4 days ago
Ribs, R&B, Beetlejuice, Bootsy Collins, Lord Huron: Your weekend in metro Detroit
Summer 2025 is still chugging along, and there are several major opportunities to enjoy live entertainment this weekend. Here are some of the biggest.
Kimmie Horne Jazz Festival
Friday, Aug. 8 and Saturday, Aug. 9, the city of Southfield will host the 10th annual Kimmie Horne Jazz Festival on the front lawn of the Southfield Municipal Campus. The event runs from 6-9:30 p.m. on Friday and 3-9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Horne, a highly regarded regional jazz singer who is also a descendant of the immortal jazz legend Lena Horne, helms this two-day concert series with music, food trucks, boutique vendors, Fitness Hoopers and a biking cruise. Saturday's event will include a Lifetime Achievement Award presentation to artist David Myles. Attendees are advised to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating; parking is available on the Southfield Municipal Campus for $10, cash only.
Southfield Municipal Campus, 26000 Evergreen Rd., Southfield. Free to attend.
Ribs R&B Music Festival
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, downtown Detroit's Hart Plaza will host the annual Ribs R&B Music Festival, with headliners such as Karyn White, Michel'le, J Holiday, Case and Glenn Jones, as well as many regional acts. The festival runs from 11:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. all three days; admission is free until 4 p.m. Friday, and until 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Hart Plaza, Detroit. $15 admission.
'It's showtime!'
Back by popular demand and running through Sunday, the ghost with the most returns to Detroit in 'Beetlejuice the Musical,' a wild Broadway musical comedy adapted from the beloved Tim Burton film. The hilarious show tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. With an irreverent book, an astonishing set, and a score that's out of this Netherworld, 'Beetlejuice' is 'SCREAMINGLY GOOD FUN!' (Variety). Friday and Saturday evening performances at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Saturday matinee at 2 p.m., Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. Buy three tickets, get one free with code ME3.
Fisher Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. Tickets start at $58.50.
Bootsy, baby!
Friday night at Detroit's Music Hall, the funk mothership is landing! Dayton, Ohio's legendary Zapp Band will take the stage to honor one of the genre's true pioneers, Cincinnati's own Bootsy Collins. Zapp, known for shaping the electro-funk movement with hits like 'More Bounce to the Ounce' and 'Computer Love,' will bring their high-energy presence to the stage along with acts such as Detroit's Kern Brantley and D-Town Funk, as well as iconic R&B group One Way featuring Al Hudson, the group behind such indelible tracks as 'Cutie Pie' and 'You Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use.' The evening will include a rare, intimate, onstage Q&A with Bootsy at 7 p.m. – only 75 tickets are available for this exclusive, $50 upgrade. The concert begins at 8 p.m. and is hosted by Angie Starr from 105.9 KISS FM.
Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit. Tickets start at $61.70.
Lord Huron returns
Saturday at 7 p.m., Rochester Hills' Meadow Brook Amphitheatre will host indie rock band Lord Huron as it stops through on its largest American tour to date. The multiplatinum Los Angeles outfit was founded in 2010 by guitarist and lead vocalist Ben Schneider, who hails from Okemos and attended the University of Michigan; the band's name is inspired by Lake Huron. The group combines country, Western, rock and roll, pop and surf rock with soundtrack and new age influences, and has been praised by outlets like The Wall Street Journal.
Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, 3554 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills. Remaining tickets start at $124.95.
Women Who Drum Festival
Sunday from 2-9 p.m. in Detroit's Black Bottom Park, the annual Women Who Drum Festival will take place, dedicated to showcasing the incredible talent of female drummers and musicians while advocating for gender equality and diversity in the music industry. Headliners include Amelia Bennett aka Pock3ter, Annie Hayes, the Ralphe Armstrong Trio featuring Vanessa Rubin, Mz. Love with drummer Natasha Williams, JoVia Armstrong & Eunoia Society, and Shirazette & Sonic Wallpaper Band featuring Steffanie Christian.
Black Bottom Park, 905 E. Milwaukee Ave., Detroit. Free to attend.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ribs, R&B, Beetlejuice, Bootsy Collins: Your weekend in Detroit
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