Video: Once-venerable Eastown Theatre comes crashing down

The Eastown Theatre, which opened in 1930 as a neighborhood movie palace on Detroit’s east side, was razed last month after years neglect and scrapping left the building in dangerous condition.

The city took ownership of the theater in the past year.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the theater became a legendary rock venue, hosting bands such as Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, Yes, Grand Funk Railroad, Steppenwolf, King Crimson and MC5.

This video includes music from a Grateful Dead performance at the theater in 1971.

  Abandoned Buildings, east side, Eastown Theatre, grateful dead, live music, Theater, video

Steve Neavling

Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.

• 
• 
• 
• 
•