Earlier this week, I asked you guys about local bars you could bring back, which one would it be? I got over three hundred responses. There were many local corner bar types, which was fine. Bars like Albert’s on the Alley in Garden City, The Goat Farm in Novi got lots of mentions, along with the “Post” bars and different sports bars throughout the area. Maybe one day I’ll do a story about those types of bars. But I thought I’d write about past great Detroit music venues type bars for this article

There were a few music clubs on the westside, but the scene was mainly on the east. The I Rock, Harpos, The Ritz and others were where many of the bands came to play.

Yes, some people commented on how they were “showing their age” with some of their picks. Bars that hadn’t been around for a very long time, maybe even decades. That’s ok, it’s fun to look back to a time in your life where you ventured out at all times of the day or night to see your friends, or check out some local bands. Maybe even take in a WRIF night at Wild Woody’s or many of the other places we would be at giving out concert tickets and the like.

Thankfully, we still have some great places to see live music in town. Places like The Token Lounge, The Diesel Nightclub, District 142, even The Machine Shop in Flint if you can make the drive. All of these places have bands playing throughout the year.

Alright, lets take a trip back to some of the past great Detroit music venues. Remember, I couldn’t put everyone’s pick on here. Here’s seven that I feel best represent what you guys picked.

-Meltdown-

• ritz in roseville

  This one came up a lot! This place closed down a few years after I started at the RIFF, but I did see some shows there. My most memorable was the Sponge NYE show of 1997 I believe.

  The Ritz

  No Description

• The bullfrog bar in redford

  I was at this place many times. I’ll never forget some clown coming in pretending he was Scott Stapp from Creed. This was at the height of their success, but the problem was, I’d met Scott a few times and knew it wasn’t him. He even went on stage and sang…poorly I might add.

• the studio lounge

  I believe this place is now a Taco Bell or something. I was only there a few times, but it was cool. Opening in 1976, it closed down in the late 90s. “It was THE rock bar on the westside” said Kathy F.

• the hayloft liquor stand in Mt. Clemens

  This was one of the first places I was taken to when I got to Detroit. I’d go there many more times after. One night I was in there and the band Beautiful Creatures came in. That band comprised Joe Leste of Bang Tango, DJ Ashba (who would go on to play with Nikki Sixx), Alex Grossi from Quiet Riot, and a couple of others. I know Joe and DJ came in that night.

• blondies

  Lots of older metal bands always mention this place to me. I was never at the original Blondies personally.

• the I rock nightclub

  One of my favorite memories of this place was the after-party from the Insane Clown Posse. We all ended up here after a Halloween show many, many years ago. Cool place, not a great area.

  I-ROCK NIGHTCLUB Detroit MI

  All rights reserved. Text & graphics, areprotected byUS & International Copyright Laws and may not be copied,reprinted,published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed byany means without explicitpermission from the owne C opyright © 2001 by TSA Music, Inc., Detroit, M I

• the hayloft west

  Bands like Planet of Fun and others would play here regularly. It was the westside’s answer to the Hayloft Liquor Stand, and owned by the same guys.

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