What’s going on in metro Detroit this week (May 21-27)

The Motown Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary with a special performance by the Four Tops.⁠
Shutterstock
The Motown Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary with a special performance by the Four Tops.⁠

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue websites before all events for the latest information. See our online calendar for more ideas for things to do, or add your event: metrotimes.com/AddEvent.

Scroll down to view images
Detroit’s Movement Festival returns to Hart Plaza for Memorial Day Weekend with more than 115 acts, including HiTech, Charlotte de Witte, A$AP Mob founding member FERG, horsegiirL, Jamie xx, and more — plus plenty of official and unofficial afterparties. From Saturday, May 24-Monday, May 26. Movement runs through Monday, May 26 at Hart Plaza; movementfestival.com. Tickets start at $169.
Nick LeTellier

Detroit’s Movement Festival returns to Hart Plaza for Memorial Day Weekend with more than 115 acts, including HiTech, Charlotte de Witte, A$AP Mob founding member FERG, horsegiirL, Jamie xx, and more — plus plenty of official and unofficial afterparties.

From Saturday, May 24-Monday, May 26. Movement runs through Monday, May 26 at Hart Plaza; movementfestival.com. Tickets start at $169.

2 of 7
The Paris Bar soft opening A long-vacant McNichols Road building is returning to its roots. John Szymanski and Kelly Jean Caldwell, the rock ’n’ roll couple behind the Outer Limits Lounge, acquired this property and after three years of redevelopment are reopening it as a bar and music venue. (In the 1920s through the late ’60s, it was known as the Paris Beergarden, and later, it was home to Simpson’s Records.) With more space than the Outer Limits Lounge, and situated in a less-dense part of the city, we expect things could get pretty loud at this two-day grand opening concert series. Friday’s lineup features acts like Wild Shape, Womb Worm, Alluvial Fans, and Hangover, while Saturday’s includes DENO, Mirror Mask, Pretty Island, and Jeff Jablonski. Starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24 at Paris Bar, 2961 E. McNichols Rd., Detroit; facebook.com. Cover is $10.
Courtesy photo

The Paris Bar soft opening

A long-vacant McNichols Road building is returning to its roots. John Szymanski and Kelly Jean Caldwell, the rock ’n’ roll couple behind the Outer Limits Lounge, acquired this property and after three years of redevelopment are reopening it as a bar and music venue. (In the 1920s through the late ’60s, it was known as the Paris Beergarden, and later, it was home to Simpson’s Records.) With more space than the Outer Limits Lounge, and situated in a less-dense part of the city, we expect things could get pretty loud at this two-day grand opening concert series. Friday’s lineup features acts like Wild Shape, Womb Worm, Alluvial Fans, and Hangover, while Saturday’s includes DENO, Mirror Mask, Pretty Island, and Jeff Jablonski.

Starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24 at Paris Bar, 2961 E. McNichols Rd., Detroit; facebook.com. Cover is $10.

3 of 7
Detroit Techno 5K Attending all three days of the Movement music festival can feel like a marathon in itself — not to mention all those after-parties — but this event actually pairs techno music with a 5k race. Held at the Historic Fort Wayne along the Detroit River, participants will receive a Detroit Techno 5k shirt and a medal, and the race ends with a party featuring a set by DJ Will Clark. Spots are limited. Registration opens at 10 a.m. with the race starting at noon on Sunday, May 25 at the Historic Fort Wayne, 6325 W. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; techno5k.com. Tickets are $64.50.
Shutterstock

Detroit Techno 5K

Attending all three days of the Movement music festival can feel like a marathon in itself — not to mention all those after-parties — but this event actually pairs techno music with a 5k race. Held at the Historic Fort Wayne along the Detroit River, participants will receive a Detroit Techno 5k shirt and a medal, and the race ends with a party featuring a set by DJ Will Clark. Spots are limited.

Registration opens at 10 a.m. with the race starting at noon on Sunday, May 25 at the Historic Fort Wayne, 6325 W. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; techno5k.com. Tickets are $64.50.

4 of 7
Urban Art Orchestra featuring Slum Village The late J Dilla was a primary force behind incorporating the strong jazz influence into the music of the Detroit hip-hop group Slum Village. Dilla, who grew up in a musical household, sampled classic jazz recordings and blended them with his own signature drum machine beats, and the group would in turn inspire a generation of jazz players like Karriem Riggins and Robert Glasper. So it’s perfect that the surviving incarnation of Slum Village will perform at the old-school Detroit jazz club Cliff Bells. The duo, now Slum Village founding member T3 and long-time collaborator Young RJ, will be backed by the Urban Art Orchestra, a 20-plus-piece unit led by composer De’Sean Jones. Doors at 9 p.m. on Sunday, May 25 at Cliff Bell’s; 2030 Park Ave., Detroit; cliffbells.com. Tickets are $50.
Frankie Fultz

Urban Art Orchestra featuring Slum Village

The late J Dilla was a primary force behind incorporating the strong jazz influence into the music of the Detroit hip-hop group Slum Village. Dilla, who grew up in a musical household, sampled classic jazz recordings and blended them with his own signature drum machine beats, and the group would in turn inspire a generation of jazz players like Karriem Riggins and Robert Glasper. So it’s perfect that the surviving incarnation of Slum Village will perform at the old-school Detroit jazz club Cliff Bells. The duo, now Slum Village founding member T3 and long-time collaborator Young RJ, will be backed by the Urban Art Orchestra, a 20-plus-piece unit led by composer De’Sean Jones.

Doors at 9 p.m. on Sunday, May 25 at Cliff Bell’s; 2030 Park Ave., Detroit; cliffbells.com. Tickets are $50.

5 of 7
Motown Museum Founder’s Day While the city celebrates its contributions to techno and electronic music this week with the Movement festival, there’s another legacy to honor as well. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Detroit’s Motown Museum, whose establishment is marked by its annual Founder’s Day festivities. This year’s event features performances in the museum’s Rocket Plaza including the Four Tops at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The event kicks off the summer performance season at Rocket Plaza and comes as the Motown Museum is working on expanding into a 50,000-square-foot tourist destination. The museum is also offering two-for-one tours available for purchase at its box office on Sunday. From noon-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 25 at the Motown Museum’s Rocket Plaza, 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; motownmuseum.org. No cover.
Courtesy photo

Motown Museum Founder’s Day

While the city celebrates its contributions to techno and electronic music this week with the Movement festival, there’s another legacy to honor as well. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Detroit’s Motown Museum, whose establishment is marked by its annual Founder’s Day festivities. This year’s event features performances in the museum’s Rocket Plaza including the Four Tops at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The event kicks off the summer performance season at Rocket Plaza and comes as the Motown Museum is working on expanding into a 50,000-square-foot tourist destination. The museum is also offering two-for-one tours available for purchase at its box office on Sunday.

From noon-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 25 at the Motown Museum’s Rocket Plaza, 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; motownmuseum.org. No cover.

6 of 7
The Novi BBQ Fest: Ribs & Whiskey What’s Memorial Day weekend without barbecue? This annual event returns to the Fountain Walk Mall with award-winning BBQ from more than 20 pitmasters, whiskey tastings, live music on two stages, vendors, yard games, a Kids Zone, cigar lounge, and more. From 5-10 p.m. on Friday, May 23; noon-10 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25; and noon-8 p.m. on Monday, May 26; Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk Mall, 44175 W. Twelve Mile Rd., Novi; novibbqfestival.com. Tickets are $7 advance, $10 at the door, with four-pack ticket deals available in advance for $20; no cover for children under 10.
Courtesy photo

The Novi BBQ Fest: Ribs & Whiskey

What’s Memorial Day weekend without barbecue? This annual event returns to the Fountain Walk Mall with award-winning BBQ from more than 20 pitmasters, whiskey tastings, live music on two stages, vendors, yard games, a Kids Zone, cigar lounge, and more.

From 5-10 p.m. on Friday, May 23; noon-10 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25; and noon-8 p.m. on Monday, May 26; Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk Mall, 44175 W. Twelve Mile Rd., Novi; novibbqfestival.com. Tickets are $7 advance, $10 at the door, with four-pack ticket deals available in advance for $20; no cover for children under 10.

7 of 7