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News Article: Remodeling Is Underway On 4 Ashmun Drive-Ins - Caro, Mich. - R.D. Ashmun of
Ashmun Theatres has announced a renovation program in which four of
the circuit's Michigan drive-ins are being outfitted with self-service concession equipment
and three of the theatres are being converted to year-round operation. The theatres involved
are the Northside Drive-In at Lansing,
Starlite and Tuscola drive-ins at Bay City,
and the Auto Drive-In at Saginaw. The installation of 600 1,000-watt
heaters has already been completed at the Northside. Remodeling of the concession building and
conversion to a self-service operation has also been completed. The paving of all ramps,
entrance and exit ways is planned for the spring of 1969. The Starlite is being enlarged
to accomodate 900 cars and will also be paved. Its concession building was recently
remodeled and converted to self-service bt the L&L Concession Co. of Detroit. A new
all-steel screen tower will be installed at the Tuscola and this theatre will also
go to an all-year operation with the installation of 1,000-watt heaters. Its concession
building is slated for self-service and a new marquee will be installed. Paving is also
in the works. The Auto Drive-In has just completed the remodeling of its concession
building to self-service. Heaters will be installed soon and the ramps, entrances and
exit way will be paved. (Boxoffice Magazine 11/4/68)
NEWS ARTICLE:NORTHSIDE DRIVE-IN WILL BECOME TWIN OPERATION Lansing,Mich.- Manager Orlando Spagnuolo has
announced plans to expand the Northside Drive-In on US-27 into a twin-theatre complex. He said the present situation accomodates 1,000 cars
and the adjacent new drive-in will have a 700-vehicle capacity. The twins will cover appoximately 20 acres. Work for the new facility is slated to
start next spring and completion is scheduled for July 1, 1970. Construction will be arranged to avoid interference with operation of the present
theatre. The existing entrance and exit will serve the new complex as an exit only. A new four-lane, blacktopped roadway will be developed,
with a new entrance off US-27, running alongside the present theatre for several hundred feet. Spagnuolo said the roadway entrance will
eliminate backup of moviegoers' cars onto the highway. (Box Office Magazine 11/11/69)
Update: The 1969 plans for the Northside's second theatre were apparently shelved, and it was never constructed. The Northside
remained a single screen until it was divided into a triple drive-in in the 1980's. (Michigandriveins.com 10/26/03)
Update:"The original screen reportedly burned down due to a fireworks accident sometime in the 70's, and was quickly replaced. Two more screens
were added in the 80's, making the Northside a triple. The theater was neglected towards the end and had become quite a party spot, causing local
police to visit often." (Outdoor Moovies 9/99)
Update: The yet to be discovered Canadian rock trio RUSH, along with several other bands, played at the
ill-fated noon to midnight 'Northside Concert' on May 18th, 1974. The bands played on a stage constructed in front of the screen at the
Northside Drive-In Theater. According to the Lansing State Journal newspaper article, attendance was sparse, but drug overdoses were
aplenty. In typical State Journal fashion, the article did not mention any of the bands, or their music sets at the concert. Read the entire article below.
(Michigandriveins.com 9/7/03)
Update: from VISIONS - THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY OF RUSH :"The
first gig Ray was able to get in the States for the band was a non-event pop festival in East Lansing, Michigan during the early spring. This
outdoor festival was not Woodstock. Only 1,300 people showed up on a rainy day at the concert site.... a drive-in movie theatre.
The audience was not familiar with the band's material and they received an indifferent reception."
(Scott Biggs - Worlds Biggest RUSH Fan! 10/23/03)
Update: "I was at the North Side Drive In Rush concert of 18 May 1974 (that date sounds about right to me). I was actually doing a black and white video recording of the event for the local (MSU) cable station. Unfortunately I doubt any of the tape of that event still exists, though it is possible. I vividly remember lying on my back, with a video camera, shooting up past the guitar into what I assume was Geddy Lee's face. Being a somewhat pedantic fellow I just thought that I would make one definite correction and a comment. The tour date listing has Dr. John on the bill for that show, in fact Dr. John did not show up (making for a rather ugly crowd at times) and the New York Dolls were the replacement act, not exactly an act the Lansing crowd 'got'. Secondly, I think I remember the announcer saying that this was the first time the band had been out of Canada...I was 16 at the time..." (Mark K. Mondol/www.2112.net 3/14/10)
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