The Michigan Theatre

[psubliminal]

I went to a lot of shows there! Aerosmith & the Dolls, Springsteen, and many many more. Probably 60% of the ones in those ticket pics. Wasn't BTO the last band to play there in early '76?

[Stosh]

From the VMC. May have been posted here before, but what the hey...

Attachment 4559

[Stosh]

Here's another one.
Attachment 4560

[Stosh]

And yet another of the interior.
Attachment 4561

[Stosh]

Sorry... ran out of color.

Attachment 4562

Attachment 4563

[56packman]

God, all those rock shows then, that was the kiss of death for any concert venue back then, the promoters were notorious for forgetting to hire the proper number of security people, the audiences then were just out to indulge in hedonistic pleasures, now those days are revered by some. Those baby boomer brats trashed the place, the promoter didn't care, and no one was looking out for the building.
Those are some "old days" I'm glad are gone, hopefully for good.

[Gistok]

Thanks for the pics Stosh, especially the color ones... very few color images are known of the interior of the Michigan. That first lobby pic is a reverse negative... since the grand staircase went up and to the right, not up and to the left. So I reversed the image you provided and it can be seen correctly below... the wall to the left [[with the mirrors) is a building outside wall along the Grand River side of the building.

And those faux marble columns show the "scagliola" [[fake marbling) in a much tamer pattern than in the b/w image showing a much stronger marble pattern. When the theatre first opened in 1926 they used a vivid marbling pattern... and that was when the Manning Brothers took their b/w photos.

Within a year of the opening of the theatre the marbling on the lobby columns and pilasters was toned down, as can be seen in your color pic. Theatre Historical Society [[THS) says that few good pics of this toned down marbling in the lobby can be found, but Stosh... you found the best that I've seen yet!

As 56packman mentioned... the concert promoters were rather slipshod on security for the building. That Roman Chariot with 2 horses was the largest statuary of any known movie palace. It didn't fare so well during the rock concert era... the 2nd image is a sad reminder of what is left of it today in a closed off section of the former theatre...

[Stosh]

You may be interested in the originals then. Try the larger size.

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...-79138%5D79138

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...-79311%5D79311

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...ND-3%5D79138_3

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...ND-2%5D79138_2

Just type in Michigan Theater in the Virtual Motor City site to get the rest. There's a few there I didn't post. But in black and white.

[Gistok]

Here's a picture of the Roman Chariot in a different location overlooking the Grand Lobby during happier times.

And the 2nd image is of the central [[destroyed) part of the Mezzanine Foyer. The only survivors from this image are the columns on the left... which today are thin cement and steel girders that separate the remains of the grand lobby from the parking structure. What occupies this space today is the 2nd and lower half of the 3rd level of the parking structure.

The 3rd image is of the Mezzanine Lounge, which still survives today [[sans artwork and drapes), hidden in eternal darkness in the recesses of the office tower portion of the building.

The office and former theatre portions of the building may be intertwined somewhat, but they were always completely walled off from each other, including heating and electricity.

[Gistok]

Here's an image of the Michigan Building/former Theatre that demarcates the different parts of the building [[red line) between theatre space and office space. The 2 parts had separate heating and electrical systems.

Electricity is maintained in the theatre portion to man the sub-basement sump pumps and lighting for the parking areas.

In the theatre portion of this image, I demarcated the 6 levels of the former theatre space. They are:

1) Main Floor [[Orchestra) Level
2) Mezzanine Foyer Level
3) 1st Balcony Foyer Level
4) 2nd Balcony Foyer Level
5) 3rd Balcony Foyer Level
6) Projection Booth Level

Above level 6 is a large dead space where the plasterwork is suspended from the roof steel beams by iron rods. Most people never realize how much dead space there is above the plasterwork in old movie palaces. The former Michigan gives the best indications of this on the inside.

[1KielsonDrive]

I saw David Bowie there in his Diamond Dogs tour in 1974, when it was known to some as the Michigan Palace. From my seat in the balcony, the sound seemed to be good enough. The balcony swaying was rather disconcerting though.

Hmmmm. the balcony swaying? Or was it really you?

[1KielsonDrive]

I saw the New York Dolls there back in New Years Eve 1972 [[around that time).
It was general seating. We climbed into the orchestra pit and watched the show from there. I think some of my friends got back stage. I remember people were crawling and hanging from the elaborate plaster from the balconies. It was an amazing place.

Hey Beall, I have some New York Dolls at the Palace photos. They're actually from Keith Howarth of Noir Leather. Carnaby Street style. Keith and friends are in the photos.

[EastsideAl]

Before it was turned into a rock venue it was originally repurposed from being a theater in 1972 as a nightclub. It opened with the Duke Ellington Orchestra with special guest Joe Williams.

I have vague memories of going there with my grandmother to see movies back in the '60s. I seem to remember big musicals - maybe The Sound of Music? Later, in the early '70s, Carl Levin held events there back when he was on the City Council. We kids had great fun there running around and getting lost in the vast multi-level theater away from our parents. I think Bowie was the only concert I ever attended there though.

[Gistok]

You are correct EastsideAl!

They removed the main floor seats during the nightclub era. I have the seating floor plan that shows the positioning of the tables and chairs during the early 70s nightclub era. It's almost too big to scan however. Maybe I'll photograph it and post it.

During that era the mezzanine and balcony were closed... but as you mentioned... wandering off into those areas was likely not that difficult.

The Michigan did poorly as a nightclub... partly because the food wasn't that good. One reason is that they didn't have a real kitchen in the former theatre space. I'm not sure what kind of make-shift catering operation they set up, but I'd be interested to find out!

[GOAT]

People are still complaing about this re-use? Isn't that what we all strive for adaptive re-use? If it wasn't a parking garage it would have been torn down.

The same goes for The Statler. I still hear people bitching and moaning about that eyesore coming down. Now I see people bitching about the Lincolnshire Apts; In a sea of nothing these buildings have been boarded up for some time. No one is coming back to save them, no one is coming back to restore or re-use them and the population sure as shit isn't coming back anytime soon [[read NEVER).

Preservationsists, pick your battles because 95% of Detroit can't be saved. The peole living there sure don't care.

[Stosh]

Hmmmm. the balcony swaying? Or was it really you?

If I remember correctly, probably a little of both.

But really, looking across the balcony from where I sat, I could easily see that balcony going up and down. Great concert that night as well. And I distinctly remember NOT doing any damage to the place either...

[Gistok]

Goat, I'm confused? Are you replying to some post that was later deleted? Because everyone else is having a friendly and informative nostalgic discussion about "what was" and "what is"...

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Hey Beall, I have some New York Dolls at the Palace photos. They're actually from Keith Howarth of Noir Leather. Carnaby Street style. Keith and friends are in the photos.

post please?

[Zacha341]

Very interesting! Thank you. The red line you indicate on photo explains why the theater could not be completely torn down without the rest of the structure being compromised. I worked there one summer. It was fun, the office still had windows that you could just pull up and look out. That is unheard of in new buildings. I think it was rumoured that some took a suicide swan dive out of one of the windows... but I never got the story confirmed?

Here's an image of the Michigan Building/former Theatre that demarcates the different parts of the building [[red line) between theatre space and office space. The 2 parts had separate heating and electrical systems.

Electricity is maintained in the theatre portion to man the sub-basement sump pumps and lighting for the parking areas.

In the theatre portion of this image, I demarcated the 6 levels of the former theatre space. They are:

1) Main Floor [[Orchestra) Level
2) Mezzanine Foyer Level
3) 1st Balcony Foyer Level
4) 2nd Balcony Foyer Level
5) 3rd Balcony Foyer Level
6) Projection Booth Level

Above level 6 is a large dead space where the plasterwork is suspended from the roof steel beams by iron rods. Most people never realize how much dead space there is above the plasterwork in old movie palaces. The former Michigan gives the best indications of this on the inside.

[Gistok]

Since the Senate Theatre/Fisher Organ thread was started, it reminded me of the Michigan Theatre's famous organ. It was a 5/28 Wurlitzer [[later upgraded to 5/32).

It was removed from the Michigan Theatre back in 1955, and re-installed in 1956 into the 2 story basement of a gentleman by the name of organist Fred Hermes in Racine Wisconsin, where it still resides today. Apparently Mr. Hermes must have been very young when he purchased it in 1956, since he still has it today 53 years later.

DYES poster 56packman mentioned in the past that he has visited Mr. Hermes and heard the organ playing. Here it is today:

http://www.racine.org/group_tours/basement_bijou.html

[mauser]

detroitfunk video of the theater:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSV9BPiwzlk

[Detroitus]

Gristok, thanks for the great video and info on S.F. Fox Theatre. The tower and plaza they put up in it's place [[and named after the old theatre) has created a wind tunnel that is the windiest place in town, often strong enough to knock cyclist off their bikes [[being an ex-s.f bike messanger I know this personally quite well). Now the owners want to contruct another tower, god forbid.

In the late nineties I went on an old theatre tour in Detroit put on by Preservation Wayne. It inspired me to take photos of old S.F theatres turned into other business, like furniture stores and parking lots in the Mission. I also went to every single screen theatre possible, many just before they closed. My personal favorite was the Alahambra on Polk St. at Union with it's beautiful pink stain glass ceiling. It's now a Guerrila Gym, which specializes in converting old theatres in a way they say that can be converted back later to a theatre with minimal lost of details.

In S.F. we still have the Castro theatre with it Wurlitzer organ. Though often praised as a great movie house it's a poor runner up to Detroit's Fox Theatre. But the Castro Theater makes for a wonderful home for the S.F. Silent Film Society Film Series, which happens every summer for 3 days with other showing in the winter. Every year the event has gotten bigger and bigger and I am happy to say I am a member of the Society and a regular at the shows. Like so many other things it's something I first discovered in Detroit going to see the Alloy Orchestra to 3 shows at the DIA theatre. Is there a Silent Film Society of Detroit and/or do they still do regular shows at the DIA?

One last point about S.F. and the Old Fox Theatre, as much as we love the past and many here like to reminesce about it, very few get bogged down by it and there is no endless handwringing when a bit of it is thoughtlessly toss in the trashheap of history. I think that is why Henry Ford said history is bunk, sometimes you just have to move on.

[Pam]

In the late nineties I went on an old theatre tour in Detroit put on by Preservation Wayne

Still an annual event every August.

[Gistok]

Thanks for the info Detroitus!

Ironically the organ that plays with the silent films at the Castro Theatre has many components from the Detroit State Theatre [[now named the Fillmore) former Publix 1 Wurlitzer organ.

And as Pam has mentioned, we still hold our Preservation Wayne Theatre Tours on the 2nd Saturday of every August... I'm the State/Fillmore onsite guide.

I added the info on the San Francisco Fox demolition to show that back in that era people really didn't care about saving old movie houses or rally for historic preservation. Although it's still a battle today, there are now many more people who do care about saving old buildings. But as the National Trust says... "we can't save every old building, and have to pick our battles".

[Whitehouse]

It's now a Guerrila Gym, which specializes in converting old theatres in a way they say that can be converted back later to a theatre with minimal lost of details.

If only such a thing excisted in Detroit....