ROX-TV invades Canna Con 2021 in downtown Detroit. Interviews, Industry, and a bump of history included.
Welcome to a very special edition of the ROX-TV invasion series. Like other events in the recent past, when we see something we like, its all hands on deck. I’m sure that anyone who is familiar with the ROX-TV family knows that the love of Marijuana borders on insanity within the confines of our universe. There are some serious smokers in the crew and the celebration of the Devil’s Lettuce is how we roll. If you think your smoke session is tough, try a ROX-TV business meeting and get lost in the glorious fog.
For the people that know me personally, I credit the green machine with saving my life back in 2013. You could say that I’ve had serious problems with the bottle over the years and eight years ago I went all in with Mary Jane as a last ditch effort to stop from sliding into oblivion. With the help of the plant, I was able to turn the big car of life around or at least take a wonderful detour, which eventually led me to ROX-TV and a writing seizure that’s lasted almost four years now.
The ride hasn’t always been straight or narrow, and there are always bumps in the road…but my overall evaluation of medical marijuana used to fight or curb alcoholism still gets “high” marks in my book. So anytime I can talk about the “Industry”, as newbies often refer to the scene when they first get baptized (I did it too when I worked at GAGE in Lansing), I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity. It’s amazing how far the scene has come since 2013 and I’ve been able to view the “industry” from many different perspectives. From growing weed, to selling (a little bit), to consuming, and finally writing about the magic flower…it’s been a great ride.
When I first heard that Canna-Con was coming to Detroit, I knew that ROX-TV needed to be there and report back to our dope readers and supporters about what was going down in the Motor City. I’ve said it before, but I will say it again….we strive to bring different views and slices of life to the website, so buckle up because your about to ride along with us to Motown for Canna-Con 2021. So without further to do…I present the invasion of Canna-Con 2021.
8:35am John C. Lodge Freeway Detroit City
I was running a little late after encountering some bullshit traffic on US-23. I’m sure everyone can relate to that and the circumstances were ridiculous. The traffic was stop and go somewhere around the M-59 area and as it happened, an accident on the northbound side of the road had apparently slowed my southbound lanes to a stand still. I’m really not sure why people slow down and rubber neck accidents? What the hell is that all about anyway? Perhaps the lives lived are so mundane that a busted fender or a few exploded air bags gives them cheap kicks but that is purely speculation.
I was moving early because I was going to the big show at the TCF Center in downtown Detroit. Under normal conditions I would be rubbing my eyes and smoking a cigarette in my living room, but this day was different. The very cream of the ROX-TV crew had been tasked with covering the Canna-Con 2021 Convention and that meant getting up and dipping down the highway at top speed. When I ran into the phantom pile up I began to get somewhat nervous, because I hate being late to anything if I can avoid it. After a short amount of discomfort, traffic was moving again and in no time, I was thundering down the Lodge at a high rate of speed. I had a general idea of where I was going and wanted to beat the crowds. The Lodge was built in segments back in the 1950’s and 1960’s. In 1987 it was named “John C. Lodge Freeway” who was the Mayor of Detroit from 1922 to 1924 and 1927 to 1929. The intersection of the Lodge and the Edsel Ford Freeway completed back in 1953 was the first interchange between two freeways in the entire country. Talk about a first.
9:11am Downtown Detroit and Registration
I exited the Lodge and was deposited downtown. I always love coming to the city and try to take in as much of the view as I can every time. Back in 2009 I was working at Wayne County College on Fort Street and 3rd Ave, so the area is not entirely unfamiliar to me. I used to catch rap and rock concerts at the Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Hall (Now the TCF Center), along with the Auto Show, Red Wings games, and many other events. Cobo Hall was built in 1960 and named after former Detroit Mayor Albert E. Cobo.
In 2019 TCF Bank was awarded the naming rights by the Detroit Regional Convention Authority and the rest is history. The TCF Center is currently the 17th largest convention center in the United States and brings in 1.5 Million visitors a year to the Motor City through trade shows and conventions. I’m sure last years numbers got screwed up because…well I’m not even going to say it, but with the state opened up again, TCF should be back on track soon.
Parking was a little tricky, but after two complete circles around the several block track, I was able to safely get tucked away into the parking deck. My early morning moves had paid off and I was able to find a spot on the ground floor. The fifteen dollar parking fee stung a little, but it was more like a mosquito bite than a wasp sting, so I shook it off and kept rolling. I needed to get checked in and collect the passes for the rest of the team, which by this time were also enroute.
I made my way to the registration kiosk and informed them that I had arrived. The check in lady only smiled and pointed to a computer on the desk. I don’t know how computers weaseled their way into every aspect of my interactions with other humans, but I wish they’d fuck off once in awhile. What happened to the good old days when people talked to each other, conversed in public spaces, and simple tasks were nothing more than simple tasks? Now its technology, even when it’s not really needed or called for. Sometimes the computers make everything worse. If you don’t believe it then you never lived before 1996. Back then reality was literally that. Today…I’m not so sure, but on with the story.
The fucking computer didn’t have me listed one way or the other, under an alias or anything else. I knew that things couldn’t have been that easy. I informed the kind lady that I most certainly was on the list, whether the computer knew it or not and verbally cited an email confirmation from the event center. The lady just smiled and directed me back to the computer to sign in for my credentials. After another round, everything worked and I was on my way. I even got a dope lanyard with my name on it…I was bonofide.
9:41am Exhibitor and Speaker Lounge
I was now officially part of the scenery. I was excited to learn that because I was an “Exhibitor” (although “Press” would have been more appropriate), I was entitled to a full course hot-serve breakfast on the second floor. I had hit the drive thru at McDonalds earlier, but when in Rome. I rolled into the fresh lounge area and grabbed a plate. If anyone cares I had a dish of wonderful scrambled eggs and some rather nice bacon. I wasn’t feeling saucy enough to get the waffles and chicken but it was tempting.
I grabbed a seat among the other fine people eating and tore into my meal. As I ate in silence I listened to the “Industry” men and women all around me, talking about the finer points of everything. Just like in Rehab, I chose to sit in the back and before long was joined by other fully sleeved characters which made me feel right at home. I relaxed for a moment, but I had a job to do and decided not to let the moss gather on this rolling stone.
10:07am Main Floor of the TCF Center
After cruising the floor solo for a bit, I lined up some interviews and snagged some swag from the happy faces. A short time later I was joined by some fellow Drifters and we got to work. The field was a rather rich target environment and Bob, DJ Carlito, and myself began to pick off vendors like they were going out of style. The great thing about the convention was that all aspects of the “industry” were in attendance and no two booths were the same.
We encountered some really cool setups and people during this time. As the camera rolled, the mic was passed around like a blunt, and pictures were snapped at a feverish pace. We talked to first time attendees as well as seasoned vets. The press is treated rather well in this type of setting because exposure is the name of the game. The ROX-TV crew managed to kill two birds with one stone, simotaneaulsy gathering data for this article and footage for the upcoming “Stoner” segment.
All of the vendors were in good spirits and answered as many questions as we could fire off. We paced ourselves with the pre-arranged interviews first and then carpet bombed the area following. The crowd was starting to fill the place up and soon the once empty rows of vendor booths became as congested as I-96 on a Friday at 4pm. I made the terrible mistake of grabbing a bag of popcorn from one of the tables without making plans for something to drink. Within thirty seconds I began to see the error of my ways. There wasn’t a drinking fountain in sight and the popcorn was beginning to stick to the roof of my mouth like shoes at an ICP concert (Faygo proper of course).
I started to panic before a very nice lady from the Kushy Punch table offered me some “holy water” which was bottled water with a cool label. I thanked her for the kind deed and with proper hydration, was able to overcome the trouble with the popcorn in comfortable fashion.
The ROX-TV crew dug in deep and continued to waltz from one interview to the next. We were making progress, but because of the vast amount of vendors, hardly made a dent in the place. Our equipment was in good working order and we pushed on for the better part of the next two hours, grabbing stickers, shirts, buttons, and anything else that wasn’t nailed down or spoken for.
Sometime around noon we started to slow down a bit and re-appraised the situation. Before too long we would be joined by Rudy “Rude Boy” Hill for another round of interviews. This time with the attendees as opposed to the vendors. We had hit a good cross section of them and decided that it was the fan’s turn to get a little trigger time on the camera.
The Rude Boy was in great form, pulling interviews out of thin air as we walked along the packed rows of humanity. Among his many other talents, Rudy is a natural people person and he seems to draw people in with his vibe. That was good news for us, because my vibe was winding down. Getting up early can be tough, especially after running around Michigan for events and coverage in the previous days. I was having a great time, but my stomach was starting to tell me to get some food. I ignored the warnings for awhile, but slowly the relentless bickering of my hunger would win the day. But not before we covered a shit load more ground both inside the event and in the great hallways of the center.
2:20pm TCF Center
After some more fancy foot work on the main floor, we drifted out into the gigantic hallway for some different perspectives and scenery. The weather outside had taken a turn for the worse (in my own view…the better) with rain and gray clouds blanketing the sky. The smokers were huddled under the large overhang out front and others were dashing off to their cars somewhere in the distance.
The ROX-TV crew took the opportunity to regroup and evaluate our next move. We had covered the main floor rather well and were able to connect with all different types of attendees, from regional sales managers to the little guys on the front lines of the wonderful marijuana industry.
We decided to do one more push where we could and then wrap it up for the day. We grabbed up the last bit of interviews available on the hallway floor and conducted one last sweep of the joint. As we cruised down the main drag I saw a remarkable piece of history, sitting quietly all alone. I wasn’t sure what it was from a distance, but it was unique and interesting enough for me to investigate further.
I observed a “bronzed” boxing glove in a large glass case, sitting on top of a beautifully etched stone. The glove had belonged to one of the greatest boxers to walk the earth and his name was Joe Louis aka “The Brown Bomber”. Born on May 13, 1914, he was destined for greatness. By 1934, Joe Louis had become a boxer and by 1937 had become the Heavy Weight Champion of the World.
Joe was the Champion from 1937 until a temporary retirement in 1949. During his years, he defended his title twenty five times and became the longest reigning champion of all time. Perhaps even more importantly, Joe Louis became one of the country’s first African Americans to achieve nation wide hero status. This cultural icon also helped fuel anti-nazi sentiment leading up to the second world war and beyond. Perhaps the most stunning moment was when Joe Louis defeated the German boxer Max Schmeling in 1938. One of those very gloves used in the match was bronzed and sat before my very eyes, encased in glass. Talk about a great piece of history. If your ever in the area and have a moment to burn, hop over and check it out.
6:05pm Final Report
Well I must say that the Canna Con 2021 convention was amazing and informative. I learned a lot from the interviews and witnessed some amazing pieces of “harvesting” equipment. I will be the first to admit that I had not fully considered how many leading industry types would be in attendance. I’m more accustom to the marijuana festivals held around the state, which focuses mostly on the finished product. Canna Con had some of that, but the meat on the bones came in the form of technology and new ways of doing business. The “industry” seems to be growing leaps and bounds, especially after the medical programs paved the way for the recreational avenue.
In some aspects I feel absolutely outdated by the advancements but that’s ok. Humans age over time and eventually become an echo of the past before dying. I’m fine with that and in a way, I prefer that. Living and dying is what we do, its been the same way for thousands of years (and much longer). Things come along, make life better, and evolution takes care of the rest. I’ve had my time in the sunshine and although I’m far from dead, I am very comfortable with the era in which I came of age, which was from around the early to mid 90’s.
All this new flash and stash is cool, but I don’t make much sense of it, nor do I try. I’m from the new “old school” and my form of choice is that old fashioned “bud” man. I come from a time when a bag of weed didn’t have fucked up names and was just “weed”. Flower was the form you could find, unless you knew someone who worked in the GM shops with a great connection…who might be able to score some Hash or what not…but who knows. Times “were simpler back then” and I hate myself for saying that phrase because in the 90’s when I heard it, I thought the sayer was just a fuddy duddy old cat, stuck in the past. Now I hear myself utter the magic words and I just have to laugh. Time really is a flat circle (Thank you True Detective) and anyone under thirty will also utter the words someday…I guarantee it. Until then, enjoy your youth and above all, enjoy that amazing plant we call Marijuana.
As far as Canna Con 2021 is concerned, it was a great experience and a powerful glimpse into the fast approaching future. Hell, its already here. That’s all the space I have before the ROX-TV program blows up. Usually about the 3,000 word count the system overheats and dies. I’d hate to responsible for that so I must bid you farewell until next time.
Signing Off,
Mike Shepard
ROX-TV Head Writer
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