The 20 greatest concert moments in Detroit music history

Marvin Gaye at Michigan State Fairground Coliseum

December 31, 1962
A legendary collection of Motown icons performed a New Years Eve concert at the Michigan State Fairgrounds to ring in the year 1963. Marvin Gaye was joined by Martha & The Vandellas, The Miracles, The Supremes, Mary Wells, and Stevie Wonder.

Photo by Flicker user tomovox

MC5 at Wayne State University’s Tartar Field

July 19, 1970
Two members of MC5, bassist Michael Davis and drummer Dennis Thompson, were Wayne State University alumni. So when the band performed in 1970 at Tartar Field the atmosphere was one of a long-awaited homecoming. With cars zipping by on the I-94 backdrop, the band kicked out the jams (motherfucker!) to thousands of joint-passing college students and rock fans.
Photo viaYouTube screengrab

The Beatles at Olympia Stadium

September 6, 1964
Beatles mania invaded Detroit for the first time in 1964 and those in attendance say that screaming fans basically drowned out the entire performance. The 15,000 capacity stadium sold out with quickly with tickets going for just $5, which today is remarkable by itself. The Beatles stayed at the Whittier Hotel, where the sheets they slept on were purchased by a radio station and cut into small squares and sold to fans.

Photo viaYouTube screengrab

Kiss at Cobo Hall

May 16, 1975
Another one of the greatest live rock albums of all time was recorded in-part at Cobo Hall. KISS’ Alive! album was the band’s first Gold-certified record, and it took place right here in Detroit. The performance inspired the 2001 movie Detroit Rock City, where a group of teenagers travel to Detroit to attend a KISS concert. A clip from the show can be seen here.

Photo by Jim Louvau

Bob Seger at Cobo Hall

September 4-5, 1975
Bob Seger’s epic album Live Bullet was recorded at Cobo Hall during this pair of 1975 concerts. In an era where live rock albums were all the rage, Seger’s live renditions of his greatest hits helped turn the page from Detroit rocker to mainstream national rock icon. The album stands the test of time as one of the best live rock albums ever and it’s only natural that it took place in Seger’s hometown.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons, public domain

The Who at Pontiac Silverdome

December 6, 1975
The Pontiac Silverdome became the largest stadium in the NFL when it opened in 1975. The Who were the first band to christen the new venue, packing in almost 76,000 fans and setting the record for the largest crowd at an indoor concert ever.

Photo by Jim Summaria,Wikimedia Commons

Led Zeppelin at Pontiac Silverdome

April 30, 1977
Just a year and a half after The Who set the record for the largest indoor concert ever, Led Zeppelin came to town and brought over 76,000 fans into the Pontiac Silverdome to break the record. Guitarist Jimmy Page told a Detroit radio station in 2014 that playing in the airlocked stadium was like something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Photo by Bruce Alan Bennett/Shutterstock

Black Flag at Greystone Hall

June 27, 1986
The purveyors of West Coast punk rock, Black Flag, performed their final show at Detroit’s historic Graystone Hall formerly located on Michigan Ave. The venue is long gone, and the band is back with a new lineup, but punk rock purists will always point back to Black Flag’s prime which ended with this Detroit show in the summer of ‘86.

Photo via YouTube screengrab

Nirvana at St. Andrew's Hall

October, 11, 1991
Before Nirvana became the cultural icon and official representatives of grunge, they played a small show at St. Andrew’s Hall. Though they played in Detroit several times, anyone who attended this show holds bragging rights for seeing the legendary band before they exploded into the mainstream.

Photo by Fabio Diena/Shutterstock

Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers at the State Theatre

November 22 & 23, 1991
In 1991, Pearl Jam toured in support of their breakout album Ten and brought along two other Hall of Fame rock bands, The Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The tour made a stop at the State Theatre (now The Fillmore), and no one could have guessed they were witnessing a unique combination of legendary bands who would still be active nearly 30 years later.

Photo by Flickr user perfectrx

Family Values Tour at The Palace of Auburn Hills

September 30, 1998
The heydey of nu-metal came to town with the most infamous tour of the late 90s. Korn, Rammstein, Ice Cube, Limp Bizkit and Orgy were all on the bill. Known for bridging the gap between heavy aggressive music and hip-hop culture, headbangers and head boppers alike joined forces to witness a rowdy collection of performances at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Photo viaYouTube screengrab

Metallica at Pontiac Silverdome

December 31, 1999
Heavy New Year! When the world had the Y2K bug and the end of the world seemed imminent, metro Detroiters decided to send the 20th century out with a bang as they banged their heads to Metallica with guests Ted Nugent, Kid Rock, and Sevendust.

Photo via YouTube screengrab

OzzFest at Pine Knob

July 30, 2001
With a lineup that featured Black Sabbath, Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Linkin Park, and Disturbed, you know there’s going to be trouble. Most notably, Marilyn Manson was arrested on sexual misconduct charges after grinding on the back of a security guard’s head. Manson ended up pleading no contest in a civil suit to a misdemeanor charge and paid a $4,000 fine. He has since poked fun at the incident during subsequent performances in Detroit.

Photo from Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

The White Stripes at Chene Park

August 9, 2002
After breaking onto the national scene with their 2001 album, White Blood Cells, The White Stripes returned home to a raucous home crowd at Chene Park, with The Strokes opening. The show was the transformative era where The White Stripes were big enough to draw national attention, but still local enough to play smaller venues. No video from this performance exists, but here is a video of a performance at the Magic Stick from that era.

Photo via YouTube screengrab

Eminem & Jay-Z at Comerica Park

September 2-3, 2010
‘The Home & Home Tour’ consisted of two sold-out shows at Comerica Park in Eminem’s hometown Detroit, and two sold-out shows at Yankee Stadium in Jay-Z’s hometown New York. During the Detroit performance, Eminem surprised attendees with star-studded guest appearances by Dr. Dre, Drake, 50 Cent, D12, The Alchemist, Trick Trick, and G-Unit.

Photo via YouTube screengrab

Radiohead at the Palace of Auburn Hills

June 11, 2012
Ever since Radiohead’s show at the State Theater in 1997, rumors swirled that the band was boycotting the city because their gear was stolen, or the crowd was too rowdy, or they wouldn’t deal with Detroit show promoters. None of that was true. According to the band, it had to do with Detroit venues reluctance to cover corporate sponsor signage and the conflict it created with Thom Yorke’s desire to play in a more pure, untainted setting. The impasse finally ended in 2012 when Radiohead returned to metro Detroit for the first time in 15 years and electrified the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Photo viaYouTube screengrab

Orion Music + More at Belle Isle

June 8 and 9, 2013
The festival put together by Metallica took place over two days on Belle Isle and showcased the band performing their debut album Kill Em All under a secret stage name “dehaan.” Tons of acts from across a variety of genres performed on five stages to support Metallica’s headlining sets. The festival was originally planned to be an annual event but logistical issues and long lines to get into the festival scrapped Orion from ever returning to Detroit.

Photo via YouTube screengrab

Big Sean at Joe Louis Arena

November 6, 2015
This one will go down as the greatest assembly of Detroit rappers on one stage in the city’s history. Big Sean closed out the show by bringing out the entire cast from the hit single “Detroit Vs Everybody,’ which includes Eminem, Danny Brown, Dej Loaf, Royce Da 5’9, and Trick Trick. Good luck hearing anything over the crowd’s screams when Eminem rises up from the stage.

Photo via YouTube screengrab

Soundgarden at Fox Theatre

May 17, 2017
It was supped to be just another stop on the tour. No one in attendance had any idea they were witnessing Chris Cornell’s final performance. Cornell was found dead in his MGM Grand hotel room just hours after the show. Below is the video of the final performance of “Black Hole Sun.”

Photo from YouTube screengrab

Aretha Franklin at Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts

June 10, 2017
Due to Aretha’s illness and sweltering summer heat, it was uncertain whether this performance would even take place. Aretha sat in a car in front of the venue for over a half hour as the crowd waited in anticipation. Eventually, Aretha would make it to the stage, though she needed help walking to the platform. Many claim the atmosphere was special, collectively acknowledging that what they were witnessing would very likely be the last time.

Aretha passed away one year later on Aug. 16, 2018.
Photo via YouTube screengrab