The Grande Ballroom - Cream Story

In 1967 Cream played the Grande for three Nights in October.

That Saturday Russ Gibb played tour guide and chauferred Eric Clapton about town on a shopping excursion.

One stop was in Dearborn to the Michigan and Schaefer district where there were a number of department stores as well as a few music shops.

While window shopping at Montgomery (monkey) Wards Eric spied a strange sun washed shirt on a display mannequin. This red shirt was bleached almost white from its sunny side and transitioned to its original color on the shade side of the display. Eric rushed into the store and said " I would like to purchase that shirt". The saleperson, who was aware of its condition, explained that she would have to locate one in a box for him. Eric said "no, you don't understand, I want THAT shirt". The saleperson, bewildered as to why someone would want to purchase damaged merchandise, boxed it up for him promptly.

Their next stop was to a costume rental store in Royal Oak on Woodward Avenue.

After browsing through the racks of costumes, Eric discovered a set of Buffalo hair Cowboy "chaps".

Eric was thrilled and said to the Clerk, "great, I'll take these". The clerk said "fine, how many days would you like them for?". Eric, perhaps somewhat unfamiliar with the Halloween tradition of renting or "hiring" costumes said, "Indefinitely. I would like to purchase them". Eric and the clerk after minimal negotiation arrived at a price of $400 for the musty rental chaps. These Detroit chaps are seen on the album jacket for Disraeli Gears and were worn that weekend during Cream's two remaining shows at the Grande.