the biggest venue i've been in in detroit is actually probably orchestra hall, to see some symphonies. the biggest concert i've been to since i've moved here was probably beethoven's fifth.

the only show i've seen at the ground floor majestic theatre was the melvins & melt banana gig (they opened for a british band that i think is terrible and always forget the name of), which was a few thousand people.

very, very few of the shows i go to have more than 100 people at them, and it's startlingly rare to get me at a concert with more than 1000 people.

i haven't been in any of the sports stadiums. i haven't been to the fox. i haven't been to the fillmore.

i suppose it's possible, but it's become less likely as older famous musicians die off. i don't want to assign a cut-off point or something, because it's getting across the wrong idea; while there have been very brief periods where mainstream music dips into the underground (1966-1970, 1989-1993), mainstream music has, in general, been unlistenable from the time that the concept of "mainstream" existed. but, i at least grew up with some of the older stuff. i don't have the slightest interest in contemporary pop.

so, i'd be more likely to go see somebody like peter gabriel than go to much of anything contemporary. as that generation dies, i'm going to be less and less likely to ever step foot into these venues. gen x just turned out to be a giant disappointment; they haven't demonstrated the same talent level as they've aged, or at least the ones that are alive haven't. we just don't have that space in pop culture for art anymore. the sports arenas are especially unlikely for me to ever go to, for that reason.

so, i'm actually not calling for the return of huge events; i don't actually care about big events. what i'm calling for is the return of intimate concerts in very small venues, which is all i've ever cared much for from the start.