By DAVID BAUDER, AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The idea that Bruce Springsteen wrote, recorded and ultimately shelved entire albums of music may seem odd to the casual listener. Why put yourself through all that work for nothing?

Yet “lost albums” are embedded in music industry lore. Some were literally lost. Some remained unfinished or unreleased because of tragedy, shortsighted executives or creators who were perfectionist — or had short attention spans.

Often, the music is eventually made public, like Springsteen is doing now, although out of context from the times in which it was originally made.

So in honor of Springsteen’s 83-song “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” box set being released Friday, The Associated Press has collected 10 examples of albums that were meant to be but weren’t.

“Smile,” The Beach Boys

Back in the news with the death of Brian Wilson, this album “invented the category of the lost masterpiece in popular music,” says Anthony DeCurtis, contributing editor at Rolling Stone. Some of the material that surfaced suggested Wilson, the Beach Boys’ chief writer, was well on his way: the majestic single “Good Vibrations,” the centerpiece “Heroes and Villains” and the reflective “Surf’s Up.” Wilson succumbed to internal competitive pressure worsened by mental illness and drug abuse while making it in 1966 and 1967, eventually aborting the project. He later finished it as a solo album backed by the Wondermints in 2004. The better-known songs were joined with some psychedelic-era curios that displayed Wilson’s melodic sense and matchless ability as a vocal arranger, along with lyrics that some fellow Beach Boys worried were too “out there.”

“The Black Album,” Prince

The mercurial Prince pulled back this disc, set for release in December 1987, at the last minute. Some promo copies had already slipped out, and it was so widely bootlegged that when Warner Bros. officially put it out in limited release in 1994, the company billed it as “The Legendary Black Album.” Encased in an all-black sleeve, the project was said to be Prince’s nod to Black fans who may have felt they had lost him to a pop audience. It’s almost nonstop funk, including a lascivious Cindy Crawford tribute and the workout “Superfunkycalifragisexy.” The maestro’s instincts were well-placed, though. Coming after “Sign O’ the Times” — arguably his peak — this would have felt like a minor project.

“Cigarettes and Valentines,” Green Day

Written and recorded in 2003, Green Day’s “Cigarettes and Valentines” was actually lost; someone apparently stole the master tapes. Feeling on a creative roll, the rock trio decided against recreating what they’d done and pressed on with new material. Smart move. The result was “American Idiot,” the band’s best work. Perhaps the robbery was “just a sign that we made a crappy record and we should make a better one,” songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong told MTV. The title cut later surfaced on a 2010 live album. The rest was lost to time.

“Detox,” Dr. Dre

To say anticipation was high for Dr. Dre’s third album when he started recording in 2002 puts it mildly. The theme disc about a hitman, which Dre described as a “hip-hop musical,” had an all-star squad of contributors including Eminem, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes and Kendrick Lamar. “I’d describe it as the most advanced rap album musically and lyrically we’ll probably ever have a chance to listen to,” co-producer Scott Storch told MTV. But we never have. When he announced a different third album in 2015, Dre explained on his radio show what happened to “Detox”: “I didn’t like it. It wasn’t good. … I worked my ass off on it, and I don’t think I did a good enough job.”

“Black Gold,” Jimi Hendrix

A series of unfinished demos, “Black Gold” was a taste of where guitar god Jimi Hendrix might have gone creatively if he hadn’t died at 27 in 1970. He was composing a song suite about an animated Black superhero, says Tom Maxwell, whose podcast “Shelved” unearths stories behind lost music. Hendrix sent a tape of his work to longtime drummer Mitch Mitchell for advice on fleshing it out. That music was set aside at Mitchell’s home and forgotten for two decades after Hendrix died. To date, Hendrix’s estate has made only one of these recordings public, a song called “Suddenly November Morning.” Hendrix, after clearing his throat, slips in and out of falsetto while accompanying himself on an acoustic guitar.

“A Story,” Yoko Ono

Written while Yoko Ono was separated from John Lennon during his infamous “lost weekend” in 1973-74, “A Story” had the potential of changing the musical narrative around her. It was a strong album — without the avant-garde stylings that made Ono a challenge for mainstream listeners — recorded with musicians who worked on Lennon’s “Walls & Bridges.” Maxwell calls it “an emancipation manifesto” that was set aside when Ono reconciled with Lennon. She’s never publicly explained why, Maxwell says, although one song seems clearly about an affair she had while Lennon was away. Some of the material from “A Story” was included as part of the “Onobox” project that came out in 1992, and the album was released separately in 1997. Ono also re-recorded some of its songs in 1980, and Lennon was holding a tape of her composition “It Happened” when he was shot and killed. In it, she sings about an unspecified, seemingly traumatic event: “It happened at a time of my life when I least expected.” That wasn’t even the most chilling premonition. Her song “O’Oh” ended with firecrackers that sound like gunshots. It was left off the 1997 release.

“Chinese Democracy,” Guns N’ Roses

Guns N’ Roses was at the top of the hard rock world when they began recording a new album in 1994. It didn’t go well. Inconclusive sessions slogged on for years, and all but singer Axl Rose left the group. Recording costs exceeded a staggering $13 million, by some accounts the most expensive rock album ever. One witness told The New York Times in 2005: “What Axl wanted to do was to make the best record that had ever been made. It’s an impossible task. You could go on indefinitely, which is what they’ve done.” When “Chinese Democracy” was finally released in 2008, the world yawned.

“Love Man,” Marvin Gaye

Not even a decade after the triumph of “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye was floundering. His “Here, My Dear” divorce album flopped, he struggled with drugs and searched for relevance in the disco era. The single “Ego Tripping Out,” meant to herald a new album, laid bare the problems: Over a melody cribbed from Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff,” the famously cool “Love Man” boasted like an insecure rapper. He scrapped the album, repurposing some its material for the 1981 disc “In Our Lifetime,” a process so fraught he bitterly left his longtime label Motown. Gaye went to CBS, made a huge comeback with “Sexual Healing,” then was shot dead by his father in 1984.

“Homegrown,” Neil Young

Neil Young rivals Prince in the volume of material left in his vault, and he’s been systematically releasing much of it. The mostly acoustic “Homegrown” was recorded as 1974 bled into 1975, during Young’s breakup with actor Carrie Snodgress. Instead of releasing it in 1975, he put out another heartbreak album, the well-regarded “Tonight’s the Night,” about losing friends to drug abuse. When Young finally dropped “Homegrown” in 2020, he wrote in his blog, “Sometimes life hurts. This is the one that got away.”

“Streets of Philadelphia Sessions,” Bruce Springsteen

Of the discs included in Springsteen’s “Tracks II” set, this was reportedly the closest to being released, in the spring of 1995. After the success of the Oscar-winning song “Streets of Philadelphia,” Springsteen recorded an album in the same vein, with a synthesizer and West Coast rap-inspired drum loops setting the musical motif. Strikingly contemporary for its time, Springsteen ultimately felt it was too similar to previous releases dominated by dark stories about relationships. “I always put them away,” he said of his lost albums. “But I don’t throw them away.”

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

Detroit native and “wig engineer” Darnell Davis is making a name for himself in the beauty and entertainment industries.

Designing wigs for major artists like Beyoncé, Niecy Nash-Betts, Mariah Carey and Little Nas X, he has become extremely sought after by celebrities and Detroiters alike for his meticulous hand-sewn and stitched designs.

Darnell joined The Metro on Tuesday to discuss his love for hair and wig-making from an early age, and Detroit’s rich legacy in Black hair innovation.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

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By MARK KENNEDY, AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Twenty-five years ago, a little girl with a bob haircut appeared on our TVs, speaking a mix of English and Spanish, with a spunky, can-do spirit. She had an adventure planned, a backpack, a monkey friend and upbeat songs.

“Hi, I’m Dora. What’s your name?” she asked.

This was, of course, “Dora the Explorer,” the first Latina to lead a major cartoon series and the girl who helped spearhead the rise of multicultural children’s programming in the U.S. on her way to becoming a cultural phenomenon.

“The show allowed Latinos to be depicted on TV as educators, teaching viewers how to speak our language, and yet at the same time, just teaching ordinary things that children need to learn,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.

Nickelodeon is celebrating Dora’s 25th anniversary with the feature-length live-action movie “Dora and the Search of Sol Dorado,” a third season of the rebooted animated series “Dora,” the podcast Dora’s Mermaid Adventures, an album of songs and plenty of toys and apparel.

“The great thing about Dora is that, yes, she celebrates Latin culture through every aspect — language, food, dress and music,” says Ramsey Naito, president of animation at Paramount and Nickelodeon. “But she also empowers everybody to be their true self and to be brave. She’s not exclusive. She’s inclusive.”

The original voice

Kathleen Herles had a special vantage point to see Dora’s influence: She was the original voice of the pint-size heroine, cast in the role when she was 7 and staying until she was 18 and off to college.

“It has been the longest journey and the greatest adventure of my life — no pun intended,” said Herles, who grew up in New York City to parents of Peruvian descent.

On the convention circuit, Herles would see firsthand the power of Dora. “I remember I would make kids cry, not intentionally,” she says. “Their mind goes to a memory, to a moment, it’s just incredible. It’s so special, it’s magical.”

Herles has lately been the voice actor for Dora’s mom on “Dora,” the reboot that started in 2024. It’s a full-circle moment for the actor and singer: “It changed my life forever, twice.”

“Dora the Explorer” led to what Herles laughingly calls the “Dora-verse” — the spinoff series “Go, Diego, Go!,” a sequel series “Dora and Friends: Into the City!” and the 2019 live-action feature film “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” starring Isabela Merced, Eva Longoria and Michael Peña.

“Dora” co-creator Chris Gifford has watched his creation age up and down and take human form. “She has been older and she has been younger and she has a hair clip now,” he says. “Her essence, her positive spirit, her I-can-do-anything-with-your-help attitude has stuck through.”

Dora is firmly part of the culture, as big as her Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon. There’s a reference to her in “Inside Out 2,” she’s been mocked on “Saturday Night Live” and if you look carefully at the PBS show “Alma’s Way,” you can see a Dora doll in that heroine’s bedroom. TikTok users have embraced the “Backpack Song.”

“Those kids coming of age now — the ones who 25 years ago were just watching it as little preschoolers — they’re out there and they’re remembering,” says Valerie Walsh Valdes, co-creator of the original series and an executive producer on the new series and movie.

Creating a problem solver

Valdes and Gifford originally had the idea for a show about a little girl who was a problem solver. Like “Blue’s Clues,” it would reward kids for figuring out answers posed by the host.

“Preschoolers are the least powerful people in our world,” says Gifford. “They’re not able to button their sweater and not able to tie their shoes, but if they’re able to help Dora get to the City of Lost Toys and really feel like they helped, that’s something special.”

Nickelodeon suggested the girl be Latina and the creators ran with it, making her pan-Latina so no one would feel excluded. Latin representation on TV — then and now — has been a struggle.

The Latino Donor Collaborative’s 2024 Latinos in Media report found that Latino actors made up 9.8% of the main cast in lead, co-lead and ensemble roles in scripted shows. In non-scripted television, Latino hosts made up only 5% of host roles. That’s despite Latin people making up nearly 20% of the country.

“There were few programs at the time that featured Latina protagonists with Dora’s skin tone or features, so from that perspective, the representation is valuable,” says Erynn Masi de Casanova, head of the sociology department at the University of Cincinnati.

Dora was put in an animated world inside a computer, and the creators asked kids to help make the show better. They hired education consultants to tease out the skills Dora teaches, like spatial understanding and interpersonal. They brought in language and culture experts.

“We did it!” became her signature song.

Bilingual heroine

The series is seen in more than 150 countries and territories and translated in 32 languages on Nickelodeon channels and Paramount+. In English-speaking countries such as the United States and Australia, Dora teaches Spanish; in other markets — including the Hispanic U.S. markets — she teaches English.

Samantha Lorraine, 18, who grew up in Miami of Cuban heritage, had the Dora T-shirts and backpack. She laughs that she once even had the Dora bob.

In July, she’s starring as Dora in “Dora and the Search of Sol Dorado,” which was filmed in Colombia. “I’ve been doing my audition since day one,” she says.

“It’s an honor to be stepping into Dora’s shoes. It’s such a huge legacy,” she adds. “It’s really nice to be able to be a part of representation where it counts. And Dora is the epitome of that.”

Castillo, of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, puts Dora up there with Mickey Mouse in terms of an instantly recognized cultural character and says she’s relevant more than ever.

“We need more Doras,” she says. “If people were just open to being educated in other people’s languages and cultures and beliefs and not see it as a threat, we wouldn’t be in the situation that we’re in this country and the world.”

Ethan Daniel Davidson is no stranger to releasing music — he’s put out 13 albums since the end of the ’90s, after all.

But his latest, “Cordelia,” represents a bit of creative sea change for the Birmingham-based singer, songwriter, author and philanthropist.

After recording his last several albums locally — with a crew of Detroit-area musicians that includes his wife, Gretchen Gonzales Davidson, His Name is Alive’s Warren Defever and others — Davidson journeyed to Mississippi to make the seven-track “Cordelia” as well as a follow-up, “Lear,” that will be released later this summer. He recorded at Zebra Ranch Recording Studio in Coldwater, Mississippi, opened by the late Jim Dickinson, whose credits include the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Replacements and many more. It’s now operated by his son Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, who co-produced “Cordelia” and “Lear” with David Katznelson.

The two played on it, as well, joined by musicians who have worked with Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris and others, with Rayfield “Ray Ray” Hollomon added to provide the sacred-style pedal steel sound Davidson wanted for the album.

“Every once in a while, you want to change and get out of your comfort zone,” Davidson, 55, the adopted son of the late Detroit Pistons and Guardian Industries owner Bill Davidson, explains while walking around his home. “It had been a long time, for me, working with the same group of people. I was ready to try something new, and you kinda challenge yourself, too, working with people you haven’t met before.

“It was a little bit of self-awareness for me. I had been letting myself slide a little bit, get too comfortable — not that I think I’ve put out any crap, but I wanted to freshen it up. I thought these songs were really good, and they deserved my attention.”

The Mississippi Delta also exerted a special pull, Davidson adds.

“I think Mississippi has always been one of my musical homes,” he says. “So much of the music I’ve absorbed my whole life come from Mississippi — other places, as well, but Mississippi factors big in my musical psyche. So just being down in that environment it was like, in a way, being back home.”

Davidson and the Mississippi gang recorded 25 songs, many dating from the COVID period or before, over the course of five days in the studio. One, “Your Old Key,” is a new version of a track from his 2012 album “Silvertooth,” which marked his return to record-making after a seven-year break. “The version that’s on ‘Silvertooth’ is, like, the first time that song was ever played. It was made up in the studio, in front of the microphone,” Davidson recalls.

“When I went down to Mississippi, these guys had listened to some of my back catalog, and they wanted to record a few of those (songs), too, to see what would happen. We recorded a number of the old songs, but doing ‘Your Old Key’ again and putting a sped-up version on this album seemed to fit with what we wanted to do. The guys were like: ‘That’s a great song. It’s got great changes in it.’ I was very flattered by that. I always believed in it and thought it was a good song.”

The “Cordelia” crew also encouraged Davidson to open up and extend some of the song arrangements more — notably “Gasoline,” “a love song about a middle-aged arsonist who gets released from jail and reconnects with his old flame” — that stretches beyond the nine-minute mark.

“Just letting these guys play was something I hadn’t done in a really long time — not since the first album, I think,” notes Davidson, a Lahser High School and University of Michigan graduate who began writing music while living in Alaska during the 1990s. “I’m not a soloist. I don’t jam. But I do like to hear guys that can really do it, and do it well. I like being part of that. I’m just plugging along with my rhythm guitar behind the drummer and listening to everybody else.

“It’s something people haven’t heard from me in a long time. There’s a couple more like that on the (‘Lear’) record, too.”

The music remains a part of a broad creative universe for Davidson, who also executive produced the 2019 documentary “Call Me Bill: The William Davidson Story.” In addition to working with the William Davidson Foundation that his father founded, he’s also the board chairman for Detroit Opera and serves on the boards of the Detroit Institute of Arts and Motown Museum. And he maintains what he calls a “rabbinic side hustle” whose studies have led to a couple of books with another, inspired by the Leviticus passage about the Blasphemer, in progress.

“It’s all part of the same piece, in a way,” Davidson explains. “I regard my whole musical practice, or whatever it is, really being more about my own psychotherapy practice. It’s a way of figuring out what’s going on inside of me and healing myself. It’s about trying to understand what’s inside of me, unpack what’s inside of me.

“My attitude is if people like it, that’s great — and if people don’t like it, that’s great. (laughs) Whatever. I never cared about being some big star. It’s all just a way of expressing what’s inside me, and maybe somebody else will connect with it.”

Ethan Daniel Davidson celebrates the release of his new album, “Cordelia,” with a performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26 at the Detroit Public Theatre, 3960 Third Ave., Detroit. 313-974-7918 or ethandanieldavidson.com.

Few of music’s icons are, or have, demonstrated the art of aging with grace — and defiance — than Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan.

The two Mount Rushmore-caliber singers, songwriters and song interpreters have logged more than 60 years of performing and recording each. On Friday night, June 20, at the Pine Knob Music Theatre they reprised their 2024 pairing at the top of Nelson’s annual Outlaw Music Festival bill, each of 65-minute their sets acknowledging the ravages of time (Nelson’s 92, Dylan 84) but still tapping into the creative drive that has kept each consistently on the road (again) throughout those decades.

Their methods are similar; both Nelson and Dylan (still basking in the triumph of last year’s biopic “A Complete Unknown”) have stripped their presentations down to stark core that frames the songs and their vocal performances within rudimentary arrangements. They still deploy sophisticated nuances and occasional bursts of virtuosity, but their approaches allow them to treat even their best-known tunes as living, breathing material open to re-interpretations both dramatic and subtle.

It’s not always crowd-pleasing; it wouldn’t be a Dylan show, after all, if some of the 13,000-plus fans at Pine Knob weren’t grumbling about the changes he made to favorites such as “Simple Twist of Fate” or “All Along the Watchtower.” But the ovations were strong throughout the night, in recognition of legendary stature as much as artistic adventure.

Earlier sets from Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and Trampled By Turtles showed that Nelson and Dylan have passed those lessons down to those following in their wake, while Kalamazoo’s Myron Elkins opened the nearly seven-hour show with a half-hour set that highlighted his just-released new album “Nostalgia For Sale” and brought Michigan-bred blues guitarist Larry McCray on for a number.

The sun came out for the first time just before Dylan, in a dark suit and open-neck white shirt, led his quintet on the stage for a mostly low-key 15-song exposition that found him in confident voice and showcased his acumen on piano (and occasionally harmonica) as the other musicians meandered around the melodies and loose structures that were delicate but never tentative. Dylan would often start a song on his own and let the band members work their way in — which worked particularly well on renditions of “Forgetful Heart,” “Under the Red Sky,” “Desolation Row,” “Love Sick” and a sinewy “Gotta Serve Somebody.”

As is his wont, Dylan sampled beyond his own songbook as well, covering George “Wild Child” Butler’s “Axe and the Wind” and Charlie Rich’s “I’ll Make It All Up to You” and slotting Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Share Your Love With Me” in front of Dylan’s own blues-celebrating “Blind Willie McTell.” The concluding “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” meanwhile, sent its own message — not to overthink what was being played, or how it was being performed, but to enjoy the music on its own merits, as well as another opportunity to experience a legend and his legendary work.

Nelson, meanwhile, hewed to the familiar as he and his acoustic quintet rolled through a spirited 21-song performance that also embraced his colleagues’ music and was loaded with hits; in fact, favorites such as “Whiskey River,” “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” “On the Road Again” and “You Were Always on My Mind” were played within the first 10 songs and 20 minutes, a mark of just how deep a well Nelson was drawing from.

Despite battling an obvious cold (lots of coughing and nose-blowing), Nelson picked his shots throughout and delivered sturdy renditions of “Still is Still Moving to Me,” “I Never Cared For You” and “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” wringing solos from Trigger, the battered acoustic guitar whose tone at times also showed signs of wear and tear. And even when guitarist Waylon Payne took over lead vocals on songs such as Merle Haggard’s “Workin’ Man Blues,” Hank Williams’ “Move It On Over” and Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee,” Nelson stayed present and engaged, while longtime harmonicist Mickey Raphael provided accents and solos — as well as accordion during Tom Wait’s “Last Leaf.”

Defiance and celebration were themes as Nelson promised during that latter that “if they cut down this tree I’ll come back as a song.” He offered his wish to “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” and admonished music executives to “Write Your Own Songs,” then brought Rateliff, some Night Sweats and members of Trampled By Turtles back for a joyous medley of “Will the Circle Be Unspoken?” and “I’ll Fly Away.” And if there was a finality intended with “The Party’s Over” and Hank Williams “I Saw the Light,” there was no question Nelson will fly away on nothing but his own terms.

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It was a chance of scenery for Billy Corgan when the Smashing Pumpkins frontman performed Thursday night, June 19, at Saint Andrew’s Hall in Detroit.

Less than 10 months ago — last Sept. 4 — he was on stage with the band a few blocks away at Comerica Park, playing for nearly 41,000 fans in an opening date for Green Day. On Thursday Corgan performed for about 40,000 fewer — but was even more exciting over the course of the two-hour-and-five-minute set.

This time the show was with a quartet Corgan dubbed Machines of God, which includes recent Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Kiki Wong. It was almost all Smashing Pumpkins, however, celebrating the 30th anniversary of its diamond-certified “Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” album as well as the 25th of the “Machina”/”The Machines of God and Machina II”/”The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music” package and further promoting last year’s “Aghori Mhori Mei.” That made it Smashing Pumpkins by another name, or the most valid Pumpkins tribute band in the world.

Either way it was a bona fide special night, and perhaps the most satisfying Corgan-related performance since perhaps the original “Melon Collie” shows back in 1995.

It was certainly a special night for Corgan, who sported his trademark ankle-length frock and was visibly relaxed in and charged by the intimate setting. “Standing on this stage brings back a lot of memories,” he told the packed Saint Andrew’s crowd, noting that his first time was in 1989 and also recalling the start of 1999’s Arising Tour there, “one of the greatest moments in Smashing Pumpkins history.”

“Detroit was the first city in the world to embrace my band, Smashing Pumpkins, so I will always be grateful for that,” noted Corgan, who shouted out original Saint Andrew’s booker Vince Bannon. “This is an amazing, wonderful city with such an incredible history, so it’s an honor to be here tonight, playing these songs.” (He later recalled a guitar was stolen from another show, in 1992, but subsequently recovered.)

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone at Saint Andrew’s who didn’t feel the same on Thursday, as Corgan and company shredded through a high-octane set that demonstrated his gift for knitting together power and melody, nuance and ferocity. It was also a demonstration of his guitar acumen, particularly with extended solos on epic treatments of “Porcelina of the Vast Oceans” and the main set-closing “The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right).”

Following a grungey half-hour from Los Angeles’ Return to Dust, the Corgan crew tore into the night with the pummeling triplet of “Glass’ Theme,” “Heavy Metal Machine” and “Where Boys Fear to Tread,” the former declaring “I betrayed rock and roll” even as the group well-served its punky furor. The tour has included some first-ever performances of “Machina II’s” “Here’s to the Atom Bomb” and “White Spyder” — as well as “Aghori’s…” “Sighommi” and “Edin,” while bassist Jenna “Kid Tigrrr” Fournier sang lead on a rendition of Nancy Sinatra’s “You Only Live Twice” and joined Corgan for an acoustic duet on “Tonight, Tonight.”

Corgan also surprised the crowd by picking up the bass himself for “Glass and the Ghost Children.”

The real highlight came mid-show, however, with a trio of “Melon Collie” favorites. “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” and “Muzzle” practically melted the walls at Saint Andrew’s, while during “1979” Corgan’s two oldest children — Augustus, nine, and Philomena, six — came onstage for a Sumo-style wrestling match “won” by the devil’s horn-flashing latter in a take-down.

Corgan kept the pedal down throughout the night, finishing with an encore of “Zero” and “Everlasting Grace.” There was nary a negative to be said — save by Corgan, who cracked that “it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t say something negative.

“It may sound small, it may sound trite, it may sound petty, but since I’ve been playing this stage for 36 years, it is the same stage,” he explained, pointing out a center-stage spot “that they’ve never fixed in 36 (expletive) years. And I want to say that’s not a Detroit thing; it’s a Midwestern thing, where if it ain’t broke, don’t (expletive) fix it. But it is broke, and I wish they’d fix it so when I come back here in 36 years it’ll finally be proper.”

And you can bet everyone at Saint Andrew’s on Thursday will be happy to be back to see that.

Corgan performs again on Saturday, June 21, at the Intersection, 133 Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Grand Rapids. 616-723-8571 or sectionlive.com.

Simple Minds is still very much an active band. In fact, its 20th studio album is in motion, according to frontman Jim Kerr.

But this year, the Scottish group is enjoying the 40th anniversary of an eventful 1985, which included the chart-topping hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” from the film “The Breakfast Club,” a performance at Live Aid and the release of its best-selling album, “Once Upon a Time.” Kerr’s oldest daughter — Yasmin, with the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde — was also born that year.

“You just can’t believe when you hear that it’s 40 years — there’s that for a start,” Kerr, 65, says via Zoom during Simple Minds’ first North American tour in seven years. “And then the other thing is you just feel so blessed after all this time that you’re allowed to get out and play, and in our case make people jump up and down.

“It’s just all so unexpected, in a sense.”

Kerr acknowledges that Simple Minds — including guitarist Charlie Burchill, the only other remaining founding member — was initially unsure about recording “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” He says the band felt “we had songs up our sleeve” for “Once Upon a Time” and was initially loathe to embrace something written by others. Nevertheless — and with a degree of pushing from its record company — the group took it on and felt able to make the song its own.

“What we brought to it was 10 years of playing live, and we put our heart and soul into it and we put our lifeblood into the record,” Kerr recalls. “It would’ve been a different song if OMD did it, or the Psychedelic Furs — it would’ve been a different record, rather. So it’s not our song, but it is our record.

“And lo and behold, here we are 40 years later, still talking about it.”

Simple Minds, Soft Cell and Modern English perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 21 at Pine Knob Music Theatre, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Township. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …

FRIDAY, JUNE 20

• The Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Pops series presents “Let’s Misbehave: The Songs of Cole Porter” with four shows through Sunday, June 22 at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.

• Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan headline this year’s Outlaw Music Festival 10th Anniversary Tour at 4 p.m. at Pine Knob Music Theatre, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Township. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Trampled By Turtles and Kalamazoo’s Myron Elkins also perform. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

• The New York rock quartet Brand New celebrates its 25th anniversary with two shows — tonight and Saturday, June 21 — at the Masonic Temple Theatre, 500 Temple St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-548-1320 or themasonic.com.

• The country duo Maddie & Tae performs at District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte. Doors at 7 p.m. Audrey Ray opens. district142live.com.

• Acclaimed singer-songwriters Will Sexton and Amy LaVere double-bill at 8 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.

• The New York trio Sunflower Bean plants itself at 8 p.m. at Third Man Records, 441 W. Canfield St., Detroit. 313-209-5205 or thirdmanrecords.com.

• The Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival continues throughout the weekend, including a free Friday Night Live! performance at 7 p.m. in the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-833-7900 or dia.org.

• Indiana indie rock troupe Murder By Death brings its farewell tour to Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 6 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.

• Former WDIV news anchor Devin Scillian & the Arizona Sun will be up with the KufflinKs at 7 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• The Crofoot complex celebrates its late staffer Justin Roettger with performances by Tyler Common, Greg and the Degends, Racquel Soledad and others, starting at 6 p.m. 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.

• The Americana trio Barnaby Bright lights up at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.

• The Science Fair and Endless Vacation set up in the Garden Bowl Lounge, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.

• Seattle’s Bug Hunter and the Narcissist Cookbook arrive at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.

• Summer Fest 2025 features Nurvcore, Through Our Eyes, Metal Mustangs and more at the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. Doors at 6 p.m.  586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.

• Pigeon Pit, Rent Strike, Popolis and Fat Angry Heads roost at Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. 3130873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.

• Jae Skeese and B.A. Badd throw down at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.

• Guitarist Kris Kurzawa is in residence through Saturday, June 21 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.

• Trumpeter Karim Gideon and his Quartet plays through Saturday, June 21, at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Soraia & the Idiot Kids and SeaHag open the weekend at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.

• The Roxy hosts The Pretenders Tribute at 8 p.m. 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• Baltimore singer-songwriter Cris Jacobs plays at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. Lost Mary opens. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• The 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival All-Stars Generation Sextet gathers for shows at 7 and 9:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: Billy Strings livestreams at 7:30 p.m. from Lexington, Kentucky, and again on Saturday, June 21, for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: The jam band Goose livestreams at 7:30 p.m. from Cleveland, and on Saturday. June 21 from Canandaigua, New York, for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: Umphrey’s McGee premieres its April 20 performance in Marrakech, Morocco, at 8 p.m. for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: “American Masters — Janis Ian: Breaking Silence” premieres nationwide at 9 p.m. on PBS. Check pbs.org/americanmasters for local stations and showtimes.

• Virtual: The Gibson Sisters host a “Slumber Party” at 9 p.m., streaming via veeps.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 21

• Royal Oak Live! a two-day music festival, starts at 1:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, June 22 at Centennial Commons, 204 S. Troy St. Performers include Kim Waters, Ben Sharkey, Alexander Zonjic, Paul Taylor, Special EFX and others. 248-547-4000 or royaloakchamber.com.

• A Flock of Seagulls headlines the I Love the 80’s tour, joined by Bow Wow Wow and Animotion at 7 p.m. at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 Atwater St. at Chene, Detroit. 313-393-7128 or TheAretha.com.

• Hit-making songwriter and producer David Foster and trumpeter Chris Botti, along with vocalist (and Foster’s wife) Katharine McPhee, team up at 8 p.m. at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit. 313-237-7464 or detroitopera.org.

Diverse musical trio bring their happy music to Detroit

• Alabama-born vocalist Lamont Landers has hit the road and comes to the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. The Vig Arcadia opens. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.

• Last Night Saved My Life celebrates the release of a new album, "The First Hello," in the Pike Room at the Crofoot complex, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. Doors at 6 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.

• A pair of duos — the Rough and Tumble and Flagship Romance — team up at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.

• Toed hits the stage at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, supported by Strictly Fine and Sancho. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.

• The Virginia thrash group Deceased joins Jail and Mortal Disguise at 7 p.m. at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.

• The Soap Girls, Decyhered and Over Medicated trip-bill at 7:30 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.

• Millyz brings his Blanco 7 Tour to town at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 8 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.

• True Devil, Tangerine Time Machine and eight others perform on two stages for Rock N Core at the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. Doors at 5:30 p.m. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.

• Another set of duos — Miles and Mafaie, and Dave Boutette and Kristi Lynn Davis — pair up at 8 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.

• Ann Arbor is among the cities taking part in the global Make Music Day, with performances in and around the area all day long. Find schedules and other information via makemusicday.org.

• The Out Loud Chorus performs a 1 p.m. matinee at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. The trio Darlingside, along with Clovers Daughter, follows at 8 p.m. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• The Sean Dobbins Quintet plays at 6:30 and 9 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. Guitarist Noah Hogan and his Quartet follow with a 10:30 p.m. late-nighter. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: It's a double shot Oasis' Liam Gallagher as his "Live at Knebworth — Concert Film" streams at 3 p.m. and a "Knebworth Documentary" follows at 5 p.m. both via veeps.com.

• Virtual: The 2020 concert film "Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace" returns to stream at 3 p.m. via veeps.com.

SUNDAY, JUNE 22

• Keith Urban brings his High and Alive Tour to town at 7 p.m. at Pine Knob Music Theatre, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Township. He'll be joined by Chase Matthew, Alana Springsteen and Karley Scott Collins. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

Keith Urban’s rolling with new album, tour and TV show 

• Detroit's own Suicide Machines joins Less Than Jake, Fishbone and Bite Me Bambi on the Summer Circus Tour stop at the Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St. Doors at 6 p.m. 248-399-2980 or royaloakmusictheatre.com.

• The Detroit Blues Society hosts its International Blues Challenge showcase at 3 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• The world music octet In the Tradition performs at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell's, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Lauren Sanderson drops in at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. Emeryld opens. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.

• Bega, Captain Tallen and the Benevolent Entitites, Conor Lynch and Jackamo stack up at 7 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.

• The all-female tribute band the Iron Maidens rocks at 6:30 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.

• The Nashville quartet Birdtalker finishes the weekend at 7:30 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. Curtis Ford opens. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• William Hill III presents solo piano performances at 6 and 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: Sweden's Ghost streams "Rite Here Rite Now — All Access Watch Party" at 8 p.m. via veeps.com.

By MARIA SHERMAN

NEW YORK (AP) — What makes a great song of the summer? Is it an up-tempo pop banger? Something with an earworm chorus? Does it need to feature the words “summer,” “sunshine,” or another synonym — “California” — in the title? How could anyone attempt a song of the summer after the late, great Beach Boy Brian Wilson composed them so expertly, anyway?

It very well may be subject to the eye (well, ear) of the beholder, but The Associated Press views the song of the summer as the one that takes over those warm months between June and August, the kind that blasts out of car speakers and at beach barbecues in equal measure. And that means many different things for many kinds of listeners.

So here are AP’s 2025 song of the summer predictions across categories, with past victors for reference.

Find your song of the summer and then listen to our Spotify playlist, here.

Song of the summer that inexplicably came out in January: “NUEVAYoL,” Bad Bunny

A song of the summer doesn’t actually have to arrive in summer, or even in spring. History has proved this time and time again, lest anyone forget Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” hit at the top of the year in 2021. But this summer, like every summer, is about Bad Bunny. On his latest album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio pulls from Puerto Rico’s rich musical history and hybridizes it. He does so from the very opener, “NUEVAYoL,” which samples the fittingly named 1975 salsa hit from El Gran Combo, “Un Verano en Nueva York” (“A Summer in New York”).

Past champion: “Boy’s a Liar PT. 2,” PinkPantheress, Ice Spice (2023)

Song of the summer for the chronically online: “Tonight,” PinkPantheress

An internet hero releases another super hit: PinkPantheress’ “Tonight” is an undeniable good time; all bassline house meets hyperpop vocals with a naughty chorus. The 24-year-old British singer-songwriter has proved she’s got so much more to offer than a few viral hits — but her huge songs that blow up online? They tend to stay. That’s more than can be said about past winners in this category.

Past champion: “Million Dollar Baby,” Tommy Richman (2024)

Breakup song of the summer: “What Was That,” Lorde

Lorde’s first new single in four years recalls the clever synth-pop of her 2017 album “Melodrama,” casting aside the folk detour of 2021’s “Solar Power.” “What Was That” is reserved revelation, introspective electropop that takes a measured look at a relationship’s dissolution. It feels good, and bad, which is the point.

Past champion: “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” Bee Gees (1971)

Song of the summer for the girls and all those who love them: “Gnarly,” KATSEYE

KATSEYE, the global girl group born out of K-pop development techniques, are “Gnarly,” and they’d like you to be, too. The song is asymmetrical pop with a cheerleading cadence and extensive, expensive product placement. You’re here for the girls, or you’re not. Gnarly!

Past champion: “Bills, Bills, Bills,” Destiny’s Child (1999)

Song for singles ready to mingle this summer: “WASSUP,” Young Miko

Flirting is central to these hot months; no other season has a fling named after it. Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko knows this better than most, and her track “WASSUP” is all about charisma — and it doesn’t hurt that it interpolates “Lollipop” by Lil Wayne featuring Static Major and “Chulin Culin Chunfly” by Voltio featuring Residente.

Past champion: “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” T-Pain featuring Yung Joc (2007)

Song of the summer for those who love British boy ballads performed by an American: “Ordinary,” Alex Warren

Last year brought Benson Boone’s glossy soft pop-rock; this year, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” is inescapable. A big, inoffensive ballad with loosely religious themes, it is meticulously designed to the pull at heartstrings. And it does — the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Past champion: “Beautiful Things,” Benson Boone (2024)

Song of the summer for when you lose the beef but still have fight left in ya: “Nokia,” Drake

For the last year, Drake has mostly made headlines for his rivalry with Kendrick Lamar, one of the biggest beefs in modern rap music history. He was no victor, but on “Nokia,” he’s certainly a winner. The song is a return to what Drizzy knows best: a massive rap-R&B-pop song for the ages, one that will live inside the minds of listeners for the whole year. Just, you know, replete with the nostalgic sounds of a Nokia ringtone.

Past champion: The difference here, of course, is that Drake won his beef with Meek Mill. But nonetheless: “Back to Back,” Drake (2015)

The TikTok-approved, blast-of-dopamine song of the summer: “Boots on the Ground,” 803Fresh

Social media is the wild west and inevitably sources its own song of the summer. Usually, there’s an element of humor in the track — like 2023’s “The Margarita Song” by That Chick Angel, Casa Di & Steve Terrell. This year is a bit different: 803Fresh’s “Boots on the Ground” is an organic hit that centers a kind of soulful line dance — it’s country-pop with trap hi-hats and fun for the whole family.

Past champion: “The Spark,” Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew (2024)

Song of the summer for it girls: “Fame Is A Gun,” Addison Rae

Charli xcx fans, fear not. Addison Rae’s debut album is stuffed with bejeweled, hypnotic pop songs for the post-“BRAT” crowd. Best of all is the Grimes-esque “Fame Is a Gun,” a sunglasses-in-the-club banger with synthetic vocal textures and an unignorable chorus. For fashionable listeners, and those who aim to become more fabulous.

Past champion: “Bad Girls,” Donna Summer (1979)

Song of the summer of revenge: “Manchild,” Sabrina Carpenter

Does it sound strikingly similar to “Please, Please, Please” at times? Sure. But has Sabrina Carpenter cornered the market on country-tinged, satirical pop songs about heterofatalism, an internet neologism for those who find heterosexuality embarrassing and hopeless? Also, yes. But you know, with a wink, vengeance and a danceable quality. Amen, hey men!

Past champion: “Before He Cheats,” Carrie Underwood (from her 2005 debut album, but released as a single in 2006)

Biggest song of the year, and therefore the default song of the summer: “Luther,” Kendrick Lamar and SZA

Is a song released in November too dated to qualify for song of the summer? Perhaps. But here’s the rub: Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks in 2025 — over half the year so far. Popularity makes the contender. It doesn’t hurt that “Luther” is also one of the best songs of both this year and last, a tender R&B ballad that samples Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 rendition of “If This World Were Mine.” “Luther” has since been dethroned on the charts, but no other song has come close to its run this year.

Past champion: “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen (2023)

Country crossover song of the summer: “What I Want,” Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae

If terrestrial country radio is your leading metric for selecting the song of the summer, then Morgan Wallen’s “I’m The Problem” is likely your pick. But a catchier track with true country crossover appeal is “What I Want” with Wallen and pop singer Tate McRae. It is the first time Wallen has featured a female vocalist on one of his songs. It’s a rare embrace for the chart topper, who historically prefers to buck country duet tradition and double down on his vocal style — warm, muscular, masculine.

Past champion: “You’re Still the One,” Shania Twain (from her 1997 album, but released as a single in 1998)

Song of the summer released half a decade ago: “party 4 you,” Charli xcx

The data doesn’t lie and what is old is new is old is new again. In the year after “BRAT” summer, desire for more Charli xcx is still strong. As a result, fans have dug up a cut from her 2020 album, “How I’m Feeling Now,” and turned it into their own summer anthem … five years later. So much so, in fact, that Charli released a music video for it in May.

Past champion: “Cruel Summer,” Taylor Swift (released in 2019, crowned song of the summer in 2023)

Song of the summer with a canine-themed title: “Mutt,” Leon Thomas

Look, “Mutt” also arrived in 2024, but in 2025 — bolstered by a deluxe release and a recent Chris Brown remix — makes “Mutt” an easy song of the summer pick for some listeners. It’s difficult to hear that chorus and not sing along: “She said, ‘Take your time, what’s the rush?’ / I said, ‘Baby, I’m a dog, I’m a mutt.’”

Past champion: “Bird Dog,” The Everly Brothers (1958)

More than 50 years on, these are fresh times for “The Wiz” — if not entirely a brand new day.

The current touring production of the seven-time Tony Award-winning musical — which staged its first preview performances in Detroit during 1974 — straddles a line between revival and reimagination, with changes both substantial and subtle but still staying true to the spirit of a Big Broadway Musical.

Proof of that is in the extravagant dance production pieces, primarily during Act II, and Dana Simone’s lung-busting performances, as Dorothy, of torchy anthems such as “Soon As I Get Home,” “Wonder, Wonder Why” and “Home.”

But this take on “The Wiz” — directed by Schele Williams, with music supervision by Joseph Joubert and “new material” by Amber Ruffin — streamlines and contemporizes the African-American take on Frank Baum’s 1900 novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

There are crisp new sections of dialogue, particularly smack talk that blends 1970s and 2020s attitudes and modern musical flavors — the latter particularly evident as the “Matrix”-like “The Emerald City” sequence that opens the second act moves from disco to clubby EDM flavors. There’s also a little more steam-punk in the scenery this time, with a floor-to-ceiling video screen that gives the production greater visual depth.

Weighing in at a tidy hour-and-50-minutes, plus intermission, the new “Wiz” loses a few scenes and songs (bad news for fans of the Funky Monkeys) without compromising the narrative. And, of course, you’d still be hard-pressed to find a more joyous moment in all of theater than the Luther Vandross-composed “Everybody Rejoice”/”Brand New Day” couplet after the death (is that really a spoiler alert?) of evil witch Evillene — staged this time as a “Hair”-like exposition of hippie bonhomie.

The good news is that this tale as old as (post-industrial) time still works, from the bullet-proof story itself to the original songs from Charlie Smalls and others. And it has a solid cast, from Simone’s Dorothy to the 14-member dance company, to deliver those goods with theater-filling charisma.

They fill “The Wiz” with a series of show-stopping moments, starting with Simone and Kyla Jade’s (Aunt Em) “The Feeling We Once Had.” Tin Man D. Jerome’s “What Would I Do If I Could Feel” is a soulful highlight, while Kyla Jade, as Evillene, lights things up with the tambourine-shaking New Orleans romp through “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.” And Alan Mingo Jr. is, as he’s supposed to be, a scene-stealer as Wiz, channeling his inner Samuel L. Jackson during performances of “Meet the Wiz” and “Y’all Got It.”

Coming on the heels of the successful movie adaptation of “Wicked,” “The Wiz” is a reclamation of the first iteration of the story — as familiar now as it was audacious during the mid-70s. And it proves that you can go “Home” again, even if the place has been remodeled a bit since the last time we were there.

“The Wiz” runs through June 29 at the Fisher Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. 313-872-100 or broadwayindetroit.com.

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David Foster acknowledges he and Chris Botti were “kind of stressed” about their first show together, which took place in February 2024 in Florida and also included Foster’s wife and “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee.

“We loved doing it,” Foster, 75, recalls via Zoom, with trumpeter Botti alongside him, “but we were like, ‘How does this mix together, all our different genres of music — Kat with her Broadway, me with my pop, Chris with his contemporary jazz?` And it just worked out great, and the audience seemed to be with us every step of the way.

“And we thought this is something we can work on a bigger scale, so here we are.”

The three have embarked on a 12-city tour that, as Foster indicates, covers a diverse range of material. He’s won 16 Grammy Awards as a performer, producer, arranger and songwriter for the likes of Chicago,  Boz Scaggs, Dionne Warwick, Paul McCartney, Michael Buble, Rod Stewart and many others. Foster also produced Botti’s latest album, “Vol. 1,” and composed music for the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical “Boop!”

Botti, 62  — a Grammy winner whose myriad credits include Sting, James Taylor, Barbra Streisand, John Mayer and others, in addition to 11 of his own albums — has worked in the studio with Foster since 2001 and says the two are kindred spirits. “I paramountly love melody, and so does (Foster),” Botti explains. “David’s hooked me up with some great people like Josh Groban or Bocelli, of course. And to do that crossover takes a certain sensibility. I consider myself a trumpeter first, not, like, a ‘jazz musician.'”

Foster says he was “determined not to make another record,” but relented in 2023 when Botti asked him to helm “Vol. 1,” asking Foster to “just sit in the chair for six days. That’s all I need you for.” “True to his word,” Foster notes, “It was six days. I didn’t do much — just every once in a while maybe like, ‘Don’t play so much there’ or ‘You should fill that hole.’ Very, very light, breezy stuff.

“So, I don’t know, maybe there’s another six days like that in our life again. We’ll see.”

David Foster and Chris Botti, with Katharine McPhee, perform up 8 p.m. Saturday, June 21 at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit. 313-237-7464 or detroitopera.org.

On sale now

• CoComelon Sing-A-Long Live: Oct. 12, Fox Theatre, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• The SteelDrivers: Sept. 5, Flagstar Strand Theatre, Pontiac, ticket prices vary.

On sale, 10 a.m. June 20

• Night of Knockouts XXXV: Aug. 22, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• Gracie’s Corner Live: Two shows, Aug. 24, The Fillmore-Detroit, animated series live musical show, LiveNation.com, ticket prices vary.

• Jonas Brothers: Aug. 28, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, with Marshmello and Boys Like Girls, ticket prices vary.

• Stevie Nicks: Sept. 7, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• The B-52s and Devo: Sept. 25, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp. with Lene Lovich, ticket prices vary.

•  Ava Max: Oct. 2, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, ticket prices vary.

• The Whispers: Oct. 26, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• PlayStation The Concert: Nov. 7, The Fisher Theatre,  Detroit, BroadwayInDetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Tamar Braxton: Nov. 19, Sound Board, 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

• Outlaw Music Festival: 4 p.m. June 20, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles and Myron Elkins, lineup subject to change, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Sunflower Bean: 8 p.m. June 20, Third Man Records, 441 W Canfield St, Detroit, https://thirdmanrecords.com/pages/events, $21.33.

• Cris Jacobs: 8 p.m. June 20, The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, with Lost Mary, https://theark.org, doors at 7:30 p.m., $29-$40+.

• Toby Keith and Chris Stapleton tribute bands: 7-10 p.m. June 20, Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn Ct., Orion Twp., orion.events, bring lawn chairs or blankets for general admission, $20+.

• jae skeese: 7 p.m. June 20, El Club Detroit, 4114 W. Vernor Hwy., https://elclubdetroit.com, $33.99.

• Barnaby Bright: 8 p.m. June 20, at 20 Front Street, Lake Orion, with his Virginia Choir and Nate Currin, 248-783-7105, www.20frontstreet.com, doors at 7:30 p.m., $24.79.

• The Pretenders Tribute: 8 p.m. June 20, The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, www.theroxyrochester.com, $25+.

• Maddie & Tae: June 20, District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte, with Audrey Ray, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, district142live.com, $46.79 – $67.39+.

• Flock of Seagulls: June 21, The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, Detroit, www.thearetha.com, ticket prices vary.

• Simple Minds: 7 p.m. June 21, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp.,  with Soft Cell and Modern English, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras: June 21, District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte, with Tom Schwartz, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, district142live.com, $33.40-$84.90+.

• The Ban-Joes of Michigan: June 21, at SALT Church, 5475 Livernois, Troy, as part of a fundraiser for Isaac Williams, who serves as a self-funded missionary in the Czech Republic. The event starts at noon with snacks, fellowship, and a video from Isaac, a performance from 12:30-1:30 p.m., free admission, free will offering, call 248-879-6400 to reserve seats.

• City Lights Chorus Concert: 7 p.m. June 21, at Hilltop Church, 21260 Haggerty Road, Northville, www.citylightschorus.com, $20+.

• Miles & Mafale Acoustic Duo: 8 p.m. June 21, Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile, Livonia, www.trinityhousetheatre.org.

• Major Dudes, Steely Dan tribute: 8 p.m. June 21, Younger’s Showroom, 120 S. Main, Romeo, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, www.youngersromeo.com, $30+.

•  Keith Urban: June 22,  Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp.with Chase Matthew, Alana Springsteen and Karley Scott Collins, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Lil Baby: 7 p.m. June 22, LCA With Rob49, Loe Shimmy and Pluto,, lineup is subject to change,

• Less Than Jake: June 22, Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. 4th St. Royal Oak, with the Suicide Machines, www.royaloakmusictheatre.com, 248-399-3065, ticket prices vary.

• Lauren Sanderson, Emeryld: June 22, The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 248-820-5596, thelovingtouchferndale.com, all ages, doors at 7 p.m., $29.58+.

Concerts in the Park

• Summer Concerts in the Park: 6-9 p.m. Thursdays June 5-June 26, Hess-Hathaway Park, 825 S. Williams Lake Road, Waterford Twp., bring lawn chairs or blankets, food vendors, activities, https://waterfordchamber.org, free admission.

• Music in The Park: 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays June 19-July 31, Rochester Municipal Park, 400 6th St., Rochester, www.facebook.com/musicintheparkdowntownrochester, free admission, bring a blanket or lawn chairs, food truck vendor.

• Oxford Summer Concert Series: downtown Oxford Concerts in the Park: 6:30-8 p.m. Thursdays June 19-Aug. 14, (no concert on July 3), Centennial Park on Lapeer Road, downtown Oxford, https://downtownoxford.info/events/oxfords-summer-concert-series.

• Music Series in Dinan Park: Thursdays, June 5-Aug. 28, (no concert July 17 during Farmington Founders Festival) Dinan Park, downtown Farmington, www.downtownfarmington.org.

• Rhythms in Riley Park: 7-9 p.m. Fridays June 13-Aug. 29 (no concert July 18), Riley Park, downtown Farmington, www.downtownfarmington.org.

• Concerts in the Park: 6-9 p.m. Fridays, June 20 to July 18, (no concert on July 4), Depot Park, 375 Depot Road, Clarkston, concessions, https://clarkston.org/events/concerts-in-the-park.

• Royal Oak Live: 1:30-8 p.m. June 21-22, Smooth Grooves, lineup of several musicians, both days, Centennial Commons Park, 204 S. Troy St. Royal Oak, bring lawn chairs or blankets, food trucks, royaloakchamber.com/royal-oak-live, free admission.

• Summer Concert Series: 6:30-9 p.m. Sundays May 25-Sept. 1, Lake St. Clair Metropark, Thomas Welsh Activity Center, Harrison Twp. Metroparks vehicle pass required to enter.

• Concerts in the Park: 7 p.m. June 24 at Burton Park; July 4 and Tuesdays, July 8-29, at Scotia Park, Huntington Woods, www.facebook.com/HWPR1.

Festivals

• Ann Arbor Summer Festival: June 13-29, at University of Michigan’s campus, 915 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor, www.a2sf.org. Squonk-Brouhaha opera is 5:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. June 20-21 and 4:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. June 22. Matt Sandbank ”Still Life” nonverbal shadow puppetry stories, is 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. June 27-June 29, free event.

• Bay-Rama Fishfly Festival: June 18-22, downtown New Baltimore, www.bay-rama.com, fireworks at dusk, June 19, Walter & Mary Burke Park, parade at 1 p.m. June 22.

• Lions Club Jubilee: June 19-22, carnival, Lions Club Beer Tent with live music is 6 p.m.-midnight, June 20 and June 21, the corner of Flint and Broadway, 37 E Flint St. Lake Orion, https://skerbeck.com/events/219.

• Novi Fine Art Fair: June 20-22, outdoor juried event, music, children’s activities, food trucks, at Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk, admission to the art fair is $5 for adults, free for ages 12 and under, www.NoviFineArtFair.com, parking is free.

• Summer Solstice Celebration: 6:30-8:30 p.m. June 21, Farmington Hills Nature Center in Heritage Park, hayrides, campfire, games and crafts, $8 each.

• Summer Solstice Celebration: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. June 21, Cranbrook Art Museum & Cranbrook Institute of Science, https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/events/summer-solstice-celebration-2025. Tickets in advance are $12 for general admission and $10 for members, with on-site tickets available for $15.

• Downtown Rochester Makers’ Market: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 21, at W. Fourth Street in downtown Rochester. Artisan vendors, makers, and handmade crafters, downtownrochestermi.com.

• Strawberry Festival: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. June 21-22, Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill, 17985 Armada Center Road, Armada, 586-784-5343, https://blakefarms.com. fresh U-pick strawberries, live entertainment, strawberry-themed food and drinks, and special seasonal offerings. On Saturday, line dancing, and then a fireworks show at dusk. Admission is free.

• Detroit Fireworks: June 23, over the Detroit River at 9:56pm Hart Plaza, Detroit, https://theparade.org.

• Festival of the Hills: June 25, Borden Park, 1400 E. Hamlin Road, Rochester Hills. Entertainment starts at 6 p.m., fireworks at 10:05 p.m., no alcohol, no pets, no other fireworks, (rainout date is July 9), https://rochesterhills.org/foth.

• Lite the Night Fireworks: 6-10 p.m. June 26, Sibley Square Park, 48900 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, live music, beer and wine tent, food trucks, children’s activities, fireworks at 10 p.m. www.wixomgov.org.

• Taylor Summer Festival: June 26-29, Heritage Park, 12111 Pardee Road, Taylor, live music, carnival rides and fireworks, Hinder and Sebastian Bach take the stage June 27, at the Sheridan Center Open Air Pavilion, ticket prices vary, fireworks display at dusk June 28, taylorfestival.com.

• Salute to America: 5-10 p.m. July 2-5, Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, performance by Detroit Symphony Orchestra at 8:30 p.m., military fife and drum parade, food, craft beer, performance of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” with cannon fire, fireworks, www.thehenryford.org, ticket prices vary. Greenfield Village will close at 3 p.m. for general admission during Salute to America event days.

Juneteenth celebrations

• Juneteenth Concert-Da’Ja: 7 p.m. June 19, at The Hawk Theatre Mainstage, 29995 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, tickets are free and must be reserved in advance at TheHawkTheatre.com.

• Juneteenth celebration: June 19, Greenfield Village, Dearborn, watch cooking demonstrations from African American cookbooks, visit A Taste of History restaurant, live music, activities, Black-Owned Business Day in Detroit Central Market, www.thehenryford.org, ticket prices vary.

• Free admission to Cranbrook Art Museum: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. June 19, Juneteenth Day, at Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, free for all on Juneteenth as a part of Free Thursdays. Visit the lower level for FIKA Café and drop-in artmaking activities for all ages, https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/events/juneteenth-free-gallery-admission-2025, 248-645-3323. Cranbrook on the Green Mini Golf will be regular price.

• Juneteenth at the Detroit Historical Museum: June 19, The Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit, will be open for personal exploration, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and “The Moral and Social Scope of Juneteenth,” educational program is noon-1 p.m., participation is free with registration, detroithistorical.org.

• “Liberation Link Up”: June 20, live music and grant competition where attendees vote to award $6,000 to local Black-owned businesses and nonprofits, cigar lounge, appetizer stations, hosted by Black Leaders Detroit, www.blackleadersdetroit.org, $28.52+.

• Juneteenth Jubilee Detroit: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 21, at Valade Park, 2670 Atwater St., Detroit, with a Liberation Run, community fair, health screenings, yoga, music, and a battle of the bands, hosted by Black Leaders Detroit, www.blackleadersdetroit.org, free admission.

• Juneteenth Open Mic Event: 1-4 p.m. June 21 at the Southfield Library outside on the Front Lawn (or inside the Meeting Room in case of inclement weather). The community will be invited to present original spoken word done solo, in duets or trios, food, vendors, preregistration on the Library website is recommended to perform, and walk-in performances will be welcome if time permits. Content should be PG-13. Register at https://southfieldlibrary.org/calendar-of-events/#/events/QIY5wJfdKi/instances/3IHfEAGdn2.

Theater

• Summer Theatre Arts Camp: Session 1 is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 16-20 and Session 2 is June 23-27, at The Studios, 11 Washington St., Monroe, for young performers who’ve completed 1st grade+, River Raisin Centre for the Arts, register at 734-242-RRCA, www.riverraisincentre.org.

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

• “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”: Through 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.

• “Jorge Luis Borges Gives a Lecture on Anatomy”: A play with music is through June 29, Theatre NOVA, 410 W Huron St, Ann Arbor, www.theatrenova.org, general admission-$30, students-$15.

Art

• Farmington Hills Seeks Artist Submissions: The City of Farmington Hills Cultural Arts Division seeks artists for the 2025-2027 Public Art Program to showcase their work at two locations: The Hawk, the City’s recreation and arts venue, and Farmington Hills City Hall. Applications can be submitted at tinyurl.com/FHPublicArt25. Artists are not required to live in Farmington Hills.

• Drop-in Workshop: Watercolor Postcards is 6-8:30 p.m. June 20, noon-4 p.m. June 21-22, Detroit Institute of Arts, Art-Making Studio, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, www.dia.org.

Eventually Everything Connects: Mid-Century Modern Design in the US exhibit through Sept. 21, Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://cranbrookartmuseum.org. Book launch and panel discussion is 6 p.m. June 26, celebrating the launch of “Eventually Everything Connects-Mid-Century Modern Design in the US,” the exhibition catalog published by Phaidon to accompany the landmark exhibition of the same name. The book signing is at 6 p.m., and the panel discussion will begin at 6:30 p.m., free event.

• Mini-Golf at Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/events/mini-golf-fathers-day-2025-copy, 248-645-3323, to receive a complimentary ticket, purchase all tickets together, includes admission to the art museum.

• Inside|Out Art: Detroit Institute of Arts docent will give a talk, 6:30 p.m. June 25, Springfield Township Library, 12000 Davisburg Road, Davisburg, register at www.springfield.michlibrary.org, 248-846-6550. Ten installations of DIA reproduction artwork have been placed around the township.

• Magical Mural Tour: Call for artists to create art for pop-up murals on display Sept. 1-30, downtown Rochester, Entries open through July 7, at www.downtownrochestermi.com/magical-mural-tour.

• 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.

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

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

Beats, continued

• Betty Who: 7 p.m. June 23, Saint Andrews Hall, 431 E Congress St., Detroit, www.saintandrewsdetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Ryan Adams: 7 p.m. June 24, The Fillmore Detroit, www.thefillmoredetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Kennebec Avenue: 7-11 p.m. June 25, Stray Cat Lounge, 40813 Garfield Road, Clinton Twp., https://kennebecjazz.com.

• Dispatch: 6 p.m. June 26, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, Rochester Hills, with John Butler, G. Love & Special Sauce, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Illiterate Light, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: 8 p.m. June 26, Fox Theatre, Detroit, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Kingston Trio: 7 p.m. June 27, Meadowbrook Theatre, 378 Meadow Brook Road, Rochester, doors at 6 p.m. kingstontrio.com, ticket prices vary.

Books

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

Classical/Orchestra

• Symphony by the Shores: 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays, June 24 (Brass Quintet) through July 29, at Lake St. Clair Metropark, Thomas Welsh Activity Center, Harrison Twp. Bring blanket or chairs, concessions will be open during the concerts. If the event is canceled due to inclement weather, it will be posted on social media and the website. Metroparks pass is required.

• Michigan Philharmonic: “An American Salute”  is 7 p.m. June 28, Kellogg Park, Plymouth, free concert. Raffle fundraiser tickets for a river cruise in France, winner to be announced at the concert, www.michiganphil.org.

• Chris Thile with the DSO: June 26, mandolinist  with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit, dso.org, $39+.

• Music in the Park: 10:30 a.m. June 20, June 27, July 11, July 18, and July 25, Spotlight Park, 5945 Linwood, Detroit. Workshop series featuring Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians, geared for students 10 and under and their families. Families must register at nwgoldbergcares.com/mitp.

Comedy

• Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle: Chris Porter-June 19-21; Natalie Cuomo and Dan Lamorte-June 22; Michael Longfellow-June 26-28; at 310 S. Troy St., Royal Oak, www.comedycastle.com, 248-542-9900, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• One Night Stans: Steve Lind-June 19-21; Rocky LaPorte-June 26-28; at 4761 Highland Road, Waterford Twp., www.onenightstans.club, 248-249-1321, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• Ahmed Albasheer: 8 p.m. June 27, The Fillmore Detroit, www.thefillmoredetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Fred Armisen: June 28, Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. 4th St. Royal Oak, www.royaloakmusictheatre.com, 248-399-3065, ticket prices vary.

Film

• Smurfs meet and greet: In honor of the new film, “Smurfs”, Smurfette and No Name will be meeting and greeting fans, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. June 24 at Emagine Novi; 6-8 p.m. June 24 at Campus Martius Park in Detroit, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 25 at Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak and 4-8 p.m. June 25 at MJR Marketplace in Sterling Heights, Papa Smurf is also set to appear at the Campus Martius Park and the Detroit Zoo events.

• Popcorn and Pistons: Family Movie Night featuring “Smokey and the Bandit” is 7-10 p.m. June 27, and “My Cousin Vinny” is 7-10 p.m. July 25, at Pontiac Transportation Museum, 250 W Pike St., Pontiac, pontiactransportationmuseum.org, www.facebook.com/pontiactransportationmuseum, 248 977 4410, free to members, non-members-$10+ general admission.

• 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.

Food trucks

• Food Truck Mondays: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays, May -August, Beverly Park, 18801 Beverly Road, Beverly Hills, www.villagebeverlyhills.com/department/beverly_park_events.php.

• Food Truck Wednesdays:  11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays June 18-Aug. 20, BCTV Studio Parking Lot,  4190 Dublin Drive, Bloomfield Twp., www.bloomfieldtwp.org/foodtruck.

• 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.

Fundraisers

• 90th Anniversary Celebration:  June 22, anniversary celebration for Council Re|Sale Store, fashion show and fundraiser for National Council of Jewish Women, at 2.30 p.m. June 22, at Temple Emanu-El (14450 W. 10 Mile Road, Oak Park, tickets are $18 at ncjwmi.org.

• Shimmer on the River fundraiser: June 26 at Valade Park, 2670 Atwater St. along the East Riverfront in downtown Detroit. live music, food trucks, kids dance party, Riverfront Boardwalk, Adventure Park, presented by The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, tickets are $150 each and include access to the main event from 6 to 9 p.m., a strolling dinner and refreshments, live entertainment, prizes, games and free admission for up to two children 12 and under, detroitriverfront.org/Shimmer.

• 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.

• MotorCity Cage Night XXI- MMA: 7 p.m. June 21, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Detroit, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

Museums

• Hammond Planetarium at Henry Ford College, in the Science Building, www.hfcc.edu/campus-life/planetarium.

• 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. Cars & Coffee events are 8:30 to 10 a.m. second Saturdays in June, July and August. Antique and classic vehicles are welcome in the museum’s parking lot, coffee and donuts while supplies last. Trailer parking is available with an RSVP to info@fordpiquetteplant.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. Michigan Science Center’s (Mi-Sci) summer Spark! Camps for students entering K-5th grade are open for registration. The science camps run from June 23 – Aug. 15, register at www.mi-sci.org/learn/families/camps.

• Cranbrook Institute of Science, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://science.cranbrook.edu. 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.

• 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.

• A River’s Rejuvenation: The Fish Story of Detroit is through 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 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.

• 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.

• 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: 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, motownmuseum.org, 313-875-2264. “Henry ‘Hank’ Cosby: An Original Funk Brother” is a newly opened exhibit. Museum is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sun., gen. admission-$20, ages 4 and under admitted free. Mile, Pushin’ Culture Forward, outdoor exhibit shows the enduring intergenerational influence of Motown on music and society. The installation’s eight panels can be viewed while walking down the Riverwalk and runs through Nov. 14.

• 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.

• The Zekelman Holocaust Center: 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.

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.

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.