Massive fans of NASCAR racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. are the nu-country-disco duo from Detroit, composing quick step lullabies based on simple lives and great loves.
Born and bred in what’s less commonly known to be the world’s traditional automotive centre, D.E Jr. Jr.’s founding front-men Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein love cars, clubs and casinos. i-D online got the lad’s low down on what to get up to from dawn to dusk in Detroit and filmed an i-N session while we were at it.
“Detroit is a crazy city. Once one of the largest cities in America, Detroit is currently past its prime as many people have moved away. But the strange thing is that the people who are still here are resilient and creative. There are so many things to do in Detroit, but if you come, you may want to find someone to show you around as much of what we have is a bit underground. Here is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s inside guide to the city.”
The Magic Stick: One of the longest running venues in Detroit, the Magic Stick usually has something going on at one of its 3 venues. If there’s not a show, you can go bowling at the oldest bowling alley in the US.
The Paper House: a new underground DIY venue that has some amazing shows going on… if you can find it!
Sugarhouse: Sugarhouse is a new cocktail lounge in Corktown. They are really into their cocktails so if you go, we suggest selecting a spirit and having them craft you an original cocktail of their choice.
Slow’s BBQ: We have travelled the US extensively, and have yet to find a BBQ joint that we think is Slows’ equal. It’s open late, so you can always get some ribs and Mac and Cheese. Even some Waffle ‘CRISPS’ (although they may not know what you mean if you say Crisps).
Afterhours Clubs: If you like to stay out all night, there is the wonderful Goth club called City Club, hard to find but worth the quest. There’s also a constant slew of illegal places that you can access if you know the right people. Usually, these places are pretty fun.
Casinos: For those of you who like to gamble, Detroit has 3 fully functional casinos: The MGM, The Motor City and Greektown. They are open 24 hours a day and always busy. We suggest going with an entertainment budget, or you could lose your life savings.
