Hamtramck has a vibrant arts scene. In duplexes around the city, you can hear people playing in a local band or practicing their comedy. 

Those people are often young and queer. 

Hamtramck Queer Alliance is making sure its presence is known and spreading the word, supporting the education and advocacy of all gender and sexual minorities, who are often involved in creative spaces.

Passenger Recovery was founded in 2016 with the goal of helping traveling artists maintain sobriety with tools and resources to allow for safe experiences on the road.  

Now, the artistic and sobriety space, Recovery Community Center, is trying to do even more to foster and protect local and visiting talent, and to expand its programming. They’ve found they often partner with the Hamtramck Queer Alliance, providing a safe space for all sorts of communities in the area. 

Bryan Wolf is the Director of Passenger Recovery and Passenger Radio, a music and sound professional and educator. Tim Price is Outreach and Marketing Director of Social Media for Passenger Radio WHCK. He is also the founder and curator of the Christopher Street Gallery in Hamtramck.

Bryan and Tim joined The Metro to talk more about what’s being happening in Hamtramck’s arts and culture scene.

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

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Capturing love through photography

Elonte Davis is a Detroit-based photographer and a 2025 Kresge Fellow. His work has been featured in Forbes Magazine, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

For Elonte, photography is a powerful tool to spread love and joy, helping people see themselves differently and with greater appreciation.

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, Jonah Kagen makes his national debut with the album “Sunflowers & Leather,” an album he created entirely himself, traveling the country in an Airstream trailer last year.

Also, some archived performances from Rosanne Cash, Eels, Fountains Of Wayne and much more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for October 26, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Already Dead” – Beck
• “Everybody Laughs” – David Byrne
• “Thank You, Love You, All Better” – Olivia Barton
• “Oh Wide World” – Mon Rovia
• “Hurricane” – Rosanne Cash (in-studio performance)
• “Soul Of A Man” – Robert Plant & Suzi Dian
• “Sunflowers & Leather” – Jonah Kagen (in-studio guest)
• “You Again” – Jonah Kagen (in-studio guest)
• “Things Done Changed” – Jerron Paxton
• “Parting Gift” – Fiona Apple
• “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” – Eels (in-studio performance)
• “Favorite Place” – John Gorka
• “Nowhere Is Where” – Margo Price
• “At All” – Jon Batiste
• “Hate That It’s True” – Ivy
• “Fire In The Canyon” – Fountains Of Wayne (in-studio performance)
• “Hollywood (Unerthed Version)” – Toro y Moi
• “Here To Forever (acoustic)” – Death Cab For Cutie
• “Planting By The Signs” – S.G. Goodman
• “Lovestruck” – The Heavy Heavy (in-studio performance)
• “Moon” – Daniel Caesar
• “God Needs The Devil” – Jonah Kagen (in-studio guest)
• “The Roads” – Jonah Kagen (in-studio guest)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, Brandi Carlile returns to self, and Cautious Clay returns with late night songs.

Also, tons of re-issues from Smashing Pumpkins, Elton John, Ringo Starr and more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for October 25, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “5th Floor (10 PM)” – Cautious Clay
• “Dracula” – Tame Impala
• “Dearborn” – Bahamas
• “Misled” – Kool & The Gang
  
• “The Day is Long” – The Whiskey Charmers
  
• “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” – Smashing Pumpkins
  
• “Tonight, Tonight” – Leslie Odum Jr.
• “Norwegian Wood” – Jacob Collier
  
• “Nothing More Lonely” – St. Paul & The Broken Bones
  
• “Church And State” – Brandi Carlile
• “Run It Back” – Madison McFerrin
• “Let’s Do It Again” – The Staple Singers
• “Tell Me When The Whistle Blows” – Elton John

• “Rubberband Man” – Mumford & Sons + Hozier
  
• “The Rubberband Man” – The Detroit Spinners
• “Way Out, Way Down” – Peter Litvin
• “Dans Un Moment D’errance” – The Midnight Hour
• “Thieves In The Temple” – Herbie Hancock
• “Thieves In The Temple” – Prince
• “Fatal Optimist” – Madi Diaz
• “Early 1970” – Ringo Starr
• “Snookeroo” – Ringo Starr
• “By the End Of The Night” – Amber Mark
• “Cruisin'” – D’Angelo

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

Spooky season is here, and we’ve got Halloween celebrations for Detroiters of all ages — including hayrides, canine costume contests and frightning fundraisers. Plus, art showcases, beer tastings, grand openings and more.

Upcoming events

Diwali in the D

  Various locations in Detroit

  Monday, Oct. 20 through Saturday, Oct. 25

  Free

A weeklong celebration of the Festival of Lights, featuring cultural performances, traditional foods, community art activations and interactive experiences designed to bring the community together. Participating locations include Momo Cha, Detroit Shipping Company, The Social Brews and Detroit’s Chinatown District.

Heart Land by Mary-Ann Monforton

  Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit – Mike Kelley’s Mobile Homestead

  Opens Friday, Oct. 24

  $8–$12 (free for kids 12 and under)

A solo exhibition by Detroit artist Mary-Ann Monforton that reimagines icons of American wealth and ambition through playfully imperfect sculptures. Together, the works establish a dialogue that questions what it means to aspire, acquire and belong. Admission is $12 for the general public, $10 for seniors, veterans and educators, $8 for students, and free for kids 12 and under. MOCAD’s Mobile Homestead is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

16th Annual Boo Fest at Green Oak

  Green Oak Village Place in Brighton

  Friday, Oct. 24

  Free

A free, family-friendly evening of safe trick-or-treating, hands-on games and festive entertainment throughout Green Oak shopping center. Visitors are encouraged to dress up in costume to receive candy and giveaways from retailers while supplies last. The event goes from 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Detroit Harvest Fest & Wilson Park Grand Opening

  Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park in Detroit

  Saturday, Oct. 25 and Sunday, Oct. 26

  Free

Two days of free, all-ages fun featuring three live music stages, fall activities, 35 local food trucks and more. This year’s Harvest Fest also marks the grand opening of Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park, a new 22-acre park on the Detroit Riverfront. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m., and the festival is open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

16th Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival

  Eastern Market in Detroit

  Saturday, Oct. 25

  $60 in advance, $70 at the door

A beer tasting event highlighting local Michigan breweries. There will also be live music and food available for purchase. Tickets include a sample cup and 15 tasting tokens with additional tokens available for purchase. The festival goes from 1–6 p.m. This event is 21+.

Belong Lending Fall Fest & Trick-or-Treat Community Bash

  Belong Lending Headquarters in Detroit

  Saturday, Oct. 25

  Free

A community Halloween celebration hosted by Belong Lending, a Detroit-based, community-centered mortgage company. Festivities include pumpkin giveaways, candy bags, face painting, donuts and cider, a food truck, music, and coloring books for the kids. This event goes from noon to 3 p.m. and is open to all ages.

12th Annual Howl-O-Ween Costume Party

  Grand Circus Dog Park in Detroit

  Saturday, Oct. 25

  Free with registration

A Halloween party for dogs and their humans featuring a costume contest with five categories, themed games, a live DJ, photo opportunities and treats for all attendees. Winners will get prizes from local businesses courtesy of Strategic Staffing Solutions, Michigan Humane and Premier Pet Supply. Festivities go from 2–4 p.m., and the costume contest begins at 2:30 p.m.

IronBody Studios Grand Opening & Community Celebration

  IronBody Studios in Madison Heights

  Saturday, Oct. 25

  Free

A community event celebrating the newly expanded IronBody Studios, a fitness brand led by Detroit-based entrepreneur Hannah Haynes. The grand opening will feature complimentary class demonstrations, free fitness food, an open bar, a vendor market, a professional photo booth and gift bags for the first 50 guests. Festivities go from 2–6:30 p.m. and all ages are welcome.

Halloween Monster Bash for WDET

  Kuhnhenn Brewing Company in Clinton Township

  Saturday, Oct. 25

  $20

A Halloween benefit for WDET hosted by Modern Music host Jon Moshier and organized by friends of the station. There will be a costume contest, classic horror films and live rock n roll performances by The 3-D Invisibles, The Amino Acids and the F-Hole Wreckers. Doors open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7 p.m. and the costume contest is at 8:30 p.m. This event is 21+.

Boo Bash at Heritage Park

  Heritage Park in Farmington Hills

  Sunday, Oct. 26

  $15–$22

A family-friendly outdoor Halloween celebration featuring costumes, hayrides, a trick-or-treat trail, themed crafts, bounce houses and a bonfire. Admission is $15 for Farmington Hills residents and $20 for non-residents, and s’mores kits are available for an extra $2. The event goes from noon to 4 p.m.

CONTAINER Tour: Stop Three

  Oakland Avenue Urban Farm in Detroit

  Thursday, Oct. 30

  Free

A showcase of Detroit talent featuring live music from Bryce Detroit and bites by Smokey G’s Smokehouse, Fried Chicken & Caviar, and Chef Jermond Booze. The event goes from 6–9 p.m.

Special in-studio guest Madison McFerrin drops by to talk about her new album “Scorpio” as well as collaborating with her father Bobby McFerrin ahead of her show tonight at El Club in southwest Detroit—doors at 7 p.m., with Madison performing at 9 p.m.

Plus new music from Gerald Clayton, Say She She, Turbotito, Jeff Tweedy, Chronixx and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for October 22, 2025

• “Rush” – Gerald Clayton
• “Deep in the Woods” – Tennis
• “Cut & Rewind” – Say She She
• “Nainan Da Pyar De Gaya (feat. Piya Malik)” – Turbotito & Ragz
• “Weak In Your Light (Daniel Avery Remix)” – Nation of Language
• “Ride Around” – Goat Girl
• “Who By Fire” – Skinny Pelembe & Beth Orton
• “Three Hours” – John Parish & Aldous Harding
• “One Tiny Flower” – Jeff Tweedy
• “Under a Rainbow (feat. Elle Músa)” – SFJ
• “Survivor” – Chronixx
• “Tear It Down” – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
• “Bitter Streets” – SAULT
• “I & I” – Chronixx
• “Fighting For Our Love” – Madison McFerrin
• “Ain’t It Nice” – Madison McFerrin
• “Insane” – Madison McFerrin
• “Run” – Madison McFerrin & Bobby McFerrin
• “Spent” – Madison McFerrin
• “Don’t You Worry Baby (feat. Madison McFerrin)” – Tyler The Creator
• “Love Is Stronger Than Pride (Alexander Nut Remix)” – Sade
• “No Others” – Momoko Gill
• “Uno Punto Uno” – Women In Jazz & Rosa Brunello
• “Rosso Di Sera Bel Tempo Si Spera” – Causi Sui
• “Compared To What” – John Legend & The Roots
• “People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul (Remix)” – James Brown
• “Thrown Around” – James Blake
• “Somethin Here” – Terrence Parker
• “Rain Can’t Reach Us (feat. Tony Allen)” – Yannis & the Yaw

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Another stacked lineup for MI Local, with two trios, plenty of songwriters and amazing local musicians all around!

Let’s start with some new music! Andrew Dost is the lead singer/songwriter and musician from his evolving solo-project (but also, a band), known as Metal Bubble Trio. We premiered a new single by MBT, “Grey & Black Bee,” and even sampled a atmospheric, Eno-esque instrumental, “Let Me Tell You About My Universe.”

Both of these songs will be on Dost’s next album, “Metal Head Satellite Freakout.” This follows-up the official release of MBT’s debut album, Cucumber, which was when the project was in it’s Bossa Nova era. Now Dost says he’s fusing that intensively with his sincere love for metal!

Dost lives between Detroit and the Traverse City era, and while he’s in our neck of the woods, for about half of each year, he’s got collaborators like Deleano Acevedo and Ryan Clancy, both of whom will be joining Dost next Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the Paris Bar.

“Metal Head Satellite Freakout,” meanwhile, will be out at some point in the next 6 months, likely less. Dost, meanwhile, has been in notable groups, previously including the Mt. Pleasant based Anathallo, and Fun., a NY-based project with Jack Antonoff and Nate Reuss, (you might remember their hit song, “We Are Young”?).

Dost talked about the origins of Metal Bubble Trio, which formed about two years ago, along with the story of his debut album, “Cubumber.” While in-studio, Dost also performed a live, acoustic version of MBT’s song “Universal Themes,” on electric guitar.

After Dost, we had The Kate Hinote Trio hang out for an interview about their most recent album, “Stowaways.” This group features, as you might have guessed, Kate Hinote on lead vocals, having previously showcased her powerhouse vocals with groups like The Blueflowers and Ether Aura. Joining Hinote to round out the trio are guitarist David Johnson, also from the Blueflowers and violinist (and singer) Matthew Parmenter from Discipline.)

The Kate Hinote Trio talked about their 2nd full-length album, “Stowaways,” which was released a couple months ago, following up their debut, “Near.” While in-studio, the band treated us to a live acoustic version of their most recent single, “The Last Day I Went Crazy.”

You can see them live, on Wednesday, November 5 at the Detroit Public Library at 6 p.m.

Finally, singer-songwriter Mike Leslie swung by to talk about his upcoming debut solo album, as well as, yes, treating WDET listeners to even more live in-studio music, with the song, “Grand Haven.”

Leslie has been making music his whole life (he started on guitar at age 4), but some of his noteworthy past projects include the Mike Leslie Band, which started around 2012, and his stint touring and recording with Candlebox. He’s also quite a talented painter.

Several years ago, Leslie started developing a solo project, with a few singles released here and there, but now, coming up on Saturday, November 8, Leslie will be performing at an album release party for “Goodbye Forever: An Introduction,” hosted at Ant Hall in Hamtramck, with Emily Rose and Olivia Dear.

Stream the whole show up top for two weeks after it airs, and find details about the songs we featured below!

• “Grey and Black Bee” – Metal Bubble Trio
• “Let Me Tell You About My Universe” – Metal Bubble Trio
• “Universal Themes” – Metal Bubble Trio, live in WDET Studios
• “Love Comes a Flower”  – The Kate Hinote Trio
• “The Last Day I Went Crazy” – The Kate Hinote Trio, live in WDET Studios
• “If I Should Go” – The Kate Hinote Trio
• “Goodbye Forever” – Mike Leslie
• “Grand Haven” – Mike Leslie, live in WDET Studios
• “Blue Midnight” – Mike Leslie

New music from Georgie Sweet, Nightbus, Cut Copy, Hot Chip, Dry Cleaning and a few of my favorite covers from Fiona Apple, Cat Power, and Buddy Miles.

Plus writer and social commentator Fran Lebowitz drops by to chat Motown, Dolly Parton and the New York Dolls ahead of her talk at the Fisher Theatre on Wednesday (tickets available here).

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for October 21, 2025

• “The Ones We Loved” – Georgie Sweet
• “Angles Mortz” – Nightbus
• “Belong To You” – Cut Copy & Kate Bollinger
• “Bloodlines” – Franc Moody
• “Devotion (Short Boys’ Remix)” – Hot Chip
• “Coltrane (Crooked Man Remix)” – Cymande
• “Spirit Adapter” – Yin Yin
• “Mq9” – Automatic
• “Hit My Head All Day (Edit)” – Dry Cleaning
• “siestas ahí” – Juana Molina
• “Banc de poissons” – Vulfmon & Jacob Jeffries
• “Dewy” – Resavoir & Matt Gold
• “Across The Universe” – Fiona Apple
• “Ask Me Anything” – The Strokes
• “How It Ends” – DeVotchka
• “The Rat” – The Walkmen
• “The Smile” – David Axelrod
• “100 Years of Bill & Lil” – Joe Webb
• “New York” – Cat Power
• “Down By The River” – Buddy Miles
• “The Wind Cries Mary” – Jimi Hendrix
• “Hey Joe” – Jimi Hendrix
• “Who Knows (Live At Filmore East, 1970 / 50th Anniversary)” – Band of Gypsys / Jimi Hendrix
• “Surfin” – Ernest Ranglin
• “Police & Thieves” – The Clash
• “Nobody Can Live Forever” – Tim Maia
• “(Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below We’re All Going To Go” – Curtis Mayfield
• “You’ve Been In Love Too Long (Single Version)” – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
• “Come See About Me (Live)” – The Supremes
• “9 to 5” – Dolly Parton
• “Personality Crisis” – New York Dolls
• “Trash” – New York Dolls
• “Marquee Moon” – Television

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

What do you do to remember about family and friends who have passed on? Is it a tradition to keep photos up or maybe you save old voicemails. No matter how you choose to honor your loved ones, it’s important to keep their memories alive. 

Most of us are familiar with Day of the Dead, celebrated across the globe, from Mexico, Central and South Americas, to the Philippines, the tradition is a time to give offerings and to hold space for ancestors and loved ones lost.  

The Detroit Public Library continues to expand its offerings in the community with a celebratory event blending Halloween with “Day of the Dead.” The day of dancing will have music from Filipino EDM artist With Love, Harlow and Erika Irie.

With Love, Harlow joined The Metro to talk more about Filipino “Day of the Dead”. We were also joined by Detroit Public Library Manager Cully Sommers, who’s an expert on a popular library of music, arts and literature.

The event will take place at Detroit Public Library’s main branch on Saturday, November 1 from 2-5 p.m. 

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

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Highlighting shows that are coming to town this week including Beta Band and David Byrne, plus new music from Automatic and SPRINTS.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for October 20, 2025

• “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab” – English Teacher
• “Oh Baby Doll” – La Femme
• “Smash It Up” – The (International) Noise Conspiracy
• “No One’s Gonna Love You” – Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators
• “Ain’t No Love In the Heart of the City” – Bobby “Blue” Bland
• “Al Sharp” – Beta Band
• “Words” – Big Thief
• “Strange Overtones” – David Byrne & Brian Eno
• “Black Box” – Automatic
• “The Rip” – Portishead
• “Queen” – Perfume Genius
• “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
• “Build A Bridge” – Deeper
• “Like Eating Glass” – Bloc Party
• “Coffee” – Yuna
• “Thin Lines” – Kidnap
• “Tonight (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello)” – Miguel Migs
• “Happening in the Streets (Domo Domo Rework)” – Domo Domo
• “Deep Dive” – Penza Penza
• “100% Samba” – Roge
• “Autumn in New York” – Makaya McCraven
• “Tell Me A Tale” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “Burnin’ And Lootin” – The Wailers
• “Straight To Hell” – The Clash
• “Try A Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding
• “Love And Hate In A Different Time” – Gabriels
• “The House of the Rising Sun” – Nina Simone
• “100 Yard Dash (Nicky D Remix)” – Derobert & The Half-truths
• “1969” – The Stooges
• “Here’s The Thing” – Fontaines D.C.
• “Better” – SPRINTS
• “SPIDERS” – Lola Young
• “SAME KIND OF LONELY” – Benjamin Booker

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, a fond farewell to D’Angelo, with cool Detroit connections.

Also, brand new St. Paul, Courtney Barnett, Oklou ft. FKA Twigs, Amber Mark, and lots more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for October 18, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “viscus” – Oklou ft. FKA Twigs
• “Tie You Down” – HAIM ft. Bon Iver
• “Get Back Again” – The Tragically Hip
• “Stay In Your Lane” – Courtney Barnett
  
• “Pleasure Zone” – Laura Rain & The Caesars
  
• “Lady” – D’Angelo
• “Be Here” – Raphael Saadiq ft. D’Angelo
• “Over” – Robert Glasper ft. Yebba
  
• “Close To Home” – Flock Of Dimes
• “Big Money” – Jon Batiste
• “So Far To Go” – J Dilla ft. Common, D’Angelo
  

• “Stars Above” – St. Paul & The Broken Bones
  
• “Doing Now” – Hannah Jagadu
• “6th Ward” – Trombone Shorty
• “You Won’t Dig My Grave” – Josh Ritter
• “Ain’t Hurtin’ Nobody” – John Prine (Acoustic Cafe performance, 1995)
  
• “Feel Like Making Love” – D’Angelo
• “Sugah Daddy” – D’Angelo
• “I’ll Stay” – RH Factor ft. D’Angelo
• “The Highway Knows” – Molly Tuttle
• “Let Me Love You” – Amber Mark
• “She’s Always In My Hair” – D’Angelo

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, marking the 30th anniversary of “Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings,” we revisit this 1995 visit with John Prine. John played songs from the (then) new album, plus a couple of classics.

Also, some archived performances from Molly Tuttle, Jensen McRae, a classic 60s hit from songwriter Chip Taylor and much more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for October 19, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “On And On” – Marcus King
• “Races Are Run” – Buckingham Nicks
• “Lean On My Love” – Jon Batiste ft. Andra Day
• “Novelty” – Jensen McRae (in-studio performance)
• “Woncha Come On Home” – kissing other ppl
• “Ain’t Hurtin’ Nobody” – John Prine (in-studio guest)
• “You Got Gold” – John Prine (in-studio guest)
• “Hidden Road” – The Weary Ramblers
• “The Bridge” – Bahamas
• “End Of The Line” – Trombone Shorty
• “Story Of My So Called Life” – Molly Tuttle (in-studio performance)
• “Friend Zone” – Amanda Shires
• “Open And Close” – Jason Isbell
• “Without You” – Durand Jones & The Indications
• “Feel Something” – Madi Diaz
• “Wild Thing” – Chip Taylor (in-studio performance)
• “Melissa” – Warren Haynes
• “Mack The Knife” – Rufus Wainwright
• “I Believe In You” – Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
• “He Forgot That It Was Sunday” – John Prine (in-studio guest)
• “Paradise” – John Prine (in-studio guest)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

Two covers I love — Perfume Genius doing a classic; Frank Ocean getting covered in a creative indie rock way. Plus new music from Escape-Ism, Sharon Van Etten, Jose Junior, Deep Sea Diver and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for October 17, 2025

• “My Last Chance (SalaAM ReMi LP Mix)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Hold Me” – Sault
• “Thinkin Bout You” – Flo Morrissey, Matthew E. White
• “The Garden” – Papooz
• “Facil” – Empress Of
• “Locked” – Four Tet
• “Can’t Help Falling In Love” – Perfume Genius
• “Sleeping Lessons” – The Shins
• “I Want More” – Can
• “Strange Powers” – The Magnetic Fields
• “If You Feel Like Rockin’” – Escape-Ism
• “Daylight Song” – Wu-Lu
• “Like I Say (I Runaway)” – Nilufer Yanya
• “Florida’s On Fire” – Superchunk
• “The Drifter” – Romare
• “Star Blanket River Child” – Brightblack Morning Light
• “Bar Fly” – Ray LaMontagne
• “Heavy” – The Marias
• “Poison” – Sharon Van Etten
• “Ambrosia (feat. Channel Tres)” – Erick The Architect
• “Hypnotised (feat. Mel Uye-Parker)” – Matthew Herbert
• “Ansumana” – Susso
• “Habla Con Ella” – Sofia Kourtesis
• “Dive” – Caribou
• “Skin Is My” – Andrew Bird
• “Small Stakes” – Spoon
• “Moonshake” – Can
• “Heaven’s Gonna Burn Your Eyes” – Thievery Corporation
• “CTFO” – Jose Junior
• “What Do I Know” – Deep Sea Diver
• “A Fragile Thing (Mark Saunders Heartbroken Remix)” – The Cure
• “Assis” – Spill Tab
• “Carry Me Away” – El Michels Affair & Norah Jones
• “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” – El Michels Affair
• “CREAM” – El Michels Affair
• “Once Around The Block” – Badly Drawn Boy
• “Moving Forward (Cosmodelica Remix)” – Bryony Jarman-Pinto

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Throwback Thursday with a couple of Wilco deep cuts, Jonathan Richman, Charles Stepney, Nina Simone and lots more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for October 16, 2025

• “Silver” – Say She She
• “Cool Cool” – James Alexander Bright
• “Color & Shape” – Alabama Shakes
• “Black Iris” – Sven Wunder
• “SNC” – Darkside
• “Point & Kill” – Little Simz
• “Tu Es Tout Seul” – Gnonnas Pedro and His Dadjes Band
• “Mardi Gras in New Orleans” – Professor Longhair
• “Starman” – Seu Jorge
• “Source” – Nubya Garcia
• “Why Don’t You” – Cleo Sol
• “Mad Man” – Mike Nyoni and Born Free
• “Coffin Maker” – Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi Family
• “Lazy” – WITCH
• “Iris Is Neil” – Apifera
• “Solitude Is Bliss” – Tame Impala
• “Someone Else’s Song” – Wilco
• “Apho” – Alfa Mist & Bongeziwe Mabandla
• “Life Is” – Jessica Pratt
• “All Mirrors” – Angel Olsen
• “Afterlife” – Sharon Van Etten
• “Little Things” – Lake Trout
• “Nova” – NOMO
• “Why My Love” – Aja Monet
• “Step On Step” – Charles Stepney
• “Open This Wall” – Berlioz
• “Bright Moments” – Admin
• “Kodama” – Kikagaku Moyo
• “Sleeping Ute” – Grizzly Bear
• “Do I Move You?” – Nina Simone
• “Tudo o Que Voce Podia Ser” – Milton Nascimento
• “Vento a Favor” – Sessa
• “Tandem Jump” – Jonathan Richman
• “Handshake Drugs (11/13/03 Sear Sound-NYC Version)” – Wilco
• “See No Evil” – Television
• “Heroes” – David Bowie
• “I Wanna Be Adored” – Stone Roses

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Whether it’s strolling through indoor galleries or historic cemeteries, there are a lot of places to explore arts and culture in Detroit. From maker markets to music festivals, here are eight things to check out this week.

Plus, a fun way to support Detroit public radio this Halloween. Read on to learn more.

Upcoming events

Sam Tallent at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle

  Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle in Royal Oak

  Thursday, Oct. 16 through Saturday, Oct. 18

  $31

A comedy show featuring “What’s So Funny About Detroit?” alum Sam Tallent. His jokes have appeared on Comedy Central, TruTV and VICELAND, and he’s performed in venues around the world. Comedian Alaina Bamfield will open the show and Genevieve Clinton is the emcee. This event is 18+.

Elmwood Alight

  Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit

  Friday, Oct. 17 and Saturday, Oct. 18

  $40

A reflective tour through Detroit’s 179-year-old Elmwood Cemetery, highlighting its historic architecture, monuments and green space. There will be lighting displays, music and autumnal sights. Gates open at 7 p.m. and the last entry is at 9:30 p.m.

Reimagine African American Art

  Detroit Institute of Arts

  Opens Saturday, Oct. 18

  Free for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties

For the first time since 2007, the DIA is reinstalling its African American galleries, now directly adjacent to Rivera Court. The reinstallation features a variety of media by African American and Black artists, including drawings, prints, photography, paintings and sculpture spanning the 1800s to today. There are four galleries, each exploring a key historical movement — the Harlem Renaissance, Social Realism, the Civil Rights era and the Black Arts Movement.

Michigan Makers Market

  The Hawk in Farmington Hills

  Saturday, Oct. 18

  Free

An indoor juried arts and crafts fair featuring ceramics, decor, illustrations, jewelry, paintings, printmaking and more made by Michigan artists. There will also be live music, and beer and wine will be available to purchase for guests 21+. The market will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bugbee by Sam Friedman and Josh Sperling

  Library Street Collective

  On view Saturday, Oct. 18 through Jan. 14

  Free

A two-person exhibition with painter Sam Friedman and mixed-media artist Josh Sperling featuring new individual works as well as collaborative pieces created jointly by the pair. Color serves as a unifying force in the exhibition, transforming flat supports into immersive experiences through spatial and emotional resonance. The gallery is open to the public Thursdays through Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m.

Detroit Bourbon Fest

  Detroit Historical Museum

  Saturday, Oct. 18

  $50–$300 ($10 for designated drivers)

An indoor bourbon festival that features over 100 whiskeys and bourbons, as well as classic cocktails, store picks and a high-end bottle section. There will also be food vendors, live music and merchandise. There are two tasting sessions, one from 1–3:30 p.m. and another from 4–6:30 p.m. This event is 21+.

Show Me What You Got Music Festival

  Candela in Southwest Detroit

  Saturday, Oct. 18

  $25

A 2000s-themed music festival featuring Afro Future International DJ Jeanine Styles and DJ MoBetta. There will be live performances from over a dozen Detroit singers and hip-hop artists, and food and a cash bar will be available. Doors open at 9 p.m. This event is 21+.

CONTAINER Tour: Stop Two

  Irwin House Gallery in Detroit

  Thursday, Oct. 23

  Free

A showcase of Detroit talent featuring live music from R&B songstress Bevlove and art installations from photographer Elonte Davis, mixed media artist Donald Calloway and painter Ijania Cortez. The event goes from 6–9 p.m.

What’s next

Halloween Monster Bash for WDET

  Kuhnhenn Brewing Company in Clinton Township

  Saturday, Oct. 25

  $20

A Halloween benefit for WDET hosted by Modern Music host Jon Moshier and organized by friends of the station. There will be a costume contest, classic horror films and live rock n roll performances by The 3-D Invisibles, The Amino Acids and the F-Hole Wreckers. Doors open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7 p.m. and the costume contest is at 8:30 p.m. This event is 21+.

We march forward in grief with our D’Angelo remembrance, plus new music from Kaytranada + PinkPantheress, Kassa Overall, DJ Koze and more. Also featured: songs for runners ahead of the Detroit Free Press Marathon this weekend.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for October 15, 2025

• “Dog It” – Digable Planets
• “SPOTTIEOTTIEDOPALISCIOUS” – Kassa Overall
• “Aruna” – DJ Koze
• “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) (Kon Rework)” – Daryl Hall & John Oates
• “17 Days (7″ B-Side Edit)” – Prince & the Revolution
• “I’m Sick Y’All (Mono)” – Otis Redding
• “Luv N’ Haight” – Sly & the Family Stone
• “I’ll Bet You” – Funkadelic
• “Nothing Without You” – Uma
• “Girl Like Me (Kaytranada Remix)” – PinkPantheress
• “What Not to Do (Moodymann Remix)” – Róisín Murphy
• “Really Love” – D’Angelo
• “Ain’t That Easy” – D’Angelo
• “She’s Always In My Hair” – D’Angelo
• “The Root” – D’Angelo
• “I’ll Stay (feat. D’Angelo)” – Roy Hargrove
• “Your Precious Love” – D’Angelo & Erykah Badu
• “Nothing Even Matters (feat. D’Angelo)” – Lauryn Hill
• “Wish I Didn’t Miss You (Dragutesku Edit)” – Angie Stone
• “17 Days (Piano & a Microphone 1983 Version)” – Prince
• “Sáré Kon Kon” – Antibalas
• “High Vibrations” – Theo Croker, Malaya & D’LEAU
• “Runnin’” – Pharcyde
• “Runnin” – Wajatta

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

I awoke this morning to a world of silence, as news spread that Michael Eugene Archer, otherwise known as D’Angelo, passed away today from pancreatic cancer. D’Angelo changed the temperature of the room the first time you heard him. His music didn’t beg for your attention; it commanded your stillness. When the world was running full speed into the flash and excess of the 1990s, he slowed everything down and made us sit with the groove.

He was the son of a preacher from Richmond, Virginia, who carried the church with him everywhere he went. You could hear it in the way he touched the keys, the way his voice bent notes like prayers. But D’Angelo wasn’t singing gospel. He was preaching something new. He was talking about love, lust, pain, and spirit in the same breath.

When Brown Sugar came out in 1995, the sound felt alive. It wasn’t nostalgia. It was Black music remembering its roots and stretching toward something freer. That album sat in the pocket between Marvin Gaye and Pete Rock. It had the warmth of the ’70s, the drums of hip-hop, and a confidence that said we could claim every part of our lineage without apology. He didn’t need to shout it. He just let the bassline speak.

Songs like Lady and Cruisin’ made R&B feel grown again. “Alright” and “When We Get By” felt like smoke and conversation. His voice was raspy and pure all at once, young but wise enough to know what hurt sounded like. That record wasn’t about image. It was about feel.

Then came Voodoo.

Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, that album turned soul into a séance. D’Angelo locked in with Questlove, James Poyser, and Pino Palladino, what the world would come to know as the Soulquarians, and created something that still doesn’t age. Voodoo didn’t follow any R&B formula. The rhythms were loose and human. The guitars and Rhodes keys drifted like smoke. Nothing was perfect, and that was the point.

“Untitled (How Does It Feel)” got all the attention, but the real story was in “The Root,” “Spanish Joint,” and “Devil’s Pie.” Those songs showed a man torn between God and flesh, stage and solitude, pleasure and purpose. D’Angelo was wrestling with himself in real time, and you could hear it in every note.

After Voodoo, he vanished. The fame, the pressure, the myth, it all caught up to him. People whispered. Industry stories floated around. But underneath the gossip, there was something deeper. The man had given so much of himself in that music that he needed to step away to survive.

When he returned in 2014 with Black Messiah, it hit like thunder. The country was burning with anger and grief, Ferguson, Eric Garner, Trayvon, and here came D’Angelo with a record that felt like protest and prayer. “The Charade” and “Till It’s Done (Tutu)” weren’t just songs. They were testimonies. He wasn’t trying to be a savior. He was a mirror, showing us who we were and what we’d become.

What made D’Angelo timeless was honesty. Every album felt lived in. He never chased a sound or trend. He built worlds. He could make a three-minute song feel like a lifetime. He carried the vulnerability of Donny Hathaway, the rhythm of James Brown, the mysticism of Prince, and the earthiness of Curtis Mayfield, but he never sounded like anyone but himself.

The Soulquarians — him, Questlove, Erykah Badu, Common, Mos Def and J Dilla — didn’t just make music. They changed the culture. They made it cool to feel again. They reminded us that Black artistry could be complex, spiritual, messy, sensual and intellectual all at once.

D’Angelo only released three albums, but together they shaped three decades of sound. Brown Sugar gave R&B its soul back. Voodoo bent the genre into something mystical. Black Messiah turned that spirit into revolution. That’s not a catalog. That’s a trinity.

He fought his demons quietly. He stumbled, healed and still found his way back to the groove. You could tell his life wasn’t easy, but his music made the struggle sound sacred.

Now he’s gone and the silence feels heavy. But if you put on “Send It On” or “One Mo’Gin,” he’s right there. His voice still has that weight. The bass still feels like heartbeat. The groove still lingers after the last note fades.

D’Angelo didn’t chase fame. He chased truth. He trusted the rhythm more than the market. And in doing so, he left behind a legacy that will outlive every playlist and trend.

He reminded us that soul isn’t nostalgia. It’s survival.

Rest easy, brother. The world moves a little slower tonight, and that’s because you taught us how to feel again.

D’Angelo, the Grammy-winning R&B singer recognized by his raspy yet smooth voice and for garnering mainstream attention with the shirtless “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” music video, has died. He was 51.

The singer, whose real name was Michael Eugene Archer, died Tuesday, according to a statement from the family.

The singer’s family confirmed in a statement Tuesday that he died after a prolonged battle with cancer. They called him “a shining star of our family and has dimmed his light for us in this life,” adding that they are “eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind.”

In his music, D’Angelo blended hip-hop grit, emphatic soul and gospel-rooted emotion into a sound that helped spearhead the neo-soul movement of the 1990s. Earlier this year, the Virginia native celebrated the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album “Brown Sugar,” a platinum-selling offering that produced signature hits like “Lady” and the title track. The 1995 album earned him multiple Grammy nominations and cemented him as one of R&B’s most original new voices.

D’Angelo’s sultry vocal style — a mix of raspy texture and church-bred fluidity — set him apart from his peers. That voice became inseparable from the striking visuals of his 2000 single “Untitled (How Does It Feel).” The minimalist, shirtless music video became a cultural touchstone, igniting conversations around artistry, sexuality and vulnerability in Black male representation. The song earned him a Grammy for best male R&B vocal performance and propelled his sophomore album “Voodoo.” topping the Billboard 200 chart and winning the Grammy for best R&B album.

Beyond his own catalog, D’Angelo’s artistry shined in collaborations. He memorably duetted with Lauryn Hill on the soulful ballad “Nothing Even Matters,” a highlight of her landmark 1998 album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” He also contributed to The Roots’ 1996 album “Illadelph Halflife” and was part of the supergroup Black Men United, which yielded one song: “U Will Know,” which D’Angelo wrote and co-produced, for the film “Jason’s Lyric” in 1994.

D’Angelo was partnered to Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone in the ’90s. The pair met while he was finishing “Brown Sugar” and bonded over their similar backgrounds: Both are from the South and both grew up in the church. Stone worked on the album with D’Angelo and the pair co-wrote the song “Everyday” for her 1999 debut album, “Black Diamond.”

Stone described D’Angelo as her “musical soul mate,” to The Associated Press in 1999, adding that their working relationship was “’like milk and cereal …. Musically, it was magic. It’s something that I have not been able to do with any other producer or musician.”

They had a son together, the artist Swayvo Twain, born Michael Archer Jr.

Stone died earlier this year in a car crash. She was 63.

D’Angelo also has a daughter, Imani Archer.

This Associated Press story was written by Jonathan Landrum Jr.

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this story.

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, lots of interesting new pairings from Robert Plant to Robert Glasper, Oklou to Donny Hathaway…

Also, brand new Detroit music from Peter Litvin, Don Was, and lots more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for October 11, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Up” – Danger Mouse, Black Thought, Rag n’ Bone Man
• “Aquamarine” – Danger Mouse, Black Thought, Michael Kiwanuka
• “Everybody’s Song” – Robert Plant and Suzi Dian
• “Rock & Roll” – Langhorne Slim
  
• “Highway Tune” – Greta Van Fleet
• “Hold On To You” – Belle Canyon
• “Midnight Rider” – Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
• “I Just Don’t Want You” – The Womack Sisters
  
• “This Is My Country” – Don Was (Pan Detroit Ensemble)
  
• “Disarray” – Lianne La Havas
  
• “Break The Jaw” – Madison Cunningham
  
• “Where Is The Love” – Donny Hathaway, Roberta Flack
• “Leave The Door Open” – Silk Sonic (happy 40th birthday Bruno Mars!)
  

• “Collect Yourself” – Sloan
• “Fascination In The Dark” – Vance Joy
• “Lonestar” – Charley Crockett
• “Sand Into Stone” – Tuneyards
• “Not Over You” – Peter Litvin
  
• “Just For Pleasure” – Young Gun Silver Fox
• “We Are One” – Maze
• “You Need A Hero” – Pages
• “Yard Sale” – Priscilla Block
• “Pour The Wine” – Sons Of The East (next week at The Majestic)
• “Candle Of Life” – The Moody Blues (RIP John Lodge)
• “I’m Just A Singer In A Rock 7 Roll Band” – The Moody Blues (RIP John Lodge)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org