From time to time I’m going to shine a spotlight on a local music venue. Today, it’s Harpos.
Ruzvelt Stevanovski has owned Harpos for the past seven years. He previously owned The original Blondie’s on 7 Mile, Todds/Marquee Club, Blondie’s on Fort St and Club Sin. Over 40 years in the business.
Harpos owner Ruzvelt with Lita Ford
He’s booked hundreds of concerts there, and thousands over the years. According to Ruzvelt, the biggest concerts he’s booked at Harpos was Phil Ansalmo and The Illegals playing Pantera’s Vulgar Display Of Power in it’s entirety. That’s a show I’m kicking myself for missing. Another big show was Blackie Lawless’ W.A.S.P. with Armored Saint. I was at that show and it was very good!
Ruzvelt with Buckcherry’s Josh Todd
Harpos is an experience. Acoustics are great, and you can feel the energy as soon as you enter the venue. Everyone from Iron Maiden to Slipknot and Disturbed, to Snoop Dogg have performed there. It’s amazing the amount of bands I talk to who’ve not only played there, but have vivid memories of the venue. If you were to ask Ruzvely who’s played there, his answer would be “Who hasn’t?”
Ruzvelt with the late Gunner Ross.
I asked him about things that may have been left behind by bands in the dressing room. “I’ve have found everything from panties to bras”. What about strange things that bands ask for in their riders? “The bands riders include most anything you can think of”. He told me about one legendary band he got to play two nights at his old bar Blondies. “I got Slayer to play a second night at Blondies for $500 and white castles. LoL. This was back in 1986”.
SLAYER!
Oh, how about one of the craziest artists to play for him? “GG Allin played twice for me for $200 bucks plus for extra $20, he licked the men’s toilet seat. LOL. He also stuck a mic up his ass and of course shit in a pitcher and threw it all over”. Oh, GG….yuck!
He said that the furthest a fan came to see a show was Europe. Oh, and Harpos is haunted. Also you can find anyone’s DNA on the famous carpet. “Gum and scum all over.
The iconic lit up dance floor still works. Harpos was the first to install it, and this is where Studio 54 got the idea”.
Hatebreed
Everyone has a story about Harpos. Personally I got few I cannot tell.
Thanks to Ruzvelt for the look inside Harpos.
-Meltdown-