Harpos

Harpo's has been around and has been called various name throughout the years it originally at one point was a theater I believe it was built in the 1930s. Then it was converted into a disco. And one time my father worked here as a bouncer met my mother here. Like a lot of people said in the previous reviews this was known as the kids from the suburbs Rite of Passage to Detroit. They had a bad reputation for a lot of skinheads and a lot of people getting hurt in the mosh pit not to mention all the cars stolen that were broken into during the course of time it has been opened. So if you come here make sure you know where you're going... you don't want to look like you're lost when you're here. It has been under construction for years tearing up the carpet installing new plumbing and trying to make everything back to normal I believe at one point they had to file chapter 7 and it was taken over by different owner but if you still check the website today they are still doing their hardcore heavy metal rock bands and tickets start around twenty bucks. So if you have a heart and the liking for heavy metal definitely check their website out and see if they have your favorite band playing. I've even heard at one point Snoop Dogg Tupac and Outkast have even played at this location this definitely is a historical marker in Detroit that is came along way. Its a rite of passage if you are a detroiter if you're afraid to venture Beyond 8 Mile stay away!!! This place is for the experienced Detroit lifestyle only :-)

Looks CLOSED, yet I see concert listings in sept/oct; mostly old metal bands, good area/venue for that.. Don't be stupid and aimlessly wander around this East end of Detroit.For out of towners this section of Detroit is an eye opener, plus depressing. The abandoned homes, businesses, prostitutes in the pouring rain, sad how this area sits today, bleak. Harpos has a beautiful sign, like a mirage in the distance amongst all the destruction.

The worst place ever. First no heat or air conditioning. Really! The ceiling was s falling down especially in the right side off the stage. And they're not cheap. We paid $30 a ticket only to leave because after an hour and half the band they advertised still didn't play. Instead they had the bartender from the bar down the street play I don't know what for an hour. The had to bring the electrical cords out into the street and plug it in so the place could have light. ALSO BEWARE FALSE ADVERTISING. They said nothing about a opening act that was the bartender never said tickets are non refundable. When we asked for a refund because the and we went to see wasn't near getting on stage after an a halk a big biker looking stood in my face in a threatening manner. I'm a 57 year old 5'1 and they sent a big biker dude to intimidate me. Great customer service.I will be reporting them to the Michigan Attorney General for false advertising.

Unsafe, unclean, watered-down drinks, horrible sound... I can go on. This is just from a regular patron. As a musician in a band... it's even worse! If you want to perform on the same stage as a national act, you and your band have to first sell tickets. Depending on how many tickets you sell, determines your time slot. They will get 12-14 suckers...er, bands to fall for this. However, what they don't tell you is:Your band won't get any of the money from the sale of the tickets. AND the tickets you don't sell, you have to fork over the money for those as well.You'll be performing a 20 minute set about 6:00-7:00 pm (or around there, depending on your ticket sales when only your family and friends who bought tickets will be there). Mind you, the headline band usually does not go on until after 10:00 pm and usually have their own tour support (warm up band).You will be setting up your equipment outside in the alley were people have frequently been mugged, stabbed and shot.If you are in a band, please have some respect for your time and talent and don't fall for the scam this place runs.

This was my first "summer" harpos experience, and sadly it will be my last. At 30$ a head you would think this place could at least spring for some fans!!!! Nope!!! I was there this past weekend for Dope, Devil Driver, and StaticX. Harpos books some GREAT shows from some of the heaviest bands putting out music! It's a bit hard to enjoy them when it's LITERALLY 103 degrees inside with ZERO air circulation. Add to that the thick smoke stench, lack of toilet paper, overflowing toilets and lack of security and the whole thing is a hot hellish mess! Walking through the metal detectors at one of their biggest events of the year from a ticket sales standpoint and person after person is setting off the metal detector! Not one request to empty pockets or secondary wanding . You could feel the heat roll out the front doors as soon as you step inside. It was suffocating! We saw ONE fan (unless you count the ones being used by the bartenders who were serving drinks in their underwear thanks to the heat) or the ones staff at the mercy table were using. When the main act stops to bitch about the heat MAYBE it's time to upgrade a few things. Unfortunately Harpos is one of the only metal venues of this capacity for miles and miles. I'm shocked bands still want to book here! I've heard the legends of the extreme heat and cold but this was my first time experiencing it.

It's been years since I've been to Harpos and it will be many more years till I even think of going again. Maybe there was a reason why this place closed and it should've probably should have stayed closed. Let's start with maybe at least turning on the heat so you don't freeze out the people who are paying to come see shows here. Or maybe even updating the interior where they have usable tables and chairs to sit on while trying to enjoy a concert. Maybe even upgrade the floors that look like they've been there since the 80s. The new owners for sure did not put any money into this place to make it a better venue or even a workable venue. Why would I spend $30 for a ticket to see some band here when it looks like a dump. I will say the lady at the I guess you call it a snack bar here was very polite. They serve Little Caesars pizza as food if your hungry. They have spots set up for three bars yet they only use one of them. This place needs a real remodel from the owner or maybe just be shut down and let the past be the past. I personally would never come back here to see any show ever again as long as they don't take care of the building that needs taken care of. Just unfortunately an owner who doesn't care about his own business.

In a word- shady...This place is the definition of the word.It's filled with lots of skinhead-looking types lurking around...located in a sketchy part of town....I saw Clutch here before, along with a couple of other less noteworthy musical acts....definitely a dive...The drinks are way overpriced (I'm sure that my crappy draft beer was at least $7) and very limited.. This place is putrid... Watch your drink or it might get drugged... it appears that neither the heat/AC functions properly (so freeze your ass off in the winter and swelter in the summer), and apparently neither does the plumbing... Beware the taint of society hanging around...dash to your car parked on the street as you run for your life from the criminal elements roaming the city... you know, it actually gives "dives" a bad name...

Harpos needs to updated. Half of the ceilings and walls are falling apart, The bathrooms are horrible,plumbing, no A/C it was so hot in there I'm surprised no one fell out from heat exhaustion. I love the wrestling event I was there to see but those type of conditions can put those athletes in danger. Carpet has never been changed. It's a death pit waiting to happen. Someone needs to either tear it down and start over from scratch and make more modern for today's times.

This place needs to just be knocked down. Ladies bathroom had puddle of water on the ground. So we're just walking in and out the bathroom through puddles. Half of the Bathrooms don't even flush. There must not be any heat because there's no hot water and it was cold. While the concert was getting started a piece of ceiling fell down. Thank god it didn't hit anyone! This venue needs a lot of upgrading or just tear it down.

After the recent change in management, and extensive renovations, I could hardly tell it was the same place anymore. The beer prices are more reasonable than they used to be. Now the plumbing works in the bathrooms and they are spotless without any trace of garbage or bodily waste. Management is no longer miserly enough to keep the heat off, so the great room does not have any drafts the way it used to be. Car windows are still intact after returning to the parking lot, because of the heightened security which the establishment previously was unwilling to pay for. Oh who am I kidding, nothing has changed. Stay out of this festering shithole.