Did You Attend One These Legendary Shows At The Delta Plex?

The Acrisure Amphitheater is a little over a month away, and the excitement for the new 10,000-capacity venue is quickly building. Opening night is on May 15th, with the inaugural concert headlined by none other than Lionel Richie, with Michiganders The War & Treaty and Brian Vander Ark from the Verve Pipe opening the show.

In honor of this huge event, we're looking back at the other venues around Grand Rapids that have helped build Grand Rapids' incredible music scene. From the Van Andel Arena to the Orbit Room, we're looking at the legendary concerts from big bands (some from before they were big) that happened at these venues.

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Today, we're looking at Grand Rapids' original stadium: The DeltaPlex. Originally built in 1952, it was the venue for concerts, sporting events, and more before closing in 2022. Before it closed, however, many of music's biggest names made stops there.

VIEW MORE LEGENDARY LINEUPS AROUND GRAND RAPIDS:

VAN ANDEL YEAR 1 | ORBIT ROOM

The DeltaPlex: A Brief History

Before the Van Andel Arena, the DeltaPlex Arena (known as the Stadium Arena from 1952 to 1992) was the largest venue in West Michigan. Joel Langlois bought it in the mid-90s and completely renovated the building, reopening it in 1997.

READ MORE: Every Major Artist Who Played Van Andel Arena in Its First Year

It hosted a variety of events, including now-defunct sports teams such as the Grand Rapids Drive basketball team and the Arena Racing League, as well as the circus, American Ninja Warrior, wrestling, and numerous conventions and shows.

But the thing many people remember it for is the concerts that were held there. The venue was 23,000 square feet and had 4,500 fixed seats, which could be reconfigured to increase capacity to 7,000. The venue hosted many big names during its 20+ year run, including Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Greta Van Fleet, Ghost, and Green Day. 

Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to move on from the venue ultimately led to Langlois closing its doors in 2022, and the space was sold to the Visser Brothers. Now, multiple businesses use the space, mainly for manufacturing.

Joel Langlois Reflects On The DeltaPlex

Speaking with Joel Langlois over the phone, we asked him what it was like to run the DeltaPlex for 20+ years and the role it played in the community. He had this to say:

Q: What does it mean to you/Grand Rapids to have the kind of longevity and impact the DeltaPlex had?

A: "When we opened in 1997, it was our goal to create a cheaper alternative to the Van Andel Arena.  Barnum and Bailey's Circus would swing through there, so we'd bring in the Shrine Circus. It only cost $8 million to build the arena, so we had less overhead than Van Andel and could afford to charge less. We appealed to blue-collar families better. We worked hard to get repeat events and expand the concert business.

We were open to trying new things, like Arena Racing. We were the first franchisee, which was a risk because we were relying on the league taking off in other places as well. Ultimately, it didn't get any other franchises, but we still continued to host it for 5-6 years, and people loved it."

Q: Is there a concert that still sticks with you today?

A: I still remember the time we had Luke Combs come in when he was young and unknown. He and his band were just walking around the building way before the show, and we thought they were trespassing until he said he was playing tonight. We laughed, showed him around, and it was a great show.

Q: How do you feel about the Acrisure Ampitheater opening in Grand Rapids?

A: I think it's a great thing for Grand Rapids, and I'm looking forward to the events going on there. The west side of Michigan has been missing a really nice outdoor amphitheater, and I believe it will be successful. Obviously, how the parking situation downtown will play out remains to be seen, but I'm excited.

We thank Joel for his time. Now, let's reflect on some of the incredible concerts that took place here in West Michigan.