Harpos is on Fire?

**Goose** · December-08-11, 01:47 PM

just heard thats its burning, can anyone confirm, or is this just a dumpster fire???

**Detroitnerd** · December-08-11, 01:55 PM

I hope so. Damn metal-heads...

bartock · December-08-11, 02:32 PM

Yeah let's hope a music venue located along one of the few somewhat viable blocks on a long and nasty stretch of Harper Ave. burns down. Nice.

**Detroitnerd** · December-08-11, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by bartock

Yeah let's hope a music venue located along one of the few somewhat viable blocks on a long and nasty stretch of Harper Ave. burns down. Nice.

Sorry, didn't put the winky-face.

I may not be crazy about heavy metal and its adherents, but, seriously, I was joking about wanting Harpo's to burn down..

**j to the jeremy** · December-08-11, 02:49 PM

Fuckkkkk please don't be true

**noise** · December-08-11, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

I may not be crazy about heavy metal and its adherents, but, seriously, I was joking about wanting Harpo's to burn down..

And don't get him started on blacks, gays, or Jews.

**Meddle** · December-08-11, 02:56 PM

I'm trying to get logged in to DFD radio to see if I can pick up anything.

**neavling** · December-08-11, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

I'm trying to get logged in to DFD radio to see if I can pick up anything.

It's not true. A piece of rubber was burning and someone called FD. No damage.

bartock · December-08-11, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by noise

And don't get him started on blacks, gays, or Jews.

OK DNerd - I should have figured.

NOISE - I didn't say I GO there! [[though not everyone who listens to heavy metal music hates blacks, gays and Jews...and not every person who has attended a concert at Harpos or supports their efforts as a viable business and taxpayer hates blacks, gays and Jews. Call me crazy.)

**Meddle** · December-08-11, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by neavling

It's not true. A piece of rubber was burning and someone called FD. No damage.

Yeah, I'm not hearing anything abnormal.

**noise** · December-08-11, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by bartock

NOISE - I didn't say I GO there! [[though not everyone who listens to heavy metal music hates blacks, gays and Jews...and not every person who has attended a concert at Harpos or supports their efforts as a viable business and taxpayer hates blacks, gays and Jews. Call me crazy.)

Oh, I was just making a joke at DNerd's expense about disliking all people who like a certain music! It was in jest!

Perfect edit reason, by the way!

**Detroitnerd** · December-08-11, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by noise

And don't get him started on blacks, gays, or Jews.

Haha. Are there any gay Jewish blacks who love metal?

**EZZ** · December-08-11, 04:01 PM

Say it ain't so...
Name: Harpos2.jpg
Views: 5748
Size: 14.6 KB

**Gistok** · December-08-11, 04:58 PM

Thanks for the nice pic EZZ.... glad it's still intact... whew!!

It too could one day end up on the National/State/Local Register of Historic Places... not for its' music, but for the fact that its a "still intact" Detroit neighborhood theatre.

The demise of urban neighborhood theatres is not just a Detroit phenomenom... I was just recently reading an article about the lament of vibrant San Francisco, and the loss of so many of its' single screen neighborhood theatres from the 1920s-1940s.... although there the demand was for the land the theatres were standing on as being valuable as redevelopment into something other than a parking lot or wildflower sanctuary....

**grumpyoldlady** · December-08-11, 05:15 PM

Relative in Detroit just sent me a message that it is being reported on one of the TV stations that Harpos is/was on fire.

**Meddle** · December-08-11, 05:16 PM

Read the above posts.

**eno** · December-08-11, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Sorry, didn't put the winky-face.

I may not be crazy about heavy metal and its adherents, but, seriously, I was joking about wanting Harpo's to burn down..

I saw Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, the first Detroit performance by U2 and Johnny Winter at Harpo's. I don't think any of them would be considered heavy metal.

**Gistok** · December-08-11, 07:44 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/2011120...|Entertainment

The bad news is that the 29,000 sq. ft. building IS for sale... on a church real estate website.

FYI.... just how big is a 29,000 sq. ft. theatre [[assuming that includes lobby and circulation space)? The main floor seating section of the Fox Theatre auditorium is 46,000 sq. ft.

**Enduro** · December-08-11, 09:30 PM

I was/kinda still am a metalhead and I'll tell you that place is disgusting. It's a foul fountain of filth and, at least back in the day, skinheads and other white power a-holes would hold court on the main floor. If it burned, I'd only cry for the nasty biohazardous waste cocktail that would pollute the air.

**noise** · December-08-11, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Haha. Are there any gay Jewish blacks who love metal?

There's at least 1 of every kind, right?

**Downriviera** · December-08-11, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by eno

I saw Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, the first Detroit performance by U2 and Johnny Winter at Harpo's. I don't think any of them would be considered heavy metal.

I thought I saw the first Detroit performance by U2 at St. Andrews, but I could be wrong.

**Bigb23** · December-08-11, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by neavling

It's not true. A piece of rubber was burning and someone called FD. No damage.

Burning rubbers - don't get me started on Eastown, back when.

**eno** · December-08-11, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

I thought I saw the first Detroit performance by U2 at St. Andrews, but I could be wrong.

Here's the history of U2 in the Detroit area.

http://www.theconcertdatabase.com/artists/u2

**mcsdetroitfriend** · December-08-11, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

http://www.freep.com/article/2011120...|Entertainment

The bad news is that the 29,000 sq. ft. building IS for sale... on a church real estate website.

FYI.... just how big is a 29,000 sq. ft. theatre [[assuming that includes lobby and circulation space)? The main floor seating section of the Fox Theatre auditorium is 46,000 sq. ft.

The tour I'm on right now just rolled through Harpos and while it's not in the worst shape I've seen it, the staff there is amongst the most sad/over it bunch of house employees I've ever seen touring the US. They're all rather fed up with Ernie [[the main promoter of the building) and his old policies.

The interior has its moments of being scuzzy [[the bathrooms are notorious for being the worst in the city's plethora of theaters), but two weeks ago it was fine and pleasant the whole night. It's fairly clean in the lobby and honestly it's definitely bigger than 29,000 sq. feet. It's easily on par with the length of the main floor of the state theater to the lobby doors. The lobby is fairly tall and EXTREMELY art-deco complete with American flags amongst other things. It's very dated! But the lobby and the bathrooms are basically the only original details left. Apparently the lighted [[Think Saturday Night Fever) dance floor is the last of its kind in the US.

Its definitely worth checking out the lobby for a lesson in late 1930's architecture. Other than that, the PA is shot, the console is shot, the lighting console is shot, the monitor console is shot, the monitors are shot. Everything else is fairly sturdy I'd hate to see it burn down because it could be a great club again [[it's not bad now, its just got a really bad reputation it can't shake...like Detroit).

**Gistok** · December-08-11, 11:51 PM

Thanks for the info mcs... like most neighborhood theatres the seating is [[or should I say "was") all on the main floor, as was common way among all but the largest neighborhood theatre's in Detroit [[the Eastown, Hollywood and Riviera had balconies).

So without a balcony looming overhead, it makes sense that the lobby would be tall. Most theatre's with balconies have the back of the balcony over part or most of the lobby.

The 1939 built Harper Theatre was one of the largest theatres on the far east side, with 1,975 seats [[all main floor). Only the 2,500 Woods [[razed) and 2,020 seat Ramona [[razed) were larger. It was designed by Charles N. Agree in a Deco Moderne style.