Hello Friend,
If you like downtown Ferndale's lively vibe on Nine Mile, you'll probably know it's anchored by Xhedos. You probably know its where you can hear your favorite upcoming band, enjoy vegan chili, find counter-culture lectures and guidebooks, publicize your show for free, dress how you wanna dress, be what gender you want to be, display your art or try our your new poems and songs at a nightly open mike. The scene at Xhedos is as pure as it gets in Metro Detroit. Sadly, Xhedos is struggling with rent problems that could shut it down pronto. This possible loss to Detroit is tantamount to the eviction of punk music from CBGB. Maybe Bert's or the Hastings Street Ballroom can fill in the hole in Detroit culture, but these are south of the soulful first fringe suburbs, the suburbs where working people and artists can afford the rent or even a mortgage.
Yes, Caleb is in court battling with a landlord who has been very, very kind to him, but a landlord who knows how hot Ferndale storefronts have grown, partly because of the vibe Xhedos generates. Yes, you might have noticed that the cooler, usually stocked with Vitamin Water, Ginger Beer brewed without sugar and other goodies has dwindled to bottled water and cans with foreign printing. Yes, you wondered if the Xhedos "magic" could grow enough to fill a second space with live performance vitality, and you've seen it happen many, many nights. Yes, you have counted the audience of tweenies and teenies packing the room because a middle school band or a high school band, their school chums, were rocking the house and most moms and dads considered Xhedos a safe, alcohol free space within walking distance.
I once had a short talk with Caleb about preserving the Xhedos energy. He wasn't comfortable having it. I suggested that a non-profit board pick up some strings and keep the authenticity by working with his family to run the shop; surely you know the Caleb wears the hat of musician with Sista Otis, the hat of producer of albums for so many Detroit indie bands, records music in the coffeeshop, but most of all you know he's a great family man, father of a daughter who is a multitalented future MacArthur Genius Grant winner and partner of a woman who is a tireless supporter of Detroit arts. Maybe we can take some of the load of this guy so he can cultivate the arts and make his music --- Under Caleb and his family's patronage, you know it just flows out of his shop's front door and fills the sidewalk and street of the Nine of Ferndale.
It's easy to help out. Why not start by sending a friend request to Xhedos on MySpace?
Maybe swing out to their website so you know when fundraising events on taking place: www.xhedos.com. There's very strong backing for these shows because almost everyone in Detroit has performed at Xhedos.
Hey, this could be a very high profile gig for your music, poetry or art. Sign on and volunteer.
If you want to believe that American rock and folk is powerful counterbalance to our country that often wanders from the way, come see that Xhedos is a major station on the underground railroad of rock and the troubador trail of North America.
Yours,
Wandering Wilbo
Update: June 3, 2007 10:50 PM
Xhedos is now AJs Cafe. It hosted the Human Awareness Institute benefit Saturday night with a great list of musicians, peformers coming from as far as Toronto and the Upper Peninsula, Michigan. I noticed a good show on the wall, a good emergent artist with all of the paintings well labeled. The literature area had shelves full of current brochures and wall posters for upcoming events. So it looks like the old Xhedos space still has its energy going.
I guess Caleb is moving along with his family, and he has started a new myspace site for keeping in touch. Good luck, Caleb and family. Xhedos and you will be remembered as long as Detroit cultural history counts: http://www.myspace.com/calebgrayson
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