This weekend, prepare yourself for a musical ‘Blowout’

Music will be in the air this weekend with the return of the Hamtramck Blowout that includes performances in over a dozen local venues.

By Alan Madlane
The Blowout is upon us.
Now, while that rather generic appellation could be referring to anything from a Detroit City Football Club laugher of a win to a bad night after too many coney dogs and booze, what it actually refers to is Hamtramck’s own DIY music-mania celebration.
Once propped up by the Metro Times, nowadays, the little music festival that could appears to be operating only on guile, volunteerism and good old Detroit grit.
And that just might be enough – again.
In this version of “Hamtramck vs. Everybody,” we see all the usual suspect bars lining up once more to provide weekend homes to the numerous acts that come out of the woodwork to entertain you, the great unwashed masses.
Only three bars kicked it off last night, Thursday, March 5: Paris Bar, The Outer Limits Bar, and the P.L.A.V. Post 10.
That’s it for Paris Bar for the weekend, but the other two join in Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, with another dozen and more places to keep it “Right ‘round baby, right ‘round, like a record. …”
Let’s start with two all-ages venues that are free – that’s right, you heard right, FREE – Book Suey and Café 1923. Two others are also All-Ages, but don’t mention being free, and those are CoffeeTRON and HenriettaHaus.
In general, these locations begin their shows earlier than their pay-for counterparts; in one case (Café 1923, Saturday), as early as 4:15 p.m.
Beyond that, you have the following 21-plus locales for both nights (except for The Strays, formerly New Dodge Lounge, Saturday only): Bumbo’s; Florian East; Ghost Light Lounge; Kelly’s Bar; The Outer Limits Lounge; P.L.A.V. Post 10; The Painted Lady; the Polish Sea League; Polka Dot Bar; Small’s; and Whiskey in the Jar.
The schedule is too dense to replicate in this article, but you can do what we did and just go to hamtramckblowout.com, scroll down a tad to the Thursday schedule, and hit the “View Full Schedule” blue elliptical button to unlock it.
Best of all: it’s an incredible bargain for a music lover. If you go to hamtramckblowout.com, click on the “Wristbands” button toward the upper right, and, on that page, click on the “Buy Wristbands” button, you can score’em for a mere double sawbuck each (that’s $20).
Twenty bucks for access to any and all venues, all three days.
Now, that’s blowing it out.
You can also buy individual ones for a given bar on a given night for $10, if you just need a taste.
Point being: You should go.
Posted March 6, 2026