A big celebration will take place today (Thursday, June 6) in Detroit.
The historic Michigan Central train station has been restored and is ready to welcome back visitors and hometown residents alike. To mark this occasion, a special concert is being held. Here’s what you need to know and how to watch this spectacular event.
What is the concert called and who is in the lineup?
“Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central” promises to bring together many of Detroit’s finest musical stars. The Ford Motor Company is hosting the big event with Eminem and his manager, Paul Rosenberg, serving as producers.
The lineup includes Diana Ross, who grew up just two miles from the train station in a now extinct Brewster housing project; Jack White, who would go on to find success with the White Stripes and as a solo artist also calls Detroit his childhood home; and Rapper Big Sean, who was also raised in motor city.
Additionally announced musical guests cover a wide variety of genres. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra will play classical music. Slum Village will cover hip-hop. Gospel is Kierra Sheard and the Clark Sisters’ specialiy while techno is DJ Theo Parrish’s.
The impressive lineup also includes stars who love Detroit, even if they are not natives. Jelly Roll, Fantasia, Common, and Melissa Etheridge all fit this bill. Presenters include Detroit Lions stars Barry Sanders, Jared Goff, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Mike Epps and Sophia Bush also want in on the action.
There are bound to be surprises as well. We can only speculate if Eminem will hit the stage in addition to his producing duties. If so, this would be his first hometown concert besides cameos in over a decade.
How is Ford involved?
The Ford Motor Company bought the station in 2018 for $90 million. The historic transportation center was the tallest train depot in the world when it began operations in 1913. It grew to serve 4,000-plus passengers a day. It was abandoned in the 1980s because of travel preference changes and became synonymous with the city’s economic struggles.
Now things are looking up—and this concert is just the beginning.
Ford spent $950 million over six years to restore the 13-story station. It also took on the 30-acre campus. The automaker plans to have 2,500 of its own employees based at the newly opened location.
Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford, explained the rationale behind the big event. “We wanted to celebrate the reopening of Michigan Central Station in style and make it a night to remember for Detroiters and people watching around the world,” he said in a statement.
How can I watch or stream the ‘Live from Detroit’ concert?
You have a couple of options to join in the fun. Locals can watch the full 90 minutes live on WDIV-TV Channel 4, Detroit’s NBC affiliate.
Peacock will also stream the concert live. Although the streaming service does not currently offer a free trial, it has a lower price point than many of its competitors at $5.99 a month.
If you want to wait until Sunday, you can catch an hour-long special version of the concert on NBC at 7 p.m. This is the best free option because all you need is an over-the-air antenna and reception to get the channel.