sloped economy making a summer job notoriously difficult to find, it is safe to assume many of us will find this summer to be filled with free-time. Instead of wasting that time on the couch watching mind-numbing reality TV shows, take the time to explore the culture-filled cities right outside your doorstep. Educational and cultural opportunities in Southeast Michigan are pronounced by the abundance of museums and art galleries in the Ann Arbor/Detroit areas. Here are some culture hotspots close to home and well worth your time: Ann Arbor Art Center 117 W. Liberty St. Ann Arbor April 27-June 10: The annual exhibition, “The Print,” invites artists to showcase experimental print techniques. The exhibition is open to any artists who are residents of Michigan. The gallery also showcases themed competitions and contemporary Michigan artists. Inside the art center, a shop with art items and works from local artists are for sale. For more information, visit http://annarborartcenter.org. Admission is free. University of Michigan Detroit Observatory 1398 E. Ann St. Ann Arbor The Detroit Observatory stands as it was in 1854. The original astronomical instruments remain functional. Completely restored in 1998, the observatory is a cultural treasure. The U-M physics department hosts a Saturday morning lecture series. Viewing nights are dependent on good weather. Upcoming viewing night dates are May 29, June 12 and July 17 from 9:30-11 p.m. For more information, visit http://bentley.umich.edu/observatory Admission is free. University of Michigan Museum of Natural History 1109 Geddes Ave. Ann Arbor Located next to the Central Campus Transit Center, this museum is home to many permanent exhibits. The Hall of Evolution is located on the museums second floor. A display of Earth’s history is drawn through models, dioramas and fossils. The Michigan Wildlife gallery is on the third floor, and features a large collection of native Great Lakes birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, plants and fungi. The Anthropology displays on the fourth floor host rare artifacts and highlights the research of U-M archaeologists. The Geology Displays are also located on the fourth floor and contain large selections of rocks and minerals. For more information, visit http://lsa.umich.edu/ummnh Admission is free, $6 donations suggested. Kelsey Museum of Archaeology 434 S. State St. Ann Arbor This museum’s permanent exhibition of artifacts has been carefully chosen by Kelsey curators. It features a vibrantly painted Egyptian mummy coffin, amulets from ancient Near East, and an array of glass vessels. Greek pottery, Roman sculptures and a large-scale watercolor representation of the famous Villa of the Mysteries murals from ancient Pompeii are also exhibited. Special exhibitions include “Karanis Revealed: Discovering the Past and Present of a Michigan Excavation in Egypt.” The exhibit shows the historical records of a single village community in the Egyptian countryside during the Graeco-Roman period. For more information, visit http://lsa.umich.edu/kelsey Admission is free, donations are welcome University of Michigan Museum of Art 525 S. State St. Ann Arbor Situated at the heart of the university, this gallery contains more than 18,000 artworks. March 17-July 22: Haroon Mirza displays his work consisting of an audio and visual experience. Mirza’s work focuses on the relationship sound that occurs through objects, actions and forces. March 31-Aug. 4: “Recent Acquisitions: Curator’s Choice Part II” which introduces recently acquired works from UMMA’s collections gifted to the museum during the past five years. Also, selected works of Asian art, contemporary European and American works and a range of woodwork and sculptural pottery are exhibited. For more information, visit http://umma.umich.edu Admission is free, $5 donations suggested. Detroit Institute of Arts 5200 Woodward Ave. Detroit Running until June 3 is the annual Detroit Public Schools Student Exhibition. “Featuring hundreds of imaginative works created by Detroit Public Schools students in grades K-12, ranging from paintings, prints, drawings, photography, ceramics, videos, jewelry and more,” according to the DIA website. On select Friday nights, DIA is open late for its live music shows, art-making workshops, drawing in the galleries and guided tours. Friday Night Live! The July 13 event includes “DIA Moment: PuppetSlam Detroit!” This puppetry-for-adults event features several puppet scenes by a variety of puppet artists. For more information, visit http://dia.org. Admission for students with valid ID is $5 WSG Gallery 306 S. Main St. Ann Arbor The WSG gallery features contemporary works created by Michigan artists. The gallery is filled with paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, ceramics and art glass. WSG was voted Best Fine Arts Gallery in 2011 in Current Magazine’s Best of Series. Special exhibits change every six weeks to ensure variety and an ongoing rotation of works and artists. For more information, visit http://wsg-art.com Admission is free. 4731 Gallery 4731 Grand River Ave. Detroit This gallery features an array of Detroit-based artists. Ric Geyer, owner of the gallery, established “art incubators,” places where artists can work on their projects within the gallery space. Types of work exhibited include ceramics and pottery, decorative arts, furniture and functional art to mixed media and sculpture. A diverse selection and a variety of mediums make this gallery worth seeing. For more information, visit http://4731.com Admission is free. Gallery Project 215 S. Fourth Ave. Ann Arbor This summer, Gallery Project presents “Spatial Shift.” This multimedia exhibit crafted by 26 local, regional and national artists, celebrates the senses and the 2D digital world. In a press release for Spatial Shift, the exhibit is described as, “a cultural phenomenon – a reaction to the coldness, abstraction and disconnection of the digital world. It is a call to embrace the physical and dimensional, reuniting the 2D and 3D worlds for the sake of basic human experience through the five senses.” For more information, visit http://thegalleryproject.com. Admission is free, donations are welcome. Detroit Artists Market 4719 Woodward Ave. Detroit This contemporary art gallery was created in 1936 and has since become rooted in the history of Detroit art and culture. For the gallery’s 80th anniversary, DAM presents a special exhibition focusing on its extensive history and support of local arts with The Community Gallery of the Detroit Historic Museum. The Eighty Bucks Benefit will feature art donated from a range of Detroit area artists. For more information, visit http://detroitartistsmarket.org Admission is free, memberships are available, donations are welcome.
When Helen Sweet was 9 years old, she lost her best friend, Lisa Costello, to cancer. “She had beautiful long hair. I remember how suddenly it was all gone,” Sweet said. “It’s not easier if you know it’s coming, but as a kid you don’t really know death at all.” The experience left an indelible impression. Today, Sweet is fighting that dreaded disease – one bridal gown at a time through her organization, The Brides Project, which sells donated wedding dresses in support of various cancer-research projects. For most women, as Sweet understands, their wedding is one of the most important days of their lives. And perhaps nothing is more important in planning that special occasion than finding the right dress. But she’s also aware that traditionally, the wedding dress serves only one purpose on that one day. And so many brides don’t have the resources to spend on such an extravagance. Hence, her charity was born. “I figured a lot of weddings are purely indulgent. Spending all that money on one day doesn’t leave much for the rest of your life. That struck me as kind of silly,” said Sweet, a native of Toronto who married in May 2004 on a tight budget. “I find that the industry pushes people to be more extravagant. Do you really need a big cake? A limo? I just want to celebrate with my family and friends.” It was with all this in mind and a philanthropic heart, that Sweet began asking for used bridal gowns and opened up shop for TBP on June 1, 2004. Both used and unused dresses from brides, designers and other gown boutiques filled the shop quickly. Last year alone, TBP donated $60,000. “Our goal has jumped by 50 percent every year for the last four years. We have donated over a quarter million (dollars) since the store opened,” Sweet said. Monique Sluymers was visiting her family in Toronto when she saw a news report on TBP. “I was captivated. I liked the idea of brides being able to find affordable dresses while helping a cause,” said Sluymers. “My father has cancer, and I was looking for a way to involve myself with organizations.” With motivation from her husband, Sluymers decided to speak with Sweet on bringing TBP to Ann Arbor. With Sweet’s blessing, Sulymers posted on Facebook asking if individuals would like to donate dresses. “I have been living in Ann Arbor for years, and everything about it seemed to be the perfect place for the project. Ann Arbor really jumped on it,” Sulymers said. In September 2011, Mark Hodash of Downtown Home and Garden, donated space to TBP and opened a boutique for the dresses. With a free space, the organization requires no overhead expenses. “At first, running a retail shop wasn’t in the cards,” Shumyers said. “(But) when I started getting so many dresses, I knew it was a viable option.” Everything in the store has become part of a volunteer effort. From the hand-painted hangers donated by The Blue House, to the website that Kellie Bambach voluntarily created for TBP. Bambach fashioned all the branding for TBP and has won an award from the American Advertising Federation for her work. Cancer survivor Beth Kelley volunteers 40 hours a week as the boutique manager for TBP. She suffered from a form of bone cancer, but has been cancer-free for almost 16 years. “When I was sick, there was no cancer support community. I surely could have used the help 16 years ago,” Kelley said. “When I heard this place was established for CSC, I began volunteering. It’s very dear to my heart and I love it so much.” The selection of gowns is fresh with current styles while also having many classic styles to choose from in a potpourri of sizes. Prices range from as low as $50 to $1000, fitting any budget. “The store is meant to be accessible. We have dress sizes zero to 28. Any bride that comes in will feel equally special,” Sluymers said. “The mission is to make every single bride feel part of this community.” TBP practices an open philosophy. Same-sex brides and brides from different backgrounds are entirely welcome. Many of the dresses come with a story. Some brides believe that there are “good karma dresses,” the idea that a dress already had a life, and wanting to extend that life further. “Dresses have a history. Some dresses that are purchased are donated back to us and used again,” Sluymers said. Donating her dress to TBP was the logical and right thing to do for Shawna Herman, who battled Leukemia when she was 3 years old. “At the height of my cancer, my parents never thought they would get a chance to see me walk down the aisle,” Herman said. “When I learned that I could donate my dress to a charity that supports cancer research, I knew that that was what I must do with my own dress.” Herman hopes another lucky bride will love her dress as she has on her wedding day. With more than 100 volunteers giving their time to help run the boutique, Sulymers has been able to visit her father, who is now terminally ill with the disease. “He is so incredibly proud of this project. I think at this point everyone knows someone touched by cancer,” Sulymers said. “Our volunteers work so hard. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be here. They are the heart and soul of this shop. It’s amazing how many people are helping the cause.” Since opening 2½ years ago, thanks to a strictly volunteer based effort, 100 percent of TBP’s profits from the sale of gowns have gone to the CSC to support programs and services for people touched by cancer. For more information on donating your gown or to volunteer, visit http://thebridesproject.org
In one of the most anticipated—and anguishing—days of the year, Washtenaw Community College’s creative students ended the Winter semester by showcasing their final portfolios at the annual Digital Media Arts Gala held in the Towsley Auditorium. Among those students was Monet Reed, 22, from Ypsilanti, displaying her work in graphic design. “I’m really happy with it. All the work piled on at the last minute, but I’m glad I made it to the end,” Reed said at the April 25 event. “It’s my last year in the program. For my final project I created a baking company. The labels, spices, jams and extracts are all repackaged.” Reed’s pale pastel colored label designs gave each of the products presented a charming vintage appeal. The free exhibit highlighted the work of WCC graduates from each digital media arts program: photography, graphic design, digital video, animation and Internet professional. In the photography segment of the gala, Benjamin Lopez’s unique 3D photography attracted many viewers. Above his table, a large black and white portrait of a young woman swinging a microphone cord comes to life through the magic of 3D. With the help of traditional red and blue 3D glasses, it is easy to become captivated by the illusion of depth created as each photograph is seen through the specs. “To achieve the 3D, I shot with two cameras at the same time,” Lopez explained. “I set the cameras on the bulb setting and used a strobe light to have both cameras shoot at the same exact moment.” Lopez, a 26-year-old photography major from San Antonio, used Photoshop to overlay the two simultaneously captured images and created the appearance of 3D. The end results are enigmatic portraits with elements that pop out and depth that entices the viewer to reach deep into the photos. “I’m planning to attend Savannah College of Art and Design and continue working in photography,” Lopez said. Mark Hutchinson, 21, photography major from Ypsilanti, displayed his work titled “The Impression Series,” which comprised of bold and dramatic black-and-white portraits of artists, musicians and writers, each carrying the tools of their trade. “My project is a narrative illustration of the people I photograph. It’s an investigation of character,” Hutchinson said. “The series was created over the course of 15 weeks. I wanted to shoot in black and white for the simplicity of it. Color distracts from the individual. I wanted the focus to be on the subject.” Helping organize the event was Digital Media Arts instructor Kristine Willimann. Having this year’s gala being the largest yet, Willimann was proud of all her students. “We have a stellar amount of work displayed this year. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into all of it. It’s that perseverance and relentlessness in the pursuit of perfection of our craft,” Willimann said. “We have a very big class this year, with 33 students in graphic design, 20 in photography… this is the first time we have the Internet Professional display and we separated the animation and digital video exhibitions. Each of the five areas has their own place. It’s great.”
‘Free-running’ sport goes viral with boost from Internet; local club celebrates its popularity
Outfitted with nothing more than a pair of ultra-light training shoes and loose street clothes, Mike Metze is able to transform the unforgiving concrete and steel of almost any urban environment into an improvised playground. Metze is a 22-year-old computer science graduate from University of Michigan and a “traceur,” a title given to those who practice parkour. Parkour is a physical discipline in which an individual uses strength, technique and physics to pass over, under and through obstacles. The goal is to quickly and efficiently traverse any environment, from alleyways to rooftops. Most often, this entails climbing or vaulting over walls and jumping gaps using a variety of techniques.
Parkour’s popularity has gone viral through Internet videos and, recently, Hollywood films such as “Casino Royale.” Metze was one of the first to join the University of Michigan Parkour Club. Founded in 2006 by Michael Friedman and Travis Graves, now former U-M students, it was one of the first college-based parkour clubs in the country. Club members and other local enthusiasts hold practice sessions together in and around Ann Arbor, including the annual “Parkour Jam,” which attracts the top traceurs from around the Midwest. Last year on Sept. 17, the club met outside the Biomedical Science Research Building at U-M. Over 50 traceurs showed up for the event. The group would switch locations throughout the day to practice on a variety of environments and surfaces. Metze began practicing parkour when he came across a YouTube video of David Belle, the founder of parkour, flipping and jumping from rooftop to rooftop. “I was continuously at the pool on the diving board practicing flips. I always had an interest in ‘extreme’ type sports,” Metze said. “Soon after seeing the video of Belle, I discovered a website with tutorials on basic vaults and rolling. My friends and I would go practice the moves, jumping over and between everything possible.”
Metze heard about the club at U-M when meeting Friedman at a Parkour Jam in Washington, D.C., the summer before he began at U-M in 2007. Although Metze graduated last spring, he still manages to find time to practice several days a week. “Having experienced people there to help guide your training makes it much safer and you’ll likely progress faster,” Metze added. Also, you’ll meet new like-minded people that will open up more opportunities.” Aubrey de Cunha, a 29-year-old U-M student from Ann Arbor, is also a member of the U-M Parkour Club. Cunha joined shortly after Metze in 2007. “I had been vaguely aware of parkour for a number of years, but I really got into it when I found out about the club. That’s when I started coming to training sessions,” Cunha said.
The U-M Parkour Club welcomes anyone interested in learning about or practicing parkour. With more than 500 members on its Facebook page, it is easy to find others to practice with, not just in Ann Arbor, but all over Michigan. “The best way to start is to find other people in your area to train with. Even if they haven’t been doing parkour very long themselves, it gives you someone to develop your fitness and skills with,” Cunha said. It’s not all fun and games, however. As with other “extreme” sports, parkour carries the risk of injury, for those just starting out and experienced traceurs alike. “I broke my collar bone once when practicing rolls. I couldn’t train for about six months, which was really disappointing,” Cunha said. Jereme Sanders, one of the most influential members of the American Parkour community, believes people often have a misperception about the sport. “It’s not really about doing crazy movements, it’s about the control of movement,” he said. Sanders, a 22-year-old native of Texas has been involved in parkour since 2004. In that time, he has competed as a member of his parkour team, The Tribe, in a parkour-based reality show, Jump City: Seattle, which aired on G4TV. “I think parkour is still trying to find its place here in America,” Sanders said. Apart from his career as a professional traceur, Sanders is also a parkour teacher at the American Parkour Academy in San Antonio. As an instructor, Sanders stresses the importance of learning proper techniques from someone experienced. “[In the beginning] we were pretty much just figuring out how to do what we saw. I had no idea how to train safely, condition or anything like that,” Sanders said. Sanders hopes to see more people get involved with parkour, and offers tips for beginners: “Find someone more experienced to help show you the ropes, go to a class with an instructor that you trust and do a ton of research. “Also, staying away from high impacts is a great idea when you are first starting out as you have to give your bones, joints, ligaments and tendons time to build.” The U-M Parkour Club maintains a regular schedule throughout the summer. The next Michigan Parkour Jam will take place in September in Ann Arbor. Traceurs, novices and experts come together to train, socialize and share knowledge and experience. For more information, become a fan of Michigan Parkour on Facebook.
Washtenaw Community College welcomed a new member to its staff last month, Michelle K. Mueller. She will be taking on the role of Associate Vice President for Economic Development & Community/Corporate Alliances. Mueller has worked with WCC President Rose Bellanca earlier at St. Clair County Community College for five of the 26 years Mueller was present there. Several attempts to reach Bellanca for comment by telephone and email were not successful. “The president and I have worked together previously, so she has a sense of my leadership style and workforce development opportunity,” Mueller said. Shawn Starkey, executive director of Public Relations, Marketing and Legislative Affairs, worked with Mueller at St. Clair. “Michelle was in charge of workforce development and marketing and public relations. We worked together extensively for seven years,” Starkey said. “She was very involved with communicating statewide and with groups on organizing workforce training. She was successful at getting grants.” In her first week at WCC, Mueller had the opportunity to meet with the executive team to talk and begin building a relationship. She also spent time working with IT and HR. “The second week I spent doing one-on-ones with the deans,” Mueller said. “I wanted to understand what the deans are excited about and what they consider to be their flagship programs and how they are interested in helping students.” Mueller also plans to explore working with business and industry. “I think what’s really neat about this position is it gives you the opportunity to really help identify what the needs of employers are and try to create opportunities for the students,” Mueller said. She is responsible for expanding WCC’s programs and partnerships in the business sector, as well as build new relationships with educators, executives and government agencies. “There are opportunities not just for our students, but regional employers and community colleges. There’s not a shortage of things to do,” Mueller said. Having worked in community college administration for 26 years, her experience in recruitment, admissions, academic records, student activities, regional and international partnerships and workforce and economic development are well-advanced. “I like the idea of listening to people… what is it they need,” Mueller said. “We need to listen to what it is employers are looking for and what the students need and match those things to maximize our success.” Mueller grew up in the city of Croswell, within the eastern part of Michigan thumb. She graduated from Crowsell-Lexington High School with a class of 125 students. Very interested in music, she attended Brevard College in North Carolina on scholarship for singing and graduated with an associate of fine arts in voice performance. She then transferred to University of Michigan, where she received her bachelor of arts in communication. Mueller also attended Michigan State University for her master of arts in college and university administration and is almost finished with an enrollment management certification from the University of Florida. Mueller has two sons. Her son Colton, 14, is about to enter high school, and her son Tyler, 18, who graduated from high school last year and now attends St. Clair, where he’s finishing an associate’s degree in engineering. Mueller looks forward to her time at WCC. “I love the people here, there’s a great group here,” she said. “I can’t say enough about the quality of service here and the care for students and employees.”
When first stepping foot into 826’s East Liberty Robot Supply and Repair Shop, it’s easy to be fooled by its façade of gadgetry, clockwork mechanisms and array of homemade-style automatons but concealed beyond this small store is a room much larger. It is filled with students and their volunteer tutors, working hard on schoolwork and independent writing projects. Ann Arbor mom Tracy Henry works part-time and appreciates the value of free tutoring. Unable to afford tutoring for her 9-year-old son Anthony, Henry found 826michigan. She was absolutely overjoyed when she saw how much it was helping him. “I really appreciate the fact that it’s free and they take a lot of time with my son,” said Henry. “He gets a better understanding here. He’s starting to understand his work better since he started here in such a short amount of time. It’s great.” One of eight chapters in the 826national organization, 826michigan is a non-profit organization aimed at supporting 6 to18-year-old students’ reading and writing skills. “We were part of the early effort. Shortly after a chapter opened in Valencia, Calif., we saw that the model worked,” said Amanda Uhle, creative director for 826michigan. “We were inspired by the way the different chapters engaged adults, the community and volunteers to give young people more one-on-one attention that was very much lacking in a lot of classrooms and homes,” Uhle explained. Harib Moheyuddin, a 12-year-old from Forsythe Middle School in Ann Arbor is pleased with the quality of tutoring he receives at 826. “My Mom found this place through my school counselor. It was really painless. You just have to walk in, sign up and you will get help finding a tutor,” Moheyuddin said. “If it doesn’t work out you just get help and you go step by step. I usually finish all my homework here and have no homework left to do at home. It’s really great.” With no homework left to do at home, Moheyuddin finds more time to be with his family. Christine Kwierant has been bringing both her children, Ben, 10, and Melanie, 7, to 826 since the beginning of the school year. Ben Kweirant expressed his enjoyment about coming to 826. “I think it is nice being here because there are lots of people here that try to help kids with their homework,” he said. “It’s really cool.” The organization is driven by programs that are stimulating and entertaining for young students, create an environment that motivates children to improve their writing skills, help English language learners and even craft independent literature. A drop-in tutoring program allows for parents to simply dropoff their child without an appointment and be tutored that very moment. Available Monday through Thursday from 3:30-5:30 p.m., tutors are available for whoever may need them. Volunteer tutor Alyssa Selasky, 20, of U-M, began volunteering two years ago. She came on as an intern in Sept. 2011. “I decided to do the internship when I was simply having too much fun. I wanted to be here more,” said Selasky. It was the best way to have an excuse to hang out with the students and other volunteers. It’s a blast,” Volunteering to tutor is just as simple as stopping by. “If you want to volunteer you can pick up an application. We contact individuals when orientation is near. The orientation is only 1 ½ hours. It explains what we do, what programs we have and you can chose if you want to tutor or do workshops. You just jump right in,” Selasky explained. The works that the students create while at 826 may become published and distributed. Two professionally bound books are published yearly: an annual student journal and an in-school publication tied to one of 826’s in-school residencies. With residencies in five schools, volunteers aid teachers with struggling students by offering workshops and helping with graded assignments. All proceeds made from fundraising, nighttime and weekend workshops and seminars for adults go directly to student programming while revenue from the shop funds the chapter. For more information on 826michigan, or to volunteer or donate, visit 826michigan.org
Social media enthusiasts, prepare your résumés! Twitter has announced that it is opening its first Michigan office in Dan Gilbert’s “M@dison” building in downtown Detroit.
“Detroit’s emerging mix of automotive and digital cultures made it a natural location for Twitter’s newest office,” said Adam Bain, Twitter’s president of global revenue. “We’re excited to work face-to-face with the city’s most established brands and happy to play a role in downtown Detroit’s digital renaissance.” Gilbert fittingly gave welcome to Twitter in a tweet saying, “Welcome @Twitter! Twitter opening office in #Detroit’s M@dison building on technology booming WEBward Avenue. Detroit 2.0 is the real deal.” The move is widely viewed as a significant addition to the rapidly growing tech district forming in downtown Detroit. “Twitter coming downtown is exactly the kind of innovative company Detroit needs to advance our vision of becoming one of the most exciting high-tech and web-centered corridors of growth and activity found anywhere,” Gilbert said. “Twitter chose Detroit because of the city’s growing, young and energetic environment. This is further proof that the country is starting to wake up and take notice – if you want to create a thriving, growing tech business, downtown Detroit is one of the best places to be,” Gilbert added. Other tech companies have also moved into the region in recent years. Google, the Web search giant, has offices in both Birmingham and Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor office serves as the headquarters for AdWords, the company’s advertising system and largest revenue source. Google promised the state that it would generate 1,000 jobs over the next few years as part of a tax-break deal. Since opening its doors in Sept. 2006, only an estimated 300 workers have filled the office. The company’s personnel growth slowed due to the global financial crises in recent years. Facebook is also among the budding list of large tech companies expanding into Michigan. Its Birmingham office focuses on the auto industry, banking, retail apparel and quick service restaurants. Jason Withrow, Washtenaw Community College Internet Professional instructor, welcomes the social media powerhouses. “I think it’s a positive when any technology company relocates to this area,” Withrow said. “With Twitter coming here, who knows what other companies may open a Detroit office.” Twitter expects to hire more employees as it develops its Detroit presence. Job openings will be posted at http://twitter.com/jobs as they become available.
On a warm spring day, in the center of the University of Michigan campus, a small crowd forms around an unlikely group of five young men and women playing instruments. The deep notes of a bass, quick strums of a violin, tangy plucks of a banjo and sharp clicks of a washboard create a distinct and familiar sound: folk music.
American Folk Jazz, to be specific. A large sign sitting in front of the band, adjacent to an open guitar case/tip jar, reads “The Appleseed Collective.” Andrew Brown, of Ann Arbor, mans the resonator guitar while singing lead. “I was heavily influenced by a trip to New Orleans, and came back looking to start a project that played that type of music,” Brown said. Joining Brown in The Appleseed Collective are Sophie Tulip (bass/vocals), Brandon Worder (violin/mandolin/vocals), Vince Russo (washboard/vocals) and Katie Lee (banjo/vocals). The band formed somewhat randomly. Smith described his meeting with Brown as, “two cosmically coincidental car crashes.” “Vince’s car hit Sophie and Andrew’s car, which forced Andrew to quit commuting and move to Ann Arbor,” Worder said. “My previous band fell apart after a car crash I wasn’t involved in, so I was looking for a new project.” Brown and Worder met randomly at Café Ambrosia in November 2010 with instruments in hand, and right then and there began the gestation of the band. The band’s very first unofficial gig was at a Kombucha Speakeasy (shortly after Kombucha was made “illegal”). Brown brought his longtime friends Tulip and Russo to the show. “Appleseed played their true debut at The Getup, Ann Arbor, on Dec. 1, 2010, and headlined the Blind Pig shortly after on Dec. 23,” Brown said. The band was recently declared “Rookies of the Year” by radio DJ Matthew Alturda of Tree Town Sound. The whole band is influenced by a variety of old time music such as The Hot Club in Paris. Although Appleseed may be categorized as folk music, the basis of its sound is drawn from 1920’s-40’s swing/western swing, Dixieland or gypsy-jazz. The group recently released its first album, “Baby to Beast” thanks to a crowd-funded effort via record label, Kickstarter. With 132 backers and a donation of $7,829, the funding was a success and the band recorded its new album, “Baby to Beast,” with Brown’s brother, Eli, and his company, Sick Boy Productions. “Eli has a way of dissuading the feelings of stress that can sometimes be coupled with recording and breaking down the process in logical sequence steps,” Andrew said about working with his brother. “He is an incredible sound engineer as well as a producer, and he brings his own opinions to the table with much respect for the aesthetic goals of the artist.” The Appleseed Collective also has a philanthropic side to it. The Ann Arbor band has decided to donate half of the proceeds from sales of the first pressing of “Baby to Beast” to Selma Café, which runs a local non-profit that builds hoop-houses to bolster the local food scene. Lee, the band’s banjo player and female vocals, recently underwent surgery to restore her voice to normal after getting polyp, a condition that restricts vocal expression and range. Lee was unable to speak for two weeks after the surgery, but was recovering quite well and was on schedule to be singing again around mid-May or early June. With Lee regaining her voice, the band is going to continue playing gigs, writing music and recording albums. “We would love to be playing 200+ dates a year. One of our goals is to get a diesel vehicle that we can convert to run off of vegetable oil and travel the continent and beyond,” Brown said with a smile. “We want to spread our music. We work really hard at what we do. Anyone who says musicians are lazy should spend a week with us! We hope to all be able to make a decent living as musicians.” ‘ To listen to The Appleseed Collective’s entire album, “Baby to Beast,” visit: http://theappleseedcollective.com
This year marked Ann Arbor’s 50th Film Festival and to celebrate, the 50 SCREENS
project was created. The city-wide series of video, free film, and moving image installations
were displayed in theaters, galleries, shop windows and various outdoor locations using
projectors. An array of local, national, and international artists participated in the project. 50
SCREENS was a means of engaging individuals who might not otherwise attend screenings of
the films being shown at the festival and give them a glance at non-traditional cinema and film
as an art form. The screens were displayed from March 26 – April 1.
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