July 26, 2022
One of my favorite concert venues in Midtown Detroit is Little Caesars Arena.
Being particularly newer, Little Caesars Arena opened in 2017, replacing Joe Louis Arena and The Palace of Auburn Hills as the home for the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons. As a part of The District Detroit, the epicenter of sports and entertainment in the heart of the city., the arena has brought in over 3 million guests since opening and now serves as a multipurpose arena for the city. Tin Roof Detroit, The M Den, Frita Batidos, Rush Bowls, Sahara Restaurant and Grill, Union Joints, Detroit Medical Center, and Warner Norcross & Judd are among the new companies coming to The District Detroit. (For more information about The District Detroit, visit DistrictDetroit.com.)
Little Caesars Arena is located at 2645 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201 and features shopping and dining establishments like Mike’s Pizza Bar, Sports & Social Detroit, District Market, PointsBet Sports Bar, The Mixing Board. Team Store. plus many concession stands. It also encompasses office space for Google, 313 Presents and the Detroit Red Wings and has state-of-the-art technology features, fan amenities. and active community spaces like the Chevrolet Plaza.
On Feb. 28, 2022, I had the pleasure of going to see Tyler, The Creator, Kali Uchis, Vince Staples, and Teezo Touchdown perform at Little Caesars Arena for the “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” tour for the critically-acclaimed album of the same name that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 charts upon its release, as well as an astounding performance at the 2021 BET awards, and a headlining set at Lollapalooza 2021.
“CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” is Tyler, The Creator’s follow-up to his Grammy-nominated album IGOR, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 list and had eight singles chart on the Billboard Hot 100. IGOR was also selected Best Album of the Year by Billboard, Complex, GQ, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and others, while Tyler was named Innovator of the Year by the Wall Street Journal Magazine and Man of the Year by GQ Magazine the same year.
The show was a truly great time. The venue couldn’t have been better either! This was one of the best concerts I have been to, not only because of the show but also because, unlike other concerts, I wasn’t sweating bullets, I was able to put my coat down without worry while getting to the very front row, and I was able to get a delicious pretzel with cheese for around $5 (I know, right?!) Little Caesars is like most arenas in how you get a range from fairly cheap snacks to some more expensive entreés at a specialized concession stand.
With Teezo Touchdown as the concert opener, he relished in this position thanks to a brief hook feature on Tyler’s album and a very dedicated hype man helping him work the crowd. Vince Staples didn’t get very much crowd support, although he is known for his flamboyant and boisterous personality, his platform set up in the huge arena was not one for which he could garner very much crowd attention. Kali Uchis, who started off her performance being bound to a crucifix, stuck to a more leisurely saunter sort- of act throughout it, with four dancers adorned in red to enhance the act. While all three openers are great artists in their own different ways, none of them could have garnered our attention like the headliner: Tyler the Creator
The crowd was a riot for the rest of the concert, with Tyler hitting us with a slew of crowd-hyping songs from the latest album, some nostalgic hits for the OG fans and some classic Tyler mass-heckling; all while using every single part of the stage – even riding on a speed boat through the middle section. Tyler obviously knew how to show up for Detroit and gave an absolutely show-stopping performance, making sure to show love to the city several times throughout, exclaiming “One thing I do know, it’s so cold in the D! Now where we at wit it?!”
1. There will be visible indicators of construction in progress with all of the excitement and growth in The District Detroit and beyond. So when attending an event, plan to arrive early! Perhaps enjoy a meal at one of the four Little Caesars Arena restaurants, which are open on event and non-event days.
2. Good parking may be hard to come by! Pre-paid parking guarantees you a parking space in the lot or garage of your choosing. Before you arrive, be sure to check out Parkwhiz.com, or The District Detroit app to find parking. For budget hunters, I suggest parking in a structure just south of I-75 and making the short walk across the Woodward Avenue Bridge. Ridesharing is another great alternative! The best areas for drop offs and pickups are on the I-75 service drive between Park Street and Woodward Avenue.
3. A revised no-bag policy has been established, allowing no bags inside the venue unless they are necessary for medical reasons. The use of clear bags will no longer be permitted either.
4. For the comfort and safety of guests, Little Caesars Arena and its surrounding areas do not allow smoking, and re-entry to the arena after exiting is not allowed. So make sure you won’t need to run back to your car!
For more information on Little Caesars Arena and events, visit 313presents.com.
Written by Kelly Goodwin, Spring 2022 Let’s Detroit Campus Ambassador
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