Yeah, Alvin's recently reopened after being shut down for years. It was ultra famous for being THE spot for hip-hop, with Proof and the like always being there. They reopened about 8 months ago.
I went to a party there the first week of January for Andre of Mahogani's birthday. I've got a rather funny story from that weekend. I had a DJ in town from the UK, and we went for Andre's birthday and had a really good time, Slum Village was playing and they did a total jam session. I got Alvin's to offer the UK DJ a slot the following day doing a UK hip-hop/jazzy set, as he plays similar music to what was being played on the Mahogani/Slum Village gig. I didn't know this, but Sunday's are usually open-mic night, and it tends to draw a very different type of crowd than the night before. Hip-Hop Open-mics tend to get a bit rough in some spots. Actually, rough is a mild way to phrase it. When we walked in, I was a bit in shock, because it was totally not what we expected. Completely different energy than the night before. This poor guy from the UK was scared to death going up on the decks in front of one of the roughest crowds I'd seen in Detroit in awhile. People were glaring and actually growling at him. He smoked all of his cigarettes before even going on,so he asked me to run to the store while he was DJing. I told him I couldn't leave him cos they might rush the stage if they didn't like his set. The look on his face was classic, but I was just being realistic. It is Detroit after all, and even though people are normally very friendly, sometimes you walk into a room with intense energy. He played a wicked set though, and the crowd was actually really feeling it. It was an interesting experience for the both of us. I was actually happy he got to experience what its like to play in a truly Urban Detroit venue with a very rough urban crowd. Anyhow, basis of my story is that Alvin's is a historic spot. If you can manage to make it to the backstage area, check out all of the writing on the walls. I've also got some pics of Alvin's on my facebook. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=83910&id=841750482 The first few in the series are of the back room, we're there talking with Malik Alston and a hip-hop guy who told us a story of how he's had more friends die from shoot-outs than he's got alive right now. Ice on the experience for the guy from the UK. Very Detroit spot. Very historic. Def recommended, especially for UR. Not sure how the normal Sunday crowd is going to handle the change up though, but actually it might be a really good thing, you might get to see some of the true street dancers show up to this event. On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 1:59 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Any Detroiters have any info on this Alvins spot? dont think I've heard of > it. > > Mixworks Presents... Underground Resistance > > For Those who know Pt 4 > > Sunday may 25th, 08 > 10:00 pm until > > Alvins 5756 Cass Ave, Detroit Michigan > > Suburban Knight -Live UR > Aqunauts - live UR > Buzz Goree aka Clandestine UR > Namadico - UR > Billy Bob - UR > Mark Flash-UR > > Abdull Haqq - UR, Third Earth Visual Art opening and live painting > > Come and wittness this rare event as the UR soldiers come together > to spred there sonic fury. > >
