Image by: Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com
“Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central” executive produced by Eminem and Paul Rosenberg was an all-star celebration of Detroit music bringing Diana Ross, Jack White, Big Sean and a host of other top names to the restored Michigan Central train station as the historic site launches its grand reopening for a global audience. The concert was spearheaded by Ford Motor Co., which spent nearly $1 billion to renovate the site and unveiled the artist roster Monday morning after weeks of buildup.
Branded as “Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central,” the event was streamed live on Peacock, then will be aired Sunday on NBC as a prime-time special. The 90-minute, genre-spanning concert — whose lineup includes hip-hop duo Slum Village, gospel stars Kierra Sheard and the Clark Sisters, techno-house DJ Theo Parrish and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra — marks the biggest convergence of hometown star power on one Detroit stage in decades. The show also featured visiting artists such as Jelly Roll, Fantasia, Common and Melissa Etheridge. Presenters included Detroit Lions stars and veterans such as Barry Sanders, Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown, along with comedian Mike Epps, actress Sophia Bush and one and only Royce 5’9″ who appeared with J Dilla’s mother.
The concert was livestreamed at 8:30 p.m. Thursday on Peacock, the streaming service operated by NBC Universal, and will be repurposed for a one-hour NBC special airing nationally at 7 p.m. Sunday. Six weeks after the NFL Draft downtown, the Michigan Central concert gave Detroit another high-profile starring role amid the city’s ongoing renewal.
“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,” Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford, said in a statement Monday. “I am honored and grateful that so many of Detroit’s musical legends, sports heroes, artists and innovators are joining us to celebrate the city we all love and the bright future we are creating together.” The streaming and TV production was led by Jesse Collins Entertainment, a Los Angeles company that has overseen Super Bowl halftime shows, Emmy Awards, BET Honors and other events.
As it turns out, one of the surprise special guests was Eminem himself, joined by Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Denaun Porter, Jelly Roll, performing his latest single “Houdini,” “Sing For The Moment,” “Welcome 2 Detroit” and “Not Afraid.” You can watch the performance below:
