How many times did Prince perform in Michigan? From electrifying Detroit arenas to his unforgettable Wings Stadium show, we’ve tracked down every known concert across the state. Dive into the complete timeline of his Michigan shows, including dates and venues.
Prince passed away on April 21st, 2016. It’s hard to believe that we are coming up on the 10th anniversary of Prince’s passing. I have been a Prince fan since I was a small child in the early to mid-80s. I’ve been lucky enough to see Prince in concert 7 times, from Detroit to Chicago, Cincinnati, and Tampa.
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Prince has a deep history with Michigan. Even though he loved Minnesota and lived in Minneapolis his entire life, he often said that Detroit was his favorite city in the world to play in. Detroit was the first city to embrace his music back in the late 70s and early 80s. In fact, his first radio play came from the Motor City. Prince went on to play 37 shows in the Detroit area.
Complete List of Prince Concerts in Michigan
- Fire it up Tour – Prince opened up for Rick James on this tour. March 23, 1980 – Cobo Arena in Detroit April 4, 1980 – Saginaw Civic Center: Wendler Arena in Saginaw
- Dirty Mind Tour December 20, 1980 – Cobo Arena in Detroit March 11, 1981 – Royal Oak Music Theatre in Royal Oak March 11, 1981 – Royal Oak Music Theatre in Royal Oak (2nd show, same night and venue) March 20, 1981 – EMU – Bowen Field House in Ypsilanti
- Controversy Tour – Zapp and Roger and The Time opened up for Prince. December 4, 1981 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit February 1, 1982 – Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor
- 1999 Tour – The Time and Vanity 6 opened for Prince. November 30, 1982 – Masonic Temple Auditorium in Detroit December 1, 1982 – Masonic Temple Auditorium in Detroit December 2, 1982 – Masonic Temple Auditorium in Detroit December 2, 1982 – Masonic Temple Auditorium in Detroit (2nd show, same night and venue) December 3, 1982 – Masonic Temple Auditorium in Detroit December 3, 1982 – Masonic Temple Auditorium in Detroit (2nd show, same night and venue) December 8, 1982 – Saginaw Civic Center: Wendler Arena in Saginaw February 25, 1983 – MSU Auditorium in East Lansing February 27, 1983 – Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor March 13, 1983 – Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo April 8, 1983 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit
- Purple Rain Tour – The Time, Sheila E, and Apollonia 6 opened for Prince and the Revolution. November 4, 1984 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit November 5, 1984 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit November 7, 1984 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit November 8, 1984 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit November 9, 1984 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit November 11, 1984 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit November 12, 1984 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit
- Pop Up Shows June 6, 1986 – Masonic Temple Auditorium in Detroit June 7, 1986 – Cobo Arena in Detroit
- Love Sexy Tour October 30, 1988 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit October 31, 1988 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit
- Act I Tour – Prince and the New Power Generation (NPG) April 1, 1993 – The Fox Theatre in Detroit April 2, 1993 – The Fox Theatre in Detroit
- Love 4 One Another Charities Tour January 13, 1997 – State Theater in Detroit
- Jam of the Year Tour – This North America tour kicked off in Michigan, featuring Larry Graham & Graham Central Station, Chaka Khan, and Doug E Fresh as supporting acts. July 21, 1997 – Pine Knob Music Center in Clarkston December 18, 1997 – Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids December 27, 1997 – The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills
- New Power Soul Festival Tour October 24, 1998 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit
- Hit n Run Tour – Prince and 3rdEyeGirl November 14, 2000 – State Theater in Detroit November 19, 2000 – Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids
- Prince Celebration Tour June 23, 2001 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit
- One Night Alone Tour March 1, 2002 – Heritage Theater in Saginaw March 6, 2002 – Detroit Opera House in Detroit
- Musicology Tour June 20, 2004 – The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills June 21, 2004 – The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills July 30, 2004 – Joe Louis Arena in Detroit July 31, 2004 – The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills August 1, 2004 – Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids
- HitnRun Tour April 9, 2015 – The Fox Theatre in Detroit
Were you lucky enough to see Prince in concert? Tell us about in the comments…