DJ Kool performs during the Hammer’s House Party Tour at DTE Energy Music Theatre. (Marissa Pierce/Phashion Phish)

One of my favorite memories is going to the MC Hammer Too Legit To Quit Tour at Pine Knob (now DTE Energy Music Theatre). The show was HYPE and featured Boyz II Men and TLC, so you can imagine how excited I was to see Hammer at the same venue, along with some legends including DJ Kool, Biz Markie, Sir-Mix-A-Lot, and Coolio.

The show started with DJ Kool known for “Let Me Clear My Throat”. He got help hyping the crowd up from DJ East!

Biz Markie performs during the Hammer’s House Party Tour at DTE Energy Music Theatre. (Marissa Pierce/Phashion Phish)

Next up was Biz Markie who is known for his beat-boxing skills. He performed all his hits like, “Just a Friend” and “The Vapors”; and also took time to remember some of our fallen stars including Prince, Nipsey Hussle, and Michael Jackson.

Sir-Mix-a-Lot performs during the Hammer’s House Party Tour at DTE Energy Music Theatre. (Marissa Pierce/Phashion Phish)

Sir Mix-a-Lot started with the jams like My Hooptie, My Posse on Broadway, and the FOREVER jam, Baby Got Back. For that song he brought a variety of ladies on stage to dance, and that sent the crowd into a frenzy! He also shouted out Flint, MI.

Coolio performs during the Hammer’s House Party Tour at DTE Energy Music Theatre. (Marissa Pierce/Phashion Phish)

Coolio came out performing with a 3-piece band that included an amazing saxophonist. Along with his performance he also shouted out Flint and paid tribute to MC Breed, as well as Eazy E, Aretha Franklin, Biggie, and Tupac. He took the audience down memory lane with “Fantastic Voyage”, “See You When You Get There”, and “Gangsta’s Paradise”.

MC Hammer set the stage on fire with his hits “Pumps in a Bump” and “Have You Seen Her”, where he serenaded the ladies and handed out flowers. Hammer also performed “Let’s Get It Started”, “Pray”, “They Put Me in the Mix”, “You Can’t Touch This”, and my favorite, “Too Legit To Quit”.

MC Hammer performs during the Hammer’s House Party Tour at DTE Energy Music Theatre. (Marissa Pierce/Phashion Phish)

Hammer’s House Party Tour definitely brought back the nostalgia of 80’s and 90’s Hip-Hop and reminded me of how good it used to be!

Lionel Richie performs at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI for the Hello Tour. (Marissa Pierce/Phashion Phish)

As an 80’s baby, I have my own copy of Lionel Richie's Dancing on the Ceiling. I can recall fondly his hosting of the American Music Awards where the entire night was, “outrageous”, and one of the very first concerts I covered was Tina Turner’s Twenty Four Seven Tour, that featured Richie. So, to see him again with the perfect sunset in the back ground of DTE Energy Music Theatre (still Pine Knob to me as said 80’s baby), well how else do you kick off your summer?!?

In one word, Lionel Richie’s Hello Tour is FUN! The energy and crowd can be nothing less, with every one up out of their seats dancing, singing along, and cruising down memory lane via song, the night just keeps getting better and better.

Richie started with “Running With the Night” sporting an updated satin styled band jacket, and the hits kept coming; along with great crowd interaction and witty banter! At one point Richie sipped on the “local juice” and joked with the men in the audience that their wives or girlfriends may have dragged them to the show, but he told them, “I’ll warm them up for you and you can take them home and close the deal.”

People were out of their seats for the majority of the 90 minute set, with the crowd full of a broad range of ages swaying to some of the slower hits like, “Penny Lover”, “Three Times a Lady”, and the perfect song for a Sunday night concert, “Easy”.

The Commodores fans in the crowd were also treated to a medley of jams including my all-time favorite and ringtone “Brick House”!

The jams continued with “Hello”, Say You, Say Me”, “We Are the World”, and a forever party starter, “All Night Long”.

Richie, who recently turned 70 years old mentioned that there were kids in the audience who had brought their moms or grandmothers (Me included), just showing the depth of his popularity, longevity, timelessness, and importance in the music industry. With a career that began with The Commodores, formed in 1968 and a solo career launched in 1982; with over 90 million records sold, four Grammy Awards, and a Golden Globe, we saw first hand on Sunday night why he is one of the best to ever do it. And, why he has all the hits.

You can keep up to date on all things Lionel Richie, including upcoming tour dates here.

Lionel Richie performs and interacts with the audience at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI for the Hello Tour. (Marissa Pierce/Phashion Phish)

Let's Get This Party Started!

Lionel Richie Brings the HITS!