Want to check out a really cool live music venue? Get to Flint, Michigan and visit the Machine Shop! It’s a club that the fans and musicians equally enjoy. One thing about the Shop, is that many bands who now play theaters or arenas, have played there. It’s so cool to see these bands grow and expand their audience. I can also tell you that those bands do not forget the venue, or how well they were treated there by management, staff and the fans alike. A testament to that is the fact that Vinnie Paul from Pantera was buried in a Machine Shop shirt.
Kevin Zink’s owned the venue for 21 years, and has booked over 2,300 shows there, many nights with multiple bands. Everyone from Kid Rock, to Shinedown, to Sevendust and Eric Church have played the Machine Shop stage. Kevin told me that the Cleveland based band, Mushroomhead, has played there the most times.
A panoramic view of the Machine Shop taken by Minty.
If you’ve never been there, Kevin describes the club like this – “I would describe it as kick ass, and then wonder about them since they have never been here! Hahaha! Seriously though, it is like 80s rock club, meets hot rod shop, meets tattoo shop, but with top notch sound and lights!” People have traveled from near and far to catch a band or bands there. “You name the country and there is a good chance someone has traveled from there to Flint, Mi.. We have seen people from Japan, Denmark, Brazil and many more. We have lots of people come from the far ends of the US to see their favorite band in the last of the real rock clubs.”
You’d think in the world of Rock N’ Roll there would be some crazy stuff on the bands riders, or backstage. Kevin says that doesn’t happen too often. “I don’t find crazy shit, just a lot of messes! Condoms are about the craziest on a rider, which really isn’t that crazy at all. The days of crazy seem to have gone away a bit. It is all pretty professional.”
Speaking from personal experience, The Machine Shop is staffed by very friendly, helpful people, who are also huge music fans. You can tell that the people who work there take great pride in making each show a memorable one for the fans.
With one look at their website, you can see that they host a wide variety of music, not just rock.
Check out some pictures taken at the Machine Shop by there in-house photographer, Minty.
I hope to see you at an upcoming show at the Shop. Oh, and don’t forget to snag one or six of their world famous t-shirts!
-Meltdown-
