Detroit Nerd City
Join us for an evening of songs in Nerd Major!
Nerd Nite 313 is celebrating the Motor City’s rich musical heritage with its first ever music-themed nerd nite! We’ll have a super-sized nite with check it – FOUR presenters talking Motown, scratching, freestyle rap, and musical improv. The Michigan Science Center will be bringing a sound-themed pop-up science exhibit, too! So get down and boogie with us….who knows, we just might have a dance party after.
When: Thursday, May 30
Where: Tangent Gallery / Hastings Street Ballroom, 715 E. Milwaukee Detroit, MI
Time: Doors at 6 Event at 6:30 (this is different than before!)
Cover: $5 in advance or at the door (cash/credit)
What will we be talking about?
Justin Fitins – A Brief History of Scratching
Justin Fitins is a DJ and musician. He has been performing as a DJ since 1996. Since then, he has DJed for KRS-One, various members of the extended Wu-Tang Clan collective, and had a reoccuring slot on the Vans Warped Tour as a DJ and with his musical counterpart Michigan rapper Dante. Justin has taught DJ classes as part of free after school programs for high school students, as well as elective class for the University of Michigan’s School of Music.
Ian McGill – The Same Old Song: What Modern Startups Can Learn from Motown Records
Ian was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Roeper City and Country School in Oakland County and a small boarding school near Mt. Pleasant. He then worked and studied in nearly twenty countries before returning to Michigan to continue his education at Andrews University and later Wayne State. He has helped a number businesses and non-profit organizations discover new tools to help to them reach their goals more quickly. For the last five years, his responsibilities have included the coordination and development of Social Media strategies for Motown Museum.
Teddy Abrams – Generating Music: What is the creative process that allows the abstract language of Western music to be meaningful and cohesive?
Teddy Abrams conducts, composes, and performs as a clarinetist and pianist. Currently, Abrams is the Resident Conductor of the MAV Symphony of Budapest, and serves as the Assistant Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He was the Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony from 2008-2011; recent and upcoming performances include conducting engagements with orchestras such as the San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony, and the Marin Symphony.
Erik Torenberg – Anyone Can Freestyle Rap
Erik Torenberg likes to write, read, rap, think, and host events that bring people together. He hails from New Jersey, studied economics at University of Michigan, and founded rapt.fm. We believe rap has the positive benefits of any other art or instrument and, just like any other art or instrument, with enough practice anyone can learn how to do it to a certain extent. Unfortunately, people feel too uncomfortable rapping although they wish they knew how. We aim to break those barriers and encourage people to have fun freestyle rapping — regardless of skill level, or lack there of.
And….we’ve got a special treat!
Pop-Up Science from the Michigan Science Center: The Science of Sound
Mi-Sci’s sound activities and demonstrations will break music down to its elements. Waves and vibrations can be experienced in a simple yet fascinating way. We’ll use tuning forks, singing aluminum rods, dancing oobleck, boomwhackers,and other tools to demonstrate the science of sound.
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