It’s rare (actually impossible) that I would stand outside of a bar for two hours waiting to get in, but this was the final night at Lili’s. It’s hard to describe what Lili’s has meant to us over the years and I won’t even begin to try. I first stumbled into that treasure on Jacob Street in Hamtramck back in the late 1970’s when something new called “punk rock” had taken it’s first baby steps into Detroit and I had coincidentally just turned 18 (which in those days was legal). It was the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership for both of us. Lili’s provided a venue to hear real music – not that crap that was being force fed on us by the radio stations and record companies. The bands weren’t always the most talented or polished musicians around – but they always provided us with the spark and originality that could not be found anywhere else.
Back to the present – the last night at Lili’s
provided 4 bands that really represent what Lili’s was always about: The Trash
Brats, Junk Monkeys, Polish Muslims and Bootsey X and the Lovemasters.
I won’t waste your time talking about these bands – you wouldn’t be
reading this if you haven’t seen and appreciated the great work all these
people have done over the years. Since I actually didn’t get into Lili’s till after the
Junk Monkeys and before Bootsey finished off the show – I was just hanging out
on Jacob listening to the bands rock and hoping that enough people would leave,
so that I could finally get in.
It was a lot of fun hanging out outside and just
talking to people about how much Lili’s had meant to them over the years.
Lili’s was never the newest or hippest place in town; it was just the
most comfortable and friendly place around.
Lili, Mike, Alan and Art would just make you feel
right at home every time you walked down that corridor and through the
door. The interior decorations would seemingly never change – the
Iggy poster and the Niagara painting over the bar seem to have been there
forever.
I have a million memories of Lili’s – seeing
bands like the Mutants, Romantics, Reruns, Cinecyde, Hysteric Narcotics,
Vertical Pillows, Polish Muslims, 3-D Invisibles and a whole bunch of others
ripping through yet another set on that tiny stage; meeting and making friends
over the years and even drinking some of that exotic plum brandy known as
“vishnivka” or whatever they called it.
If I had to pick one magic moment at Lili’s – it happened back at a
Vertical Pillows show. The place
was jammed as it always seemed to be on those nights and the Pillows played
their usual rocking set. Their
manager was Rob Tyner of the legendary MC5 and he was persuaded to get on stage
for the encore, which was an awesome version of “Kick Out the Jams”.
It was one of those “priceless” moments that Mastercard has pushed on
all of us that could never be duplicated. Rob
Tyner passed away not too long after that show and that song will always stay
with me. Lili’s had too many of
those great rock & roll moments that could not or will not ever be repeated.
But all great things must come to an end.
I could be selfish and whine about how another great Detroit landmark has
closed, but that would be unfair. Lili
herself passed away a couple of years ago and took a lot of the soul of this
place with her. Alan, Mike and Art
kept it going for a couple of more years and gave us all enough great times to
last a lifetime.
Thanks
for all everything !!!!
Dziekuye Bardzo !!!!