Lost Venues

[gypsyball]

www.detroitblog.org?p=216
This link will take to a website with pictures of interior of the Grande Ballroom. It is in rather sad shape.

[mikethedrummer]

I stopped by there a few years ago while on a family vacation to Michigan's upper peninsula, and the area's like a war zone. The streets are so bad you can barely drive on them, and it looked like some of the other buildings in the area had been bombed out. Needless to say, my wife was anxious to move on...

[babylon]

Hey Mike,

I made the same trip back to where I saw some great shows - Stooges, MC5, Amboy Dukes... etc, and was wishing we were driving a Hummer. What a mess in the Motor City.

Yeah, that's why we need to be spending 1/2 trillion dollars in Iraq!

But, lets not get off topic - carpet bomb the place with BC 'Bootleg live' Cd's - that's my idea of a surge!! ;D

[FeedbackLourde]

I like your comments, Babylon. I wonder what the Motor City Madman, T. Theordore Nugent would say in response. You just inadvertantly hit him in the balls as well as where the sun don't shine! ;D Rock on!

[gypsyball]

I would say to the Motor City Madman, go to Iraq your self and help out the troops, if you think we should be there! Maybe with him being there he will scare the enemy into submission! ;D

I wonder how many of the old places that Blue Cheer played at in the late 60's are still around.

[KenE]

I'm really glad you guys brought this up! I attended many concerts at the Grande Ballroom back then and it was a tough neighborhood even then. But we didn't mind going there -- with all the great bands. But its only gotten worse -- much worse!
I appreciate the fact that you guys are concerned about preserving such a historic rock venue! Thanks!
KenE

[gypsyball]

No problem. Looking at it now, it's hard to believe that it was once a great place to see all the great bands from the late 60's play there. I can't imagine what it was like there, when Blue Cheer, MC5, and the Stooges play there, on the same night. My have times change.

[mr maltese]

Yeah,

It's hard to believe that at one time it was a historic venue to see all these incredible rock groups and to see what it has become,.....it looks like some of those bombed out buildings that you see from news clips in Baghdad,......

Judging from the picture I bet that the acoustics were really good in there...it was probably built for sound, eh?.......Eric, how good were the acoustics in that place? Or for those who have seen any shows there as well - how well was the sound in there?

In northern New Jersey we there used to be the infamous Capitol Theater in Passaic which was closed down over ten years ago but was a popular venue for concerts in the 70's and 80's...the sound in there was great

[babylon]

FBL wrote-

"I like your comments, Babylon. I wonder what the Motor City Madman, T. Theordore Nugent would say in response.'

I'm sure 'uncle Ted' would take me out and use me for target practice - but, what he doesn't get is that I'm the real patriot because I care about OUR country - and he's the mouth piece for all the 'neo-con suits' that are selling us down the fucking rat hole over there in the middle east for their fat oil profits.

He's become a carton character anyway with all that 'rock and roll poodle' bullshit he's done on VH1, I know a great band that really deserves the exposure and so do you... that is why we're here! ;D

Next time around,

[FeedbackLourde]

I agree. I have seen both bands and BC was WAY LOUDER than the Nuge. He's a great guitar player but has a tendency to upstage himself with all his stupidity. Anyone wants to get Neocon you can turn around and get the fuck out of here! Interesting piece of trivia....BC is mentioned in the Amboy Dukes song "Dr. Slingshot."

[radical one]

Right on Babylon,

Our country was in trouble the day the Supreme Court got involved in the decision of the 2000 election which was stolen from us,......I would suggest watching a very good documentary called, "American Blackout" you should be able to google it if I'm not mistaken...when you see this documentary it's a major eye opener It pretty much says it all

And yes, I agree Uncle Ted is a total sell- out I've lost all respect for him completely I used to like him back in the day but he's become a hypocrite

[radical one]

here'a link I found that shows a trailor from the film,"American Blackout" I just mentioned in the post before:

www.gregpalast.com/american-blackout-2

[FeedbackLourde]

Was the destruction of the Grande Ballroom due to terrorist crossbow hunters?

[gypsyball]

I changed the topic title to Lost Venues because I thought The Grande In Decay was too limited of a topic.
www.motorcitymusicarchives.com
This website show some of the old concert halls in Detroit, plus it has list of old concert dates. Blue Cheer played at the Grande Ballroom June 21-23. BC also played at the Eastown Theater May 8 & 9 1970. Incidentally the last show at the Grande was also MC5's last show. If anyone has info on the old concert halls or clubs in you area, that are no longer there, please post it. I kind of want to create an archive of these old places.

I would like to thank KenE for these links.

[babylon]

admin said:

Was the destruction of the Grande Ballroom due to terrorist crossbow hunters?

LOL! All I know is I saw a dark shadowy figure in a loin cloth leaving the scene!!

(yeah, went to see Ted back in the seventies a few times and he really did scorch that six string, but when he started blabbering on with all his bullshit - it made you feel embarrassed to be at his concert)

RIGHT ON to 'Radical one' and 'G-Ball' for your comments - who says BC fans aren't hip to what's going down. I'll check out the links - thanks for that.

"the price you pay to live your life, the shit they toss at you..." - Ride with me, BC