Any memories or stories of Olympia Stadium?

[DetroitPlanner]

I was very young, but I might have seen some stuff there. Perhaps a Peter Pan on Ice show, a rodeo, or a circus performance. Can anybody rule those out?

I can recall mom forcing us to go to the Ice Capades as a family. It was torture. Funny thing is I don't ever recall dad forcing her to go to hockey games so we could go as a family! There is part of your verification. Never seen the Circus there, but it was the most logical stop for Ringling Brothers who would travel by train back in the day.

[rb336]

The Monkees show was, alas, cancelled.

it was rescheduled later that summer, then a little while ago at the Fox

[Zacha341]

Handsome brothers, normal looking before the jacked up surgeries most would opt for.

My very first concert was the Jackson 5 sometime in the early '70s. I had Michael [[in those days, re: Lookin' Through the Windows album to a tee), the hair, outfits, etc.Attachment 23749

[Zacha341]

I did not go to anything at OS but grew up in its shadow [[nearby) and recall seeing throngs of folks passing or driving by home to see concerts... lots of congestion in the area when Elvis played there. It was a huge structure that could be seen for miles.

[Honky Tonk]

I did not go to anything at OS but grew up in its shadow [[nearby) and recall seeing throngs of folks passing or driving by home to see concerts... lots of congestion in the area when Elvis played there. It was a huge structure that could be seen for miles.

What year was that?

[kryptonite]

I did not go to anything at OS but grew up in its shadow [[nearby) and recall seeing throngs of folks passing or driving by home to see concerts... lots of congestion in the area when Elvis played there. It was a huge structure that could be seen for miles.

Zacha, about two years ago someone posted on Dyes [[I believe) a computerized graphic of the new hockey arena near the Fox Theater built in the style of the former Olympia Stadium. An awesome idea I thought, I liked Olympia inside and thought the exterior was reasonable design as well.

[Beech Cricker]

Never seen the Circus there, but it was the most logical stop for Ringling Brothers who would travel by train back in the day.

Ringling Brothers still travels by train--they have at least two train sets, their "Blue Train" and their "Red Train".

[IrishSpartan]

What year was that?

Well, Elvis played at Olympia in 1957,1970,1972, 1974, and 1977.

[FlyingJ]

Well, Elvis played at Olympia in 1957,1970,1974, and 1977.

...the Silverdome concert ranks as his...& Led Zep's, largest audience ever

[Honky Tonk]

Ringling Brothers still travels by train--they have at least two train sets, their "Blue Train" and their "Red Train".

It's nice to hear the Ringling Brothers are bipartisan.

[IrishSpartan]

...the Silverdome concert ranks as his...& Led Zep's, largest audience ever

Yeah, that New Year's Eve 1975 concert. I edited my original post because Elvis was also at Olympia in 1972 as well.

[Kathleen]

I remember going to Olympia with my Girl Scout Troop to see a Junior Red Wings game. Gordie Howe was there to watch his son Mark play...and he was gracious to sign autographs! He signed my program on the Mark Howe page. Years later I took my son Dan to see Mark Howe, then playing for the Red Wings, at the Goalie's Den, and we took that program which Mark signed for me on the same page!

I also saw a couple of concerts there...Chicago in Fall 1976 and Emerson, Lake and Palmer in March 1978. Great shows!!!

[Downriviera]

Played against the Jr. Wings when the Howe boys, Mark and Marty, were on the team. They were actually called the Olympia Agencies. I remember one time we played them at Olympia when Gordie was there to watch. The guys on my team spent more time watching Gordie's every move while we were on the bench then concentrating on the game. Look, he's eating a hot dog!. Look, he's signing an autograph! I think we lost like 10 - 2.

[rb336]

Here's a setlist for the Four Together concert, if anyone is interested. Evidently there was a bootleg recording of it. I've heard a recording of Irish Lullaby, it was horrid

[garyalex]

I went to a Led Zeppelin concert at Olympia. I remember at one point Jimmy Page was playing an acoustic guitar and became angry at the crowd because we were making too much noise. I thought at the time you know, it's rock and roll and you're in Detroit. The chances that we're going to get all quiet and contemplative are at best, unlikely.

[fuleco]

Zacha, about two years ago someone posted on Dyes [[I believe) a computerized graphic of the new hockey arena near the Fox Theater built in the style of the former Olympia Stadium. An awesome idea I thought, I liked Olympia inside and thought the exterior was reasonable design as well.

I saw them too, they were actually fan made mock-ups. The blogspot site is still up and now includes interior shots.

Here are some pictures:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8lzw4Q674J...Complex+1A.png
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BC_LiWOsXV...om+the+Top.png
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/6...ympiaidea4.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_3YuGCiy4r.../Olympia3b.bmp

I like the design but I'm not sure we need anymore warehouse-like buildings in Detroit. Maybe they can put more windows/glass around it and do something similar to the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

BTW-Anyone know what is taking them so long to break ground or even show us some renders? It has been a while since we heard anything [[DTE energy tearing down Temple Hotel to make room for a power station and the FreeP story about Detroit residents training for the constructions jobs) and I keep hearing they want to break ground soon. How do you do that if you have not shown us a design? Atlanta is building two new stadiums and they both had renders as soon as the plans were revealed.

[mikefmich]

First "regular" sport I saw at Olympia were Piston games before they moved to Cobo.

I recall have a drop dead serious earache while at the rodeo one year, we had to leave early.

Other earlier events were the Feb Ice Capades with the Freddie T clown.

First hockey game, March of 1963.
First concert, The Beatles...I think Sept of '64.

The place could get real loud....felt like the wall were pulsing. One Wings game in particular Mar of 1965, Wing tied with Habs about 30 seconds left, faceoff in Wings zone. Ullman or Alex pushed one across with 5 seconds left in the game. I thought the walls would cave In from the noise.

First Elton John concert in Detroit.

Grand Funk-rumored to be first Frisbee tossing concert. I think......71 or 72.

Now all I got left is a brick and a bunch of Red Wings game day books.

[psubliminal]

I only ever went there for concerts: I saw Blue Oyster Cult & Traffic within a month of each other in Fall '74, then Pink Floyd [[the 2nd of 22 nights) the next year, followed by Wings [[again the 2nd of 2 nights), Bad Co in 77 and the last show I saw there was The Moody Blues in late '78 [[Moodies were also my first ever concert in Mar '72). I remember the near vertical seating; never had main floor there but still always had decent seats.

[Bong-Man]

Never saw a hickey game there, but saw the Moody Blues, ELP, and Yes. I called it my 'prog' arena. The stairs sure were steep in that place.

[Skyliner]

I saw the Alice Cooper "Welcome to My Nightmare" show at Olympia April 8, 1975. Suzi Quatro really rocked as an opening act. While Coop's show was intense, loud and engaging, it was a tad on the short side. There was a mini-riot afterwards when the main floor attendees tossed all of the chairs into a pile in the center.

I remember seeing 2 sold out "Yes in the Round" shows at Olympia. In September 1978 our seats were in the first tier in the middle of the "good 'n plenty" shaped stadium and it was as if we were hovering over the stage. It almost seemed we could have touched the lighting rig. The fans at the ends of the stadium were much farther away. The sound quality was stupendous and contrary to earlier statements in this thread Yes was performing magnificently. Jon was rocking on the little center platform and they played at furious speed. No noodling. They returned in May 1979 and tinkered with the set list- we were the only venue that heard "Close to the Edge" in the round!

I saw various other acts but those 3 nights really stand out for me.

[Former_Detroiter]

1971 Isaac Hayes

[Honky Tonk]

1971 Isaac Hayes

Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother, man?

[RaumVogel]

Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother, man?

That cat Shaft is a bad MF..

[Maof]

Ice Capades was my first memory of going to Olympia late 60's but,
recently with this hot weather, I decided to head down the basement and go thru a box of items I've saved from my old scrapbook.

First concert ever, Elton John and a year later Eric Clapton [[opening act, Santana). Look at the price of the ticket!

[Honky Tonk]

That cat Shaft is a bad MF..

Shut your mouth...