Magic Stick

Review pending Detroit Police Department review. Highly discriminating environment
Visit at your own risk.
I will be happy to share details on request

I will miss this venue as it was a great place to see a club show, get a bite to eat, and play some pool before enjoying some raucous live music. The eating option and music acts are still around, but the pool is gone. I saw one of my favorite shows ever here, dr dog with Bobby Bare jr. After a great evening of music, no one was selling mr Bare’s music, probably due to some car trouble with the headlining act, Bare doubled back, and they rode together in the same van sharing some gear. Not to be deterred as everyone was leaving, I approached him onstage as he was finishing loading out the gear and he hopped offstage directly to the merchant table to sell me some stuff himself and even give me musical recommendations while on my way out. This off the cuff charm was typical of the venue and many of the acts I saw there.

So it was announced that the Magic Stick is going to focus on EDM ‘concerts’. Even though I’ve moved away from Detroit, I still pouted like crazy reading the news. I guess they know what’s best for the venue and the city.
I haven’t been to the Magic Stick since 2013, but I’ve been to over 50 concerts there. While working for record labels, magazines and even being on the street team for the venue, I frequented this place like crazy.
My first flirtation happened here. My first drink as 21 year old. The first and only time my car got broken into, haha. So many wonderful memories. I’ve seen many great bands at the Magic Stick, and some not so great bands.
The stage is one of my favorites since it’s only three feet or so off the ground. The floor seems to bounce when people are dancing along; it’s fun and scary at the same time.

A true Detroit original. I’ll be sad to see it turned into an EDM venue by 2016 – the owner has stated his plans for the joint.
Drinks are expensive, of course – in Detroit Rock City, we pregame in the parking lot.
Bathrooms suck – in Detroit Rock City, we hold it or give zero effs because, you know, music!
Ambiance is unique and positive. Great group mentality during shows. Sound has never been an issue here for me. No place like it… And when the last intimate rock venue like this in our city dies, a piece of Detroit Rock City goes with it.
We can all look forward to Molly-​rolling suburban kids in their neon spandex pouring out into the streets now. You can keep that. As for me? I’ll be nursing a drink at the last real music venue in the city… leave the EDM and come join. Drinks on me.

Horns up, young bloods, this granny is joining you for a metal show.
Or maybe you’ll see me with my cane at Blonde Redhead… or Boris (since when did they get off the noise bandwagon and onto the j-​pop bus? eep)…
No matter what the show, the place is about half packed at best (I still can’t get over the fact that shows don’t sell out in Detroit). The sound is pretty on point (though the speaker set up is definitely weighted toward one side). The drinks could be a touch cheaper (as they are, 3.25 for a PBR and 6 bucks for a paltry shot of well whiskey).
Street parking is remarkably plentiful. Crowd is generally without pretenses. If you’re vertically challenged like me, good luck seeing anything if you’re more than four rows back — the stage isn’t near raised enough to compensate for the flat open floor. If memory serves, there’s also a patio though I’ve never been out there — it’s always been too cold, or I’ve been too late, anxious, or tossed to manage the exploration.
Honestly the place doesn’t have all that much atmosphere. The bartenders are nice and efficient but relatively disengaged — same goes for the door people. The space is just kinda… there. As opposed to, I dunno, feeling intimate or old and loved or utterly punk rock. That’s ok. The venue brings in enough good acts to compensate.

It has been almost 10 year since I’ve been upstairs for a concert. The old faded felt pool tables gone and the dirty men’s room was clean up a bit. Besides this, nothing has changed. What a great place for a show. I introduced my date to Bob Mould and PBR all in the same night. PBR was on special for 3.25 a bottle, which is fine. Overall, I need to come back soon as this is a really fun complex.

Good venue for music, but drinks are very expensive! If you plan to get drunk, best do a little pre-​gaming in the parking lot ahead of time. Speaking of parking, the lot behind the building was well lit, with very high gates and a parking attendant in a booth. It was $ 5 well spent, considering the area.
The stage was small, but it made it a perfect, intimate show. There is also limited seating to the left side of the stage. Not the best visibility, but nice for people that need to be able to sit. I was up front, so I can’t speak to visibility from the back rows. The sound system was very good, and there was plenty of room for dancing at this particular show. Merch was off to the side and easy to access before and after the show.
The women’s bathroom was clean, but after the show it was completely out of any supplies. Thank goodness for napkins. Sorry about your plumbing, but, you know, desperate times…
Overall it was a nice venue. Sobering up downstairs while eating pizza by the slice put an end to a nice evening. Bowling looked fun too, but we didn’t try it.

Oh the good olé Magic Stick, I have had the fortunate opportunity to see some really amazing bands there ranging from Toro y Moi, Swans to Best Coast and more. It’s without a doubt the best indie music venue in Detroit and judging by the renovations they recently had done it will only get better. Most shows are fairly cheap going from around $ 7 to $ 20, there are paid parking lots to keep your car safe during but if you are feeling comfortable enough to park on the street there is plenty of spots available (of course the earlier you arrive the better). The few times I have ordered from the bar the service has been pleasant, they seem fairly eager to help. Drinks can be mediocre, I ordered a Vodka cranberry with Stoli instead of the house brand and it was still subpar and watered down. Oh well, the drinks don’t have to be amazing because Magic Stick books some of the best concerts the Metro Detroit area has to offer. Rock on!

I went here last night for the warpaint show and the security guy (who wears a badge around his neck to make him appear like a cop) told me that they do not allow Google Glass because I could be taking pictures of people with out their permission. I tried rationally explaining to this luddite that this was easily possible and much more concealable without glass. He then tried telling me that detroit was soon adopting a policy to ban google glass in public. This guy was clearly a moron but I will choose to spend my money elsewhere from now on and have posted about this policy to the Glass Explorers.

I used to love this whole setup, but tonight, I lost all respect for The Magic Stick. Tonight was The Detroit Cobra’s, Pangea, and a few others. The show was advertised $ 15. On the ticket that I was sold it says $ 15. –EVERYwHERE– it was advertised, it was a $ 15 cover. No big deal, right? Wrong.
I go to the door to pay my way in, with $ 15 in hand. I hand the lady $ 15, she looks at me and says «It’s $ 20.» With a confused look on my face I ask «Huh? Since when? You guys have been advertising this show being $ 15 the whole time you’ve had it listed, you were even advertising it as $ 15 tonight?!» She replies with «Yeah, I know, but we just raised it to $ 20.»
Wtf?! Talk about bait and switch. I paid the $ 20, but not happily. I feel violated and taken advantage of. Come on, guys. That was a total dick move. Why would you do that to customers? You’re just going to piss them off. I mean, for Christ’s sake, you ruined two of my friends night. They turned around and left when they heard $ 20. They too were under the $ 15 impression.
Isn’t this move technically illegal? Aside from being illegal, it was a huge dick move.
Respect lost, Magic Stick. Tsk, tsk, tsk. ..

The size of the venue is ideal for indy rock bands, but a few high-​top tables around the perimeter would be a nice addition. Sure, I’m not a teenager any more, but some seating for us older kids would be appreciated. Bartenders were nice, drink prices were fair, and the bathroom was clean. We parked in front and enjoyed a nice meal at the Majestic Café before the show (it was great to hear sound check), but cheap secured parking is also available. No complaints, but not my favorite venue for a live show.

Saw Johnny Marr here this past weekend and it was a great show.
I expected the place to get a lot hotter than it did, so that was nice. I wish the stage was a little higher because if you aren’t up front, you can only see the heads of the people on stage.
There are some chairs on a raised side area and bar height chair on the floor level available if you are early.
We didn’t order drinks or use the bathroom, so I can’t comment on that. Overall it was a nice intimate venue.

Perfect venue for performances. The space is big. The patio is perfect for winter smoking or summer sitting. The drinks are priced fair but theres not a wide variety. This is not your swanky midtown bar/​venue this is for people who have walked a few miles in life and not because they’ve wanted to.

Everyone has been to the Magic Stick at least once, right? I mean, if you are under 50, and are the concert-​going type, you have been here, right? I just thought that was a given. Either way, the Magic Stick is a bar/​venue that brings in the nationally-​touring acts that that can still play (or prefer to play) smaller venues. They also host special parties and local acts too.
As a venue (and not a bar), their alcohol costs accordingly. And yeah, that sucks… but you wouldn’t throw a fit if a stadium charged you $ 4 for shitty beer! Being that I would prefer to spend my money on beer that tastes good, I choose to drink at Union Street before the show instead of drinking overpriced PBR during it. Problem solved. As a venue, I like their stage set-​up, the stage is wide, there is plenty of floor space, as well as some raised sections with tables and chairs for the lucky few that are able to snag ‘em. And the bar is far from the stage, leaving plenty of space for people to stand to order drinks, take a break, etc.
My complaints, however, are many:
–The bathrooms are shit, at least for girls. For the size of the venue, three stalls just seems like too few to me, and the stalls could really stand to be replaced. There is always a long line.
–Their security is overly-​aggressive. On many occasions, I have watched security guards use an unnecessary level of force. I once saw a security guard throw a man down the stairs. Literally, shoved a man down the stairs. Isn’t it the guard’s job to maintain composure? No matter the events that lead up to this moment, I can’t imagine a situation in which this behavior is excusable. Worst, this same security guard was on duty the next time I was at the Magic Stick! HE DIDN’T EVEN LOSE HIS JOB!?!
–This place gets effing hot. For the amount of money they make (and they make a lot of money from cover charges and from all those people willing to buy overpriced PBR), I think they can afford to install an adequate ventillation system. They rely on one or two poorly-​placed industrial sized fans to keep patrons cool. Also, due to noise violations, they have to keep doors closed during sets, so it is just ungodly hot. Even in the dead of winter.
All that being said, I don’t dislike the Magic Stick… Comparatively, I suppose I like it, I just want them to fix a few things, improve their staff, upgrade the bathroom a tad, and then no complaints from me.

Pretentious den of hipsterism.
$ 4 for a fucking CAN of beer? Go fuck yourself Jayden. Do not turn my city into Brooklyn.
Serving me a CAN of beer might be the norm up in da Yoopee, but they only charge you 65 cents. And we are NOT in Ontonagon, pal.

A tried and true spot for shows in the D. Saturday night I worked the merch table for Negative Approach at the TescoFest, and had myself a grand old time. (Kind of funny I’d use a word my grandmother was all about to describe a hardcore show, but there ya go.)
The sound was awesome. You could really hear the rhythm section which was cool, since a lot of times it seems to get buried in the mix a bit. I could really FEEL it, too, from my place on the platform that merchandise row was set up on. And the two stage arrangement worked out great, keeping the jams flowing out seamlessly almost all night long. (The one exception being Negative Approach. John Brannon, that goddamned prima donna!)
The deck sure is nice, too, especially on a summer night. Caught a few fleeting moments of the Tigers game, which is about the only way I can watch baseball, and paid too much for a sugar-​free Red Bull.
The fridges behind the bar sure make their bottled beers look like a mighty army.
They could have used more bouncers. There was only six for a sold-​out hardcore show of 700 people. I say this because my fellow t-​shirt hawker Frankie, who is a bouncer there but was not working in that capacity that night, got the crap beat out of him by some guy known as the Beast who does everything he can to live up to that name. Frankie said they should have had at least a dozen guys for that show, but the Zaineas are too cheap. But then I’ve been hearing that the Zaineas are cheap and a pain in the ass to work for for about fifteen years now.
As mentioned in many previous reviews the bathrooms here are nasty and oh, wait, I’m a dude and don’t really care too much.

Ladies b sure to go downstairs to the loo. Cause its nasty n there.

My concert going experience is very limited. I had no idea what to expect when I went to the Azure Ray show this past Monday night.
I was pleasantly surprised. The closeness of the performers to the crowd gives the venue a very personal feel, almost like being at a house party. Of course, at house parties, the beer is usually free, and at Magic Stick they are a little overpriced.
The concert was wonderful, though, and there is pizza and karaōke in the café right downstairs. So, basically, best concert ever.
Parking in the lot was $ 4.

It had been a few years since my last show at the Magic Stick, so I went last week to see William Elliott Whitmore and Frank Turner. It was a great show and The Stick is a great place to see a show. Also, living in Chicago now, being able to drink Stroh’s at a bar is something I miss!!!
As with everything else in Michigan, it is non-​smoking, which is a huge plus to all venues. They also have a sweet patio/​roof top deck, which is always a plus in the summer. I miss Detroit and the Magic Stick!

It’d been a few years since I’d been to the The Stick and I went a few days ago on a whim to see Kurt Vile. And realized that it is an AWESOME place not only to see a show, but to just hang out!
I am huge a fan of decks and patios and theirs is just stellar. Absolutely stellar. A great view, beautiful lights and I love that there’s a bar outside. I also love that there’s a big TV, mostly as the idea of watching a Tigers game sitting outside on a beautiful night in Detroit is kind of my idea of heaven (short of actually being at the park, of course!). Also – the patio chairs are some of the most comfortable outdoor furniture I’ve ever sat in. Kind of random, I know, but true!
Anyway, the show was great – the sound was excellent and I feel like there’s not really a bad spot in the house. Very much appreciate the existence of tables and chairs in a raised area on the side and that they have a ton of pool tables adjoining the stage area. Gives it a more laid-​back vibe. The drink prices are venue drink prices. I think I had three High Lifes and my bill was 11 bucks. The bartenders were nice dudes.
All in all – highly recommended!