Counting Crows have been in flight for since 1991 and have logged 20 years with its present lineup, which still includes three original members..

And the San Francisco Bay Area-formed group has no plans for nesting any time soon.

The sextet started with a band by performing in honor of Van Morrison at the 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, eight months before the release of its seven-times platinum debut album “August and Everything After.” Since then Counting Crows has released seven more full-lengths and an EP, scoring hits such as “Mr. Jones,” “Round Here,” “A Long December,” “Hanginaround” and “Accidentally in Love” from the “Shrek 2” film soundtrack.

Frontman Adam Duritz and company have also logged a ton of time on the road — which is where it is right now to support its latest release, “Butter Miracle: The Complete Sweets!” Its show this week at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre will be its 26th in the metro area, dating back to a September 1993 debut at Saint Andrew’s Hall…

* “Butter Miracle: The Complete Sweets!” features four songs from the 2021 EP “Butter Miracle: Suite One” plus five additional tracks Counting Crows recorded subsequently. “It’s definitely thematically tied together,” says Duritz, ??. “I wasn’t trying to write a specific story, but (the songs) just sort of fit together for me. I just felt like this was a little world I was creating, and it felt very fertile. I wanted the connection to be there, ’cause I was vibing on that”

* Duritz adds that he had planned to have a follow-up to the EP out sooner but encountered songwriting issues after contributing vocals to Gang of Youth’s 2022 album “Angle in Realtime.” I really thought I’d finished the (new songs)…(but) I was suddenly thinking these songs I just finished aren’t good enough, They were missing some stuff. I kind of had lost confidence in them, and I sat on them for a good two years. Then I wrote ‘With Love, From A-Z’ here (in New York) and thought, ‘That’s great — now I have to figure out what to do with this, ’cause it needs to go on a record right away!’ I’ve got to s*** or get off the pot on these songs.”

* He ultimately came up with satisfactory renditions of the songs by inviting some of his bandmates — multi-instrumentalist David Immergluck, bassist Millard Powers and drummer Jim Bogios — to New York to work on the material. “The problem was that my sort of ambition for what they should sound like outstripped my ability to actually play them on the piano. I’m great at being in a band, but I’m not the player some of other guys are, or that a lot of other songwriters are. So the guys came to the house and we went through them one by one and we loved them. They became great…and then we went into the studio only a few weeks later and knocked the record out in 11, 12 days — It’s by far the fastest we’ve ever recorded (an album) — but it took forever to do it!”

* The finished product, Duritz adds, has infused and refreshed Counting Crows once again. “We’re on our way again. Things feel good. Everyone seems in a really good place. It’s a happy time. There were points where I was having more trouble with myself emotionally, and the band’s stress was just too much. But our manager’s great now. Our lawyer’s great. I totally trust everybody. All that stress is gone. The band is so stable and great, and we’re still killing it.”

* Counting Crows is also happy to be marking 20 years for the current lineup, since “new guy” Powers joined in 2005. “I always wanted to be in a band and stay together,” says Duritz. “I`m not tired of it at all. I never wanted to be a solo artist. I have no interest in that. It’s a hard thing to stay together as a band, and it’s not surprising to me we’ve lost a couple people over 30 years, but right now it feels like we can go on forever — except I know that nothing works that way, y’know?”

Counting Crows and Gaslight Anthem perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 17 at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, 14900 Metro Parkway, Sterling Heights. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

Will Nicole Scherzinger, sizzling in “Sunset Blvd.,” beat out Audra McDonald, who made Rose a metaphor for the tragic human condition? Could Jonathan Groff, a knockout Bobby Darin, win back-to-back kudos?  Might Sadie Sink of “John Proctor Is the Villain” be sunk by the wild-eyed Laura Donnelly of “The Hills of California” or the ever-savvy Mia Farrow of “The Roommate,” even though all three women played equally terrifying characters?

These and many other questions will be answered on Sunday at the Radio City Music Hall in New York, where host Cynthia Erivo will present the 78th annual Tony Awards (beginning at 7 p.m. June 8 and broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+). The ceremony will be the climax of the 2024-25 Broadway season and the reason that several struggling musicals (“Real Women Have Curves,” “Boop! The Musical”) are hanging in there, hoping for a life-saving boost.

Tony Award voters are casting their ballots. Let’s look at who should be ascending to the dais in the traditional ebullient panic, holding back tears and staring into the camera to tell all the envious theater kids at home how you, too, can have all this if you only fight off the naysayers and follow your dreams!

Right. Down to it.

Best musical

This one will be, and rightly should be, a runaway victory for “Maybe Happy Ending,” a delightfully unnerving musical that most everyone on Broadway underestimated because it was an original love story between two retired South Korean “helperbots.” To my mind, Will Aronson and Hue Park’s quirky, charming little tuner succeeds mostly because of one small but pivotal idea: the notion that a robot’s battery life can be a proxy for human mortality. Oliver and Claire fall in love as their percentages drop. Thus, the show manages to simultaneously tap into the fear we all have of an imminent robotic takeover (oh, it’s coming) while avoiding the problem of making a dystopian musical. By making the robots as vulnerable as us, they forged a charming romantic comedy performed by Helen J. Shen (robbed of an acting nomination) and Darren Criss (who dove deep into robotland).

The competition? Nothing credible. “Buena Vista Social Club” is a very good time, musically speaking, but has a predictably formulaic book. The inventive “Death Becomes Her” works just fine as a campy frolic but it relies much on its source movie. And “Operation Mincemeat” is the most jolly of pastiches, rib-tickling fun all the way. Only “Dead Outlaw” represents truly credible competition and deserves to siphon off some votes. But at the end of the day, it’s a musical about a corpse.

Should win: “Maybe Happy Ending”

Will win: “Maybe Happy Ending”

Best play

There were two excellent, Tony-worthy new plays in this Broadway season: Jez Butterworth’s “The Hills of California,” set in the British working-class resort of Blackpool, and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ “Purpose,” both a high-style dissection of the dysfunctional family of the civil rights icon Jesse Jackson and a moving exploration of what it’s like to be an introverted kid in a high-pressure family.

“Purpose,” which is still running and more relevant to most Tony voters, is likely to win. But Butterworth’s play forged a complex dramaturgical structure and explored deeply empathetic characters. Its central point? To explore how and why childhood trauma impacts our adulthoods.  Butterworth has been writing plays a lot longer than Jacobs-Jenkins and his experience shows; I wanted the perfectly crafted “Hills” to never end.

Writer Kimberly Belflower’s very lively “John Proctor Is the Villain” might sneak in there, but I think that audiences at this drama about high schoolers studying “The Crucible” are responding more to a brilliant production than to the play itself, which is at the end of the day a melodrama that relies on someone else’s intellectual property. No shame there, but not the equal of the competition and, with much respect, nor is the very smart and potent “English,” a show about ESL students that also leads to an inexorable conclusion matching the playwright’s point of view.

Should win: Either “The Hills of California” or “Purpose”

Will win: “Purpose”

Best musical revival

This category will hinge on how many voters embrace Jamie Lloyd’s cleverly branded deconstruction of “Sunset Blvd.” over George C. Wolfe’s more nuanced approach to “Gypsy.” In many ways, the two leading candidates represent a kind of yin and yang of musical revival.  “Sunset Blvd.” is showy and radical and replaced the gilded excess of the original production with an excess of concept, deceptively minimalist but only on the surface. Wolfe’s “Gypsy” aimed to excise the show of Patti LuPone-like drama. McDonald, who brought her classically trained voice to Rose, saw her antiheroine more as an everywoman and the production responded accordingly, as if Wolfe were trying to say that “Gypsy” was the American tragic musical that few previously understood.

I see the arguments against “Sunset Blvd.” but in the end, Lloyd’s staging was just so audaciously thrilling that it overcame them for me. As a director, he’s obsessed with film, but then this is a musical about a movie star, so if ever there was a show that could stand such a metaphoric obsession, then here it was.  And although this may seem counterintuitive, I thought “Gypsy” missed the chance to stage this title with far more Black actors, allowing it to serve as a metaphor for the condition of Black entertainers in early 20th century America. It almost went there, but not quite.

Should win: “Sunset Blvd.”

Will win: “Gypsy”

Best play revival

This was not a stellar season for play revivals. “Romeo + Juliet,” a pretentious and wildly uneven misfire, did not even remotely deserve its Tony nomination and, bracing moments notwithstanding, “Our Town” was uneven and derivative of David Cromer’s prior revival. “Eureka Day,” a piece about pretentious pre-school parents and teachers, was an effective satire but hardly surprising. That leaves David Henry Hwang’s “Yellow Face,” an autobiographical piece about Hwang himself and a “Miss Saigon” casting scandal. “Yellow Face” has knocked around the American regions for years. But this was a truly excellent piece of new direction from Leigh Silverman and for the first time, the play transcended its inside-baseball orientation and had much to say about America and race.

Should win: “Yellow Face”

Will win: “Yellow Face”

Best leading actress in a musical

Team Nicole Scherzinger or Team Audra McDonald?

Both deconstructed iconic characters (Norma Desmond and Madam Rose) using every ounce of their mutually formidable craft. With all due respect to McDonald, I’m Team Nicole because her work was the more radical of the two performances in rescuing Norma from bathetic senility and giving her back her sexuality, and because McDonald’s tragic approach to Rose inevitably de-emphasized her chutzpah and self-aware vivacity which is much of why “Gypsy” is “Gypsy.”  Still, no shame in being on the other team.

It would feel strange for either Megan Hilty or Jennifer Simard to win for “Death Becomes Her” at the expense of the other and I suspect Tony voters will feel the same way. But let’s add some props for Jasmine Amy Rogers, truly a perfect Betty Boop who managed to turn a vampish cartoon figure into a complex and vulnerable heroine.

Should win: Nicole Scherzinger

Will win: Nicole Scherzinger

Best leading actor in a musical

If you judge a performance by pizzazz, charm and growing star power, Jonathan Groff is your winner for his dazzling take on Bobby Darin in “Just in Time.”  If immersion inside a character is your choice, you are choosing between Darren Criss for “Maybe Happy Ending” and Andrew Durand in “Dead Outlaw.” I thought Durand was just astonishing as the titular outlaw, whose corpse takes on an all-American trajectory of its own. Aside from the technical demands of playing a dead dude, Durand also nailed a guy with zero access to his own feelings. In other words, what he didn’t do was probably as important as what he did. I preferred that to Jeremy Jordan in “Floyd Collins”, but I may be in a minority. And Tom Francis, who sings his way through Midtown eight times a week in “Sunset Blvd.,” will have deserved support.

Should win: Jonathan Groff, “Just in Time”

Will win: Jeremy Jordan, “Floyd Collins”

Best leading actress in a play

Mia Farrow has acted only rarely in the past decade but her empathetic performance as a vegan, pot-growing Iowan in “The Roommate” was a reminder of her astonishing ability to fuse what actors think of as externals and internals — her work felt deeply authentic but savvy observers also noted the sophistication of her comic technique and dramatic timing.

Alas for Farrow, this is an extraordinary category and by far the most competitive at this year’s Tony Awards. Take Sarah Snook, whose work in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” had not a single syllable out of place on the night I saw the show, notwithstanding the huge technical demands of a video-filled production that co-starred numerous versions of her recorded self. She’s one of the world’s great performers.

Then there was the less-famous Laura Donnelly, who played a mother and (later) her adult daughter in “The Hills of California,” all in service of the writer’s point that we all eventually have to live the way we were raised. So distinct were these two characters that some punters in my row clearly did not know they were watching the same actress they’d seen in a different role just a few minutes before. Donnelly was at once empathetic and Medea-like in her intensity. We were supposed to be scared of both of Donnelly’s characters and I swear I could not tell you which terrified me the most.

Sadie Sink also has a lot of fans and that was indeed a savvy turn in “John Proctor.” But this competition is between Snook and Donnelly and it was a hard choice for me. Donnelly haunts me the most.

Should win: Laura Donnelly, “The Hills of California”

Will win: Sarah Snook, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Best leading actor in play

George Clooney is on the list of nominees and I hardly need to recount his formidable talents, but he was fundamentally filmic in “Good Night, and Good Luck,” rather than truly translating his subtle version of Edward R. Murrow to a stage the size of the Winter Garden Theatre.

So, with an additional nod of admiration to the delightfully quirky Louis McCartney, who managed to survive all of the crashes and bangs of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” I preferred Jon Michael Hill, playing a young man born into a famous and famously dysfunctional Black political family even though he just wanted to take photographs and stay as far away as possible from his father and his actions. Hill was the most rooted actor in a stellar Steppenwolf Theatre production of “Purpose.”

But I suspect Cole Escola, the star of “Oh, Mary!,” a silly but strikingly effective satire of Mary Todd Lincoln and her bearded spouse, who will take the prize. No complaints here. Escola hardly was subtle with a guileless, all-in performance that has been packing the house. It’s a one of a kind show and that’s its greatest selling point. But Escola also offers a clever commentary on present-day America, fueled by fun, freedom and frustration.

Should win: Cole Escola, “Oh, Mary!”

Will win: Cole Escola, “Oh, Mary!”

What the Tony nominations got right — and wrong

Best direction of a musical

David Cromer’s work on “Dead Outlaw” was typically detailed and worthy and Christopher Gattelli wrangled “Death Becomes Her” with witty aplomb, but “Maybe Happy Ending” was an eye popping career-high for Michael Arden, who created the most romantic of dreamscapes and yet also insisted that the audience look precisely and only where the director wanted its eyes to be.

Should win: Michael Arden, “Maybe Happy Ending”

Will win: Michael Arden, “Maybe Happy Ending”

Best direction of a play

Speaking of career highs, Danya Taymor convinced her youthful cast in “John Proctor Is the Villain” that the stakes in this high school English class were a matter of life and death. Taymor has to compete with Kip Williams, who employed multiple screens and videographers in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” for what was more conceptual authorship than direction, and with Sam Mendes, whose mastery of the exquisite ensemble cast of “The Hills of California” was formidable. Mendes has won many kudos; most Tony voters will want to reward Taymor, a rising talent. Fair enough.

Should win: Sam Mendes, “The Hills of California”

Will win: Danya Taymor, “John Proctor Is the Villain”

Last, here are my picks for the remaining acting categories.

Best featured actress in a play

Should win: Jessica Hecht, “Eureka Day”

Will win: Jessica Hecht, “Eureka Day”

Best featured actor in a play

Should win: Glenn Davis, “Purpose”

Will win: Francis Jue, “Yellow Face”

Best featured actress in a musical

Should win: Julia Knitel, “Dead Outlaw”

Will win: Joy Woods, “Gypsy”

Best featured actor in musical

Should win: Danny Burstein, “Gypsy”

Will win: Brooks Ashmanskas, “Smash”

Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.

cjones5@chicagotribune.com

The Abigail’s Pride LGBTQ+ festival returns to Brandon Township park this year with more activities to bring people together.

This year’s festival will be Saturday, June 7, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Last year, the Ortonville village council voted 4-2 against approving an event permit for the annual festival.

Soon after Abigail Rowe, founder of Abigail’s Pride and co-organizer of the festival, met with Brandon Township Supervisor Jayson Rumball and received approval to move the event to the township’s 12-acre park where there was more room for activities.

“Knowing where we are going to be and how to put things together has made it much simpler,” said Rowe. “I think that we have found a good place to settle so that we can continue to have the festival and continue to do this event.”

In Rowe’s eyes, the shift to the park changed the tenor of the festival from past years.

“The inclusiveness and the openness felt more like other pride festivals that I have been to. It felt safer and more comfortable at the park,” she said. “But it still maintained that more family-friendly, family-oriented aspect that we strive for with Abigail’s Pride.”

During last year’s event, Oakland County Parks brought out three bounce houses, Michigan Entertainment and Talent Company had several interactive stations and children were flying kites all around the park.

As with last year, Rowe said they will have around 50 vendors, non-profit booths and sponsor displays, three food trucks and an ice cream truck set up throughout the four hour festival. This year they will also add a live DJ for the event.

She said the process of organizing the event has become more streamlined and knowing they have a permanent venue has made life easier for her and her team.

“The team has been great and I have been able to help with the festival, but still lead a normal life as a college student knowing what we have in place now,” said Rowe,who just completed her freshman at Saginaw Valley State University. “Things have come together very well again this year and I hope it will stay like this for years to come.”

For more information go to the Abigail’s Pride facebook page or https://abigailspride.godaddysites.com.

First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Rochester is hosting a concert by a local mountain dulcimer group, the River Strings of St. Clair County.

The 7 p.m. Friday, May 30 concert will take place at the church, 1315 N. Pine Street, Rochester.

The event is free, but donations will be collected during intermission and after the concert to support the church’s music program.

The River Strings of St. Clair County group was established in 2007 in Algonac. Initially formed as a mountain dulcimer group, members soon began to add other instruments such as guitar, banjo and fiddles, and now perform with a variety of instruments including penny whistle, conga drum, ukulele, wooden spoons, washboard, harmonica and marimbula, an African bass thumb drum. The group enjoys performing various genres of music including folk, gospel, pop, rock, Celtic, calypso, Cajun, Tin Pan Alley, rags, waltzes and classical.

“We’re thrilled to have the River Strings of St. Clair County back again,” the Rev. Scott Cunningham said. “Their concerts are joyful and fun for all ages.”

The last time The Weeknd was in town, during July of 2022 at Ford Field, he promised that the end of the night, “I’m gonna come back soon, Detroit. Next time we’ll do Ford Field two nights, back to back!”

And on Saturday, May 24 at the stadium, the multi-hyphenate Canadian entertainer made sure to acknowledge that the promise had been kept. “I said that, right?” The Weeknd crowed before performing his 2022 hit “Out of Time.”

That was, of course, just fine with the 45,000 or so fans — quite a few of whom had come from out of town and even out of the country to catch the nearly two-hour and 15-minute concert, ostensibly a continuation of The Weeknd’s After House Before Dawn Tour but with enough new elements to make it a fresh experience. (He performs again on Sunday, May 25.)

Much has happened, and not all good, since the Toronto native also known as Abel Tesfaye’s last appearance at Ford Field. His HBO series “The Idol,” was critically panned, while his feature film “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” which opened two weeks ago, has been a box office bomb (though trailers were shown between acts to remind the OOXO faithful that it’s still in some theaters). But the album companion to the latter, released at the end of January, was his fifth straight to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, giving him plenty of familiar fresh material to play on Saturday.

And he added plenty of new fare to the visual extravaganza, a dizzying and action-packed presentation on par with other groundbreaking stadium performances by the likes of Pink Floyd, U2, Madonna and, yes, even Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

Saturday’s show was even more stadium-filling (not to mention a half-hour longer) than its predecessor. The stage still stretched nearly the entire length of the Ford Field floor, with three distinct performance spaces as well as catwalks. To that The Weeknd added another section that crossed the stage in the middle, allowing him to get closer to fans on what would be the sidelines as he sang, often directly to the camera, through a series of large gold hoops. During “Out of Time” he came down to floor level, singing into fans’ phones and even letting a couple of them sing some of the song’s lines.

The backdrop of a post-apocalyptic Toronto on one side has crumbled since The Weeknd’s last stop, opening up more space for the huge video screen behind it and making his four-piece band — including artist-producer Mike Dean, who opened the evening with his own half-hour set — more readily visible. A rotating gold Sorayama statue with lighted eyes sat in the center of all this, and The Weeknd deployed lasers and fire effects — the latter prodigiously during “The Hills” and “Sao Paulo” — throughout the night.

Also back was an enlarged corps of masked, red-cloaked extras — 32, up from 24 three years ago — that walked and posed in formation during about a third of the more than three-dozen songs, occasionally breaking into poses and dance moves. And glittering hand-out bracelets The Weeknd used last time, as well, kept Ford Fields sparkling throughout the show.

Amidst all this, however, The Weeknd was still the star of the night, in good voice and even better mood as he continually teased the crowd — “Detroit, are you warmed up yet?” he asked several times — but also sang his gratitude for its support, also on several occasions. He offered up 11 songs from “Hurry Up Tomorrow” — including the opening dramatic couplet of “The Abyss” and “After Hours” and the live debut of “Reflections Laughing.” The show also brought “The Morning” back into the set after a two-year absence, while Playboi Carti — whose 40-minute opening set had enough energy to power the Movement festival down at Hart Plaza — joined for romps through The Weeknd’s “Timeless” and his own “Rather Lie.”

And there were plenty of hits, ranging from shortened versions of “After Hours,” “Starboy” and “Kiss Land” to full-length and even extended stadium-banging renditions of “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Call out My Name,” “Less Than Zero” and “Blinding Lights.” “Sacrifice” and the show-closing “Moth to a Flame,” meanwhile, were delivered ala the remixes done by Swedish House Mafia.

The latter was also accompanied by a barrage of grand finale visual effects to send fans home dancing, singing and perhaps a little (temporarily) hearing empaired. The Weeknd — who has talked about dumping that stage name in the near future — said nothing about coming back for three nights at Ford Field, but it’s likely that anyone at Saturday’s show, even the world travelers, would be happy to return and see what new he could cook up for that.

Tickets still remain for The Weeknd’s concert at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 25 2000 Brush St., Detroit. 313-262-2008 or fordfield.com.

The last time “Shear Madness” was performed at Meadow Brook Theatre was in 2017 and actress Leslie Ann Handelman was pregnant with her twins.

“My twins are 7 now and they’re so excited to see the play from the outside,” said Handelman, a Chicago resident. “I’ve shown them production photos from the first time and the character Barbara always wears blue. I’ve shown them the photo and said, ‘You were in that blue dress with me.’”

The play returns to the Rochester Hills theater on the campus of Oakland University on May 28-June 22.

“Shear Madness” is an audience participation “whodunit,” written by Paul Portner. It has been produced in all 50 states. “Each show includes local references and up-to-the-minute humor,” said Travis W. Walter, MBT artistic director.

The play takes place in a hair salon, where characters “flutter in and out for appointments in the first 20 minutes,” Handelman said. “We find out a murder has occurred. Based on the timeline (of when) everyone came in and out of the shop, we’re all suspects.”

There are six characters in the play, including a male and a female stylist. The victim is a famous concert pianist who lived in an apartment above the shop, said Handelman, who plays stylist Barbara Demarco.

“At the top of Act II, the audience can directly question the suspects,” she explained. “The play feels like an avalanche and a runaway train at the same time. It’s so fast-paced. There are sight gags, lots of slamming doors, and visual comic bits.”

Handleman grew up in West Bloomfield. She graduated from West Bloomfield High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in acting from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“I went out on tour for a few months, then moved to Chicago in 2007,” she said. “I’ve been based there ever since.”

Handleman said she’s mostly performed in musicals and Shakespeare plays in Chicago, but also in some regional theaters. This will be her eighth production at Meadow Brook, where she has acted in musicals, contemporary plays, comedies and mysteries.

She prefers living in Chicago over New York City because “I love that I can live there as a person and it’s a much more affordable city.”

When she’s not performing, Handelman teaches group fitness classes. She also participates in field trips with her children and volunteers for their classes. “I have very hands-on parenting experiences,” she said.

Handelman said the cast members of “Shear Madness” have all been in this production before. Besides Handelman, two others — Chris Stinson as Mikey Thomas and Lynnae Lehfeldt as Mrs. Shubert — were in the 2017 production at Meadow Brook and are playing the same roles they did then.

“They are a whip-smart group of actors,” she said. “We do so much laughing in rehearsals.”

The cast also includes Stephen Blackwell (Eddie Lawrence), Joseph Delguste (Nick O’Brien) and Francis Kelly (Tony Whitcomb),

MBT’s production is directed by Walter. Scenic design is by Brian Kessler, costume design by Corey Collins, lighting design by Reid G. Johnson, and sound design by Brendan Eaton. Liz Goodall is the costume coordinator, and assistant lighting design is by Phill Hall. Brittanie Nichole Sicker is the stage manager, and Stacy White is the assistant stage manager.

Tickets range from $39 to $48 and are available by calling the Meadow Brook Theatre box office at 248-377-3300 or at ticketmaster.com. Student discounts are available at the box office. Groups of eight or more should call 248-370-3316 for group pricing.

“Shear Madness” is suggested for audience members in middle school and up.

The post House committee fights against ticket bots appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

On sale 10 a.m. May 23

• Ice Nine Kills: Aug. 29, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, with Dayseeker, Kim Dracula, more, ticket prices vary.

• MIX 92.3 presents The White Concert: Aug. 30, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. A Tribute to Frankie Beverly featuring Dru Hill, Ginuwine, Stokley, TMF and guitarist John “Jubu” Smith, ticket prices vary.

• 85 South Spin “The Block Comedy Tour”: Sept. 6, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, featuring Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly, ticket prices vary.

• Dream Theater: Sept. 21, Fox Theatre, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood: Sept. 21, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• Musiq Soulchild: Sept. 28, Sound Board, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• Kindred the Family Soul: Nov. 2, Sound Board, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• Blue October: Nov.  8, The Fillmore, Detroit, LiveNation.com, ticket prices vary.

On sale 10 a.m. May 26

• Mojo Brookzz: Sept. 13, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

Note: Events are subject to change; check with venues for updates. Tickets on sale at 313Presents.com, LiveNation.com, Ticketmaster.com or the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena.

Beats

• Guy Manoukian: 8 p.m. May 23, Fox Theatre, Detroit, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Glass Cannon Live!: 8 p.m. May 23, The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, https://theark.org, $48.50+.

• Max Styler, Rafael: May 23, Magic Stick, Detroit, www.majesticdetroit.com, ages 18+, doors at 9 p.m., $41.87 – $47.02.

• 97.9 WJLB presents Crunkfest Takeover: 8 p.m., May 24, Fox Theatre, Detroit, with Lil Jon, B Legit, E 40, Uncle Luke, Yung Joc, Lil Scrappy and The Youngbloodz, lineup subject to change, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• 42 Dugg: May 24, Masonic Temple Theatre, 500 Temple St., Detroit. Doors at 5:30 p.m., 313-548-1320 or themasonic.com, ticket prices vary.

• The Weekend: May 24-25, Ford Field, Detroit, www.fordfield.com/events, ticket prices vary.

• Dueling Pianos: 8 p.m. May 24 and May 31, The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, www.theroxyrochester.com, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, ticket prices vary.

• Summer Sounds: May 24-Sept. 1, (5-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3-6 p.m. Sunday, also 3-6 p.m. Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day), The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Road, Clinton Twp., https://shoppartridgecreek.com/event/summer-sounds, free family-friendly music.

• The Beach Boys: 7:30 p.m. May 25,  Meadow Brook Amphitheater, Rochester Hills,  313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Peach Pit and Briston Maroney: 7 p.m. May 25, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Dance Gavin Dance: May 27, The Fillmore Detroit, www.thefillmoredetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Brit Floyd-Pink Floyd tribute: 8 p.m. May 29, Fox Theatre, Detroit, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Matteo Mancuso: May 29, The Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, www.themagicbag.com, doors at 7 p.m., all ages, $48.23.

• Joshua Davis: 8 p.m. May 30, at 20 Front Street, Lake Orion, 248-783-7105, www.20frontstreet.com, doors at 7:30 p.m., 29.95+.

Festivals

• Ya’ssoo Greek Festival: May 23-25, (4-10 p.m. Friday; noon-10 p.m. Saturday; and noon-9 p.m. Sunday) on the grounds of St. George Greek Orthodox Church 43816 Woodward Ave. (just north of Square Lake Road) Bloomfield Hills, Greek culture, Greek dancers, customs and cuisine, live music by The Dave Bennett Quartet on Friday evening and the StiGma band all three days. The festival includes tours of the church, children’s games, crafts, bounce houses and magicians, www.yassoogreekfestival.com, $3 admission, free for ages 12 and younger, menu prices vary.

• Hazel Park Memorial Weekend Festival: May 23-26 (Friday-Sunday) in Green Acres Park, 620 W. Woodward Heights, carnival, live music, facebook.com/HazelParkRecreation. Memorial Day Service is at 9 a.m. May 26, at City Hall Memorial site, followed by parade at 10 a.m., starting at Hazel Park Junior High School, 22770 Highland Ave., Hazel Park.

• Detroit’s Movement Festival: May 24-26, 2 p.m.-midnight Saturday and Sunday and 2 p.m.-11 p.m. Monday, Hart Plaza, Detroit, 3-day and 1-day passes on sale at www.movementfestival.com, ticket prices vary.

• Kensington Metropark Art Fair: May 24-26, along the beach at Kensington Metropark, 4570 Huron River Pkwy., Milford, Memorial Day Weekend (Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.), Metropark entry pass required, KensingtonArtFair.com.

• “Festival of Cars”: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. May 24, rain or shine, Rochester Municipal Park, 400 6th St, Rochester, annual classic car show hosted by Rochester Lions Club, register at www.rochesterlionsclub.org by May 21, $20 per car, 2000 or older, 248-860-4544.

• Motown Museum Founder’s Day celebration: Noon-5 p.m. May 25, featuring performance by The Four Tops at 3 p.m., Motown Museum Campus, Rocket Plaza (in front of Hitsville U.S.A.), 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, free annual event, open to the public, featuring vendors, performances from Hitsville NEXT program participants and appearances by special guests, two-for-one Motown Museum tours will also be available on Founder’s Day. The event will kick off the 2025 summer performance series on Rocket Plaza.motownmuseum.org, 313-875-2264.

• Dino Egg Drop: Saturdays and Sundays, through May 25, Canterbury Village, 2325 Joslyn Road, Orion Twp., Dino egg drop. Animatronic dinos, dragons around every corner, www.canterburyvillage.com, $14.99+.

• Family Fun Day: 2-5 p.m. May 25, at Royal Oak Memorial Park, hosted by Royal Oak Leprechauns Baseball Team. Home opener is 6:30 p.m. May 26, www.facebook.com/RoyalOakLeprechauns.

• Dearborn Memorial Day Parade: 10 a.m. May 26, at Schaefer Road and Michigan Ave., flyover planned.

• 35th Detroit Grand Prix event: May 30-June 1, Streets of Downtown Detroit circuit that runs along the Detroit Riverwalk, tickets at www.DetroitGP.com, food trucks, music and more on the Grand Prix track. Once the Saturday, May 31 racing action takes the checkered flag, Evan Giia at 6:15 p.m., followed by Gryffin take to the Entertainment Stage in Cadillac Square and Campus Martius Park, tickets for the concert are $25+ at www.DetroitGP.com/SignUp.

• Grand Prix viewing: May 30-June 1, Andiamo Riverfront and Joe Muer Detroit offer Grand Prix dining and event viewing packages, must be purchased in advance by May 27, at AndiamoItalia.com or 313-567-6700, prices vary.

• Canterbury Village Medieval Faire: May 31-June 1 and June 7-8, Orion Twp., artisan shopping, knight battles, jousting tournaments, fire breathers, magicians, food, Canterbury Village, 2325 Joslyn Road, Orion Twp., www.canterburyvillage.com, www.facebook.com/CanterburyVillageMedievalFaire, Faire tickets are $17.99+ for adults, $7.99+ for ages 2-12. Medieval Ball is May 30, tickets are $49.99+.

Theater

• “My Mother and the Michigan/Ohio War”: Through May 25, The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park Street Chelsea, www.purplerosetheatre.org or (734) 433-7673, ticket prices vary.

• “Shear Madness”: May 28-June 22, Meadow Brook Theatre, on the campus of Oakland University, 248-377-3300, www.mbtheatre.com, ticket prices vary.

• “Young Frankenstein”: May 30-June 14, Avon Players Community Theatre, 1185 Washington Road, Rochester Hills, (8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday), 248-608-9077, www.avonplayers.org, $32.

• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”: May 30-June 22, Baldwin Theatre, 415 South Lafayette, Royal Oak, presented by stagecrafterstickets are $35 plus $3 fee (Fri., Sat,. Sun.); $25 plus $3 fee (Thurs.) www.stagecrafters.org, 248-541-6430.

• “Lungs”: Through June 1, Tipping Point Theatre, 361 E Cady St., Northville, www.tippingpointtheatre.com, ticket prices vary.

• “Soft Target”: Through June 8, at the Detroit Public Theatre, 3960 Third Ave., Detroit. 313-974-7918 or detroitpublictheatre.com, $49+.

• “The Love List”: Through June 15, The Boardwalk Theatre, 109 S. 3rd St., Saint Clair, www.thumbcoasttheaters.com, 810-278-1749, $38+.

Art

• Port Huron Art Hop: Through May 23, downtown Port Huron, events across multiple venues. Juried Art Contest with cash prizes, Contest artwork will be displayed throughout downtown businesses and public spaces. Community members are invited to vote for their favorites.

• Drop-in Workshop: Quilt Design is 6-8:30 p.m. May 23, noon-4 p.m. May 24-25, Detroit Institute of Arts, Art-Making Studio, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, www.dia.org.

• “Beneath Our Feet”:  6-8 p.m. May 31, LaKela Brown and Mario Moore exhibition, Library Street Collective, 1274 Library St.. Detroit, gallery hours are Wednesday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m., lscgallery.com.

• “Gravitas” exhibition: Through May 31, Color | Ink Studio & Gallery, 20919 John R Road, Hazel Park, a solo exhibition of powerful paintings by artist Dawn Smith centered around the topics of grief and hope, ColorInkStudio.com, 248-398-6119.

• BBAC exhibitions: Through June 5, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, 1516 S. Cranbrook Road, Birmingham. New exhibitions include: Laith Karmo & Benjamin Teague-“Surviving Outside”; Carolyn Reed Barritt-“Pretty Things”; Patrice Erickson-“A Legacy of Peaceful Moments,” and students of Patty Eisenbraun, open Monday to Saturday, free admission, https://bbartcenter.org.

• Art on the River: June 6-8, downtown Port Huron, along the St. Clair River on Merchant Street and in Kiefer Park, art and music festival artists, crafters, and bands, www.artontheriverph.com.

• Painted with Silk-The Art of Early American Embroidery: Through June 15, Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, https://dia.org/events/exhibitions/painted-silk.

• Guests of Honor: Armor as Fashion is through April 26, 2026, Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, https://dia.org.

• Call for Youth Artists: Grades K-8 or ages 5-13 for Orchard Lake Fine Art Show by Hot Works in West Bloomfield Twp. (Show is July 26-27). Deadline to apply is July 10, https://hotworks.org/kids.

• Orchard Lake Fine Art Show: July 26-27 West Bloomfield Twp. Those interested in being part of the show, should contact Patty Narozny at 248-762-2462 or patty@hotworks.org, https://hotworks.org.

• “The Sea and the Sky”: The Sea and the Sky, and You and I” exhibit through Aug. 30, the Shepherd, 1265 Parkview St., Detroit, lscgallery.com, open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
• Floral Whispers: Through September, Strand Art Gallery, Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac, www.flagstarstrand.com. Hours are noon-4 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

• University of Michigan Museum of Art, 525 South State St., Ann Arbor, 734-764-0395, umma.umich.edu, ticket prices vary.

Beats, continued

• River Strings of St. Clair County: 7 p.m. May 30, Rochester First Congregational Church, 1315 N. Pine Street, Rochester, mountain dulcimer group, http://fccrochester.org, freewill offering.

• Bon Jovi Tribute ft. JOVI: 8 p.m. May 31, Younger’s Showroom, 120 S. Main, Romeo, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, www.youngersromeo.com, $30+.

• The Head and the Heart: 6:30 p.m. May 31, The Fillmore Detroit, www.thefillmoredetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Dueling Pianos: 8 p.m. May 24 and May 31, The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, www.theroxyrochester.com, $25+ each.

• Imposters in Effect-Beastie Boys tribute: May 31, District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, district142live.com, $24.13+.

• Phoneboy: May 31, The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 248-820-5596, thelovingtouchferndale.com, all ages, doors at 7 p.m., $26.49+.

• The Billie Holiday Tribute: 4-6 p.m. June 1, Pontiac Little Art Theater, 47 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac, featuring Sky Covington accompanied by the Duke Ellington Band, with opening  performance by poet, Lucretia Sain, https://events.getlocalhop.com/the-billie-holiday-tribute/event/ysO7fjlpiB, 248-644-2110, $35+.

• Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals: June 6, Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St. Royal Oak, www.royaloakmusictheatre.com, 248-399-3065, doors at 7 p.m. all ages, ticket prices vary.

Books

• 2025 Michigan Notable Books Author Tour: Through June at Michigan libraries, michigan.gov/notablebooks.

Classical/Orchestra

• Urban Art Orchestra: May 22-25, Cliff Bells, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit, https://cliffbells.com, dinner and ticket prices vary.

• Ben Folds with DSO: 8 p.m. May 23-24, Ben Folds, composer, singer-songwriter, and pianist, with the Detroit Symphony, at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit, dso.org, $25+.

• The Shamrock Jazz Orchestra: 8 p.m. May 30, The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, www.theroxyrochester.com, $35+.

Comedy

• Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle: Josh Adams-May 22-24; K. Trevor Wilson-May 29-31; Justin Silva-June 1; at 310 S. Troy St., Royal Oak, www.comedycastle.com, 248-542-9900, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• One Night Stans: Nate Armbruster-May 22-24; John Heffron-May 24; Sal Demilio-May 29-31; at 4761 Highland Road, Waterford Twp., www.onenightstans.club, 248-249-1321, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• Andy Beningo: 8 p.m. May 23, The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, www.theroxyrochester.com, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, $25+.

• David Dyer: 8 p.m. May 23, Younger’s Showroom, 120 S. Main, Romeo, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, www.youngersromeo.com, ticket prices vary.

• Ramy Youssef: May 30, Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St. Royal Oak, www.royaloakmusictheatre.com, 248-399-3065, ticket prices vary.

Film

• AMC Theatres: AMC Forum Sterling Heights, 586-254-1381; AMC Star Gratiot Clinton Township, 586-791-2095; AMC Star Great Lakes Auburn Hills, 248-454-0314; AMC Star John R Madison Heights, 248-585-4477, amctheatres.com.

• Cinemark Southland Center, Taylor, 734-287-0629, www.cinemark.com/theatres.

• Detroit Film Theatre at Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, dia.org, ticket prices vary.

• Emagine Theatres: Birmingham 8, 248-723-6230; Emagine Palladium in Birmingham, 248-385-0500; Canton, 734-787-3002; The Riviera in Farmington Hills, 248-788-6572; Hartland, 810-207-5757; Macomb, 586-372-3456; Novi, 248-468-2990; Rochester Hills, 248-378-2991; Royal Oak, 248-414-1000, emagine-entertainment.com. Open caption showtimes are Sunday and Wednesday afternoons throughout April at select Emagine Theatres, ticket prices vary. $3 Animated Adventures during summer kids’ movie series all summer, featuring a different animated film each week, tickets are $3 each

• Farmington Civic Theater: 33332 Grand River Ave., Farmington, www.theFCT.com.

• Milford Independent Cinema: 945 E Summit St., Milford, milfordcinema.org/tickets, $5+.

• MJR Theatres: MJR Chesterfield, 586-598-2500; MJR Universal Grand, Warren, 586-620-0200; MJR Troy, 248-498-2100; MJR Marketplace, Sterling Heights, 586-264-1514; MJR Partridge Creek, Clinton Twp., 586-263-0084; MJR Waterford, 248-666-7900, MJR Southgate, 734-284-3456, mjrtheatres.com.

• Oxford GQT Theater: 248-628-7101, gqtmovies.com/theaterinfo/x01tk-gqt-oxford-7.

• Redford Theatre: 17360 Lahser Road, Detroit, redfordtheatre.com, ticket prices vary.

• Regal UA, Commerce Twp.: 844-462-7342, regmovies.com/theatres/regal-ua-commerce-township.

• Romeo Theatre, Washington: 586-752-3455, romeotheatre.com.

Fundraisers/Volunteer activities

• Judson Center annual fundraising gala for Child Safe Michigan, an affiliate of human service agency Judson Center, is 6 p.m. May 30 at Michigan Central Station in Detroit. The event benefits Child Safe Michigan’s foster care, adoption and mentoring services, featuring a strolling dinner, cocktails, silent auction, raffle, and live entertainment, www.childsafemichigan.org/gala.

• Capuchin Souper Summer Celebration: 7:30-11 p.m. May 31, Comerica Park, Detroit, fundraising event festive night at the ballpark with food and drinks, music and dancing, fireworks, raffles of more than $30,000 of luxury jewelry and watches from Ahee Jewelers, and other prizes. Raffle tickets are $5, to benefit Capuchin Soup Kitchen, www.cskdetroit.org.

• Shakespeare Royal Oak fundraiser: 6-9 p.m. June 6, at the Royal Oak Historical Society Museum, 1411 W. Webster Rd in Royal Oak, featuring an exhibit of local artists’ work from the theatre company’s 25 seasons of professional theatre in Starr Jaycee Park, at ShakespeareRoyalOak.com, tickets are $40 for the fundraiser, $65 for the fundraiser and a ticket to Shakespeare Royal Oak’s 2025 summer production of “Macbeth” and $130 for the fundraiser and two tickets to “Macbeth”.

• The Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit is hosting “Furniture Flip Challenge,” calling all do-it-yourselfers, to stop by its Pontiac warehouse, 333 North Perry St., through July 31, to select an old table or other home furnishing, and transform it. The contest will culminate at “Furniture Flip Bash” fundraiser Sept. 4 at The Village Club in Bloomfield Hills featuring Hilary Farr, international interior designer and popular star of HGTV’s “Love It or List It.” The upcycled furniture pieces will be auctioned to raise funds for the The Furniture Bank nonprofit, www.furniture-bank.org.

Misc.

• Hazel Park City-wide Yard Sale, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. May 30-June 1, throughout Hazel Park, hpcan.org/hpsale.

• Le Shoppe Auction House online auction: Noon, June 1, Includes Museum Quality Furniture Designs & Fine Art, via www.liveauctioneers.com.

• Shed 5 Flea market: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 8, July 13, and Aug. 10, Eastern Market Sheds 5 and 6, 2934 Russell St., Detroit, 100 curated vendors, including vintage clothing dealers, handmade artisans, antique sellers, and food trucks, www.mercantilefairs.com.

• Downtown Street Eats: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday, through Oct. 10, bringing more than 80 of Metro Detroit’s best food trucks and restaurants to Cadillac Square and the Woodward Esplanade, DowntownDetroit.org/events.

Museums

• Heroes vs. Villains: Detroit’s Comic Book Story exhibit through May 2026, Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave. (NW corner of Kirby) in Midtown Detroit, detroithistorical.org.

• The Science of Archimedes: Traveling exhibition through June 1, Cranbrook Institute of Science, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://science.cranbrook.edu/explore/exhibits/archimedes. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, and noon-4 p.m. Sunday.$14-general admission, $10.50-ages 2-12 and ages 65+, free for ages under 2 and members.

• Troy Historic Village: 60 W. Wattles Road, Troy. Register online to reserve a timeslot at www.TroyHistoricVillage.org. Walk-ins are also welcome. Regular hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Admission is free to members, $7/Adult, $5/Senior, $5/Youth 6-17 for non-members, free for ages under 6.

• Meadow Brook Hall: Guided House Tours and Self-Guided Tours, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester. Visit meadowbrookhall.org/tours for tour times and ticket prices.

• The Rochester Hills Museum: Open for drop-in hours, Fridays and Saturdays, from noon-3 p.m. with guided tours of the Van Hoosen Farmhouse and Red House, starting at 1 p.m., 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms.

• Detroit Arsenal of Democracy Museum: Seeks volunteer groups from veteran and military groups to assist with restoration. The museum is also seeking building materials and equipment to support the ongoing restoration of its vintage industrial space at 19144 Glendale Ave., Detroit, including floor grinders, clear epoxy and Thinset products for floor repairs, www.detroitarsenalofdemocracy.org.

• Detroit Historical Museum: 5401 Woodward Ave. (NW corner of Kirby) in Midtown Detroit, detroithistorical.org. Permanent exhibits include the famous Streets of Old Detroit, the Allesee Gallery of Culture, Doorway to Freedom: Detroit and the Underground Railroad, Detroit: The “Arsenal of Democracy,” the Gallery of Innovation, Frontiers to Factories, America’s Motor City and The Glancy Trains, regular museum general admission is $10. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. “Detroit Lions: Gridiron Heroes,” exhibition featuring the history of the Detroit Lions, detroithistorical.org.

• A River’s Rejuvenation: The Fish Story of Detroit is though mid-summer, at Dossin Great Lakes Museum, 100 Strand Drive, Belle Isle, Detroit. Designed as a traveling installation, it will also be displayed at the Belle Isle Nature Center and the Belle Isle Aquarium throughout the summer, detroithistorical.org.

• Ford Piquette Plant Museum: 461 Piquette Ave, Detroit. Open Wednesdays through Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10-$18. Optional guided tours take place daily at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., www.fordpiquetteplant.org, 313-872-8759.

• Ford House: Historic home of Eleanor and Edsel Ford, 1100 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Shores, www.fordhouse.org, 313-884-4222, www.fordhouse.org/events. “Wish You Were Here-Unpacking Ford Family Travel” opens June 4, how travel shaped the Ford family’s values and vision through photographs and journals.

• Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society: Open 1st/2nd/4th/5th Sundays of the month and 3rd Fridays, 1-4 pm, (holidays excluded) with exhibits including “Four Communities” exhibit at The Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road, Orchard Lake. Admission is free, donations welcome, www.gwbhs.org, 248-757-2451.

• The Henry Ford Museum: The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Ford Rouge Factory Tours Monday-Saturday, purchase tickets online, prices vary, thehenryford.org.

• Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci): 5020 John R St., Detroit, 313-577-8400, www.mi-sci.org. Regular museum gen. adm. is $17+. Standard Mi-Sci films are available as a $6 add-on to general admission tickets. Mi-Sci is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and until 8 p.m. the first Friday of each month. Kids Town exhibit provides a tinkering space for children 5 and under to explore creativity as part of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) concepts – while under the supervision of parents and caregivers. “Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family” exhibit is open through May, (collection of tyrannosaur skeleton casts, fossils, and life-size displays).

• Monroe County Museum: 126 S Monroe St., Monroe, monroemi.gov, facebook.com/MonroeMuseums. Museum admission and activities are free and open to the public.

• Motown Museum Founder’s Day celebration: Noon-5 p.m. May 25, featuring performance by The Four Tops at 3 p.m., Motown Museum Campus, Rocket Plaza (in front of Hitsville U.S.A.), 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, free annual event, open to the public, featuring vendors, performances from Hitsville NEXT program participants and appearances by special guests, two-for-one Motown Museum tours will also be available on Founder’s Day. The event will kick off the 2025 summer performance series on Rocket Plaza, motownmuseum.org, 313-875-2264.

• Pontiac Transportation Museum: 250 W. Pike St., Pontiac. Admission to the museum is $15, $12 for seniors and veterans, $8 for children ages 6-12, free for children ages 5 and younger, 50% off for Pontiac residents with ID. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, www.pontiactransportationmuseum.org. First Thursday Lecture Series is 7-8:30 p.m., first Thursday of the month, free.

• Royal Oak Historical Society Museum: Hours are 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 1411 W. Webster Road, Royal Oak, royaloakhistoricalsociety.com, 248-439-1501, $10+ suggested donation. The Underground Railroad in Oakland County traveling exhibit. Royal Oak Historical Society Speaker Series by local historian and Executive Director of Selfridge Military Air Museum, Steve Mrozek.

• Westin Book Cadillac at 100 Exhibition: Westin Book Cadillac, 1114 Washington Blvd., Detroit, presented with Detroit Historical Society, exhibit explores the 100-year history of the Book Cadillac hotel, https://detroithistorical.org.

• The Wright: The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit, 313-494-5800, open Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and open until 7 p.m. on Thursday, closed on Mondays, reserve timed tickets at thewright.org, $30+ gen adm., $20 for seniors 62+, $15 for youth, ages 5-17, free for under 5. Bank of America and The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History are partnering to provide free admission to all museum visitors on the second Sunday of the month, June 8.

• The Zekelman Holocaust Center: 28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills. “The Evidence Room”, exhibit is through June 15, at The HC,  28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, $10 per person or free with membership, www.holocaustcenter.org, 248-553-2400.

To submit an event, email to kblake@medianewsgroup.com. Allow two weeks’ notice for scheduled events.

The Big Ass Stadium Tour certainly lived up to its name on Sunday night, May 18, at Detroit`s Ford Field — even above and beyond Post Malone’s plus-sized headlining set.

The night’s headline was actually made by support act Jelly Roll, and hometown hero Eminem. The Tennessee singer and rapper declared Detroit his “second home” early during his fourth Detroit performance in 13 months, including at the Michigan Central Open concert last June and his own headline date at Little Caesars Arena in November. As usual he paid tribute to favorite singer-songwriter Bob Seger (“The GOAT”) with a bit of his “Old Time Rock and Roll,” and his rendition of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” later in Jelly Roll’s hour-long performance appeared to be another homage — until the Detroit rapper came swaggering out during the second verse, prompting a response from the more than 46,000 fans that was as loud as a Detroit Lions’ touchdown (or Eminem’s July 13, 2025 surprise appearance with Ed Sheeran at the stadium).

Eminem bestowed greetings and left with a hearty, “I love y’all. Peace!,” after which Jelly Roll — who guests on Eminem’s latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), and also joined Slim Shady and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on “Sing For the Moment” at the Michigan Central concert last June — gushed “that was a childhood dream come true.” Jelly Roll incorporated an Eminem Mom’s Spaghetti sign and the rapper’s reverse-E logo into his visuals for the occasion and also shouted out Eminem’s manage and Detroit native Paul Rosenberg for his support of his career.

That — along with anthems such as “Son of a Sinner,” “I Am Not Okay” and “Save Me — certainly threw down gauntlet for Malone, who answered with a diverse and, yes, big-ass two hours that spotlighted the unlikely, genre-hopping career the Texas-raised artist has pursued since his hip-hop beginnings just under a decade ago.

It would certainly have been hard to imagine that the Malone who performed as part of the Monster Energy Outbreak package during 2016 at the Fillmore Detroit would wind up fronting a version of Nirvana and topping the Alterative Rock (with 2023’s “Austin”) and Country (with last year’s “F-1 Trillion”) charts. But Malone has, and Sunday’s 26-song show certainly celebrated that latter ascent, from the country-style tailgate party outside Ford Field during the afternoon to the makeup of the crowd inside, the giant cowboy and cowgirl neon sculptures flanking the stage, the decidedly 10-gallon country opening acts (Chandler Walters and hoop-skirt sporting Sierra Ferrell) and even Malone’s honky-tonk worthy belt buckle and frequent swigging (of beers he ordered up from a crew member named Pat) from red Solo cups.

His brand of country has a swagger of its own, however, which Malone — in a long-sleeved Bob Dylan 1978 tour T-shirt and very tight jeans — exercised as he loped along a runway that stretched to the middle of the stadium floor and another ramp that took him to floor level on the right side of the audience, frequently flashing his metallic, diamond-encrusted smile. And while it took him nine songs in to get into “F-1” mode — with “Losers” and Jelly Roll coming back to recreate their duet on the album — Malone and his band delivered a generous half of its 18 tracks, back-ending the show with spirited roll through the likes of “Finer Things,” “Pour Me a Drink,” “Dead at the Honky Tonk” and the buoyant “I Had Some Help.” He also threw in “I Ain`t Comin’ Back,” his new collaboration with Morgan Wallen from the latter’s new album.

Much of Malone’s older material — “Wow.,” “Go Flex,” “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” “White Iverson,” “rockstar,” “Sunflower” and more — took on slightly different flavors in the context of the show, but he gave his hip-hop roots props, too, bringing on Houston rapper BigXThePlug for a rendition of his “Texas.” And Malone picked up an acoustic guitar (and lit a cigarette) for a solo acoustic rendering of “Feeling Whitney” followed by the tour debut of “Yours,” an “F-1…” song about his daughter, who he said was about to turn three years old.

Malone, whose father was a concessions manager for the Dallas Cowboys, poked at Lions fans during his show, playfully acknowledging the team as “the second best” in the NFL — even though the Lions beat the Cowboys 47-9 last October — before admitting to rooting for them after his team faltered.

The show was visually Big Ass too, of course, with a Fourth of July fireworks (from the get-go, during the opening “Texas Tea”) an abundance of fire and an elaborate video presentation with screens positioned throughout the stadium. Malone saved his best stunt for the very end, singing “Congratulations” in an elevated cage of light at the back of the floor; it should have been positioned earlier, however, as a great many fans began exiting after “Sunflower,” while the band jammed as Malone worked his way to the prop.

Nevertheless, you’d be hard-pressed not to be impressed with the stylistic breadth of Malone’s musicality and his aw-shucks genuineness that, 13-letter epithets aside, owes more to country than any of the other genres he dipped into. “Congratulations” were certainly in order.

Most comics-derived superhero movies really wouldn’t be much of anything without buried rage, and what happens when it won’t stay buried. Their stories’ relentless emphasis on childhood trauma and the crippling psychological load carried by broken souls (heroes and villains both) — that’s the whole show.

With its adorable little asterisk in the title, “Thunderbolts*” goes further than most Marvels in its focus on psychological torment, mental health and, more broadly, a shared search for self-worth among a half-dozen also-rans who learn what it takes to be an A-team. Their sense of shame isn’t played for laughs, though there are some. Mostly it’s sincere. And it’s more effective that way.

“A” stands for Avengers, among other things, and with the legendary Avengers AWOL for now (hence the asterisk in the title), there’s a vacuum in need of filling.  Targeted for elimination, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus returning for duty as U.S. intelligence weasel Valentina, the combatants of the title have their work cut out for them. Who can they trust? If not Valentina, taking a more central role this time, then who?

Joining forces are Yelena/Black Widow (top-billed Florence Pugh); her gone-to-seed father Alexei/Red Guardian (David Harbour); the tetchy John Walker/Captain America (Wyatt Russell); Antonia/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko); the quicksilver invisible Ava/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen); and the Winter Soldier himself, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), whose entry into the “Thunderbolts*” storyline is most welcome. Their mission: To neutralize as well as rehabilitate the all-too-human lab experiment known as Bob, aka The Sentry, aka The Void, played by Robert Pullman. He’s Valentina’s little project, more dangerous than anyone knows.

The misfits scenario guiding “Thunderbolts*” is nothing new. “Suicide Squad” did it, “Guardians of the Galaxy” does it, and this motley crew keeps the tradition alive. It works, even when the material’s routine, because Pugh’s forceful yet subtle characterization of a heavy-hearted killing machine with an awful childhood feels like something’s at stake. She and the reliably witty Harbour work well together, and while there’s a certain generic-ness at work in the character roster — these insecure egotists are meant to be placeholders, with something to prove to themselves and the world — the actors keep the movie reasonably engaging before the effects take over.

Even those are better than usual, for the record. That sounds weird when you’re dealing with another $200 million production budget commodity. Shouldn’t they all look good, preferably in wildly different ways?

It’s a matter of simplicity and selectivity, not assault tactics. The poor, tormented newbie Bob has a superhero guise (The Sentry, fearsomely powerful, essentially all Avengers packed into one fella). but SuperBob has a dark side. When The Void takes over, it’s insidious psychological warfare, with The Void’s victims suddenly, quieting disappearing into a massive black handprint. His targets must relive the worst guilt and shame they have known, whoever they are, wherever that shadow of anguish and rage may lead them.

Sounds heavy, and it is. But at its best, the visualization of this part of “Thunderbolts*” feels like something relatively new and vivid. And there you have it. The 36th MCU movie, if you’re interested. It’s the most pretty-good one in a while.

“Thunderbolts*” — 3 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG-13 (for strong violence, language, thematic elements, and some suggestive and drug references)

Running time: 2:06

How to watch: Premiered in theaters May 1

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

Jeffrey Petryczkowycz, general manager of Time Travelers: Comics, Cards, & Collectibles in Berkley, is hosting three special guests with ties to metropolitan Detroit during Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 3.

This year’s FCBD festivities are the first at his store’s new location.

“The old store obviously had a lot of history within those walls, and so many of our customers — and our owner, Michael Morgan— grew up going to that location, creating memories,” Petryczkowycz said. “This is the beginning of creating new Time Travelers memories that are very much a part of that history, but also celebrating the new direction we have taken the store!”

Petryczkowycz referred to the store’s new location at 3116 12 Mile Road. Time Travelers moved to that location in 2024.

FBBD festivities kick off at 11 a.m. and go until 7 p.m. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Time Travelers will host three local special guest artists.

• Keith Pollard, of Lincoln Park, is a veteran Marvel Comics artist from the 1970s and 1980s. He’s best known for his artistry on “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Thor,” and “Fantastic Four.” Pollard co-created Spider-Man’s one-time love interest and enemy-turned-ally, the Black Cat.

• Dave Acosta, of West Bloomfield, has recently completed his run on Image Comics’ “TerrorWar,” a creator-owned project he collaborated on with Oakland County resident and writer Saladin Ahmed. He has also illustrated Dynamite Entertainment’s “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark,” “Vampirella,” and “Red Sonja.”

• Bill Morrison, of St. Clair Shores, has served as editor-in-chief of MAD Magazine. He’s done work for Disney, illustrating posters for blockbuster animated movies “Cinderella” and “The Little Mermaid.” Morrison has also illustrated “The Simpsons” for Bongo Comics.

“Doing signing appearances on (FCBD) has become like a holiday tradition for me and I’m very excited to be coming to Time Travelers this year,” Morrison said. “It’s a shame that Bongo no longer exists to provide free ‘Simpsons’ comics, but I am going to be giving free signatures and free sketches to kids.”

Added Acosta: “I’ve been a Time Travelers customer for over 30 years. I’m very excited to hang out and see the new digs. There is a great community around the shop, so it should be a lot of fun. It’s always great to get face time with fans, rather than just online interactions. Comic book culture is first and foremost in the comic shops. We owe everything to the loyal customers that come in every week, as well as the shop owners and workers who recommend our books. The industry depends on them, so I hope people come and check it out, get some free comics, and buy some stuff, too.”

A committee of comic shop retailers chose 46 titles to be available on FCBD that gives fans an opportunity to discover new titles and genres. This year’s selection of comics includes popular franchises such as “Star Wars,” “Transformers” and “Mega Man.” There will also be old favorites, such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and X-Men, as well as Titan Comics’ “Conan the Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent” and titles from Dynamite, Archie Comics, Valiant Comics, Mad Cave Studios, Fantagraphics Books, Papercutz, IDW Publishing, Dark Horse Comics and more.

“There is always a ‘Conan’ book coming out from some publisher,” Petryczkowycz said.

FCBD began in 2022 and occurs on the first Saturday of May. It has become an official Children’s Book Week event and inspired similar events in other countries. Historically, FCBD has been cross-promoted with the release of a superhero film. This year, “Thunderbolts,” which is a group of antiheroes led by Bucky Barnes, alias the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), will be released on Friday, May 2. It is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the final film in its Phase Five era.

“Each year, we aim to deliver a memorable (FCBD) experience for fans everywhere,” FCBD spokesperson Ashton Greenwood said. “We know comic book retailers are looking forward to treating their communities to a fun-filled day celebrating comic books and we think this year’s title selection truly captures that spirit. There’s something for every kind of fan — from long-time readers to the comic book curious.”

According to Petryczkowycz, Time Travelers will do a FCBD event called All You Can Read, where anyone can have one copy of any of the FCBD titles — no limit on how many titles they select.

“We just ask they only take what they will actually read, so that all guests have an opportunity to find something fun,” he said. “We want everyone to have the opportunity to leave with some great comics.”

Petryczkowycz expects hundreds of guests, so he recommends people get there early in order to get the best selections.

Time Travelers also will host a kid’s costume contest. With parental consent, Time Travelers employees will take photos of all the kids in costume. People will vote online for the best. Three winners will be chosen, with $20 gift cards given to the second-place and third-place winners. A $50 gift card will be given to the first-place winner.

With everything planned — and some stuff still in the planning stages — Petryczkowycz said FCBD is going to be a great day.

“A lot of planning goes into a day like this, a lot of work and expenses blah blah blah … but you forget all about it when the doors open and the smiling faces show up,” Petryczkowycz said. “It’s a special day for sure, and we hope it turns into new visits from people who may have made their first visit ever to a comic book shop. That part is really fun. Seeing those first-time visitors who take in the event, but also walk around the store and see the latest collectibles, as well as things that transport them back to their childhoods. There is so much history to be found in the vintage items.

“My first visit to a comic shop was over 40 years ago, and it was life-changing — for real. My imagination was enriched and encouraged. I found a community that wanted nothing more than to find enjoyment, an escape. To this day, I can leave a stress-filled day behind me and enter a safe space to decompress.”

For questions or more information about FCBD, contact Time Travelers at 248-548-7213 or follow the company’s social media pages.