Question of the Week: What’s the most impressive concert venue you’ve ever seen?

Local Spins’ Question of the Week (Aug. 20, 2020)

What’s the most impressive concert venue you’ve ever seen?

This week’s winner of Local Spins merch: Email subscriber Josh Newman, who responded to the Question of the Week and was entered into a drawing for a bandana. Sign up for email updates and the weekly newsletter here: https://localspins.com/subscribe-local-spins-mailing-list/

THE READER RESPONSES:

Judy Willibey – Most impressive concert venue: Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado!

John VanderHaagen – The most impressive venue that I’ve seen is the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Everything about this unique place is perfect, from the natural rock formations that make up the structure and provide amazing acoustics to the way that the summer weather cools down by showtime to the views of Denver off in the distance behind the stage.

Josh Newman – I’m biased since I’ve been to so many great shows there while living in Detroit, but I gotta say that The Fox Theater in Detroit is really spectacular: Prince, Nine Inch Nails, Neil Young, etc. Amazing venue. But last year I saw Greensky Bluegrass in a Cave in Tennessee, and I gotta say, that was pretty damn cool! Might not be a place I’d want to go all the time for shows, as it certainly had its quirks, but a very cool, surreal experience, nonetheless.

Greg Winick – Wrigley Field (for Bruce Springsteen)

Don Clapham – Michigan Palace on Bagley St. in downtown Detroit. I saw Aerosmith, Blue Oyster Cult and KISS there in the early ’70s. In its day, it was one of the most beautiful movie theaters in the nation. Sadly, it’s now a parking garage.

Bradley Raffenaud – Red Rocks

Derrek Brendahl – The correct answer is Red Rocks.

Steve Secor – Red Rocks and FOX Theatre (Detroit)

Lani Jordan – Ryman Auditorium. Amazing acoustics and you can feel the decades of great musical talent. Was there for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame about 15 years ago.

Shawn Butzin – Hands down for me is Red Rocks.

Ryan Michael – Outdoor: Red Rocks and Gorge. Indoor: Ryman.

Jill Wylie Wenger – The Caverns and Red Rocks

Chris Luna – For now, it’s the Fox Theatre in Detroit and Stoughton Opera house in Stoughton Wisconsin (oldest operating Opera house in the country). I still haven’t made it to Red Rocks, lol.

Thom Postema – Ryman Auditorium

Richard B. Kelley – Without a doubt the Fox Theatre in Detroit (even before the remodel) followed by Pine Knob wherein my first show was James Taylor in 1975 and nearly every year since. Always an excellent experience.

Stephen Aldrich – Reptile House, GR.

Don Small – Actually, the Palace of Auburn Hills was a really good venue, so sorry it gone.

Brian Haik – Telluride! Red Rocks a close 2nd.

Jim Weiler – St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit

Jack Droppers – Codfish Hollow in Maquoketa, IA

Mike Dodge – Sounds simple, but the first time Steve Hackett played 20 Monroe was probably the very best concert sound and vibe wise I remember seeing/hearing. The detail was like wearing headphones. I’ve seen shows all over the United States.

Brian Borbot – The Ark in Ann Arbor is my favorite venue.

Jay Jylkka – Rothbury #1 and #2. Magical.

Matthew Farage – The State Theatre in Kalamazoo deserves mentioning.

Chris Carr – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe music venue is top notch.

Daniel W. Dawe – Outdoor: Red Rocks Amplitheatre; Indoor: The Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis

Andrew Ogrodzinski – Compton Terrace in Tempe was a pretty cool locale to see shows.

Keith Seccombe – State Theatre, Kalamazoo ( Alan Parsons)

Steve Damstra – I really enjoy the concept and vibe of Seven Steps Up! Also, the State Theatre in Kzoo!

Brandino Proch – It’s really hard to beat Red Rocks. Something intangibly magical happens there.

Mike Filkins – Michigan Legacy Art Park Ampitheater

Dansir McCullough – Madison Square Garden with Billy Idol …… NYC

Jim Marcusse – McCabe’s Guitar Shop, Santa Monica

Randy Scott Marsh – I saw Michael Brecker at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco in 1987. Other venue/concert that was magical was Joni Mitchell at Pine Knob in 1979 on the Shadows and Light tour.

AJ Dunning – GAMH was a wonderful venue.

Mary Ellen Murphy – Paramount Theater in Seattle.

Neal Dionne – Red Rocks. Not even close.

Daniel P. Hudelson – The Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

Charity Klein Lytle – Marble Bar in Detroit, PJ’s Lager House in Detroit, Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, The Pyramid Scheme in GR. Not a van of big venues, so these are all very impressive to me

Chad Stanton – Outdoors would have been Pete Seeger’s Clearwater Festival held at Croton Point Park in the Hudson River Valley, where I experienced the event from the inside…as a VOLUNTEER…twice! But indoors, by now everyone knows my favorite, Wildwood Springs Lodge, which is a LONG drive, but so intimately set up somewhat like a dinner theatre. It’s right near Route 66 in the Ozark Mts. I’ve been there about 10 times, and even went there to see the Total Eclipse of the Sun!

Dave Joanis – Morris Civic Auditorium in South Bend is a nice smaller old venue. I’ve seen a few shows there.

Michael J Vizard – The Hollywood Bowl in ’72.

Dave Adams – I may be biased, but I really enjoy DeVos Performance Hall. Intimate, and acoustics are superb. For outdoor, I like Meijer Garden, Castle in Charlevoix, and Pine Knob.

Roger Kintner – Fox Theatre in Detroit (“The Last Waltz 40th Anniversary Tour”)

Brien Dews – Red Rocks

Lee Chase – Red Rocks (Grand Funk/Ten Years After in ’70) is memorable as is Chances Are/Second Chance in Ann Arbor (numerous shows in 70s and 80s).

Tom Scheidel – I’m not a country music fan, but I saw a show at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Incredible layout, great sound, just a really fun place.

Michael Packer – How can ANYONE pick one venue: Everything is predicated on personal band preferences, the sound, the location, the lighting, et al. I really cannot think of ONE space that I’ve liked over any other space.

Paul Magnan – Red Rock was great, Palomino Club LA, Troubadour and Grande Ballroom. Grande was great because not only of the acts that performed there, but I performed there twice. Each had a different sound and vibe. Red Rock for it’s location and size.

Michael J Vizard – Only made it to Grande (Detroit) once and don’t remember who was there…the 2 guys I went with have both passed so I guess I’ll never know.

Jeff Frazier – Kiss at CMU 1985 or so

David Burns – Ryman Auditorium

Rick Slachta – Masonic Temple, Detroit

Gary Warning – State Theatre in Kazoo; Fox in Detroit

Lance Climie – St. Cecilia Music Center

James S. Gemmell – The Fox Theatre in Detroit is pretty incredible.

Shazzer McBroddle – Any of the shows I’ve seen at the Aragon in Chicago…Henry Rollins, Ween, Blues Traveler, to name a few. Kraftwerk at the Rivera (Chicago). Grateful Dead at ANY venue! Sinatra, Sammy and Liza at the State Theater in Detroit. The Smiths at Toronto’s Wonderland. King Crimson at the Park West and at a small room venue somewhere in Vegas. Emmylou Harris at Berkley School of Music in Boston and at Ravinia (Chicago). The Starlight Six for several NYE shows at the Wealthy. California Guitar Trio at Martyr’s , and again at Schuba’s (Chicago) . Sonic Youth at Isis (Pontiac). Firehose at the Blind Pig (A2). And dancing on stage with Iggy Pop at the Royal Oak Music Theater in about 1980. Shout Sister Shout, also Bob James/Fourplay, as well as Asleep at the Wheel at the Traverse City Opera House. Exile Follies, and then Fareed Haque & Goran Ivanovic at the Listening Room. Every single band over the years at Earthworks Harvest Fest and Wheatland. Pretty much most every show I’ve seen has been magical no matter the venue because live music brings me so much joy.

Greg Baxter – Red Rocks for large shows and the Ryman for more intimate shows. Worth the trip every time.

Douglas J. Dok – Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor.

Matthew Fouts – Chene Park in Detroit

Scott M. Bultman Sr. – Pine Knob, if in the pavilion, is nice !!!

Carol-Lee Weber – Such a hard question to answer for an avid concertgoer. But I really did enjoy my favorite guitarist Al DiMeola at your Grand Rapids 20 Monroe Live a few years back. Perfect front row seats with amazing sound, easy access park and go.

Jim Plasman – DeVos Hall

Daniel Parsons – Hollywood Bowl (Simple Minds); Country Club, Reseda, CA (Roy Orbison, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Tubes, Bill Chrysler was house soundman); Alpine Valley (Dave Matthews, Dead & Company with Bill at stage sound); Pantages Theater (Barry Manilow, with Bill… See More

Chris Moore – I loved seeing B.B. King years ago at the State Theatre in Kalamazoo. An excellent night all around!

Carl Schumacher – The Hollywood Bowl.

Phil Tower – Best Overall: Pink Floyd…1987 Tour, Rosemont Horizon. Mind blowing and near perfect musically.

Felicia Flinsky – Def Leppard at Castle Farms.

Rex Larsen – Checkerboard Lounge, South Side Chicago. It was opened in 1972 by Buddy Guy. I loved the bare lightbulb that hung from an old wire above the musicians. Added bonus, a waiter would run down the street a couple blocks away and grab you an order of ribs. Getting to the club was always a little dicey but once there it was a magical oasis steeped in Blues history. Just ask Muddy, Howlin’ Wolf, SRV, Eric, Jagger, Jr.Wells. Nick Moss directed me there the first time and warned me not to stop for stop signs.

John Wenger – Deer Creek, Noblesville, Indiana; The Dunegrass Festival Site near downtown Empire, Michigan; Blue Heron Festival Site, Panama, New York

Martin Marino – The Gorge, in Washington State.

Brad Frank – The venue has a profound effect on the performers and audience. If you saw the same band perform the same set in an arena, a music club, a coffee house, and your living room they would be four different performances. A space poorly designed for sound, like Wings Stadium, can greatly alter the audience’s ability hear clearly what the artist is trying to convey. When they tried to convert Harvey’s back to a music club after being remodeled to be a fancy restaurant nobody liked the vibe of the room and the space died. I’d much rather experience a folk singer performance in coffee shop than in a concrete walled gymnasium and I’d rather see Kiss in an arena than in a shopping mall.

Peter Stalzer – Bruce Springsteen. Right after Joe Louis Opened up. I think it was 1980. After 2 hours people thought the show was over. I knew better it was just a break and we ran down front and sat in an isle. Band came back on and played until Midnight.

Mary Rademacher Reed – Bette Midler at Pine Knob. What a show! Ooh, or Tito Puente at Hill!

Thomas Fouts – I think my favorite show was at The Blue Star Music Camp in South Haven. Jimmy Dillon and The Werewolves, featuring Chuck Leavell of the Rolling Stones, and just a whole rash of top-notch performers putting out the most high energy show ever! Truly a show to remember!

Susan Park -I have loved “Seven Steps Up” for years. They have allowed me to see some of my heroes from the 60’s in an intimate venue with a reasonable cost, and there is not a bad seat in the place, because the acoustics there are totally amazing.

Kim Masters – Charleston Music Hall. Although it’s small and quite dated, I was overwhelmed by the history of the venue. Built in 1840’s as the railroad depot it’s undergone many changes before becoming a vaudeville theatre.

Michael J Vizard – It would have to be The Hollywood Bowl in 1972… I was hitchhiking around the USA and a local girl took a shine on me and took me to
The Allman Brothers concert. Flo & Eddie and Loggins and Messina opened and Johnny Winter joined in on the encore.

Jeff Grossklaus – Antone’s in Austin, TX. Just taking in all of the legends that had performed there was a great musical experience.

Chad Michael Wedeven – The natural amphitheater at Farmfest. A huge natural bowl that allows the sound at the top, a quarter mile from the stage, to come through crystal clear. Also Seven Steps Up, with the pindrop acoustics they like to demonstrate by whispering from the stage to the bar.

James Barry – I saw Lucinda Williams at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in LA. That was pretty cool.

Brett Betten – Red Rocks; saw Rush, Time Machine Tour.

Cathy Holbrook – Well, I’m biased, but St. Cecilia Music Center!

Kevin John – Red Rocks; The tabernacle in Atlanta

Stef Loy – I’ve never been to Red Rocks. So I’m going to say the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

Sheryl Rose – Red Rocks. Especially seeing Tom Petty with Steve Winwood a few years ago.

C.E. Sikkenga – The Pier 54 stage at Hudson River Park in NYC. Caught Guided by Voices there in August, 2004. The venue itself is nothing special, could be any outdoor park stage anywhere. But turning around mid-show to see all of Manhattan lit up behind you? That’s impressive.

Amy Giles – DTE Energy Theatre in Clarkston

Gerald Etkind – Radio City Music Hall

Ted Smith – The Fox Theatre in Detroit

Pat Cummings – Fox Theatre in Detroit

Cyndi Stebbins – Fox Theatre Detroit

David Kuzma – Reds Juke Joint in Clarksdale, Mississippi

Jill Wylie Wenger – The Caverns; Red Rocks

Danny Flynn – Detroit Masonic Temple

Michael Larry Hamm – Red Rocks

Sarah Fairbanks Keen – I definitely had an other-worldly experience at The Chautauqua in Boulder, Colo., seeing Lucero and Sun Volt.And, nothing really beats the majestic landscape of Red Rocks. Detroit’z Fox Theatre is definitely one of the most, if not the most, beautiful, historic theaters.

Kyle Rasche – Listening Room is up there.

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