Detroit Loves A Concert: 1 Million Attended Shows

Is there really no party like a Detroit party? More than 1 million people answered that question, swelling concert attendance at more than 100 shows at The Palace, DTE Energy Music Theatre and Meadow Brook Music Festival from May through September.

 DTE Energy Music Theatre hosted more than 689,000 guests during its 58-show summer season, including 22 sellout crowds.  The amphitheatre's season peaked in late August when it was filled to capacity by five single shows in a nine-day period from August 19-27.

In addition, the July Meadow Brook Music Festival attracted more than 166,000 people during its 35-show schedule.  The venue posted three sellouts in 20ll: comedians Demetri Martin (July 16 – pavilion only) and Jim Gaffigan (August 6), along with hot hip-hop acts Big Sean/Wale/Big K.R.I.T./G-Eazy (September 9). 

The Palace's May to September concert schedule saw more than more than 172,000 guests enjoy one of the venue's busiest concert summers to date.

The season got off to a hot start with three sold out shows by local legend Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (May 17, 19 and 21) and continued with the following additional sellout shows: Glee Live! In Concert! (June 13), New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys (June 16), Katy Perry wsg Marina & The Diamonds (June 28), Britney Spears wsg Nicki Minaj, Jessie and the Toy Boys, Nervo (July 28) and Foo Fighters wsg Rise Against, Mariachi el Bronx (September 19).

 "It is as simple as this: people love live entertainment and we are blessed to be in an area where people probably love it more than anywhere else," said Dennis Mannion, president Palace Sports & Entertainment and the Detroit Pistons.  "Attending live shows is such a tradition in metro Detroit and we have the pleasure of being able to offer it in three quality settings."

 More than two-thirds of the venues' summer events included affordable $10 or $15 lawn tickets or specially discounted four-packs of lawn tickets.  In addition, PS&E offered big savings on a wide selection of concerts at The Palace, DTE Energy Music Theatre and Meadow Brook Music Festival in July as part of their "Two-Day Ticket Blitz," which provided savings of up to 50% on a majority of the shows at the three PS&E venues. 

This year's "Blitz" also donated one dollar from each ticket sold to purchase back-to-school supplies for metro Detroit schools in need.  As a result, close to $10,000 in school supplies will be purchased and delivered to schools this year.