CultureShift Events Guide: Where to watch the Lions this weekend

The Lions are 60 minutes from the Super Bowl and the whole city is on the edge of our seats to see what happens. Below are ten events to keep your mind off the game — and where to watch it for free.

Plus, lots of local music, reimagined museum exhibitions and more.

Detroit music

Movement is still months away, but you can get your Techno fix at Spot Lite Detroit this Saturday, Jan. 27 with “Metroplex.” Presented by Paxahau, the show features Techno trailblazer Juan Atkins with special guests Milan Ariel and Augustus Williams. Music starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $20 online. This event is 21+. For more information, visit their website.

Read more: Fatboy Slim, Idris Elba, James Blake, more announced for 2024 Movement festival

Plus, welcome Liz Warner (formerly Liz Copeland) back to WDET this Saturday, Jan. 27 at Bowlero Detroit! She’ll be DJing in the lanes while another station favorite, DUENDE!, performs two sets of psych-rock grooves in the lounge. The party goes from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and there’s no cover. All ages are welcome in the lanes, but the lounge is 18+. For more information, visit their website.

Read more: WDET adds more local programming, including new music shows 

Accessible art

De-stress before the Lions game this Sunday at The Hawk’s One-Day Colored Pencil Workshop for Adults. Lead by award-winning artist Dean Rogers, participants will learn various color techniques including layering, burnishing and blending, which help to create highlight and shadow effects for still life and portraits. This class is designed for artists 18 and up, and will highlight basic and advanced techniques. The workshop goes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and registration starts at $95. For more information, visit their website.

Let’s go, Lions!

Then, watch the Lions take on the 49ers in the championship game Detroiters have been waiting for on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. If you’re anything like Ryan Patrick Hooper, you’ll be watching from home and holding your breath until it’s over. But if you do venture out to watch the game in public, several local restaurants and bars will have specials and festivities:

• Brew Detroit will have $10 pitchers and 50¢ wings starting at 5 p.m. with the bar opening at noon
• Detroit Shipping Company will have tailgating games and food specials starting at noon
• Firebird Tavern will have a watch party starting at 3 p.m.
• Hockeytown Café will have a themed menu, food and drink specials, and tailgating games starting at 4 p.m.
• Old Shillelagh will have music by DJ Kenny Washington starting at 9 p.m. with the bar opening at 11 a.m. 
• The Shadow Gallery Detroit will have a live DJ starting at 5 p.m.

On the big screen

But while you wait for Sunday, kickstart your Detroit pride for the weekend with a special screening of the upcoming Disney+ docuseries ‘Choir’ at the DIA on Saturday, Jan. 27. Based on the motivational story behind the Detroit Youth Choir and its Artistic Director Anthony White, the six-part docuseries follows the kids of the choir as they prepare for the performance of a lifetime. A screening of the first episode will take place at 2 p.m., followed by a Q&A and a special performance by the Detroit Youth Choir. This event is free with admission to the museum. For more information, visit the DIA’s website.

Read more: Artistic Director Anthony White on the Detroit Youth Choir

Then, head to the Redford Theatre for a free screening of ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ (1963) in celebration of the theatre’s 96th anniversary. The Motor City Theatre Organ Society will be on site to share their experiences with volunteering to help keep this historic institution running. The show starts at 8 p.m. and you can reserve your spot online. For more information, visit their website.

Compton compositions

Join Vinyl Tastings for another unforgettable evening at Spot Lite on Sunday, Jan. 28. This time, they’re paying homage to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ through a culinary journey featuring six beautifully inspired dishes. Guests will be immersed in the beats of Compton hip-hop hits while they delve into the music that has left an undeniable mark on the hip-hop world. Seatings will take place at 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. and tickets are $95 including wine pairings or $75 without. For more information, visit their Eventbrite.

Reimagined museums

One of the Carr Center’s latest exhibitions is BLACK (A Built Language Across Culture and Knowledge), a collection of works created by Black artists curated to not only showcase the rich diversity of artistic expressions within the Black community, but also to provide an opportunity to highlight Black culture and its impact. Artworks will expand on the language of Black culture shown through Detroit’s predominantly Black inner city that is rich with culture, Black love, politics and the artists’ expressions of simply existing as Black individuals in this time. This community exhibition is curated by Daniel Geanes and Tia Nichols and will be on display at the Carr Center through Feb. 29. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Jan. 26 from 6-8 p.m. For more information, visit their website.

The Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills is also having an exhibit grand opening this weekend in observation of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. They have a brand new permanent exhibit that uses updated technologies to preserve survivor stories and focus on underrepresented perspectives. On Sunday, Jan. 28, the museum doors will open at 9:30 a.m. followed by a full day of ceremonies, presentations and conversations. Admission for this opening event is free. For more information, visit their website.

Stories on stage

Thursday, Feb. 1 is the next Moth StorySLAM, and the theme is “love hurts.” Prepare your best 5-minute story about the agony of deferred love, the misery of good love gone bad or the anguish of one-way love. Love that “hurts so good” is also welcome. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and stories start at 7:30 p.m. at the Marble Bar. Tickets are $17.50. For more information, visit our events page.