Detroit Metro Mashup attended the 1st annual Russell Jam+Art Jubilee at the Russell Industrial Center in Detroit and didn’t tell anyone we were coming. We weren’t sure what to expect and I’m still not, except that everyone was having a good time with good music, free food, skateboard antics, vendors with really cool stuff, and beer on tap. We got there when it was way dark and the food truck was leaving, but they left behind plenty of BBQ for whomever was hungry and we walked all around the place, even into the catacomb-like hallways of this gigantic structure designed by the famous and infamous Albert Kahn.


We’ve always loved the artwork, the labyrinthine aspect, and free spirit of the Russell Industrial Center, its inhabitants, and their friends, and were really happy to see a new event there since the gigantic old festival seems to have up and died for some reason. OK, I have a clue as to the reason. I think commercialism/capitalism dredged up a bunch of issues that everyone was hoping could be avoided but couldn’t, and conflict avoidance became a redundancy, with a thin gruel of aggravation still wafting like volcanic gasses in the otherwise fragrant breeze of creativity at Russell. There is probably always going to be some friction between property owners and the artists and musicians that they serve with floor space and facilities, with the owners wanting some sort of larger return on investment and the artists not wanting their psyches, output, and reputations damaged by even the appearance of compromised artistry. This is but one more aspect of the eternal struggle for mental and physical survival, beyond the minimum requirements of natural selection and thermodynamics, which is hampered by humanity's ego-driven frailties and the minimally bifurcate nature of human mental processes.


I think I digressed a bit…


Probably the best description of the event other than our photographs, which are clearly the REAL DEAL, is captured by the people who held the Jam+Art Jubilee. Plagiarizing Quoting them:

“A celebration of Detroit's most fun music, art, food & shenanigans!
Free Event - All Ages.
Slow Roll at 5pm. Skate Demo at 5pm. Pork Roast at 7.

30+ Artist Vendors, 14 Live Bands, DJs, Slow Roll Bicycle Ride, Free Pig Roast, Food Truck Rally, Home-Made Vegan Food and Kombucha, Bar, Free Mini Ramp/Skate Demo (Must Wear a Helmet!), Live Painting, Graffiti Battle, Demonstrations, Yard Games and much more!
Come for the art, stay for the shenanigans.

Band Lineup:

12:00- Al Smith
(https://soundcloud.com/alsmith5)

12:45- Scrawlspaces
(https://www.facebook.com/Scrawlspaces)

1:30- Blue Pontiac (http://www.bluepontiacmusic.com/)

2:15- MC Warren Peace (http://mcwarrenpeace.tumblr.com/)
wsg Jah Connery (http://jahconnery.bandcamp.com/)

3:00- David Bigham (https://www.facebook.com/iorecordsmusic)

3:45- Ambrosial Hour (https://soundcloud.com/ambrosialhour)

4:30- Mom Barley
(http://mombarley.bandcamp.com/releases)

5:15- Divine Comedians (https://soundcloud.com/divinecomedians)

6:00- The Faux Montreux (https://www.facebook.com/TheFauxMontreuxBand)

6:45- Evening in Red (http://www.eveninginred.com/)

7:30- Narco Debut (http://narcodebut.bandcamp.com/)

8:15-Moon Walks (https://www.facebook.com/moonwalks)

9:00- 7-Layers (https://www.facebook.com/7Layersmusic)

9:45- Liquid Monk (https://www.facebook.com/LiquidMonk)

If you would like more information about The Russell Jam+Art Jubilee, including the possibility of upcoming events and links to several vendors who have posted there, check out their Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/events/484489735028744/