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For many years, Michigan Central Station, the iconic Detroit train station that opened in 1914, has been shut down and abandoned. The station shut down in 1988, and it spent decades decaying as different ownership groups announced and then gave up plans for the facility. The station, now owned by Ford, has been renovated over the past few yearas, and it had a big gala reopening last night, with performances from some of the most famous musicians in Detroit history.
A long list of luminaries performed on a stage outside the station last night. Eminem, backed up by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, gave his first performance of his new single “Houdini,” which is projected to debut at #2 next week even though it’s terrible. In his mini-set, Em also did “Sing For The Moment” with Jelly Roll singing the hook, and he reunited with feared hometown street-rap figure Trick Trick on “Welcome 2 Detroit.” Here’s Eminem’s set:
Fellow Detroit native Jack White also performed, doing the White Stripes classics “Hotel Yorba” and “Seven Nation Army,” as well as a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Hear My Train A Comin’.”
Diana Ross sang some of her solo classics and covered her late Motown labelmates Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
The night included a few tributes to the late Detroit native J Dilla. Common freestyled about him. Dilla’s old group Slum Village and his younger brother Illa J performed, and his mother made an appearance. Big Sean, techno pioneer Theo Parrish, and Detroit gospel group the Clark Sisters also performed. Retired Detroit legend Bob Seger was not on the bill, but lots of people sang Seger covers. Melissa Etheridge did “Mainstreet,” Fantasia did “Shakedown,” Jelly Roll did “Turn The Page,” and the three of them all teamed up for “Old Time Rock And Roll.”
Speaking of Jelly Roll, he appears on a new Falling In Reverse song, and today is National Donut Day, so he has free Dunkin for us. That’s awfully nice of him.
Eventually, the whole reopening concert will be a special on Peacock.