Since the end of the year is basically here, I thought it would be fun to reflect back at all the great live music I saw in and around Detroit this past year.
2024 was almost a turning point for popular music. The reigning divas of pop music like Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry and more stepped aside and ushered in the likes of Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan as the new queens of pop music.
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Here in Detroit, a market that is often skipped over by all kinds of artists, had quite a showing of musicians coming through The Motor City. Plus, there was even a star-studded Detroit-themed concert that was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
I went to 28 concerts this year, so I’ve got plenty of great shows to chose from. Here are mine, in no particular order. Oh, and leave your favorite concerts in the comments below!
Madonna at Little Caesars Arena
It’s always a big deal when the Queen of Pop goes on tour, and it’s an even bigger deal when she makes a stop in her home state of Michigan. Madonna’s “Celebration Tour” was just that, a celebration of her iconic career that spans four decades. The show was even more special because Madonna talked a few different times about how great it was to be back in Detroit, how she learned to dance at the gay bars here back in the day, and how the DIA used to inspire her when she’d visit way before she was famous. As someone who didn’t necessarily give Detroit any love early on in her career, it’s nice that she’s come along. Come back, Madonna! Just start your concert a tad bit earlier next time!
Michigan Central Station Concert
It was already a big deal that Michigan Central Station was reopening after decades of decay and abandonment (thanks, Ford!), but nothing could have prepared me for the party and concert that was thrown in celebration. It was truly Detroit royalty that performed in front of the building. Diana Ross, Big Sean, Jack White and Eminem all took the stage, and you truly couldn’t have asked for a better lineup of Detroit legends. It was almost surreal by the time the show was over with. I kept on being like “I just saw Diana Ross and Eminem on the same stage on the same night. HOW!?” Detroit will never see a show like this again, but a building like Michigan Central Station deserves all of the flowers.
Charli XCX and Troye Sivan at Little Caesars Arena
When I heard that Charli XCX and Troye Sivan were teaming up for the “Sweat Tour,” I immediately got nervous that a city like Detroit would be one that they would skip due to a number of reasons, so you can understand my shock when I learned that not only were they hitting up Detroit on the tour, but the entire tour was starting here in the Motor City. It doesn’t matter if you knew what it meant or not, but this summer was dubbed Brat Summer by Charli’s fans, so the fact that this cultural phenomenon was going to premiere in Detroit was absolutely wild to me.
The show exceeded all my expectations, and Charli and Troye Sivan delivered the entire time. It was thrilling to see a tour open for the first time (something I’ve somehow never experienced before) and the energy inside the arena was insane. It really did feel electric. So thank you Charli and Troye for bring “BRAT” to Detroit for all of us to experience.
Waxahatchee at The Majestic
Singer-songwriter Kate Crutchfield, aka Waxahatchee, released one of the best albums of the year back in February, and her intimate (yet very packed) show at the Majestic Theatre in Detroit’s Midtown was without a doubt one of my favorite shows of the year. She played her entire new album, called “Tigers Blood” front to back, and sprinkled in some songs from her excellent 2020 album “Saint Cloud.” If you missed Waxahatchee earlier this year, you’re in luck! She will be headlining Friday night of the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. You know you’ll see me there!
Alanis Morissette at Pine Knob
The dream of the ‘90s was alive at Pine Knob on a hot July night this past summer. First of all, there is nothing better than an outdoor concert at Pine Knob in the middle of the summer, but the fact that Alanis Morissette played all of her hits at such an iconic Michigan venue was unbeatable. Singing “You Outta Know” and “Ironic” with thousands of strangers is just good for the soul, man!
Vampire Weekend at Meadow Brooke
The other really great outdoor venue in Michigan is Meadow Brooke, and it was great to see Vampire Weekend perform there. The indie rockers came out with a new album in 2024, so it was fun to see them play some new tunes, and then dig into their rich catalog of music from past albums. A highlight of the show was their encore, in which the band took requests from folks in the audience. They tried their very best to just improve some classic songs, like David Bowie’s “Young Americans” and Bob Seger’s “Night Moves.”
Heart at Little Caesars Arena
If there is one thing Ann Wilson is gonna do, it’s sing her a** off. At 74 years old, the lead singer of rock band Heart absolutely tore off the roof of Little Caesars Arena. Songs like “Crazy on You” and “Barracuda” sounded better than ever, and her sister, guitarist Nancy Wilson, shredded on guitar all night. I love seeing classic rock bands that still tour, and Heart was one that you won’t want to miss if they come back to town again.
St. Vincent at Michigan Theatre
Speaking of shredding on a guitar, St. Vincent was a blast to see at the Michigan Theatre. Sure, it was a slog to drive all the way out to Ann Arbor and back on a Monday, but seeing St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark, live is so worth it. She played a lot of tunes from her newest album, “All Born Screaming,” as well as some new ones that fit right into her setlist. She really is one of the most talented guitarists making music these days, and worth checking out next time she comes to town -- if you can get tickets!
What was your favorite concert of 2024? Let us know in the comments!
