NEW YORK (Top40 Charts) - There's nothing like a music getaway vacation for inspiration.
Music can be found just about anywhere - on a weekend getaway or sitting on a sun-drenched patio half way around the world.
Dream a little, start to plan a trip, and make your travel reservations - even the day dreaming will give you a boost.
We've combed the tour dates & places, and found the best events / destinations to visit each week. Look for them here,
every Thursday on this column by Top 40 Charts.com!
Leave that TV remote behind, get off that couch and do something different next weekend! Get yourself a lungful of fresh air and get back to music and life with our unbeatable range of irresistible weekend proposals. Every Top 40 Charts proposal is having always a 10-day delay (before), so you will have plenty time to be prepared for the next week's event/city/venue.
Also - don't forget to discuss your favorites on our forum. Whether you want classic music event, rock tour or a pop bestseller, make sure you come back from your weekend with a great story!
Michael McDonald - Detroit, Michigan
Fri, 04/02/04
08:00 PM
Music Hall Center
350 Madison, Detroit, MI 48226
Detroit, MI
Michael McDonald was born 2 December 1952, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. McDonald has one of the most effortless and powerful voices in modern soul/rock. McDonald is instrumental in steering the latter's sound towards highly commercial soul-based rock. For a period in the 80s he also became a major, although not always completely consistent, hit songwriter. He recorded an abortive solo session for Bell Records in the early 70s, but found greater fame as a guest vocalist with Steely Dan and as a member of the Doobie Brothers.
He made the top of the US charts with the singles:
I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) (1982),
Yah Mo B There (with James Ingram - 1984)
No Lookin Back (1985)
On My own (with Patti LaBelle - 1985)
His latest album is called 'Motown' and is going back to the music roots. What a refreshing change for Michael! He has such a great voice, and the listener is able to really enjoy it on this new CD. Great deja vu of all the original artists; he did a great job re-doing them. Not sure how many other artists could have done these and had them turn out the way he did. Excellent cd and one trip to Detroit for watching him live is the best escape for the next week!
Detroit - A Travel Guide Review The city of Detroit has a long, varied and often turbulent history. This remarkable city has been a French trading post, a headquarters for the British army, an international port and a major influence on both American and world culture. Detroit has seen many changes, but it wasn't until the 20th century that it would come into its own, carving a place for itself as a leading producer of many things, from office supplies to pharmaceuticals. Its biggest claim, however, is as an automotive and steel production epicentre. Today's Detroit is not only one of the largest and most impressive cities in the USA, it is also one of the country's busiest and most successful ports.
Founded in 1701, 70 years before the American Revolution, "la Ville d'Etroit", or the City At The Straights started life as a French trading post. Founder Antoine De Mothe Cadillac considered his new home to hold an ideal strategic position for the fur trade between the French and Chippewa.
The city entered the 20th century with less than 300,000 people, but its citizens had a plan for the future. Before the automotive revolution, Detroit had built a name for itself with production of bicycles and horse drawn carriages. Iron and copper were plentiful in the area, as were visionaries like Henry Ford and the Dodge brothers, founders of two of the most successful car manufacturers in the world.
Henry Ford also defined the assembly line method in Detroit, setting the stage for the mass production of American motorcars. This in turn led to the first affordable cars for the American middle class. Iron mines and the mass production of automobiles and steel earned the city the nickname of Motor City, and in time Detroit became known as the city that put the world on wheels. When the automotive industry boomed, so did Detroit. It was the first city to pave roads and to install traffic lights. It also gave the world the first appearance of the United Auto Workers.
Detroit is one of the busiest inland ports and the busiest on the Great Lakes. The Detroit River brings more than 40 countries to one of the most diverse harbours in the USA, looking for more than cars and car parts. The city has become a leading producer of many more common things, from office supplies to pharmaceuticals, salt and more than half the garden seed the USA consumes annually.
Climate: Detroit's waterfront location, so close to Lake Huron, lends itself to the city's climate as much as its green space. On average, spring temperatures rest in the low to mid 60s Fahrenheit (20s Celsius). The Great Lakes and the Detroit River bring with them high humidity.
Transportation: Detroit is growing in popularity with both business travellers and tourists. The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport sees more than 34 million passengers every year, with daily non-stop flights to many destinations around the world including Canada, the United Kingdom, destinations throughout Europe and Asia. Greyhound Lines and Amtrak also offer daily trips throughout North America, including regular stops at Chicago, IL, St Paul, MN and Pittsburgh, PA
Many of the streets in downtown Detroit are one-way, making map reading skills an advantage. 
(Maps of Detroit) Some visitors choose to avoid the hassles of traffic jams and take the People Mover, an elevated monorail running seven days a week through downtown Detroit. The People Mover covers 3 miles in 15 minutes.
The Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel both connect Detroit with Windsor, Ontario on the opposite bank of the river. The tunnel is the fastest connection between the cities, and is 75 feet (22.8 meters) beneath the river and nearly one mile (1,600 meters) long.
Buses run from the metropolitan airport to most major hotels in the downtown area, as well as crossing the river into the centre of Windsor.
Attractions: There is a lot to do in Detroit, and despite its reputation and tumultuous history, of the more popular draws are the many scenic parks. Lush and green, the parks gained prominence in the mid-19th century and because of them the city was often compared to Paris. The park system is well planned out and includes extensive recreational facilities. The 1,000-acre Belle Isle Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of the famous Central Park in New York City, features both The Anna Whitcomb Conservatory and the former Belle Isle Zoo. Tennis and the driving range are also popular during the spring months.
Detroit is also home to many world-class museums, theatres, and galleries, including the Detroit Institute of Art, one of the nations biggest art galleries. The Ann Arbour Hands On Museum, for example, provides an interactive science and discovery experience. And of course, there is the Automotive Hall of Fame, where visitors not only learn the history of the automobile, but can also design their own car.
The Motor City is also known for stunning architecture. From the Guardian Building to the Gabriel Richard Building, Detroit has more skyscrapers than any city outside New York, most of which date from the early 1920s. More than 150 skyscrapers grace the Detroit skyline. The tallest building in Detroit, the Marriott Renaissance Center, is 725 Feet (221 Metres) and 73 stories tall and is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and one of the tallest hotels in the world.
Detroit is the proud home to an entertaining and influential performing arts scene. Some of the largest music festivals in the United States can be found here, with entertainment for all tastes, from country and jazz to the famous Motown. With all this gong on, it is not surprising that there is a thriving nightlife in Detroit. Rivertown, Detroit's former warehouse district, is sure to be a hit as it is now home to some of the best clubs in town.
And there is always the Northwest Side, the cultural heart of the city, where visitors can find some of the best dining in town.
Motown Museum: A young, black Detroiter, Berry Gordy Jr, started Motown in 1959, naming it after his city's loose way of shortening its 'Motor City' moniker. Confident and cocky, he bought a house in the northern part of Detroit, built a studio and quickly put a sign on his new company that read 'Hitsville USA.' The sign still sits on the roof. Once the hits - by artists like Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations and the Supremes - really started hitting, Gordy bought six other houses on the block.
The museum features a short video introduction to Motown's history and then you're off for a tour through the original recording studio, passing through rooms full of photos, album covers, newspaper clippings, gold records and Michael Jackson's black hat and sequined glove. Though at times a bit kitschy, it's hard not to get wrapped up in the history and good times that the Motown sound represents.
Hotel guide/accomodation:
Atheneum Suite Hotel & Conference Center: Close to the Renaissance Center, COBO Convention Center, the Joe Louis Arena, Comerica Park, fine dining, Greektown, the casino and more.
Rates: USD 190 - 320
Address: 1000 Brush Avenue, Detroit MI
Tel: 1 313 962-2323, Fax: 313 962-2424
Courtyard Detroit Downtown: Recently renovated in 1998, this hotel offers a free continental breakfast. Located only minutes from downtown. Nearby attractions include General Motors Headquarters, Detroit Symphony, Hact Plaza and more. There are three floors. Services include 24-hour front desk, free parking and safety deposit box.
Rates: USD 50 - 130
Address: 3250 East Jefferson, Detroit MI
Tel: 1 313 568-2000 Toll Free: 1 800 544-8313, Fax: 1 313 568-0624
Econolodge Detroit: Rooms offer air conditioning, clock radio, cable or satellite television and more. Located one mile from golf course and 13 miles from the Detroit Metro Airport. Situated 14 miles from downtown Detroit. Nearby is Wayne State College.
Rates: USD 50 - 90
Address: 17729 Telegraph Road, Detroit MI, 48219
Tel: 1 313 531-2550, Fax: 1 313 531-5148
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Detroit: Each room has a remote control television with free cable and HBO, in room movies, Nintendo, hairdryer, iron and board, coffeemaker with complimentary coffee, and a telephone with voicemail and data port.
Rates: USD 80 - 260
Address: 1020 Washington Boulevard, Detroit MI, 48226
Tel: 1 313 887-7000
Hotel St. Regis: This is a deluxe hotel located in a series of historic Victorian mansions. the authenticity has been beautifully preserved but every modern convenience is also available. A daily deluxe complimentary continental breakfast is provided and there is an afternoon social reception.
Rates: USD 100 - 150
Address: 84 East Ferry St. Detroit MI, 48202
Tel: 1 313 871-6000, Fax: 1 313 871-1473
Marriott Detroit Renaissance Center: This luxury convention center was recently renovated, over $100 million invested. There is over 100,000 square feet of meeting space. The restaurant is located on the 71st floor and offers views of Detroit and Canada. Some rooms have views of the Detroit River.
Rates: USD 80 - 350
Address: Renaissance Center, Detroit MI, 48243-1003
Tel: 1 313 568-8000, Fax: 1 313 568-8146
Radisson Kingsley Hotel: Offering porters, boating, shopping, business facilities, concierge desk, coffee shop, coffee maker, laundry service, computer, 24 hour front desk and more.
Rates: USD 60 - 190
Address: 39475 Woodward Avenue, Detroit MI, 48304
Tel: 1 248 644-1400
