Arts, Beats & Eats is moving to Royal Oak

[Danny]

I looked at the 2nd Amendement of the Bill of Rights and it says. " A right to bear ARMS and states to have a militia." It did not say the right to bear FIRE ARMS! Therefore the those folks who appeal to the Royal Oak City Council to allow to carry licenced firearms into Arts Beats and Eats is deemed illegal.


WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Because there is a difference between bearing arms like a rocks, shields, swords and rocks and firearms like guns, riffles, canons, rockets, grenades.

Neda, I miss you so.

[dtowncitylover]

I think the Founders meant a right to self-defense. I don't see how an event like ABE is threatening to anyone!

Or Family Guy, a founding father, "How can anyone mis-interpret this? Everyone has the right to bear arms."

[fryar]

I don't see how an event like ABE is threatening to anyone!

It is if people are thinking of using their guns. Which if not, why bring them? Just to be showy about your gun?

If there's an armed robbery or a hijacking or something, the prudent thing to do is to do what the guy says in order to de-escalate the situation, and let the professionals handle it from there. The mere presence of an openly carried gun can completely undermine the de-escalation, and take things from bad to worse.

That's assuming nobody tries to be a hero, and people needlessly get shot in the chaos. Which, again, if you're not, even just maybe, going to try to be a hero, why bring your gun? So that in the unlikely event that something does go down at a street fair, you can prevent the deescalation of the situation? At the cost of what? Armed thugs concealing weapons under their shirts aren't going to just gang-rape all of our daughters at the street fair. I'd even have trouble visualizing a successful conventional group mugging in that environment. Conversely, that's why the presence of the gun keeps things from being somewhat controlled.

Of course, it is not fair to lump all gun owners into a pack of yahoos waiting to go postal. I get the keep-the-government-in-its-place angle, for example, or if you're worried about safety when driving down deserted streets, or you're living in sparsely populated areas. But even the home invasion angle, I mean, unless you live in an area where you're going to be repeatedly burgled to the point of ruin, just let the guy steal the TV. Bullets start flying, and people start to get hurt, and it could be your own kin.

Never mind at a public event of this kind. The thought that anyone walking around openly bearing arms has not thought this through to completion does not give me great confidence that they don't have some small part of themselves that's itching to go be a hero, if the situation is right, that they're choosing to indulge by openly bearing their arms. You've got an increased chance of bullets flying, and that's scary.

[DetroitDad]

Admittedly, I have never been to Royal Oak, however, I have heard it is in line with Novi, Northville, Livonia, Grosse Pointe, and Taylor. If this is true, I'm not sure how they expect to be a destination similar to an urban center like Pontiac.

I mean, I like the Livonia Spree or Westland festivals too, but something of a regional scale belongs in a regional cultural center, right?

[LodgeDodger]

Perhaps you should visit RO. You'll find out just how appealing it is compared to Pontiac.

[Det_ard]

Admittedly, I have never been to Royal Oak, however, I have heard it is in line with Novi, Northville, Livonia, Grosse Pointe, and Taylor. If this is true, I'm not sure how they expect to be a destination similar to an urban center like Pontiac.

I mean, I like the Livonia Spree or Westland festivals too, but something of a regional scale belongs in a regional cultural center, right?

LOL. Live a little, take a drive [[or SMART bus). Learn about the world around you.

[DetroitDad]

Perhaps you should visit RO. You'll find out just how appealing it is compared to Pontiac.

You're right, maybe I should go to AB&E.

That post wasn't meant to come across as a comment on Royal Oak, so much as a question [[for those who have been there) on their ability to hold an event of this scale.

[fryar]

I mean, I like the Livonia Spree or Westland festivals too, but something of a regional scale belongs in a regional cultural center, right?

Well, for the sake of completeness, I for one have never been to AB&E. :-)

But I agree to some extent. It's not so much that it is wrong for RO to play host to a festival, but if this is a big deal one, then it does speak to the disjointedness of the region. I don't know if it is a fair comparison, but if we were talking about the Dream Cruise, I would absolutely agree that it is nothing if not indicative of just out and out abandonment of the central city for an event that significant to stop at 8-mile. I'm not one of those people who begrudge RO, or Troy [[which I maybe pick on sometimes, it's true, but I don't like the way it's laid out), their success, but it is appropriate, proper, healthy, normal, or "something" not offensive, for the Red Wings victory parade to go down Woodward past Campus Martius. The Yankees parade doesn't go down Route 9 in Jersey, either, and the Red Sox don't parade around Worcester.

Admittedly, I have never been to Royal Oak, however, I have heard it is in line with Novi, Northville, Livonia, Grosse Pointe, and Taylor. If this is true, I'm not sure how they expect to be a destination similar to an urban center like Pontiac.

Mmh. More disclaimers. I spent almost all of my time in downtown, unless I shot up the Lodge to go to Trader Joes in Farmington Hills or something. I came from New York, and didn't buy into driving to my nightlife one bit [[alcohol, drinking and driving, etc), so I mostly avoided it. From what I saw of Novi, which was around the Post Bar area, RO is way nicer, was my impression. I mean, I also went bowling in an outdoor mall intended to evoke something vaguely plaza-ish [[don't get me started) that may have been in Novi, but I'm not really counting that because you drove to it, it was a glorified strip mall. I also saw a Bollywood movie in a theater there someplace, but that, too, was a strip mall. So I assume you mean the Post Bar area.

The downtown area of RO is "pretty" [[I guess some may disagree, but at least if you stretch the term), pretty coherent, kind of evocative of a small town, and walkable, there are some nice restaurants and shops, and it's not overrun by Subways and Taco Bells. There's even - get this - an indie/int'l film theater [[hello-o-oh Detroit, anyone paying attention? You're the central city, the cultural hub, right?). I wouldn't outright reject living there. I have my reasons for picking downtown Detroit, but I think you could "get" my way of thinking about what you want, basically agree to a large degree, and choose to live there instead. I mean, you can live there in a second floor walk up apartment above a non-chain restaurant with a very particular salsa selection, say, or something quirky like that [[although RO tries to convince you it could be a used records store, but no dice, my friend, there's way too much money there), you can walk to some bars and nightlife spots with pretty good music and good crowds, there's a decent pizza place or two that's open late for partiers, they have that indie movie theater as well as a B&N or Borders or something, there's a Trader Joe's IIRC, and a real absence for maybe a mile up Woodward and out from there of any garish concrete slabby buildings with seas of parking lots, besides the comedy club a street or two over...which makes for crappy parking in that town, but the point is to live there and walk everywhere. They may even have ZipCar. RO gets a lot of things right in my book. If you have ever been to that suburb where they say the urban teens get dropped off by their parents [[remember that whole hoopla?) Bloomfield Mills or Birmingham Heights or something, it's got a walkable downtown area with stuff to do, shops, restaurants, a movie theater, in a somewhat cutesy downtown area, instead of along a four lane road with strip malls. RO's downtown is vaguely like that, but a little hipper, 20-somethinger.
Anybody see that coming from me? It's true.

I drove through Pontiac a little - somehow, this out-of-towner/carpetbagger living in downtown Detroit made a friend in Grand Blanc/suburban Flint [[don't ask). Pontiac didn't seem to be prospering, and the parts I saw didn't seem super pedestrian-friendly either. I'm not sure there's much to compare between the two, unless you're talking about scale/size of the city.

[Bearinabox]

There's even - get this - an indie/int'l film theater [[hello-o-oh Detroit, anyone paying attention? You're the central city, the cultural hub, right?).

There is actually one in Detroit, too, around back of the DIA on John R. Definitely worth a visit if you've never been.

[fryar]

There is actually one in Detroit, too, around back of the DIA on John R. Definitely worth a visit if you've never been.

Wha-a-a-at? Rats. How did I miss that one? I must have looked in Fandango, where they don't advertise, or Metro Times, or whatever, because I would have jumped on that.
This isn't just that DIA series of classic films your talking about, right, this is a standalone theater that shows Good-Bye Lenin or The Joneses or something?
Consider it put on my list.

[Pam]

Admittedly, I have never been to Royal Oak

You've never been to the zoo?!

This isn't just that DIA series of classic films your talking about, right

That is what he is talking about.

[Melocoton]

This isn't just that DIA series of classic films your talking about, right, this is a standalone theater that shows Good-Bye Lenin or The Joneses or something?
Consider it put on my list.

http://burtontheatre.com/

[maxx]

I haven't been to ABE in years, but with all the namby-pamby types claiming they'll stay away this year, it should be a pretty good time. I'm going [[sans handgun, all I own is my childhood BB rifle).

I think you should bring it. Ya never know when it might come in handy. lol

[Bearinabox]

That is what he is talking about.

It is, but when I hear "series of classic films" I think of something more along the lines of what the Redford typically shows. The DFT's programming is a mix of old, new, American and foreign, and overwhelmingly things I've never heard of. Maybe hardcore film buffs consider Masked and Anonymous a classic, but somehow I doubt it.

[bartock]

Admittedly, I have never been to Royal Oak, however, I have heard it is in line with Novi, Northville, Livonia, Grosse Pointe, and Taylor. If this is true, I'm not sure how they expect to be a destination similar to an urban center like Pontiac.

I mean, I like the Livonia Spree or Westland festivals too, but something of a regional scale belongs in a regional cultural center, right?

Royal Oak is much more of a regional cultural center [[in Oakland County, which I assumed is what you meant because this is OC event) than Pontiac. By almost every standard, including population in the downtown area, businesses, walkability, etc., Royal Oak is far more of a cultural/urban center than Pontiac. You really should check it out. And, it is nowhere in line with any of the places you listed, and the places you listed are not really comparable to each other. If someone had said a younger and more middle class Birmingham, that might be a closer comparison.

[guito13]

I looked at the 2nd Amendement of the Bill of Rights and it says. " A right to bear ARMS and states to have a militia." It did not say the right to bear FIRE ARMS! Therefore the those folks who appeal to the Royal Oak City Council to allow to carry licenced firearms into Arts Beats and Eats is deemed illegal.


WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Because there is a difference between bearing arms like a rocks, shields, swords and rocks and firearms like guns, riffles, canons, rockets, grenades.

Neda, I miss you so.

Sometimes I wonder if this is simply trolling or this guy is that derranged. I hope it is the former.

Do you think the founding fathers fought the British with sticks and stones during the revolutionary war???

[pffft]

Let's get back to the topic at hand: Arts, Beats & Bullets!

[JBMcB]

This isn't just that DIA series of classic films your talking about, right, this is a standalone theater that shows Good-Bye Lenin or The Joneses or something.

They played Good-Bye Lenin when it first made it's rounds. I've seen anime there, classic Japanese films, the top selections from the Ann Arbor film festival, Spike & Mike's, the restored version of Citizen Kane, Metropolis with live orchestration from the Alloy Orchestra...

I think they play the best variety of films in the area. My only gripe are the seats are about the worst I've ever experienced. They are nearly unbearable if you're over 6' - I have to sit nearly sideways, though they are still marginally better than the new seats they put in at Orchestra Hall a few years back.

[Jimaz]

Whatever you do, don't bring firecrackers. BANG!

[fryar]

OMFG that would be hilarious [[assuming noone got hurt), since you know people would draw and start looking for the perp.

Thanks for clarifying on the theater, guys. I will definitely keep it in mind.

[bailey]

Admittedly, I have never been to Royal Oak, however, I have heard it is in line with Novi, Northville, Livonia, Grosse Pointe, and Taylor. If this is true, I'm not sure how they expect to be a destination similar to an urban center like Pontiac.

I mean, I like the Livonia Spree or Westland festivals too, but something of a regional scale belongs in a regional cultural center, right?

That admission explains a lot about the theme of your posts. I would suggest you go there and take a look around before posting again about the sustainability or the soullessness of the suburbs.

[Kevgoblue]

Only real downside I can think of is parking. With some of the crowds I've seen in prior years parking should be stretched to the max, plus some. Are there any parking decks that I'm not envisioning that can handle the crowd?

[bailey]

Only real downside I can think of is parking. With some of the crowds I've seen in prior years parking should be stretched to the max, plus some. Are there any parking decks that I'm not envisioning that can handle the crowd?

from the ABE website...

Festival Parking Goals:
• Over 10,000 parking spaces available for festival and City of Royal Oak patrons.
• To have real time communication to the general public on what’s available.
• To provide free parking to all downtown employees with 24 hour shuttle to free up parking in downtown for patrons.
• To offer a location for more than 2000 Bicycles to park.
• To promote SMART Shuttle Transportation.

they also have a plan to get local employees to and from the area to free up more parking. http://www.artsbeatseats.com/?q=node/31

[casscorridor]

It isn't called Royal Joke for no reason, it's called that because it is a joke. The main demographics that RO appeals to is the faux-Yuppie crowd [[faux because they see themselves as urban, without actjally having to live in a city) and the bro crowd. Many people in Metro Detroit consider RO some kind of "urban" meca. They see a few square blocks of quaint botiques, a couple large new apartment buildings and an art theatre and consider it a bastion of urbanity. I think this is because they have not experienced a real city outside Detroit [[if they have even seen Detroit which they likely have not, outside a yearly trip to the ball game or fireworks).

We have folks on this form claiming its the single most "urban" and vibrant place in the Metro. I have to disagree. RO isn't really urban at all. Its Disneyland urban, lily white and "safe" to drop the kids off for the day. And if you look at Greater Downtown, you see a fairly huge [[10+ times the size of RO) urban area that is gaining vibrancy each year and each month as more and more busisses open and more people move in. Once the lightrail opens I think this issue will be settled... Detroit will finally get the recognition it deserves. A development boom will start and the number of pedestrians per block will increase exponentially, far outshadowing RO's potential which is close to being reached as there is little land left to develop, and no transit connection beyond a smart bus.

Also, as far as a cultural center, Royal Joke isn't much. Not much more than pontiac which has the Crofoot. Maybe it is compared to other burbs, but it aint nothing thar special when compared to say Midtown for example, or even Dearborn. Sure they got the Main art which plays mainstream indie flicks, and the RO Music Theatre which has some mainstream shows, and a couple galleries. But besides that, there really isn't much. You have to go to the city to find the real underground and cutting edge culture... RIC, DFT, Burton, all the various DIY venues, the artist colonlys, etc.

[LodgeDodger]

It isn't called Royal Joke for no reason, it's called that because it is a joke. The main demographics that RO appeals to is the faux-Yuppie crowd [[faux because they see themselves as urban, without actjally having to live in a city) and the bro crowd. Many people in Metro Detroit consider RO some kind of "urban" meca. They see a few square blocks of quaint botiques, a couple large new apartment buildings and an art theatre and consider it a bastion of urbanity. I think this is because they have not experienced a real city outside Detroit [[if they have even seen Detroit which they likely have not, outside a yearly trip to the ball game or fireworks).

We have folks on this form claiming its the single most "urban" and vibrant place in the Metro. I have to disagree. RO isn't really urban at all. Its Disneyland urban, lily white and "safe" to drop the kids off for the day. And if you look at Greater Downtown, you see a fairly huge [[10+ times the size of RO) urban area that is gaining vibrancy each year and each month as more and more busisses open and more people move in. Once the lightrail opens I think this issue will be settled... Detroit will finally get the recognition it deserves. A development boom will start and the number of pedestrians per block will increase exponentially, far outshadowing RO's potential which is close to being reached as there is little land left to develop, and no transit connection beyond a smart bus.

Also, as far as a cultural center, Royal Joke isn't much. Not much more than pontiac which has the Crofoot. Maybe it is compared to other burbs, but it aint nothing thar special when compared to say Midtown for example, or even Dearborn. Sure they got the Main art which plays mainstream indie flicks, and the RO Music Theatre which has some mainstream shows, and a couple galleries. But besides that, there really isn't much. You have to go to the city to find the real underground and cutting edge culture... RIC, DFT, Burton, all the various DIY venues, the artist colonlys, etc.

Interesting, DetroitDad's never been to RO. Yet you have... Are you sure you're not using two identities?