D-scene: Oct. 8-14

Everything and the Kitchen Sink every Wednesday night at Goodnite Gracie's in Royal Oak. (Credit: Joe Gall)

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The Kitchen Sink                                                                                                                                                              They’ve got everything, but, well… the kitchen sink at Royal Oak's Goodnite Gracie.  

For the last three weeks, DJ Joshua Adams has brought an eclectic mix of funk, soul, house, disco, jazz, world, hip-hop and rock while 323 East provided a rotating exhibit at the Kitchen Sink on Wednesdays. Tie that in with drinks and friends and you’ve got a mid-week celebration that will likely suit anyone’s tastes.

“Each week, there’s a different artist that comes in and displays their artwork that’s for sale,” says Goodnite Gracie owner Paul Jackman. “It’s just kind of something that’s different. We always try to try new things here.”

The featured artist is usually available to talk to customers and sell their work.

“I think it’s a great way to feature some people,” Jackman says. “Art in a gallery is sometimes harder to get people to, so this is a good way to feature the artist.”

Fuse Lounge and the newly opened Woodbridge Pub also make it a point to showcase and sell local art.

“I think it’s been going on for a long time,” Jackman says. “I think people are just trying to incorporate different elements into their business. It’s just something different that will give people opportunity to get out and have some fun.”

9 p.m. Wednesdays, Goodnite Gracie, 222 S. Sherman Dr., Royal Oak, 248.544.7490.

Night Move                                                                                                                                                                          Don’t let the price of gas, the hassle of parking or the dangers of drinking and driving impede your weekend adventures. Instead, take a trip on the Night Move, one of metro Detroit's new shuttle services.

“Essentially we started this because it's a service we, ourselves, have needed,” says Marketing Director Jennifer Harlan. “Taking a cab from Detroit to the suburbs is so expensive and impractical. When people do venture out of their own neighborhoods, their only option has been to drive themselves and then drive themselves back home after a night out.”

The Night Move Bus, which seats 30 passengers and runs on biodiesel, is the environmentally friendly idea of Chris Ramos. They get their biodiesel from Detroit's Clean Emission Fluids, which causes 50 percent less harm to the ozone, and they’ve teamed up with carbonfund.org where they are helping to fund the research and development of renewable energy.

“Basically we’re a shuttle service running from Royal Oak to Ferndale to Detroit,” says Ramos, who transitioned from his full time gig as an event promoter to this environmentally-sound venture the city has needed for a long time. “We’re hoping the service will both increase accessibility between the suburbs and the city as well as provide a cheap and safe way to travel. We’re also planning to add additional routes and days of service soon after the launch.”

A round trip costs $12 and one way is $8, but this Thursday at the Night Move launch party at the Woodward Avenue Brewers, there will be opportunities to win free rides, iPods and t-shirts.

“We're not necessarily saying this is a party bus,” says Harlan, “However, we definitely want it to be a resource for everyone. Another major goal of our venture is encouraging communication among the communities we're targeting.”

For more information, visit www.thenightmove.com.

6-10 p.m. Thursday, Woodward Avenue Brewers, 22646 Woodward, Ferndale, 248.546.3696.

Dirty Vegas                                                                                                                                                                           Novi got even dirtier last week with the launch of Dirty Vegas, the Dirty Martini’s new Thursday night venture. Replacing Dirty Rocks, an ‘80s-inspired dance party which ran for five months, Dirty Vegas features Vegas show girl acts and rotating guest DJs and different hosts each week, says promoter Kevin Cermak. “We’re just trying to mix it up and do something different for the fall.”

About 400 socialites were treated to a Charisma Salon fashion and hair show during last week’s opening night where the models not only rocked the clothes but dice and card hairstyles. An Elvis impersonator showed the crowd a hunk-a-hunk-a burnin’ love.

“Every week, we’re going to try to have a celebrity guest come out,” Cermak says.

Marilyn Monroe will be the guest this week as the bar staff brings the Vegas vibe to life with corsets for the ladies and card dealer outfits for the guys. There will also be shot specials with Vegas twists (think along the lines of the Johnny Vegas shot). Dirty Vegas is expected to run every Thursday until the end of the month.

9 p.m. Thursday, Dirty Martini, 42705 Grand River, Novi, 877-347-8907. Ladies free, guys $7.

From Russia with Lust                                                                                                                                                     Inspired in part by Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode, Russia’s superstar mix-master DJ Grad will bring his danceable beats to the D this Friday at Eden with from Russia with Lust.

"I am hyped that I am finally ending up in the capital of techno,” Grad explains in his native Russian language through translation by co-performer DJ Jenny LaFemme. “I have heard quite a bit about amazing parties that take place in (the) Detroit underground scene. I feel very confident about playing in Detroit. I have amazing friends here that you can never be bored with.”

In addition to residencies at trendy Moscow clubs like The Garage and XIII, Grad was voted one of the top five sexiest DJs by Russian magazine "Ptyouch" and #2 best Russian DJ in 2007 in the "Russian Music Press."

“I am very excited and slightly nervous to DJ with DJ Grad in Detroit,” says LaFemme who’s no stranger to the metro Detroit club scene. “This summer, I traveled to Russia and realized and felt how big of a star he actually is.”

LaFemme, who was born and raised in Moscow, moved to Detroit in her late teens where she discovered soul, hip-hop and electronica. She has performed all over the world and in the states at clubs from Miami to LA.

"My DJ style is actually quite eclectic even though I stick to the electronic music,” says LaFemme, who performs Thursdays at Gracie's Underground. “In my set, you will often hear anything from deep house to soulful house to Latin house to disco house and even harder music like techno and minimal. It's like living in America -- you really get a blend of everything here.”

10 p.m. Friday, Eden Nightclub, 22061 Woodward, Ferndale, 248.541.7674. $10 advance tickets available at neptix.com