City spotlight: Go north to Detroit

This gorgeous photo of Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit was
taken by our talented friend Tim Kendra. Drop N2DS2W
an e-mail if you're interested in hiring Tim as a photographer.

A lot of things have surprised us since we launched this blog, and one of the most surprising is that according to Blogger stats, the majority of our visitors are from the States. Blogger doesn't tell us where in the U.S. you're reading this, so if you're from Detroit we're (we hope)  preaching to the choir. But if not, to paraphrase a vintage catchphrase, we'd like to say a few nice things about Detroit. As longtime and lifelong residents of the metro area, while we think a Canadian indie show in Detroit is a great reason to come to the city, it doesn't have to be the only thing on your agenda.

If you're a visiting band with time to kill and or you're coming for a show and want to make a day of your visit downtown, a great place to start is strolling Detroit's riverfront. Although it still has a way to go to rival Windsor's greenbelt across the river, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy has now completed three miles of walkway along the river. A detailed map is available here.

Man-made sights in Detroit are just as interesting as the natural. Detroit is renowned for its historic buildings and their beautiful architecture so just walk around and appreciate the work of great architects like Albert Kahn and Louis Kamper. Or drop by Inside Detroit and sign up for one of their tours, available for as little as $10. Inside Detroit co-founder Jeanette Pierce is passionate about the city and knows more fascinating facts than you've forgotten, guaranteed.

You didn't hear it from us, but for the intrepid, Detroit's lost souls abandoned to the ravages of time and neglect offer some prime urban spelunking opportunities. The most infamous is the looming hulk of the Michigan Central Station, which can be seen in the Transformers movies. Don't go in there. Stay away.  Blah blah blah.

Not into architecture, whether dramatic or decrepit? When English Words, who hail from Charlottetown, PEI,  played the Phog Lounge this past April, the die-hard Red Wings fans took time out to tour Joe Louis Arena.

Although much of Detroit's retail shopping core is gone, you won't go hungry. Cheap and iconic eats are plentiful; start with Greektown (where several restaurants are open until 3:00 a.m-- Opa!) or Lafayette Coney Island. The barbeque scene in Detroit is also burgeoning; as are microbreweries. For a detailed list of more than 100 restaurants and bars in Detroit, click here.

Another great resource for getting to know Detroit and getting around it is the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. Tell them Go NORTH to Detroit, SOUTH to Windsor sent you. They won't know what the hell you're talking about, but they'll help you anyway. And above all, enjoy the Canadian indie show that brought you here in the first place.