CultureShift Events Guide: Comedy, concerts and football

Happy new year! Kick off your 2024 with lots of laughs, local music and frozen festivities for the whole family.

Plus, where to watch the Wolverines on the big screen. Read on to learn more.

Laughs

Detroit native turned national star Josh Adams will be performing at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle this weekend with special guests Esteban Touma and Amen Alyasiry. Adams has been featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks and has been a friend of the station since performing at our What’s So Funny About Detroit? comedy showcase the past two summers. Tickets start at $20 and the event is 18+. For showtimes and more information, visit their website. 

Related: Hard Knocks highlights Detroit comedian, Josh Adams

Plus, Best Case Scenario’s Comedy at the Congregation series returns this Friday, Jan. 5, hosted by Sarah Lynn. This month’s lineup includes Lansing’s Nicole Melnyk, Windsor’s Dave Squeaky Wheelz and Detroit’s own Jeff Ford and Danielle Bentzley. Doors open at The Congregation in Detroit at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 online or $20 at the door. For more information, visit their Eventbrite.

Local music

As the weather gets colder in metro Detroit, the Hawk Theatre in Farmington Hills is bringing warm, summer vibes inside for their Campfire Concert Series. On Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m., singer/songwriter Mark Jewett and Friends will take the stage at the Hawk’s Black Box Theatre for an intimate evening of eclectic music. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. Beer and wine will be available for patrons 21+. For more information, visit their website.

To keep things heating up, the Anti-Freeze Blues Festival returns to the Magic Bag in Ferndale on Friday, Jan. 5. The Bobby Murray Band is headlining with special guests The Woodward Horns, Raye Williams, Lenny Watkins, Smoke Jones and Greg Nagy. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $20 online. All ages are welcome. For more information, visit their website.

Michigan alternative music label Setterwind Records is showcasing some of their artists at the Setterwind Family Show at Ziggy’s in Ypsilanti on Saturday, Jan. 6. The lineup includes Normal, Silktail, Grey Gardens and Truman. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10. This event is 18+. For more information, visit their website.

Detroit post-punk band Rogue Satellites is performing at Bowlero Lounge in Royal Oak on Saturday, Jan. 6 with special guests Angel of Mars and DJ Zak Frieling. The show starts at 9 p.m. and there will be open bowling and pinball until 1 a.m. All ages are welcome and parking is free. For more information, visit their website.

Related: Jeff Milo: “It’s Only A Fire is easily Rogue Satellites’ most fully realized album to date”

Frozen festivities

The Detroit Riverfront’s Winter at Valade series kicks off this weekend with the Fire & Ice Festival. From Friday, Jan. 5 through Sunday, Jan. 7, visitors can enjoy medieval fun with a winter twist, from ice carving to axe throwing. Other attractions include Renaissance Fair performers, a 7-foot tall Fire & Ice Tower and Sporcle’s Fantasy Trivia, where visitors can test their knowledge on topics like Dungeons & Dragons, Game of Thrones and all things magic. Winter at Valade continues every weekend in January and February with a variety of themes and activities. For more information, visit their website.

For more ice-centric entertainment, check out Cirque du Soleil: Crystal, a one-of-a-kind production that brings the circus arts to the ice. The show returns to Little Caesars Arena from Thursday, Jan. 4 to Sunday, Jan. 7, marking the 14th time Cirque du Soleil has toured in Detroit. Tickets start at $65 and are available online. For showtimes and more information, visit 313 Presents.

The Moth StorySLAM

Tonight, Jan. 4, is the first Moth StorySLAM of the year, and the theme is “first impressions.” Prepare your best 5-minute story about initial encounters, blind dates, catfishing or judging a book by its cover. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at the Marble Bar and stories start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $17.50. For more information, visit their website.

Wolverine watch party

Cheer on the Wolverines at the historic Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor as they play the University of Washington Huskies in the 2024 CFP National Championship. The game will be broadcast live on the big screen on Monday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $20 online. For more information, visit the Michigan Theater’s website.