00:00We're standing on the largest stage in Detroit, the Masonic Temple.
00:04This venue holds about 5,000 people and it's actually one of three that they have here at the Masonic.
00:09One didn't get finished completely, but they use it.
00:12Instead, they still managed to have the space get used with videos and different film projects.
00:17I believe an entire movie got filmed in one of these.
00:20That's right. And you know what? The acoustics in this auditorium are perfect.
00:24You can hear our conversation in the seats way out there.
00:26And anybody in the auditorium can hear without any kind of amplification.
00:32But it helps, especially with all the rock and roll industry this big right here, Donnie.
00:36We're coming up on the anniversary of the Rolling Stones play at the Masonic back in 1978.
00:40It was a huge Rolling Stones.
00:41Some girls tour.
00:42Right?
00:43That's right.
00:44That's right.
00:44And also Queen played here.
00:47Yeah.
00:47And they didn't even headline.
00:49They opened up for Mock the Hobble.
00:53How would she say?
00:54Van Halen played here.
00:56Yep.
00:56Van Halen.
00:57Yep.
00:57Like so many.
00:58The Foo Fighters most recently.
01:00And Jack White helped out.
01:02Not because anybody asked him, but back.
01:04You know, there were some financial struggles that were going on.
01:06And I want to say like around 2013.
01:08And Jack White was like, here you go.
01:09He's brilliant Jack, man.
01:11They actually made the theater after Jack White for a while.
01:14And Jack White was like, that's, you know, that's not why I did it.
01:16But the Masonic Temple, they're grateful people.
01:18They're good people.
01:19And you should come take a tour.
01:20Absolutely.
01:21It's a spectacular architectural gem in the city of Detroit.
01:24We're in the crystal ballroom.
01:27Each one of these chandeliers weighs a ton and a half.
01:34This is Rob Moore.
01:35He's the executive director.
01:36And he gives one heck of a tour.
01:38Rob, what's the space?
01:39Tell us about the space we're standing in.
01:41Well, this is the drill hall right here.
01:43This is a 17,500 square foot exhibition space originally designed for marching practice, believe it or not, by the
01:50Commandery Organization, one of the many Masonic groups that meet here at the Detroit Masonic Temple.
01:55Currently, its primary user is the Detroit Roller Derby League.
01:59They've been a part of the building since 2004.
02:01Their season runs from November until, I believe, June.
02:04It's a five-team league.
02:05It is a lot of fun.
02:07If you've not been to one of our roller derby bouts here, we would strongly recommend it.
02:11So it's a lot of fun.
02:12You can feel the energy in the room.
02:14And very interesting, Rob also told us that the floor, while this building was built in the 1920s, they designed
02:20it for marching.
02:20So there's cushion in the floor.
02:22This is actually a floating wood floor with cushioning underneath it and then soft pine, you said?
02:28That's right.
02:28This was the first floating floor in North America.
02:31And again, it's designed for cushioning the back, the joints, the knees when you're marching like that.
02:35They are tryouts.
02:36I want to try out, man.
02:38My skating days are behind me, Joel.
02:39But hey.
02:40I got to skate.
02:42I'm like, you have a microphone, Joel.
02:44And this is my patented move called the Joel elbow right there.
02:49The enforcer.
02:50That's what Joel is.
02:51I heard there was a pool.
02:53Yeah.
02:53But I didn't know that it was historically unfinished.
02:56I brought my towel and everything, Donnie.
02:58There's actually like a whole bunch of mirrors that you can see stacked up against the wall.
03:02And those are from music videos that people have done and then left stuff behind.
03:06Rob Moore, the executive director, was telling us that the reason why this pool didn't get finished, it's not that
03:12it doesn't hold water.
03:12They can structurally prove that it would.
03:14It's just like many pools, it became a little bit of a cash.
03:18Money pit.
03:19Right.
03:19And now to try and finish this with the original plumbing and whatnot, you'd have a whole other can of
03:25worms on top of it.
03:26And not only that, but when they were deciding that it was an option and they had other priorities in
03:31the building to finish, the Great Depression struck.
03:34And that put a dent in everybody's budget.
03:37A part of a whole other project of basically a wellness center with locker rooms and fitness.
03:43And like this place, over a thousand rooms.
03:45It's insane.
03:46Yes.
03:46And there's odes to so many different architectural styles that have been prevalent throughout history.
03:51Yes.
03:51So we will give you some pictures of all the pretty stuff as well, showing you the unfinished pool of
03:57the Masonic Temple.
03:58All right, man, this place is a spectacular gem.
04:01And if you get an opportunity, come down and take a tour of the Masonic Temple.
04:06It's spectacular.
04:08The Weird, the Wild, the Wonderful Rockin' Road Trips with 94.7 WCSX.
04:14When you get back from a rockin' road trip, nothing hits the spot like a cold Faygo pop.
04:20Faygo, the one true pop.
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