The best places to check out live music in metro Detroit [PHOTOS]

By Alex Washington on Wed, Mar 29, 2023 at 11:20 pm

Detroit’s music history is deeply embedded into its culture. From Motown to techno, Detroit’s sonic contributions to the world have been vast and deep. And we’re blessed to have plenty of places to go that offer unique concert experiences, whether you’re checking out your favorite pop star or rising indie artist.

These venues keep pretty full event calendars, and allow Detroiters to experience some of the best musicians from our city and beyond.

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Willis Show Bar

4156 3rd Ave., Detroit; 313-788-7469; willisshowbar.com

Back in the early ’50s, Willis Show Bar was once one of the hottest jazz clubs in Detroit. Today, the cocktail lounge hosts a variety of funk, soul, live bands, and DJs every week. The intimate venue can seat around 83 guests.

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Lizz Wilkinson

Marble Bar

1501 Holden St., Detroit; themarblebar.com

According to its Instagram bio, Marble Bar is “where you go to fall in love with life.” It also happens to be where you would go to hear techno, EDM, and live bands. It has a capacity of 300.

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Mike Pfeiffer

Magic Bag

22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-544-1991;themagicbag.com

The Magic Bag keeps a pretty full calendar hosting a variety of bands, comedy shows, and the occasional dance party. It has a capacity of 400.

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Derek Dandridge

Majestic Theatre Complex

4120-4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-9700; majesticdetroit.com

The Majestic Theatre complex is an experience. There can be a lot happening at one time because of all the different event spaces located in this one strip. Whether you’re at the Magic Stick (capacity of 700) or Majestic Theatre (1,1,00), just be sure to grab a slice from Sgt. Pepperoni’s.

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Garden Theater

3929 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-0888; thegardendetroit.com

Although its Instagram might have you believe it’s just a wedding venue, many artists have graced the stage of Garden Theater, especially in Detroit’s hip-hop scene. It has a capacity of about 1,200.

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Viola Klocko

Leland City Club

400 Bagley St., Detroit; 313-962-2300;lelandcityclub.net

Leland City Club is a unique experience of its own. The dance club is most known for its Goth nights, but will also have EDM and techno DJs on the bill. It has a capacity of 750.

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El Club

4114 W. Vernor Hwy., Detroit; 313-757-7942; elclubdetroit.com

El Club is one of few venues that offers great shows at really good prices. It’s the place you go to see your favorite SoundCloud and Spotify artists before they really blow up. It has a capacity of 400.

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Cadieux Cafe

4300 Cadieux, Detroit; 313-882-8560; cadieuxcafe.com

You might go to Cadieux Cafe for a taste of Belgium beers or feather bowling, but it also has live music and karaoke. It has a capacity of around 100.

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The Fillmore Detroit

2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-961-5451; livenation.com

The Fillmore was previously known as the State Theatre, but it was rebranded as the Fillmore Detroit in 2007 in honor of the Fillmore in San Francisco. It has a capacity of 2,900.

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Joe Maroon

Fox Theatre

2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-471-7000; foxtheatredetroit.net

The Fox Theatre is one of those venues that doesn’t have a bad seat in the house, thanks to its ornate Art Deco design that incorporates elements from Eastern motifs. Whether it’s a musical or a rap concert, The Fox is a fail-safe concert venue. It has a capacity of about 5,000.

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Sound Board at MotorCity Casino Hotel

2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-309-4700; soundboarddetroit.com

From cover bands and comedy shows to adult contemporary performers, Motor City Casino’s Sound Board offers a variety of events throughout the year. It can seat about 2,400.

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Deluxx Fluxx

1274 Library St., Detroit; 313-788-7015;deluxxfluxx.com

If you want a place with decently priced drinks and an aesthetically pleasing backdrop for photos for your Instagram — all while enjoying your favorite performer or DJ — then this Day-Glo-painted spot in The Belt is perfect for you. It has a capacity of 240.

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Harpos/Facebook

Harpos

14238 Harper, Detroit; 313-824-1700; harposlive.com

If heavy metal or hip-hop is what you’re into, then Harpo’s is the place where you’ll want to head. It can hold around 2,500 fans.

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Mike Pfeiffer

Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre

14900 Metro Parkway, Sterling Heights; 248-377-0100; freedomhillamphitheater.com

Much like Pine Knob and The Aretha, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre (aka Freedom Hill) is a summer concert destination with pavilion and lawn seating. It has a capacity of 7,300.

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Pine Knob

33 Bob Seger Dr., Clarkston; 248-377-0100; pineknobamp.com

Spring means that Pine Knob concert season is approaching. The outdoor amphitheater offers both covered and lawn seating, and if you get the latter, the giant screens still offer a decent view. It has a capacity of about 15,000.

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Saint Andrew’s Hall

431 E. Congress St., Detroit; 313-961-8961; livenation.com

Saint Andrew’s Hall might be one of Detroit’s best-known concert venues, largely due to the film 8 Mile being set in its basement (The Shelter). It’s known to feature a variety of pop, rock, and hip-hop acts, and has a capacity of about 1,000.

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Russell Industrial Center

1600 Clay St., Detroit; 313-872-4000; russellindustrialcenter.com

The Russell Industrial Center is an old industrial site-turned-event space and commercial space, with a large warehouse-style building that hosts a variety of events. Protip: wear comfortable shoes, as finding parking can sometimes be a challenge. It has a capacity of about 2,500.

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Royal Oak Music Theatre/Facebook

Royal Oak Music Theatre

318 W. 4th St., Royal Oak; 248-399-2980; royaloakmusictheatre.com

Located in downtown Royal Oak, this theater is not only a great place to catch a concert or performance, but it’s within walking distance of some great food options for after the show. It has a capacity of 1,700.

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Spot Lite

2905 Beaufait St. #4, Detroit; spotlitedetroit.com

This combination bar, cafe, record store, art gallery, and nightclub is located in Detroit’s Islandview neighborhood, and has turned into one really cool creative hotspot. Check out some of the records in the store, grab a cup of coffee, or head there at night for a dance party. It has a capacity of about 400.

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Spread Art/Facebook

Spread Art

5141 Rosa Parks Blvd., Detroit; 313-757-2787; spreadart.org

Spread Art is an arts “community incubator” that hosts a little bit of everything related to performance and visual arts, including concerts, open mic nights, poetry readings, art shows, and more.

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